THE VISITATION

This Christian stained glass window is centered on the event recorded in the gospel of St. Luke 1: 39 – 57. St Luke tells us that immediately following the conception of Jesus at the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel, Mary set out in haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah. Mary, full of grace, is led by the Holy Spirit in Faith and love to share her ineffable joy with her older cousin

Elizabeth, who is now six months pregnant with St. John the Baptist. At Mary’s greeting, St John leaps for joy in Elizabeth womb and Elizabeth filled with the Holy Spirit cried out in aloud voice “Most blessed are you among women and blessed are you among woman and blessed is the fruit of your womb”. These words have been joyfully repeated in the Hail Mary down through the centuries.

Elizabeth ended Spirit filled crying out with these words “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled”. The Holy Spirit is telling us that Mary was the first believer in Christ – the first Christian. Mary responds with joy and exultation in the Lord with her Magnificat: “ My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1: 46 –55) is one of the most beautiful expressions of Joy in Scripture where the lord mercy is praise, the lowly are singled out for God’s favor, and the Old Testament promise of a savior/messiah is fulfilled.

Mary’s Magnificat is prayed everyday all over the world at evening prayer in the liturgy of the hours.

Just below the scene of the Visitation is an oval that contains an ancient symbol of Mary. Mary is the key person that bridges the old and the new testament as symbolized by the menorah and the cross on either side of the her symbol. On the edge of the window are twenty small bright blue circles that represent the twenty mysteries of the rosary, which is a contemplative prayer on the life of Jesus and Mary while on earth and their glory now in heaven. In between the rosary mysteries are twenty diamond like (red-orange-yellow) shapes the represent the angels assigned to Mary as Queen of the Angles. Above the Holy Spirit in the edge of the window are seven winged (red-orange-yellow) shapes that represent the seven Spirits (angels) who surround the throne of God, that are mention several times in the book of Revelations.