All Saints' Day

The East Window of All Saints Pavement, York (19th century) - see key below

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem festum celebrantes sub honore Sanctorum omnium: de quorum solemnitate gaudent Angeli, et collaudent Filium Dei. Exsultate, justi, in Domino: rectos decet collaudatio.

Introit of the Mass of All Saints


York has two churches named All Saints - one in North Street and one on the Pavement. Both have beautiful stained glass but that of All Saints North Street is particularly famous, mainly because of the Pricke of Conscience Window and the Corporal Acts of Mercy Window, but also because of the Great East Window (also known as the Blackburn Window, after its donors) and the Nine Orders of Angels Window:

The Nine Orders of Angels Window (c.1410-20) in All Saints North Street, York

 (The nine orders, or choirs, are angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principalities, powers, virtues, cherubim and seraphim.)

 

This panel shows a man wearing medieval spectacles! This is very unusual (and very uncomfortable they look too...)

Key to the All Saints Pavement East Window:

Moses, Abraham, Noah                            Risen Christ             St Lawrence, St Agnes, St Stephen

Isiah(?), St David, John the Baptist  Mary Magdalene, BVM, St John   St Paul, St Peter, St Andrew

St Catherine, St Margaret               St Augustine, St Ambrose       St Hieronymus, St Benedict

Aidan, Wilfrid, Paulinus          Oswald, Alban, St George       V. Bede, William of York, St Cuthbert 

The nine saints in the bottom row were popular English saints throughout the Middle Ages, and (apart from St George, who despite being England's patron saint from the very early Middle Ages never set foot on this damp and foggy island) all have close links with Yorkshire or York in particular.