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The Duel of the Figures continues…
It’s not battle of Jedi vs Sith, it’s not a battle of Good vs Evil, it’s a battle of coolness as the high quality “Samurai” Darth Vader action figure fights against a “mass market” version of Kit Fisto.
Continues from part 3: www.flickr.com/photos/133750589@N08/25093753264/in/photos...
You can find the whole series (the last part will be posted soon) here: www.flickr.com/photos/133750589@N08/albums/72157665467242701
Vader maintains his hold on Fisto figure.
Fisto: “You…are deluded to think your kind actually means something…cough.. You have just a niche market…your kind are so expensive…we are so affordable…cough… we can swarm the market and be forever remembered…”
Vader: “You are a fool to think you can leave a mark in the history of collectibles. Quality does matter and while my kind may be expensive, you are annoyingly overpriced for a figure of your quality! We'll be a prized possession in a collection but you… you will be forgotten. It’s time to sink into oblivion.”
With a swift movement Vader plunges his Lightsaber into his opponent’s chest.
To be continued…
No action figure has been harmed during the making of this photo; this is just a simulation of violence/combat etc, etc :) It’s obvious but a little disclaimer never hurts lol :)
Samurai Vader is the Bandai Tamashii Nations Movie Realization Samurai Taisho [General] Darth Vader, Death Star Armor action figure :) I know it’s as long as a Hyperspace route lol :)
Fisto figure lacks his right arm because he lost it earlier in the fight.
I hope you are enjoying this little series :)
May the Force be with You :)
"It is a difficult thing to say in what ways can significance be determined. Stature or width or volume or height; all of them possibilities, but who knows what is right? The more I explore what I seem to find, is that nothing can stand up to the mind."
Kallur Lighthouse, Kalsoy, Faroe Islands
With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.”Dalai Lama
Drifter; development 2008 to 2016, realization 2017
In addition to early designs, the exhibition features new, previously unseen work by the Dutch duo Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta – the founders of Studio Drift. Specially for the presentation at the Stedelijk, Studio Drift will create the largest-ever installation of Fragile Future. At the core of the installation will be Fragile Future Chandelier 3.5 (2012) acquired by the museum in 2015. Another highlight is Drifter, a floating concrete monolith measuring four by two by two meters. After making its world première at New York’s Armory Show in 2017, this magical installation will be on display in the IMC Gallery at the Stedelijk. The film Drifters (2016) and the installation Materialism (2018) go on view for the first time. In total, the presentation comprises eight of Studio Drift’s room-filling installations, together with a selection of films.
The work of Studio Drift occupies a unique place at the interface between tech art, performance, and biodesign. As a museum that has always placed great importance on both art and design, and performance, the Stedelijk Museum is the perfect venue to display this transdisciplinary work. Gordijn and Nauta engage with contemporary topics such as sustainability, the meaning of natural processes for today’s environment, and issues raised by the use of augmented reality. Their work focuses attention on a society in flux, shaped by the impact of fast-paced innovations, without judging.
Self Realization
It is crucial to understand that when we die, it is only the death of the human body; the spirit (our soul) lives on. When we die our soul loses its physical connection with the world which we know when we are alive.
Everything we do in this life, we should do with the conscious awareness that the consequences of every action will carry on after we leave this world; that our soul will bear the burden of it.
With this thought should come a realization; what is the purpose for us to be in this world!
Inner peace and happiness actually comes from a clear conscience which keeps our soul at peace!
Let me elaborate this point with an example – If we help someone in times of need, or give food to the poor, these actions will not result in any monetary gain, but these actions will fulfill us at a spiritual level because our soul will reap the rewards of these actions, even after our exit from this life. On the other hand if we cheat or steal money from someone, this action might result in a temporary gain of a monetary benefit, but will lead to a guilty conscience - which is the unrest of our soul. It is our soul which will have to face the consequences of these deeds.
So whatever we do in life, please do keep in mind that every action will result in a positive or negative reaction from our soul. So if you truly want to create a life full of inner peace and happiness, be fair with others, keep your word, and be kind and generous. This approach to life will rid us of corruption and dishonesty & will steer our lives in the direction of success and prosperity.
Maryam Arif
There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.
