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Fotos por cortesia de Jose Prieto
Información tomada de Wikipedia
El corazón de la Piazza dei Miracoli es el Duomo, la catedral medieval dedicada a la Asunción de la Virgen (Santa Maria Assunta, en italiano). Es una basílica de cinco naves con un transepto de tres naves.
Se empezó a construir en 1064 por el arquitecto Buscheto y originó el distintivo estilo románico pisano en arquitectura. Los mosaicos del interior muestran una fuerte influencia bizantina, mientras que los arcos apuntados indican la influencia islámica.
La fachada, de mármol gris y piedra blanca con discos de mármol coloreado fue construida por el maestro Rainaldo, como se indica en una inscripción sobre la puerta central: Rainaldus prudens operator.
El Duomo al atardecer
Las enormes puertas principales, de bronce se realizaron en los talleres de Giambologna pero en el pasado los visitantes entraban por la Porta di San Ranieri (Puerta de san Rainiero), en frente de la Torre Inclinada. Realizada alrededor de 1180 por Bonanno Pisano, esta puerta está actualmente desplazada de su ubicación original al lado opuesto del Baptisterio cuando se erigieron las puertas de Giambologna.
Por encima de las puertas hay cuatro filas de galerías abiertas con estatuas en lo alto de la Virgen con Niño y, en las esquinas, los Cuatro evangelistas. Una de estas galerías contiene la tumba de Buscheto.
El interior está cubierto de mármol blanco y negro y tiene una techumbre dorada y una cúpula con frescos. Fue ampliamente redecorada después de un incendio en 1595, que destruyó la mayor parte de obras de arte medievales.
El impresionante mosaico, del ábside, de Cristo en majestad, flanqueado por la Virgen y san Juan Evangelista, sin embargo, sobrevivieron al incendio. Recuerda a los mosaicos de la iglesia de Monreale, Sicilia. Aunque se dice que el mosaico era obra de Cimabue, sólo la cabeza de San Juan es obra de este artista (1302) y fue su última obra, puesto que murió en Pisa ese mismo año. La cúpula, en el crucero de la nave con el transepto, fue decorada por Riminaldi mostrando la ascensión de la Virgen. Se cree que Galileo formuló su teoría sobre el movimiento de un péndulo al ver el balanceo del incensario (no es actual) que colgaba del techo de la nave. Esa lámpara de incienso, más pequeña y simple que la actual, está actualmente conservada en el Camposanto, en la capilla Aulla. Las enormes columnas corintias de granito entre la nave y el pasillo provienen originariamente de la mezquita de Palermo, capturada por los pisanos en 1063.
El techo de artesonado de la nave fue reemplazado después del incendio de 1595. La techumbra actual, decorada con oro, muestra el escudo de armas de los Médicis.
El elaborado púlpito tallado (1302-1310), que también sobrevivió al fuego, es obra de Giovanni Pisano y es una de las obras maestras de la escultura medieval. Fue almacenado durante la redecoración y no se redescubrió e instaló de nuevo hasta el año 1926. El púlpito está apoyada en columnas lisas (dos de las cuales están montadas sobre esculturas de león) en un lado y en el otro por cariátides y un telamón: este último representa a San Miguel, los Evangelistas, las cuatro virtudes cardinales flanqueando a la Iglesia, y una representación franca y naturalista de un Hércules desnudo. Un plinto central con las artes liberales apoya a las cuatro virtudes teologales.
La reconstrucción actual del púlpito no es la correcta. Hoy está no en la misma posición original, que era cerca del altar principal, y la disposición de las columnas y los paneles no son los originales. También las escaleras originales (quizá en mármol) se han perdido.
La parte superior tiene nueve paneles dramáticos mostrando escenas del Nuevo Testamento, esculpidas en mármol blanco con un efecto de claroscuro y separada por figuras de profetas: la Anunciación, la matanza de los inocentes, la Natividad, la Adoración de los Magos, la Huída a Egipto, la Crucifixión, y dos paneles del Juicio Final.
La iglesia también contiene los huesos de San Rainiero, el santo patrón de Pisa, y la tumba del sacro emperador romano germánico Enrique VII, esculpido por Tino da Camaino en 1315. Esa tumba, originalmente en el ábside justo detrás del altar mayor, fue desmontada y cambiada de posición muchas veces a lo largo de los años, por razones políticas. Al final, el sarcófago aún está en la catedral, pero algunas de las estatuas se pusieron en el Camposanto o en la parte alta de la fachada de la iglesia. Las estatuas originales están actualmente en el Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.
An NHS Aberdeen renal consultant has won the prestigious 21st Golden Spurtle™ World Porridge Making Championships in the Highland village of Carrbridge in the Cairngorms.
Dr Izhar Khan, who was competing in the competition for the second time, is a firm believer in the health benefits of porridge and is keen to extol these benefits to his patients.
The delighted Dr Khan said: “I achieved my aim to win and take the Golden Spurtle to the Granite City. I started eating porridge seven years ago. It is simple, versatile, healthy and very affordable.”
“I am traditional by nature and like the ritual of making porridge. It sets you up for the day.”
A winning bowl of porridge is testament to the cook’s spurtle, the essential porridge making tool, and Dr Khan explained that he was grateful to one of his patients, who crafted his spurtle for him. So fond is he of his daily oatmeal dish, Dr Khan takes his oatmeal with him when he goes on holiday. With a hectic schedule, Dr Khan makes porridge for his family at the weekend, with his wife Nino, owner of successful curry sauce business `Nino’s Masala` cooking the dish during the week.
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Speciality Winners Chris Young & Christina Conte – Photo: Fergus Thom. Click for full resolution (free media use)
The Speciality dish, which has to contain oatmeal combined with other ingredients, was shared by two worthy winners, the first time this has happened during the competition’s 21 years. Judges could not decide between Fife man Chris Young’s wild mushroom risotto dish and California based Christina Conte’s sticky toffee porridge, so awarded the prize to both.
Christina, a Scottish Italian food blogger based in Los Angeles said: “It tasted good when I made it in America, but I knew it would be even better made with Scottish products”
Of his risotto dish, Chris, co-founder of the Handmade Oatcake Company explained: “Risotto is one of my favourite recipes and is so flexible. I just substituted the rice for pinhead oatmeal in the recipe.”
Every 21st birthday is special, and this year, to celebrate the competition’s 21st anniversary, several of the past champions returned for a special ‘Porridge Masters’ event. This was won by Jean Dewar, winner of the Golden Spurtle in 2002 and 2003. Jean, formerly of Aberfeldy Watermill, said she was very pleased to know that she had not lost her touch when it came to making the perfect bowl of porridge.
Alan Meikle, Managing Director of the main sponsor, Hamlyns of Scotland said “This has once again been a hotly contested competition, and it’s great to see such an interest from far and wide in one of Scotland’s most traditional dishes.
“Of course we’re absolutely delighted that Dr Izhar Khan used Hamlyn’s Oatmeal as the basis of his winning porridge.”
Event co-ordinator Margarete Paschke said “My congratulations go to winner Dr Khan. Every year is different, and I am delighted that the judges awarded the Speciality to two contestants – it really was a competition of differing tastes.”
Other competitors included reigning champ John Boa from Strathglass, a chef and owner of a porridge bar in Copenhagen; a grain miller and Sweden’s Nordic Porridge Making Champion and an astrophysics student with the formula for cooking porridge.
BBC World Service announcer Fiona MacDonald was Master of Ceremonies for the Day. The expert porridge judging panel was headed by Neil Mugg, Gleneagles Hotel Head Pastry Chef and Masterchef Colin Bussey who has 33 years experience in the food industry including working at The Savoy and Gleneagles. While Kenta Gallagher, Commonwealth Games mountain bike competitor and Pro Cyclist, was the guest judge.
A belated field trip post from mid-July, apologies for not being in season! Here's my 'harking back' post for the day.
Ensue wall of text....
A fantastic night was had at my local chalk quarry just 15 minutes up the road from me.
The relative remotness and ease of access keep me going back here, and of the 11 trips i've done here over 2 years now i've always come away with at least one new moth for me, that's a blooming good statistic and surely testament to the incredible habitat there.
It is a very unusual location, miles from any substantial woodland, just arable fields as far as the eye can see, it is also fairly elevated which is probably why I do very well for migrants here.
4 traps were set up around the reserve and switched on just in time as the light faded under increasing cloud, it was very balmy indeed but very gusty and traps were positioned out of the wind apart from one which over-looked the breeze coming from the south, hoping to intercept a migrant or two...
Below where the best species of the night.
Dewick's Plusia was very welcome moth, and my second record this year (After finding a wing in the garden). I believe this is now the 5th record for Herts this year? (At time of going to press!) 1 in Royston (Unknown captor), 1 in my garden, 2 in Andrew Wood's garden over the past week.
Coleophora conspicuella, 2nd County record for Herts (After the first two nights before in my garden), a rare coastal Coleophora, both probably blown in on the wind and unexpected.
