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In 1761 a “Virgo Lactans” icon was brought from Venice to Anthousa (one of the Aspropotamos villages in Trikala County, Greece). In 1799 a monastery (abbey) was erected to house the icon; it was built of stone in the woods close to the village Anthousa. The monastery bears the name “Galaktotrophousa,” Greek for “Nursing Madonna,” i.e. Virgin Mary breast-feeding the infant Jesus (Madonna del Latte in Italian, Mlekopitatelnitsa in Russian).
On October 22, 1943 the monastery was burned along with its icons by the German Nazi “Gruppe Feser,” Operation Panther; it has remained deserted ever since. No-one knows for sure whether or not the Venetian icon had been stolen (plundered) by the Nazis prior to setting fire to the whole place. Some repairs have already been made; major restoration has been planned to begin soon.
In 1454 the historic village Anthousa was listed as Lepanica (in Turkish) in Ottoman tax records (aka Lepanice or Lepeniça), with a population of 170 approximately. Aspropótamos is a toponym for the 2nd largest Greek river, Achelōos or Achelöos with a length of 220 km (137 mi).
The newly consecrated National Cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Church, still under construction in Bucharest
Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Bucharest consecrate Cathedral
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_People%27s_Salvation_Cathe...
The Cathedral was consecrated on 25 November 2018 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, Patriarch Daniel of Romania and Metropolitan Chrysostomos (gr) of Patras from the Greek Orthodox Church.
The Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta is Pisa is also known as a primatial church (the word used to describe a cathedral whose bishop is also a primate – that is, in the Church, the archbishop of a major city – a purely formal honour today). The church is a Romanesque masterpiece and represents the prestige and wealth achieved by the Maritime Republic of Pisa at the height of its splendour. Began in 1063 by the architect Buscheto, the Cathedral embodies a diversity of styles: classical, Lombard-Emilian, Byzantine and Islamic, testimony of the internationality of the city’s merchants at the time. The church was erected in an area outside the city walls to demonstrate that Pisa’s power did not necessitate any special protection. The cathedral, consecrated in 1118 by Pope Gelasius II, was extended in the first half of the 12th century under the direction of architect Rainaldo, who devised the current facade in grey and white marble, decorated with coloured inserts. The three doorways are found beneath four orders of loggias divided by cornices with marble inlay, behind which single, double and tri-mullioned windows open out. The door of San Ranieri is decorated with 24 panels depicting stories from the New Testament.
www.turismo.intoscana.it/site/en/highlights/Cathedral-of-...
Teramo was a flourishing city in Roman times. The Visigoths under Alaric I destroyed the city in 410. After the Gothic War in the 6th century, the city became Byzantine. Later it was a Lombard fief and part of the Duchy of Spoleto.
In 1129 the city was conquered by the Normans. In 1140 it passed into the possession of Roger II of Sicily, the first king of Sicily. During the fighting that followed Roger's coronation, Teramo was destroyed by a Norman force under Robert II of Loritello. In 1268 the rule of the House of Hohenstaufen ended and was replaced by the House of Anjou.
After Robert II of Loritello had destroyed the previous church "Santa Maria Aprutensis", the construction of the present church began in 1158. The church was completed in Romanesque style and consecrated in 1176.
In 1331-1335 the building was extensively rebuilt. The northern part was extended. The extension was in Gothic style.
The new portal was also added, decorated with Cosmatesque mosaics, dated 1332. The portal is flanked by two columns supported by lions, they in turn support two statues, attributed to Nicola da Guardiagrele. The current shape of the new façade, and the Ghibelline merlons, are most likely later additions. In the late 15th century a triangular Gothic tympanum was placed over the portal, housing niches with statues.
The Oude Kerk (English: Old Church) is Amsterdam’s oldest building and oldest parish church, founded circa 1213 and consecrated in 1306 by the bishop of Utrecht with Saint Nicolas as its patron saint. After the Reformation in 1578 it became a Calvinist church, which it remains today. It stands in De Wallen, now Amsterdam's main red-light district. The square surrounding the church is the Oudekerksplein.
y around 1213, a wooden chapel had been erected at the location of today's Oude Kerk. Over time, this structure was replaced by a stone church that was consecrated in 1306.
The church has seen a number of renovations performed by 15 generations of Amsterdam citizens. The church stood for only a half-century before the first alterations were made; the aisles were lengthened and wrapped around the choir in a half circle to support the structure. Not long after the turn of the 15th century, north and south transepts were added to the church creating a cross formation. Work on these renovations was completed in 1460, though it is likely that progress was largely interrupted by the great fires that besieged the city in 1421 and 1452.
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Considered one of the masterpieces of religious architecture of Andrea Palladio, was built by the Senate in 1577, as a votive temple consecrated to the Redeemer for the cessation of the plague in 1576.
The work represents one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of the Renaissance and was finished in 1592, after the death of famous architect (1580), from Proto Antonio da Ponte, who faithfully respected Palladio's design.
Redeemer is also the center of one of festivals from deepest Venice: The Feast of the Redeemer, which is held the third Sunday of July. The church, located on the island of Giudecca, was conceived as the final station for the solemn procession of the Redeemer, which crosses the Giudecca Canal over a pontoon bridge, built for the occasion.
The facade, which radiates away the charm of a relief, has the typical system with Palladian columns and broken pediments from the horizontal element that contains it and geometrizes.
The interior is whitewashed, has the majestic simplicity of the classical temple. The plant is improperly called a Latin cross, rather ingeniously developed in a series of linked spaces and functionally different uses (the classroom, the presbytery, the choir), related to each other as if it were laid out at the last place of the ceremony processional. The colonnade running along the walls of the nave and the chancel, surmounted by a dome. Altars, paintings of the Venetian school of the century. XVI-XVII. XVI-XVII.
The church and the sacristy are rich in works of great importance, which include the counter in a beautiful lunette depicting Old Peter La Vergine presenta a Gesù il Beato Felice da Cantalice. The Virgin presents Jesus in the Blessed Felix of Canterbury. The large hall and presbytery preserve significant works of Paolo Veronese and his workshop, Jacopo Tintoretto, Francesco Bassano, Paolo Piazza and Jacopo Palma the Younger.
The sacristy, besides the famous altarpiece of the Baptism of Christ (1560) by Paolo Veronese, also preserves precious reliquaries and devotional works related to the history of the church, including a table of Alvise Vivarini, works by Jacopo Palma il Giovane, Jacopo Francesco Bassano and Bissolo.
For more information, please visit www.veneziasi.it/content/view/?id=82%E2%8C%A9=it&lang=it
Venice (Italian: Venezia [veˈnɛttsja] ( listen), Venetian: Venexia [veˈnɛsja]) is a city in northeast Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region. In 2009, there were 270,098 people residing in Venice's comune (the population estimate of 272,000 inhabitants includes the population of the whole Comune of Venezia; around 60,000 in the historic city of Venice (Centro storico); 176,000 in Terraferma (the Mainland), mostly in the large frazioni of Mestre and Marghera; 31,000 live on other islands in the lagoon). Together with Padua and Treviso, the city is included in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area (PATREVE) (population 1,600,000).
The name is derived from the ancient Veneti people who inhabited the region by the 10th century B.C. The city historically was the capital of the Venetian Republic. Venice has been known as the "La Dominante", "Serenissima", "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water", "City of Masks", "City of Bridges", "The Floating City", and "City of Canals". Luigi Barzini described it in The New York Times as "undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man". Venice has also been described by the Times Online as being one of Europe's most romantic cities.
The city stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The saltwater lagoon stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po (south) and the Piave (north) Rivers.
The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain, and spice) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century. This made Venice a wealthy city throughout most of its history. It is also known for its several important artistic movements, especially the Renaissance period. Venice has played an important role in the history of symphonic and operatic music, and it is the birthplace of Antonio Vivaldi.
Please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice for further information...
St George, Ham, Kent.
The first church of the year is no longer a church, and has not been consecrated since about 1971.
Thanks to friends and friends of friends, I met with the owner who was very open about me visiting and taking shots.
So, on this the second day of 2020 and the last day of Christmas holiday, I returned to take them.
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There really is a hamlet called Ham, and it is near the town of Sandwich, and nearby there is a signpost pointing the way to Ham and Sandwich.
Were it not for that sign, most of us wouldn't know of Ham. Even for rural Kent it is off the beaten track, and ten down a less beaten one.
And by the sole crossroads there is the lychgate, and almost out of view is the church.
I saw it out on a Ramble many years ago, and forgot about it, but a conversation with John, whose daughter now lives in Ham brought it to mind.
I hope to visit the church, now a house, in the near future.
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HAM.
THE parish of Ham, in the hundred of Eastry, lies the next to that of Northborne, described before in the hundred of Cornilo, north-westward. It is written in the survey of Domesday, Hama, and in several records, Kings Ham. There was no borsholder chosen for this parish or Betshanger, till within these few years, when one was appointed at the petty sessions to act for both parishes jointly, which they have continued to do ever since. The constable for the lower half hundred of Eastry always acted in that capacity before.
THIS PARISH lies at the northern boundary of the uplands of East Kent, so far it is both pleasant and healthy, having beautiful views of the adjoining open country, the town of Deal, and beyond, the Downs, and the rest of the channel as far as the coast of France. The village, having the church adjoining to it, contains only four houses. It is pleasantly situated on high ground, the hill sloping towards the north-east. There are about five hundred acres of land in this parish; the soil of it is in general fertile, consisting partly of chalk and partly of a rich loamy earth. The grounds, which are mostly arable, are open and uniclosed, at the extremity of which, towards the east, is the high road to Deal. Northward of the village, the ground falls towards Ham bridge, over the south stream, which directs its course from hence towards Hackling, Worth chapel, and so on to Sandwich, through which town it runs into the river Stour. In this part of the parish the lands are marshes and pasture, and the country becomes damp in a foggy unwholesome air. About three quarters of a mile southward from the village is the hamlet of Updowne. This parish is about a mile and an half from north to south, and not much more than half a mile the other way. There is no fair.