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Hair:
.Entwined. - Blythe -
Outfit:
Vanilla Bae - Serena Knotted Shirt & Serena Shorts - COLLABOR 88
♥ Info ♥
Serena Knotted Top & Serena Shorts Sold separately
Serena Knotted Top
• Strippable Top with 3 steps Strip + fully nude
• Strip me menu access includes: Private, Public, Add Master
• PG Option (step 1 only, non strip)
Serena Shorts
• Shorts with 3 steps of wear + fully nude
• Strip me menu access includes: Private, Public, Add Master
• PG Option (step 1 only, no strip scripts)
• White band is not color changeable
Poses:
FOXCITY Play Ball Set
Backdrop:
Basketball Gym Skybox
Frannie was a year behind me in High School. She was so cute and vivacious. She still is...
It's wonderful that we are still friends...
Miss Cecily, my beautiful wife, shot this photo with her iPhone 6 Plus.
Photographed in the Self-Realization Meditation Garden. It is a cliff top garden high above the Pacific Ocean 🌊 in Encinitas California - Cardiff By The Sea
IMG_0584
~ in bloom are the tulips purchased this past Friday...
~ and so is the realization that happiness is a decision...
A happy, creative, wonderful Monday & new week ahead in all possible ways for everyone!
P.S1: the picture is almost SOOC, really loving Northen light in Spring ~
P.S2: the album of our new home has been undergoing quite a few changes, until it reaches to a name fully representing itself. It seems that borrowing the name of this English wallpaper, with which the main living room wall left as we enter has been covered, fits more appropriately than anything so far. So The Pearl Birches House it is for now therefore :) Some more pictures here ~
Some info:
~ mirror: vintage 50s scored on ebay 3 years ago
~ storage system: 3 Besta / Ikea units 120 x 40 cm with white shiny doors, horizontally adjusted next to each other.
~ glass candle holders: Bloomster / Ikea {on my wish list since about 4 years, happy to have got them this Christmas for myself}
~ wishbone from a birch tree in the garden of the house I grew up in Greece. Belongs to my tiny collection & it's the medium sized one.
~ paper bag: for various household uses found in almost every supermarket.
~ handwriting: done with a permament silver marker
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Camera Model Name: Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL
Lens: EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Tv (Shutter Speed): 1/30
Av (Aperture Value): 3.5
Metering: Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed: 400
Focal Length: 21.0 mm
Flash: Off
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DAY 17
Altitude: 3, 505 m / 11, 499 ft.
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Usually the red chapel or gonkhang (temple of the protective deities) on the level up of this monastery remains close but we are lucky to find the doors open. Leaving our shoes outside, we enter to find the thick darkness shattered in the warm yellow light sourced from the butter lamp near the alter. The air is permeated with the fragrent smell of burning shukpa or juniper and incense.
Butter lamps are kept alight in every monastery all the times as they are considered to be the eliminator of darkness at a deeper level other than the obvious.
Offering light in Tibetan Buddhism signifies patience, stability, clarity and beauty, which dispel all ignorance. It is belived that butter lamps results in realization of Clear Light or wisdom, clarification of dualistic thoughts and dispersal of confusion.
Butter lamps are also offered as a dedication to the dead in order to guide them through the darkness, remove the obscurations on the path, help to awaken their true wisdom nature and attain the wisdom light.
So, pilgrims often enter monasteries with a tub of butter and use it to top off the butter lamps.
In olden days only butter or clarified butter was used to light the lamps, in present times some monasteries have adopted using vegetable oils. Not in this gompa though, we can see the rich, creamy and deep yellow butter that keeps the wick alight of the lamps.
Female yaks known as drimo gives only three liters of milk a day but exceptionally thick butter can be yielded from it. This valley has always been very famous for such butter production and would trade it for other essential commodities in earlier times. No doubt the biggest friary in this region (the one we are visitng now) has no shortage of donars for contributing butter to keep the lamps burning day and night.
The light is bounched off from the surface of another unlit lamp and a beautiful copper jug with inlay work for serving chang or barley beer (also used as an offering to the deities).
A night view of Cesenatico port canal, whose design and realization is usually attributed to Leonardo da Vinci (I am not sure how solid the foundation of this claim are). The canal is provided with a modern water gate to protect it from the incoming waves when necessary (but such a device could well have been present since the beginning, as Leonardo was an expert hydraulic engineer).
