St. Cornelius Window

early 20th century
stained and painted glass
Chapel of St. Cornelius, Governors Island, New York

This window is not, as one might think, a single composition.  Rather, the left half represents Cornelius in Caesarea hearing the voice that speaks to him in Acts 10:5, "send men to Joppe, and call hither one Simon, who is surnamed Peter."  When Peter comes to Caesarea, "Cornelius came to meet him, and falling at his feet adored" (v. 25), as represented in the right half of the window.

Curiously, Peter is not shown at all, perhaps because of a general squeamishness about Cornelius' mistaken idolatry (Peter's response to the gesture is to say, "Arise, I myself am also a man."), or perhaps to stay distanced from Roman Catholic claims about the primacy of Peter and his successors the popes.  (The window is in an Episcopalian chapel.)

More of St. Cornelius

Photographed at the site by Richard Stracke