THE MANOR OF HAM, at the time of taking the survey of Domesday, in the 15th year of the Conqueror's reign, was part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half-brother, under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in it:
In Estrei hundred. Osbern, son of Letard, holds of the bishop, Hama. It was taxed at one suling. The arable land is . . . . . In demesne there is one carucate, with one villein, and two borderers, and two servants. In demesne there is one carucate, with one villein, and two borderers, and two servants. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth fifty shillings, and afterwards twenty shillings, now sixty shillings. Three thanes held it of king Edward.
Four years after which the bishop was disgraced, and this, among the rest of his estates, was confiscated to the crown; and the king having put Dover castle under a new order of government, his manor was granted, among other lands, to Hugh de Port, for his assistance under John de Fienes, in the defence of it. These lands together made up the barony of Port, and were held by barony, by the service of performing ward there for the defence of it. In king Henry III.'s reign this manor was held by knight's service of his descendant John de St. John, (fn. 1) by John Fitzbernard; soon after which, it appears to have been separated into moieties, ONE OF WHICH was held by Henry de Sandwich, heir of Ralph Fitzbernard, in king Edward I. 's reign, in manner as above mentioned, as it was by Ralph de Sandwich afterwards; soon after which it passed into the family of Leyborne, in which it continued till Juliana, daughter of Thomas de Leyborne, usually stiled the Infanta of Kent, died possessed of it in the 41st year of king Edward III. leaving no issue by either of her husbands, when it escheated to the crown for want of heirs, among the rest of her estates, (fn. 2) where this manor remained till king Richard II. granted it to Sir Simon de Burley, knight-banneret, warden of the cinque ports, and knight of the garter, but he being attainted in parliament in the 10th year of that reign, and afterwards beheaded, it became again vested in the crown, and the king, in his 11th and 22d years, settled it on the priory of canons, aliasChiltern Langley, in Hertfordshire, where it remained till the suppression of that house, anno 30 Henry VIII. when it came into the king's hands, and was next year granted, with the scite of the priory and other estates and lands belonging to it, to Richard, bishop suffragan of Dover, to hold for his life, or until he should be promoted unto some ecclesiastical benefice of 100l. yearly value, which happened before the 36th year of that reign, in which this moiety of the manor was granted by the king to Sir Thomas Moyle, to hold in capite, who alienated it in the 2d year of king Edward VI. to Sir Robert Oxenbridge, who becoming possessed of the other moiety in right of his wife Alice, daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas Fogge, enjoyed the whole of this manor, which his descendant passed away at the latter end of of queen Elizabeth's reign, to Edward Boys, esq. of Betshanger.
THE OTHER MOIETY of this manor, which in the 20th year of king Edward III. was held by Richard, son of John Fitzbernard, passed from him into the family of Criol, and Sir Nicholas de Cryell, or Keriell, died possessed of it in the 2d year of king Richard II. and from him it devolved at length by succession to Sir Thomas Keriell, who was slain in the 38th year of king Henry VI. in asserting the cause of the house of York; on whose death, his two daughters became his coheirs, and on the division of their inheritance, this moiety of the manor was allotted to Alice, married to John Fogge, esq. of Repton, afterwards knighted, and he in her right became possessed of it, and by his will devised it to his son Sir Thomas Fogge, sergeantporter of Calais, both under king Henry VII. and VIII. one of whose two daughters and coheirs Alice, upon the division of their inheritance, first carried it to her husband Edward Scott, esq. of the Moat, in Suffex, and afterwards to her second husband Sir Robert Oxenbridge who having purchased the other moiety of this manor of Sir Thomas Moyle became entitled to the whole of it. The family of Oxenbridge was seated near Winchelsea, in Sussex; in the church of which, Camden says, there were the effigies on tombs of three knights templars lying cross-legged, one of which, he supposes, was for one of the family of Oxenbridge. His descendant passed away this manor as above-mentioned, at the latter end of queen Elizabeth's reign, to Edward Boys, esq. of Betshanger, whose descendant, Edward Grotius Boys, dying s. p. in 1706, gave it by will to his kinsman, Thomas Brett, LL. D. rector of this parish, being the son of Thomas Brett, gent. of Wye, by Letitia, the only surviving sister of Jeffray Boys, esq. of Betshanger, the father of Edward Grotius Boys, esq. above-mentioned. He not long afterwards alienated it to Sir Henry Furnese, bart. of Waldershare, whose son Sir Robert Furnese, bart. of the same place, died possessed of it in 1733. After which it became, with his other estates, at length vested in his three daughters and coheirs, and on a partition of them, anno 9 George II. this manor was wholly allotted, among others, to Anne, the eldest sister, wife of John, viscount St. John, which partition was confirmed by an act passed next year. After which it descended down to their grandson George, viscount Bolingbroke, (fn. 3) who in 1790 sold it to Mr. Thomas Petman, of Eastry, and he is the present owner of it.
A court baron is held for this manor, which claims over some few lands of trifling extent in Chillenden.
UPDOWNE PLACE is a seat in this parish, situated in the hamlet of Updowne, in the north-west boundary of it, adjoining to Eastry. This seat, for beauty of situation, for healthiness of country, and extent of prospect, stands almost unrivalled, even in these parts, where pleasantness and beauties of situation are entitled to constant admiration. The prospect from it commands a delightful view over the adjacent country, the North Foreland, Ramsgate, the town of Deal, the Downs, and the adjoining channel.
The estate formerly belonged to Mr. Rich. Thompson, of Waldershare, who alienated it to Capt. Thomas Fagg, of Dover, who first fitted it up as a gentleman's residence. He died in 1748, and was buried in this church. After whose death it was sold, according to the direction of his will, to Sir George Oxenden, bart of Dean, and he conveyed it to his son Henry Oxenden, esq. who, as his father had before, resided here occasionally, and made some improvements to it; and afterwards passed it away to Matthew Collett, esq. who laid out much money in the further beautifying of it, making several plantations round it, and purchasing an adjoining farm, which he added to the grounds of it. He died possessed of it in 1777, and was buried in the nave of this church, after which his widow became entitled to it, and resided here, during which time she purchased of Sir Edward Dering, bart. another small farm, part of the Furnese estate, adjoining to the former in this hamlet; but she alienated the whole of her estate here in 1778, to John Minet Fector, esq. of Dover, banker and merchant, who in 1786 enlarged his property here by the purchase of an estate, called Updowne farm, in this hamlet; since which he has added considerably to the size and improvements of this seat, and has imparked the lands round it, and he is now the possessor of it, and resides here occasionally. (fn. 4)
There are no parochial charities. The poor constantly relieved are about four, casually two.
THIS PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanryof Sandwich.
The church, which is dedicated to St. George, is but a small mean building. It consists of a nave and chancel, having a small wooden pointed turret at the west end, in which is one bell. In the chancel are several memorials for the Bunces, of this parish. In the nave, a memorial for Thomas Fagg, esq. obt. 1748, æt. 65. Also for Lydia his daughter, obt. 1737, æt. two months. She was murdered by her maid, who was hanged for the fact. A memorial for Matthew Collet, esq. of Updowne-place, obt. 1777.
The church of Ham was granted by archbishop Baldwin, about the latter end of king Henry II.'s reign, at the petition and presentation of Sir William de Norfolk, lord of the soil, to the prior and convent of Ledes, to hold to them in pure and perpetual alms. After which, archbishop Edmund, in 1235, granted to them, in the name of a perpetual benefice, forty shillings yearly from this church. At the time of the dissolution of the priory there seems to have been only a pen sion of twenty shillings yearly paid by this church to it, which pension was granted by the king, in his 33d year, among other premises, to his new-founded dean and chapter of Rochester, where it now continues.
With the priory, this church continued till the dissolution of it in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. since which the advowson of this rectory has continued in the crown, the king being at this time patron of it.
This rectory is valued in the king's books at 5l. 6s. 5½d. and the yearly tenths at 10s. 7¼d. In 1588 here were communicants twenty nine, and it was valued at fifty pounds. In 1640 only twenty communicants, and it was of the same value. It is now computed to be of the yearly value of sixty pounds. There is some glebe land, but no parsonage-house.
¶It seems not improper to remark here, that the value of church livings in the two divisions of East and West Kent are differently estimated by the respective courts of quarter sessions, viz. In East Kent, the court, in all valuations of church livings, as to parochial and other assessments, never allows the stipend of the curate as a reprise or out going, to be deducted in favour of the incumbent; whereas in West Kent, the court, on the contrary, always deducts it in his favour, and allows it to him as a reprise out of the yearly value of his living.
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and a burial site for English and, later, British monarchs.
The building itself was originally a Catholic Benedictine monastic church until the monastery was dissolved in 1539. Between 1540 and 1556, the abbey had the status of a cathedral and seat of the catholic bishop. After 1560 the building was no longer an abbey or a cathedral, after the Catholics had been driven out by King Henry VIII, having instead was granted the status of a Church of England "Royal Peculiar"—a church responsible directly to the sovereign—by Queen Elizabeth I.
