Sts. John and Peter, Clayton & Bell, between 1896 and 1898

John (the Evangelist) and Peter (Simon) are two of the best known of the Disciples of Christ. John was the brother of James the Greater and a son of Zebedee. Peter, a fisherman, was the brother of Andrew. (See the Andrew/James window) These two apostles were among those present at the Transfiguration (see Transfiguration window) and with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, sleeping while Jesus prayed. John and Peter often traveled together during their ministries. John, by tradition, was exiled to the Greek island of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation. He later went to Ephesus in Asia Minor and died there as an old man. Peter, called “The Prince of the Apostles,” led the disciples in their teaching of the gospel after the resurrection. He went to Rome and established the first Christian church there; he was crucified by Nero in 64 C.E.

In pictures, John appears differently as the Apostle and as the Evangelist. As the Evangelist, he is shown as an old man with a beard, usually with a scroll and pen. As the Apostle, he is shown as young and beardless as he is depicted in our window. The chalice he holds is a general symbol for the Christian faith and the Eucharist, but it also refers to the legend that John was given a poisoned chalice in Ephesus to test his faith; he not only survived but brought two others who had died from the poison back to life.

Peter is almost always pictured with a beard and short gray hair and usually wears a gold cape over a blue or green tunic, as he is pictured in our window. The book he holds represents the gospel, and the keys are the keys to heaven, given to him by Christ when He gave Peter his new name (he had been born Simon): “‘And this I say to you: you are Peter, the Rock; and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall never conquer it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven; what you forbid on earth shall be forbidden in heaven, and what you allow on earth shall be allowed in heaven.’” (Matthew 16:18-19). The gold key is the key to the gate of heaven and the silver key the key to the gate of hell. Symbolically, they are the power to give absolution or to excommunicate.

The predella (bottom part of the window) shows two scenes from the lives of John and Peter. The left side is the healing of the lame beggar at the Beautiful Gate: “One day at three in the afternoon, the hour of prayer, Peter and John were on their way up to the temple. Now a man who had been a cripple from birth used to be carried there and laid every day by the temple gate called Beautiful to beg from people as they went in. When he saw Peter and John on their way into the temple, he asked for alms. They both fixed their eyes on him, and Peter said, ‘Look at us.’ Expecting a gift from them, the man was all attention. Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold; but what I have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.’ Then, grasping him by the right hand he helped him up; and at once his feet and ankles grew strong; he sprang to his feet, and started to walk.” (Acts 3:1-8) The scene on the right is the Charge to St. Peter; after Christ’s resurrection, he appeared to some of the disciples on the Sea of Tiberias and told Peter to “Feed my sheep.” (See Kempe window on this subject)

The window is located on the north side of nave, upper level (clerestory), first window below the transept. The inscription of dedication reads: "To the Memory of Moses Rogers of Shippan Point, A.D. 1799"; the window was given by a descendant, Col. Woolsey R. Hopkins. The window was made by Clayton and Bell of London between March 1896 and November 1898.