Before this day, I had not heard of Hemblington. But I saw a sign pointing to the church, away over the fields, and I had time, so I turned to see where it went.

 

The road went for ages until I saw the church, tucked in the countryside, round tower looking so typically Norfolk.

 

Inside I was dazzled by the painted font, the wall paintings on the north wall and the various nooks and crannies of this ancient church, but not really knowing what each was for.

 

------------------------------------------

 

You don't have to go far off of the hellish A47 between Norwich and Yarmouth to come out into an utterly rural and remote corner of Norfolk. This is partly sleight of hand, because the narrow lanes which leave the busy road are so winding that they make you think you've come further than you have. Also, you might expect this area between the marshes and the broads to be flat and open; but here the landscape rolls, a patchwork of hedged fields and copses. In the late summer, there was a balmy restlessness, the soothing warmth of the sun competing with the wind from the North Sea ruffling and rustling the long grass.

All Saints is set in a secretive graveyard on a rise above a lattice of country lanes. From a distance it appears a sentinel; but, closer to, the aspect softens, and the church reveals itself as a humble little round-towered building, with much that is old about it, but also the simple mendings and making dos of later generations. I was particularly struck by the use of red brick, both in the elegant window in the western side of the Norman tower (is it 17th century?) and the moulding inside the opening of what is otherwise a humble south porch.

 

When I first came this way I bemoaned the fact that Hemblington church was kept locked, but I am happy to report that it is now open every day. Certainly, Hemblington is a remote parish, and its church a remote church, and trusting strangers is a risk - and Faith itself is a risk, of course. But the great medieval treasures of Hemblington are not the kind that can be carted away in the back of a white van.

 

The first is one of a number of very interesting, even idiosyncratic, fonts in this part of Norfolk. These do not appear to be part of a series, although this one does bear a strong resemblance to that nearby at Buckenham. They do suggest, however, that there was an abundance of stonecarvers working in this area in the 15th century, and that parishes were able to express their independence and individuality in their choice of subject. The Reformation would put a stop to that.

 

The Hemblington font was recoloured lightly in the 1930s under the eye of Professor Tristram. It is a great celebration of Saints; there are seven seated on the panels of the bowl, and eight more standing around the shaft. The eighth panel subject is a beautiful Holy Trinity, with God the Father seated holding his crucified Son between his knees, while the dove of the Spirit descends. It is a charming image; there is another on the font at Acle a few miles off. Among the Saints on the panel are St Augustine, St Edward the Confessor, St Barbara, and a striking St Agatha - she sits with her breasts bared, a sword descending. Among those around the shaft are St Lawrence with a finely carved grid iron, St Leonard with his manacles, St Margaret dispatching a dragon with her cross, St Catherine with her wheel and sword, St Stephen and St Mary Magdalene.

 

If there was only the font, Hemblington would be a must-see for anyone interested in the late medieval period. But just as the font demonstrates the enthusiasms of the cool, rational 15th century, so there is evidence of the shadowier devotions of a century earlier. This is the best single surviving wall painting of the narrative of St Christopher in England. The giant figure bestrides the river opposite the south doorway, just as he does in about twenty churches in this part of Norfolk, but here his staff has become a club, and on either bank there are smaller scenes depicting events in the Saint's story. those on the west side, recalling his life as a pagan before conversion, are all but obliterated. Those on the east side, however, are marvellously well-preserved, vivid and immediate in their clarity. They show the trials and tribulations he underwent in his life as a Christian, including the occasion on which two women were sent to tempt him in prison, and another where he is led to the executioner's sword. Another shows him tied to a tree being flogged, an echo of the scourging of Christ; another shows him being shot through with arrows, which would have immediately brought to mind the martyrdom of their own dear St Edmund to the medieval East Anglians.

 

The donors who paid for the font, in that great, late medieval attempt to reinforce Catholic orthodoxy in the face of local abuses and superstitions, are probably among those remembered by brass inscriptions in the nave.

 

And this must have been a busy parish in those days, for will evidence reveals that there were three guild altars where lights burned for the dead. We can even trace where these guild altars may have been, for on the north side of the nave there is a piscina, and connected to it is a pedestal, where a statue of a Saint would have stood. Such things were probably destroyed in the 1530s by orders of the increasingly paranoid King Henry VIII; those that survived would have fallen to the orders of the enthusiastically puritan advisors of his son, the boy King Edward VI a decade later. It is appalling to think of the richness that once was, not just here, but in thousands of village churches all over England. So much lost, so much wilfully destroyed.

Hemblington has retained more than most, and the church is a fascinating testimony to the mindset of late medieval East Anglia. But even without these great treasures, All Saints is a charming, rural building that speaks as loudly of the Victorian villagers who paid for, and probably worked on, its restoration as it does of their mysterious Catholic forebears. I stood for a moment imagining the blacksmith and the plowboy, the wheelwright and the carpenter, sitting in the pews for Divine Service. And then, after a chat with the modern custodians, we headed on for North Burlingham.

 

Simon Knott, November 2007

 

www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/hemblington/hemblington.htm

 

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Six socmen of Gert were at the Conquest deprived of 30 acres of land, 2 acres of meadow, with 2 carucates, in this town, there were also 2 socmen, one of them belonged to the soc of the hundred, who held half a carucate of land, and a borderer with 6 acres of meadow, who had under them 7 socmen, with 20 acres of land, and one of meadow, and there was one carucate and an half among them all; it was one leuca long, and half a leuca broad, and paid 16d. gelt. (fn. 1)

 

This lordship was in the Crown at the survey, and Godric took care of it; and was granted to the family of Le Botiler, and from them came to the Botetourts, as in South Walsham, and Upton.

 

William de Rothing and Joan his wife claimed view of frankpledge, &c. in the 15th of Edward I.

 

Henry de Cat and Margery his wife had an interest herein, in the 35th of the said King, and Henry Cat, and Jeffrey Atte Fenne were returned to be lords in the 9th of Edward II. after this John Fastolf and Margery his wife.

 

The principal manor belonged to the see of Norwich; at the survey William Beaufoe Bishop of Thetford held it in his own right, as a lay fee, 60 acres of land; of which 2 freemen (of Ralph Stalre were deprived) with the soc and sac; of one of these Almar Bishop of Elmham had the commendation, or protection only, of this Beaufoe had the soc, &c. and Ralph, the Earl had the other, valued at 2s.

 

Bishop Beaufoe in right of his see had also 21 socmen, with 140 acres of land, 8 acres of meadow, and 3 carucates and a half, &c. this was valued in his principal lordship of Blowfield: in this town, there were also 60 acres of demean land. (fn. 2)

 

Bishop Beaufoe gave this to his see at his death, and Bishop Herbert settled it on the priory, with the advowson of the church.

 

The ancient family of the Castons held a considerable part of these fees. of the see of Norwich, of whom see in Blofield, Bradeston, &c. and after came to the Berneys of Reedham; the Lords Bardolf had also an interest herein, in the 15th of Edward I. William Bardolf, claimed the assise, frank pledge, &c.

 

Sir Thomas Berney died lord in 1389, and his descendant, Henry Berney, Esq. in 1584.

 

The tenths were 2l. The temporalities of St. Faith's priory 18d. Of Weybridge 5s.

 

The Church was a rectory dedicated to All-Saints, and formerly in the patronage of the Bishops of Norwich, but was appropriated to the prior and convent of Norwich, for the prior's table, by Walter Suffield Bishop in 1248, and was valued together with the vicarage at 5l.—Peter-pence 12d.—Carvage 2d. ob.

 

Vicars.

 

In 1304, Thomas de Langele, instituted vicar, presented by the prior &c. of Norwich.

 

1307, Richard de Boton. Ditto.

 

1324, And. de Bedingham. Ditto.

 

1349, Edmund Barker. Ditto.

 

1367, Thomas Gilbert. Ditto.

 

1395, John Malpas. Ditto.

 

1395, Edmund Heryng. Ditto.

 

1397, Robert Gernon. Ditto.

 

1401, Sim. Annable. Ditto.

 

1402, Robert Body. Ditto.

 

It has for many years been served with a stipendiary curate, nominated by the dean and chapter, who have the appropriated rectory.

 

¶In the church were the lights of All-Saints, St. Mary, Holy Cross, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol1...

In the mustardseed sun,

By full tilt river and switchback sea

Where the cormorants scud,

In his house on stilts high among beaks

And palavers of birds

This sandgrain day in the bent bay's grave

He celebrates and spurns

His driftwood thirty-fifth wind turned age;

Herons spire and spear.

 

Under and round him go

Flounders, gulls, on their cold, dying trails,

Doing what they are told,

Curlews aloud in the congered waves

Work at their ways to death,

And the rhymer in the long tongued room,

Who tolls his birthday bell,

Toesl towards the ambush of his wounds;

Herons, stepple stemmed, bless.

 

In the thistledown fall,

He sings towards anguish; finches fly

In the claw tracks of hawks

On a seizing sky; small fishes glide

Through wynds and shells of drowned

Ship towns to pastures of otters. He

In his slant, racking house

And the hewn coils of his trade perceives

Herons walk in their shroud,

 

The livelong river's robe

Of minnows wreathing around their prayer;

And far at sea he knows,

Who slaves to his crouched, eternal end

Under a serpent cloud,

Dolphins dyive in their turnturtle dust,

The rippled seals streak down

To kill and their own tide daubing blood

Slides good in the sleek mouth.

 

In a cavernous, swung

Wave's silence, wept white angelus knells.

Thirty-five bells sing struck

On skull and scar where his lovews lie wrecked,

Steered by the falling stars.

And to-morrow weeps in a blind cage

Terror will rage apart

Before chains break to a hammer flame

And love unbolts the dark

 

And freely he goes lost

In the unknown, famous light of great

And fabulous, dear God.

Dark is a way and light is a place,

Heaven that never was

Nor will be ever is alwas true,

And, in that brambled void,

Plenty as blackberries in the woods

The dead grow for His joy.

 

There he might wander bare

With the spirits of the horseshoe bay

Or the stars' seashore dead,

Marrow of eagles, the roots of whales

And wishbones of wild geese,

With blessed, unborn God and His Ghost,

And every soul His priest,

Gulled and chanter in youg Heaven's fold

Be at cloud quaking peace,

 

But dark is a long way.

He, on the earth of the night, alone

With all the living, prays,

Who knows the rocketing wind will blow

The bones out of the hills,

And the scythed boulders bleed, and the last

Rage shattered waters kick

Masts and fishes to the still quick stars,

Faithlessly unto Him

 

Who is the light of old

And air shaped Heaven where souls grow wild

As horses in the foam:

Oh, let me midlife mourn by the shrined

And druid herons' vows

The voyage to ruin I must run,

Dawn ships clouted aground,

Yet, though I cry with tumbledown tongue,

Count my blessings aloud:

 

Four elements and five

Senses, and man a spirit in love

Thangling through this spun slime

To his nimbus bell cool kingdom come

And the lost, moonshine domes,

And the sea that hides his secret selves

Deep in its black, base bones,

Lulling of spheres in the seashell flesh,

And this last blessing most,

 

That the closer I move

To death, one man through his sundered hulks,

The louder the sun blooms

And the tusked, ramshackling sea exults;

And every wave of the way

And gale I tackle, the whole world then,

With more triumphant faith

That ever was since the world was said,

Spins its morning of praise,

 

I hear the bouncing hills

Grow larked and greener at berry brown

Fall and the dew larks sing

Taller this thuderclap spring, and how

More spanned with angles ride

The mansouled fiery islands! Oh,

Holier then their eyes,

And my shining men no more alone

As I sail out to die

A purple Royal Arch Mason veil made by MAC and SAC.

 

www.jttgrandchapter.org/resources/Lectures/The Veils.pdf

 

Part I

Comp Michael Post

As all companions have, we have gone through a particular ceremony in which we must pass to truly become a Royal Arch Mason. That ceremony is “Passing the Veils”. Why is this ceremony important and what does it represent?

 

The ceremony of “Passing the Veils” or the use of the Veils in Royal Arch ceremonies is as old as the Degree itself although it origins seem to be lost in the oral traditions of ancient times. The Veils in early ceremonies were three in number, later a fourth was added in some countries (Most all, if not all, American Chapters today work in this “four-Veiled” ceremony). There are some scholars however believe that this elaborate ceremony did not always belong to the Royal Arch but rather it was part of, or wholly the ceremony of Excellent Master or High Excellent Master’s degree (Ireland; Scotland, and Bristol, England). This Excellent Master degree can also be seen in the Allied Masonic Degrees in America.

 

So what does this intricate ceremony signify?

It could be said that masonically, passing of the Veils signifies the enlightenment that comes with Masonic progression. While some academics say it symbolizes the problems or suffering encountered by the Jews on their returning journey from exile. Others believe that it involves the Veils of the Tabernacle of Moses and related to those of the Temple of Solomon. And still others consider it as a reference to Jesus, tying it to among other things the Veil of the last Temple upon His death.

 

What is the lesson that should ultimately be discovered in this ceremony? As said before I believe it to be lost in the oral traditions of the past. What do you believe? What do you think is the truth behind the symbolism?

 

The problem with this topic is where to start. There are many avenues in which I can take this discussion, but where to start? Should I start with the colors of the Veil? Or perhaps why our Veil system of America is different of that of Scotland or the United Kingdom? Should I talk about the Tribes of Israel and there banner colors vs. the colors that are on the High Priest Ephod? Or should I discuss the Veils or coverings of the tabernacle vs. the Veil that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place or the Holy of holies. But what about the journey we have made?

So let us begin with that journey, which we all have taken.

 

After we have all braved that rough and rugged road we come unto a tabernacle and we are met with resistance to enter, the first Veil. We explain to the Grand Master of the First Veil that we have come from captivity and our intent to help rebuild the temple and that we are the true descendents of the Giblimites that built the first temple. After that we are then challenged for entry, we recollect the lesson of the burning bush from which Moses spoke with the great I AM, with that we enter. We are given a sign and password. The sign is explained by a scripture reading from the book of Exodus 7: 10–12. The password is that of the three sons of Noah.

 

“These three names can allude to Noah’s Ark or the Ark of Safety. We could say that God was the architect, Noah was the builder and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth they were the craftsmen.”

