Windows | Sacred Heart Exeter

This window depicting St George, patron of England, was dedicated on his feast day the 23rd April 1933, by the then parish priest Rev. T. Barney. It commemorates Dr George Oliver, a priest renowned in the city for his selfless care of the sick. He was an expert on the history of Exeter and on ecclesiastical antiquities, and played an important part in consolidating the Catholic faith in the city in Penal times, when it was looked upon with distrust by many. He worked tirelessly for his flock, staying to tend to them in 1832 when an epidemic of cholera epidemic struck Exeter (in contrast to the Anglican Bishop Philpotts, who left the city). The grateful citizens presented him with a silver salver (now in the Guildhall) and a set of silver cruets (still used in this church). He retired in 1851 and died 10 years later, still held in high esteem throughout the community. In 1844 Pope Gregory XVI conferred him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in recognition for his scholar writings and his service to the faithful of Devon.

St George, Patron of England, was an early Christian from Cappadocia (modern Turkey), martyred for refusing to recant his faith. He is especially venerated as one of the most prominent military saints, having been a soldier of the Roman army. The legend of St George slaying a dragon, as depicted here, goes back to about the 10th century.

This window shows St Nicholas distributing alms to the poor. Catholic Exeter has a long association with St Nicholas, dating back to the founding of St Nicholas’ Priory in 1087.

Saint Nicholas was a 4th century bishop of Myra, in modern-day Turkey, known for his generosity and kindness. Born into a wealthy family, he dedicated his life to helping the poor and vulnerable. One famous story of his generosity tells of him secretly giving dowries to three poor sisters, in order to save them from slavery. Nicholas became known as a protector of children and sailors. In time his legend gave rise to the modern figure of Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas is remembered for his miracles, his fierce opposition to the heresy of Arianism, and above all for his charitable spirit, making him one of Christianity’s most beloved saints.

This is one of four windows created by John Hardman of Birmingham in 1934, and dedicated by Bishop John Barrett for the Golden Jubilee of the Church. These windows commemorate “the old and new churches”.

This window depicts St Nicholas praying to calm a stormy sea and save a ship.

Legend has it that during the Council of Nicaea in 325, St Nicholas fell asleep and dreamt that he was on board a ship, beset by a storm. In the dream he prayed that the ship might be saved, whereupon the seas calmed and the ship made safe. On awaking he told his brother bishops, "A ship has been saved and many sailors rescued", and they assumed he was talking about the ship of the Church which had been saved by the Council. Shortly after however, a ship arrived in the harbour, and its sailors told of having been miraculously delivered from a terrible storm by the apparition of a holy man who calmed the seas.

This window depicts the Sacred Heart appearing to St Margaret Mary in her second vision in July 1674.

In this vision, Jesus appeared in glory, with his five wounds shining like suns and flames erupting from them, especially from his chest, which resembled a furnace. He opened his chest revealing His loving heart, source of the flames, emphasising His immense love for humanity.

This window depicts the first vision of the Sacred Heart experienced by St Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673.

In the vision, Our Lord revealed his wish for special honour to be paid to his Sacred Heart, especially by the reception of Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month and by an act of reparation offered on the Friday within the Octave of Corpus Christi. The devotion to the Sacred Heart was widespread in the 19th and 20th centuries in England.

Stained glass above the Saint Boniface altar. The windows illustrate six episodes in the life of the Saint. The window was made by a local artists, Messrs Gibbons and Blanchford.

The top left scene depicts the father of Winfryd (the future Boniface) in bed, recovering from a serious illness, giving permission to his young son to become a monk. His mother and the monks of the Benedictine Abbey in Exeter surround the bed.

In the middle left we see Winfryd at prayer in his cell in the Abbey of Nutscelle in Hampshire. In a vision, an Angel appears bearing in his hand a gold crown and a palm branch promising Winfryd a rich harvest of souls and a martyr’s crowns.

The bottom left shows Winfryd visiting Rome, and with his companions receives the Pope’s blessing before going to Friesland to preach the Gospel.

In the top right Winfryd is being consecrated bishop by Pope Gregory II, who at the same time gave him the name Boniface.

The middle right shows Boniface kneeling at the tomb of St. Peter with a scroll in his hand, from which he is pronouncing a solemn oath of allegiance to St. Peter and his successor, the Pope.

In the bottom right, Boniface, together with his monks, is shown felling the Donar Oak or Thor’s Oak which was the object of special worship by the pagan Hessians, who stand by in great numbers.

The centre window shows St Boniface in full bishop’s vestments, over the scene of his martyrdom; murdered by heathens with a dagger piercing his heart. We can read in the lettering “St Boniface, Glory of Devon, Apostle of Germany, Martyr”. He was killed near Dokkum in the Frisian district of the North Netherlands where “the uncoverted of the region, and renegades among the baptised, conceivably instigated by those hostile to Boniface in Cologne or further afield were physically attacking this exposed contingent of the spiritual army of Christ…. Boniface, protected till the last by others, finally fell, his skull shattered by a Frisian sword”. The bodies were recovered and the murderers pursued and killed. St Boniface was buried at the city of Fulda (in Hesse, one of the German states) where his shrine is revered today.