This weekend at mass we will hear the story of doubting
Thomas, or St. Thomas the Apostle, who doubted the resurrection when it was
first told to him (John 20:19-29). He is
depicted in one of the stained glass windows in the back of our church.
There are two figures in this large stained glass window:
St. Thomas the Apostle, and St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland. Underneath you can read the caption "In
Loving Memory of Thomas C. Jenkins and his wife Louisa Carrell. The windows were installed in 1890 in memory
of the founders' parents, Thomas Courtney Jenkins and Louisa Carrell. Quite possibly St. Margaret and St. Thomas
the Apostle were selected because they both represent charity for the poor, a
rule which was very dear to Thomas and Louisa Jenkins.
St. Thomas the Apostle is shown with his emblem the
carpenter's square. A 4th century
apocryphal romance, The Acts of Thomas, tells of the apostle's missionary
journey to India where a heathen King Gundaphorus ordered him to design and
build a palace. In the king's absence
Thomas converted many of his subjects to Christianity and gave all the money to
the poor. On his return Gundaphorus was
infuriated to be told that he would not see the palace until after his death,
since it was built in paradise. However,
a dead brother of the king unexpectedly came back to life and confirmed what
Thomas claimed was true, and so Gundaphorus became a Christian. This charming tale is the origin of Thomas'
patronage of builders and architects. It
is a common theme in Gothic cathedrals. [1]
In his right hand, St. Thomas holds a spear, the instrument of his
martyrdom. Some literature states that
St. Thomas died a martyr, in Persia or India, by the wounds of the four spears
pierced into his body by local soldiers.
St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland (1050-1093) wears her crown
and her royal robe of ermine. Her hand
is extended and around her waist she wears a large burse. An appropriate lady patron for a family of
English descent. St. Margaret of royal
English lineage became the wife of Malcolm, the King of Scotland who reigned in
the latter half of the 11th century. She
was the mother of eight children, numbering among them the King David I of
Scotland. She was renowned for her
governing prudence and personal sanctity.
According to her chronicles, St. Margaret attended to charitable works every
day before she ate, and washed the feet of the poor in imitation of Christ.
[1]
Hall, James. Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art. Boulder: Westview,
2008. Print.
