The leaflet in the Cathedral reads as follows:
“The window above the Danish seamen’s Memorial is the initiative of the Danish Church in
Newcastle upon Tyne with the assistance of their sponsor in Denmark, the A.P. Moller and Chastine
Mc-Kinney Moller Foundation. It was dedicated on 26th October 2002
The window which has been replaced was the only lower-level window in the Cathedral without
stained-glass. It was left plain when the surrounding windows were completed because at that time
it was obscured by a chamber-organ. The surrounding windows follow the pattern of Jesus’ passage
through holy Week, from Palm Sunday to the Crucifixion; the story is completed by the window in
the Ascension Chapel.
The new window relates to that iconographic progression. It is preceded by the trials of Jesus, and
followed by the Instruments of the Passion. The design of the window follows the same essential
format as the latter, designed by the late Dr. Leonard Evetts.
The iconography of this window is deliberately kept very simple. Its inspiration stems from a
design by Queen Margrethe of Denmark for a cope at Arhus Cathedral, showing the three
theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. Hope is traditionally represented by an anchor.
Faith is shown by the Cross, and Charity by the Heart. This design is employed in the apex of the
window.
The anchor theme is repeated below where the four conventions of the cross as anchor are used, one
in each light with the anchor and diagonal cross as the symbol for Grace in the third light. The
cross and anchor device reinforces the Danish maritime theme as well as being the abiding symbol
for Hope linked with Faith.
In the second light the ship and cross are taken from the Oikumene symbol of the World Council of
Churches, appropriate for this gift from a Lutheran church to an Anglican cathedral.
Near the top of the window the arms of Newcastle upon Tyne are shown together with the arms of
the three Danish ports of Kobenhavn (Copenhagen), Arhus and Marstal from which many of the
seamen came.
The simple colours of red and blue spill out from the central design: red for the Passion and blue for
Heavenly Love.
The window has been designed by Mr. Mike Davis of Mimram Stained Glass Studio in Brandon,
Durham. Mr. Davis is reader in Architectural Glass at the University of Sunderland. The window
is predominantly in Northumbrian glass, involving a variety of clear textured glass and including a
seedy antique glass which gives a further link to the adjoining Evetts window. Two clear crowns of
Danish glass in the shaped heads of the outer lights have been specially made and donated by
Charlie Meaker (who runs the hot glass department of the Danmarks Designskole) in his studio on
Bornholm.
It is necessary that as much light as possible should be let into the Cathedral on this north side.
Christ in St. John’s Gospel describes himself as “The Light of the World”. The use of varied glass
assists this in an interesting way.