Madonna and Child

The statue of the Madonna and Child is inscribed: ‘Pray for Russell J Pitcher (Churchwarden)’ and dated 1947. Pitcher was Borough Treasurer of Bury St. Edmunds.

St Michael Statue

This statue, which once stood by an altar dedicated to St Michael, was made by Oscar Zwink and was given in memory of Cecil John Hazell, who died in the Second World War in 1944. Zwink was a popular wood carver of the early 20th century in Oberammergau, southern Germany. It was formerly in the College of St Michael, a girls’ school in Northgate Street with close ties to St John’s. St Michael is an archangel who will fight and overcome the devil, and so is typically depicted as a warrior.

Smaller statues

There is a statue of St John the Baptist on a tall stand adjacent to the pillar at the west end of the south side of the nave, appropriately near the font.

A statue of Our Lady of Walsingham is on a low stand adjacent to a pillar on the north side of the nave, towards the west end. Our Lady of Walsingham is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was believed to have appeared to the noblewoman Richeldis de Faverches in 1061 in the village of Walsingham in Norfolk.

Organ crucifix

Painted by Genista Dunham in 2010.

Pictures

Deposition
The large painting in the chancel was presented by Bella Eugenie Le Butt (1862-1957) in 1949. Her father Josiah (1831-88) owned The Champion Haymaker Works in Bury St Edmunds. A corn dresser made by him can still be seen in the Museum of East Anglian Life. The image shows Christ being taken down from the cross by St John, the ‘Beloved’ disciple and a very appropriate choice for a church dedicated to St John.

Tondo
This circular picture is also in the chancel and is of Mary and Jesus with St John and Angels, a reproduction of a work after Botticelli. It was given in memory of James Balaam, assistant organist who died in Germany in 1945.

Icon of Christ
This icon hangs in a prominent position on one of the pillars on the north side of the nave. It is by Helen McIldowie-Daltrey, and was presented in 1998.

Stations of the Cross

In 2006, following a national competition, the Church commissioned a set of Stations of the Cross from the celebrated religious artist, the Revd Iain McKillop. These were dedicated by the Rt Revd Clive Young, Bishop of Dunwich, on 2 February 2008.

Stations of the Cross are a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion. They represent the path he walked to Mount Calvary, and are intended to help Christians to make a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of Christ’s Passion. Commonly, a series of 14 images will be arranged in numbered order, with the follower travelling from image to image, individually or in procession, stopping at each station to say the selected prayers and reflections. This will usually be done during Lent, especially on Good Friday.

Here at St John’s, the altarpiece of the resurrection in the Lady Chapel was added to the traditional fourteen stations. Iain McKillop writes: ‘The realism of the paintings is designed to emphasise the physical truth of Christ’s sacrifice. His figure is idealised however, suggesting his authority and his strength to form and redeem creation, to carry and support us. This station hangs behind the Lady Chapel altar, suggesting hope to those who come to pray, who may be suffering from grief and pain like Mary. The Risen Christ’s embrace is behind the priest presiding at the altar. As the Eucharistic elements are raised we are reminded that Christ’s sacrifice is life-giving.’

A series of sonnets as meditations on the Stations, written by the artist, are available in the church.