The Rose window is a circular window in churches that has tracery radia
ting from a central point. It is most often found in Gothic architecture but is present in other types of churches also. Most often they are found over the front door of the Church, usually visible on the inside over the choir loft. When church buildings were still built on an east-west axis quite often the main rose window would be in the west end of the building. As the priest faced the same direction as the people in more of a guide like Moses leading the people in the desert those things from which he read would face the west. The rose window would then allow the last rays of the setting sun (Son) fall on the Gospel as day came to an end.
Rose windows can be in other locations as well – in the transept – or over the altar.
At Saint Sebastian there is an example of a rose window in hall which is the old church. It used to be over the altar (in the south wall) but when the building was renovated it was preserved and moved to (interestingly enough!) the west wall over the main doors to Zwisler Hall.
Another name for a rose window is a Catherine window since St. Catherine was sentenced to die on a wheel covered with spikes.
ting from a central point. It is most often found in Gothic architecture but is present in other types of churches also. Most often they are found over the front door of the Church, usually visible on the inside over the choir loft. When church buildings were still built on an east-west axis quite often the main rose window would be in the west end of the building. As the priest faced the same direction as the people in more of a guide like Moses leading the people in the desert those things from which he read would face the west. The rose window would then allow the last rays of the setting sun (Son) fall on the Gospel as day came to an end.Rose windows can be in other locations as well – in the transept – or over the altar.
At Saint Sebastian there is an example of a rose window in hall which is the old church. It used to be over the altar (in the south wall) but when the building was renovated it was preserved and moved to (interestingly enough!) the west wall over the main doors to Zwisler Hall.Another name for a rose window is a Catherine window since St. Catherine was sentenced to die on a wheel covered with spikes.
2 comments:
Hello Father V -
Another lovely example of a rose window is at the newly estaboished Visitation parish in east Akron (formerly Annunciation, the parish and grade school of my youth).
God Bless - Susan
I had never heard the St. Catherine reference before. Thanks for the education!
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