Category Dunhill Church

Jan 26 2014

Our Lady’s window

Our Lady’s window

Our Lady's window, Detail 1 Our Lady's window, Detail 2 Our Lady's window, Detail 3 Our Lady's window, Detail 4

The first two images show Our Lady carrying a stem of lilies, the symbol of purity. Lilies have long been associated with Mary and are, perhaps, the most common Marian symbol. This particular lily is the Madonna Lily (Lilium Candidum) which is native to the Balkans and West Asia. In summer it produces fragrant white flowers which are yellow at the base. Also associated with Our Lady is the Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis), but that’s a different plant altogether.

In the image on the right is a monogram comprising the intertwined letters A and M which stand for “Ave Maria” (Hail Mary, in Latin). Unfortunately, the very bottom of the window, including the bottom half of the monogram, is partially blurred by protective glazing.

Jan 26 2014

The Sacred Heart Window

The Sacred Heart window

The Sacred Heart window, Detail 1 The Sacred Heart window, Detail 2 The Sacred Heart window, Detail 3 The Sacred Heart window, Detail 4

The image on the right is of the bottom of the Sacred Heart window, taken through a gap in the pinnacle of the altar – it’s the only way to photograph it without a ladder! It bears a monogram comprising the intertwined letters I, H, and S. IHS is a type of Christogram – a combination of letters that forms an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ and traditionally used as a Christian symbol.

The first three letters of the name Jesus (in Greek) are iota, eta, and sigma These are the 9th, 7th, and 18th letters of the Greek alphabet, respectively. In Greek capital letters they are written as I, H, and Σ. The first two have been adopted as the I and H of the English alphabet. The Σ is equivalent to the English letter S and has the same sound.

In short, then, IHS represents the first three letters of the Greek version of the name Jesus. At least, that’s how it started out. Later, IHS was taken to mean Iesus Hominum Salvator (“Jesus, Saviour of men” in Latin) or “I Have Suffered”.

Jan 26 2014

The West Gable Windows

The West Gable Windows

East gable window
There are three windows in the west gable. They are difficult to photograph as a group as they are partially hidden by the main altar or by the sanctuary lamp, depending on where you are standing. The three figures in the windows are, from left to right, Our Lady, the Sacred Heart, and Saint Joseph.
The image may be enlarged by clicking on it and each window may be viewed separately using the menu on the left.