On the left there is St. James church (a XIV century church rebuilt in the XVIII century). In the canal you can see some of the traditional boats parked there as part of the exposition at the Marine Museum (sorry, it looks like the site is only in Italian). Since 1986, during Christmas time, these boats become populated with 50 wooden life-size sculptures creating a very peculiar Marine Nativity scene.
During this photographic session I was thinking of Leonardo conceiving, designing and surveying the realization of this canal. I found myself brooding over the fact that ordinary people dream by night, whereas a genius is always dreaming - especially when she is awake :-)
I have blended three HDR images derived from a 3-bracketing, -1.67 ev/0/+1.67 ev, generated and tonemapped with Luminance HDR 2.4.0 (Fattal, Reinhard05, and Mantiuk06 operators).
I am not fully satisfied with the result of this scene (especially the spot lights, which have proved to be beyond recovery (grrr!), so I hope to receive useful comments, suggestions and critics helping me to understand what are its weak points (and possibly how to avoid them in the future).
Luminance HDR 2.4.0 tonemapping parameters:
Operator: Fattal
alpha: 1.49
beta: 0.92
Saturation: 0.81
Noiseredux: 0.05
fftsolver: 1
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PreGamma: 1.55
Operator: Reinhard05
Brightness: 1.0
Chromatic adaptation: 0.28
Light adaptation: 1.0
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PreGamma: 1.18
Operator: Mantiuk06
Contrast Mapping factor: 0.88
Saturation Factor: 0.5
Detail Factor: 2.2
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PreGamma: 0.48
First printing resin giraffe, and makeup during the first realization BJD create handmade by jesliedolls: jesliedolls.weebly.com/
Hello Everyone!
I had a realization today. I go on this website almost everyday, sometimes multiple times, and have interactions with all these different photographers, yet I know almost nothing about them. The same goes the other way, many of you do not know me, and I want to reach out and share something of myself with you. I appreciate every comment and the people who regularly view my work and want to write something more personal today. So, here is a list of ten things about me.
1. This photo was taken in my bedroom. I think one's bedroom is a very personal place which is why I chose it as the setting. Here I am, passed out on all the pillows, which is very similar to how I awoke this morning.
2. I am a vivid and regular dreamer. I actually keep a dream journal because I dream so regularly and usually have crazy dreams. I typically dream of people I know but with a fantastical twist. I decided to express these crazy dreams of mine through the clouds hovering above me.
3. I am very close with my family. My mom is one of my best friends.
4. I love waking up in the morning and drinking a cup of warm coffee.
5. I have always been an artist. I actually started my creative journey as a painter and recently discovered photography. I loved painting, but I believe photography is my true passion.
6. I am in college. Next semester I will be traveling to Rome with one of my close friends, Helen. She is lenimiss on flickr :) Check out her photos they are wonderful!
7. Music is another one of my artistic outlets. I love to sing and play guitar.
8. I am an introvert, but I am not shy. I can actually be extremely talkative!
9. I love physical activity and run often. I used to do gymnastics and wish I could be a dancer. I find dancing so inspiring and liberating. I appreciate everyone with that special talent!
10. Lastly, I love to learn, and that is one of the reasons I am so drawn to photography. I am continuing to learn and grow with every shoot and that process is incredible.
Wooo that was a long post! Feel free to share something about yourself as I would love to get to know you better. What would you like to share about yourself that helps define who you are?
thoughts, confessions, realizations & quite a few pictures around our home shared here ~
have a wonderful rest of the week everyone :)
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Dans les années 1950, Josep Lluís Sert réalise le vaste atelier de son ami Joan Miró, également catalan, à Palma de Majorque. Aimé Maeght, galeriste et éditeur de Miró depuis 1947, décide de lui confier son grand projet : la réalisation de la première fondation privée, reconnue d’utilité publique, dédiée aux arts visuels en Europe.
C’est en moderniste que Sert réinterprète ici les codes du village méditerranéen, la blancheur, la terre, les patios... Sans brutalisme, son lexique intègre la géométrie, la rationalité fonctionnelle, la netteté des formes. Les couleurs primaires sont présentes et donnent vie à l’ensemble.
Sert nourrit en outre sa pensée architecturale des arts visuels. Il intègre dans sa construction des éléments inspirés des œuvres. C’est ainsi, main dans la main avec Aimé Maeght, mais également avec Miró et les artistes présents, qu’il réalise la Fondation.
