Life of St Martin of Tours stained glass window
On July 4th 370 in Tours, the bishop having died, Martin is taken from his monastic life and elected bishop. He kneels by an altar and other bishops anoint him while a cleric holds a cross and book, section of Martin being anointed bishop, from the Life of St Martin of Tours stained glass window, 1215-25, on the South portal of Chartres Cathedral, Eure-et-Loir, France. St Martin was born c. 316 AD in present day Hungary. As a child he asked to convert to Christianity and was eventually elected bishop of Tours. He was one of the most poplar medieval saints. Chartres cathedral was built 1194-1250 and is a fine example of Gothic architecture. Most of its windows date from 1205-40 although a few earlier 12th century examples are also intact. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Picture by Manuel Cohen
