Trinity College Chapel: The Rose Window

Being a Protestant chapel, the Rose Window, designed in 1931- 1932, was dedicated to the blessed virgin, a lovely jewel for her to wear on her breast. The devotion to the blessed Virgin characteristic of the middle ages was due partly to the fact that every man has a mother whom he loves. This is why the Rose window is the Mothers’ window in the Trinity Chapel, contributing to mother love by Trinity men. Its design has 13^th century feeling, including the “jewel glass” giving the impression of light and color and not just a pictorial representation. It is a jewel window without much in the way of pictorial representation. In the center is shown the blessed Virgin and the Holy child while in the circles round are the various symbols of the blessed virgin, alternating with angels swinging censers. Beginning at seven o’clock and continuing clockwise are seen the unicorn, symbols of chastity, the Ark of the Covenant, the Stem of Jesse and at the top the Star of Bethlehem. Then there’s the Rose of Sharon, the Pierced Heart and Prophecy of the Hebrew Bible, the beginning of the New Testament, her sorrow and her reign as Queen of Heaven.