Pour admirer les œuvres, il conçoit un éclairage naturel indirect et un parcours spatial propice à la contemplation. Avec seulement 850 m2 d’espaces couverts, il propose une variété unique et modulable de volumes et d’espaces, intérieurs et extérieurs.
In the 1950s, Josep Lluís Sert realized the vast workshop of his friend Joan Miró, also Catalan, in Palma de Mallorca. Aimé Maeght, gallery owner and publisher of Miró since 1947, decides to entrust to him his big project: the realization of the first private foundation, recognized of public utility, dedicated to the visual arts in Europe.
It is in modernist that Sert reinterprets here the codes of the Mediterranean village, the whiteness, the earth, the patios ... Without brutalism, his lexicon integrates the geometry, the functional rationality, the sharpness of the forms. The primary colors are present and give life to the whole.
Serves further nurtures his architectural thinking of the visual arts. He incorporates into his construction elements inspired by the works. Thus, hand in hand with Aimé Maeght, but also with Miró and the artists present, he realizes the Foundation.
To admire the works, he designs an indirect natural light and a space path that is conducive to contemplation. With only 850 m2 of covered space, it offers a unique and flexible variety of volumes and spaces, interior and exterior.
Realization washed over her in alternating waves of pain and numbness.
"If we don't end war, war will end us." - Words by H.G. Wells
For The People of Ukraine
Millions of people around the world want to find practical ways to show solidarity with Ukraine.
Here is a list of organisations you can donate to and help people affected by the terrible crisis. Every little helps. 'Thank You'.
Help for Ukrainians in Poland. Important addresses and telephone numbers.
P.C.P.M. - PILNE: Pomoc Dla Ukrainy - URGENT: Aid for Ukraine
The U.N. Children’s Fund in Ukraine
Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal with Adrian Lester
for Flickriver - Sophie Shapiro
I would like to thank everyone who takes an interest in my work. I am truly grateful. Please take good care of yourselves in these uncertain times. Keep well, safe & inspired.
Kind regards,
Sophie
.
Everyday my dreams come true
In every moment I feel it new
I see those dreams right begin
For every step I run
How persisting can these dreams be?
And how persistent can be the motivation
That every incident in my present life
Brings me nearer to the realization
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Please do not add graphics in comments
Kendall Katwalk, part one - from Hikes of 2024.
This was a really fun hike. I'd been looking forward to the "Katwalk" for some time, and I believe I had in fact wanted to do it the year before, but conditions and timing didn't pan out. This hike didn't disappoint, and I did keep going beyond the Katwalk to see Gravel and Ridge Lakes.
It was during this particular hike, in fact, when I realized my Nikon was no longer functioning, which is why you won't see any 35mm photos for the rest of last year's hikes.
Image made with my Innova 6x9 Pinhole.
Besting Damian was the easy part. The more difficult task was convincing Jim to allow me to detain him in the cave, fortunately whilst he may want to even the score with Damian the realization that Damian knows that Bruce Wayne and Batman are one in the same was enough to make him agree. Nice to see he still has faith in what I claim to stand for. It’s seeing people like him believe in me that keeps me going.
Tim was able to successfully rescue his father unharmed much to my relief and it appears as though he’s managed to patch things up with Miss Brown…..or the Spoiler as she seems to be going by these days. At first I chose to withhold who the Crimson Knight claimed to be. I couldn’t be certain without another DNA test to be sure. Sadly the results came back positive. All this time. The man who has been fighting me for control of Gotham has been my son. My own flesh and blood, trying to kill me. Certainly not how I expected this to go. I was certain that it was going to be Ra’s or even the man who led the Pêna Duro prison revolt.
I want to linger on this discovery. Learn what it is that Ra’s did to Damian to make him into this monster. But deep down I know that time is against me. The last thing I can do is stand still. He’ll be coming for me, and I need to be ready.
”I know I hoped for you to one day have a child of your own Master Bruce, but I was rather hoping you wouldn’t do so until you finally chose to hang up your cape and settle down.”
”It’s as much a shock to you as it is to me Alfred.”
”I can only imagine sir.”
”It’s just…..my own flesh and blood…..fighting against me…..trying to kill me…..”
”It’s painful, isn’t it Master Bruce? The sense of betrayal, the feeling of failure that you weren’t able to stop them from making that bad decision.”
”You still think about what happened to Julius?”
