Church of St John the Baptist, Newcestown

Church of St John the Baptist, Newcestown

Foundation stone laid on 23 June 1872 (located over main door)

Dedicated on 26 June 1876 (according to inscription on window over altar)

The feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist falls between the two days — on 24 June

POINTS OF INTEREST

• Baptismal font: where Edward Galvin was baptised on 24 November 1882, the day after his birth.

• Baptistery: The font was originally placed in the room under the tower, now a prayer room, but originally a baptistery, as the window in the room illustrates. This depicts the baptism of Jesus by St John the Baptist and was donated by Fr Jeremiah Cummins in 1875:

‘to the Glory of God and in memory of his deceased parents Matthias and Elisabeth’.

Fr Cummins’ mortal remains are placed on the outside of the church, but directly under this window. He died on 23 July 1892.

• The St JohnWindow (over altar): The inscription at the foot of the window reads:

To the Glory of God to commemorate the dedication of this church on Sunday 26th June 1876 by the Right Revd William Delany Bishop of Cork assisted by the late Right Revd David Moriarty who preached the opening sermon. This window, given by friends named John and by others in memory of departed relatives of that name, was erected at the instance of the Revd. Jermiah Cummins P.P. AD 1878.

The Golden Jubilee year of the Bishop of the Diocese.

Who is the main figure in the window? Three clues are given in the window itself.

1. The Latin words at the foot of the window:

Voxclamatis in deserto: parateviam Domini: rectasfacitesemitaseius

This Latin sentenceis a quotation from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 3, which reads:

A voice cries in the desert: prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight!

These words are quoted at the start of the Gospel of Mark (Mark 1:3) and are always interpreted to refer to John the Baptist(see also Matthew 3:3).

2. The main figure carries a banner with the words:

Poenitentiumagite

This means Repent or Do Penance, and is John the Baptist’s key message, (see Matthew 3:2).

3. In addition, John points with his right index finger to the image of the Lamb of God in the top left circular panel.This is described in St John’s gospel (chapter 1, verse 29):

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, “Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world ……

So, though threesaints called Johnare represented in the window (John the apostle, under the cross at the top of the window, John the evangelist, symbolized by an eagle at the bottom right and John the Baptist) the windowprincipallyhonours John the Baptist, inwhose name the church is dedicated.

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— Information sheet prepared by Bernard Cotter PP for the Historical Tourorganisedby the Pastoral Council, as part of the Gathering Festival at Newcestown, 24 August 2013.