 

We now come to a second Veil and are met with resistance. We then give the sign and password that we were divested with from the Grand Master of the First Veil. We are allowed to enter and although we are in fact Most Excellent Masters promoting the noble and glorious work of rebuilding the temple we are told that we cannot go further without the words and signs of the Grand Master of the Second Veil. We are given a sign and password. The sign is explained by a scripture reading from the book of Exodus 4: 6–7. The password is that of three builders of the Ark of the Covenant.

 

The Ark of the Covenant, or of Moses, is also known as the Ark of the Testimony. Along with Moses, Bezaleel (tribe of Judah) and Aholiab (tribe of Dan) were filled with spirit of God, wisdom, understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship and thus worked diligently until the tabernacle, Ark and all things belonging to it were made exactly as God had instructed.

 

Next we come to the Third Veil and again are met with resistance. We give the sign and password that we were divested with from the Grand Master of the Second Veil. Proving once again that we must be in fact Most Excellent Masters we promoting the noble and glorious work of rebuilding the temple we are permitted to enter but we can go no further without the words, signs and signet of the Grand Master of the Third Veil. The sign is thus explained by a scripture reading from the book of Exodus 4:9. The password is that of the three principles to build the Second Temple and replace or substitute the arch of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. We are then given the Signet of Truth.

 

Alas, we come to the Grand Master of the Fourth Veil or Royal Arch Captain. We give the sign and password that we were divested with from the Grand Master of the Third Veil, we then present the Signet of Truth. We are then told to wait until the Grand Council is informed of or request to enter. The Grand Council recognizes or request and permits us to enter.

 

This completes our initial journey through the Veils.

 

PART 2

So now that we went through the journey of “Passing the Veils” where should we go? I guess a suitable place to go is; what is the right number of veils one should go through? Previously I stated, “The Veils in early ceremonies were three in number, later a fourth was added in some countries (and most all, if not all, American ( whether they are Prince Hall or otherwise) Chapters today work in this “four-Veiled” ceremony)”.

 

Comp. F. A. M. Taylor, Assistant Librarian for the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of England; wrote in 1932, “The veils were doubtless a part of early ceremony of the Arch Degree and the working of the same discontinued, I believe, at the Union in 1817.” He goes on to state, that it appears that the, “passing of the veils” was extensively in the early part of the 19th century. No account of what the ceremony was, or any records are to be found in minutes of the early English Chapters.

 

What should the proper system of veils that one should pass? What do the veils really represent? I think this is the basis of what we should look into. Depending on what you say the Veils represent you can state your argument.

Ernest Cooke, Provincial Grand Superintendent of Bristol (England), informs us that until 1929 only three veils were used in the Chapters of that Province. In 1932 after much research and careful consideration, the use of the fourth veil (White) was authorized. He based much of his argument on the fact that one, they were in use in the early Chapters. (There is no proof of this). And two, the description of the Tabernacle in Exodus is so definite.

 

A point of interest comes from the Comp. F. A. M. Taylor, Asst. Librarian of the English Grand Chapter in 1932. He states that it was the practice to have three “Masters of the Veils”, who were officers of the Chapter (Which officers, is not stated.). Being armed with a sword and bearing a banner of appropriate colour, were stationed at the Blue, Purple and Scarlet veils (The White veil is guarded by the RA. Captain (as it is in our Ritual)).

i. I will start off with the “traditional” three- Veiled system then unto the four -Veiled system. So the basic question is “Why three veils”? Before we go any further let’s break down what a veil is. If you go to Wikipedia or other website you can find various meanings of veil, from veils for women to headgear and so on, veils have several meanings. The word "veil" in the Hebrew speaks of a screen, something that conceals and separates. With that said lets break down these systems.

 

In the book, “Secret Societies of all Ages and Countries” by C.W. Heckethorn (1897) he mentions only three veils. “The Textbook of Freemasonry” (1870) which is irregular and an unauthorized publication, supposedly giving all the ceremonies of the Craft and the Royal Arch, the author states that the ceremony is sometimes dispensed with. Here reference is made to only three veils. A quote from “The Perfect Ceremonies of the Royal Arch Degree,” Lewis (1907) states, “The ceremony is said to follow the restoration to light. The ceremony is carried out with only three veils”.

 

ii (Italicized words done by me) I believe the original intent was to imitate the tabernacle of Moses. In that Tabernacle, properly there were three veils or curtains. It is said these veils were used to hide the glory of God's face or presence from the people or to separate a sinful man from a Holy God.

 

The first veil was the eastern gate which opened into the courtyard. Those who came to present offerings to God (this is where the Brazen Alter was) could pass through this veil or gate (Ex. 40:33). This “Passover Veil” separates the courtyard of Moses' tabernacle from the world.

 

The next veil allowed only the priests to enter the Holy Place (Ex. 40:28). This was the first veil into the tabernacle. The Holy place is the place of testimony, of spiritual bread, and the offering up of the prayers and praises. This “Pentecost Veil” separates the courtyard from the Holy Place.

 

The last veil was only for the High Priest, who once a year could enter into the Holy of Holies (Ex. 40:21). This was the place that the Ark of the Covenant rested. This Holy place was where the High Priest would give up offering and provoke the ineffable name of Deity. In the Tabernacle there was a table, but no chair for Aaron or any of the priests to sit on, for their work was never finished. Although there was no chair; there was one seat, the Mercy-seat reserved for The Almighty Himself who sat there between the cherubim. The “Tabernacles Veil” separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place where God "sat" on the mercy seat.

 

“I will commune with thee from above the Mercy Seat, from between the two cherubim’s which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel."

 

Exodus 25:17-22

Another correlation to these three veils above is the three annual feasts of Israel (which some believe, four have been achieved or celebrated).

 

“Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty.”

 

Deuteronomy 16:16

However, I will not go into more detail about them during this paper... lol (Research is a beautiful thing. I implore you to do some more, let me know how it goes!)

So here we have several questions. If the veils were representing those of the tabernacle, Why do we have four veils? Is there or should there be a three or four Veils?

 

If you look at the veils of the tabernacle there are three. But what of the “true” veil of the Tabernacle. There are four colors to it; does this represent the meaning of the veils as we see it today? So why do we have four veils? Why are there three Masters of the Veils and not four? Why is the “fourth veil” guarded by the Royal Arch Captain and not another Master of the veil?

 

The meaning of the four horns on an altar.

hoshanarabbah.org/blog/tag/horns-of-the-altar/

 

Exodus 29:12, Horns of the altar. The four horns of the altar of sacrifice was the place where the blood of atonement was sprinkled (also Lev 4:4, 17, 18, 25, 30, 34; 8:15; 9:9; 16:18).

 

But there’s more. Horn is the Hebrew word qeren meaning “horn, hill or ray.” This word is used to describe the rays of light rays emanating from the face of Moses after his encounter with YHVH (Exod 34:29) and the horns of an animal (Ps 69:31). In ancient cultures, the horn was a metaphor for physical strength or spiritual power (Deut 33:17; 2 Sam 22:3; Ps 18:2). Elsewhere, YHVH is referred to as man’s “horn of salvation” meaning he is the strength of our salvation. The Hebrew word for salvation is yesha meaning “deliverance, rescue, safety, welfare, victory, prosperity.” The root of yesha is the verb yasha meaning “to save, to deliver, to give victory.” Not only is YHVH called our “horn of salvation” in the Tanakh, but this designation is applied to Yeshua as well in the Testimony of Yeshua (Luke 1:69). Interestingly, Yeshua is a derivative of the Hebrew name Yehoshua (or Joshua), which also derives from yasha.

 

It should be evident from this quick study that the horns of the altar are a picture of Yeshua, who is the horn or strength of our salvation and who shed his blood for our sins on the altar of the cross.

 

This being the case, why then are there four horns on the altar? This is likely symbolic of the four attributes of Yeshua, even as the four colors of cloth used throughout the tabernacle prophetically symbolize the same thing. Crimson speaks to Yeshua’s humanity, purple to his kingship, blue to his divinity, and white to his sinlessness or righteousness.

 

Additionally, the Jewish sages view the four horns as symbolizing the four corners of the earth, for, in Hebraic thought, the earth is nothing more than a large altar dedicated to Elohim. (See The ArtScroll Tehilim/Psalms commentary on this verse and notes at Ps 118:27.) The horns on the four corners of the altar could also prophetically point to the fact that Yeshua came to save all humans (who would trust in him) from the four corners of the earth.

3. The Origin and Development of The Church of Almighty God

 

www.holyspiritspeaks.org/about-us/

 

In the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus promised to His followers, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (Jhn 14:3). He also prophesied, “For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Mat 24:27). In the last days, as promised and foretold by Himself, God has again become flesh and descended to the East of the world—China—to do the work of judgment, chastisement, conquest, and salvation using the word, on the foundation of the redemption work of the Lord Jesus. In this, the prophecies of the Bible that “Judgment begins with the house of God ” and “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” have also been fulfilled. God’s work of the last days has ended the Age of Grace and ushered in the Age of Kingdom. As the gospel of the kingdom of Almighty God spread rapidly in Mainland China, The Church of Almighty God came into being. As proven by facts, The Church of Almighty God came into being entirely as a result of God’s work of the last days, and was not established by any man. This is because the chosen people in The Church of Almighty God pray in the name of Almighty God, obey His work, and accept all the truths expressed by Him. Thus it is evident that these chosen people believe in Christ who is incarnated in the last days, the practical God who is the Spirit realized in the flesh, instead of believing in a man. Outwardly, Almighty God is nothing more than an ordinary Son of man, but in substance He is the embodiment of God’s Spirit and is the truth, the way, and the life. His work and word are the direct expression of the Spirit of God and are the appearance of God in person. Therefore, He is the practical God who is incarnated.

  

Although the work of God is sometimes accompanied by displays of power or dramatic revelations, it is often the gentle whisper of the Spirit that stirs someone deeply. The Holy Spirit has been stirring in Place of Hope Indigenous Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is due in part to the work of an elder at Place of Hope, who simply lives out what she believes. In a quiet, loving way, this elder has been teaching the church’s young people that God cares about the details of their lives and loves them unconditionally. And in following her example, many older youths have been baptized in recent months. The elder’s faith is a compelling testimony and an example for all, as she quietly draws those around her to Christ. Place of Hope Indigenous Presbyterian Church receives support from gifts to Presbyterians Sharing.

St Andrew, Great Saxham, Suffolk

 

This is a church I seem to revisit every five years or so, and I'm always left wondering why I don't come back more often. After the longest winter I can remember, and a good five months since my previous church exploring bike ride, I set off from Bury St Edmunds on a bright, cold Saturday morning, and Great Saxham was my first port of call.

 

Nothing much had changed. A large oak tree had fallen near to the fence of the park in a recent storm, but otherwise it was exactly as I remembered. It is always reassuring to cycle off into rural Suffolk to find that England has not entirely succumbed to the 21st Century.

 

But Suffolk has changed in the thirty-odd years I've been living here. There is hardly a dairy farm left, and not a single cattle market survives in the county. Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bury, and even the smaller places, are ringed by out-of-town shopping experiences, and the drifts of jerry-built houses wash against the edges of nearly every village. But the countryside has always been in a state of perpetually change, a constant metamorphosis, and often a painful one. I had been struck by this before while cycling across this parish, and the memory added a frisson to the experience of coming back.

 

For many modern historians, the 19th Century finished on August 4th 1914, and you can see their point. That was the day that the First World War began, and the England that would emerge from the mud, blood and chaos would be quite different. A new spirit was abroad, and rural areas left behind their previous patterns of ownership and employment that were little more than feudalism. Suffolk would never be the same again.

 

No more the Big House, no more the farm worker going cap in hand to the hiring fair, or the terrible grind to keep at bay the horrors of the workhouse. I think of Leonard, remembering the pre-war days in Ronald Blythe’s Akenfield, that passionate account of a 20th century Suffolk village, Charsfield: I want to say this simply as a fact, that Suffolk people in my day were worked to death. It literally happened. It is not a figure of speech. I was worked mercilessly. I am not complaining about it. It is what happened to me. But the men coming home from Flanders would demand a living wage. The new world would not bring comfort and democracy overnight, of course, and there are many parts of Suffolk where poverty and patronage survive even today, to a greater or lesser extent, but the old world order had come to an end. The Age of Empires was over, and the Age of Anxiety was beginning.

 

The English have a love-hate relationship with the countryside. As Carol Twinch argues in Tithe Wars, it is only actually possible for British agriculture to be fully profitable in war time. In time of peace, only government intervention can sustain it in its familiar forms. Here, at the beginning of the 21st century, British farmers are still demanding levels of subsidy similar to that asked for by the mining industry in the 1980s. With the UK's exit from the European Union looming, the answer from the state is ultimately likely to be the same. British and European agriculture are still supported by policies and subsidies that were designed to prevent the widespread shortages that followed the Second World War. They are half a century out of date, and are unsustainable, and must eventually come to an end.

 

But still sometimes in Suffolk, you find yourself among surroundings that still speak of that pre-WWI feudal time. Indeed, there are places where it doesn’t take much of a leap of the imagination to believe that the 20th century hasn’t happened. Great Saxham is one such place.

 

You travel out of Bury westwards, past wealthy Westley and fat, comfortable Little Saxham with its gorgeous round-towered church. The roads narrow, and after another mile or so you turn up through a straight lane of rural council houses and bungalows. At the top of the lane, there is a gateway. It is probably late 19th century, but seems as archaic as if it was a survival of the Roman occupation. The gate has gone, but the solid stone posts that tower over the road narrow it, so that only one car can pass in each direction. It is the former main entrance to Saxham Hall, and beyond the gate you enter the park, cap in hand perhaps.

 

Looking back, you can see now that the lane behind you is the former private drive to the Big House, obviously bought and built on by the local authority in the 1960s. It is easy to imagine it as it had once been.

 

Beyond the gate is another world. The narrowed road skirts the park in a wide arc, with woods off to the right. Sheep turn to look once, then resumed their grazing. About a mile beyond the gate, there is a cluster of 19th century estate buildings, and among them, slightly set back from the road beyond an unusually high wall, was St Andrew.