Agriphila selasella, not a common moth in Herts, but it's had a very good year with lots of people adding it to their garden list for the first time (Including mine with a garden first on the 03rd of August).
Cnephasia longana, likes open waste/grassland. My only other records are from my parents farmland, not common for me.
Pediasia contaminella, another good record of an uncommon grass moth.
Plain Pug, my first Herts record of this large distinctive Pug.
Sorhagenia rhamniella, a first for me and the 5th record for Herts.
Elachista sp, probably bisulcella... rare in Herts, dissection pending but looks good. A first for me.
Nymphula nitidulata, the Beautiful China-mark, a first for me again and what a stunning little moth, my photo desn't do it justice!
BIG thanks to Graeme Smith for providing the dissections.
Below is the full list.
94 Macro and 85 Micro species recorded.
Catch Report - 16/07/18 - Ashwell Quarry - 1x 250w Frosted MV Robinson Trap, 2x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x twin 20w Wemite Actinic
Macro Moths
Blood-vein
Bright-line Brown-eye
Brimstone Moth
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
Brown Scallop
Brown-line Bright-eye
Brown-tail
Buff Arches
Buff Ermine
Buff Footman
Buff-tip
Campion
Chinese Character
Clay
Cloaked Minor
Clouded Silver
Common Carpet
Common Emerald
Common Footman
Common Rustic
Common Wainscot
Coxcomb Prominent
Dark Arches
Dark Umber
Dewick's Plusia
Dingy Footman
Double Square-spot
Double-striped Pug
Drinker
Dun-bar
Dusky Sallow
Dwarf Cream Wave
Early Thorn
Elephant Hawk-moth
Fan Foot
Fen Wainscot
Fern
Flame
Flame Shoulder
Ghost Moth
Grey Dagger
Haworth's Pug
Heart & Club
Heart & Dart
Knot Grass
Large Twin-spot Carpet
Large Yellow Underwing
Latticed Heath
Least Carpet
Least Yellow Underwing
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
Lesser Common Rustic - Gen Det (Male)
Lesser Yellow Underwing
Lesser-spotted Pinion
Light Arches
Lime-speck Pug
Lunar-spotted Pinion
Lychnis
Mouse Moth
Nutmeg
Pebble Hook-tip
Pebble Prominent
Peppered Moth
Pine Hawk-moth
Plain Pug
Poplar Hawk-moth
Red Twin-spot Carpet
Riband Wave
Ruby Tiger
Scalloped Oak
Scarce Footman
Scorched Carpet
Scorched Wing
Setaceous Hebrew Character
Shaded Broad-bar
Silver-Y
Single-dotted Wave
Slender Pug
Small Blood-vein
Small Emerald
Small Fan-footed Wave
Small Scallop
Smoky Wainscot
Snout
Southern Wainscot
Spectacle
Straw Dot
Tree-lichen Beauty
Turnip Moth
Uncertain
V-Pug
Willow Beauty
Wormwood Pug
Yellow-tail
Micro Moths
Acentria ephemerella
Acleris aspersana
Acleris forsskaleana
Acleris variegana
Acompsia cinerella
Acrobasis advenella
Aethes rubigana
Agapeta hamana
Agapeta zoegana
Agonopterix alstromeriana
Agonopterix heracliana
Agriphila selasella
Agriphila straminella
Anania coronata
Anania hortulata
Anarsia innoxiella
Ancylis achatana
Aproaerema anthyllidella
Archips podana
Archips xylosteana
Argyresthia albistria
Argyresthia goedartella
Argyresthia pruniella
Aspilapteryx tringipennella
Batia lunaris
blaatibasis adustella
Blastobasis lacticolella
Blastodacna hellerella
Borkhausenia fuscescens
Brachmia blandella
Cameraria ohridella
Carcina quercana
Celypha rosaceana
Celypha striana
Chilo phragmitella
Chrysoteuchia culmella
Coleophora conspicuella
Clepsis consimiliana
Cnephasia longana
Cnephasia sp
Cochylimorpha straminea
Cochylis atricapitana
Crambus perlella
Crassa unitella
Ditula angustiorana
Elachista bisulcella to be checked
Endotricha flammealis
Endrosis sarcitrella
Epinotia foenella
Eucosma hohenwartiana
Eucosma obumbratana
Eucsoma cana
Eudonia lacustrata
Eudonia mercurella
Eudonia pallida
Eulamprotes atrella
Euzophera pinguis
Galleria mellonella
helycystogramma rufescens
Hofmannophila pseudospretella
Hypsopygia costalis
Hypsopygia glaucinalis
Lathronympha strigana
Metzneria metzneriella
Mompha ochraceella
Monopis crocapitella
Monopis laevigella
Nemapogon cloacella
Nymphula nitidulata
Oegoconia sp
Ostrinia nubilalis
Pammene fasciana
Pammene fasciana
Pandemis heparana
Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
Parornix sp
Pediasia contaminella
Phtheochroa inopiana
Phyllonorycter leucographella
Pleuroptya ruralis
Plutella xylostella
Prays fraxinella
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana
Pyrausta aurata
Recurvaria nanella
Scrobipalpa costella
Sorhagenia rhamniella
Spilonota ocellana
Stenoptilia pterodactyla
Syncopacma sp
Teleiodes vulgella
Tinea semifulvella
Udea prunalis
Yponomeuta evonymella
Yponomeuta sp
Ypsolopha scabrella
Las apariciones de María, tales como la Virgen de Fátima, ¿son verdaderos mensajes de Dios?
Pregunta: "Las apariciones de María, tales como la Virgen de Fátima, ¿son verdaderos mensajes de Dios?"
Respuesta: En la tradición católica, hay muchos acontecimientos o apariciones reportados de María, ángeles y/o santos y de la entrega de mensajes de Dios. Al parecer en al menos algunos de estos casos, la gente genuinamente estuvo viendo algo sobrenatural. Mientras que algo de lo que es visto en varios lugares es quizá el trabajo de charlatanes, otras apariciones fueron aparentemente auténticas. Sin embargo, dicho esto, el que una aparición sea auténtica no significa que es un mensaje de Dios o una genuina aparición de María, un ángel o un santo. La Escritura declara que Satanás y sus demonios se disfrazan de ángeles de luz (2 Corintios 11:14-15). El engaño satánico es una posible explicación para las apariciones.
La única manera de determinar si una aparición es un “falso milagro” o un genuino mensaje de Dios, es comparando la aparición con la Escritura. Si las enseñanzas que están ligadas a estas apariciones son contrarias a la Palabra de Dios, entonces las apariciones mismas son de naturaleza satánica. Un estudio de las enseñanzas de Nuestra Señora de Fátima con su “Milagro del Sol” es un buen ejemplo.
Hay una página web que contiene las descripciones del “Milagro del Sol” y puede ser encontrada en: www.religion-cults.com/fatima/sun.htm. Parecería que efectivamente algo espectacular sucedió en el 13 de octubre de 1917 - que algo de verdad apareció y entregó un mensaje. El hecho de que este evento coincidiera con lo que había sido dicho a los niños pastores tres meses antes, parecería enlazar este acontecimiento con las apariciones que ellos habían estado presenciando en los meses anteriores - primero la del ángel y después la de la “Virgen de Fátima”.
Cuando uno compara el mensaje de Fátima con lo que la Biblia enseña, es evidente que el mensaje de Fátima combina algunas verdades bíblicas con muchas prácticas y enseñanzas no bíblicas. Los siguientes párrafos están citados directamente de la página web dedicada a la “Virgen de Fátima” www.fatima.org. Hay palabras y oraciones subrayadas para indicar que éstas no son bíblicas (que no son enseñadas por la Biblia), o anti-bíblicas (contradictorias a la Biblia). A través del análisis de las citas, se dará más información, junto con las razones específicas para la clasificación de estas apariciones como “falsos milagros”. Este es un resumen de citas sobre todo el mensaje dado por la Virgen de Fátima:
El Mensaje en General:
“El Mensaje general de Fátima no es complicado. Sus solicitudes son de oración, reparación, arrepentimiento y sacrificio, así como del abandono del pecado. Antes que Nuestra Señora apareciera en el árbol a los tres pastorcitos, Lucía, Francisco y Jacinta, el Ángel de Paz los visitó. El Ángel preparó a los niños para recibir a la Bendita Virgen María, y sus instrucciones son un aspecto importante del Mensaje que con frecuencia es ignorado.
“El Ángel demostró a los niños la manera ferviente, atenta y tranquila con la cual debemos todos orar, y la reverencia que debemos mostrar a Dios en oración. Él también les explicó la gran importancia de orar y hacer sacrificios en reparación por las ofensas cometidas contra Dios. Él les dijo: - “Hagan de todo lo que puedan un sacrificio y una ofrenda a Dios como un acto de reparación por los pecados por los que Él es ofendido, y en súplica, por la conversión de los pecadores.” En su tercera y final aparición a los niños, el Ángel les dio la Sagrada Comunión, y les mostró la manera correcta de recibir a Nuestro Señor en la Eucaristía: los tres niños se arrodillaron y recibieron la Comunión; a Lucía le fue dada la Sagrada Hostia en la lengua y el Ángel compartió la Sangre del Cáliz entre Francisco y Jacinta.
