Christ Triumphant (2)
This window is to the Glory of God and in memory of Virginia C. Goss (d. 1919), the second wife of Dr. Isham H. Goss.
The six sections of this window present a single picture. The risen Lord is flanked by two Roman soldiers who have fallen back amazed but apparently receptive, for one has his spear pointed downward and the other does not have his shield before him in a protective gesture. Above them are two angels; above them, two smaller angels holding a banner reading, "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). At the peak of the window in a quatra-radiant halo, gold on white, is the monogram ihs, set in a circle edged in red. This bit of red and the red of the soldiers' cloaks are the only use of color in this window to suggest death; all else is life.
The risen Christ stands on His tomb, here pictured as below ground. His robe of the Easter and celebratory white has a repeated pattern of an oval surrounded by six exfoliating leaves; the whole pattern is golden. In the center is a cross-hatch design, too stylized to be read clearly. It suggests both the pineapple and the pomegranate. Since its introduction into Europe, the pineapple has been a symbol of welcome, the fruit having been expensive in northern climes. A welcome into Heaven could be implied.
The design is more likely the pomegranate, a traditional symbol for Easter, as a sign of fertility and of hope for immortality and resurrection. Because of the unity of many seeds in one fruit, it is also a symbol for the Church, many members in a single body. The pomegranate is also used to denote Christ as the great High Priest, as can be seen in the Nativity Window (North Aisle). The lower part of the robe is printed in a large fleur-de-lis design. A rose of Sharon serves as buckle, and a rose of Sharon decorates the hem of the pale golden cope, which is caught at the neck by a brooch with a Greek cross surrounded by thirteen pearls. Diamonds are in its side panels. In His left had is the staff of the Banner of Victory over Death, a gold cross on a white filed, a vertical rectangle. His right hand is lifted in blessing. A tri-radiant halo outlines His head.
The angel on the left wears a tunic, a pale blue over garment with roses in the border. The robe has a printed design of flowers forming Greek (equilateral) crosses. He is robed as a subdeacon. The angel on the right wears a pale green robe with a soft pink tunic (chiton) decorated with an acanthus leaf, a Greek design which probably came into Christian stained glass through the Byzantine influence on Western glass design in the sixth century and later. The acanthus leaf is used extensively in these windows. This angel is robed as a deacon. The smaller angels in the upper sky have printed white garments: the one to our left has a pattern of crosses; to our right, flower crosses and a rose of Sharon in the brocaded hem.
Christ wears a priestly cope; the two angels are dressed as deacon and subdeacon. This window, therefore, implies Christ simultaneously as celebrant and victim at His Own sacrifice.
Passion flowers bloom in front of the tomb in the middle panel, along side a white flower with six petals and seven golden stamens. The most significant floral detail of this window is that, although green foliage is on both sides of the figure of Christ, only that on His right hand is fruitful, with grapes and flowers. This detail might imply the Judgment implicit in the Resurrection.