Altar Information

 


 

Bones
This is an image of a bone. Christ was in the tomb for 3 days only, so this image is not a direct reference to Calvary, but to death and decay itself. Its purpose would be to remind the worshipper of their own mortality of the of the need for the sacrifice of Christ in order to rescue them from death and hell


















 



 

 

 

 







Skulls

There are several skulls on the altarpiece. A symbol of death and decay.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Bricks, Tiles & Debris?

These are small images of bricks or tiles. I'm not sure what meaning they have. It's possible that they may represent general rubbish and decay; Golgotha (the hill of the skull, where the crucifixion too place) was reputedly a rubbish dump for Jerusalem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Family Crests
Hanging from rings between and behind the candlesticks, are the various Adorne family crests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Ladders
The ladders, I assume, represent the ladders that may have been used by the Romans to reach the bodies on the crosses to check for death. It seems unlikely that they represent Jacob's ladder. It's possible (I've seen this elsewhere in stained glass windows) that they are intended to help the dead get out of their tombs on the day of general resurrection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Nails

These nails would have been used to nail Christ to the cross

John 20: (the story of Doubting Thomas):
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hammer

The hammer used to hammer in the nails.

John 20: (the story of Doubting Thomas):
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Palm Leaves
I think these are palm leaves (but I could be wrong!).

John 12 (Christ's entry into Jerusalem):
The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"

Palm fronds were the symbol of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the same way that a seashell was the synbol of a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. Several Adornes went on pilgrimages to Jerusalem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pliers

Pliers would have been used to pull out the nails when taking Christ's body down from the cross.

Acts 13:
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Ropes

These are ropes, not snakes. These may be the ropes used to bind Jesus:

John 18:
Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sheaf?

This is one of the wooden objects attached to the alterpiece. The other one still present was a dice (used when the Roman soldiers cast lots for Christ's robe). This object looke like a sheaf. It's just possible that it could be a palm frond - but then that would probably rule out the stone carvings that I have identified as palms. It most looks like a sheaf of wheat or other corn, but I can't recall any direct corn references relating to the Crucifixion. It may be a reference to the resurrection rather than the crucifixion.

John 12:
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sponge? & Unknown symbol

The object that looks like a hammer from the Flintstones is, I think, a sponge on a stick

Matthew 27:
And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "This man is calling Elijah." And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him."

There is an object to the left, with what looks like knots at either end. I have no idea what this is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomb
This appears to be a carving of some steps leading up to an entrance of some kind with a window into a room. It may be a representation of the tomb. However, if so, there is nowhere for a stone to block the entrance and then be rolled away

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Unknown Object
This looks a maraca, but I don't recall these being featured in the story of the crucifixion. All (sensible) suggestions gratefully received.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Whip

The instrument used to whip Christ.

John 19:
Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sceptre

This may possibly be either the sceptre given the Jesus:

Matthew 27:
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said.

Or the spear used to pierce his side:

John 19:
"one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lantern? Hour-Glass? Reliquary

(I think we can rule out Thermos Flask and Kilner Jar)

This could either be a lantern:

John 8:
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Or it could be an hourglass - a reminder to the worshipper of mortality.

Luke 16:
The rich man also died and was buried

Or it could be a reliquary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catherine Wheels and St George's Crosses

Along the screen behind the altarpiece are carvings of wheels. These are present because, as well as visiting Jerusalem,the Adornes also visited St Catherine's monastery which is near Sinai on the reputed site of the Burning Bush. St Catherine was killed by being broken on a wheel, and so her symbol is a wheel (hence the 'Catherine Wheel' firework).

To the left are tiny St George's Crosses - this is the symbol of the city iof Genoa in Italy, from which the Adorne (Adorno) family originated

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angel and Crown of Thorns

At the apex of the alterpiece is an angel framed by the crown of thorns.

The angel would be one of the angels guarding the tomb where Christ's body lay.

Matthew 28:
an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.

Matthew 27:
and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"