At the height of the cold war Alfred and his brother both operated in the Soviet Union, gathering intel for MI6. One night the KGB paid them a visit and abducted Alfred, but left his brother unharmed. It turned out Julius had agreed to sell Alfred out in exchange for being granted asylum with the Union. They executed him two days later for spying. It was only after a prisoner exchange organised through the United States government that Alfred was released. I dread to think what he was put through during his time in captivity, but it was enough to make Alfred consider leaving the service. Were it not for the intervention of the head of MI6, Alfred would have left the service there then. Instead it would be the events of the Santa Prisca revolts that would lead him to retire from the service. It’s after his retirement that Alfred met my Father.
In a way, were it not for the events of Santa Prisca I wouldn’t have Alfred today and that’s something I dread to think of.
”Yes. May he rest in peace.”
Alfred never likes to talk about Julius. He prefers to remember the good times rather than what his final act was.
”I’m sorry that I’m bringing up those memories again Alfred.”
”It’s alright Master Bruce. I just hope you can do for that young man what I couldn’t for Julius.”
”Let’s hope so Alfred. Let’s hope so.”
”How long do you think it will take for him to get here?”
”He’ll be coming with the full force of the League. At best I’d say we have two weeks.”
”You think he’ll come for the boy?”
”I’m certain of it. We need to be ready.”
”Shall I send work to Master Dick?”
”No. The last thing I need is him worrying before it happens. He’ll just get in the way. Have we heard anything from Jason?”
”Nothing. I suspect his comms have been destroyed though. I sent a feedback signal and got nothing back from them.”
”We can only hope.”
”Shall I dispatch the Batwing to Greene’s house sir?”
”No. We need to consolidate our forces. If Jason’s out there, he’ll make it here by himself.”
”Bruce……….”
”It appears your son wants a word with you.”
”So it would seem. Where’s Tim?”
”Last I heard he said he was going to visit his father.”
”Glad to hear. Keep trying to reach Jason on his comms. If he doesn’t respond we’ll have to begin preparing a contingency plan.”
”Brucie……..”
”I’ll deal with our guest.”
”Very good Master Bruce.”
I raise my cowl over my face and walk down to the brig. There in the middle cell stands Damian without his armoured suit and with a smug look across his face. He’s had that look on his face ever since he regained consciousness in the cell much to my annoyance, all because he knows that he holds the advantage. Ra’s will be coming for him and he’ll bring the entire League of Assassins with him. Even with all our allies, we’ll be outnumbered.
But numbers aren’t everything.
”How long do you think it’ll be before he comes then Father? I reckon it will take him ten days to assemble all the League’s forces and bring them to Gotham.”
”Ra’s won’t make a move until his agents are in place throughout Gotham. Fourteen days is the best case scenario.”
”So……you’ve accepted the truth. I take it you ran another DNA test then?”
I nod for a brief moment or two.
”I’ve accepted the truth of where you come from. That doesn’t make you my son.”
”What I being taken in due to pity does?”
”All three of them are more like sons to me than you.”
”I’ll enjoy ramming my sword through you heart when this is all over. Gotham will soon be known as the City of the Demon.”
”Not whilst I still draw breath.”
“That, I intend to remedy once I’m free of this cage. You know this won’t hold me Bruce.”
”No. It won’t. But it will give me extra time. Enough time for me to turn the tide in my favour.”
”You keep telling yourself that Father. It’ll make it all the more glorious when you fall.”
”I’m sorry Damian. If I had known, I would have tried to save you. Instead I seem to have damned you to life of servitude.”
”I serve no-one!”
”I think Ra’s disagrees.”
With that I begin to walk up back to the batcomputer where Alfred’s desperately trying to reach Jason.
”Sound proof the cells Alfred.”
”Are you sure you really want to do that Master Bruce?”
”No. But I have no choice. It’s clear where Damian’s loyalties lie. I can’t have him knowing of our preparations.”
”So this is it?”
”I’ve known that was only a matter of time till he came for me.”
I take a deep breath and close my eyes. For a brief moment I’m at peace with my thoughts. Batman’s fight for survival may be over. But Bruce Wayne’s is about to begin.
”We’d better start making preparations for the Endgame protocol.”
”Yes Master Bruce.”
Two weeks. Two weeks to be ready. I just hope that’s enough time.
