Munich Stained GI~ and Jesuit Iconography in the Sacred Heart Church of Thmpa, Florida Alice L.H. Co11'ea In the late 1880s, the Vatican commissioned !he He.art 10 her. The central window represents the fourth Munich-based stained glass workshop of Josef Mayer vision that occurred as she knelt before the Blessed Sacra­ (founded in 1848) to create a large window behind Bernini ·s ment exposed on the altar. At the request of Pere Claude la baroque ahar in the Basilica of St. Peter. This window was Columbicre, who was the superior of the Jesuit house which put in place in 1892 by the sons of Josef Mayer (Franz and wa$ associated with her convent, she later recorded the Josef) and so pleased Pope Leo XIII !hat he designated the words Christ spoke to her: "Behold this heart which has so Mayer Company as a '·Pontifical Insti!Ule of Christian loved men. that it has spared itself nothing. even to An. "1 This extraordinary action was taken in recognition of exhausting and consuming itself in order to prove' its love to me workshop's growing repu1a1ion for excellence in design them ... This vision was instrumental in establishing the and for the finn ·s extensive knowledge of ecclesiology feast day in the Church for the pub I ic honoring of His Heart. which manifested ilself in the sublle iconography of !he Christ in this window does not raise His right hand in company's windows.2 the usual geslllre of greeting. annunciation, or blessing. Eight years after this honor was bestowed on the Mayer Instead, his left hand is raised. a stylistic device for making Company, the Church of St. Louis in Thmpa, Florida !he gcsl\lre towards His Heart by the right hand appear more ordered seventeen stained glass windows for !he newly­ graceful. The heart is depicted on the outside of His breast constructed Jesuit Sacred Heart Church located there (Fig­ (Figure 7) in accordance with the 1878 Congregation of ure I).' These seventeen windows are in outstanding con­ Rites that sanctioned this pose. A small cross of the Passion dition and illustrate the level of excellence anained by the is presented above it, encircled by a crown of thorns. The Mayer Company at the turn of the century. The windows are flames signify the burning pas.~ion of Christ's love and the dominated by large dramatic figures that arc enlivened by entire composition radiates with the light of the Heavenly carefully modeled drapery and forceful gesture. The scenes Presence. The chalice, impressed with a cross. is a reminder are drawn in one-point perspective and are rendered in of Christ's sacrifice for mankind. while the angel sym­ dramatically rich colors. Of these seventeen windows. bolizes the meeting of heaven and earth. seven arc concerned with !he Jesuit tradition. l have chosen The two windows presenting the Annunciation and the 10 concentrate on these windows. five of which arc located Nativity are linked by the verses in the gospels that de.~ribc in the apse of the church, while the oiher two are near the Mary's role as the mother of Christ. Christ ·s humanity end of the nave. through Mary is emphasized in Jesuit art, giving her a The five windows in the apse of the Sacred Hea.rt prominent place in art dedicated to Christ ·s earthly mis­ Church al first appear unrelated in subject. However, !he sion.• The basic pattern of the Annunciation window subjects are connected by a complex series of iconographic (Figure 3) follows the iconographic fonnula e.~tablished in relationships derived from !he central window (Figure 2) of the Middle Ages. The angel Gabriel, who is on Mary ·s Jesus revealing Hjs Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary right. raises his right hand and holds a staff in his left hand . Alacoque (1647-1690). This window presents the theme of An ancient symbol of authority. the angel's staff symbolizes Christ's humanity as it manifested itself in the vision of the the impending birth of !he King of Kings . The dove , shown Saint, an aspect that is central to Jesuit teaching. On either above, illustrates the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Mary ·, side is presented the Annunciation to Mary and the Nativity, robe is !he traditional blue, while the open Bible on !he events that dramatize Christ's human origin and precede His reading table symboli,.es her acquiescence to the will of divine mission on earth (Figures 3 and 4). The two windows God. The vase of lilies indicates her purity. Outside the !hat ftank the Annunciation and Nativity present St. Ignatius open window is a rose bush, a flower associated with the and his followers and