According to a tradition first reported by Sulcard in about 1080, a church was founded at the site (then known as Thorn Ey (Thorn Island)) in the seventh century at the time of Mellitus, a Bishop of London. Construction of the present church began in 1245 on the orders of King Henry III.
Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, all coronations of English and British monarchs have occurred in Westminster Abbey. Sixteen royal weddings have occurred at the Abbey since 1100.
The Abbey is the burial site of more than 3300 persons, usually of prominence in British history: at least 16 monarchs, 8 Prime Ministers, poets laureate, actors, scientists, military leaders, and the Unknown Warrior. As such, Westminster Abbey is sometimes described as "Britain's Valhalla", after the iconic hall of the chosen heroes in Norse mythology tom still observed annually by the Fishmongers' Company. The recorded origins of the Abbey date to the 960s or early 970s, when Saint Dunstan and King Edgar installed a community of Benedictine monks on the site.
1042: Edward the Confessor starts rebuilding St Peter's Abbey
St Peter's Abbey at the time of Edward's funeral, depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry
Between 1042 and 1052, King Edward the Confessor began rebuilding St Peter's Abbey to provide himself with a royal burial church. It was the first church in England built in the Romanesque style. The building was completed around 1060 and was consecrated on 28 December 1065, only a week before Edward's death on 5 January 1066. A week later, he was buried in the church; and, nine years later, his wife Edith was buried alongside him. His successor, Harold II, was probably crowned in the abbey, although the first documented coronation is that of William the Conqueror later the same year.
The only extant depiction of Edward's abbey, together with the adjacent Palace of Westminster, is in the Bayeux Tapestry. Some of the lower parts of the monastic dormitory, an extension of the South Transept, survive in the Norman Undercroft of the Great School, including a door said to come from the previous Saxon abbey. Increased endowments supported a community that increased from a dozen monks in Dunstan's original foundation, up to a maximum of about eighty monks.
Layout plan dated 1894
The abbot and monks, in proximity to the royal Palace of Westminster, the seat of government from the later 13th century, became a powerful force in the centuries after the Norman Conquest. The Abbot of Westminster often was employed on royal service and in due course took his place in the House of Lords as of right. Released from the burdens of spiritual leadership, which passed to the reformed Cluniac movement after the mid-10th century, and occupied with the administration of great landed properties, some of which lay far from Westminster, "the Benedictines achieved a remarkable degree of identification with the secular life of their times, and particularly with upper-class life", Barbara Harvey concludes, to the extent that her depiction of daily life provides a wider view of the concerns of the English gentry in the High and Late Middle Ages.
The proximity of the Palace of Westminster did not extend to providing monks or abbots with high royal connections; in social origin the Benedictines of Westminster were as modest as most of the order. The abbot remained Lord of the Manor of Westminster as a town of two to three thousand persons grew around it: as a consumer and employer on a grand scale the monastery helped fuel the town economy, and relations with the town remained unusually cordial, but no enfranchising charter was issued during the Middle Ages.
The abbey became the coronation site of Norman kings. None were buried there until Henry III, intensely devoted to the cult of the Confessor, rebuilt the abbey in Anglo-French Gothic style as a shrine to venerate King Edward the Confessor and as a suitably regal setting for Henry's own tomb, under the highest Gothic nave in England. The Confessor's shrine subsequently played a great part in his canonization.
Construction of the present church began in 1245 by Henry III who selected the site for his burial. The first building stage included the entire eastern end, the transepts, and the easternmost bay of the nave. The Lady chapel built from around 1220 at the extreme eastern end was incorporated into the chevet of the new building, but was later replaced. This work must have been largely completed by 1258–60, when the second stage was begun. This carried the nave on an additional five bays, bringing it to one bay beyond the ritual choir. Here construction stopped in about 1269, a consecration ceremony being held on 13 October of that year and because of Henry's death did not resume. The old Romanesque nave remained attached to the new building for over a century, until it was pulled down in the late 14th century and rebuilt from 1376, closely following the original (and by now outdated) design.Construction was largely finished by the architect Henry Yevele in the reign of Richard II.
The Abbey c1711 prior to the western towers being built
Henry III also commissioned the unique Cosmati pavement in front of the High Altar (the pavement has recently undergone a major cleaning and conservation programme and was re-dedicated by the Dean at a service on 21 May 2010).
Henry VII added a Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1503 (known as the Henry VII Chapel or the "Lady Chapel"). Much of the stone came from Caen, in France (Caen stone), the Isle of Portland (Portland stone) and the Loire Valley region of France (tuffeau limestone). The chapel was finished circa 1519.
In 1535 during the assessment attendant on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the abbey's annual income was £3,000
Henry VIII assumed direct royal control in 1539 and granted the abbey the status of a cathedral by charter in 1540, simultaneously issuing letters patent establishing the Diocese of Westminster. By granting the abbey cathedral status, Henry VIII gained an excuse to spare it from the destruction or dissolution which he inflicted on most English abbeys during this per
Westminster diocese was dissolved in 1550, but the abbey was recognised (in 1552, retroactively to 1550) as a second cathedral of the Diocese of London until 1556. The already-old expression "robbing Peter to pay Paul" may have been given a new lease of life when money meant for the abbey, which is dedicated to Saint Peter, was diverted to the treasury of St Paul's Cathedral.
The abbey was restored to the Benedictines under the Catholic Mary I of England, but they were again ejected under Elizabeth I in 1559. In 1560, Elizabeth re-established Westminster as a "Royal Peculiar" – a church of the Church of England responsible directly to the Sovereign, rather than to a diocesan bishop – and made it the Collegiate Church of St Peter (that is, a non-cathedral church with an attached chapter of canons, headed by a dean).
It suffered damage during the turbulent 1640s, when it was attacked by Puritan iconoclasts, but was again protected by its close ties to the state during the Commonwealth period. Oliver Cromwell was given an elaborate funeral there in 1658, only to be disinterred in January 1661 and posthumously hanged from a gibbet at Tyburn.
This painting of the church by Canaletto was created shortly after the completion of the western towers.
The abbey's two western towers were built between 1722 and 1745 by Nicholas Hawksmoor, constructed from Portland stone to an early example of a Gothic Revival design. Purbeck marble was used for the walls and the floors of Westminster Abbey, although the various tombstones are made of different types of marble. Further rebuilding and restoration occurred in the 19th century under Sir George Gilbert Scott.
A narthex (a portico or entrance hall) for the west front was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the mid-20th century but was not built. Images of the abbey prior to the construction of the towers are scarce, though the abbey's official website states that the building had "towers which had been left unfinished in the medieval period".
In 1750 the top of one of the piers on the north side of the Abbey fell down, by earthquake, with the iron and lead that had fastened it. Several houses fell in, and many chimneys were damaged. Another shock had been felt during the preceding month. In 1914, the historic Stone was broken in half by a suffragette bombing.
A terrorist bombing of the Abbey occurred in 1914, carried out by the suffragettes of the Women's Social and Political Union. This was as part of the suffragette bombing and arson campaign, in which suffragettes carried out a series of politically motivated bombing and arson attacks nationwide between 1912 and 1914 as part of their campaign for women's suffrage. Churches were a particular target during the campaign, as it was believed that the Church of England was complicit in reinforcing opposition to women's suffrage. Between 1913 and 1914, 32 churches were attacked nationwide.
On 11 June 1914, a bomb exploded inside the Abbey. The Abbey was busy with visitors at the time, and around 80–100 people were in the building when the bomb exploded. The device was most probably planted by a member of a group that had left the Abbey only moments before the explosion. Some were as close as 20 yards from the bomb at the time and the explosion caused a panic for the exits, but no serious injuries were reported. The bomb had been packed with nuts and bolts to act as shrapnel. Coincidentally, at the time of the explosion, the House of Commons only 100 yards away was debating how to deal with the violent tactics of the suffragettes. Many in the Commons heard the explosion and rushed to the scene to find out what had happened. Two days after the Westminster Abbey bombing, a second suffragette bomb was discovered before it could explode in St. Paul's Cathedral, and several other bombings of churches would occur in the following weeks.
The explosion of the bomb had a notable legacy as it caused damage to historical artefacts in the Abbey. The bomb caused damage to the Coronation Chair, blowing part of it off. Additionally, the bomb caused the Stone of Scone to break in half, although this was not discovered until four Scottish nationalists broke into the church in 1950 to steal the Stone and return it to Scotland.
Westminster suffered minor damage during the Blitz on 15 November 1940. Then on 10/11 May 1941, the Westminster Abbey precincts and roof were hit by incendiary bombs. All the bombs were extinguished by ARP wardens, except for one bomb which ignited out of reach among the wooden beams and plaster vault of the lantern roof (of 1802) over the North Transept. Flames rapidly spread and burning beams and molten lead began to fall on the wooden stalls, pews and other ecclesiastical fixtures 130 feet below. Despite the falling debris, the staff dragged away as much furniture as possible before withdrawing. Finally the Lantern roof crashed down into the crossing, preventing the fires from spreading further.
It was at Westminster Abbey that six companies of eminent churchmen led by Lancelot Andrewes, Dean of Westminster, newly translated the Bible into English, so creating the King James Version in the early 17th century. The Joint Committee responsible for assembling the New English Bible also met twice a year at Westminster Abbey in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the 1990s, two icons by the Russian icon painter Sergei Fyodorov were hung in the abbey. In 1997, the abbey, which was then receiving approximately 1.75 million visitors each year, began charging admission fees to visitors.
On 6 September 1997, the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, was held at the abbey. On 17 September 2010, Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope to set foot in the abbey.
