2017-07-18 - Chartres Cathedral

After the chateaux, we stopped by Chartres chathedral, known for its stained glass. I have put comments on several of the stained glass pictures to (hopefully) assist in understanding them.

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The Symbolic Window of the Redemption

This window (donated by the farriers - depicted in panels 1 - 3) depicts 6 scenes from Christ's passion and are surrounded by Old Testament prefigurations of both his death and resurrection. The first scene (panels 4 - 8) is Christ carying his cross with women weeping on the left and soldiers on the right. Beneath is a depiction of the spies bringing back grapes from scouting out the promised land. Early Catholic teaching suggested this as a symbol of Christ on the cross. The second scene (panels 9 - 15) depict Christ's crown of thorns, scourging and crucifiction along with the church (panel 13) looking to Christ and the Synagogue (panel 14) looking away, blinded to Christ. Adam is below the cross, holding a chalice to receive Christ's redeeming blood. The third and fourth scenes are single panel scenes. Panel 16 depicts Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness. Panel 17 depicts a hebrew putting passover blood on his doorpost and lintel. Next, the scene of Christ taken down from the cross (panel 19) )by Joseph of Arimathea) with Abraham offering his son Isaac on the left and right. Panel 22 depicts King David (who wrote Psalm 22). Panels 23 and 24 depict Elisha and Elijah. Panel 25 is Jacob blessing his grandsons. Finally, panel 26 depicts Christ being emtombed with Sampson in the panel on the left and David in the panel on the right. (There is a lot more to read into this window, but space does not permit it.)