the Crusade of St. Louis (Figures 5 Vtrgin Mary, who is known as the "rose without thorns." and 6). These two scenes represent human efforts to This refers to an early legend mentioned by St. Ambrose continue Christ's mission of mercy on earth and are which tells how the rose grew without thorns until the Fall presented in opposition. The attempt by St. Louis to rescue of Man. pointing to the sinlessness of the Virgin. me Holy Land through military means is contrasted with the Using the medieval technique of simultaneous nar­ peaceful mission of St. Ignatius Loyola, who chose lo rati ve, the nativity window (Figure 4) depicts the birth of conquer as Christ did, through teaching and his love for all the human Jesus. The angels who had appeared earlier to of humanity. the shepherds in the fields. carry a banner on which is The thematic concentration of Christ's humanity em­ wrinen GLORIA IN £XC£LSIS D£0. Between !he angels bodied in the symbol of the Sacred Heart as revealed to St. shines the star which will lead the Wise Men to the stable. Margaret Mary Alacoque became an object of ardent In !he lower part of the window arc three shepherds who devotion for me Society of Jesus. She was a member of a have left !heir fields and have arrived at Bethlehem, where, Visitation Convent in France, where between 1673 and 1675 according to Luke, they found Mary and Joseph and the <he had four visions in which Jesus revealed His Sacred Babe lying in a manger. Joseph stands behind Mary and 55 holds a staff. Mary wears a white robe covered with a blue symbolic of his personal crusade. With this motion he also mantle, and her halo is elaborated with stars. Looking out blesses the ground in front of him, as the knights in the on this tableau from inside the stable are the ox and ass, foreground gesture downward. St. Louis and his knights adjuncts not mentioned in the Gospel accounts, but which sought to regain Egypt for Christianity, and the gray cloaked are referred 10 in Isaiah I :3 and in ~ragine 's Golden cleric kneeling in prayer beneath St. Louis' raised right hand Legend. a thirteenth century compilation of medieval reinforces the commitment. The palm tree behind the legends.' canopy may recall Christ 's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, The end window at the nonh side of the apse portrays while the ship in the upper right can be read symbolically St. Ignatius Loyola (1491- 1556) and his six followers in a and historically. It brought the Crusaders from France 10 chapel of St. Denis in Montmanre, an event that took place Egypt. and it is also a symbol of the Christian Church. on August 15, 1534 (Figure 5). They arc pronouncing their The iconography of Chris1·s humanity is continued in vows of chastity and poverty, and they arc indicating their the stained glass windows throughout the church. On the desire to make a pilgrimage 10 the Holy Land. an event south side of the nave is a window that is a direct link 10 the which was the effective beginning of the Society of Jesus, missionary purpose of the Society of Jesus. It depicts an which devotes itself "to promotion, in obedience to the event in the missionary effon of St. Patrick in Ireland Pope, the greater glory of God and the salvation of mankind (Figure 8). The Saint ·s rich ecclesiastical vestments refer 10 throughout the world. "6 his consecration as bishop in the year 432, after which he This window is a simple narrative. Loyola reads the was sent to Ireland to replace Palladius. vows before his six companions. Peter Faber, the only one An important encounter in Patrick's mission was his of the seven who was a priest at the time, holds the paten meeting with High-King Laoghairc at Tora in Meath, just and Host, signifying the sacramental nature of the occasion, north of Dublin. On his way to Tora, St. Patrick spent All but Faber wear subdued gray and blue university gowns. several days at the house of the chieftain, Seclrnan, in The lighted candle on the altar is a symbol of the light of Meath. Many members of the household were convened fai th and of Christ's words in the Gospel of John: "I am the and his son, Benen, became especially eager to join St. light of the world." As it does in the central window, the Patrick in his travels. This was the beginning of a long and open Bible symbolizes total acquiescence 10 the word of very close relationship, and Bcnen, because of his lovely God. voice, became known as "Patrick ·s Psalmodist. " St. Benen Additional iconography in this window recalls the holds the Celtic cross which was said to have been taken Virgin Mary.