“Nuestra Señora subrayó la importancia de rezar el Rosario en cada una de Sus apariciones, pidiendo a los niños que rezaran el Rosario cada día por la paz. Otra parte importante del Mensaje de Fátima es la devoción a Nuestra Señora del Inmaculado Corazón, quien está terriblemente indignada y ofendida por los pecados de la humanidad, y somos amorosamente urgidos a consolarla por medio de la reparación. Ella mostró a los niños Su Corazón, rodeado por espinas que lo atraviesan (lo que representa los pecados en contra de Su Inmaculado Corazón). Ellos entendieron que sus sacrificios podían ayudar a consolarla.”
“Los niños también vieron que Dios está terriblemente ofendido por los pecados de la humanidad, y que Él desea que cada uno de nosotros y toda la humanidad abandone el pecado y haga reparación por sus crímenes a través de la oración y el sacrificio. Nuestra Señora tristemente imploró: - ‘¡Ya no ofendan al Señor nuestro Dios, porque Él ya está demasiado ofendido! ”
“También les fue dicho a los niños que oraran y se sacrificaran ellos mismos por los pecadores, a fin de salvarlos del infierno. Brevemente les fue mostrado a los niños una visión del infierno, después de lo cual Nuestra Señora les dijo: - ‘Ustedes han visto el infierno donde van las almas de los pobres pecadores. Para salvarlos, Dios desea establecer en el mundo, la devoción a Mi Inmaculado Corazón. Si es hecho lo que les digo, muchas almas serán salvadas y habrá paz.”
“Nuestra Señora nos indicó la raíz específica de los problemas en el mundo, la que causa las guerras mundiales y tan terrible sufrimiento: el pecado. Entonces ella dio la solución, primero individualmente a la gente, después a los líderes de la iglesia. Dios pide a cada uno de nosotros que dejemos de ofenderlo. Debemos orar, especialmente el Rosario. Al rezar frecuentemente el Rosario, obtendremos las gracias necesarias para derrotar al pecado. Dios quiere que tengamos devoción al Inmaculado Corazón de María y que trabajemos para extender esta devoción a través del mundo. Nuestra Señora dijo - ‘Mi Inmaculado Corazón será su refugio y el camino que los lleve a Dios.’ Si queremos llegar a Dios, tenemos un camino seguro hacia Él a través de la verdadera devoción al Inmaculado Corazón de Su Madre.”
“Para poder estar más cerca de Ella, y consecuentemente con Su Hijo, Nuestra Señora remarcó la importancia de rezar diariamente el Rosario, al menos por cinco décadas. Ella nos pidió que usáramos un Escapulario Café. Y debemos hacer sacrificios, especialmente el sacrificio de nuestro deber diario, en reparación por los pecados cometidos contra Nuestro Señor y Nuestra Señora. Ella también insistió en la necesidad de oraciones y sacrificios para salvar a los pobres pecadores del infierno. El Mensaje de Fátima, individualmente a las almas, está sintetizado en estas cosas.”
En el mismo sitio web, está registrada una entrevista entre la Hermana Lucía (la pastorcita de 10 años quien fue de entre los tres niños, la que vio las apariciones en 1917), y un padre Fuentes. La entrevista tuvo lugar en 1957. En esta entrevista enfocada en Fátima y su mensaje, la Hermana Lucía dijo lo siguiente:
“Padre, la Santísima Virgen no me dijo que estamos en los últimos tiempos del mundo, sino que Ella me hizo entender esto por tres razones. La primera, es porque Ella me dijo que el diablo quiere enfrascarse en una batalla decisiva contra la Virgen. Y una batalla decisiva es la batalla final, donde uno de los lados saldrá victorioso y el otro sufrirá la derrota. Por lo tanto a partir de ahora, debemos elegir de qué lado estamos. O estamos con Dios o estamos con el diablo; no existe otra posibilidad.”
“La segunda razón es porque Ella le dijo a mis primos al igual que a mí, que Dios está dando dos últimos remedios para el mundo. Estos son el Santo Rosario y la devoción al Inmaculado Corazón de María. Estos son los dos últimos remedios, lo que significa que ya no habrá otros.
“La tercera razón es porque en los planes de la Divina Providencia, Dios siempre, antes de castigar al mundo, agota todos los demás remedios. Ahora, cuando Él ve que el mundo tampoco presta atención, como decimos en nuestra imperfecta manera de hablar, Él nos ofrece con cierta aprensión el último medio de salvación, Su Santísima Madre. Es con cierta aprensión, porque si despreciamos y rechazamos estos últimos medios, ya no tendremos más perdón del Cielo, porque habremos cometido un pecado al cual el Evangelio llama el pecado contra el Espíritu Santo. Este pecado consiste en rechazar abiertamente, con pleno conocimiento y consentimiento, la salvación que Él ofrece. Recordemos que Jesucristo es un Hijo muy bueno y que Él no permite que ofendamos o despreciemos a Su Santísima Madre. Hemos registrado a través de muchos siglos de la historia de la Iglesia, el obvio testimonio demostrado por los terribles castigos que han caído sobre quienes han atacado el honor de Su Más Santa Madre, cómo Nuestro Señor Jesucristo siempre ha defendido el honor de Su Madre.
“Los dos medios para salvar al mundo son la oración y el sacrificio. (En cuanto al Santo Rosario, la Hermana Lucía dijo:) - Mire, Padre, la Santísima Virgen, en estos últimos tiempos que estamos viviendo, le ha dado una nueva eficacia al rezo del Rosario, tan extenso que no hay problema, sin importar lo difícil que sea, ya sea temporal o sobre todo lo espiritual, en la vida personal de cada uno de nosotros, de nuestras familias, de las familias del mundo o de las comunidades religiosas, o aún de la vida de la gente y naciones, que no pueda ser resuelto por el Rosario. No hay problema, le digo, sin importar cuán difícil sea, que no pueda ser resuelto mediante el rezo del Santo Rosario. Con el Santo Rosario nos santificaremos a nosotros mismos. Consolaremos a Nuestro Señor y obtendremos la salvación de muchas almas. “Finalmente, la devoción al Inmaculado Corazón de María, nuestra Madre Santísima, consiste en considerarla como el trono de misericordia, de bondad y perdón, y como la puerta segura para entrar al Cielo.”
En los párrafos anteriores concernientes al mensaje que Hermana Lucía sintió que de la aparición, deseaba comunicar al mundo, apreciarás muchas cosas que no solo no se encuentran en la Escritura, sino que son contrarias a la Escritura.
1) María es referida como la “Santísima Madre” que tiene un “Corazón Inmaculado.” Por esto, ellos no quieren decir que le conceden la justicia y santidad dada a los santos a través de la justicia imputada por Cristo; sino que ella fue salvada del pecado en todas sus formas, por el hecho de haber sido concebida en el vientre de su madre, sin la mancha del pecado original. Nunca la Biblia se refiere a María como un ser sin pecado. Nunca se refiere a ella como poseedora de un corazón inmaculado. Más bien, ella se refiere a Dios como su Salvador (Lucas 1:47). Esto parecería colocarla a ella con el resto de la humanidad. Pero la Iglesia Católica sostiene que María fue salvada del pecado a través de los méritos de Cristo, por haber sido concebida sin pecado, y haber vivido una vida sin pecado. Nuevamente, nunca está este pensamiento en la Escritura. Más bien lo que la Escritura enseña es que solo hay una excepción a la verdad de que todos somos pecadores (Romanos 3:10, 3:23, etc.). Esa única excepción es Jesucristo (2 Corintios 5:21; 1 Pedro 2:22; 1 Juan 3:5).
2) La Hermana Lucía habla de la devoción al “Inmaculado Corazón de María”, y del rezo del rosario, como “los dos últimos remedios para el mundo”. Ella también declara que no hay problema que no pueda ser resuelto mediante el rezo del rosario. La enseñanza de Fátima es que, a través de este medio se conducirá a muchas almas a la salvación. De nuevo, nunca es encontrada tal enseñanza en la Escritura. La oración principal del Rosario es el “Ave María” la cual es repetida cincuenta veces. La primera mitad de ella, está tomada de la Escritura, sobre la salutación del ángel a María, “Dios te salve María, llena eres de gracia, el Señor es contigo; bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres, y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre, Jesús.” Pero la segunda parte dice, “Santa María, madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros los pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte.” Además de darle a María un título que no le da la Escritura, se le pide entonces a María que ruegue por nosotros. En realidad, los católicos no solo ven a María como alguien a través de quien fluye TODA la gracia de Dios, y que intercede ante su Hijo a nuestro favor, sino que los católicos también le dirigen oraciones a ella, para librar a la gente del pecado, de la guerra, etc. La oración del Papa Juan Pablo II a María, a principios de los 80’s, es un ejemplo de ello. En esta oración él ruega repetidamente a María que “nos libre” de una guerra nuclear, de hambruna, de autodestrucción, de injusticia, etc.