In June 2009 the first major building work at the abbey for 250 years was proposed. A corona – a crown-like architectural feature – was suggested to be built around the lantern over the central crossing, replacing an existing pyramidal structure dating from the 1950s. This was part of a wider £23m development of the abbey completed in 2013.
On 4 August 2010 the Dean and Chapter announced that, "[a]fter a considerable amount of preliminary and exploratory work", efforts toward the construction of a corona would not be continued. In 2012, architects Panter Hudspith completed refurbishment of the 14th-century food-store originally used by the abbey's monks, converting it into a restaurant with English oak furniture by Covent Garden-based furniture makers Luke Hughes and Company. This is now the Cellarium Café and Terrace.
On 29 April 2011, the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton occurred at the abbey.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries have been created in the medieval triforium of the abbey. This is a display area for the abbey's treasures in the galleries high up around the abbey's nave. A new Gothic access tower with lift was designed by the abbey architect and Surveyor of the Fabric, Ptolemy Dean. The new galleries opened in June.
Motorcycles - British - The Magnificent Triumph Thruxton - Special 2010 Edition.
Like on all their Modern Classics, Triumph uses the consecrated air-cooled, 865cc, DOHC, parallel-twin motor which is fuel-injected for those same models, including the Thruxton. What’s the best of this bike is the racing heritage that comes with the name. That same heritage determined British engineers to get the most out of the engine – 68bhp at 7,400 rpm and 51ft.lbf at 5,800 rpm – and call this their sportiest timeless machine.
The engine carries on being mated to the five-speed gearbox while the right rider side X-ring chain is no only one of the manufacturer’s characteristics, but also the appropriate type for a motorcycle claimed to perform as good as it looks.
Both the frame and the swingarm are made out of tubular steel so at least we have what to blame for the 506 lbs wet weight of this piece of history. The standard spoked 18-inch front, 17-inch rear wheels remain faithful to the 1960s style, but the braking system featuring a 320mm floating disc and two piston calipers and a single 255mm disc with two piston caliper is as modern as they get.
We could just say that about the suspension package as the 41mm preload adjustable forks are anyway but vintage, while the chromed spring twin shocks with adjustable preload sure look like total opposite, but still get the job done. Thruxton’s sporty handling is ensured by a 27 degree rake and 97mm trail, but the bike’s low center of gravity and the 84.6 inches overall length are no disadvantages either.
What’s the best of this bike is that it has been looking and performing like this for decades, the only things that Triumph took care of through years being easily called details.
While maintaining the standard Thruxton on the production line, Triumph’s 2010 lineup features a Thruxton SE limited edition model that the British motorcycle manufacturer has also created with the café racer style in mind.
Already an attractive motorcycle reminiscent of the classic sportbike style, the standard Thruxton is powered by an 865cc air-cooled parallel twin and it is based on a steel tubular frame. While these will also be the main features behind the 2010 Triumph Thruxton SE, the exclusive new bike comes in Triumph’s new Crystal White paint scheme with a red stripe. The sportier look is also enhanced by the presence of the new headlight cowl and red powdercoated frame but let’s not forget about the black engine cases, which contribute as well.
Consecrated in 1948, the Church of the Holy Cross on the campus of St. Leo University near Dade City, Pasco County, was designed in an Italian Romanesque style by Tampa architect, Frank Parziole.
The newly consecrated National Cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Church, still under construction in Bucharest
Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Bucharest consecrate Cathedral
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_People%27s_Salvation_Cathe...
The Cathedral was consecrated on 25 November 2018 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, Patriarch Daniel of Romania and Metropolitan Chrysostomos (gr) of Patras from the Greek Orthodox Church.
The present neo-Gothic church, consecrated to St. Martin, was built in 1905 on the site of the previous Gothic church dating from the 15th century, although the very first chapel was erected here before the year 1000.
The new church was built following the plans of Prof. Friedrich von Schmidt (the architect of the Vienna City Hall), but these were consequently changed by architect Josip Vancaš – namely in their design of the interior. The majority of sculptures were made by restoration specialist Ivan Vurnik from Radovljica and were produced from the best Carrera marble.
The church was adorned with frescoes by painter Slavko Pengov between 1932 and 1937. In front of the church there is a garden signpost which was designed by the great Slovenian architect, Jože Plečnik, in the years before World War II. The well-preserved walls from the 15th century remind us of the periods of Turkish invasions to these lands.
The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, originally known as the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, is one of the most important Gothic treasures in Cyprus. Built in the 14th century by the French, it was consecrated as a Roman Catholic cathedral in 1328. The cathedral was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman Empire captured Famagusta in 1571 and it remains a mosque to this day.
the de-consecrated St. Maximin's Abbey
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Maximin%27s_Abbey,_Trier
The Cahors Cathedral was erected between 1080 and1135. It got consecrated by Pope Calixtus II in 1119. The same pope, who two years later could imprison his rival "Antipope" Gregory VIII. Four years later, Calixtus ended the Investiture Controversy by agreeing with Emperor Henry V on the Concordat of Worms.
Seen from "Croix Magne" are the Cathédrale Saint-Étienne´s domes, the most prominent features. These massive, 32 m-high, domes are huge! There was even a third one, that collapsed in the 13th century. This dome was, where the rectangular Gothic choir (1280) is now. The cathedral´s castle-like, west-facing entrance section/bell- tower was added end of the 13th / early 14th century.
During the times of medieval pilgrimage this cathedral was an important place on the "Via Podiensis", as the "Sainte Coiffe" could be venerated here. This "Holy Headdress" was believed to have been used during Jesus' burial. It had been given to Aymatus, Bishop of Cahors, by Charlemagne. A relic similar to the "Shroud of Turin".
Palatine Chapel, Aachen, begun c. 792, consecrated 805 (thought to have been designed by Odo of Metz), significant changes to the architectural fabric 14–17th centuries (Gothic apse, c. 1355; dome rebuilt and raised in the 17th century, etc), mosaics and revetment scream 19th century, and are indeed 19th century, columns were looted by French troops in the 18th century though many were later returned, they were added back without knowledge as to their original locations in the 19th century. Finally, the structure was also heavily damaged by allied bombing during WWII and significantly restored again in the second half of the twentieth century.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel (Dutch: Basiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Scherpenheuvel, French: Basilique de Notre Dame de Montaigu) is a Roman Catholic parish church and minor basilica in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Belgium. The church was consecrated in 1627 and raised to the status of a minor basilica in 1922. It is reputedly the most frequently visited shrine of pilgrimage in Belgium. While the cult on the Scherpenheuvel (or Sharp Hill) is older, its present architectural layout and its enduring importance are due to the patronage of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella and the Counter-Reformation.
For many years the Marian cult on the Scherpenheuvel centered on a small statue of the Virgin Mary that hung in an oak tree on top of the hill. According to the foundation legend a shepherd noticed that the image had fallen to the ground and decided to take it home. When he had lifted it, he discovered he was unable to move. As the herd did not return in the evening, his master got worried and went to look for the shepherd. Only by restoring the statue to its original place in the oak tree could the master release the shepherd, thereby discovering the spiritual importance of the site. The veracity of this story is impossible to ascertain. It is however clear that the inhabitants of the nearby town of Zichem would frequent the site in the second half of the sixteenth century whenever a member of the family suffered from illness. They would traditionally walk round the tree three times while praying.
Zichem was part of the barony of Diest, a possession of the House of Orange-Nassau. In the course of the Dutch Revolt the barony changed hands several times. While occupied by forces of the United Provinces between 1580 and 1583, the statue was removed in an act of iconoclasm. After the town was retaken by Alexander Farnese, the parishioners of Zichem restored the cult in 1587. It was later claimed that they did so after discovering the original statue and returning it to the tree. From then on the cult of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel began to expand. Soldiers and almoners of the Army of Flanders that were stationed in nearby Diest or Zichem helped to spread its reputation.
After an official enquiry, Mathias Hovius, Archbishop of Mechelen, approved the cult of Scherpenheuvel in 1604. The approval was accompanied by the publication of a collection of miracles ascribed to the intercession of the Virgin of Scherpenheuvel in Dutch, French and Spanish. An English translation followed in 1606. Philip Numan, who had authored the collection, produced two more editions (1605 and 1606) as well as three more collections (1613–1614, 1617 and 1617–1618) in short succession. Latin versions were published by the famous humanists Justus Lipsius (1605) and Erycius Puteanus (1622). Lesser authors would produce continuations up to 1706. According to these publications, close to 700 miracles were credited to the intercession of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel in the course of the seventeenth century. The Latin collections in particular caused a lot of controversy among theologians, with Calvinist authors ridiculing the whole idea of miraculous intercession by saints.
Meanwhile, it had been decided in 1602 to remove the statue from the oak tree and house it in a small wooden chapel nearby. Within the year the chapel proved too small and was replaced by a modest stone edifice. Its foundation stone was laid on 13 July 1603 by Count Frederik van den Bergh on behalf of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella. From that point on the Archdukes showed great interest in the development of the shrine. Attributing the recent relief of the besieged town of 's-Hertogenbosch to the intercession of the Virgin, Albert and Isabella made their first pilgrimage to Scherpenheuvel on 20 November 1603. It would soon become a yearly pilgrimage that took place in May or June and lasted the nine days of a novena.
Under the patronage of the Archdukes, the emerging shrine was raised to the status of a town in 1605 and of an independent parish in 1610. Their support helped to ensure the grant of a papal indulgence on 16 September 1606, the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. In the previous summer the stone chapel was surrounded by a closed garden or Hortus Conclusus in the shape of a heptagon. Shortly after reaching a cease-fire with the United Provinces, Albert and Isabella announced on 28 April 1607 that they would build a vast church and surround it with a planned and fortified town. The foundation stone of the third and present church was laid by them in person on 2 July 1609, the feast of the Visitation.
