The Charity Window
Connick’s signature in the Charity Window, the nave window nearest the north transept, is more detailed than in any of the other windows, “Charles J. Connick. Designer. Maker. Boston 1913.” The memorial inscription in the charity window reads “In loving memory of Caroline Pearl Barman, 1840-1908.”
The grayish backgrounds called grisaille, of the principal members of the charity window are composed of conventional leaves. These are truly painted and baked on the glass. The left lancet shows St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), the apostle of charity, feeding the birds who have come to his hand. The central lancet tells the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:33) who has bound up the wounds of the man who fell among thieves. The right lancet concerns St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231). She, the wife of a powerful baron, continued to do acts of charity among the serfs of the barony in spite of her husband’s objections to her coddling the people and his threat to kill her if he should again find her giving bread to the poor. Later he did so find her. She did, indeed, have loaves concealed under her robe. He ordered her to throw it open. She did so, and the loaves were miraculously converted into roses. The tracery members contain stars, roses, and other decorative devices here used without particular attention to symbolism.