De nuevo, nunca encontramos a una persona devota en la Escritura, orando a alguien más que no sea a Dios, ni pidiendo la intercesión de nadie, sino solo de aquellos que están aún vivos en esta tierra. Más bien, la Escritura nos dirige a orarle a Dios. (Lucas 11:1-2: Mateo 6:6-9; Filipenses 4:6; Hechos 8:22; Lucas 10:2, etc.) Él nos anima a acercarnos confiadamente al trono de gracia (Su trono), para que encontremos gracia y ayuda en tiempo de necesidad (Hebreos 4:14-16). Dios nos prometió la intercesión del Espíritu Santo por nosotros, de acuerdo a la voluntad de Dios, con gemidos que no podemos pronunciar (Romanos 8:26). ¿Por qué debemos necesitar tener acceso a Dios a través de un santo, ángel o María, especialmente considerando el hecho de que no es dado en la Escritura ni el ejemplo ni la orden de hacerlo así? Solo existe el repetido ejemplo de dos cosas en la Escritura:
a) La oración es hecha solo a Dios (1 Corintios 11:5; Romanos 10:1; Romanos 15:30; Hechos 12:5; Hechos 10:2; Hechos 8:24; Hechos 1:24; Zacarías 8:21-22; Jonás 2:7; 4:2, etc.)
b) Las peticiones de oración son hechas solo a los vivos (1 Tesalonicenses 5:25; 2 Tesalonicenses 3:1; Hebreos 13:18, etc.)
Adicionalmente, en ninguna parte es enseñado que María es todo-ojos, todo-oídos, y omnisciente (o casi) porque ella debería escuchar y responder a una multitud de oraciones que son dirigidas a ella por muchos católicos, quienes le rezan simultáneamente alrededor del mundo. En cambio la Escritura enseña que tanto los ángeles como los espíritus de los muertos son seres finitos, posibilitados para estar solo en un lugar a la vez (Daniel 9:20-23; Lucas 16:19 y ss.)
3) Uno de los mensajes repetidos de Fátima, es el llamado a la “reparación” personal o “penitencia”. Este concepto católico enseña que debemos hacer indemnizaciones a Dios y a María por los pecados que hemos cometido contra ellos. Repitiendo una de las frases de “El Mensaje en General”, el ángel le dijo a los niños que “Hagan de todo lo que puedan un sacrificio y ofrézcanlo a Dios como un acto de reparación por los pecados por los cuales Él es ofendido...” Una reparación es una “expiación... algo hecho o pagado como indemnización o compensación.” Esto está relacionado con la enseñanza católica romana del castigo temporal, del cual una persona puede encargarse en el presente a través de la penitencia o en un futuro a través del tiempo que permanezca en el Purgatorio. La Biblia JAMÁS habla de la necesidad de hacer “reparación” por nuestros pecados o de hacer “penitencia” para pagar por nuestros pecados. Más bien, lo que enseña es que debemos ofrecer nuestras vidas como sacrificios vivos a Dios en respuesta y en gratitud por todas las misericordias que nos ha mostrado en la salvación (Romanos 12:1-2). Cuando una persona se convierte en cristiana, sus pecados son perdonados y pagados totalmente por Cristo. No quedan pagos futuros que puedan ser hechos por ellos, ni tampoco es requerida una futura expiación.
4) Un aspecto clave de la Virgen de Fátima es el postrarse ante ella, y la veneración de imágenes asociadas con la aparición. A través de toda la Biblia, encontrarás que cada vez que alguien se postra ante uno de los “santos” o ángeles, les es dicho que se levanten y se detengan. Solo cuando es hecho ante “el Ángel del Señor” (una aparición de Cristo pre-encarnado), o ante Jesús o Dios el Padre, es aceptada tal veneración. Los católicos hacen distinción entre “adorar” a Dios y “venerar” a María y a los santos (prokuneo – es la palabra griega que la Iglesia Católica usa para “veneración” como opuesta a la “adoración,” la cual solo Dios merece). Pero cuando Juan el apóstol se postró ante un ángel, el ángel no le preguntó, “¿Estás adorándome o venerándome?” El ángel simplemente le dice que se detenga y que “adore a Dios” (Apocalipsis 19:10). De la misma manera, cuando Pedro fue “venerado” por Cornelio en Hechos 10:25-26, Pedro le dice a Cornelio, “... Levántate, pues yo mismo también soy hombre.” Puedo notar que su misma palabra es usada también en el pasaje mencionado de Apocalipsis. Por lo tanto, el repetido ejemplo que tenemos de un ángel o un “santo” siendo “honrado” es acompañado por la orden de ¡detenerse!
Así que, el rezarle a María es contrario a la amonestación de las Escrituras de orar solo a Dios y así dice que lo hagamos en el ejemplo de la Escritura. También es ilógico el sustituir la oración a un todo-amoroso, omnisciente y omnipotente Dios (Salmos 139; Hebreos 4:14-16), para rezarle a algún santo o a María, porque no existe evidencia en la Biblia de que ellos puedan siquiera escuchar las oraciones. El orar a los santos y a María en base a una creencia mundialmente extendida, es atribuirles atributos de omnipresencia y omnisciencia que solo Dios posee. En realidad ¡eso es idolatría!
5) Por último, en lo concerniente al “Milagro del Sol”, existen repetidos casos en los cuales se habla de “falsos milagros” (Éxodo 7:22; 8:7; 8:18; Mateo 24:24; Marcos 13:22; Apocalipsis 13:13-14). Dios aún nos dice en Deuteronomio 13:1 y ss., que cuando alguien hace una predicción que se cumple, o una “señal” que parece milagrosa, pero que al mismo tiempo enseña a adorar a dioses extraños, que no le presten atención a lo que él dice, sino más bien se le trate como un falso profeta.
Para un cristiano, su “guía de la fe” debe ser la Biblia y lo que ella enseña (Isaías 8:20; 2 Timoteo 3:16). Y mientras los católicos puedan argumentar que la “Virgen de Fátima” no nos llama a adorar a “dioses extraños” sino a adorar al verdadero Dios, la idea de venerar a María al grado de que su “Inmaculado Corazón” es puesto al mismo nivel de devoción que el “Sagrado Corazón” de Jesucristo, se trata indudablemente de la exaltación de una mujer diosa a la posición que nunca se le da en la Escritura... la de igualarla con Dios. Porque el honrarla a la par de Cristo, es hacer justamente eso. De la misma manera, el concentrarnos en María a tal grado que pasemos más tiempo orándole a ella que a Dios, también es idolatría, especialmente a la luz de los mandamientos directos de la Escritura de orar a Dios y al completo silencio de la Escritura concerniente a alguna exaltación de María.
¿Fue el “Milagro del Sol” un falso milagro? Basándonos en la enseñanza bíblica, ciertamente eso parece. Satanás no tiene problemas de mezclar suficiente verdad para hacer que una enseñanza parezca correcta con solo la suficiente dosis de error para condenar las almas al infierno. ¿Dónde es alguna vez mencionado a través de todo el mensaje de Fátima el Evangelio de salvación por gracia a través de la fe en Cristo - el mensaje que es repetido a través de todo el Nuevo Testamento?
¿Dónde es alguna vez mencionado que la salvación es solo a través de la obra terminada por Jesucristo en el Calvario, y que nuestras buenas obras no tienen mérito alguno aparte de Él? La penitencia y el hacer ofrendas por la reparación de nuestros pecados, son contrarias a la obra terminada de Cristo en el Calvario y a nuestra necesidad de salvación solamente por gracia a través de la fe en Él únicamente. El llamado a la devoción de María y su Inmaculado Corazón y al rezo del rosario como los medios últimos y finales para la salvación de las almas, se encara a las verdades bíblicas, tales como en Hechos 4:12 y 1 Timoteo 2:5. “¡A la ley y al testimonio! Si no dijeren conforme a esto, es porque no les ha amanecido.” (Isaías 8:20)
While the statue of a mother holding her child is a lovely testament to the importance of motherhood, does the statue really need to be surrounded by half a dozen foundations which project larger and larger streams until they ‘spurt’ geysers of water?
Credit www.quotecatalog.com with an active link required.
Image is free for usage on websites (even websites with ads) if you credit www.quotecatalog.com with an active link.
Back in 2009, I had the opportunity to explore the abandoned and forgotten Warner Grand Theater located on Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee, WI.
The Theater is a testament to a city in the height of its success.
A Little History
In 1911, The Butterfly Theater from 1911 located on Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee was demolished along with two additional buildings. The buildings were to be replaced by a venture of Warner Brothers to make the fanciest theater in Milwaukee and rival those throughout the nation.
They spent 2.5M to create a first class opening consisting of 2,400 seat luxurious theater along with 12 story, marble veneered office building. Ornamented throughout with monel silver metal wrapped around a beautiful Art Deco style, The building was a monument for the times and a sign that Milwaukee was a city of class and stature along with other big and booming cities in the US.
Please see the entire history at Cinema Treasures.
Thank you to those who helped in making this trip a reality.
