Susannah Wesley

1957 – Washington National Cathedral – South Trancept, Southwes Turret Staiway

In the dark spiral stairway of the southwest turret are three windows that honor members of the Wesley family.  This one depicts the matriarch of the family, Susannah Wesley, with some of her 10 children.  It has a somber mood, yet the golden background adds an atmosphere of comfort. It is amazing how with just a few lines, Rowan and Irene capture the mood of these children and their mother.

Iconography

Susannah is perhaps the real superstar of the Wesley family.  Herself the 25^thof 25 children, she gave birth to 19 children and lost 9 of them as infants; at her death, only 8 of them were still alive.  She lived a long, hard life, often raising the children on her own. Her academically minded husband was not a success as a clergyman, and twice he spent time in debtor’s prison.  

She is sometimes called the “Mother of the Methodist Church” because of her enormous influence on her two sons, John and Charles, who are credited with founding that denomination.  Despite her lack of formal education, she wrote many salient commentaries on the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments that she used to teach her children and others.  Her whole life was imbued with spiritual discipline, orderly living, and personal piety, and all these values later permeated the teachings of her two sons. Somehow, when you know her story, the moodiness of the window makes sense because it captures the mood of a caring mother who has an immense amount on her mind.

Year Completed

1957

Artists

Rowan LeCompte

Irene Matz LeCompte

Fabricator

Rowan LeCompte

Irene Matz LeCompte

Location In Building

South Trancept

Southwest Turret Stairway