Window #3 – “In Hoc Signo Vinces,” Cross, Island, Anchor, and Chalice and Wafer
“In hoc signo vinces” is Latin for “In this sign, you will conquer.” The phrase is tied to Constantine the Great, who before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD 312 reportedly saw a vision of a cross in the sky with these words. He ordered the symbol placed on his soldiers’ shields, won the battle, and soon became sole ruler of the Roman Empire. With the Edict of Milan in AD 313, Constantine legalized Christianity, ending centuries of persecution. The phrase became a symbol of God’s protection, the triumph of faith, and the victory of Christianity over adversity, appearing in stained glass, church seals, and coats of arms.
In the medallion, the ribbon with the phrase written on it surrounds three images: the cross, the anchor, and the chalice. The cross represents Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the devil. The anchor, drawn from Hebrews 6:19, signifies hope and steadfastness even in the midst of the storm.
The chalice and wafer, representing the Lord’s Supper given weekly in the Church, “where there is nothing but [continuous, uninterrupted] forgiveness of sin,” (Large Catechism). This forgiveness of sins through the Lord’s Supper connects us to Jesus and gives us assurance of His victory for us.
The medallion reminds believers that, upheld by these gifts, they share in Christ’s triumph and live under His promise: “In this sign, you will conquer.”
Clarence Alfred Schuetzeberg
Clarence Alfred Schuetzeberg (1922-1945) was born on November 11, 1922 to Alfred Theodore (1892-1984) and Katie (Schiwitz) Schuetzeberg (1896-1984). Alfred’s father, William Schuetzeberg (1864-1947), was a charter member of St. John. Katie’s father was Gottlieb Schiwitz (1856-1934) (Window #6). Clarence had one older brother, Milton William (1918-2002) (Window #9).
Clarence enlisted in the Navy on January 25, 1945 at the end of World War II and was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania. It had been damaged at the attack on Pearl Harbor, repaired, and then seen action in many battles across the Pacific theater.
Towards the end of the war, the US dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. On August 9, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The following day (August 10), the Japanese government signaled that they were willing to surrender, but had not formally surrendered, and military leaders warned that attacks might still happen.
On August 12, the USS Pennsylvania dropped anchor in Buckner Bay in Okinawa next to the USS Tennessee, another battleship. The battle for Okinawa had concluded in June and was firmly in American hands. That night, at 8:45 pm, a lone, single-engine Japanese plane swooped in out of nowhere, dropped a torpedo, and then disappeared into the night sky. The torpedo exploded against the aft part of the ship, ripping a 30-foot hole below the water line, which caused her to take on considerable water. Damage control teams immediately set to work and were able to contain the flooding, barely keeping her afloat.
The next morning (August 13) at 7:30 am roll was called and Clarence was declared missing in action. At 10:30 am divers recovered his body. On August 14 at 9:10 am, a memorial service was held port side by the forecastle for Clarence and three others. At 9:35 am, the bodies were escorted to the shore for burial at Island Command Cemetery, Okinawa. Clarence was later given a tombstone in Live Oak Cemetery in Uhland. This was the last Japanese attack on a major US warship during the war. Twenty seamen in total died in the attack. On August 15, Japan formally accepted an unconditional surrender bringing an end to World War II.