 

There was a lot of money here in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, so that you might even think it a Victorian building in local materials. But there is rather more to it than that. Farm buildings sit immediately against the graveyard, only yards from the church. When Mortlock came this way, he found chickens pottering about among the graves, and like me you may experience the unnervingly close neighing of a horse in the stables across from the porch.

 

The great restoration of this church was at a most unusual date, 1798, fully fifty years before the great wave of sacramentalism rolled out of Oxford and swept across the Church of England. Because of this, it appears rather plain, although quite in keeping with its Perpendicular origins - no attempt was made to introduce the popular mock-classical features of the day. The patron of the parish at the time was Thomas Mills, more familiar from his ancestors at Framlingham than here. There was another makeover in the 1820s.

 

I've always found this church open, and so it should be, for it has a great treasure which cannot be stolen, but might easily be vandalised if the church was kept locked (I wish that someone would explain this to the churchwardens at Nowton). The careful restoration preserved the Norman doorways and 15th century font, and the church would be indistinguishable from hundreds of other neat, clean 19th century refurbishments if it were not for the fact that it contains some most unusual glass. It was collected by Thomas Mills' son, William, and fills the east and west windows. It is mostly 17th century (you can see a date on one piece) and much of it is Swiss in origin. As at Nowton, it probably came from continental monasteries.

 

The best is probably the small scale collection in the west window. This includes figures of St Mary Magdalene, St John the Baptist and the Blessed Virgin, as well as scenes of the Annunciation, the Coronation of the Queen of Heaven, the Vision of St John, and much more. The work in the east window is on a larger scale, some of it Flemish in origin.

 

There are several simple and tasteful Mills memorials - but the Mills family was not the first famous dynasty to hold the Hall here. Back in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was the home of the Eldred family, famous explorers and circumnavigators of the globe. John Eldred died in 1632, and has one wall-mounted bust memorial on the south sanctuary wall, as well as a figure brass reset in the chancel floor from a lost table tomb. Both are gloriously flamboyant, and might seem quite out of kilter with that time, on the eve of the long Puritan night. Compare them, for instance, with the Boggas memorial at Flowton, barely ten years later. But, although the bust is of an elderly Elizabethan, I think that there is a 17th Century knowingness about them. The inscription beneath the bust reads in part The Holy Land so called I have seene and in the land of Babilone have bene, but in thy land where glorious saints doe live my soule doth crave of Christ a room to give - curiously, the carver missed out the S in Christ, and had to add it in above. It might have been done in a hurry, but perhaps it is rather a Puritan sentiment after all, don't you think?

 

The brass has little shields with merchant ships on, one scurrying between cliffs and featuring a sea monster. The inscription here is more reflective, asking for our tolerance: Might all my travells mee excuse for being deade, and lying here, for, as it concludes, but riches can noe ransome buy nor travells passe the destiny.

 

The First World War memorial remembers names of men who were estate workers here. And, after all, here is the English Church as it was on the eve of the First World War, triumphant, apparently eternal, at the very heart of the Age of Empires. Now, it is only to be found in backwaters like this, and the very fact that they are backwaters tells us that, really, it has not survived at all.

Michael, master of initiation, is chief of the celestial militia, and each of us belongs to it thanks to his guardian angel, who, according to René Guénon, is our archetype on the informal plane. Initiatory realization would identify us with him, the first of the higher states. In a Judeo-Christian text (the Precepts of Hermas), it is said that “a spirit given by God, possessing the power of divinity, speaks of its own accord, for it comes from above, from the power of the divine Spirit. When a man, who has the Spirit of God within him, enters an assembly, then the angel of the prophetic Spirit who assists this man takes hold of him and the man thus filled with the Holy Spirit, addresses the crowd with the words that God wants”. It is the sixth sense, that of eternity, which the initiate acquires when he truly achieves his initiation. The Hebrew Kabbalah says of Metatron: “His name is like that of his master”, and Metatron is likened to Schaddaï, one of the divine names. Metatron and Schaddaï have the same numerical value 314. Schaddaï translates as the Almighty, who is the God of Abraham, hence the God of the Covenant. Albulafia, a famous Kabbalist of the Middle Ages, asserts that Metatron, identified with Schaddaï, was his spiritual master, attesting, as has been said, that he is the initiator of angels and men. And commenting on the divine voice speaking to him, Albulafia says: “the meaning of Shaddai is corporeal... and it is impossible to reveal more explicitly on this subject because there is a numerical equivalence between corporeal (hagashmi) and Messiah (Moshiah)” (G.C. Scholem, Les grands courants de la mystique juive p. 391 note 72).

www.ledifice.net/P072-3.html

 

Metatron was an angel and the Scribe of God who recorded the Word of God. In Heaven, Metatron was personally selected by God to write down his word and then God disappeared. Eventually, out of fear that the Archangels would steal the information of God from him, Metatron left Heaven and hid among Native American tribes and modern day Americans until discovered by the Winchesters in 2013.

 

In Season 8, learning that all the Archangels were either dead or in Hell, Metatron then sought to take vengeance upon the other Angels for forcing him to leave, using Castiel to make a spell written on the Angel tablet, and emptied Heaven of all angels.

 

In Season 9, Metatron's actions caused many angel rebellions on Earth and upon his own disappointment of being alone in Heaven, Metatron started working to rebuild with Gadreel as his second in command, using the Angel Tablet to attain god-like power, accepting only the angels he sought fit and either killing or using those he didn't like. Once done so he attempted to become a god to mankind itself, rallying many human followers until confronted by Dean himself. After Castiel shattered the angel tablet and tricked Metatron into revealing his true intentions, at the cost of Gadreel's self-sacrifice, Metatron was overthrown and locked in Heaven's dungeon, but not before he killed Dean and caused his transformation into a demon.

 

In Season 10, Metatron remained locked in Heaven's dungeon plotting his revenge until Castiel and Sam Winchester released him to help remove the Mark of Cain from Dean. They removed his grace, turning him human, but spared his life in exchange for the location of the rest of Castiel's grace after he revealed he didn't know how to remove the Mark. However, this is really a trick so that Metatron can get the grace himself and the demon tablet which he had stored in the same location, a library. While Metatron escapes with the demon tablet, Castiel gets his grace back and is left worried about what Metatron will do with the tablet and his freedom.

 

In Season 11, the Winchesters and Castiel search for Metatron in hopes that he can tell them about Amara and how to beat her. Castiel eventually locates Metatron in his new job as a videographer and captures him, retrieving the demon tablet. After nearly tricking Castiel into killing him, Metatron informs him of the true nature of the Darkness and Castiel lets him go, believing him to no longer be a threat and now pitiable. After getting called upon by God to write his autobiography, Metatron teamed up with the Winchesters to rescue Lucifer. After a failed attempt to harm Amara, Metatron was imploded by her.

  

Contents

1History

1.1Background

1.2Season 8

1.3Season 9

1.4Season 10

1.5Season 11

1.6Season 13

1.7Season 14

1.8Season 15

2Personality

3Physical Appearance

4Powers and Abilities

4.1Former Powers

4.2Powers with the Angel Tablet

4.3As a Human

5Weaknesses

6Death

6.1Killed By

7Appearances

8Trivia

9See also

10References

 

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History

Background

“I'm not one of them. I'm not an archangel. I'm really more run-of-the-mill. I worked in the secretarial pool before God chose me to take down the word. Anyway, he seemed very worried about his work, what would happen to it when he left, so he had me write down instructions. Then he was gone. After that... the archangels took over. They cried, and they wailed. They wanted their father back. I mean, we all did. But then -- then they started to scheme. The archangels decided if they couldn't have dad, they'd take over the universe themselves. But they couldn't do anything that big without The Word of God. So I began to realize maybe they would realize... they needed me.”

— Metatron describing his early life to Sam and Dean

in The Great Escapist

Although originally presumed to be an archangel, Metatron himself revealed that he was simply a common angel with a secretarial position. He was chosen by God to be his Scribe sometime before God's departure from Heaven, as Castiel described "he took down dictation when creation was being formed." Metatron received instructions to write down the Word of God. Metatron stated that, before he was chosen to be the Scribe, he lived a life of isolation and obscurity among his fellow angels. As such, he was overjoyed to be chosen above all others as God's scribe. When God left, the archangels despaired, and soon after began conspiring to claim the universe as their own. This prompted Metatron to distance himself from Heaven, so as to protect the Word of God and to prevent the archangels from claiming the tablets. Metatron also left a personal note on the demon tablet. It mentions the angel taking leave of his master and letting humans take responsibility of the compendium of tablets.

 

Metatronsymbol

Metatron's signature

 

Metatron hid himself along with the First Nation Tribe of the Two Rivers, where he blessed the tribe with immortality in exchange for stories and books. However, when talking to Gadreel later, he claimed that he never got used to them and had to isolate himself to keep sane. He noted the chaotic nature of humanity as fascinating but would be annoyed by the emotion and energy they expressed.

 

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Season 8

Sam Trigger

Sam and Dean meet Metatron

 

Sam and Dean eventually tracked him down, in his vessel Marv, and convince him to aid them. They learned that Metatron had been reading books and ignoring all the angel chaos since their arrival on Earth and Sam, going through the trials, wanted Metatron to kill him out of anger towards the scribe. After Dean gave him a lecture on how he should have been helping them, and his prophet Kevin Tran, he rescued Kevin from being killed by Crowley and revealed that the third trial is to cure a demon. Metatron also gave warning to Sam and Dean that even if they succeed in closing Hell it will come with consequences and they must be ready to face those retributions.

 

Naomi and the angels captures Metatron

Naomi and the angels takes Metatron away

 

Metatron had a plan all along to bade the time by until Heaven would ultimately fall, pretending to have a wanting to save it, Metatron would recruit Castiel to help him complete the 3 "trials" that would apparently close Heaven off, doing this, Metatron believed that he could close angels off into a space where they'd need to sort out their own problems. The first trial, to kill an angel/human hybrid called a Nephilim, went successfully. The second trial, to take the bow of a Cupid, was also a victory, Metatron is then captured by Naomi and brought to Heaven to be tested on so that Naomi could see into the scribe of heaven's eyes. Once she does, however, she becomes aware of Metatron's plans and warns Dean and Castiel that Metatron has been lying to them, at first they don't believe her, but once Kevin confirms (or at least tries to) that neither of Metatron's trials were even inscribed onto the angel tablet, Castiel travels to Heaven to find out, despite Dean telling him to wait while he saved Sam.

 

“Do you have any idea what it would be like to be plucked from obscurity, to sit at God's feet, to be asked to write down his word? The ache I felt when he was gone, telling myself, 'Father's left, but look what he's left us -- Paradise.' But you and your archangels couldn't leave well enough alone. You ran me from my home. Did you really think you could do all of that to me and there'd be no payback.”

— Metatron, to Naomi

MetatronFinale

Metatron reveals his true motives

 

Once Castiel arrives, Metatron reveals that Naomi was telling the truth, he captures Castiel and ties him to Naomi's operating chair and steals his grace as part of the third trial. He revealed that their acts were for a spell to expel all angels from Heaven, rather than seal them in. With Castiel's grace gone, he is now human, the spell is complete and before Castiel is to fall, Metatron tells him to live a normal life as a human, get married, have children, and once Castiel dies, and his soul reaches Heaven, to come back to Metatron, and tell him what his life was like as a mortal being. Metatron then seals Heaven off, and thousands of Angels fall from the sky around the world, the Men-of-Letters headquarters is put on red alert as the hierarchy of Heaven has collapsed, Metatron is last seen teleporting Castiel out of the operating room. Shortly afterwards, the angels fell.

 

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Season 9

Metatron's spell caused the deaths of several angels, including Sophia, Azrael and Ezekiel. His spell also caused the angel uprising and civil war between Bartholomew and Malachi leading the creation of their respective factions. Metatron's spell also closed Heaven from all human souls destined to ascend there who would be stuck in the Veil and putting Reapers out of business. Some of these reapers like Maurice and April Kelly would side with Bartholomew while others like Tessa, still faithful to their mission, would become incredibly saddened and almost suicidal at being unable to help the human souls in pain.

 

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Metatron manipulates Gadreel

 

Metatron eventually reappears on Earth. He confronts Ezekiel, revealing his true nature as "Gadreel", with an opportunity to serve as his second-in-command, and informs him that he can allow certain angels to return to Heaven. He reveals that he still has access to Heaven, and contrary to his earlier thoughts of enjoying being the only angel still there, he finds it rather boring. He explains that they are going to be rebuilding Heaven with a select few angels allowed inside, and Metatron will rule as the new God (although he would simply be known as X). As a test of loyalty, he orders Gadreel to kill somebody he regards as a threat to their new order, and sends him after Kevin Tran. Gadreel kills Kevin and goes to rejoin Metatron.

 

In "Captives", Bartholomew's followers are trying to find Metatron by marking his sightings on Earth and recording the photos taken at each sighting.

 

In "Road Trip, Metatron continues to give Gadreel names of people to kill, including the latter's former torturer Thaddeus as a show of good will. Metatron has also "flipped a switch" in Heaven to prevent the continuation of Prophets after Kevin's death. Metatron also gave him that name of an angel who had abused Gadreel in prison. While at a bar, ironically with Gadreel's first vessel as the bartender, Gadreel arrives to give Metatron the tablets and is getting sick of killing humans and angels but Metatron gives him another which turns out to be a cellmate of Gadreel's in Heaven who he reluctantly kills. Metatron also tells Gadreel that his place isn't to question but to obey. Later Metatron is waiting at the bar again to a status update when Gadreel does not contact him. Gadreel does eventually arrive but in his angelic form and possesses his first vessel again. Metatron instantly assumes the Winchesters have set him back.