It's a strange realization, how white a white home isn't in the winter. With the contrast of snow, every bit of yellowed wear and bare wood beneath shows through. It's such an unlikely beauty, the utter lack of purity, the pretty improbability. There's a misery overhanging, a looming blueprint to the blues, like a meandering story no one thought to edit. You can always make a new addition, but should you? Someone has to say too much, build too far, overdo it. How would you know the difference if everyone was restrained? I think of this structure like a Tower of Babel, someone went overboard between here and Noah's Ark. It's all just fables now, dereliction and dilapidation, slowly slipping to the place called beyond repair. Don't stare too long, you just might turn to rot.
"n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk."
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www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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This photographic story was made on the occasion of the "Laurel and Sacred Oils festival" which took place this year 2022 on Easter Monday in the Sicilian town of Forza D'Agrò (in the province of Messina), after a long stop due to the Covid-19 pandemic; this is a traditional event that has taken place for centuries with changes that have come about over the years, in fact once the population of Forza D'Agrò went in procession to the Norman monastery of Saints Peter and Paul where the Holy Oils were kept: this church is located in the village of Casalvecchio Siculo (Forza D'Agrò and Casalvecchio Siculo are located on two mountains, the two villages are visible to each other, since in ancient times this represented a very fast means to be able to communicate visually between them, in case of raids by Saracen pirates), this church was built by the Normans, it was originally located on the opposite side of where it is now located, this is because a flood of the Agrò river had endangered this structure, which had also been sacked by the Arabs, it was decided to secure it, it was completely dismantled, and then rebuilt, on the opposite side and further up from the river bed); the feast then took place when Roger II, called the Norman, granted the abbot Cerasino the possibility of rebuilding this abbey (diploma of donation of 1117), but not only ... the monks of this abbey were, again by Roger II, equipped with some fixed income, and even the complete ownership of an entire village, the current Forza D'Agrò, was given to them, with absolute power of the monks over the things and people of the village. Then, the Sacred Oils were brought from this Abbey to the church of San Michele Arcangelo (today a ruin) which is located in a district of Forza D'Agrò, with the population who used to adorn themselves for this procession with colored silk ribbons, to which over time, laurel branches were added, also carried by devotees in procession. The festival is essentially based on three strongly symbolic elements, the laurel, the Holy Oil, and the "cuddure". "The laurel" represents the "victory of Christ over Death", in fact the festival takes place on the "Day of the Angel, during the Easter period", a day that recalls that the Resurrection of Christ took place; laurel is a strongly symbolic and fragrant plant, it is used in this context, for elaborate compositions that adorn "the banners", they can be small because they are made by children, up to very large and high (difficult to hold up when there is wind due to the strong "sail effect" they cause), are made with load-bearing structures made of cane or wood, which serve to hold the fabrics on which they are sewn one by one, laurel leaves, creating drawings of a religious nature, banners that participate in a competition for the best realization (each banner in fact carries a number, as a reference for the voting jury); "Holy Oil", an element used for anointing the sick and invoking their healing, represents "redemption from sin" and "spiritual healing", is carried in procession, also a symbol of the Holy Spirit who embraces the body and soul of man and that refers to Christ, "the Anointed"; finally "the cuddure" (they are small circular loaves, with naturally leavened intertwined and dough, on which a symbol is imprinted), and they symbolize "prosperity", but also "charity", and that is why the brothers of the SS. Trinity distribute them to the people present at the feast as a sign of gift. This year, however, due to the restrictions of Covid-19, the "cuddure" did not take place, the "blessing of the Holy Oils" was performed in the Mother Church, and not in the characteristic square in the center of the town , while the procession was made along a short route, and not along the traditional route which, after having crossed the center of the town, then circumscribes it along its entire periphery. As explained above, this festival is also called "'a festa d'u d'auru" (the laurel feast), or "' the feast of cudduredde" (the feast of small donut-shaped loaves); the "banners awarding" will close this characteristic feast, to the great joy of all those who participated.
