church banners

church banners

Background

A dozen banners highlight the interior of St. John’s Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Ave., Youngstown.

Designer: Susan Russo, professor emeritus of art at Youngstown State University, designed the banners.

Altar banners: From Wick Avenue viewpoint, the Resurrection banner is on the left side of the altar and features grapes and wheat, symbols of sacraments and immortality. Sponsor was Manning family. On the right is a Resurrection banner with a phoenix, symbol of everlasting life. Fuller family was sponsor.

Left side: From Wick Avenue, banners on the left side from back to front are as follows: earth with snow and mountains, no symbolism, and Ronda family sponsor; water and fish, an early symbol of Christ, and Percival sponsor; flora with white lily, symbol of immortality, and James sponsor; fauna with stag, which represents faithful, and dove, peace and purity, Morris sponsor; and humanities, people represent multiple races, and Fox sponsor.

Right side: From Wick Avenue, banners on the right side are as follows: earth with lighting and mountains, Rudge sponsor; water with sea shells, symbolizing pilgrimage, Wollager-Bailey sponsors; flora, purple iris is parallel to a lily, and myrtle for love, symbols for Christ’s followers, and Wenzler sponsor; fauna with butterfly symbolizing the soul, and sheep, the faithful, and Farragher sponsor; and humanities, beehive for community, Jones sponsor.