Clerestory (Upper Nave)

The clerestory (pronounced “clear story”) is the highest part of a church where windows

are installed for light and ventilation. The word derives from Middle English “clere,” meaning “giving light,” and “story” meaning “floor of a building.” The original clerestory windows with their opaque white centers are reproduced in the windows in the north and south towers off the Narthex.

Today’s clerestory windows extend from the transepts to the back of the nave.  In August of 1976, the Very Reverend James Stirling (1913-1979), Rector, then Dean of Trinity (1961-1978), corresponded with Henry Willet of Willet Studios in Philadelphia (see #8) regarding replacing the clear glass of the original clerestory windows with stained glass.  Mr. Willet suggested the miracles and parables of Jesus as subject matter and his studio executed the windows. Fittingly, #44 is dedicated to the Reverend Stirling. Unlike the lancets of the lower nave, each pair depicts a single story. The diamond-shaped tracery lights in the clerestory unlike those of the lower nave, contain recurrent symbols, the lily (# 41, 45, 46, 48, 49, 53), the crossed orb (44, 50); and the quatrefoil (47, 52).

South Clerestory

The windows on the south side of the clerestory illustrate various miracles of Jesus, who wears the triradiate nimbus.

41.The Miracle of Changing Water into Wine (1981):

Jesus’s first miracle occurred at the wedding in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11). Two interlocking rings before a cross at the top of the left lancet indicate a wedding. (see #5) “Six waterpots of stone” (John 2:6) are shown at the bottom of the lancets. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was at the wedding and is probably the seated woman in green on the left. Standing is probably a member of the wedding party telling Mary that there is no wine. (John 2:3)  Kneeling is a servant who was told by Mary, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” (John 2:5) Jesus is shown in the right lancet. The tracery light shows a flower, perhaps a lily, symbolic of resurrection.

MEMORIAL: This window was given in loving memory of John Will Walker (1914-1979) by his wife Annie Lee Walker.

42.The Miracle of the Ten Lepers (1981):

This window illustrates the story recorded in Luke 17:12-19: As Jesus

entered a village he encountered ten lepers who stand away from him but beg him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” (Luke 17:13)  Jesus tells them, “Go shew yourselves unto the priests.”’ As they walked away, with their canes, they were made clean. This window shows one of them, a Samaritan, kneeling at Jesus’s feet and thanking him as the other nine walk away.  Jesus asked, “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory, save this stranger.” In the right lancet, Jesus raises his hand in blessing and says to the Samaritan “Arise, go thy way: they faith hath made thee whole.” (Luke 17:17-19) The tracery light shows a serpent coiled around a rod s symbol of healing.

MEMORIAL: This window was given to the glory of God and in memory of Alida Gonzales McMaster by Cecilia E. McMaster, her daughter.

43.Feeding the Five Thousand (1979):

This window illustrates Matthew 14:19, in which Jesus took five loaves and two fish, looked to heaven, blessed the food, and gave it to the disciples to feed “about five thousand men, beside women and children.” (Matt. 14:21) In the left lancet, a boy holds a basket-like tray with two fish. In the background, three disciples, identified by their nimbus, prepare to distribute the food. In the right lancet, Jesus lifts his right hand in blessing and holds bread in his left hand. Baskets filled with bread sit at his feet. The tracery light shows two fishes.

MEMORIAL: THIS WINDOW WAS GIVEN BY MARGARET BROOKER TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN APPRECIATION OF LOVED ONES.

44.The Miracle of the Paralytic (1978):

This window illustrates Luke 5:17-26, in which Jesus, while teaching,

some men brought a paralytic to be healed. Unable to reach Jesus because of the Pharisees and teachers of the law gathered around him, the men carried the man to the roof and lowered him down to the feet of Jesus.  At the top of both lancets are the men on the roof lowering the paralytic in front of Jesus in the right lancet. Jesus holds one rope of the harness in his left hand and blesses the man with the right hand. The paralytic begins to stand as Jesus says, “Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.” (Luke 5:24) The tracery light shows a globe covered by a cross.