With the bell tower left unfinished, the church was dedicated by Archbishop Jacobus Boonen in June 1627. In order to ensure that a sufficient number of priests would be available to meet the needs of the ever growing number of pilgrims, the shrine was handed over to the Oratorians. They built a convent behind the church and connected the two buildings with a long corridor. The Oratorians took care of the sanctuary until the French Republic annexed the Austrian Netherlands and dissolved all monasteries. The church then returned to the status of a parish church.
The Cahors Cathedral was erected between 1080 and 1135. It got consecrated by Pope Calixtus II in 1119. The same pope, who two years later could imprison his rival "Antipope" Gregory VIII. Four years later, Calixtus ended the Investiture Controversy by agreeing with Emperor Henry V on the Concordat of Worms.
During the times of medieval pilgrimage, this cathedral was an important place on the "Via Podiensis", as the "Sainte Coiffe" could be venerated here. This "Holy Headdress" was believed to have been used during Jesus' burial. Legends tell, that it had been given to Aymatus, Bishop of Cahors, by Charlemagne, but what is more likely it was brought to Cahors by bishop Gerard de Cardillac after his trip to the Holy Land in 1113. A relic similar to the "Shroud of Turin".
Prominent features are the two domes (a third one collapsed in the 13th century). The cathedral´s castle-like, west-facing entrance section / bell-tower was added end of the 13th / early 14th century. It is very much like a massive Carolingian / Ottonian westwork. The rose-window makes clear, that this is younger.
It was widely discussed, whether the facade once had the elaborate Romanesque portal, that was later moved to the northern side. Since the 1980s it is proven (Bratke, Durliat), that the Romanesque portal was constructed for the northern side, where it is still today.
This cathedral was consecrated in 1077 in the presence of William King of England and the Duke of Normandy. It is only a stones through from Omaha Beach on the coast of France. It wasn't so tranquil and quiet here on June 6, 1944.
The newly consecrated National Cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Church, still under construction in Bucharest
Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Bucharest consecrate Cathedral
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_People%27s_Salvation_Cathe...
The Cathedral was consecrated on 25 November 2018 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, Patriarch Daniel of Romania and Metropolitan Chrysostomos (gr) of Patras from the Greek Orthodox Church.
I have been a smal trip to Trondheim with work, and I tock some pictures up there. I will post them one by one. :-) The first one is of one of the most famus buildings in Norway.
Trondheim is a beautiful Norwegian Town.
Nidaros Cathedral is located in the city of Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is the traditional location for the consecration of the King of Norway. King Harald was consecrated at Nidaros Cathedral on June 23, 1991.
It was the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros from its establishment in 1152 until its abolition in 1537. Since the
Along with Vår Frue Church, the cathedral is part of the Nidaros og Vår Frue parish in the Nidaros deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros.
Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family) is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926). Although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica, as distinct from a cathedral, which must be the seat of a bishop.
Construction of Sagrada Família commenced in 1882 and Gaudí became involved in 1883, taking over the project and transforming it with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted his last years to the project, and at the time of his death at age 73 in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete.
Sagrada Família's construction progressed slowly, as it relied on private donations and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, only to resume intermittent progress in the 1950s. Construction passed the midpoint in 2010 with some of the project's greatest challenges remaining and an anticipated completion date of 2026, the centenary of Gaudí's death.
The basílica has a long history of dividing the citizens of Barcelona: over the initial possibility it might compete with Barcelona's cathedral, over Gaudí's design itself, over the possibility that work after Gaudí's death disregarded his design, and the 2007 proposal to build an underground tunnel of Spain's high-speed rail link to France which could disturb its stability. Describing Sagrada Família, art critic Rainer Zerbst said, "It is probably impossible to find a church building anything like it in the entire history of art" and Paul Goldberger called it, "The most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages."
St Mark's Basilica
Basilica di San Marco
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark
Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco
Location: Venice, Italy
Denomination: Catholic Church
Consecrated: 8 October 1094
Titular saint: Mark the Evangelist
Designation: Cathedral (minor basilica)
1807–present
Episcopal see: Patriarchate of Venice
Prior status
Designation: Ducal chapel
c. 836–1797
Tutelage: Doge of Venice
Built: c. 829–c. 836
Rebuilt: c. 1063–1094
Styles: Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mark%27s_Basilica
www.basilicasanmarco.it/?lang=en
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music:
Old Roman chant - Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi (Part II)
youtu.be/X5xoJfXT1LU?si=Tjj5luVnwdwjuoB_
~ Psalm 90 ~
Latin:
Qui habitat in adiutorio Altissimi, in protectione Dei caeli commorabitur. Dicet Domino: Susceptor meus es, et refugium meum, Deus meus: sperabo in eum. Quoniam ipse liberavit me de laqueo venantium, et a verbo aspero. Scapulis suis obumbrabit tibi, et sub pennis eius sperabis. Scuto circumdabit te veritas eius: non timebis a timore nocturno. A sagitta volante per diem, a negotio perambulante in tenebris, a ruina et daemonio meridiano. Cadent a latere tuo mille, et decem millia a dextris tuis: tibi autem non appropinquabit. Quoniam Angelis suis mandavit de te, ut custodiant te in omnibus viis tuis. In manibus portabunt te, ne unquam offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum. Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis, et conculcabis leonem et draconem. Quoniam in me speravit, liberabo eum: protegam eum, quoniam cognovit nomen meum. Invocabit me, et ego exaudiam eum: cum ipso sum in tribulatione. Eripiam eum, et glorificabo eum: longitudine dierum adimplebo eum, et ostendam illi salutare meum.
Greek:
Ο κατοικῶν ἐν βοηθείᾳ τοῦ ῾Υψίστου, ἐν σκέπῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐλισθήσεται. Ερεῖ τῷ Κυρίῳ· αντιλήπτωρ μου εἶ καὶ καταφυγή μου, ὁ Θεός μου, καὶ ἐλπιῶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, ὅτι αὐτὸς ρύσεταί σε ἐκ παγίδος θηρευτῶν καὶ απὸ λόγου ταραχώδους. Εν τοῖς μεταφρένοις αὐτοῦ ἐπισκιάσει σοι,καὶ ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ ἐλπιεῖς· ὅπλῳ κυκλώσει σε ἡ αλήθεια αὐτοῦ. Οὐ φοβηθήσῃ απὸ φόβου νυκτερινοῦ, απὸ βέλους πετομένου ἡμέρας, απὸ πράγματος ἐν σκότει διαπορευομένου, απὸ συμπτώματος καὶ δαιμονίου μεσημβρινοῦ. Πεσεῖται ἐκ τοῦ κλίτους σου χιλιὰς καὶ μυριὰς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου, πρὸς σὲ δὲ οὐκ ἐγγιεῖ· πλὴν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου κατανοήσεις καὶ ανταπόδοσιν ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄψει. Ότι σύ, Κύριε, ἡ ἐλπίς μου· τὸν ῞Υψιστον ἔθου καταφυγήν σου. Οὐ προσελεύσεται πρὸς σὲ κακά, καὶ μάστιξ οὐκ ἐγγιεῖ ἐν τῷ σκηνώματί σου. Ότι τοῖς αγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ τοῦ διαφυλάξαι σε ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς σου· ἐπὶ χειρῶν άροῦσί σε, μήποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου· επὶ ασπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσῃ καὶ καταπατήσεις λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα. Ότι ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἤλπισε, καὶ ρύσομαι αὐτόν· σκεπάσω αὐτόν, ὅτι ἔγνω τὸ ὄνομά μου. Κεκράξεται πρός με, καὶ ἐπακούσομαι αὐτοῦ, μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ εἰμι ἐν θλίψει· ἐξελοῦμαι αὐτόν, καὶ δοξάσω αὐτόν. Μακρότητα ἡμερῶν ἐμπλήσω αὐτὸν καὶ δείξω αὐτῷ τὸ σωτήριόν μου.
English:
He that dwells in the help of the Highest, shall sojourn under the shelter of the God of heaven. He shall say to the Lord, Thou art my helper and my refuge: my God; I will hope in him. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunters, from [every] troublesome matter. He shall overshadow thee with his shoulders, and thou shalt trust under his wings: his truth shall cover thee with a shield. Thou shalt not be afraid of terror by night; nor of the arrow flying by day; [nor] of the [evil] thing that walks in darkness; [nor] of calamity, and the evil spirit at noon-day. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou observe and see the reward of sinners. For thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou, my soul, hast made the Most High thy refuge. No evils shall come upon thee, and no scourge shall draw night to the dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up on their hands, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread on the asp and basilisk: and thou shalt trample on the lion and dragon. For he has hoped in me, and I will deliver him: I will protect him, because he has known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will hearken to him: I am with him in affliction; and I will deliver him, and glorify him. I will satisfy him with length of days, and shew him my salvation.
St Giles Catholic church in Cheadle, Staffordshire. Designed entirely in the Gothic Revival style by Augustus Pugin. Consecrated in 1846.
