Gravely Speaking and Syngrammata have decided to dig deep into our photo collections in order to bring you pairs of images drawn from our many years combing through American cemeteries. Each pair will be linked by a theme which we are free to interpret. Suggestions of future themes to follow are welcome in the comments! This week’s theme is: interesting/significant mausoleum windows.

Gravely Speaking writes:

In a mausoleum in the Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans, the stained-glass window in the back of the tomb depicts an angel with vibrant red wings, an ochre gown, against a bright blue background.  Angels are known as God’s messenger from the Hebrew root word meaning “send”. 

This angel is thought to be a Seraphim.  Seraphim are one of nine orders or choirs of angels which are organized into three spheres or orders, with three choirs in each.  According to Christian tradition, the First Order, is made up of the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones; the Middle or Second Order is made up of Dominions, Virtues, and Powers; and the Lowest or Third Order is made up of Principalities, Archangels and Angels. 

Seraphim are mentioned in Isaiah 6:2-3 (King James Version):  2) “Above it stood the Seraphim; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.”  3) “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of His glory.  According to tradition, the Seraphim have red wings because they are the closet to God.

Syngrammata writes

The image shows the wondrous 3’ x 2’ glass plate used as the rear window of the Mathews mausoleum in Nisky Hill Cemetery, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It bears a photograph of the family made by patriarch James Mathews II (†1935) and depicts a little boat bearing his wife Carolyn (1878-1920), son James III (1908-1938), and daughter Martha (1907-1985) on a small artificial lake on a summer day. The black and white photograph has been painted with colors to render it more lifelike. Carolyn’s presence points to a date before 1920.

On that hot day when this image was created, none of these people in the flourishing prime of their lives could have imagined that it would one day illuminate their cold tomb! Someone has put a bullet through the window, and the moisture leaking in is slowly eating away both emulsion and color in a reminder that nothing is permanent.