The rose window concept goes back to the wheel with its center, radiating spokes and outer circumference. In the Cathedrals of the Middle Ages it represents an overflow of the radiance of spirit perceived by the Medieval architects and it represents the sacred symbol of completeness and balance. It somehow became associated with the rose but the word rose for this type of window appeared in the 17th Century.

The designers of the rose windows employ a variety of religious themes and inevitably in some windows Mary appears who is called in the litany the "Mystical Rose". The window at the left is from the Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Supra Minerva in Rome. Mary appears in the Center because her holiness is greater than all the saints and perhaps because she is also called the "Mother of the Church". In bringing Christ into the world she brought also the Church into being.

St. Ann was the Mother of Mary who conceived Mary free from Original Sin. This fact was attested to from early centuries of Christianity. In the late half of the 7th Century the Easter Church began to celebrate the Feast of the "Conception of St. Ann" thus indicating this truth of faith.

 

 

St. Clement I was the the third Pope (88-97). During his pontificate he had do deal with the Corinthians who rebelled against lawful Church authority out of jealousy and pride. They had actually removed from office some men of good reputation. In his First Epistle Pope Clement tells them that "Our Apostles, too, were given to understand by our Lord Jesus Christ that the office of the bishop would give rise to intrigues. For this reason, equipped as they were with perfect foreknowledge, they appointed the men mentioned before, and afterwards laid down a rule once for all to this effect: when these men die, other approved men shall succeed to their sacred ministry. Consequently, we deem it an injustice to eject from the sacred ministry the persons who were appointed either by them, or later, with the consent of the whole Church, ...." (#44) Tradition tells us that Emperor Trajian exiled him to Crimea where he was very successful working with the prisoners. He was martyred by drowning, that is, he was thrown into the sea with an anchor around his neck.

St. Mary Magdalene (...of Magadala) was one of the women devoted to Jesus and knew Mary his mother. In St. John's gospel we read, "Standing by the cross of Jesus was his mother and his mother's sister, Mary wife of Clophas, and Mary of Magdala." (Jn 19:25) Mary of Magdala discovered the empty tomb on Easter Sunday morning. She was the first to see the risen Jesus whom at first she thought it was the gardener. Jesus told her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father." (Jn 20:17) He told her to go and tell the apostles that He would be ascending to his Father.

 

Zachariah was the husband of Elizabeth the cousin of Mary. You may recall that Mary visited Elizabeth during her pregnancy and stayed with her till the day John the Baptist was born. She was surely present when Zachariah was asked what to name the child. He asked for a tablet where he wrote "John is his name" (Lk 1:63) and immediately his mouth was opened. So we can see the close association between Mary, Zachariah and Elizabeth.

 

St. Cyprian (200-258 AD) was bishop of Carthage during the time of Roman persecutions. He exhorted his flock to seek the joys of heaven rather than those of earth. During the persecution of Decius many Christians denied the faith. Some priests were so lenient as to receive them back into the Church and even gave Holy Communion without some evidence of repentance. To the other extreme was the priest Novitian who upset the Church by teaching that those who had denied Christ should never be received back into the Church. St. Cyprian told his priests to accept then beck into the Church only if they had given evidence of repentance. St. Cyprian was martyred during the persecution of Gallus in 258 AD. He is a father of the Church and much of his writing are still with us today. (see Advent Encyclopedia)

Pope Leo the Great (Leo I) (440-461 AD) established the supremacy of the Pope by pointing out the following "Although bishops have a common dignity, they are not all of the same rank. Even among the most blessed Apostles, though they were alike in honor, there was a certain distinction of power. All were equal in being chosen, but it was given to one to be preeminent over the others . . . the care of the universal Church would converge in the one See of Peter, and nothing should ever be at odds with this head." Pope Leo also comfronted Atila the Hun at the gate of Rome and convinced him to spare the city from pillage. He also wrote the formative text on the nature of Christ for the Council of Chalcedon which fundamentally tells us that there were and are two natures in Christ, human and divine, but only One Divine Person.

Mary's Rose Window (Cont.)