The Church of the Holy Trinity (Swedish: Trefaldighetskyrkan), consecrated in 1709. Architect: Nicodemus Tessin the Younger.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicodemus_Tessin_the_Younger
After a fire in 1790 only the badly damaged outer walls remained. In 1791 architect Olof Tempelman was commissioned to design a reconstruction of the church. Details of the facades were simplified to match the neoclassicism of the time. Tessin's large dome was replaced with a lower stepped dome. The church was inaugurated again in 1802.
sv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trefaldighetskyrkan,_Karlskrona (website in Swedish)
The qualities that make Karlskrona a World Heritage Site were described by the World Heritage Committee:
“Karlskrona is an exceptionally well preserved example of a European planned naval base, and although its design has been influenced by similar undertakings it has in turn acted as a model for comparable installations. Naval bases played an important part during the centuries when the strength of a nation’s navy was a decisive factor in European power politics, and of those that remain from this period Karlskrona is the most complete and well preserved."
The key to the nomination is the planning of the city, built from 1680 and on, according to the vision of king Karl XI.
Unesco World Heritage: "Naval Port of Karlskrona", ref 871.
English: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlskrona_naval_base
Español - Puerto naval de Karlskrona: es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlskrona
Palatine Chapel, Aachen, begun c. 792, consecrated 805 (thought to have been designed by Odo of Metz), significant changes to the architectural fabric 14–17th centuries (Gothic apse, c. 1355; dome rebuilt and raised in the 17th century, etc), mosaics and revetment scream 19th century, and are indeed 19th century, columns were looted by French troops in the 18th century though many were later returned, they were added back without knowledge as to their original locations in the 19th century. Finally, the structure was also heavily damaged by allied bombing during WWII and significantly restored again in the second half of the twentieth century.
A stone church was consecrated in Røst by Bishop Kierschow in 1839. It was erected in accordance with architect Lindsow's standard design for country churches, but is, as far as we know, the only "standardised" church to be built of stone. In this way, one hoped to protect it against harmful storms. The church was in use until the year 1900, when it was considered too small, and demolished by royal decree the following year.
The church was consecrated October 20, 1904 by Bishop EH Rodhe, designed by Adrian C. Peterson from the year 1894 church architecture show an imaginative blend of stylistic features from stave church ornamentation, Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau. The plan forms the shape of a Greek cross from east to west. To the west rises the tower with lace panels and octagonal spire and nave is covered with slate.
Inside, the nave is covered by an angled ceilings and walls are paneled. Three stands there, the organ loft in the west and one over each cross arms.
Kyrkan invigdes 20 oktober 1904 av biskop E. H. Rodhe efter ritningar av Adrian C. Peterson från år 1894. Kyrkan arkitektur visar på en fantasifull blandning av stildrag från stavkyrkoornamentik, gotik, barock och jugend. Planen bildar formen av ett grekiskt kors i östvästlig riktning. I väster reser sig tornet med spetsgavlar och åttkantig spira och långhuset är belagt med takskiffer.
Invändigt är kyrkorummet täckt av ett vinklat kassettak och väggarna är panelklädda. Tre läktare finns, orgelläktaren i väster samt en över vardera korsarmarna.
Malmö inner lighthouse:
Is 20.2 meters high.
Consecrated in 1878.
Final Ades used for real in 1983.
A light bulb shines now in the city. It comes on when the street lights lit.
The lighthouse bottom part contains the control center for the University Bridge.
Every other Tuesday around 10:00 the bridge is opened (turned sideways) to keep the machinery running smoothly.
An opening followed by a closing 12 minutes.
The Lighthouse day (sometime in August), the lighthouse is open to the public.
Since the lighthouse railing around the top only 90 centimeters high, it requires a certificate to to get up at your own risk.
78 steps.
For about 70 years ago used two twelve year old brothers sneaking up the tower when the lighthouse keeper had to go home for a toilet. They climbed up on the railing and jumped into the water, which is deep on one side of the lighthouse.
Sicily. Ortygia, Syracusa.
Late spring break.
The third chapel is the one consecrated to the "Santissimo Sacramento", also called the "Torres chapel", is defined artistically and structurally as the most beautiful in the Cathedral, due to its frescoes on the dome and due to the elaborate architectural decorations that compose it.
It was built in 1616 by the brothers Andrea and Giovanni Vermexio. Its plan is octagonal and its main feature are the wall bas-reliefs that surround it, composed of Corinthian-style columns adorned with numerous gilded finishes. In Baroque style, the center of the chapel has a tabernacle (or ciborium) in gilded wood in the shape of a small temple, the work of the Neapolitan architect and painter Luigi Vanvitelli, known for being the one who designed the Royal Palace of Caserta in Naples. On the sides of the altar there are two portals, surrounded by elaborate sculptural decorations, which lead to the Sacristy of the Cathedral.
At the center of the altar there is a carved marble frontal, the work of the Florentine sculptor Filippo Valle who worked there in 1762 and which depicts the Last Supper of Jesus. The marble balustrade and the artistic decoration of the floor are the work of the Palermitan Ignazio Marabitti and Neapolitan Giovan Battista Marino, the contract for the work was made to them by the Syracusan architect Pompeo Picherali who, now in old age, admired the work of the young Marabitti and entrusted them with the work in 1746. The floor of the chapel is thought to be the work of the same two sculptors mentioned above, but we rely on intuition for the attribution since no document in this regard has been found, however by observing the similarity and similar harmony that exists with the balustrade, this theory has therefore been deduced.
In the chapel, on the left side, there is the Sepulcher of Archbishop Luigi Bignami, a structure sculpted by the Catanese sculptor Sebastiano Agati. Also laterally in the chapel there is also a precious statue depicting the Madonna del Rosario, the work of unknown artists, the statue is placed on a small altar, placed on a cavity which is surrounded by two slender Corinthian-style marble columns that overlook the gray -green and above them there is a worked tympanum with sculpted bas-reliefs in the center. Three cartaglorias were the work of the Roman silversmith Giuseppe Veladier (1791. The censers and the shuttle were the work of the silversmith Lorenzo Petronelli and other silver furnishings were instead the work of the Syracusan Chindemi brothers. He informs in his studies about the silverware of the chapel, and to relations with the Roman silverware school, the Syracusan (from Canicattini Bagni) Giuseppe Agnello
The wrought iron gates with the Eucharistic symbols found between the Doric columns and the entrance to the chapel were worked by Domenico Ruggeri from Catania on the designs of Alessandro Campo in 1807-1811. The chapel is also called "Torres" because it was the Spanish bishop of Syracuse, Juan de Torres Osorio, who wanted its construction and edification, for this reason the chapel, in addition to the sacrament to which it was dedicated, also bears his name
"The Collégiale church, begun in 1185 and consecrated in 1276, is a graceful example of early Gothic. Stairs from Rue du Château bring you up to the east end of the church, with its three Norman apses. The main entrance (daily 8am–6pm), to the west, is crowned by a giant rose window of stained glass. Within the vaulted interior, the nave draws you along to the glowing transept, lit by a lantern tower, and the unique Cenotaph of the Counts of Neuchâtel on the north wall of the choir (shielded for renovations since 1997, and due for re-display in 2000). Begun in 1372, and the only artwork of its kind to survive north of the Alps, the monument comprises fifteen near-life-size painted statues of various knights and ladies from Neuchâtel’s past, framed by fifteenth-century arches and gables." (source: Wikipedia)
The Italian Renaissance church was consecrated in 1585 by Pope Sixtus V. The facade of the church was designed by Carlo Maderno and it was finished in 1570. Domenico Fontana constructed the double flight of stairs in 1587, under the guidance of Pope Sixtus V. The inscription explains that the Kings of France were instrumental in the construction of the church. The clock was added on the left tower in 1613.
The Obelisco Sallustiano (13.91 m), which stands in front of the church of Santissima Trinità dei Monti, arrived in Rome in the 3rd century. It is not known which emperor commissioned the obelisk, which sports a copy of the hieroglyphs on the Obelisco Flaminio, in Piazza del Popolo. It was erected in 1789, by order of Pope Pius VI (r. 1775-99), in front of the church of Santissima Trinità dei Monti.
There are three inscriptions on the base. The longer inscription, on the west face, reads: Pius VI, Pontifex Maximus, dedicated to the august Trinity the obelisk of Sallust, which, broken in its fall, a former age had abandoned prostrate, set atop the hill of the gardens in view of the streets below, and crowned with the victory trophy of the Cross.
The newly consecrated National Cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Church, still under construction in Bucharest
Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Bucharest consecrate Cathedral
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_People%27s_Salvation_Cathe...
The Cathedral was consecrated on 25 November 2018 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, Patriarch Daniel of Romania and Metropolitan Chrysostomos (gr) of Patras from the Greek Orthodox Church.
High about the medieval town on the Eichberg recumbent ones, to holy Nicholas of Myra consecrated church is to be added to the brick Romanesque and is dated on the beginning of the 13th century, because on the one hand the place Mölln after the list of the Ratzeburger chapter still about 1194 to the parish belonged to Breitenfelde, is mentioned but then already in the Ratzeburger tenth register of 1230 even as a place with a church.
The church was built as a Late-Romanesque pillar basilica. Model for this church construction the basilica old brim might have been. The choral space was supposed around 1217 was ready when the bishop from Ratzeburg held here the first synod.
In the second half of the 15th century the church received important rebuildings: In 1470/71 the south ship was extended Gothic, grown in 1497 to the east to this the today's baptistry and the originally double-storied sacristy. On the north side of the nave a chapel consecrated to the holy Jobst was grown. In 1896 the church was radically redeveloped. Besides, the Jobstkapelle and the upper floor of the sacristy were torn off, partly because of dilapidation, partly to restore the basilikalen overall impression. The south ship received a new roof with three saddle roofs, and the painting was restored inside partly, was explained partly anew in the style of the new Gothic. Most neo-Gothic paintings were removed in 1959 again.
