The Office for Religious Life > Memorial Church > Quatrefoils

Overview | Layout | History | Organs | Inscriptions | Quatrefoils

Of special scholarly and artistic interest are the ancient religious symbols and the carved quatrefoils that provide their settings. There are 29 large carvings in the symbol series. Here is a sampling of some of the finest carvings. They are in the walls of the East and West Trancepts.

Beneath the East Gallery

Arrow
A symbol of martyrdom or suffering.
Square
Emblem of the earth or earthly life.
S
From the Latin, "soter," meaning "saviour."
Pomegranate
A symbol of resurrection and new life. Used on ancient Hebrew priestly garments.
Crown
Spiritual rank, kingship, authority.
Heart
Charity, unselfish love.
Anchor
Hope. A form used by early Christians to conceal the cross during times of persecution.
Broken Chains
A symbol of freedom from sin, death and opression won by Christ's death on the cross.

Beneath the West Gallery

All Seeing Eye
Symbol of God's omniscience.
Rose
Symbol of the Messianic promise, taken from Isaiah's text, "the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose" (35:1).
Five Point Star
Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles represented by the Magi. Also the star of Jacob (Num. 24:17) and the Morning Star (Rev 22:16).
Fish
The five Greek letters spelling fish form the acronym of the phrase "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour." The symbol was used when Christians were not allowed to worship openly.
Triangle
The trinity.
M. with Rose at Center
Symbol of the virgin birth.