General Arrangement of Windows
Note: Arabic numbers shown below in parentheses refer to key numbers on the location diagram.
Altogether St. Timothy's has sixty-seven stained glass windows (or thirty·five if the largest windows on the north and south walls be considered to include the small windows beneath them) - either way, a large number for a parish church. Nearly all the windows were crafted in Ireland by the Harry Clarke firm, now defunct. Three newer ones (57, 58, and 59) were done in Los Angeles.
From casual inspection it may appear that the window subjects were chosen at random. Actually, however, definite patterns exist:
The sixteen largest windows depict the mysteries of the rosary (1 through 15) and the Holy Family (16). The rectangular emblems on these windows refer most often to titles in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin; the rest symbolize other aspects of the lives of Jesus or Mary.
Beneath these large windows, the small ones show Old Testament personages (17 through 32) on the south wall of the church and New Testament figures (33 through 46) plus two recent saints (47 and 48) on the north wall.
In the sanctuary, the three windows on the south show Irish saints (49 through 51); those on the north show St. Paul flanked by two of his disciples, one being St. Timothy, patron of the parish (52 through 54).
Next, on the south wall, two windows recall the New World appearance of the Virgin and the efforts of the Franciscan missionaries in California (55 and 56). These windows and windows (59, 60, 64, 65) on the opposite wall honor individuals significant to all Catholics and particularly to those of the New World and this archdiocese.
High in the east wall of the church, the large circular rose-type window depicts the symbols of the four evangelists (67). Saints are often shown with personal emblems (or symbols) by which they may be identified, such as the breast medallion for St. Jude. General symbols include palm fronds for martyrs and lilies for virgins. St. Timothy is represented four times in his church - once in a window (54), once in a painting, twice in statues.
Note: Key numbers below refer to numbers on the location diagram.
33. Stephen - one of the first deasons, preacher in Jerusalem to Greek-speaking peoples; the first Christian martyr.
34. John the Baptist - Jesus declared that nobody born of woman was greater than John, whose ministry ended the era of the old law and the prophets and ushered in the Kingdom of God and the Messiaship of Jesus. Jesus added that even the least person in the new dispensation is greater than John.
35. Paul - at first a persecutor of the Church, he became, after being struck temporarily blind by a vision of Christ while on the road to Damascus, its greatest evangelist and first Christian theologian.
36. Peter - leader of the Apostles and rock of the early Church. He carried Christianity to Rome where he died a martyr. His tomb in St. Peter's is the only verified resting-place of an Apostle.
37. Andrew - an Apostle and brother of Peter. Originally a disciple of John the Baptist. According to one tradition he was crucified at Patras on a cross in the shape of an X.
38. James the Greater - son of Zebedee and brother of John the Evangelist. Only he, John, and Peter were present at several important episodes in Christ's life. The first Apostle to die, he was martyred by Herod.
39. Philip - Apostle from Bethsaida in Galilee. Reputedly he had four virgin daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
40. John - the "beloved disciple," brother of James and the most theological of the four evangelists. He stressed the Word made flesh, the divinity of Christ.
41. Bartholomew - one of the Twelve. Identified with Nathaniel. Supposedly martyred in India.
42. Thomas - another of the Twelve, who was chided by Jesus for his reluctance to believe. One tradition places him later in India.
43. Matthew - Apostle usually identified with Levi the mx collector. His was the first written gospel. He stressed Christ as the Messianic King.
44. James the Less - probably a cousin of Jesus. First bishop of Jerusalem, martyred in his old age.
45. Jude - Apostle and perhaps the same Jude who wrote the epistle to refute false teachers who denied Christ.
46. Simon - Apostle known as the Zealot because he probably had belonged to a nationalist anti-Roman party.
47. Dominic Savio - a modern Italian aspirant to the priesthood. He practiced the "little way" of St. Therese, died at 15.
48. Maria Goretti - canonized in 1950. Maria chose death over unchastity and died from many knife wounds at age 12.
49. Finbar - founded a monastery at Cork (Cobh) in the 6th century. His cathedral is at Cork city.
50. Patrick - through prayer and personal austerity he evangelized the pagan Irish, firmly establishing the Church on the Island of Saints. Irish missionaries founded many cities of continental Europe. More recently Irish priests staffed many parishes of this archdiocese.
51. Fachtna - 6th century Irish bishop who founded the famed monastic school of Ross in County Cork, which flourished for 300 years. Brendan was one of his teachers. When this window subject was chosen Fr. Fachtna Collins was assistant pastor.
52. Luke - Syrian physician, companion of Paul, author of the Acts of the Apostles and of a gospel with its unique account of Christ's infancy.
53. Paul - the sword symbolizes Paul as a soldier of Christ. Excerpts from his letters are read at most masses. (See also window 35)
54. Timothy - patron of the parish. A native of Lystra and the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother, he like Luke and Paul was a Roman citizen. He became an intimate disciple and companion of Paul and evangelized in Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica and elsewhere. The crown and palm symbolize his presumed martyrdom.
55. Our Lady of Guadalupe - patron of the Americas. In the year 1531 the Virgin appeared to a poor Mexican peon, Juan Diego, asking him to tell the bishop to erect a sanctuary at Guadalupe. When the doubting bishop asked for a sign, the Virgin told Juan Diego to pick roses from a barren hillside where none had grown before and to carry them in his large mantle to the bishop. Juan did this, and when he lowered his mantle the image of the Virgin was seen thereon.
56. A Franciscan - this priest could represent any Franciscan saint or Fr. Junipero Serra, the native of Majorca who established the chain of California missions.
57. Michael - the archangel with flaming sword. In Christian liturgy he is guardian of the Church; also the patron of policemen.
58. Helen - or Helena, an innkeeper's daughter whose son Constantine became a Christian Roman emperor. About 326 A.D. while on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land she found what many believe to have been the true cross. She built churches on the Mount of Olives and in Bethlehem.
59. Vibiana - a young Roman virgin, pictured with the martyr's palm. Her relics repose in the cathedral of the archdiocese.
60. Rose of Lima - a Dominican nun, born in 1586 in Peru. She was the first canonized saint of the new world.
61. Jude - Apostle and patron of desperate cases.
62. Cecilia - a Roman patrician who converted her young husband, who shared her martyrdom. She is the patron of musicians.
63. Augustine - shown holding his famous "Confessionsl' A Roman born in North Africa, he abandoned a life of immorality and eventually became Bishop of Hippo. He laid the foundations for much of Catholic theology and social teaching.
64. Frances Xavier Cabrini - although born in Italy in 1850, she became the first United States citizen saint. A woman of drive and business acumen as well as holiness, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. She established hospitals in New York and Chicago and foundations in numerous cities, including Los Angeles, as well as in Central and South America.
65. John N. Neumann - 1812-1860. A native of Bohemia, he arrived in the United States in 1836 with only one dollar and the clothes on his back. After ordination he ministered to German-speaking farmers near Buffalo, joined the Redemptorists of which he soon became superior, and in 1852 became the unwilling Bishop of Philadelphia. For a time he built churches at the rate of one a month and numerous schools. Three persons cured through his miracles were present at his 1977 canonization.
66. Elizabeth Ann Seton (nee Bayley) - this fun-loving yet sometimes moody and always compassionate woman with five children was left a penniless widow, whose relations turned against her when she converted to Catholicism. She called herself Mother Goose whose cupboard was bare. Nothing daunted, she founded an order of nuns and established schools and hospitals. She was the first United States native-born saint.
67. Winged Symbols of the Four Evangelists - the ox for Luke, the eagle for John, the lion for Mark, and seraph for Matthew. The Holy Spirit is represented by a dove.