 

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Metatron smugly gloats to Dean, Sam and Castiel

 

In "Meta Fiction", Metatron has holed himself in a room with a typewriter, surrounded by Chuck's novels. He captures Castiel, bringing him to him under the illusion of a fictional scenario he created. In the illusion, the archangel Gabriel has returned to life to try and convince Castiel to lead the angels against Metatron. After Castiel breaks free from the illusion, Metatron tells him that he wants him to be the villain in his own story in which Metatron is the hero. Metatron then hears about his right-hand man, Gadreel, being taken hostage by the Winchesters. Metatron proposes a trade, Castiel for Gadreel. When he arrives at the meeting place, he lets himself fall into a holy fire trap set by Sam and Dean to show that he can't get out of it, which he does. He then honors their deal but reminds them that no matter what they come up with, they can't win against him. Later, Metatron gets back to work and speaks to Gadreel who asks him if the Winchesters capturing him was part of Metatron's plan. Metatron explains that in a story, sometimes characters do surprising things but as long as he knows the ending, what happens on the journey is of little importance.

 

MetatronGadreel

Metatron and Gadreel meets with Tyrus

 

In "Stairway to Heaven", Metatron tries on a trench-coat similar to Castiel's and then meets with angelic faction leader Tyrus. Tyrus refuses to listen to Metatron's offer and points out that if Gadreel kills him, his faction will just join Castiel. He challenges Metatron to a round of bowling to see if he'll listen to the offer, but Metatron loses. As Metatron and Gadreel are leaving, Constantine arrives and blows himself up, killing Tyrus and injuring Gadreel. Metatron then contacts Castiel's faction and offers them all amnesty if they switch sides immediately, telling them about Castiel's fading grace and that he only cares about Sam and Dean. Metatron is pleased when Castiel's angels join him, revealing to a disgusted Gadreel that it was his plan all along and he planted the suicide bombers to draw all angels to his side. However, Gadreel is so disgusted by Metatron's actions, he switches sides.

 

CastielMetatron9x23

Metatron finally exposed

 

In "Do You Believe In Miracles?", Metatron makes a broadcast to all the angels across "angel radio" stating that he is going to Earth and the portal to Heaven will be closed until his return. Metatron, taking on a scruffy homeless appearance, resurrects a young woman hit by a truck and heals a homeless man of his diabetes, earning him human followers who look to him as their new savior. When an angel reveals the truth, Metatron nearly attacks him until his new followers do it for him and kill the angel with Metatron's angel blade. That night, Dean arrives and faces against Metatron with the First Blade. Metatron is amused since the Angel Tablet grants him great powers and he knows that Castiel and Gadreel are failing in their mission to break his link to it. Metatron easily overpowers Dean and stabs him with his blade, mortally wounding him and eventually killing him. At the same time Castiel shatters the tablet, breaking Metatron's connection to it and removing his added powers. Metatron quickly flees when Sam swings an angel blade at him. Metatron goes to Heaven where he traps Castiel in a chair and taunts him about Dean's death and how the angels are just "sheep" who will follow Metatron wherever he leads them no matter what he's done to bring them under him. As Metatron goes to kill Castiel, Castiel reveals that he broadcasted the whole conversation over "angel radio" and the angels storm Metatron's office and overpower Metatron. Rather than killing him for his actions, Castiel locks Metatron in Heaven's dungeon.

 

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Season 10

MegatronPrison

Metatron in Heaven's prison

 

In Black, Hannah tells Castiel that Metatron is still locked up and that his prison door has been made permanent.

 

Castiel arrives to stop Hannah from let Metratron out

Castiel arrives in time to stop Hannah from releasing Metatron

 

In Reichenbach, Metatron is still imprisoned in Heaven's prison, confined to a straitjacket when Hannah goes to visit him regarding Castiel's stolen grace. Metatron offers to give the grace to her, but only if she releases him as he has had time to reflect on his actions and doesn't want to shut down Heaven anymore. Before Hannah can answer his deal, Castiel shows up and says "no", refusing to work with Metatron as he's made deals in the past that have gone bad. When Castiel is alone with Metatron, it's revealed that he hasn't changed as he vows to kill everyone whenever he is finally free from his captivity.

 

MetatronDean

Dean tortures Metatron

 

In The Hunter Games, Castiel has Ingrid bring Metatron to Earth for him and the Winchesters to question about how to remove the Mark of Cain, believing that as the Scribe of God, he would know. Metatron is amused when he learns that Dean is alive and not a demon, but has gone "nuclear." He agrees to tell them and tells Sam and Dean they need the First Blade which is hidden. Later, Dean visits Metatron and demands the rest of the spell, but Metatron refuses, saying he wants things each time he gives away a tidbit of information and there is a lot. Dean starts beating on Metatron who goads him, telling him it brings him further under the Mark's power each time. As Sam and Castiel try to break in, Dean starts cutting Metatron with an angel blade, seriously wounding him. Before Dean can kill Metatron, Castiel and Sam break in and Sam restrains Dean. Castiel decides to return Metatron to Heaven rather than risk his life, but Metatron leaves a possible clue that Dean mulls over: "Behold, the river shall end at the source!"

 

MetatronGrace

Castiel takes Metatron's Grace

 

In Inside Man, Castiel and Bobby Singer break Metatron out of prison after assuring him that he'll be Castiel's punching bag instead of Dean's this time. On Earth, Metatron taunts Castiel and Sam about how he has all the leverage, but Castiel removes his grace, making him human at which point Sam shoots him in the leg. Now vulnerable, Metatron cowers and admits he doesn't know how to remove the Mark of Cain and was lying before to buy himself some time until he could screw them over. Metatron explains that the Mark is God-level or Lucifer-level power and its not covered on the tablets. While Sam doesn't believe him, Castiel can tell that Metatron is actually telling the truth. When Sam goes to kill him, Metatron quickly tells them that he wasn't lying about there still being some of Castiel's grace left and offers to take him to it in exchange for his life. Castiel reluctantly agrees and he and Metatron take off in his car to find it while Sam returns to the Bunker.

 

Metatron killed Trucker Cupid

Metatron killed Trucker Cupid

 

During Book of the Damned, Castiel and Metatron continue their road trip to retrieve Castiel's grace. Metatron starts to enjoy his new humanity, but annoys Castiel with his antics, resulting in Castiel punching Metatron. Eventually they stop for food which Metatron enjoys but turns out to be lactose intolerant and makes a mess. As they leave, Castiel and Metatron are attacked by an angry Cupid who nearly kills Castiel before Metatron saves him and kills the Cupid. However, this doesn't endear him to Castiel as he'd hoped.

 

MetatronTablet

Metatron escapes with the demon tablet

 

Reaching a library, Metatron reveals that it is where the grace is hidden as no one visits a library anymore. While Castiel is able to sense that his grace is actually there, he can't sense its location and Metatron reveals he doesn't know it either. Under threat, Metatron explains that he had another angel hide the grace, even from him so he couldn't give up its location under torture. However, he had the angel hide clues in the books and he and Castiel search finding the first clue: "what's the most insane thing a man can do?" Looking for a book with that title, Metatron tries to talk to Castiel about what he will do once he gets all of the remaining angels back into Heaven since Hannah has put it back in order. Castiel refuses to talk and Metatron uses the distraction to cast a spell to stun Castiel. Metatron reveals that the clues are actually book titles and that he's there to retrieve Castiel's grace as well as the demon tablet which is hidden there also. Metatron retrieves the demon tablet, but finds that Castiel has gotten to his grace first so he flees with just the tablet. It is later revealed that he steals Castiel's car when he goes. Getting his grace back restores Castiel to his full power and rank as a Seraphim, but he and Sam worry about what Metatron could do with the demon tablet. Castiel also lies to Dean about how he got his grace back, saying that Hannah got it out of Metatron and not telling him about Metatron's escape despite the threat it poses.

 

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Season 11

In Form and Void, Efram and Jonah torture Castiel for information on Metatron's escaped, not believing Castiel didn't help him since Castiel has Metatron's grace. Hannah attempts to help them through trickery, but fails as Castiel honestly knows nothing and sees through the deception.

 

In The Bad Seed, the Winchesters and Castiel search for Metatron, hoping that as he's the Scribe of God, he may know something about Amara. However, their searches turn up nothing as Metatron hasn't had any accidents with Castiel's car which would've led them to him. Castiel is a bit surprised, commenting that after centuries of being a shut-in, Metatron wouldn't be expected to be a good driver.

 

Castiel discovers that Metatron is the cameraman

Castiel finds out that Metratron is the videographer

 

In Our Little World, while watching a news clip of a violent crime, Castiel spots that the videographer is Metatron from his reflection in a car's mirror.

 

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Castiel finally tracks down Metatron

 

Metatron films the aftermath of a shooting, stealing the man's wallet and money only to discover that he is still alive. Metatron bemoans how he used to be able to heal such wounds with ease, though he can't anymore and wouldn't anyway. As Metatron tells the man that he's "not that guy" anymore and can't save him, Castiel appears behind him and tells Metatron that he can save the guy. Castiel heals the man's wound as Metatron video tapes, explaining that he found Metatron by scanning the police radio and then getting to the scene of the crime before the cops. Seeing Metatron recording him, Castiel knocks the camera out of his hand and breaks it, to Metatron's annoyance as he had to steal and pawn a lot of stuff to pay for his camera and felt the footage of a real-life angel would get him more than a homicide. As a police car arrives, Castiel grabs Metatron and drags him away.

 

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Severely beaten, Metatron reveals the Darkness's true identity

 

Castiel takes Metatron to an old warehouse where he is disgusted by what Metatron is doing for money. Metatron points out that Castiel only tried to live as a human for around a month but Metatron is human forever. He tells Castiel that he was nothing when Castiel took his grace, on the run from angels without money but he managed to build his own business. Metatron claims that religion and literature are dead so he has caught up with the times through videography. Metatron tells him that reality is the new literature of the era and he's out on the streets every night capturing it, seeing himself as reality's author. An annoyed Castiel starts to ask Metatron about Amara, but Metatron misunderstands what he wants and believes he wants the demon tablet. Metatron tries to claim that he hid it where Castiel and the Winchesters will never find it, but Castiel just pulls the demon tablet out of his coat and tells Metatron he found it under Metatron's mattress after searching his apartment. Castiel asks Metatron about the Darkness, but while Metatron admits he knows something, he refuses to tell Castiel. When Castiel threatens him, Metatron calls him broken, scarred deep and paralyzed by trauma and fear. Telling Metatron its not fear, Castiel attacks Metatron, beating him badly and demanding answers about the Darkness. Metatron simply continues to taunt Castiel about how everyone uses him enraging Castiel into further attacking and leaving Metatron badly beaten. Castiel nearly beats Metatron to death, but when Metatron asks Castiel to finish the job, he stops himself. Castiel realizes Metatron wants to die and asks him about what he said about being happy as a human and building a life for himself. Metatron admits he lied and can't stand a human life anymore. Castiel refuses to kill Metatron, telling him that Metatron was right about Castiel being tired of having his strings pulled and he won't let the former angel off easy. Castiel asks Metatron again about the Darkness and Metatron reveals the truth about it: the Darkness is God's sister that he had to give up in order to create the world.

 

After getting what he needs from Metatron, Castiel lets him go to the Winchesters' annoyance. Castiel explains that Metatron isn't going anywhere as if he draws any sort of attention, the angels will destroy him. Castiel tells the Winchesters that Metatron is now human "and a pitiable one at that" and that he left him in traction.

 

ChuckMetatron

Metatron meets God

 

Many weeks later in Don't Call Me Shurley, Metatron is desperately searching for food inside a dumpster. When he finds a burger, he kindly gives it to a stray dog, forcing himself to continue digging finding nothing before he shouts that he gives up. Suddenly, he and the dog are summoned to a bar, where he finds Chuck Shurley, the author of the Supernatural books. Metatron wondered if he was going to be destroyed as he went on rant about his life as he criticizes Chuck's books, which he deems not even close to cracking the top 10,000 best books he's ever read. Chuck soon revealed his knowledge of Metatron burning one of his books as the latter questioned his knowledge of that.

 

When Chuck offers him a pair of sunglasses, Metatron is awe-struck when he witnesses Chuck reveal himself to be God, prompting a worried Metatron to take back everything he said.

 

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Metatron's talk with God

 

God, or preferably "Chuck", requests Metatron for help in completing his auto-biography. Metatron is initially delighted, even jokingly asking if he can be angel again if its good but his suggestion is denied which he agrees. He soon realizes that Chuck intends to finish this book regardless if the world is destroyed by The Darkness, due to having grown disappointed in all of his creations. Furthermore, when Metatron angers him he is thrown out of the bar and is disappointed when Chuck tells him that the only reason he chose him as his scribe was because he was "the closest to the door". Despite that, they continue writing the biography with Metatron even revealing he took over Heaven to get God's attention as he voices the imperfections of humans but how they never give up.

 

It is thanks to Metatron's persistent pleas and demands that Chuck eventually accepts his former role as God and goes off to help Sam and Dean Winchester deal with a rabid situation, as well as revealing himself to them for the first time.

 

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In All in the Family, Metatron is in a bar when he sees a news report on Amara's fog in Hope Springs, Idaho. After spotting the Winchesters meeting with Chuck in the report, Metatron calls Dean and asks to meet to show him something.

 

Later that night, the Winchesters meet with Metatron at the bar where he tells them of his meeting with Chuck and reveals the latter plans to meet with the Darkness and sacrifice himself to her. Metatron proves this by giving the Winchesters Chuck's autobiography, which Metatron refers to as "a suicide note".

 

Sam, Metatron and Donatello arrives at the building where Lucifer is being held

Sam, Metatron and Donatello come to Lucifer's rescue

 

After Dean has an unsuccessful meeting with Chuck, Sam lets Metatron into the Bunker after he repeatedly texts them. Metatron offers his help in defeating the Darkness, pointing out the level of knowledge he possesses as the Scribe of God. Metatron explains that he's been by God's side since the Creation and now that he wants to kill himself, Metatron feels that if there's anything he can do to save him and his creation, he should. Dean explains to Metatron that they plan to rescue Lucifer from the Darkness and work with him and God to defeat her.

 

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Metatron is killed by Amara

 

As Dean acts as a distraction for the Darkness, Sam, Metatron and Donatello Redfield travel to where Lucifer is trapped. Metatron sets to work examining his binds, horrified by the state Lucifer is in. Metatron casts a spell and frees Lucifer who is unable to teleport them out. After Donatello senses the Darkness coming, Metatron tells them to go while he stays behind to hold her off. Metatron draws an angel banishing sigil and uses it on the Darkness to no effect when she arrives. Metatron tells Amara that God meant well and asks her to spare the universe. Amara tells Metatron to "spare this" and then surrounds him with darkness, imploding Metatron into nothing. Dean later comments that he didn't see it coming that Metatron would sacrifice himself as he did.

