Stained Glass

The stained glass windows in our parish are rich in the symbolism of our Catholic beliefs. See if you can find the following symbols in the windows of St Pius X.

Along the back wall of the church you will find six narrow windows. These are symbols of the seven sacraments.
1. Baptism and Confirmation are combined with the creative hand symbolizing the Father (Chi Rho, Greek letters that form the first three letters of 'Christ'), the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The dove, Holy Spirit, is descending on the Christians (depicted by the fish sign). The symbols of Confirmation are the Bishop's mitre and crozier, the sword crossed with a green palm. The sword symbolizes the soldiers of Christ in peach through union with the Church.

2. The Eucharist is depicted by wheat and grapes as bread and wine. The Christians are fish who both offer and receive the ciborium and the Host as communion with God and other Christians by eating and drinking the Body and Blood. The pelican, with her young, symbolizes God giving Himself to his people.

3. Reconciliation is symbolized by the priest's stole, a sign of the priest's power to administer the sacrament. The purple color is the symbol on penance and the penitential season. The hands show consolation and also forgiveness when making the sign of the cross. The whip is and ancient sign of penance.

4. Anointing the sick is shown by the large green cross. The form of a cross is green as a sign of hope and consolation. The oil jar depicts the oil which is used for anointing and is a sign of spiritual health. The time piece symbolizes how much time we all have to live of Earth.

5. Holy Orders are depicted by the Bishop's hand with a ring and crozier, the passing on of the priesthood he received from the apostles. The stole stands for the priestly powers. The ciborium and Host are reminders of the administering of the Eucharist. The Bible signifies the reading and discussion of God's word, and the keys depict Jesus' words to the apostles, "I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven."

6. Marriage is symbolized by two crowns, the goal of married people to bring each other to the happiness of Heaven. Two hands are also draped with a stole, the sign of the blessed marriage vows, along with the two rings which are a visible sign of the marriage commitment.

The large window above the choir loft shows events in the Old Testament. Moses is standing on Mt. Sinai holding the Ten Commandments. The flames behind him depict the column of the fire which led the Jewish people in their exodus from Egypt and gave them light at night. The symbols in the background, beginning in the upper left corner are as follows:

1. The Creation, shown by the Hand of God surrounded by the Sun, the Earth, and the stars with rays coming down to Moses.
2. The fall of Adam and Eve, in the left center, showing the flaming sword turned in every direction to guard the Tree of Life. The sword drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.
3. The offering of Cain and Abel.
4. Noah's Ark.
5. Abraham's call to sacrifice Isaac, show by a bundle of wood, a brazier of burning charcoal, and a sacrificial knife. Abraham's call and God's promise to him are depicted by a blue shield with many stars. The larger and brighter star signifies the Messiah who will be a descendent of Abraham.
6. Passover, "For the Lord will go by, striking down the Egyptians. Seeing the blood on the lintel and the two door posts, the Lord will pass over the door and not let the destroyer come into your houses to strike you down."
7. The dividing of the Red Sea by Moses. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me. Tell the Israelites to go forward. And you, lift up your staff and with hand outstretched over the sea, split the sea in two, that the Israelites may pass through it on dry land."
8. The star, staff, horn filled with oil, and harp represent David. God's chosen and anointed one from whose lineage Jesus was descended.
9. Solomon builds the Temple of the Lord.

The window over the entrance to the school symbolize the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, right judgment, courage, knowledge, reverence, wonder, and awe. The fruits of the Holy spirit are the good results people can see in use as we use the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control.

The large window a the north entrance show the significant events in Jesus' life. To the left are the symbols of the nativity, the Chi Rho, crib, and the three crowns of the wise men. The hands, Host, and wheat depict the Last Supper. The cross, drops of blood, and chalice symbolize the crucifixion with the rooster as a sign of Peter's denial of our Lord.

The large central figure in the upper window is a strong, victorious Christ rising from the tomb at the resurrection. On the right are tongues of fire, symbolizing the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Beneath this is an eagle signifying the Ascension. To the far right are the cross and orb, Jesus Christ the King, Ruler of the World.