Saint Peter's Chapel.

The Jellett Window.

Our final window within Saint Peter’s Chapel is the Jellett window, again created by C.E. Kemp, which is made up of three lights, and depicts the crucifixion of Jesus. The central light shows Jesus crucified, Mary looks on in the left light, and John looks on in the right. Neither is able to prevent what is happening. The central light is very striking as it shows in great detail the horror of Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus, having been tormented and flogged by the Roman soldiers prior to this event, now hangs on the wooden cross. His hands and feet, nailed to the cross with large iron nails, are shown bleeding, and the crown of thorns placed there so cruelly by the soldiers pierces his head. In his side you can see the wound made by the centurion’s sword from which both blood and water flowed. Jesus had suffered on the cross for each of us. He had paid the price for our sin, and now at this moment in the Easter story Jesus was dead. Mary and John look on in disbelief. Her son, his friend, was now dead. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to make a difference. But now he was dead. At the bottom of the central light we are given a glimpse of how this Easter story ends. A lamb stands on a large book, and the words “Ecce Agnus Dei qui tollit peccatum mundi,” are written. But what does this mean?

This picture is taken from the book of Revelation Chapter 4. The Book of Revelation is the account of a vision given to John (believed by some to be the Apostle John). The first verse of the first chapter of the Book of Revelation reads “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.” The lamb in the window is the Lamb of God, and the book is the Book of Life. The text translated reads “Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world”. This text can be found in the Gospel according to John Chapter 1, verse 29, and it is John who speaks these words as he looks at Jesus, for the Apostle John truly believed that Jesus was the Son of God, and the revelation given to him just confirmed what he believed. John, like the rest of the disciples, had great faith. He gave up everything to follow Jesus and that included his life.

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