MEMORIAL: This window was given to the glory of God in thanksgiving for the MINISTRY of the very reverend James stirling, d.d., Rector and first Dean of Trinity Cathedral (1961-1978), and of his wife, dorothy PrITCHETT stirling, by lovIng friends.

45.The Miracle of the Woman Healed by Faith (1979):

This window illustrates Matt. 9:20-22 in which a woman hoping to be cured of a twelve-years’ blood disease, touches the hem of Jesus’s garment. In the left lancet, the woman

kneels before Jesus, as two disciples look on. Jesus, who had been walking away from her, turns back toward her in the right lancet and heals her with his hand raised in blessing, saying, “Take heart, my daughter, your faith has healed you” (Matthew 9: 20-22).  The tracery light shows a flower, similar to #41.

MEMORIAL: This window was given to the glory of God and in loving memory of theodore marion DuBose, m.d. (1858-1939) and Frances Beverly Means DuBose (1862-1947) by David S. DuBose.

46.The Miracle of the Raising of Lazarus (1981):

In the next three windows Jesus is in the left lancet. This window illustrates the story of Jesus raising Lazarus of Bethany to life after four days of death in John 11.  Jesus stands at the tomb with his right hand raised in healing. Behind him is Martha, the sister of Lazarus,

who has led him to the tomb. Jesus says, “Lazarus, come forth.”  In the right lancet, a standing Lazarus, wrapped in burial clothing, emerges from the tomb with his palms upraised, an ancient Christian attitude of prayer called the “orans (praying) position.” The tracery light resembles #41.

MEMORIAL: This window was given in loving memory of Mary Childs Seabrook (1897-1979) and Cotesworth Pinckney Seabrook (1897-1964) by their children: Robert C. Seabrook, Mary S. Sasnett, and Ellen S. Lovvorn.

47.The Miracle of Jesus Walking on Water (1979):

This window illustrates the story told in Matthew 14: 22-33 following the miracle of the loaves and fishes (#43). After feeding the multitude, Jesus (in the left lancet) dispersed the

multitude and told his disciples to take a boat across the Sea of Galilee while He went to a mountain top to pray until evening. When Jesus came down in the evening, the disciples were being tossed on the sea by opposing winds. Jesus walked on the water toward the disciples, telling them,“Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” (Matt. 14:27) Peter then said, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” (Matt. 14:28) The left lancet shows Jesus walking on the water at night (stars in the sky) toward the boat, telling Peter “Come.” (Matt. 14:29) The right lancet shows Peter crossing the water with the other disciples huddled together in the boat. All the disciples were frightened, especially Peter, who, when he began to sink, called to Jesus for help. Jesus rebuked him, saying “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” The tracery light contains a quatrefoil.

MEMORIAL: This window was given in loving memory of James Smith Heyward and Caroline Salley Heyward by their daughter Natalie FitzSimons Heyward.

48.The Miracle of Jesus Stilling the Tempest (1981):

 

This window illustrates the account in Matthew 8:23-27. Jesus and the disciples board a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee moving towards modern-day Jordan. This represents the expansion of the faith beyond Jews to the Gentile world.  During the trip a storm threatens to sink the boat. The disciples are terrified but Jesus sleeps through the storm. In the left lancet, Jesus is about to be awakened by a disciple saying “Lord, save us: we perish.” (Matt. 8:25) In the right lancet, the disciple in the foreground seems to be trying to rouse Jesus while in the background two disciples struggle with the torn and broken sails. Jesus rebukes them saying, “‘Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?’ then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” (Matt. 8:26) The tracery light resembles #41.

MEMORIAL: This window was given in loving memory of Helen Calhoun Adams, their mother (1900-1978), and Robert Adams vi, their brother (1933-1937), and in honor of Robert Adams, Jr., their father (1904 [-1983]) by Julian Calhoun Adams and Weston Adams ii.