The Cathedral
of saint john the evangelist

Stained Glass and
Episcopal Portraits

Stained Glass: Facing the nave from the entrance to the apse, the thirteen large stained-glass windows may be seen along the cathedral’s side walls. They portray the twelve Apostles and Saint Paul.
 
Designed and crafted by the T. C. Esser Company of Milwaukee, these French Medieval-style windows are constructed of Norman slab glass and German and English antique glass, hand-cut and then leaded together. Below each central figure is a symbol within a medallion expressing in pictorial form the words of the Apostles’ Creed. The borders of each window are in Romanesque style and feature more ornate inlays and darker colors of glass to frame the central figure.

Episcopal Portraits: Above these windows can be seen the portraits of all the archbishops of Milwaukee. With the removal of the lanterns, we are now able to see the portraits of the Archbishops who have served this Archdiocese. From front to back on the north side are Henni, Katzer, Stritch, Meyer, Weakland and from the front to back on the south side are Heiss, Messmer, Kiley, and Cousins.