 

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Season 13

In The Big Empty, the Shadow shows Castiel a vision of Metatron stealing his grace.

 

In War of the Worlds, while wondering if the angels have Jack, Castiel asks Duma if Jack is potentially in Metatron's old cell. However, Duma assures him that this is not the case as the angels intend to enslave Jack if they can get their hands on him, not imprison him.

 

In Funeralia, Naomi reveals that she survived Metatron's attack on her, but it took her years to recover to the point that she is now "mostly here."

 

Season 14

In Byzantium, the Shadow's attack on Heaven to get Jack's soul is stated to have opened all of the gates of Heaven, even the ones that Metatron permanently sealed years before.

 

Season 15

In Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven, the Winchesters and Castiel have Prophet Donatello Redfield search through the Demon Tablet in hopes of finding something to lock God up. Donatello finds Metatron's annotated notes on the tablet which Donatello states appears to be an effort by Metatron to give context to God's actions. Donatello finds out from Metatron's notes that God has a secret fear which he guards closely and only shared with favorite which they realize means Michael.

 

In Inherit the Earth, Metatron appears in the flashback sequence at the end.

 

Personality

“So I'm a fake. Do you have any idea how much pan-cake makeup and soft lighting it took to get God to work a rope line? He hated it. And, you know, humans sense that. So they prayed harder and longer and fought more wars in his name. And for what?! So they could die of malaria? Leukemia? And all the while, blaming themselves! "Oh, if only I'd been more prayerful, God would have loved me! God would have saved me!" You know what?! God didn't even know their name! But I do. Because I've walked among them. And I can save them.”

— Metatron in Do You Believe In Miracles?

For an angel, Metatron appeared to be quite human-like, openly expressing emotions such as joy, admiration, disdain and sympathy. He does not show the arrogance or pettiness that other celestial beings do. He admired humans, due to their use of free will, and particularly enjoyed their stories, seeing it as a great example of free will. Metatron views existence as his own personal story, with himself as the hero and his opponents as villains. He even purposely spares many of his enemies and encourages them to oppose him, simply so that they will be playing the roles he has assigned them in his story.

 

However Metatron disliked other angels, and was fearful and suspicious of them, particularly of the Archangels. Metatron appeared benevolent and helped humans with his powers. However, he was suspicious when dealing with those he did not know. Metatron is also very logical and intelligent.

 

However, he has also proved to be very bitter, vengeful and manipulative with angels as well. It was revealed he wanted to expel all angels from Heaven as revenge for his own exile. So he tricked and manipulated Castiel into completing the "trials" and expelled every angel from Heaven. Despite this, he claims that he is "an entity of his word" and he does trade the Winchesters Castiel for Gadreel as they agreed. While showing respect for God and believing him to be a fair individual, Metatron shows disdain for God "publishing the first draft" and believes firmly on re-writing and working at something until it is perfect. Metatron also believes himself to be extremely funny and claims he even made God laugh twice.

 

Metatron later reveals that he had changed his mind, as he became lonely upstairs, and now plans to rebuild Heaven, now with a select few angels. He also reveals his opinion of humans isn't as high as he originally stated, revealing although he doesn't hate them, he does find them "chaotic" and "exhausting" due to their endless expression of emotions and desires and claims that isolating himself was the only thing that kept him sane while he was on earth. Metatron is also quite cruel, capricious and uncaring as he sacrifices several of his own followers to turn his enemies against Castiel and takes gleeful pleasure in watching a fallen angel be attacked by people who are defending him. Metatron's ultimate goal is to assign himself as the new God while completing his own story which he sees as his "masterpiece."

 

Metatron can be incredibly arrogant, much of it coming from the god-like power he attains. However, even without this, he is still arrogant, telling Castiel that no one will believe Castiel's story and those who did can be easily dealt with. He also indicates to Castiel that he believes he himself to be one of if not the best storyteller there is and shows great disgust for humans and little respect for other angels, dismissing them as sheep that will follow blindly. This proves to be his downfall as when Castiel causes him to broadcast his true beliefs and intentions over "angel radio," Metatron is too arrogant to realize that he's being duped and too shocked to react quickly.

 

After his imprisonment, Metatron became vengeful, declaring that he would one day get out and destroy everything in revenge. However, Metatron is revealed to actually be a coward at heart: after Sam and Castiel took him to the Bunker, he lied about knowing how to remove the Mark of Cain in order to save himself and when he lost all his leverage when Sam and Castiel removed his grace, Metatron cowered and admitted to all his lies, breaking easily.

 

After Castiel turns him human, Metatron attempts to enjoy human experiences such as eating food but has trouble. After spending months as a human, Metatron becomes what Castiel calls a vulture, prying on human crime to make money to survive, video taping the aftermath of crimes and stealing money. Metatron tells him that religion and novels are dead and he now sees reality as the new literature which is why he got into videography as he is now the "author of reality". Though Metatron claims to have built a life for himself as a human and to be enjoying it, he actually wants to die rather than continue as he finds the human things he has to do undignified. As a result, Castiel lets him live, seeing Metatron as not being a threat anymore and a rather pitiable human now. While talking to a mortally wounded man, Metatron expressed regret over losing his former powers which would've allowed him to heal the man easily, but stated he wouldn't have done it even if he could've at the time. However, he does show some regret that he can't save the man even while planning to use his death to make money.

 

While Metatron was a skilled liar as an angel, he is a terrible liar as a human, telling Castiel he hid the demon tablet where he could never find it while it was just under his mattress in his apartment. Despite his dislike of being human, Metatron displayed an ability to adapt well to his new situation, being a good enough driver to steal Castiel's car and not draw attention with it, have an apartment, pay bills and get a job as a videographer. He also understands technology well enough to scour the police scanners for crimes and get to the scene before authorities even without being able to teleport.

 

After many weeks of being a helpless human, Metatron has come to accept humanity and adore them. He even gave a meal he found in a dumpster to a stray dog. His compassion for humanity was so strong that Metatron bravely spoke back against his creator, God, when the latter proved willing to just let his sister destroy the entire human race. During this encounter, Metatron also admitted to finding his own period as "God" to have been lame and silly, and his cruelty had solely been based on his desire for God's attention. Metatron also seems to have accepted that he will never become an angel again, as when he asked God if he would be allowed to become an angel again, he quickly accepted that it was a 'good call' not to have him become one.

 

After learning that God was going to sacrifice himself to Amara, Metatron aided the Winchesters in an effort to save God. Metatron explains to them that while at one time he didn't care, he has been by God's side since the Creation and God believed in him. As a result, if there's anything Metatron can do to save God and humanity, he is willing to do it. During the rescue of Lucifer, Metatron is shown to be horrified by the state of the archangel and after Lucifer can't teleport them out, decides to sacrifice himself to buy Sam time to get Lucifer to safety. At the end of his life, Metatron faces down Amara bravely and simply asks her to spare the universe, having no thought for himself as he did in the past.

 

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Physical Appearance

Metatron's true form was able to deteriorate the flesh off of Crowley's vessel. It is unknown what he truly looks like, however, as an angel, he does have at least two large, feathered wings. On Earth, he manifests in the embodiment of a middle-aged, pot bellied, bearded man. Metatron's clothing choice changes several times over the course of the series from his more casual clothes in "The Great Escapist" to a more ostentatious outfit while writing his "masterpiece", to a grungier look when he pretends to be homeless. He later wears a straight-jacket briefly, but is dressed in regular clothes once more when he's brought to Earth to be interrogated about the Mark of Cain, clothes he remains in afterwards. After becoming a human videographer, Metatron adds a cap with the words "Marv Corp" to his ensemble. He loses this after Castiel captures him.

 

Powers and Abilities

“So, you took Abaddon's scalp, then you figured you'd take on little old nebbishy me. What could go wrong? And you're powered by the bone of a jackass, and it is just awesome, right? Here's a tip - next time, try to be powered by the Word of God.”

— Metatron to Dean

in Do You Believe In Miracles?

Metatron had the power of regular angels as well as few rare ones that are exclusive to him as God's scribe, and was able to use them all despite leaving Heaven for a long time, similar to seraphim, grigori and archangels. Additionally, as the Scribe of God, he was able to erase any Enochian sigils planted to ward off angels. Apart from his powers, he was incredibly intelligent. He was able to avoid detection by Heaven's forces for thousands of years. Possessing at least the demon and angel tablets and being the King of Heaven (or, as he sees it, the new "God"), he became even more powerful, gaining god-like powers such as being able to blow out a holy fire ring. After Castiel shattered the angel tablet, these extra powers were removed. Following the loss of the angel tablet, Metatron retained his powers as a regular angel, but later lost them when Castiel took his grace and rendered him human.

 

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Former Powers

Angelic Possession - Metatron possessed a human vessel to exist in corporeal form.

Biokinesis - Metatron manipulated angelic biology by searing and etching the names of all the prophets into the angels' brains.[1][2]

Geokinesis - Metatron was able to hide the Word of God tablets in the vault of the Earth for safe keeping.

Cosmic Awareness - As the Scribe of God, he articulated several documents referred to as the Words of God. He, therefore, possessed an acute knowledge of many creatures, including demons, Leviathans, and even his own kind. He also possessed a keen sense of spiritual realms, although he had no knowledge of who the Winchesters were, that Michael and Lucifer were trapped in the Cage or that Gabriel and Raphael were dead, due to him purposely separating himself from Heaven, however he caught up quickly. He also said to know how to remove the Mark of Cain, but it's revealed to be a lie of his.

Teleportation - He traveled from Heaven to Earth to relinquish the tablets. He also teleported across the room when confronting Sam and Dean. He was able to teleport Kevin with him to safety. And since he was the one that caused all of the angels to fall, he might be the only angel left with unbroken wings and the only angel able to teleport after the fall, besides Grigori and Archangels.

Invisibility - As Metatron attacked Crowley with his holy white light, he was nowhere to be seen.

Immortality - As an angel, Metatron didn't age and was immune to any earthly disease and toxin.

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Metatron healing Kevin

 

Healing - Metatron was able to heal Kevin Tran after Crowley nearly strangled him to death. He also healed Castiel after having cut his throat with an angel blade to extract his grace (even the blood from the wound disappeared with not even a smear). Metatron was able to heal a young woman's injuries while resurrecting her and a man's diabetes. When human and standing over a mortally wounded man, Metatron bemoaned his lack of power, stating the he could've once healed the man with a snap of his fingers. He likely meant that he could do this when he had god-like power since he required touch to heal Kevin.

Power Granting - Metatron was able to grant the Native Americans who gave him stories a much longer life than humanly possible.

Photokinesis - Metatron used this ability when saving Kevin Tran by burning Crowley. Interestingly, the Prophet's eyes lit up when Metatron arrived and used his white light. Whether this suggested Metatron temporarily possessed the prophet or merely channeled his power into the prophet is unknown or his true form reflected in his eyes.

Warding Removal - As the Scribe of God, Metatron could erase wardings and sigils without being affected by it. However, he could't remove a symbol or sigil that was already affecting him, shown as the supernatural handcuffs worked on him.

Spell Casting - Metatron was an extremely adept and skilled magician, easily one of the most proficient to appear to date. He was able to cast a powerful spell to expel all angels from Heaven. He was able to cast such a powerful spell on a door requiring the solving of the riddle that Castiel couldn't break it no matter how hard he tried with his super strength.

Apporting - Metatron was able to send Castiel back to Earth after he stripped the latter of his grace. Metatron was also able to summon a pair of handcuffs with binding sigils on them to trap Castiel in a chair.

Telekinesis - While powered by the Angel Tablet at least, Metatron displayed formidable telekinesis. He effortlessly whammed Dean and Sam into the Impala by simply shooting up his hands and opened the trunk with a lazy movement of his finger. He also easily threw Dean around the room during their fight despite Dean's possession of the Mark of Cain.

Mental Manipulation - Metatron was able to give Castiel all of his knowledge of human culture such as books and movies allowing Castiel to understand them instantly. He also implanted an illusion into Castiel's mind.

Control over the Portal to Heaven - Metatron could go to heaven or allow other beings to go to heaven because he had control over where the portal to heaven was or would be. By having the portal constantly moving, it would remain undetectable by other angels.

Resurrection - Metatron resurrected a young woman killed after being struck by a car.

Super Strength - As a common angel, Metatron possessed such strength that he could overpower humans and was naturally stronger than humans, ghosts, monsters, and demons. The angel tablet seemed to have lifted his strength to an intense level, to the point where he was able to effortlessly overpower Dean even when armed with the First Blade. While stronger than humans and demons while at normal strength, Metatron was easily overpowered when a group of ordinary angels ganged up on him at the same time. He was also easily overpowered by Naomi and her angels when they captured him. Although the Scribe of God, he doesn't seem to be a particularly strong angel, as he told Castiel he's not a warrior and relied on Castiel to do the fighting for him. He is also far inferior to archangels without the tablet. As a normal human without his grace, Metatron wasn't particularly strong anymore.

Skilled Liar and Manipulator - Due to his level of knowledge and time seeking revenge, Metatron was incredibly intelligent and resourceful and used this skill to manipulate people into doing his dirty work. In his quest to get revenge by casting the angels out, Metatron was able to manipulate Castiel with ease into aiding him despite Castiel having been used in the past. He also used Gadreel's desire for redemption to manipulate him into joining him despite his reluctance to take innocent life. Metatron continued this by manipulating Castiel's army through suicide bombers into believing Castiel was using them and turning them against him. Even while human, Metatron retained just sufficient amount of manipulating and lying ability that he was able to use Castiel's desire to get his grace back to successfully trick him into falling into a trap, managing to escape and acquire the Demon Tablet. However, Metatron's ability do this has severely diminished since becoming human as he tried to lie about the location of the demon tablet to Castiel and did so badly and was unable to manipulate Castiel into killing him.

