The great reredos above the main altar is one of the glories of St. James’ Church and one of the finest painted and gilded wooden altar-pieces created in the 20th century. Designed by Ralph Adams Cram, the carved polychromed figures depict Christ and many great disciples and followers, including early Christians and historic leaders of the Anglican Church.

The risen Christ in Glory, at the center of the reredos, is surrounded with the symbols of the four evangelists. At Christ’s feet are adoring angels and the arbor vitae, the “tree of life”, symbolizing the resurrection and eternal life. The Apostles to the Gentiles, St. James the Great (the patron saint of our parish) and St. Paul, are shown at Christ’s right and left. Twelve scholars of the church are arranged in four columns. The triple-paneled predella (below the main altarpiece) serves as a prologue to the risen Christ above: the center panel is a dramatic rendition of the last supper. In the left panel, we see Christ calling James and John to follow Him, while Zebedee calmly mends his nets. In the right panel, we see Saul on the the road to Damascus, now on his way to become St. Paul.

Load a diagram of the reredos here

Index of Key Figures (keyed to diagram)

1 Christ in Glory
2 St. Matthew’s Winged Man
3 St. John’s Eagle
4 St. Mark’s Winged Lion
5 St. Luke’s Winged Ox
6 St. James the Great
7 St. Paul
8 The Last Supper
9 The Calling of James and John
10 The Conversion of St. Paul
11 St. Polycarp
12 St. Basil the Great
13 St. Thomas à Becket
14 St. Irenaeus
15 St. Gregory of Nazianzus
16 St. Anselm
17 Richard Hooker
18 St. Clement
19 St. Ambrose
20 Lancelot Andrewes
21 Theodore of Tarsus
22 St. Gregory of Nyssa
23 St. Michael
24 St. Uriel
25 St. Raphael
26 St. Zadkiel
27 St. Gabriel
28 Angels and Instruments of the Passion
29-32 Devices of Four Patriarchates of the Medieval Church: Jerusalem, Rome, Constantinople and Canterbury