The Alsop Millennium Window
The Alsop Millennium Window was installed by its designer, Henry Haig, in July 2001. Its design is based on these texts from chapters 21 and 22 of the Book of Revelation:
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had passed away … I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God ...then the angel showed me the river of life, rising from the throne of God and of the Lamb and flowing crystal-clear. Down the middle of the city street, on either bank of the river, were the trees of life, which bear twelve crops of fruit in a year, one in each month. Their leaves are for the healing of the nations."
These words are part of the vision of St. John the Divine, in which he prophesies that there will be a time of peace and harmony after many years of conflict and social upheaval. In this culmination of his vision, he sees the new - heavenly - Jerusalem, and the semi-abstract imagery of the Alsop window is based on this.
The river of life, flowing up the centre of the window, arises out of the throne of God, and is also suggestive of the cross of Christ - an empty cross, symbolising the resurrection. The reddish fruits of the trees of life can be seen in both of the neighbouring panels. One can also discern the shapes of the Greek letters alpha and omega, symbolising the fact that Christ is the beginning and the end of all things.
The predominance of green reflects a connection made by the artist between the landscapes of Derbyshire and the glory and splendour of God's Creation, which will be renewed and restored at the end of time, according to Revelation. The yellows in the window represent the light of the glory of God. The dove of the Holy Spirit can also be seen at the top of the central panel, descending on the earth.