Please visit, The Grand Warner Theater Trust Page on Facebook, a group attempting to save the beautiful Grand.
This image is copyright © Silvia Paveri. All right reserved. This photo must not be used under ANY circumstances without written consent.
Questa immagine è protetta da copyright © Silvia Paveri. Tutti i diritto sono riservati. L'immagine non deve essere utilizzata in nessun caso senza autorizzazione scritta dell'autore.
Testament performing their Soundwave Sideshow at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney, Australia on the 26th of February, 2014.
Photos taken on behalf of The Music (Drum Media).
© Rohan Anderson Photography.
East window with scenes from the Old Testament by Thomas Willement, 1843.
Beeby was once a larger settlement but today has dwindled to only a handful of houses, it comes as no surprise then to find the church had become redundant, but has happily been vested in the Churches Conservation Trust who continue to maintain it.
The most striking aspect of this attractive ironstone church is its handsome late medieval west tower, distinctively crowned with the 'sawn off' stump of an intended spire (which it seems was never finished). The remainder of the building is mostly of 14th century date with later adjustments (such as the addition of a clerestorey), though the chancel is an early 19th century rebuild in brick, and seems a little undersized for this otherwise fairly grand building.
Within there is the slight sense of sparseness associated with retired churches but plenty of interest to enjoy. The woodwork is a surprising mix, with late Georgian box pews on the south side of the nave and and an extremely 14th century wooden rood screen, partially restored but retaining its fine tracery forms (of which a further section can be seen in the south aisle). There is a rather charming font (13th century with a later bowl and cover) and a profusion of quirky carvings added as part of a major restoration in the early 19th century.
Beeby church is happily generally kept open for visitors during the day, one of the admirable aims of the Trust who preserve our heritage and keep it accessible for all to enjoy.
Dundalk overwhelm Bangor in All Ireland Final
by Roger Corbett
Bangor’s amazing run in the All Ireland Junior Cup came to an abrupt end when they were comprehensively beaten by Dundalk, eventually losing by 55-5.
Where do you start when trying to relate and absorb the events of Saturday’s final at Chambers Park? Firstly, congratulations to worthy winners Dundalk who nullified the Bangor attack, then went on to produce some stunning plays which racked up no less than 8 tries, each by a different player. For Bangor’s part, they were unable to respond to the intensity of Dundalk’s game, and lacked the cutting edge which their opponents used to great effect.
The day started full of promise, as the strong support from North Down made their way to Chambers Park in Portadown, knowing Bangor would be fielding their best team. Once again, the pundits had Bangor as the underdogs – just as they had done so in the previous three rounds! In confounding the experts earlier, Bangor produced some awesome performances against top quality opposition to get to the final. Dundalk had produced some convincing wins in the early rounds of the competition, but had struggled to get past CIYMS in the semi-final, just managing to squeeze ahead at the second time of asking. However, with a number of key players returning to the side in time for this game, they were now back at full strength and would be a formidable force to contend with.
Having won the toss, captain Jamie Clegg elected to play into the stiff wind in the first half. For the first 5 minutes, Bangor doggedly retained possession and tried to play their way into Dundalk’s half through a series of determined forward moves. However, little ground was made and, when possession was finally lost, the Dundalk back line produced a burst that simply cut through the Bangor defence resulting in an easy touch down under Bangor’s posts for a 7-0 lead.
Bangor stuck to their plan and slowly, but patiently, got their attack moving forward, eventually winning a penalty to the left of Dundalk’s posts, but Mark Widdowson’s kick into the wind drifted just wide of the mark.
The contrast in play between the two teams was becoming clear, with Bangor trying to keep the ball close while Dundalk were throwing it wide. The latter strategy was proving to be the more effective as, with 20 minutes gone, a quick back line move with players looping around resulted in an overlap on the right wing which gave a clear run in to again, score under the posts. A further 9 minutes later, they did it again and, although the Bangor defence had sensed the danger and moved across to cover it, their tackling let them down allowing Dundalk to get over in the right hand corner, taking their lead to 19-0.
By now, Bangor were trying to hang on until half time when they could regroup and come out with the wind at their backs. Dundalk, on the other hand were anxious to press home their advantage and give them a more comfortable lead. To Bangor’s credit, although camped on their own line for lengthy spells, they dug in and managed to hold on until the referee’s half time whistle.
As the teams reappeared from the dressing rooms, it was obvious Bangor were ringing the changes, particularly in the backs. With the wind advantage having lessened considerably, Bangor got the second half underway. It was now Dundalk’s turn to adopt the slow, steady approach, just as Bangor had done earlier. However, their more confident off-loading and support play was, once again, taking play deep into Bangor’s territory. Frustration at not being able to gain possession and take play out of their danger area eventually resulted in a yellow card for Clegg after a succession of penalties. Dundalk kicked the penalty to touch, won their lineout and drove for the line. Although initially held up by the Bangor defence, Dundalk’s repeated drives were eventually rewarded with another converted score, extending their lead to 26-0.
From the touchline, the Bangor faithful had felt that if their players had managed to score first in the second half, they may have been able to mount a fight-back and close the gap to their opponents. As it was, this Dundalk score simply bolstered their confidence and pushed Bangor deeper into trouble. With Bangor still a man down, Dundalk added to the score with a penalty and then another score in the corner. Everything was now working for the Leinster men, as even the difficult touchline conversion into the biting wind successfully split the posts, bringing the score to 36-0.
As the game entered the final quarter, and with Dundalk all but holding the cup, Bangor were now on the ropes. By contrast, the Dundalk players were in almost total control, and were not going to slow down now. In a 10 minute spell, they ran in a further 3 tries, making the scoreline 55-0. By now, any sense of dejection the Bangor supporters may have been feeling was now moved to feelings of sympathy for their players. However, pride was at stake and once again Bangor rallied as the game entered its final minutes. At last, the forwards got within striking distance of the Dundalk line and, although their repeated attacks were repelled, they finally managed to do what their opponents had done so effectively, and quickly passed the ball wide to Davy Charles. Even though they were 55 points ahead, the Dundalk defence made Charles work hard to drive through the tackles and score Bangor’s consolation try, bringing the final score to 55-5.
From Bangor’s point of view, the final score doesn’t tell the whole story of this competition. While the final may have resulted in a sad anti-climax for Bangor, the remarkable journey to get there will be remembered for some time. On the day, Dundalk were by far the better side, and Bangor would have to concede that their game was not up to the usual standard. However, there is no doubt the experience of competing at this level is something to relish and the goal now will be to secure a top four place in the league and try again next year.
Everybody at the club has nothing but the highest respect and praise for what has been achieved this year by not just the 1sts, but all the senior teams, and one poor result isn’t going to change that – the welcome at Upritchard Park for the returning players is testament to that. With that in mind, the players now need to put this disappointment behind them and provide the best possible response against a struggling Portadown side at home in the league next Saturday.
Bangor side: J Leary, A Jackson, P Whyte, F Black, G Irvine, R Latimer, J Clegg, C Stewart, R Armstrong, K Rosson, D Charles, M Aspley, M Weir, M Widdowson, C Morgan
Subs: S Irvine, O McIlmurray, D Kelly, M Rodgers, C Harper, D Fusco, M Thompson
Bangor scores: D Charles (1T)
Dundalk Storm To Title Dundalk 55 v Bangor 5 from KnockOn.ie
Dundalk Scorers: Christopher Scully, Owen McNally, Jonathan Williams, John Smyth, Ultan Murphy, Tiernan Gonnelly, James McConnon and Stephen Murphy 1 try each. Ultan Murphy 6 cons, 1 pen.
Bangor Scorers: David Charles 1 try.
In front of a big crowd at Chambers Park on Saturday afternoon Dundalk delivered a stunning and ruthless display to see off the challenge of Bangor and capture the All Ireland Junior Cup title for the very first time.
Three first half tries had them firmly in control at 19-0 ahead having played with the elements at the Portadown venue during the first half and while the wind dropped somewhat after half time the Dundalk intensity most certainly didn’t as they cut loose scoring five more tries.
Dundalk returned to a heroes welcome at their Mill Road clubhouse on Saturday night after a display of pure brilliance throughout the afternoon.
Precision, pace and skill from the Louth men from start to finish left Bangor playing second fiddle for long periods.
Édition 2019
Cette édition se déroulera du 21 au 23 juin 2019.