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Questo racconto fotografico, è stato realizzato in occasione della “festa dell’Alloro e degli Oli Sacri” che si è svolta quest’anno 2022 il giorno del Lunedì dell’Angelo nel paese siciliano di Forza D’Agrò (in provincia di Messina), dopo un lungo stop a causa della pandemia da Covid-19; è questo un evento tradizionale che si svolge da secoli con delle modifiche che sono venute a crearsi negli anni, infatti un tempo la popolazione di Forza D’Agrò andava in processione fino al monastero normanno dei Santi Pietro e Paolo ove erano custoditi gli Oli Santi: tale chiesa si trova nel paese di Casalvecchio Siculo (Forza D’Agrò e Casalvecchio Siculo si trovano su due monti, i due paesi sono visibili l’un l’altro, poiché anticamente questo rappresentava un mezzo rapidissimo per poter comunicare visivamente tra loro, in caso di scorribande di pirati saraceni), tale chiesa fu costruita dai Normanni, essa originariamente si trovava sul versante opposto rispetto a dove è situata ora, questo perchè una piena del fiume d’Agrò aveva messo in pericolo tale struttura, ma essa era anche stata saccheggiata dagli Arabi, si decise così di metterla in sicurezza, fu smontata completamente, per poi essere riedificata, sul versante opposto e più distante in alto rispetto al letto del fiume); la festa quindi ebbe luogo quando Ruggero II, detto il Normanno, concesse all’abate Cerasino la possibilità di riedificare tale abazia (diploma di donazione del 1117), ma non solo…i monaci di tale abazia furono, sempre da Ruggero II, dotati di alcuni redditi fissi, ed addirittura venne data a loro la completa proprietà di un intero villaggio, l’attuale Forza D’Agrò, con assoluto potere dei monaci su cose e persone del villaggio. Quindi, gli Oli Sacri venivano portati da tale Abazia alla chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo (oggi un rudere) che si trova in una contrada di Forza D’Agrò, con la popolazione che anticamente usava adornarsi per tale processione con nastri di seta colorati, ai quali col tempo, sono andati ad aggiungersi i rami di alloro, portati anche questi dai devoti in processione. La festa si basa essenzialmente su tre elementi fortemente simbolici, l’alloro, l’Olio Santo, e le “cuddure”. “L’alloro” rappresenta la “vittoria del Cristo sulla Morte”, infatti la festa si svolge il “Giorno dell’Angelo” durante il periodo Pasquale, giorno che rievoca che è avvenuta la Resurrezione del Cristo; l’alloro è una pianta fortemente simbolica e profumata, essa viene utilizzata in questo contesto, per elaborate composizioni che adornano “gli stendardi”, i quali sono dei drappi-vessilli, possono essere di piccole dimensioni perché realizzati dai bambini, fino a molto grandi ed alti (difficili da reggere quando c’è vento per il forte “effetto vela” che essi causano), sono realizzati con delle strutture portanti fatte di canna o di legno, che servono a reggere le stoffe sulle quali vengono cucite una ad una, le foglie di alloro, realizzando dei disegni di carattere religioso, stendardi che partecipano ad una gara per la migliore realizzazione (ogni stendardo infatti porta un numero, come riferimento per la giuria votante); “l’Olio Santo” è un elemento usato per l’unzione dei malati ed invocarne la guarigione, rappresenta la “redenzione dal peccato” e la “guarigione spirituale”, viene portato in processione (insieme a delle foglie di alloro), anch’esso simbolo dello Spirito Santo che abbraccia corpo ed anima dell’uomo e che rimanda a Cristo, “l’Unto”; infine “le cuddure” (sono dei piccoli pani di forma circolare, con la pasta lievitata naturalmente ed intrecciata, su cui è impresso un simbolo), esse simboleggiano la “prosperità”, ma anche la “carità”, è per questo che i confrati della SS. Trinità li distribuiscono alle persone presenti alla festa in segno di dono. Quest’anno però, a causa delle restrizioni causate dal Covid-19, le “cuddure” non si sono fatte, la “benedizione degli Oli Santi” è stata eseguita nella Chiesa Madre, e non nella caratteristica piazza che si trova nel centro del paese, mentre la processione è stata fatta lungo un breve percorso, e non lungo il percorso tradizionale, molto più lungo, che dopo aver attraversato il centro del paese, poi lo circoscrive lungo tutta la sua periferia. Per quanto esposto prima, tale festa viene chiamata anche "a’ festa d'u d'auru" (la festa dell'alloro), oppure "a’ festa di cudduredde" (la festa dei piccoli pani a forma di ciambella); la "premiazione degli stendardi" chiude questa caratteristica festa, tra la grandissima gioia di tutti coloro che vi hanno partecipato.
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