Super Stamina - When Dean tortured Metatron for information on the Mark of Cain, Metatron was easily able to hold out despite Dean having learned torture from Alastair and took more pleasure in verbally tormenting him as he tried. However, he wasn't unbreakable as he indicated to Castiel that enough torture could break him as he had another angel hide Castiel's grace and the demon tablet so he couldn't tell anyone even under torture.

Regeneration - After Dean tortured Metatron for information on the Mark of Cain, he was eventually able to heal himself of the damage.

Supernatural Perception - Metatron could sense prophets like he did with Donatello.

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Powers with the Angel Tablet

Metatron was able to tap into the power of the Angel Tablet and it empowered him with high-tier powers no normal angel could ever dream of.

 

Lower Tier Nigh-Omnipotence - When he was powered by the angel tablet, Metatron's angelic powers were dramatically enhanced, explosively increasing his powers to near omnipotent levels. Noted to wield power similar to God's, although Metatron's later comments towards God implied he was never as powerful as God is even with the Angel Tablet powering him, he could effortlessly overcome most angelic weaknesses such as Holy Fire and Angel Blades now, the former of which he easily blew out like a candle.

Conjuration - Metatron was able to conjure single-malt whiskey in a flask for George to celebrate Metatron curing his diabetes with. He claimed he could create grace and a bowling alley. It can be inferred that he can create Angel Wings as well, seeing as the new graces wouldn't have been affected by the Expelling Angels spell.

Reality Warping - Like his Master, Metatron could rewrite the fabric of reality to suit his purposes.

Perception Altering - While powered by the Angel Tablet, Metatron was capable of altering the perception of even fellow angels, as he was able to implant an illusion in Castiel's mind and also to brainwash several of Castiel's followers into killing themselves.

Super Breath - When trapped in a circle of Holy Fire, Metatron was able to simply blow it out like a candle.

Portal Creation - According to Ezra, Metatron could open a portal to Heaven anywhere on Earth at will.

Prophet Control - Metaton was able to make it so no new Prophets were born.

Advanced Telepathy - Metatron was able to speak to all the angels on earth in their minds.

As a Human

Metatron passed his last years as a human with no special powers of his own since he had his grace removed.

 

Spell Casting - Even as a human, Metatron retained a limited ability to cast spells. He was able to cast the Angel Depowering Spell to escape. However, as a human, he lacked his innate spell casting abilities and instead relied on blood sigils. Despite this Metatron was able to cast a spell to release Lucifer from Amara's hold and was able to "narrow down" the spell when constrained by time. He was also able to cast a variation of the angel banishing sigil.

Electronics Knowledge - Metatron has shown himself to be adept at using electronics, using a camera to record crimes and hacking the police scanner to get to crime scenes faster than the police to record said crimes.

High Pain Tolerance - While not as resistant to pain as when he was an angel, even as a human Metatron was more resistant to pain than a regular person. He was still able to function with a gun shot wound to the leg to the point that he could walk around and act normally unless his wound was directly gripped. However, he was more prone to breaking easily under torture due to his mortality as Castiel only had to have Sam shoot him in the leg as a demonstration and then threaten his life to get him to tell them what they wanted to know. He was also able to taunt Castiel during a massive beating, though this partly had to do with the fact that he wanted Castiel to kill him.

Superhuman Intelligence - Despite being human, Metatron retained his knowledge from his time as an angel, including all the things he learned from God the other angels don't know. Metatron later told the Winchesters that he retained all of his knowledge of what was on the tablets including the various spells they contained.

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Weaknesses

Holy Fire - Metatron could be trapped in a ring of holy fire, and crossing the flames would kill him and his vessel.

Angel Blades - An angel blade could kill Metatron.

Loss of the Angel Tablet - Metatron's godly powers were removed when his connection to the Angel Tablet was severed.

Supernatural Handcuffs - Metatron could be bound by the supernatural handcuffs.

Grace Removal - Losing his grace caused him to become a human and lose all of his powers.

Mortality - Metatron was vulnerable to all mortal injuries after Castiel and Sam removed his grace. He was easily harmed by Sam shooting him in the leg and Castiel's beating which leaved him in traction.

Primordial Entities - Amara destroyed Metatron effortlessly. God was able to telekinetically throw him out of his bar.

Death

Killed By

Amara

In order to buy Sam time to escape with Lucifer and Donatello Redfield, Metatron attacked Amara with a modified version of an angel banishing sigil. However, the sigil had no effect on Amara. After Metatron pleaded with Amara to spare the universe, Amara imploded Metatron into nothingness.

 

Appearances

Season 7

Reading Is Fundamental (mentioned only)

Season 8

A Little Slice of Kevin (mentioned only)

The Great Escapist

Clip Show

Sacrifice

Season 9

Holy Terror

Road Trip

Captives (photo only)

Meta Fiction

King of the Damned (photos only)

Stairway to Heaven

Do You Believe In Miracles?

Season 10

Black (mentioned only)

Reichenbach

Soul Survivor (mentioned only)

The Hunter Games

Halt & Catch Fire (mentioned only)

Inside Man

Book of the Damned

Season 11

The Bad Seed (mentioned only)

Baby (mentioned only)

Our Little World

Don't Call Me Shurley

All in the Family

Season 13

The Big Empty (flashback only)

War of the Worlds (mentioned only)

Funeralia (mentioned only)

Season 14

Byzantium (mentioned only)

Season 15

Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven (mentioned only)

Inherit the Earth (flashback only)

A Very Special Supernatural Special (archive footage)

Supernatural: The Men of Letters Bestiary: Winchester Family Edition (non-canon, mentioned only)

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Trivia

Metatron is the main antagonist of Season 9, along with Abaddon. He is a minor antagonist in seasons 10 and 11.

Metatron is an Archangel according to Jewish cultures. He is also the highest of all Angels and the angel of the Veil, with millions of wings, personifying God's Voice. In some versions, was the human Enoch who rose to Heaven as an Archangel. In some cases, he is called "the lesser YHVH".

Metatron's name means a guardian, a leader or the sun's servant.

The Leviathan Tablet said Metatron was an Archangel, but Metatron said he was a regular angel before he wrote The Word of God, so its possible God promoted him to Archangel in order to protect him while he made the Word of God.

Metatron is also a major antagonist in His Dark Materials, where he also wants to become God and usurp him. Just like in His Dark Materials, Metatron in Supernatural is easily defeated once stripped of the Angel Tablet's power. Both of the versions of Metatron also admire humans and are easily fooled by them.

In Road Trip it is implied that Metatron has had more than one vessel during his centuries on Earth.

The hotel room Metatron occupies in The Great Escapist, 366, is a reference to Biblical lore in which Metatron had a human incarnation as the prophet Enoch, who is said to have written 366 books in his lifetime.

When first learning of Metatron, Sam misunderstands his name to be Megatron, the main enemy of the Transformers franchise. This could have been an early indicator that Metatron was not a good guy.

According to Metatron, he apparently has made God laugh twice before.

Metatron is the second main antagonist to have killed Dean Winchester. First was Lilith when she set her hellhounds on him in Season 3 but Metatron is the first antagonist to have directly killed him.

In Meta Fiction, as part of his "story," Metatron uses Gabriel to trick Castiel. During the episode, its left ambiguous if its an illusion generated by Metatron or the actual Gabriel working for him and still alive. In Season 13's Devil's Bargain, Gabriel is revealed to still be alive. However, Gabriel's story subsequently shows that Gabriel had been a prisoner of Asmodeus since shortly after his "death" during the Apocalypse, making Gabriel one of Metatron's illusions. Metatron's Gabriel is in a weakened state relying on human transportation like the other angels while the real Gabriel retains his wings and full powers, including teleportation.

Metatron is the third main antagonist not to be killed. The first being Lucifer who didn't die but got trapped back into his cage in Season 5's Swan Song. Then Crowley in Season 6's The Man Who Knew Too Much where Castiel let him go while killing Raphael, then in Season 8's Sacrifice where Sam was curing Crowley but stopped because he would have died. In Metatron's case, he is defeated and imprisoned in Do You Believe In Miracles? before escaping in Book of the Damned. After being recaptured in Our Little World, Castiel lets him go once more as he doesn't see him as a threat and thinks he is now pitiable instead. While he is later killed in All in the Family, he dies fighting on the side of good rather than the side of evil and is not an antagonist at his death.

He is one of the only six angels to have ever seen God prior to the series. The other five being the Archangels and the angel Gadreel.

Castiel becomes a seventh angel in Alpha and Omega.

While Metatron's plan to use suicide bombers worked in turning Castiel's army against him, it also led to his defeat as it led to Gadreel's defection. With Gadreel being Metatron's second-in-command, he proved to be a valuable asset to the Winchesters and Castiel in their efforts to stop Metatron as he knew all of Metatron's plans, where he hid the angel tablet and was able to get Castiel into Heaven where he was able to break the angel tablet and set up Metatron's defeat.

After seeing Metatron in Sam's mind, psychic Oliver Pryce calls him "some creep-ass hobbit looking fella." After seeing Metatron, Bobby Singer also refers to him as "a fraggle" which Metatron takes as a compliment.

Metatron was turned into a human after having his grace removed by Castiel. This is ironic as he did exactly the same thing to Castiel a year and a half earlier.

When Castiel stole Metatron's grace, it was in a mirror to the scene where Metatron stole Castiel's own grace: Castiel stole the grace in the same way and even healed Metatron's throat injury in the same fashion as Metatron did his.

Metatron's vessel appears to be lactose intolerant. Coincidentally, in the series Dan Vs, the main protagonist, Dan, who is voiced by Curtis Armstrong is also lactose intolerant.

Considering that Metatron has apparently been using his vessel for many millennia, it actually makes a lot of sense, since Lactase persistence, which allows humans to continue digesting lactose after weaning, only started becoming widespread around 7 millennia ago.

Castiel got his grace back, ironically presumably using the information on popular culture Metatron had uploaded into his brain earlier to find the right book. This allowed him to get there before Metatron despite being stunned.

Castiel expresses surprise in The Bad Seed that there's no sign of Metatron crashing his car or having moving violations with it. Castiel points out that after being a shut-in so long, it's surprising that Metatron is a good driver. After capturing Metatron, Castiel is shown in The Devil is in the Details to have reclaimed his car.

After becoming a human videographer, Metatron used the name "Marv Corp" for his company, Marv being his preferred name as a human.

After stealing the demon tablet, despite indicating he was going to do a lot with it, Metatron simply hid it under his mattress in his apartment where Castiel easily found it when he searched the apartment.

Metatron has bed bugs in his apartment.

Metatron is the first Big Bad to die since Abaddon. However, unlike the other Big Bads, Metatron sacrificed himself to save his former enemies.

While Metatron begins as a villain, he finds a measure of redemption in the end, sacrificing himself to buy the Winchesters time to escape from Amara rather than fleeing with them.

After becoming human Metatron gets a cell phone. When he calls Dean in All in the Family, Dean's phone displays Scribe Calling. Metatron also sends "300 texts" and a lot of emojis to get Dean to let him into the Bunker.

Metatron's experience as a human, while something he loathed at first seemed to change him for the better. This can be demonstrated by him feeding a stray dog food he dug out of a dumpster for himself while giving the dog a fond look and his changed outlook on humanity at the end of his life.

In Our Little World, when describing the truth about God and Amara, Metatron mentions about people wanting God to be a "finger-snapping, all-powerful creator." In All in the Family, Chuck in fact does snap his fingers when using his powers.

While Metatron resented being human at first, by the end of his life, he had adapted well to his situation, possibly aided by the centuries he spent living amongst the Native Americans before the Winchesters found him. He was also human for longer than Castiel, the only other angel to ever be forcibly turned human, incidentally by Metatron himself.

In Do You Believe In Miracles?, Metatron pretended to be homeless to turn a homeless encampment to worshiping him instead of God. While human in Don't Call Me Shurley, Metatron has in fact become homeless.

Metatron is singularly the only character to not exist in some form after death, as Amara completely destroyed his body and soul.

It's unknown if Metatron transcribed the Apocalypse World's Words of God or if a doppelganger of his did, which would make him the only known angelic being without a counterpart, if he dictated the tablets in the multiverse.

supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Metatron

Lincoln Cathedral (in full The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln, or sometimes St. Mary's Cathedral) is a cathedral located in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. Building commenced in 1088 and continued in several phases throughout the medieval period. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 238 years (1311–1549).[1][2][3] The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt. The cathedral is the third largest in Britain (in floor space) after St Paul's and York Minster, being 484 by 271 feet (148 by 83 m). It is highly regarded by architectural scholars; the eminent Victorian writer John Ruskin declared: "I have always held... that the cathedral of Lincoln is out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have."

 

Remigius de Fécamp, the first Bishop of Lincoln, moved the episcopal seat (cathedra) there "some time between 1072 and 1092"[4] About this, James Essex writes that "Remigius ... laid the foundations of his Cathedral in 1088" and "it is probable that he, being a Norman, employed Norman masons to superintend the building ... though he could not complete the whole before his death."[5] Before that, writes B. Winkles, "It is well known that Remigius appropriated the parish church of St Mary Magdalene in Lincoln, although it is not known what use he made of it

 

Up until then St. Mary's Church in Stow was considered to be the "mother church"[7] of Lincolnshire[8] (although it was not a cathedral, because the seat of the diocese was at Dorchester Abbey in Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire). However, Lincoln was more central to a diocese that stretched from the Thames to the Humber.

