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The intriguing mystery of a stained glass window
in Kilmore Church, Dervaig,
on the Scottish Isle of Mull
by Barry Dunford
In the small village of
Dervaig, which translates from the gaelic as "little grove", on the
Scottish western Isle of Mull, is to be found a church with an unusual
architectural style and feature. The present Kilmore Church (Church of
Mary) was built in 1905 on an earlier religious site. It was constructed
with a peculiarly distinct round tower feature. The leading Scots
architect responsible for building Kilmore Church was Peter MacGregor
Chalmers (1859-1922) who had worked with the design of a number of
churches throughout Scotland.
Kilmore Church, Dervaig, Isle of Mull
© Copyright Barry Dunford
Inside Kilmore Church are
to be found seven very striking stained glass windows, one of which in
particular reveals a remarkable symbolism. This particular stained glass
window appears to date from 1906, one year after the construction of the
church itself, and was produced by Stephen Adam, a leading Scottish
stained glass artist who died in 1910. Although it is not known for
certain who commissioned the design for this extraordinary stained glass
window, its remarkable symbolic representation can hardly have escaped
the attention of Stephen Adam, the stained glass artist responsible, who
nevertheless agreed to carry out this explosively symbolic portrayal.
Jesus and Mary Magdalen, Kilmore Church
© Copyright Barry Dunford
This striking stained
glass window shows a young man portrayed with the usual features
attributed to Jesus (including the traditional Nazarite central parting
of the hair) with a halo above his head, holding hands with a woman
without a halo. The woman can clearly be seen to be portrayed pregnant
with her girdle painted below her abdomen rather than around her waist.
The key as to the identity of this woman is made plain by the gospel
text which appears immediately below the pregnant woman. It reads: "Mary
hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her".
This statement, made by Christ himself, which directly relates to Mary
Magdalen, sometimes referred to as Mary of Bethany, can be found in the
Gospel of Luke, ch.10, v.42. The complete relevant text from Luke,
ch.10, v.38-42, reads as follows:
38. "Now it came to pass,
as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain
woman named Martha received him into her house.
39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and
heard his word.
40. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and
said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve
alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art
careful and troubled about many things:
42. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which
shall not be taken away from her."
Enlarged text from the above stained glass
window portraying Jesus and Mary Magdalen
© Copyright Barry Dunford
It is clear from the
inclusion of this highly pertinent Gospel text that the couple holding
hands in this enigmatic stained glass window are none other than Jesus
and Mary Magdalen. It is also intriguing that this stained glass window
dates from eighty years prior to the genre of books published from the
mid-1980's onwards which allude to a possible holy marriage and sacred
union between Jesus and Mary Magdalen and a succeeding Holy Bloodline.
So key questions remain:
who commissioned this extraordinary symbolic stained glass window which
runs quite contrary to conventional Christian theology? And why was it
placed in a Christian church on the Scottish western Isle of Mull?
© Copyright 2004 Barry
Dunford. All rights reserved. PERMISSION FOR USE: No part of this
article may be published without the permission of the author Barry
Dunford.
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