Le line-up est dévoilé:
Alien Weaponry, All Them Witches, Anthrax, Aorlhac, Architects, Banane Metalik, Batmobile, Beartooth, Blackberry Smoke, Blackrain, Bliss Of Flesh, Brutus, Böhse Onkelz, Cancer Bats, Cannibal Corpse, Carach Angren, Carcass, Carpathian Forest, Cave In, Cemican, Clutch, Combichrist, Conan (en), Cradle Of Filth, Cult Leader, Cult Of Luna, Dagoba, DDent, Deadland Ritual, Death Angel, Def Leppard, Deicide, Demons & Wizards, Descendents, Devourment, Diamond Head, Dool [archive], Dream Theater, Dropkick Murphys, Eagles Of Death Metal, Eisbrecher, Embryonic Cells, Emma Ruth Rundle, Emperor, Employed To Serve, Enter Shikari, Envy, FM, Fumanchu, Gloryhammer, Godsmack, Gojira, Gold, Graveyard, Hank Von Hell, Hellhammer, Hygral, Immolation, Impaled Nazarene, Insanity Alert, Khaos-Dei, King Diamond, Kiss, Klone, Koritni, Lamb of God, Last Temptation, Le Bal Des Enrages, Les Wampas, Like A Storm, Lofofora, Lucifer's Child, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mad Sin, Mantar, Mass Hysteria, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, Messa, Morning Again, Municipal Waste, My Sleeping Karma, Myrkur (Folkesange), Nasty (de), No Fun At All, No One Is Innocent, Nova Twins, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, Psycroptic, Punish Yourself, Radio Moscow, Refused, Revocation, Richie Kotzen, Sham69, Skáld, Skindred, Slash Featuring Miles Kennedy And The Conspirators, Slayer, Sonata Arctica, Stinky, Stone Temple Pilots, Sum 41, Sumac (en), Tesla, Testament, The Adicts, The Amsterdam Red Light District, The Creepshow, The Dwarves, The Fever 333, The Interrupters, The Living End, The Necromancers, The Obsessed, The Ocean, The Rumjacks, The Sisters Of Mercy, Tool, Tormentor, Tremplin Voice Of Hell, Trivium, Trollfest, Uada, Ultra Vomit, Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats, Valley Of The Sun, Venom Inc., Vltimas, Vomitory, Whitechapel, Whitesnake, Wiegegood, Within Temptation, Will Haven, Wolfheart, YOB, ZZ Top
Le Hellfest, également appelé Hellfest Summer Open Air, est un festival de musique français spécialisé dans les musiques extrêmes, annuellement organisé au mois de juin à Clisson en Loire-Atlantique. Sa forte fréquentation le fait figurer parmi les plus importants festivals de musique français. Il est aussi l'un des plus grands festivals de metal en Europe et le premier en France.
Il trouve son origine dans un autre festival musical, le Furyfest, qui se tenait de 2002 à 2005 dans différents lieux de la région des Pays de la Loire ; le Hellfest en prend la suite en 2006 puis connaît, en quelques années, une hausse continue de sa fréquentation, passant de 22 000 pour la première édition à 152 000 entrées payantes en 2015.
Sa programmation est avant tout centrée sur le hard rock, le heavy metal et le metal alternatif pour les deux scènes principales, tandis que chacune des quatre autres scènes du festival est dédiée à un style plus particulier comme le black metal, le death metal, le punk hardcore, le doom metal ou le stoner rock, s'assurant ainsi la présence de groupes et d'artistes internationaux de renom comme Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, ZZ Top, Motörhead, Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kiss, Guns N' Roses, Black Sabbath, Linkin Park, Alice Cooper, Korn, Slipknot, etc., tout autant que celle de groupes plus spécialisés dans leur genre : Slayer, Megadeth, Sepultura, Cannibal Corpse, Anthrax, etc.
Le Hellfest est élu trois fois « Meilleur grand festival » (2014, 2015 et 2017), « Meilleur camping » (2015 et 2016), « Meilleure ambiance » (2013) par le site Festival Awards.
Hellfest, also called Hellfest Summer Open Air, is a French rock festival focusing on heavy metal music, held annually in June in Clisson in Loire-Atlantique. Its high attendance makes it the French music festival with the largest turnover. It is also one of the biggest metal festivals in Europe and the first to exist in France.
It originated in another music festival, the Fury Fest, held from 2002 to 2005, in different areas of Pays de la Loire. Hellfest took over in 2006 and over the years has seen a continuous rise in visitors, from 22,000 in the first edition, to 55,000 tickets sold per day in 2017
Amis metalleux, voici l’info que vous attendez tous : les dates de la quinzième édition du Hellfest. Lors de la conférence de presse de cet après-midi, dimanche 23 juin, les organisateurs ont annoncé les dates à ne pas manquer : les 19, 20, et 21 juin 2020.
Pour la programmation, il faudra encore patienter. Mais pour vous faire saliver un peu, on peut déjà vous dire qu’un bar Hellfest va ouvrir à Paris.
Philippians 4:4-9 (KJV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Mutianyu is possibly the second-most known section of the Great Wall after Badaling. Many heads of state have visited the Great Wall and they usually choose one of these two sections, probably for their easy access; both have cable cars ascending to the wall. For Americans reading this, President Clinton chose to see Mutianyu while Presidents Nixon and Reagan went to Badaling.
Mutianyu isn’t a long section – only a 3 kilometer hike, atop a ridge, so it’s not terribly steep (especially compared to a section like Juyongguan) – but it is quite pictureseque. It’s famous for its views of the surrounding mountains and also for its Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) watchtowers.
Getting to Mutianyu is a little cumbersome. From the heart of Beijing, you need to go to Dongzhimen Station and transfer to a bus in the long distance bus hall. It’s about an hour to an hour and a half trip northeast to Huairou County, then a private car for another 30 minutes or so to the wall. The drivers will usually wait for you as long as you don’t spend more than a few hours there. (I hiked about ¾ of the way out and back in about 3 hours, counting stops for shooting.)
Mutianyu is also a good choice because there are other sections of the wall nearby. The wild Jiankou section has basically been left untouched, and makes for extraordinary photography. As it’s also among the most dangerous sections because of its lack of upkeep, I’ll save that shoot for the spring. (Look here for a return to Badaling or Huangyaguan in winter should there be enough snow.) Other areas of the wall slightly farther out from Beijing, but also northeast of town include Simatai and Jinshanling in Miyun County and Hebei province, respectively, where I will also try to visit in the spring. Last but not least is the Huanghua section, also near Jiankou and Mutianyu.
This history of the wall – especially of the architecture – is impressive, as is its modern use as a tourist attraction/trap. The wall was built by poor Chinese or prisoners (such as the Juyongguan section, which literally translates as: “to live…criminal…(mountain) pass,” which reflects that it was built by prisoners. Many people worked to death on the construction of this massive wall.
In many sections of the wall, there is a famous quote by Chairman Mao in which he says, “You are not a man until you have visited the Great Wall of China.” (I take this tongue in cheek as this same man also encouraged Chinese to be resourceful and use the bricks of the wall as construction materials.)
The world at large seems to be rather taken with the romance and history of the wall. It seems to me that the world feels this way more than most Chinese. I’ll make that assumption based on the fact that a lot of sections of the wall are in disrepair or, in the case of the Datong section, dismantled. Also, in conversations with Chinese, most seem to have a rather nonchalant attitude towards seeing the wall and don’t think much about its historical context – including people who live close enough to travel there easily.
All in all, the wall offers many different panoramas, each section slightly different from the other, and each having a reasonably-priced admission of ~50 RMB during peak season and a little less between November and March. Outside of the Beijing area, there are also some rather notable sections of the wall (such as the eastern and western termini which end in the ocean and desert, or in Shanxi province near Datong where the bricks have all been torn down and all that remains are earthen mounds where the watchtowers once were).
As long as I live in China, I will continue to try to visit different sections of the wall to highlight some of the differences (albeit many are subtle) and to highlight that the wall has an enigmatic meaning and symbolism, contributing to the complexities of China.
The Postcard
A photo on a postally unused postcard by Antony of Ypres depicting a statue blasted from its pedestal during German artillery fire.
The postcard refers to the Campagne de 1914-1915, and the reference number in the bottom left corner indicates that the photograph was taken on Thursday the 29th. April 1915.
Note that the statue's hand is still resting on a pile of stone books on a stone table. Note also how the massive blast has moved the heavy upper plinth slightly to the left in relation to the lower plinth.
Further destruction on a very much larger scale can be seen in the background of the photograph - on the right is the roofless Cloth Hall, and on the left the ruined Cathedral.
If you search for the tag 82YLR93, you will see Antony's photographic premises in the Rue au Beurre in Ypres, both before and after his establishment was destroyed by enemy artillery.
Ernest Vandenpeereboom
The statue is of Ernest Louis de Gonzague Vandenpeereboom, who was born in Kortrijk on the 12th. July 1807, and who died in Ypres in 1875 on what was 43 years later to become Armistice Day, the 11th. November. The date 1875 can be clearly read on the plinth in a larger version of the photograph.
Ernest was a Belgian doctor in law; he was also a textile industrialist, and a liberal politician.
The Use of Artillery in the Great War
Artillery was very heavily used by both sides during the Great War. The British fired over 170 million artillery rounds of all types, weighing more than 5 million tons - that's an average of around 70 pounds (32 kilos) per shell.
If the 170m rounds were on average two feet long, and if they were laid end to end, they would stretch for 64,394 miles (103,632 kilometres); the line would go round the equator over two and a half times. If the artillery of the Central Powers of Germany and its allies is factored in, the figure can be doubled to 5 encirclements of the planet.
