Which stained-glass windows at Canterbury Cathedral illustrate miracles associated with Thomas Becket?

The Miracle Windows at Canterbury Cathedral illustrate miracles associated with Thomas Becket.

The windows form part of the cathedral’s major medieval glazing program and are located in the Trinity Chapel, near Becket’s former shrine. Their scenes show healings and other miracles attributed to the archbishop after his murder in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.

Becket’s cult quickly attracted pilgrims, and the cathedral’s windows helped communicate his story to visitors. The panels combine narrative scenes with richly colored borders, figures, and architectural details. They are among the most important surviving examples of English medieval stained glass.

The Miracle Windows are sometimes confused with Canterbury’s earlier biblical windows, including the Ancestors series. The key distinction is subject: the Miracle Windows focus on events connected with Becket’s posthumous miracles, while the Ancestors windows present figures from biblical history.