I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)

In his gospel, one of St John’s favourite themes was the contrast between light and darkness. He included a number of sayings on this subject. One of these was the following statement, made by Christ both to his disciples and to the people: “I am the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5; 12:46).

Referring to this saying, Pope St John Paul II explained: “For those who first heard Jesus, as for us, the symbol of light evokes the desire for truth and the thirst for the fullness of knowledge which are imprinted deep within every human being. When the light fades or vanishes altogether, we no longer see things as they really are. In the heart of the night we can feel frightened and insecure, and we impatiently await the coming of the light of dawn.“

He added: “The light which Jesus speaks of in the Gospel is the light of faith, God’s free gift, which enlightens the heart and clarifies the mind. “It is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). That is why the words of Jesus explaining his identity and his mission are so important: “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

This stained glass scene of Christ as the Light of the World is based on the influential painting by the Pre-Raphaelite artist, William Holman Hunt (1827-1910). Hunt painted the original on canvas between 1849-1854 and it’s now found within the Side Chapel of Keble College, in Oxford.

Hunt took inspiration from various biblical passages for the work, including the image of Christ knocking on the door of the soul (Revelation 3:20) and St Paul’s saying that “the night is nearly over, and the day is at hand” (Romans 13:12). The scene inspired many replicas, both in terms of paintings and stained glass windows.

This version is by the Arts & Crafts artist, Paul Woodroffe, and dates to the 1920s. It’s rare within a Catholic context, which makes this window particularly unique. It’s found to the right of the sanctuary within Our Lady and St Peter’s, in Leatherhead, which features a number of windows by Woodroffe.

In this example, Woodroffe did not merely reproduce Hunt’s work. He made the image his own, changing some details such as the colours and playing with the way that light would move through the window over the course of the day. It’s a beautiful piece of art in its own right that is proof of his skill as a stained glass artist.

As in Hunt’s painting, Christ is trying to enter an overgrown, little-used door, which represents a person’s closed mind. His lantern symbolises the light of conscience, while his halo represents the light of salvation. Christ is pictured wearing the crown of thorns, as well as the crown of a king.

See the full image:

Detail of Christ with the lantern:

Where to find this work of art
Our Lady and St Peter’s, Leatherhead

Read the relevant passage
John 8:12

On a similar theme

• From the Old Testament: The saying builds on the biblical story of the Creation of the World, when God said: “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3).
• From the New Testament: During his Presentation at the Temple, Christ was declared to be “a light of revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32)