St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester
Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
Fruits of the Mystery: True Wisdom and True Conversion, Piety, Joy of Finding Jesus
At the age of twelve, Jesus accompanies his parents to Jerusalem, but is left behind when they return separately to their home town. On discovering his absence, they return to Jerusalem, where they find him in the Temple, discoursing with the Temple elders.
Luke 2:42-51 When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When the days of the feast were over and they set off home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was somewhere in the party, and it was only after a day's journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere. It happened that, three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, 'My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.' He replied, 'Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?' But they did not understand what he meant. He went down with them then and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart.
The Window
Near the top of the window, the distraught Mary and Joseph pull aside the heavy curtain guarding the entrance to the Temple. Within, the child Jesus, clad in white, stands with hand upraised in authority, while three of the Temple elders surround him, two gazing intently at Jesus as he speaks, the other sunk in profound thought.
The scroll in the bottom light reads Invenerunt illum in templo (they found him in the Temple).
The inscription at the foot of the window reads: In memoriam Stanley Herberti Close qui obiit die 25a Januarii 1921. R.I.P (In memory of Stanley Herbert Close, who died 25th January 1921).