Stained Glass in Wales | Gwydr Lliw yng Nghymru

The Rose of Sharon and the Lilies of the Field

  The Rose of Sharon and the Lilies of the Field

Photo © Martin Crampin, Imaging the Bible in Wales

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Two-light window, mainly decorative, with the flowers and texts.



Church of St Egwad, Llanegwad, Carmarthenshire
south wall of the nave

Biblical texts at the top of the window: 'I am the Rose of Sharon'; 'Consider the lilies of the field'.
Dedication: To the Glory of God and in loving memory of David Griffith of Alltyferin and Elizabeth his beloved wife and also of those that are gone before. This window was erected by their two surviving daughters.


The rose of Sharon has been tentatively identified with the sweet-scented narcissus (Narcissus tazetta) which is a native of Palestine and grows on the plain of Sharon. 'Mystic rose' is a title of the Virgin Mary. for her mystical participation in the life of the Holy Trinity. The lily appears in the same verse from Song of Songs (1:1-2). Although here shown in white, the symbol of purity carried by Gabriel in images of the Annunciation (or shown growing in a pot) the lily referred to in Song of Songs would have been red (for comparison with the lips of the beloved) and in Jesus' reference (Matthew 6:28-9)to the glorious 'lily of the field'. Botanists favour the Anemone coronaria as the flower referred to - not a lily at all, but because of its ubiquity the most natural flower for Jesus to pluck and seize upon as an illustration. It is called 'susan' by the Arabs and the Hebrew word 'shusan' is used for the flower in Song of Songs.

 
Record added by Martin Crampin, Additional contribution by John Morgan-Guy. Last updated on 20-12-2011

 

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Martin Crampin (ed.), Stained Glass in Wales Catalogue, University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth, 2011. (with a contribution by John Morgan-Guy)
https://stainedglass.delweddau.cymru/object/903 (accessed 29 March 2024)



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  The Rose of Sharon and the Lilies of the Field

Photo © Martin Crampin, Imaging the Bible in Wales



 
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