The Nave - revisited.

The Chancel Window.

When you turn back into the main body of the cathedral and look back down the nave towards the high altar, three features stand out. The first is five windows situated high in the chancel above the main altar. The three central windows depict the three main saints of Ireland. Centre left we have Saint Columba, who was a famous abbot and missionary in the sixth century. It was Saint Columba who, with twelve companions, established a monastery on the island of Iona. Columba was an important figure in the Celtic church which fashioned a revival of Christianity in western Europe. Centre right we have Saint Brigid, who lived in the 5th century in Ireland. She was known for her gifts of spiritual eldership, devotion in prayer, patience and compassion. On one occasion, she is said to have healed four men, who were inside the church on Holy Thursday - a lunatic, a blind man, a leper and a man with consumption. In pride of place in the middle, we have Saint Patrick, the Apostle of all Ireland. The two outer windows are said to depict allegorical figures.

The Lady Chapel.

The second feature that stands out as you look down the nave is the main window of the Lady Chapel, situated behind the main altar. It is striking because it depicts the building of the true temple of God in Jesus. There are five lights to this window. However we will only focus our attention on the three central lights.

In the bottom of the left hand light we see a picture of Melchizedek holding the bread and wine. Melchizedek King of Salem, was a priest of the Most High God. The only direct reference we have to him in the Bible is when he greets Abram after his victory over Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him. Melchizedek brings bread and wine for Abram to eat, and says, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of Heaven and Earth. And blessed be God Most High who delivered your enemies into your hand.” However there are a number references to Jesus being a high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that one would come who was both King of the Jews, and high priest of the Most High God. At the top we see Jesus depicted as the Good Shepherd, who leaves the flock to find the one lost sheep. Jesus was sent by God to search for all who are lost. He is still searching today. In the bottom of the right hand light we see a picture of Moses holding the tablets of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written. Moses became God’s agent of salvation for the Israelites. It was he who would lead them out of slavery to freedom. Likewise Jesus became God’s instrument of salvation for the entire human race. He would lead, and still leads, people to freedom from sin and death. At the top we see Jesus blessing the children. Jesus broke with tradition. He told the priests of his day that they should come to God as though they were children. He called for the children to be brought to him. He knew how special they were in God’s eyes.

The centre light as a whole depicts God’s rebuilding of his temple in Jesus. At the bottom we see John the Baptist calling for people to repent, telling them of the Messiah who would soon come. At the top we see Jesus being baptised by John in the River Jordan. In the centre we see a circular medallion, which tells the Old Testament story of Solomon building the first temple in Jerusalem, a temple that was never quite good enough for God. It was God himself that completed the building of the perfect temple when Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan.

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