Tomorrow is All Saints’ Day, so we decided to look at the Te Deum window at St Mary and All Saints Church in Plymstock.
Christ, angels, saints, prophets, apostles and martyrs are all gathered in one blaze of colour at the church.
The window fills the east end of the church above the high altar. It dates from the late 19th century and illustrates the Te Deum, a Latin hymn of praise whose opening words mean “We praise you, O God”. The window was installed in 1887 and made by Fouracre and Watson, a stained-glass studio based in Stonehouse.
At its centre, Christ is shown crowned and holding an orb and sceptre. Angels appear in the tracery above him, some carrying objects associated with Christian worship and the story of Christ’s Passion.
The five large sections below tell the rest of the story. Reading from left to right, they show the prophets, the saints, Christ, the apostles and the martyrs. The saints are in the panel immediately to Christ’s right, which is on the left as we look at the window. Among them is the Virgin Mary, holding a lily.
The window was given by R.C. Nutt in memory of James and Caroline Nutt and their children. Its inscriptions make it more than a beautiful piece of church decoration: they set out a hymn of praise in glass.
All Saints’ Day, on Sunday, 1 November, remembers the saints and the example of their lives. All Souls’ Day, on Monday, 2 November, is a time to remember people who have died, including family members and others who were close to us.
Although the window was created to illustrate the Te Deum, its gathering of saints and heavenly figures makes it a fitting image as both days approach.
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post