Massive 'opus caementicium' construction, originally completed 126 CE by Hadrian
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Building owes its survival to being consecrated as a church, Santa Maria della Rotonda
_DSC4451 Anx2 1400h Q90
The Buddha Park of Ravangla, also known as Tathagata Tsal, is situated near Ravangla in South Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim. It was constructed between 2006 and 2013, and features a 130-foot-high (40 m) statue of the Buddha, erected to mark the 2550th anniversary of the birth of Gautama Buddha, as its main attraction. The statue, built of 60 tonnes of copper, is an example of repousse work. Mount Narsing forms the backdrop to the statue. The site was chosen within the larger religious complex of Rabong Monastery, itself a centuries-old place of pilgrimage. Also nearby is Ralang Monastery, a key monastery in Tibetan Buddhism. Built and installed through the joint efforts of the government and people of Sikkim, the statue was consecrated on 25 March 2013 by the 14th Dalai Lama. The Buddhist circuit of the park was built under a state government project, intended to boost pilgrimage and tourism to the region. The Cho Djo lake is located within the complex, surrounded by forest. The park has a tranquil setting with spacious pathways, and there is a Buddhist conclave, a meditation centre and a museum with a spiral gallery. (Wikipedia)
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We probably spent an hour visiting this beautiful temple and park during our visit to Sikkim. The inside of the temple is covered in beautiful, colourful paintings telling the story of Buddha. Unfortunately, no photos allowed inside.
Ravangla, Sikkim, India. March 2016.
Asian Adventures.
"The Collégiale church, begun in 1185 and consecrated in 1276, is a graceful example of early Gothic. Stairs from Rue du Château bring you up to the east end of the church, with its three Norman apses. The main entrance (daily 8am–6pm), to the west, is crowned by a giant rose window of stained glass. Within the vaulted interior, the nave draws you along to the glowing transept, lit by a lantern tower, and the unique Cenotaph of the Counts of Neuchâtel on the north wall of the choir (shielded for renovations since 1997, and due for re-display in 2000). Begun in 1372, and the only artwork of its kind to survive north of the Alps, the monument comprises fifteen near-life-size painted statues of various knights and ladies from Neuchâtel’s past, framed by fifteenth-century arches and gables." (source: Wikipedia)
Consecrated in 1895, This church sits about 23km SW of the town of Beverley in the Avon Valley, east of Perth.
It's one of the many small churches that dot the countryside, built in the days when the only way to get to the Sunday Service was by horse.
The raised mortar in the stonework joints give it (IMO) a somewhat bizarre appearance.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Church,_Cardiff
The Norwegian Church Arts Centre is a point of cultural and historical interest located in Cardiff Bay (Tiger Bay), Wales. It was a Lutheran Church, consecrated in 1868. Under the patronage of The Norwegian Seamen's Mission provided home comforts, communication with family and a place of worship for Scandinavian sailors and the Norwegian community in Cardiff for over a hundred years.
History
In the 19th century, Cardiff was one of Britain's three major ports, along with London and Liverpool. The Norwegian merchant fleet at the time was the third largest in the world, and Cardiff became one of the major centres of its operations.
Sjømannskirken – the Norwegian Church Abroad organisation, which is part of the Church of Norway – followed in its footsteps. Under Carl Herman Lund from Oslo, a Church was built in 1868 in Cardiff Bay between the East and West Docks on land donated by the John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, to serve the religious needs of Norwegian sailors and expatriates.[1]
Consecrated in December 1868, the church was clad in iron sheets on the instruction of the harbourmaster, to allow it to be moved if necessary. However, the construction form allowed it to be extended many times:[1]
Known until this point as the Norwegian Iron Church, it now became known as the Little White Church, and became a welcome home point for sailors. Resultantly, and open to all sailors as a mission offering food and shelter, between 1867 and 1915 the number of visiting sailors to the church rose from 7,572 to 73,580 seamen per annum.[1]
Original Community
When the church was in its prime it had a lot of public activity; from the Nordic community settling in Cardiff and making roots there, to the Norwegian sailors using the place as a rest stop on their travels. The church had become a home away from home for the sailors during World War II as they weren't able to go back to Norway due to Nazi occupation. The church hosted many important family occasions, such as weddings and christenings, for the community as well as more educational projects like cookery classes.[2]
Decline
Even pre-World War I, coal exports from Cardiff were in decline. Post World War II, shipping trade had moved from Cardiff, and in 1959 the mission's work was discontinued. In the early 1960s, the Norwegian Seamen's Mission withdrew its patronage, and the last seaman's priest Per Konrad Hansen was withdrawn. The residual congregation and other Lutheran organisations funded its continued use by the resident expatriate Norwegian community. It was closed and de-consecrated in 1974.
Preservation
In light of developments in Cardiff Bay in the late 1980s, and the proposed building of new roads around Atlantic Wharf, the now derelict and vandalised church was threatened with total destruction.
The community formed the Norwegian Church Preservation Trust, to save the building in the redeveloped docks. In partnership with the Norwegian Support Committee in Bergen, the trust raised £250,000, enabling the church to be dismantled in 1987, preserved and stored pending reassembly. The remaining original features were rescued, including the pulpit, one side-window, the chandelier and the model-ship; all of which were returned to the church.
With the Wales Millennium Centre built on its original site, with land donated by Associated British Ports, in 1992 reconstruction on the current site was started. In April 1992, the church was re-opened by Princess Märtha Louise of Norway.[3]
Roald Dahl
The writer Roald Dahl, who was born in Cardiff to Norwegian parents, was baptised in the church, as were his sisters. The family worshipped in the church. Throughout his life Dahl had ties with the church and in the 1970s when the church first fell into a state of disrepair, Dahl was at the forefront of a campaign to raise money to save it.[4] This led to Dahl being appointed the first president of The Norwegian Church Preservation Trust after it was set up in 1987 by the church.[5]
A room in the church is named 'The Dahl Gallery', in memory of Dahl and to commemorate what he did for the church. In this room is;
A shield given to the church's pastor as a gift, as during WW2 the church was home to sailors who couldn't return to their homeland.
An anchor and oars in the shape of a cross. The oars are believed to be from a Norwegian sailing ship and the anchor is a gift to honour the church's maritime heritage.
As well as this honour, Dahl is also celebrated yearly in September, the month of his 1916 birth. In 2016 Cardiff Bay celebrated the centenary of Dahl's birth, with a project launched by The Norwegian Church.[6]
Present day
In 2006 the Norwegian Church Preservation Trust was transferred to Cardiff County Council, under the management of the Cardiff Harbour Authority.
The building is now used as an arts centre, and is known as the Norwegian Church Arts Centre. The centre includes a café and an art gallery. In May 2011 the church underwent a £500,000 refurbishment,[7] including a new outdoor terrace and a DDA compliant lift. The Greig room hosts a diversity of local arts and culture.[8]
Present community
The church has been refurbished, moved and opened in Cardiff Bay, and continues to receive a large number of visitors. Though no longer primarily a resting place and home for Norwegian sailors, it is still open to the public with a gallery and a small café for the remaining Norwegian community to relax and meet in. As the church has a strong link with Roald Dahl, every September the church honours him and his work. As well as this, the community in Cardiff and those involved with the church gather together every year for an annual celebration of Dahl's birthday and Christmas. In 2016 the Norwegian Church led Cardiff Bay's celebrations of the centenary of Dahl's birth.
Popular culture
A 2008 episode of the BBC Television drama series Torchwood, "To The Last Man", had some scenes shot outside the church.
"Bayeux Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux) is a Norman-Romanesque cathedral, located in the town of Bayeux. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bayeux. It was the original home of the Bayeux Tapestry and is a national monument of France.
The site is an ancient one and was once occupied by Roman sanctuaries. The present cathedral was consecrated on 14 July 1077 in the presence of William, Duke of Normandy and King of England. It was here that William forced Harold Godwinson to take the oath, the breaking of which led to the Norman conquest of England."
For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency in the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.
No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.
My photographic tour of Lower Normandy had to begin, of course, by the Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbaye aux Dames in Caen. Now that we have covered those, I would like to show you a few other Romanesque churches, much less well-known, yet fully worthy of our interest.
The first documentary source I consulted when I was preparing this trip was, as usual, the Normandie romane book published by Zodiaque —both volumes, as Romanesque Normandy is so rich that two books were needed to properly cover it. Unfortunately, and owing to some of those unforeseen circumstances that so often intrude upon our lives, I do not have those books with me at the moment. Therefore, I am not able to use the valuable material they hold to compose my captions; still, I will do my best in their absence... with my apologies. I hope the books will be sent back to me by whoever I made the mistake to leave them with, so that I won’t have to buy new copies.
Contrary to abbey and priory churches, which were often built in quiet and peaceful (not to say lonely) locales, away from the hustle and bustle of villages and towns (even if such cores of human activity often ended up growing from scratch around them!), parochial churches were usually erected in a village or very close by.
Dedicated to Saint Peter and listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list drawn up in 1840 by Minister Prosper Mérimée (which says a lot about its architectural and artistic value, even by 19th century standards), the church of Thaon was built in a lonely vale because the parish, at the time, did not include a village per se, but was rather a collection of scattered hamlets: the church was built more or less in the middle. Tradition has been upheld up to present day: the church is still alone, with only one mill built nearby to benefit from the driving force of the current of River Mue —although, if truth be told, I have to admit that, with the concept of practicality emerging in the 19th century, a new church was consecrated in 1840 smack in the center of what had in the meantime become the most important of those hamlets of old: Thaon. Saint Peter was henceforth known as “the Old Church”.
