The Chancel Cross
The Chancel Cross
The large Latin cross, nearly eight feet high, appropriately dominates the chancel, and the nave. The crossing at the center shows the Lamb with the Banner of Resurrection. This is a very old Christian symbol representing Jesus as the Lamb of God, the sacrificial Lamb, or, in Latin, the agnus dei. However, a banner represents triumph, as triumph in battle, or, in this case, triumph over death. This symbol appears several times in the windows. In this instance the Lamb is lying on the book sealed with seven seals described in Revelation, chapter 5. To the question, “Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?” comes the answer, “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev. 5:12) Here the Lamb has a cruciform halo, reserved for the Godhead, most often Christ.
The four arms of the cross show the symbols of the four evangelists. Matthew, at the top is portrayed as a winged man because, according to tradition, his gospel shows the human side of Jesus. Mark, on the left, is shown as a winged lion because his gospel shows the royal character of Christ. Luke, on the right, is portrayed as a winged ox because he emphasized the sacrificial death of Christ. On the bottom is John, shown as an eagle because his writing soars like an eagle. The animal representations come from one of the wilder-eyed visions of Ezekiel (Ezek1:10) and were first applied to the four evangelists by Jerome in the fourth century. They have been in wide use ever since. In our nave they appear in the cross and also the rose window over the balcony and again in the Emmaus and Pentecost window (Window 9), at the front on the lectern side.
