East Window

JESUS CRUCIFIED AND CROWNED

The writings of St John in his Gospel and the Book of Revelation inspire most of the symbols and images in the East Window

1. THE LAMB Jesus is the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1: 29). In early Christian art the symbol of a triumphant lamb conveyed the truth of Christ's victory over sin and death. "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive...glory and praise" (Rev. 5: 12). We see Jesus here wearing the crown of victory above the crown of thorns. The suffering of Jesus qualifies him to rule (Rev. 11: 15).

2. THE PELICAN The pelican above the cross has been a popular symbol of Jesus as Saviour since the Middle Ages. Just as the mother bird was thought to pluck flesh from her own breast to feed her young, so Jesus bore the cost and pain in himself. "I have come that they may have life" (John 10: 10). God meets our needs as humans, suffering both for us and with us.

3. THE CUP AND THE WAFER Above the pelican's nest are the widely used symbols of the gospel, the cup and the wafer, the bread and the wine. Again St John helps us understand when he records the words of Jesus: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6: 54).

4. THE ALPHA AND OMEGA The persecuted Christians of the first three centuries of the Christian era took great comfort from the symbols we see at the top of the window. and , (Alpha and Omega) are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End" (Rev. 21: 6).

5. THE CHI RHO The shields carry the first letters in Greek ( ) of the words Jesus Christ. The one on the right has come to be known as the Chi Rho sign, which the Roman emperor Constantine adopted as a banner. His mother Helena supervised the building of the first Round Church in Jerusalem, which protected the traditional sites of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus.

6. THE INSTRUMENTS OF CRUCIFIXION As we focus again on the middle of the window and the centre of Christ's robe, we see the garment, the nails, the tools, the spear and sponge, and the ladder. These remind us of the physical death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus shines as the light of the world (John 8: 12), and the cross is portrayed as the tree of life "for the healing of the nations" (Rev 22:2).