Symbolism in the Church of the Good Shepherd
St. James the Greater
James the Greater traveled all the way to Spain to preach the Gospel. Spain’s coast was supposedly covered with millions of scallop shells, those shells are often a symbol of St. James.
In this window he is represented by his traveling equipment.
St. Thomas
Evangelist in Persia and India. In the latter he is said to have built a church with his own hands. Manner of death was by spears.
St. James the lesser
Worked in or near Jerusalem. Supporter of the church there and probably its first bishop. After being beaten to death it is said that his body was sawed in to pieces.
St. Andrew
St. Andrew's died in Patras, Greece where he suffered the torture of crucifixion.
At that supreme moment, however, he asked to be nailed to a cross different from the Cross of Jesus.
In his case it was a diagonal or X-shaped cross, which has thus come to be known as "St Andrew's cross".
St. Simon
Nothing of the scene of St. Simon's labors is authentically known but some traditions associate him with the region east of Palestine.
Manner of death was in either by beheading or sawed asunder while in Persia. His symbol here are crossed fullers clubs.
St. Philip
Tradition says he was missionary to Phrygia and Galatia. St. Philip is said to have been martyr either by crucifixion or the spear, or bound to a cross and stoned to death. The patriarchal cross is emblematic of St. Philip
St. Bartholomew
Flaying knife – Bartholomew was supposedly skinned alive. He is oftentimes pictured holding his own skin (either his face skin held in his hands or his body skin draped over his arm).
St. Peter
He was the leading Apostle from the day of Pentecost to the council of Jerusalem in 50 A.D. After that his whereabouts are not definitely known
except that St. Paul speaks of his being at Antioch in about 52 A.D. As his two epistles are addressed to churches in Asia Minor this may have been the field of some of his missionary labors.
St. Peter holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
St. Matthew
Wrote his Gospel, probably in Palestine, for Jewish Christians.
Tradition tells us that after preaching to the Hebrews in Palestine he went to Ethiopia. He was martyrdom in Ethiopia by crucifixion on a Tau cross and then decapitation by a battle ax.
The iron bound money box his is symbol here for he was a tax collector when Jesus told him to leave all and follow him.
St. John
Bishop of the church at Ephesus. Exiled to Isle of Patmos, then returned to Ephesus. Believed to have written his Gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation.
It was said that an attempt was made on his life by giving him a poisoned chalice.
He was the only one whom died a natural death.
The Lamb of God or Agnus Dei
A most beautiful and authentic symbol of our Lord. St. John the Baptist, just after our Lord's baptism twice pointed him out, saying "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
When used as a symbol of of Christ, the lamb carries the banner of triumph.
