“From the Archives” The Lamb of God in the Basilica

In Christian art, the image of a lamb represents Jesus, “the Lamb of God” (Agnus Dei). In Scripture, we read: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29)  Standing with a banner, the lamb represents the risen Christ triumphant over death. Standing or reclining with a cross, it symbolizes the Passion of Christ. Shown on a throne or with a book, the lamb represents the judgment of Christ.

The image of the Lamb of God can be seen in three places here at the Basilica of Saint Mary.

ALTAR A lamb reclining and embracing a cross adorns the center panel of the altar of sacrifice in the Basilica sanctuary. The altar was commissioned by Father Peter Kroes, S.J., Saint Mary’s pastor from 1857 to 1872. The work of Coleman of Philadelphia and costing $1,000, the altar is made of highly polished Italian marble and was originally placed beneath the tabernacle and against the north wall of the church. The design of the cross in this panel comes from the coat of arms of the family of George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore. (Our parish was part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore until 1858.)

SKYLIGHT The Lamb of God is seen standing upright with a cross and banner in the large stained glass skylight directly above the crucifix and tabernacle. The skylight was a gift of the Fuelner family. According to an 1881 article in The Alexandria Gazette reporting on church renovations under the direction of local architect Philip N. Dwyer, the skylight was installed along with a new, decorative ceiling.

OCULUS WINDOW The Lamb of God reclines on the Book of the Seven Seals with a cross and the Banner of Victory in one of the oculus, or round, windows along the south wall of the Basilica. It is located above the stained glass windows of Saint John the Beloved Apostle and Saint Mary Magdalene, the two faithful disciples who were with the Lord during His Passion and were among the first to encounter Him after the Resurrection.

-Diane L. Maple, Bulletin Editor

Throughout 2020, the Basilica of Saint Mary will present “From the Archives.” It is a weekly feature online and in our bulletin spotlighting the history of the parish. All of our “From the Archives” features are located here.