During the first two weeks of the Third Battle of Ypres, over 4 million rounds were fired at a cost of over £22,000,000 - a huge sum of money, especially over a century ago.
Artillery was the killer and maimer of the war of attrition.
According to Dennis Winter's book 'Death's Men' three quarters of battle casualties were caused by artillery rounds. According to John Keegan ('The Face of Battle') casualties were:
- Bayonets - less than 1%
- Bullets - 30%
- Artillery and Bombs - 70%
Keegan suggests however that the ratio changed during advances, when massed men walking line-abreast with little protection across no-man's land were no match for for rifles and fortified machine gun emplacements.
Many artillery shells fired during the Great War failed to explode. Drake Goodman provides the following information on Flickr:
"During World War I, an estimated one tonne of explosives was fired for every square metre of territory on the Western front. As many as one in every three shells fired did not detonate. In the Ypres Salient alone, an estimated 300 million projectiles that the British and the German forces fired at each other were "duds", and most of them have not been recovered."
To this day, large quantities of Great War matériel are discovered on a regular basis. Many shells from the Great War were left buried in the mud, and often come to the surface during ploughing and land development.
For example, on the Somme battlefields in 2009 there were 1,025 interventions, unearthing over 6,000 pieces of ammunition weighing 44 tons.
Artillery shells may or may not still be live with explosive or gas, so the bomb disposal squad, of the Civilian Security of the Somme, dispose of them.
The Somme Times
From 'The Somme Times', Monday, 31 July, 1916:
'There was a young girl of the Somme,
Who sat on a number five bomb,
She thought 'twas a dud 'un,
But it went off sudden -
Her exit she made with aplomb!'
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch Leper is the official name, the city's French name Ypres is most commonly used in English.
During the First World War, Ypres (or 'Wipers' as it was commonly known by the British troops) was the centre of the Battles of Ypres between German and Allied forces.
The famous Cloth Hall was built in the 13th century. At this time cats, then the symbol of the devil and witchcraft, were thrown from the Cloth Hall in the belief that this would get rid of demons. Today, this act is commemorated with a triennial Cat Parade through the town.
-- Ypres in the Great War
Ypres occupied a strategic position because it stood in the path of Germany's planned sweep across the rest of Belgium and into France from the north (the Schlieffen Plan).
The neutrality of Belgium, established by the First Treaty of London, was guaranteed by Britain; Germany's invasion of Belgium brought the British Empire into the war. The German army surrounded the city on three sides, bombarding it throughout much of the war. To counterattack, British, French, and allied forces made costly advances from the Ypres Salient into the German lines on the surrounding hills.
-- The First Battle of Ypres
In the First Battle of Ypres (19th. October to 22nd. November 1914), the Allies captured the town from the Germans. The Germans had used tear gas at the Battle of Bolimov on the 3rd. January 1915.
-- The Second Battle of Ypres
The Germans' use of poison gas for the first time on the 22nd. April 1915 marked the beginning of the Second Battle of Ypres, which continued until the 25th. May 1915.
They captured high ground east of the town. The first gas attack used chlorine. Mustard gas, also called Yperite from the name of the town, was also used for the first time near Ypres, in the autumn of 1917.
Vera Brittain was an English Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse, writer, feminist and pacifist who made the following observation in her 1933 memoir, 'Testament of Youth':
“I wish those people who talk about going
on with this war whatever it costs could see
the soldiers suffering from mustard gas
poisoning.
Great mustard-coloured blisters, blind eyes,
all sticky and stuck together, always fighting
for breath, with voices a mere whisper, saying
that their throats are closing, and they know
they will choke.”
-- The Third Battle of Ypres
Of the battles, the largest, best-known, and most costly in human suffering was the Third Battle of Ypres (31st. July to 6th. November 1917, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele), in which the British, Canadian, ANZAC, and French forces recaptured the Passchendaele Ridge east of the city at a terrible cost of lives.
After months of fighting, this battle resulted in nearly half a million casualties to all sides, and only a few miles of ground won by Allied forces. During the course of the battle Ypres was all but obliterated by artillery fire.
-- Lieutenant-Colonel Beckles Willson
In 1920 Lieutenant-Colonel Beckles Willson wrote:
'There is not a single half-acre in Ypres
that is not sacred.
There is not a single stone which has not
sheltered scores of loyal young hearts,
whose one impulse and desire was to fight
and, if need be, to die for England.
Their blood has drenched its cloisters and
its cellars, but if never a drop had been spilt,
if never a life had been lost in defence of
Ypres, still would Ypres have been hallowed,
if only for the hopes and the courage it has
inspired and the scenes of valour and sacrifice
it has witnessed'.
-- Ypres Today
After the Great War the town was extensively rebuilt using money paid by Germany in reparations, with the main square, including the Cloth Hall and town hall, being rebuilt as close to the original designs as possible (the rest of the rebuilt town is more modern in appearance).
The Cloth Hall today is home to the 'In Flanders Fields Museum', dedicated to Ypres's role in the First World War and named after the 'Poppy' poem by John McCrae.
Ypres these days has the title of 'City of Peace' and maintains a close friendship with another town on which war had a profound impact: Hiroshima. Both towns witnessed warfare at its worst: Ypres was one of the first places where chemical warfare was employed, while Hiroshima suffered the debut of nuclear warfare.
Ypres hosts the international campaign secretariat of Mayors for Peace, an international Mayoral organisation mobilising cities and citizens worldwide to abolish and eliminate nuclear weapons by the year 2020. It didn't happen.
Last game of the 2011 season. WCS wins 8-0
Shot at ISO 100, Aperture of 4.0, Shutter speed of 1/500 and Focal Length of 200.0 mm
Taken with a Minolta/Sony AF 70-200mm F2.8 G lens and processed by Aperture 3.2.1 on Monday November-07-2011 16:47 EST PM
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/recital-god-himself-the-unique-v...
"God is the Master of the rules that control the universe, He controls the rules that govern the survival of all things, and He also controls the universe and all things such that they can live together; He makes it so they do not go extinct or disappear so that mankind may continue to exist, man can live in such an environment through God’s leadership. These rules that govern all things are under the dominion of God, however, mankind cannot intervene and cannot change them; only God Himself knows these rules and only He Himself manages them. When will the trees sprout, when will it rain, how much water and how many nutrients will the earth give the plants, in what season will the leaves fall, in what season will the trees bear fruit, how much energy will the sunlight give the trees, what will the trees exhale from the energy they get from the sunlight—these are all things that God had already arranged when He created the universe and they are laws that cannot be broken by man. The things created by God—whether they are living or appear to be non-living by people—are all in God’s hands and under His dominion. No man can change or break this rule. That is to say, when God created all things He formulated how they should be. The tree could not set down roots, sprout, and grow without the earth. What would the earth be like if it had no trees? It would dry out. Isn’t this right? (Yes.) Also, the tree is the home of the songbirds, it is a place where they take shelter from the wind. Would it be OK if the tree went without sunlight? (It would not be OK.) If the tree only had the earth that would not work. All of this is for mankind and for mankind’s survival. Man receives fresh air from the tree, and lives upon the earth protected by it. Man cannot live without sunlight, man cannot live without all the various living beings. Even though the relationships between these things are complex, people must clearly understand that God created the rules that govern all things so that they may exist in an interconnected and interdependent way; every single thing He created has value and significance. If God created something without significance, God would let it disappear. Understand? (Yes.) This is one of the methods He used in the provision of all things. What does “provide for” refer to in this story? Does God go out and water the tree every day? Does the tree need God’s help to breathe? (No.) “Provide for” in this instance refers to God’s management of all things after creation; all He needed were rules to keep things running smoothly. The tree grew all by itself by being planted in the earth. The conditions for it to grow were all created by God. He made the sunlight, the water, the soil, the air, and the surrounding environment, the wind, frost, snow, and rain, and the four seasons; these are the conditions that the tree needs in order to grow, these are things that God prepared. So, is God the source of this living environment? (Yes.) Does God have to go out every day and count each leaf on the trees? There’s no need, right? God also doesn’t have to help the tree breathe. God also doesn’t have to wake up the sunlight every day by saying, “It’s time to shine on the trees now.” He doesn’t have to do that. The sunlight shines down on its own as prescribed by the rules, it shines on the tree and the tree soaks it in. This is how things live within the rules. Perhaps this is a phenomenon you might not be familiar with, but it is a fact everyone has seen and has accepted. All you need to do is recognize that the rules for the existence of all things come from God and know that their growth and survival are under God’s dominion. This proves that God is the source for all life."
(The Word Appears in the Flesh)
My goodness, it's always Old Testament time at this church.
Statues of Jehoshaphat, Ezekias, David, Solmon, Josias and Manasses strike portentious poses over the doors to this church.
I'm a heathen, so I'm not much use in interpreting the significance of this lineup of heavy hitters, at least not without some research.
If anyone can explain how the stars of the Old Testament earned such exposure in the world of Spanish Roman Catholicism that expended most of its iconographic energy to the glory of the Virgin Mary and to the life of Christ, I'm all ears.
