ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS

This Catholic stained glass window is centered on St. John of the Cross. Saint John of the Cross ((24 June 1542 – 14 December 1591), born Juan de Yepes Alvarez, was a major figure of the Catholic Reformation, a Spanish mystic, and Carmelite friar and priest, born at Fontiveros, a small village near Ávila. Saint John of the Cross was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered, along with Saint Teresa of Ávila, as a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. He is also known for his writings. Both his poetry and his studies on the growth of the soul are considered the summit of mystical Spanish literature and one of the peaks of all Spanish literature. Pope Benedict XIII canonized him as a saint in 1726. He is one of the thirty-three Doctors of the Church. To find out more about St. John of the Cross, go to newadvent.org and type in the saint’s name in their internal search engine.

      At the top of the window is a dove surrounded by tongues of fire. The dove represents the Holy Spirit and the tongues of fire represent the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, which St. John made fruitful use of. Below the central image are three ovals. The one on the left contains the shield of the Discalced Carmelite order. The one on the right contains the Holy Eucharist. The central oval contains the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On top of the outer frame are seven fire-like winged shapes that represent the seven spirits (angels) of God that surround his throne in the book of Revelation.  The twenty light blue circles in the border around the window represent the twenty mysteries of the rosary, which is a contemplative prayer of the life of Jesus, Mary. The eighteen yellow, orange, red diamond like shapes in between the rosary beads represent the angels assigned to help St. John in his writings and reform work.