St Gregory Nazianzen Window
On the west side of the North Transept is the vibrant St Gregory Nazianzen Window.
Did you know?
- St Gregory Nazianzen (330-389) was the Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (now in Turkey).
- The window design shows St Gregory offering heavenly soundwaves, “the music of the spheres” to God.
- The inscription reads “Thy attuning teacheth the choir of the worlds to adore thee in musical silence” and there is also the Greek “Eis Tous Aionas” which roughly translates as “to eternity”.
- Designed by Hugh Easton, it has an Art Deco style which was very fashionable at the time of installation in 1936. It was the first of many windows Easton designed for the cathedral. It was dedicated in memory of the British civil servant Sir Basil Phillott Blackett, KCB, KCSI (1882-1935).
Notable people
St Gregory Nazianzen
St Gregory Nazianzen was a lifelong friend to St Basil, and together they defended the Christian belief in the Trinity. This is one of the central Christian teachings, that God is the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
Thoughts and reflections
Universal music
- The window shows St Gregory surrounded by the earth, the sun, the moon and other planets and stars. This is to symbolise the music of the spheres, also known as “musica universalis”.
- In Greek philosophy, the precise movements of the planets and stars around each other were considered a form of music that could be heard by the soul.
- Thinking about this window, author Chris Cook said “Daily prayer is about the encounter with this musical silence in our everyday lives”.
Follow the guided tour
You’re in: The North Transept You’re at: St Gregory Nazianzen Window Next stop: Della Robbia Annunciation Plaque
- Turn around and walk across the Transept
- Go up the steps into the Gregory Chapel
- On the wall near the back of the Chapel you will see a brightly coloured plaque
- This is the Della Robbia Annunciation plaque