 

Bishop Remigius built the first Lincoln Cathedral on the present site, finishing it in 1092 and then dying on 9 May of that year,[9] two days before it was consecrated. In 1141, the timber roofing was destroyed in a fire. Bishop Alexander rebuilt and expanded the cathedral, but it was mostly destroyed by an earthquake about forty years later, in 1185 (dated by the BGS as occurring 15 April 1185).[6][10] The earthquake was one of the largest felt in the UK: it has an estimated magnitude of over 5. The damage to the cathedral is thought to have been very extensive: the Cathedral is described as having "split from top to bottom"; in the current building, only the lower part of the west end and of its two attached towers remain of the pre-earthquake cathedral.[10] Some (Kidson, 1986; Woo, 1991) have suggested that the damage to Lincoln Cathedral was probably exaggerated by poor construction or design; with the actual collapse most probably caused by a vault collapse.[10]

 

After the earthquake, a new bishop was appointed. He was Hugh de Burgundy of Avalon, France, who became known as St Hugh of Lincoln. He began a massive rebuilding and expansion programme. Rebuilding began with the choir (St Hugh's Choir) and the eastern transepts between 1192 and 1210.[11] The central nave was then built in the Early English Gothic style. Lincoln Cathedral soon followed other architectural advances of the time – pointed arches, flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting were added to the cathedral. This allowed support for incorporating larger windows. There are thirteen bells in the south-west tower, two in the north-west tower, and five in the central tower (including Great Tom). Accompanying the cathedral's large bell, Great Tom of Lincoln, is a quarter-hour striking clock. The clock was installed in the early 19th century.[12] The two large stained glass rose windows, the matching Dean's Eye and Bishop's Eye, were added to the cathedral during the late Middle Ages. The former, the Dean's Eye in the north transept dates from the 1192 rebuild begun by St Hugh, finally being completed in 1235. The latter, the Bishop's eye, in the south transept was reconstructed a hundred years later in 1330.[13] A contemporary record, “The Metrical Life of St Hugh”, refers to the meaning of these two windows (one on the dark, north, side and the other on the light, south, side of the building):

 

"For north represents the devil, and south the Holy Spirit and it is in these directions that the two eyes look. The bishop faces the south in order to invite in and the dean the north in order to shun; the one takes care to be saved, the other takes care not to perish. With these Eyes the cathedral’s face is on watch for the candelabra of Heaven and the darkness of Lethe (oblivion)."

 

After the additions of the Dean's eye and other major Gothic additions it is believed some mistakes in the support of the tower occurred, for in 1237 the main tower collapsed. A new tower was soon started and in 1255 the Cathedral petitioned Henry III to allow them to take down part of the town wall to enlarge and expand the Cathedral, including the rebuilding of the central tower and spire. They replaced the small rounded chapels (built at the time of St Hugh) with a larger east end to the cathedral. This was to handle the increasing number of pilgrims to the Cathedral, who came to worship at the shrine of Hugh of Lincoln.

 

In 1290 Eleanor of Castile died and King Edward I of England decided to honour her, his Queen Consort, with an elegant funeral procession. After her body had been embalmed, which in the 13th century involved evisceration, Eleanor's viscera were buried in Lincoln cathedral and Edward placed a duplicate of the Westminster Abbey tomb there. The Lincoln tomb's original stone chest survives; its effigy was destroyed in the 17th century and replaced with a 19th-century copy. On the outside of Lincoln Cathedral are two prominent statues often identified as Edward and Eleanor, but these images were heavily restored in the 19th century and they were probably not originally intended to depict the couple.

 

Between 1307 and 1311 the central tower was raised to its present height of 271 feet (83 m). The western towers and front of the cathedral were also improved and heightened. At this time, a tall lead-encased wooden spire topped the central tower but was blown down in a storm in 1549. With its spire, the tower reputedly reached a height of 525 feet (160 m) (which would have made it the world's tallest structure, surpassing the Great Pyramid of Giza, which held the record for almost 4,000 years). Although there is dissent,[1] this height is agreed by most sources.[14][15][16][17][18] Other additions to the cathedral at this time included its elaborate carved screen and the 14th-century misericords, as was the Angel Choir. For a large part of the length of the cathedral, the walls have arches in relief with a second layer in front to give the illusion of a passageway along the wall. However the illusion does not work, as the stonemason, copying techniques from France, did not make the arches the correct length needed for the illusion to be effective.

 

In 1398 John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford founded a chantry in the cathedral to pray for the welfare of their souls. In the 15th century the building of the cathedral turned to chantry or memorial chapels. The chapels next to the Angel Choir were built in the Perpendicular style, with an emphasis on strong vertical lines, which survive today in the window tracery and wall panelling.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Cathedral

The magnificent facade of this mammoth 14th-century church provides a great notion of what Famagusta would have looked like before most of its churches and monuments were ruined.

 

Behind the Venetian Palace in the town centre, you will find the glorious flying buttresses of the renamed Ottoman Sinan Pasha Mosque.

 

The foundations of one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Famagusta, the initial church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul were laid in the Lusignan reign of Peter I, 1358 – 1369, and funded by one third of the profits made on a single trip to Syria by a wealthy merchant of Famagusta, Simon Nostrano.

 

The church walls are supported by heavy flying buttresses, in place to drain the pressure away from the interior vaulting, but only on the upper level. They, like the wall itself, are enormously thick and sturdy, presumably to resist the disastrous effects of earthquakes. The later substantial buttressing added on the south side dates to after the two sixteenth century earthquakes which threatened the structure in its entirety.

 

As a result of these modifications, the church does not have the same radiance from its more delicately constructed French contemporary counterparts. Indeed, George H. Everett Jeffery who was the Curator of Ancient Monuments in Cyprus in the early 20th century summarises its appearance – “Nothing could be uglier or more opposed to the beauty of true Gothic architecture than the exterior of this immense church.”

 

The beauty of this church rests almost entirely in its refined and elegant interior perspective.

 

Gothic arches rise above the rhythmic succession of bays, from plain circular piers with undecorated capitals. From the abacus of each pier are three colonettes, merged into the wall, which rising to the clerestory level, fan out to cover the nave and create the cross vaulted ceiling, which gather at roof bosses of floral design and which often bear coats of arms.

 

Remnants of Gothic sculpture, unidentified renaissance martyrdoms, post-Renaissance maritime graffiti, all offer tantalising fragments and a rare insight into a now forgotten period of wealth and influence in the history of Famagusta.

 

The building became disused during the Venetian period, as it escaped the attention of the Ottoman bombardment of the city in 1571. After their conquest, the Ottomans added a minaret to the south west corner and renamed the edifice Sinan Pasha Mosque, after “Sinan the Great” who served five times as Grand Vizier in the Ottoman empire.

 

During the British era of the island, the mosque was used as a potato and grain store and so is also locally referred to as the “Bugday Cami” (wheat mosque).

 

In the southern courtyard, underneath the second row of buttresses, you will find the grave of Yirmisekiz Celebi. Mehmed Efendi, was an Ottoman statesman who was delegated as ambassador by the Sultan Ahmed III to Louis XV’s France in 1720. he became to be known by the nickname Yirmisekiz (“twenty-eight” in Turkish) for his entire life, since he had served in the 28th battalion of the first modern standing army in Europe. He died in exile at Famagusta in 1732.

 

Famagusta is a city on the east coast of the de facto state Northern Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice), Famagusta was the island's most important port city and a gateway to trade with the ports of the Levant, from where the Silk Road merchants carried their goods to Western Europe. The old walled city and parts of the modern city are de facto part of Northern Cyprus as the capital of the Gazimağusa District.

 

The city was known as Arsinoe or Arsinoë (Greek: Ἀρσινόη, Arsinóē) in antiquity, after Ptolemy II of Egypt's sister and wife Arsinoe II.

 

By the 3rd century, the city appears as Ammochostos (Greek: Ἀμμόχωστος or Αμμόχωστος, Ammókhōstos, "Hidden in Sand") in the Stadiasmus Maris Magni.[5] This name is still used in modern Greek with the pronunciation [aˈmːoxostos], while it developed into Latin Fama Augusta, French Famagouste, Italian Famagosta, and English Famagusta during the medieval period. Its informal modern Turkish name Mağusa (Turkish pronunciation: [maˈusa]) came from the same source. Since 1974, it has formally been known to Turkey and Northern Cyprus as Gazimağusa ([ɡaːzimaˈusa]), from the addition of the title gazi, meaning "veteran" or "one who has faught in a holy war".

 

In the early medieval period, the city was also known as New Justiniana (Greek: Νέα Ἰουστινιανία, Néa Ioustinianía) in appreciation for the patronage of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, whose wife Theodora was born there.

 

The old town of Famagusta has also been nicknamed "the City of 365 Churches" from the legend that, at its peak, it boasted a church for every day of the year.

 

The city was founded around 274 BC, after the serious damage to Salamis by an earthquake, by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and named "Arsinoe" after his sister.[6] Arsinoe was described as a "fishing town" by Strabo in his Geographica in the first century BC. In essence, Famagusta was the successor of the most famous and most important ancient city of Cyprus, Salamis. According to Greek mythology, Salamis was founded after the end of the Trojan War by Teucros, the son of Telamon and brother of Aedes, from the Greek island of Salamis.

 

The city experienced great prosperity much later, during the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. To honor the city, from which his wife Theodora came, Justinian enriched it with many buildings, while the inhabitants named it New Justiniania to express their gratitude. In AD 647, when the neighboring cities were destroyed by Arab raiding, the inhabitants of these cities moved to Famagusta, as a result of which the city's population increased significantly and the city experienced another boom.

 

Later, when Jerusalem was occupied by the Arabs, the Christian population fled to Famagusta, as a result of which the city became an important Christian center, but also one of the most important commercial centers in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

The turning point for Famagusta was 1192 with the onset of Lusignan rule. It was during this period that Famagusta developed as a fully-fledged town. It increased in importance to the Eastern Mediterranean due to its natural harbour and the walls that protected its inner town. Its population began to increase. This development accelerated in the 13th century as the town became a centre of commerce for both the East and West. An influx of Christian refugees fleeing the downfall of Acre (1291) in Palestine transformed it from a tiny village into one of the richest cities in Christendom.

 

In 1372 the port was seized by Genoa and in 1489 by Venice. This commercial activity turned Famagusta into a place where merchants and ship owners led lives of luxury. By the mid-14th century, Famagusta was said to have the richest citizens in the world. The belief that people's wealth could be measured by the churches they built inspired these merchants to have churches built in varying styles. These churches, which still exist, were the reason Famagusta came to be known as "the district of churches". The development of the town focused on the social lives of the wealthy people and was centred upon the Lusignan palace, the cathedral, the Square and the harbour.

 

In 1570–1571, Famagusta was the last stronghold in Venetian Cyprus to hold out against the Turks under Mustafa Pasha. It resisted a siege of thirteen months and a terrible bombardment, until at last the garrison surrendered. The Ottoman forces had lost 50,000 men, including Mustafa Pasha's son. Although the surrender terms had stipulated that the Venetian forces be allowed to return home, the Venetian commander, Marco Antonio Bragadin, was flayed alive, his lieutenant Tiepolo was hanged, and many other Christians were killed.

 

With the advent of the Ottoman rule, Latins lost their privileged status in Famagusta and were expelled from the city. Greek Cypriots natives were at first allowed to own and buy property in the city, but were banished from the walled city in 1573–74 and had to settle outside in the area that later developed into Varosha. Turkish families from Anatolia were resettled in the walled city but could not fill the buildings that previously hosted a population of 10,000. This caused a drastic decrease in the population of Famagusta. Merchants from Famagusta, who mostly consisted of Latins that had been expelled, resettled in Larnaca and as Larnaca flourished, Famagusta lost its importance as a trade centre. Over time, Varosha developed into a prosperous agricultural town thanks to its location away from the marshes, whilst the walled city remained dilapidated.

 

In the walled city, some buildings were repurposed to serve the interests of the Muslim population: the Cathedral of St. Nicholas was converted to a mosque (now known as Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque), a bazaar was developed, public baths, fountains and a theological school were built to accommodate the inhabitants' needs. Dead end streets, an Ottoman urban characteristic, was imported to the city and a communal spirit developed in which a small number of two-storey houses inhabited by the small upper class co-existed with the widespread one-storey houses.

 

With the British takeover, Famagusta regained its significance as a port and an economic centre and its development was specifically targeted in British plans. As soon as the British took over the island, a Famagusta Development Act was passed that aimed at the reconstruction and redevelopment of the city's streets and dilapidated buildings as well as better hygiene. The port was developed and expanded between 1903 and 1906 and Cyprus Government Railway, with its terminus in Famagusta, started construction in 1904. Whilst Larnaca continued to be used as the main port of the island for some time, after Famagusta's use as a military base in World War I trade significantly shifted to Famagusta. The city outside the walls grew at an accelerated rate, with development being centred around Varosha. Varosha became the administrative centre as the British moved their headquarters and residences there and tourism grew significantly in the last years of the British rule. Pottery and production of citrus and potatoes also significantly grew in the city outside the walls, whilst agriculture within the walled city declined to non-existence.

 

New residential areas were built to accommodate the increasing population towards the end of the British rule,[11] and by 1960, Famagusta was a modern port city extending far beyond Varosha and the walled city.

 

The British period saw a significant demographic shift in the city. In 1881, Christians constituted 60% of the city's population while Muslims were at 40%. By 1960, the Turkish Cypriot population had dropped to 17.5% of the overall population, while the Greek Cypriot population had risen to 70%. The city was also the site for one of the British internment camps for nearly 50,000 Jewish survivors of the Holocaust trying to emigrate to Palestine.

 

From independence in 1960 to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus of 1974, Famagusta developed toward the south west of Varosha as a well-known entertainment and tourist centre. The contribution of Famagusta to the country's economic activity by 1974 far exceeded its proportional dimensions within the country. Whilst its population was only about 7% of the total of the country, Famagusta by 1974 accounted for over 10% of the total industrial employment and production of Cyprus, concentrating mainly on light industry compatible with its activity as a tourist resort and turning out high-quality products ranging from food, beverages and tobacco to clothing, footwear, plastics, light machinery and transport equipment. It contributed 19.3% of the business units and employed 21.3% of the total number of persons engaged in commerce on the island. It acted as the main tourist destination of Cyprus, hosting 31.5% of the hotels and 45% of Cyprus' total bed capacity. Varosha acted as the main touristic and business quarters.

 

In this period, the urbanisation of Famagusta slowed down and the development of the rural areas accelerated. Therefore, economic growth was shared between the city of Famagusta and the district, which had a balanced agricultural economy, with citrus, potatoes, tobacco and wheat as main products. Famagusta maintained good communications with this hinterland. The city's port remained the island's main seaport and in 1961, it was expanded to double its capacity in order to accommodate the growing volume of exports and imports. The port handled 42.7% of Cypriot exports, 48.6% of imports and 49% of passenger traffic.

