Historic Detroit

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Cathedral of St. Anthony - Photos Stained Glass

This small arched window above the middle entrance door was taken from St. Anthony's Grade School before it was demolished. It depicts St. Anthony holding the Christ Child.

All windows except the west window in St. Anthony Church are from Innsbruck, capital of Tirol, a province of Austria noted for its glass-making.

The three windows in this image are of St. Boniface, St. Anthony, and St. Zenobius. The left window depicts the figure of Sc. Boniface, an eighth-century archbishop of Mainz who established the foundations of Christianity in Germany. St. Boniface is holding his attribute, a book pierced with a sword, which refers to his defense of the Gospel as he met his death blow. The axe at his feet refers to the fact that he felled the sacred oak tree, Thor. The circle above contains a gold crown signifying victory over death and sin, and white roses, symbol of purity. The figure of St. Boniface fills the entire window.

The center window, larger than those on either side, portrays St. Anthony of Padua for whom the church was named. St. Anthony first joined the Order of St. Augustine, but later joined the Franciscans in Assisi where he soon became the favorite disciple and close friend of Sr. Francis. St. Anthony taught in the renowned universities of Italy and France. He died in 1231 in Padua. He is shown here in the robes of the Franciscan Order, and the scene depicts his vision of the Christ Child standing on a book, a book being one of Sc- Anthony's attributes. A handsome stylized design of lilies, also one of St. Anthony's attributes, fills the rounded top of the window. A dramatic landscape of mountains and trees fills the background.

In the circle above is the head of a young person surrounded by flames of fire and more stylized lilies, again representing St. Anthony.