And, many thanks to a fellow Flickerite for the following explanation: It seems Phillip II, who had the monastery of El Escorial built for his retirement from the world, wanted to draw a parallel between El Escorial and the Temple in Jerusalem, so he adorned this building with the six Old Testament Kings associated with the construction of the Temple. This appears below in the original Spanish.
Somewhere in Spain, 1974.
The fishermen struggle to keep their boat under control in this detail from the North window of the crossing in St Giles' cathedral, Edinburgh. Glass 1922 by Scottish artist , Douglas Strachan. The window depicts the storm on Galilee in which Christ stilled the waters.
Testament performing their Soundwave Sideshow at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney, Australia on the 26th of February, 2014.
Photos taken on behalf of The Music (Drum Media).
© Rohan Anderson Photography.
Espírito barroco sobrevive na Procissão do Enterro e a perpetua . Edson Paz
Início da noite de sexta-feira, 18 de abril, lua cheia. Antigos guardas romanos de sandália e capacete, lança e escudo em punho, capitaneados por centurião de porte alto e forte, postura severa e barba, partem das proximidades da Matriz do Pilar rumo ao Largo das Mercês. Atravessam a multidão e galgam as escadarias do templo de Nossa Senhora das Mercês, acercando-se de Abraão, Jacó, São Pedro, Salomé, João Batista, Maria Madalena, José de Arimatéia, Nicodemos, Verônica, “virgens” de túnica branca e coroa de flores, “anjos”. Têm seus olhares voltados, bem como os da multidão que toma o Largo, para a expressão – iluminada por holofotes – de dor e espanto, mãos espalmadas e sete espadas de prata fincadas no peito de Nossa Senhora das Dores, e os corpos ensangüentados e rostos de torturados dos crucificados Dimas, Gestas e Cristo. Sob cores, luz e sombra, irrompem 60 vozes em canto: “Spiritus cordi nostri Christus / Dóminus morte turpessima / condemnatus”, e sobrevém o Sermão do Descendimento.
Hora e meia depois, eis o momento mais esperado da Semana Santa. O corpo de Cristo é lentamente despregado, descido e colocado no esquife por José de Arimatéia e Nicodemos, representados por dois sacerdotes. As palavras do pregador, em meio ao silêncio da multidão, mencionam cada etapa do descendimento, com uma narração teatral. Três mulheres de longos vestidos pretos, luvas e véus cobrindo o rosto – as “Três Marias” – cantam: “Heu! Domine, Salvator noster!” (Ai! Senhor, nosso Salvador!). Verônica ergue o sudário com a efígie do rosto de Cristo, entoando tristemente em latim: “Órfãos, fomos privados de nosso pai, e nossas mães são como viúvas”. A banda inicia a Marcha da Paixão, e a morte, razão da procissão, sai a andar lentamente pelas ruas apinhadas de gente, ao som rouco e áspero das matracas e o cheiro místico de incenso.
Os soldados romanos batem suas lanças de tempo em tempo no chão, representando o poder da época. Meninos “coroinhas” de terno e gravata borboleta levam objetos simbólicos da tortura sofrida por Cristo. Salomé carrega a cabeça de João Batista, mulheres de luto cantam chorosamente atrás do esquife. Trajes de gala e vara de prata próximo ao Pálio do Bispo, lanterna de prata ou opas de diferentes cores expõem e confirmam a estrutura das relações e posições sociais dos participantes.
Ao longo das calçadas, profundo respeito. O cortejo estaciona em frente às igrejas do Rosário (construída em 1719), São Francisco (1749), Carmo (1734), Pilar (1751) e próximo à antiga Casa de Câmara e Cadeia, momentos em que a Verônica, exibindo o sudário, canta. Conduzido em um esquife levado como um andor pelos irmãos da Irmandade do Santíssimo, o corpo de Cristo aproxima-se da Matriz, quando somente alguns membros de Irmandades, clero e o coro entram na igreja.
Mais do que devoção religiosa
O que revela esse portentoso espetáculo dramático, reproduzido há mais de dois séculos no Largo das Mercês, situado ao pé das primeiras minas de ouro são-joanenses? Qual seu sentido? A socióloga Suely Aparecida Campos Franco, com mestrado sobre a Procissão do Enterro em São João del-Rei e técnica-pesquisadora no Departamento de Ciências Sociais e Políticas da UFSJ, diz que é muito mais do que uma devoção religiosa. “É uma representação coletiva da morte que guarda traços culturais do tempo do ouro, onde imperava o gosto pela festa, pompa e pelo espetacular. Neste ritual vindo de Portugal, que ganhou feição local na época da mineração, está também representada a estrutura social e política colonial, e valores sociais que reforçam e reproduzem a ordem social”.
Citando historiadores, Suely diz que “a religiosidade mineira dos anos 1700 se expressava pelo culto aos santos e pelos atos externos, como procissões e ritualismos [apego excessivo a cerimônias, sem suficiente atenção ao significado que veiculam]. O catolicismo herdado dos colonizadores portugueses era menos uma convicção do que uma conveniência, era ‘menos atento ao sentido íntimo das cerimônias do que ao colorido e a pompa exterior’, uma espécie de ‘religiosidade epidérmica’. Através da exibição de requinte e do fausto, tão ao gosto da época e oportuno diante da opulência da capitania das Minas Gerais, o ritualismo festivo exercia um poder mágico sobre a população e servia ‘como instrumento encantatório persuasivo’. Constituía-se num ‘misto ostentoso de ritual católico, comprazimento intelectual e divertimento coletivo’”.
Com quatro igrejas de vulto construídas somente no seu primeiro cinqüentenário, “a absorção do catolicismo – religião das classes dirigentes e do Estado – levou toda a população são-joanense a ter nas cerimônias do culto sua ocupação predileta”, diz Suely. “As festas religiosas passaram a representar o foco cultural da sociedade, tanto que as irmandades contavam com músicos que executavam missas, novenas, matinas, motetos e outras peças compostas especialmente para as festas religiosas. Todas as músicas executadas na Semana Santa são-joanense são de compositores locais da época, e executadas por uma das duas orquestras bicentenárias – Ribeiro Bastos – criada em 1755 para os serviços musicais".
Além de foco cultural, Suely aponta que as festas “também passaram a ser um instrumento transformador de valores individuais em sociais, e as irmandades, sempre cumprindo a função de mantenedoras ativas das promoções das festas e rituais religiosos, expressam uma religiosidade popular, reforçam a hegemonia social da igreja católica, o poder político de seus organizadores e a explosão do espírito lúdico oriundo da sociedade mineradora”.
Lanternas e fantasias, extremidades opostas da pirâmide social
Por que políticos, autoridades, pessoas de destaque no meio social são-joanense ostentam lanternas? Suely sorri. “A atuação dos sujeitos, a relação entre eles dentro da Procissão demonstra a estrutura das relações sociais. Aqueles que promovem a festa, que a organizam, assumem posições de controle ou de destaque, semelhantes à que ocupam na hierarquia social. Assim, os membros da mesa administrativa da Irmandade do Santíssimo posicionam-se com trajes de gala e levam varas de prata, próximos ao pálio [sobrecéu portátil, com varas] do bispo, lugar de maior destaque na procissão, porque ali localiza-se a máxima autoridade da igreja na cidade. Às Ordens Terceiras, pela importância na hierarquia das associações religiosas, por serem formadas no período colonial e até cerca de 1930 por pessoas ricas ou de destaque social, são concedidas uma lanterna de prata ricamente trabalhada e bastante diferenciada das outras. As posições de destaque são ocupadas pelas autoridades”.
Suely sublinha o fato de que “ainda hoje as procissões significam local de afirmação social e demonstração de ‘status’ para a população, e as posições no ritual religioso podem servir para legitimar instituições, status e relações de autoridades. A distribuição das lanternas define e mantém a hierarquia e a posição social. Grande parte da vida social de São João del-Rei gira em torno das festas da igreja católica, que criam uma zona de convivência, cujo sentido ultrapassa as normas religiosas”. Suely, ao realizar a pesquisa para a dissertação, em 1995, diz que notou “a explícita diferença entre aqueles que carregam lanternas ao longo dos andores e aqueles que vestem as fantasias dos personagens do antigo e do novo testamento. Ocupam as extremidades da pirâmide social”.
Identidade cultural
Suely sublinha que “o espaço de destaque e a riqueza e o aparato da Procissão do Enterro ainda nos dias de hoje retratam a aceitação e manutenção pela sociedade são-joanense contemporânea de costumes culturais trazidos pelo colonizador português. O significado da manutenção das festividades religiosas na forma como foram concebidas há dois séculos, refletindo o modelo baseado no período colonial, é bem maior que o simples ‘apego a tradição’ e ‘orgulho em conservar as relíquias do passado’, como garantem os moradores de São João del-Rei e membros das irmandades. A eficácia e os significados que justificam as realizações da festa atribuem a esta sociedade sua identidade cultural e estão simbolizados no rito, isto é, nas regras e cerimônias da Procissão”.
Fonte: Jornal Cultura Local . Editora Ponte da Cadeia