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People all over the world celebrate Christmas in many different ways. Niue post honour this tradition by issuing stamps of stained glass windows from Niue’s Ekalesia Millennium Hall and the Lakepa Ekalesia Church.

Historically, stained glass windows were designed for religious buildings such as cathedrals, churches and chapels – and occasionally for other significant settings such as mansions and town halls. They often incorporated images and narrative drawn from the Bible, such as those depicted on these Christmas stamps.

30c – Devotion to the Lord
This window from the Ekalesia Millennium Hall depicts man and his relationship with God. His slightly stooped posture signifies his devotion, while his upward-looking head and eyes demonstrate his love for and adoration of the Lord. The colours surrounding him represent the sea and land – two key elements of the Niuean environment.

80c – Dove
The dove (the logo for Ekalesia Niue) is a messenger of peace and a symbol of God’s redeeming love. Depicted on this stained glass window in the Lakepa Ekalesia Church, it also signifies Reverend John Williams and his ship, the Messenger of Peace. They arrived in 1830 – the first from the London Missionary Society that plied the South Pacific.

$1.20 – Chalice
The dove and chalice windows were reinstalled in the Lakepa Ekalesia Church in 1963, after the original 1926 building was destroyed by hurricane. The chalice, set against a red background, represents the vessel from which Christ drank at the Last Supper. The wine that it contained symbolised the blood of Christ, while the bread that sits at the chalice’s base represents his broken body and the trials he suffered on man’s behalf.

$1.40 – Steward of the Lord
The Ekalesia Millennium Hall, in Alofi, was officially opened on 22 December 2005. A multi-purpose facility, it provides a venue for a wide range of occasions, including the 39th Pacific Islands Forum in 2008 and the first Niue Arts and Culture Festival in April 2009. The stained glass window, a mirror image of the 30c stamp, highlights man’s place as a steward of God’s creations.

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