In most cases the two lower pictures illustrate two scenes in the New Testament, and the two upper ones give types of these scenes drawn from the Old Testament or elsewhere. There are exceptions to this arrangement, as, for instance, the first two windows on the north side and in those illustrating the Acts of the Apostles.
The main subjects of the windows are the life of the Virgin Mary and the life of Christ. The scenes begin with the Birth of the Virgin, in the westernmost window on the north side, and proceed through the principal events of our Lord's life to the Crucifixion in the east window. This is followed on the south side by the following events as recorded in the Gospels, of which the last depicted is the Ascension in the one opposite the organ. Next comes the history of the Apostles as recorded in the Acts, while the legendary history of the Virgin occupies the last two windows.[6]
The following diagram may be of use in helping my readers to decipher the windows on the north and south sides.
The Subjects of the Windows are as follows:
NORTH SIDE
Window I. (Westernmost.)
| 1. The offering of Joachim and Anna rejected by the High Priest. | 2. Joachim is bidden by an Angel to return to Jerusalem, where he would meet his wife at the Golden Gate of the Temple. |
| 3. Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate of the Temple. | 4. Birth of the Virgin. |