Stained Glass Images: The Passion of Christ

Stained Glass Images: The Passion of Christ

The Passion is the term used to describe the events in Christ’s life that led up to His suffering and death on the cross. Stained glass window art focusing on this period in the Savior’s life on earth may depict His arrest after He was betrayed by the Apostle Judas, His despair in the Garden of Gethsemane, His trial overseen by Pontius Pilate, the Stations of the Cross, or Christ’s Crucifixion. Some Biblical scholars also consider stained glass designs depicting The Last Supper to be works of Passion stained glass.

Jesus is beaten and tormented in stained glass

The Story of the Passion of Christ

Accounts of the Passion of Christ are found in all four Biblical Gospels. The Bible tells the faithful that by the time Jesus ate with His Apostles at The Last Supper, He was already aware that He would soon be betrayed and that His earthly life was coming to an end. This knowledge torments Him and causes Him great anguish, so after the meal he goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Here He asks for the “bitter cup” to be taken from His lips, but also proclaims that He will accept God’s will.

As Jesus prophesized, it was one of His own disciples who betrayed Him. Judas kissed Jesus as a way of identifying Him to the Jewish authorities. After Jesus was questioned, He was tried by Pontius Pilate, who allowed the crowd gathered before him to decide the ultimate fate of the Savior. The people demanded that Jesus be executed by Crucifixion.

Christ is whipped and a crown of thorns is mockingly placed on His head. He is forced to carry His own cross most of the way while onlookers taunt and tease Him. Finally, spikes are driven into His hands and feet, and His last hours are spent in anguish hanging on a cross on a hilltop. While the story of Christ’s Passion is tragic on its surface, it is a remarkable testament to the extraordinary love He had for mankind and the sacrifice He willingly made.

The Passion of Christ encompasses many events, so Christian stained glass windows featuring this theme are very diverse. Undoubtedly the image that is most connected with the Messiah’s Passion (and the Christian faith), however, is the stained glass cross.

Christ bound and wearing a crown of thorns

Stained Glass Inc.’s Stained Glass Panels:

• Are shatter-resistant, lead free, and more durable than traditional leaded glass
• Will infuse your sanctuary and chapel windows with the warm glow of stained glass
• Are an affordable alternative to the laborious process of stained glass restoration
• Give you the flexibility to create stained glass window art and a variety of other elements
• Are produced by a stained glass manufacturer that has the capacity to handle projects of all sizes

Honor the sacrifice Jesus made for all of mankind by adding one of our Passion of Christ stained glass designs to your sanctuary.