The Crucifixion

Image from: St Philip’s Anglican Cathedral, Birmingham

The most striking image in the lower section of the window is the mourning figure of Mary Magdalene, dressed in a peach-coloured robe. She kneels beneath the feet of Jesus at the base of the cross, cupping her head in her hands in a gesture of deep sorrow. The green stones on which she kneels are the same colour as the walls of Jerusalem in the centre of the window. Mary Magdalene’s striking pose, her downward gaze and the bright colour of her garments contrast with the figure of Mary, who stands erect and fixes her eyes upwards on her dying son. Together, they are the dominant images in this part of the window.