Archæological digs carried out between 1998 and 2011 have shown that the locale was used during the Antiquity as a fanum, probably in connection with a nearby ford that allowed for crossing the river. A small necropolis developed during the 300s and 400s, then a first paleo-Christian edifice was built during the 600s, replaced by a new one in the next century. A first Romanesque church was erected around 1050–80, of which only the bell tower remains today. It is the oldest part of the second Romanesque church, the one we can still admire today, which was built in 1130–50 as an extension of the older church in all directions: the nave was extended by two rows to the West, a wider and much deeper choir was built with a flat apse and aisles were added. It is surrounded by more than 400 tombs from the 7th to the 18th century, which have been excavated and studied by archæologists.
During the Romanesque Age, the land was owned by the powerful barons of Creully, who possessed large tracts of land in Lower Normandy; this probably accounts for the architectural quality of the old church, which was placed under the direct patronage of the chapter of canons of the Bayeux Cathedral. This monument has come to us practically intact, except for the aforementioned aisles that were razed around 1720, probably because the terrain had become marshier and threatened the stability of the entire building. Around the same time, the floor level was raised to help fight dampness, of which the inside still exhibits many traces.
The lovely bucolic setting of the Old Church of Thaon is unique and leaves visitors a long-lasting impression of peace and serenity.
First consecrated in 324, the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran is one of four Papal Basilicas, and contains the Cathedra of the pope. It takes precedence over all other churches in Catholicism, even St Peter's in the Vatican. Massive four metre high statues of the Twelve Apostles line the nave.
St Marks Anglican Church.
Erected in 1878 the original St Mark's Anglican Church building is today used as the parish hall which is today located at the rear of the current St Mark's church building.
The present St Mark Evangelist Anglican Church building was consecrated by Dr Cambridge, Bishop of Bathurst on 24/11/1909.
St Mark Evangelist Anglican Church Millthorpe, New South Wales, Anglican Church building was consecrated by Dr Cambridge, Bishop of Bathurst on 24/11/1909.
St Mark Evangelist Anglican Church Millthorpe, New South Wales, Australia.
Preparing to consecrate the butter lamps, an offering of light, always seeking the benefit of others. Photo taken at Chagdud Gonpa Ped Gyal Ling, founded by the late Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche ( 1930 ~ 2002 )
The Temple of Hatshepsut arose as a necropolis, consecrated to the goddess Hathor in the eleventh dynasty (2120 - 1991 BC). It was then abandoned until queen Hatshepsut took it over some five hundred years later. After the abandonment (again), it was for a period turned into a monastery, whose existence there is the reason for its being so well preserved, has given it its present Arabic name, Deir el-Bahri.
The temple is built into the rock itself, and consists of three terraces. It was created by the famous architect Senmut. Queen Hatshepsut is best known as the only woman who actually reigned as a pharaoh - probably to her son's annoyance. Hatshepsut took over the rule of Egypt when her husband, Thutmosis II, died. Thutmosis II was incidentally both her husband and half-brother.
When her son, Thutmosis III, came of age, she was so unhappy about handing over the power to him that she, together with the priests, figured out a way to avoid it. This way included wearing male clothes, as well as the false beard made of wood and leather worn by all pharaohs.
On November 17, 1997, Islamist militants massacred 60 foreign tourists and four Egyptians on the West Bank outside the Temple of Hatshepsut; police killed the six assailants. The attack is believed to have been financed by Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden. Deir el-Bahri, Egypt
The Chesme Church (Russian: Чесменская церковь; full name Church of Saint John the Baptist at Chesme Palace, Russian: це́рковь Рождества́ Иоа́нна Предте́чи при Че́сменском Дворце́), also called the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, is a small Russian Orthodox church at 12 Lensoveta Street, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It was built by the Russian court architect Yury Felten in 1780, at the direction of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. A memorial church, it was erected adjacent to the Chesme Palace between Saint Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo to commemorate the anniversary of Russia's 1770 victory over Turkish forces in Chesme Bay (Turkish: Çeşme) in the Aegean Sea during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774.
The church and Chesme Palace were the earliest Neo-Gothic constructions in the St Petersburg area. Considered by some to be St Petersburg's single most impressive church, it is a rare example of very early Gothic Revival influence in Russian church architecture.
Etymology
The church was named "The Church of the Birth of St. John the Baptist" as it was consecrated on the birthday of John the Baptist. As it was built to honour the Battle of Chesma which the Russians won in 1770, the church is also popularly known as the "Chesme Church."
Geography
The church is located in Red Village, which was a country estate of the Sergey Poltoratski family, friends of Alexander Pushkin. It is situated in an area that was known as Kekerekeksinen (Finnish: frog swamp) which is now in a housing area known as Moskovsky Prospekt, approximately halfway between Park Pobedy and the Moskovskaya metro station. While the church was built at a very ordinary location in 1770, over the centuries, it become part of the city of Saint Petersburg. Located between St. Petersburg and the Summer Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, it served as a traveler's resting place.
History
In 1777, King Gustav III of Sweden attended the laying of the church's foundation. The church was built between 1777 and 1780. It is a memorial church to honour the 1770 Russian victory at the Battle of Chesme. Empress Catherine II chose the site as it was here that she got the news of the Russian victory over the Turks. Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor was present at the church's consecration.
The knights of the Order of St. George were also in possession of the church at some point when it was given the third name, "St. George’s Church."
The church and the Chesme Palace became a labour camp when the Soviet government occupied it. In 1923, the church was closed and used as a storehouse. Between 1941 and 1945, the church suffered damages during the "Great Patriotic War". During the Second World War, the Institute of Aviation Technology took possession of the Church and the Chesme Palace. During 1970–75, it was fully restored under the supervision of the architects M.I. Tolstov and A.P. Kulikov. In 1977, the church became a museum of the Battle of Chesme (with artifacts from the Central Naval Museum). Religious control was restored to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1991, and regular church services have been held at the church since then.
Architecture
The church, built in Gothic Revival style faces southwest. Painted pink and white, the church appears like a "candy cone, with long, vertical white stripes (embossed vertical string cornices drawn together with figured horizontal fascias) giving the impression that it’s rising straight up from the earth like a mirage and shooting upwards." The church was built by Yury Felten who was the court architect to Catherine the Great.
The inspiration for adopting the pseudo-Gothic style of architecture was a symbol of "the exoticism of the Turkish architecture but also reflected the Anglomania that significantly influenced the design of Catherine’s palaces and the parks surrounding them". While the Chesme Palace was built on these lines, the Church of John the Baptist was also built in a similar style. This style introduced during Catherine's time came in vogue in Russia in the subsequent centuries as well. It is also said that the choice of the Gothic Revival architecture style was indicative of "triumph for ancient northern virtues in the spirit of the crusaders."
The church was built with brick and white stone. It has a "quatrefoil" layout in the form of four semi cylinders with barrel vaults. Filials, spires and lancet windows were built over it, and the edifice emerged as a fusion of Gothic and neo-Gothic motifs. The quatrefoil design was common in the late 17th century in many private estate churches and the style was known as the “Moscow baroque”. During the 18th century, its adoption during Catherine's reign was considered an experimentation reflecting "the increasing secularization of the upper nobility. The entrance to the church has a neo-Gothic Rose window and a round window above it. The entrance portal has sculptures of angels. The main tower and four small towers have small domes, which are replacements of the traditional onion domes commonly seen in Russia. The cross that was fixed on the central turret originally was substituted with the Russian proletariat symbol of toil in the form of a hammer, tongs and anvil. The walls are striped and crenellated. The impressive relief design on the top of the walls is also in the form of crenellated parapet with pinnacles. There is also a 100 kilograms (220 lb) bell in one of the towers. The interior, which originally had Italian icons, was destroyed in a fire in 1930. However, it was restored when the church was refurbished.Inside the church, there are many iconic paintings and one particular painting of interest is that of Christ’s arrival in Nazareth.When it was a naval museum, there was a vivid painting, in rich colours, depicting the sea battle and Russian victory over the Turks, in place of the “Christ the saviour in the iconostasis-less altar apse”. Nothing remains of the original interiors.
The exterior views of the church are impressive. The lanterns on the roof are stated to be similar to those seen on the Gothic temple at Stowe House.
The church precincts have been used as a reliquary for war heroes since the time of its consecration and during the Siege of Leningrad. The cemetery is known as the "Chesmenskoe War Veterans' Cemetery", and contains unnamed graves dated 1812-1944 of those who died in Russian wars.
Notable people
The coffin of Rasputin rested in Chesme Church before his burial at Tsarskoye Selo in 1916.
The newly consecrated National Cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Church, still under construction in Bucharest
Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Bucharest consecrate Cathedral
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_People%27s_Salvation_Cathe...
The Cathedral was consecrated on 25 November 2018 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, Patriarch Daniel of Romania and Metropolitan Chrysostomos (gr) of Patras from the Greek Orthodox Church.
I remember the venerable Mr. Jay, when preaching, reaching out his hand to an old man who sat just as some of you are sitting there, and saying, “I wonder whether those gray hairs are a crown of glory or a fool’s cap. They are one or the other.” For a man to be unconverted at the age to which some of you have attained is indeed to have a fool’s cap made of gray hairs. But if you have a heart consecrated to Christ, you have a crown of glory upon your brow.
C. H. Spurgeon, 2,200 Quotations: From the Writings of Charles H. Spurgeon : Arranged Topically or Textually and Indexed by Subject, Scripture, and People (ed. Tom Carter; Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1995), 11.