History » Church Architecture » Apse Chapels

The Chapel of St Joseph
Most of the glass is concentrated in the apse chapels, which occupy the west end of the building.

Proceeding around the ambulatory from the Lady chapel, one comes first to that of St Joseph. The glass here was placed in 1910 and, as in each of the apse chapels, consists of three paired lancet windows with a tracery medallion above.

From the viewer's left, the medallions represent Faith, Charity and Hope; the lower portions of the longer windows are filled with figures representing Foresight, Righteousness, Fortitude and Moderation.

In the central pair of windows, St Joseph figures are separated from the group of clients by the motto, God sent me before you that you might increase upon the Earth. The reference is to the Joseph of the Old Testament.

The remaining windows represent scenes in the life of Joseph: the legend of the blossoming rod by which he was designated husband of the Virgin, the espousals of Mary and Joseph, the flight into Egypt, and the death of Joseph.

In the window representing the flight is seen the falling of the idols, one of the many charming legends regarding the journey; and in that of the death of Joseph are seen the tools of the carpenter's trade he followed.

The Chapel of The Sacred Heart
The next chapel is that dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The windows here were placed in 1906.

The medallions in the tracery above the windows proper are from the viewer's left to right: the Sacred Heart, the Man of Sorrows and the heart of Mary pierced with the sword of sorrow of Simeon's prophecy.

The lower portions of the four longer windows show scenes from the life of Christ, each with an appropriate text. They are: the birth of Christ, his breaking bread with the disciples at Emmaus, the crucifixion, and the faith of Thomas.

The principal parts of these windows show, from left to right of the viewer: the mediaeval St Gertrude, the Blessed Claude de la Colombier, the Good Shepherd and St John the Evangelist, bearing the legendary poisoned cup.

The central pair of windows together represent the apparition of the Sacred Heart to St Margaret Mary in the chapel of the convent at Paray le Moniel, France, in 1675.

The Chapel of St Ignatius
The last of the apse chapels is dedicated to St Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus to which this parish was entrusted in 1866. The glass here was placed in 1912.

The medallion above the central pair of windows reproduces the familiar monograms IHS ('Jesus') and AMDG ('For the Greater Glory of God'). The medallion on the viewer's left shows St Francis Xavier, already met with on the eastern wall; that on the right St Francis Borgia, Duke of Gandia and, after the death of his wife, third General of the Society of Jesus. As Viceroy of Catalonia he holds in one hand a coronet; in the other he holds a skull, symbol of mortality.

The four longer windows terminate in figures representative of Poverty, Chastity, Obedience and Humility.

In the central pair of windows, St Ignatius presents a group of the many Saints of his Society to Christ the Lord.

The windows on the left and right show significant events in the life of the Saint. On the viewer's extreme left is St Peter appearing to Ignatius during his convalescence after his wounding at Pamplona, represented on the east wall. With this is paired his arrest by the Inquisition, an event represented as witnessed by the young Francis Borgia.

In the first of those windows on the viewer's right we see Ignatius and his first companions binding themselves to the service of God while Peter Faber celebrated the Mass; in the other, Ignatius receives from Pope Paul III the confirmation of the Society of Jesus in 1540.

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