Trinity Cathedral Interior

An interior view of the nave, facing East, showing the baldacchino, the apse mosaics, and the organ pipes.

Stained Glass Windows

Sacristy

The sacristy windows portray the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Nave Windows

We will add to this description of the windows in the Cathedral nave as we are able. There are seven bays along the sides of the nave. Within the bays on the North wall are stained glass windows donated by Arthur Vining Davis in memory of his wife, Elizabeth Hawkins Davis, depicting the seven sacraments and saints of the British Isles. Designed and crafted by the Willet Stained Glass Studio of Philadelphia, they were dedicated in 1957. We are featuring the Communion Window at this time. The panels below the circular window which depicts the Sacrament of Holy Communion are divided on the right under the Celtic Cross with St. Columba, and St. Hilda (representing Celtic Christianity) and on the left under the Seal of Canterbury, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Becket.

Sacristy Window

St. Columba

Although he is the most famous of Scottish saints, St. Columba was actually born in Ireland about 521 in County Donegal.

St. Columba

He had an extensive ministry in Ireland, being accounted one of the Twelve Apostles of Erin. However, a feud involving his clan culminated in the battle of Cuil Dremne in which 3000 were slain. He would have been excommunicated for his involvement except for the intervention of St. Brendan. He then determined to expiatehis offence by exiling himself from his own country and by attempting to win for Christ as many souls as had perished in the battle. In 563 he embarked with twelve companions in a wicker coracle covered with leather, landing on the eve of Pentecost on the island of Iona at the age of 42. There he built a monastery, evangelized the Picts of Scotland, and planted the Church in Aberdeenshire. He was very fond of books, having copied during his time in Ireland the manuscripts his mentor, St. Finnian, had obtained in Rome, and, approaching his death, the Psalter. His biographer, Adamnan, described him as having "...the face of an angel; he was of an excellent nature, polished in speech, holy in deed, great in counsel.

Communion Window

He never let a single hour pass without engaging in prayer or reading or writing or some other occupation. He endured the hardships of fasting and vigils without intermission by day and night, the burden of a single one of his labors would seem beyond the powers of man. And, in the midst of all his toils, he appeared loving unto all, serene and holy, rejoicing in the joy of the Holy Spirit in his inmost heart." He died in 597 and his feast is observed throughout Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand on June 9.

St. Hilda

St. Hilda (Hild) was born in 614, daughter of Hereric, nephew of St. Edwin, King of Northumbria, and she was baptized by St. Paulinus when she was 13 years old. The Venerable Bede notes that "she spent 33 years nobly in secular habit, while she dedicated an equal number of years still more nobly to the Lord, in the monastic life." After living twenty years in the King's court (hence her crown in the window), chaste and respected, she sought to retire to the monastery of Chelles in France, but St. Aidan convinced her to return to Northumberland, where he settled her in a small nunnery upon the River Wear. He then appointed her Abbess of the double monastery at Hartlepool, where she set about reforming the house in accordance with her innate wisdom and love for the service of God.

St. Hilda

She was then transferred to Straneshalch (Whitby) either to found a new abbey or to reform an old one. This was again a double monastery, where monks and nuns lived apart, but sang the office together in church (as depicted in the window), with the Abbess in supreme charge. She was so known for her prudence and good sense, that she was sought out by kings and others for advice and counsel. She directed those in her charge to attend much to reading the Holy Scriptures and to exercise themselves freely in works of righteousness in order that many there might be found fit for ecclesiastical duties and to minister at the altar. Several monks became bishops, including St. John of Beverley. It was because of the reputation of her abbey, as well as its location, that Whitby was selected for a synod in 663 to resolve nagging discrepancies between the practices and traditions of the Celtic Christians and those from Rome. Although Hilda sided with the Celtic Scots, the Roman position prevailed. She died at dawn on November 17, 680 after seven years of sickness. The monastery at Whitby was destroyed by the Danes and the relics of St. Hilda were lost.

Altars

Central to the Christian life is the altar at which the Holy Eucharist is celebrated and communicated to the faithful. Not surprisingly, the altar should be at the center and the most visible appointment in the church. The round mosaic set into the facing is exceptional in its detail. There are slivers of glass set to create the texture of the lamb's wool. The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet - Alpha and Omega - balance and enhance the center mosaic, signifying the pre-existence and eternal nature of Christ.

Altars were originally burying vaults, as one can see today in the catacombs outside Rome. What more appropriate setting for the celebration of the new life in Jesus Christ than the tombs of Christians who had finished their course in faith. Much later in time, the altar-tombs were indeed the repositories of reliquaries of the remains of exceptionally holy persons. The size and the shape of altars continue to be that of a burial vault, with few exceptions.

Cut into the center of the altar is a tabernacle, a box-like inset, in which the consecrated elements of the sacrament are reserved for administration to the sick or in times of dire need. The door is a brass relief of chalice and host supported by a grape vine motif. Directly over the tabernacle and forming the base of the reredos mosaic is the Latin inscription INRI, the first letters of the superscription placed by Pilate at the top of Jesus' cross: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

Trinity Cathedral Altar

The main mosaic, installed in 1926 with the altar, is a splendid representation of medieval Florentine art with its multi-colored background of blues and pinks and a delicate balance of subjects. It is also a forceful symbol of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with the Easter (rose) Cross rather than a plain cross or a crucifix, with the Angels of the Resurrection on either side, and above, the Life of God represented in the descent of the Dove, its rays outpouring as the Spirit at Pentecost. The seven buildings in the background represent the seven churches of Asia, and the stones at the foot of the cross represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles.

Just as Caesar had a canopy over his throne, so the early Church considered it no less appropriate for the "Throne of God." The baldacchino (Italian for "little tent") takes it name from the city of Baghdad where tapestries were woven and sold to suspend on posts in the desert for protection. The black and pink marbles of the baldacchino accentuate the brightness of the white marble of the altar. You can get a glimpse of the five Florentine marbles which cover the floor of the sanctuary, as well as the sanctuary lamp.

(Adapted from a text by The Very Reverend George McCormick, first Dean of Trinity Cathedral, Miami)