 

There has not been an official census since 1960 but the population of the town in 1974 was estimated to be around 39,000 not counting about 12,000–15,000 persons commuting daily from the surrounding villages and suburbs to work in Famagusta. The number of people staying in the city would swell to about 90,000–100,000 during the peak summer tourist period, with the influx of tourists from numerous European countries, mainly Britain, France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. The majority of the city population were Greek Cypriots (26,500), with 8,500 Turkish Cypriots and 4,000 people from other ethnic groups.

 

During the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 14 August 1974 the Mesaoria plain was overrun by Turkish tanks and Famagusta was bombed by Turkish aircraft. It took two days for the Turkish Army to occupy the city, prior to which Famagusta's entire Greek Cypriot population had fled into surrounding fields. As a result of Turkish airstrikes dozens of civilians died, including tourists.

 

Unlike other parts of the Turkish-controlled areas of Cyprus, the Varosha suburb of Famagusta was fenced off by the Turkish army immediately after being captured and remained fenced off until October 2020, when the TRNC reopened some streets to visitors. Some Greek Cypriots who had fled Varosha have been allowed to view the town and journalists have been allowed in.

 

UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Famagusta by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. The UN's Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.

 

Famagusta's historic city centre is surrounded by the fortifications of Famagusta, which have a roughly rectangular shape, built mainly by the Venetians in the 15th and 16th centuries, though some sections of the walls have been dated earlier times, as far as 1211.

 

Some important landmarks and visitor attractions in the old city are:

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque

The Othello Castle

Palazzo del Provveditore - the Venetian palace of the governor, built on the site of the former Lusignan royal palace

St. Francis' Church

Sinan Pasha Mosque

Church of St. George of the Greeks

Church of St. George of the Latins

Twin Churches

Nestorian Church (of St George the Exiler)

Namık Kemal Dungeon

Agios Ioannis Church

Venetian House

Akkule Masjid

Mustafa Pasha Mosque

Ganchvor monastery

 

In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund listed Famagusta, a "maritime ancient city of crusader kings", among the 12 sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and development pressures.

 

Famagusta is an important commercial hub of Northern Cyprus. The main economic activities in the city are tourism, education, construction and industrial production. It has a 115-acre free port, which is the most important seaport of Northern Cyprus for travel and commerce. The port is an important source of income and employment for the city, though its volume of trade is restricted by the embargo against Northern Cyprus. Its historical sites, including the walled city, Salamis, the Othello Castle and the St Barnabas Church, as well as the sandy beaches surrounding it make it a tourist attraction; efforts are also underway to make the city more attractive for international congresses. The Eastern Mediterranean University is also an important employer and supplies significant income and activity, as well as opportunities for the construction sector. The university also raises a qualified workforce that stimulates the city's industry and makes communications industry viable. The city has two industrial zones: the Large Industrial Zone and the Little Industrial Zone. The city is also home to a fishing port, but inadequate infrastructure of the port restricts the growth of this sector. The industry in the city has traditionally been concentrated on processing agricultural products.

 

Historically, the port was the primary source of income and employment for the city, especially right after 1974. However, it gradually lost some of its importance to the economy as the share of its employees in the population of Famagusta diminished due to various reasons. However, it still is the primary port for commerce in Northern Cyprus, with more than half of ships that came to Northern Cyprus in 2013 coming to Famagusta. It is the second most popular seaport for passengers, after Kyrenia, with around 20,000 passengers using the port in 2013.

 

The mayor-in-exile of Famagusta is Simos Ioannou. Süleyman Uluçay heads the Turkish Cypriot municipal administration of Famagusta, which remains legal as a communal-based body under the constitutional system of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Since 1974, Greek Cypriots submitted a number of proposals within the context of bicommunal discussions for the return of Varosha to UN administration, allowing the return of its previous inhabitants, requesting also the opening of Famagusta harbour for use by both communities. Varosha would have been returned to Greek Cypriot control as part of the 2004 Annan Plan but the plan had been rejected by a majority(3/4) of Greek Cypriot voters.

 

The walled city of Famagusta contains many unique buildings. Famagusta has a walled city popular with tourists.

 

Every year, the International Famagusta Art and Culture Festival is organized in Famagusta. Concerts, dance shows and theater plays take place during the festival.

 

A growth in tourism and the city's university have fueled the development of Famagusta's vibrant nightlife. Nightlife in the city is especially active on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights and in the hotter months of the year, starting from April. Larger hotels in the city have casinos that cater to their customers. Salamis Road is an area of Famagusta with a heavy concentration of bars frequented by students and locals.

 

Famagusta's Othello Castle is the setting for Shakespeare's play Othello. The city was also the setting for Victoria Hislop's 2015 novel The Sunrise, and Michael Paraskos's 2016 novel In Search of Sixpence. The city is the birthplace of the eponymous hero of the Renaissance proto-novel Fortunatus.

 

Famagusta was home to many Greek Cypriot sport teams that left the city because of the Turkish invasion and still bear their original names. Most notable football clubs originally from the city are Anorthosis Famagusta FC and Nea Salamis Famagusta FC, both of the Cypriot First Division, which are now based in Larnaca. Usually Anorthosis Famagusta fans are politically right wing where Nea Salamis fans are left wing.

 

Famagusta is represented by Mağusa Türk Gücü in the Turkish Cypriot First Division. Dr. Fazıl Küçük Stadium is the largest football stadium in Famagusta. Many Turkish Cypriot sport teams that left Southern Cyprus because of the Cypriot intercommunal violence are based in Famagusta.

 

Famagusta is represented by DAÜ Sports Club and Magem Sports Club in North Cyprus First Volleyball Division. Gazimağusa Türk Maarif Koleji represents Famagusta in the North Cyprus High School Volleyball League.

 

Famagusta has a modern volleyball stadium called the Mağusa Arena.

 

The Eastern Mediterranean University was founded in the city in 1979. The Istanbul Technical University founded a campus in the city in 2010.

 

The Cyprus College of Art was founded in Famagusta by the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos in 1969, before moving to Paphos in 1972 after protests from local hoteliers that the presence of art students in the city was putting off holidaymakers.

 

Famagusta has three general hospitals. Gazimağusa Devlet Hastahanesi, a state hospital, is the biggest hospital in city. Gazimağusa Tıp Merkezi and Gazimağusa Yaşam Hastahanesi are private hospitals.

 

Personalities

Saint Barnabas, born and died in Salamis, Famagusta

Chris Achilleos, illustrator of the book versions on the BBC children's series Doctor Who

Beran Bertuğ, former Governor of Famagusta, first Cypriot woman to hold this position

Marios Constantinou, former international Cypriot football midfielder and current manager.

Eleftheria Eleftheriou, Cypriot singer.

Derviş Eroğlu, former President of Northern Cyprus

Alexis Galanos, 7th President of the House of Representatives and Famagusta mayor-in-exile (2006-2019) (Republic of Cyprus)

Xanthos Hadjisoteriou, Cypriot painter

Oz Karahan, political activist, President of the Union of Cypriots

Oktay Kayalp, former Turkish Cypriot Famagusta mayor (Northern Cyprus)

Harry Luke British diplomat

Angelos Misos, former international footballer

Costas Montis was an influential and prolific Greek Cypriot poet, novelist, and playwright born in Famagusta.

Hal Ozsan, actor (Dawson's Creek, Kyle XY)

Dimitris Papadakis, a Greek Cypriot politician, who served as a Member of the European Parliament.

Ṣubḥ-i-Azal, Persian religious leader, lived and died in exile in Famagusta

Touker Suleyman (born Türker Süleyman), British Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur, investor and reality television personality.

Alexia Vassiliou, singer, left here as a refugee when the town was invaded.

George Vasiliou, former President of Cyprus

Vamik Volkan, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry

Derviş Zaim, film director

 

Famagusta is twinned with:

İzmir, Turkey (since 1974)

Corfu, Greece (since 1994)

Patras, Greece (since 1994)

Antalya, Turkey (since 1997)

Salamina (city), Greece (since 1998)

Struga, North Macedonia

Athens, Greece (since 2005)

Mersin, Turkey

 

Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.

 

A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.

 

Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

 

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.

 

Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.

 

Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.

 

The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.

 

Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.

 

Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.

 

By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.

 

EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.

 

However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.

 

On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.

 

In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.

 

By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.

 

In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.

 

The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.

 

After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".

 

As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.

 

Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

 

On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.

 

Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.

 

The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.

 

Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.

 

Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria

An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."

 

In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.

 

Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.

 

In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.

 

Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.

 

Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.

 

Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.

 

The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:

 

UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.

 

The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.

 

By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."

 

After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.

 

On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.

 

The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.

 

During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.

 

In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.

 

Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.

St John the Baptist, Snape, Suffolk

 

Like many medieval churches in Suffolk, St John the Baptist is remote from the village it serves. Or, it would be more accurate to say, the village is remote from the church, since the church stands on the main road from the A12 to Aldeburgh, and the village is off this road, a mile or so to the south. The position of the church probably reflects the fact that it is high, firm ground, while the village is in the marshes.

 

This is not to say that the village is not a busy place too of course, for just across the River Alde, and actually in Tunstall parish, are the world famous Snape Maltings, once the dockside and railhead of the Garrett industrial empire, and now home to the Aldeburgh Festival. Ironically, the tourists that flock the craft shops, galleries and cafes of the Arts Centre, and go for walks along the reed-banked creeks and across the marshes, probably don't often make it up to the busy top road and the church.

 

The building today looks pretty much like Ladbroke's 1820 drawing. The Victorians didn't do much here, there was no building of aisles, transepts or trimmings. The only real change is the eastern wall, rebuilt in 1920 to replace the heavily buttressed yet collapsing original. This is a simple, aisleless church, with no clerestory. The roofline on the tower shows that it was once thatched. It is, let us say, a typical country church. The tower was built as the result of a bequest in the middle years of the 15th century, and the battlements added later, in the style of the 1520s. The porch is contemporary with the tower. The nave and chancel are earlier, probably 13th century, and although they have been patched up over the years, there has been no wholesale rebuilding.

 

Inside, however, the modern age has been busy. You step into an utterly charming interior, full of light, with white walls and brick floors. At the cleared west end is the church's great treasure, one of the most beautiful fonts in the county. It bears a dedicatory inscription to the Mey family, and dates from the late 15th century. Strange animals lurk around the foot of it, and tthe stem bears the Evangelists with their symbols, interspersed with kings. But the most animated figures are those on the bowl. Seven of them hold a long scroll that goes right around the bowl. The eighth panel is a rare representation of the Holy Trinity, which was particularly circumscribed by iconoclasts in the 16th and 17th centuries. It shows God the Father seated on his throne, with the crucified Son held in front of him. The Spirit descends in the form of a dove. On either side kneel the donors of the font.

 

David Davy, visiting in the 1830s, said that the whitewash had been recently removed from the font. Perhaps what he meant was that the figures had been covered in plaster, which would explain their survival. Certainly, the puritan iconoclast William Dowsing saw nothing to incur his displeasure when he came here in 1644, and almost certainly the Anglican reformers had plastered it over a century earlier, the usual way of dealing with the problem of removing images while not actually destroying the font, which was still required by the new religion.

 

The views to east and west are beautiful, the colour of the Arts and Crafts east window perfectly poised and balanced. In the top half, Christ breaks bread at supper at Emmaus. Below, two angels flank the River Alde at Snape Bridge. It dates from the 1920 restoration, and is by Mary Lowndes, perhaps the leading female artist in any medium of the last years of the 19th and first years of the 20th centuries. She is best known today for her work for the suffragette movement - she designed their posters. Through her work at the Glass House she was an influence on many younger artists, both male and female. Below it, there is often set a beautiful altar frontal, illustrating a line from Eliot's Four Quartets. The church used to have a 15th century brass of five little girls. Davy made a rubbing of it, which is in the British Museum, but the brass has been stolen or mislaid since, probably in the 1920 wholesale refurbishment of the chancel.

 

Outside in the graveyard, the war memorial is one of the most extraordinary in Suffolk, a broken-down classical feature looking down the road to the village. Unfortunately, it is not a pleasant walk because of the traffic, but there are a couple of good pubs, and the walks across the marshes beyond the Maltings are certainly worth the effort. Not far off is Snape Mill, bought by the young Lowestoft-born Benjamin Britten as a place to write, and to which he returned from America at the height of the War. He had read an article about George Crabbe's poem The Village with its account of the fisherman Peter Grimes, and knew that back home in Suffolk was where he had to be, and an opera based on the poem was what he had to write.

The magnificent facade of this mammoth 14th-century church provides a great notion of what Famagusta would have looked like before most of its churches and monuments were ruined.

 

Behind the Venetian Palace in the town centre, you will find the glorious flying buttresses of the renamed Ottoman Sinan Pasha Mosque.

 

The foundations of one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Famagusta, the initial church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul were laid in the Lusignan reign of Peter I, 1358 – 1369, and funded by one third of the profits made on a single trip to Syria by a wealthy merchant of Famagusta, Simon Nostrano.

 

The church walls are supported by heavy flying buttresses, in place to drain the pressure away from the interior vaulting, but only on the upper level. They, like the wall itself, are enormously thick and sturdy, presumably to resist the disastrous effects of earthquakes. The later substantial buttressing added on the south side dates to after the two sixteenth century earthquakes which threatened the structure in its entirety.

 

As a result of these modifications, the church does not have the same radiance from its more delicately constructed French contemporary counterparts. Indeed, George H. Everett Jeffery who was the Curator of Ancient Monuments in Cyprus in the early 20th century summarises its appearance – “Nothing could be uglier or more opposed to the beauty of true Gothic architecture than the exterior of this immense church.”

 

The beauty of this church rests almost entirely in its refined and elegant interior perspective.

 

Gothic arches rise above the rhythmic succession of bays, from plain circular piers with undecorated capitals. From the abacus of each pier are three colonettes, merged into the wall, which rising to the clerestory level, fan out to cover the nave and create the cross vaulted ceiling, which gather at roof bosses of floral design and which often bear coats of arms.

 

Remnants of Gothic sculpture, unidentified renaissance martyrdoms, post-Renaissance maritime graffiti, all offer tantalising fragments and a rare insight into a now forgotten period of wealth and influence in the history of Famagusta.

 

The building became disused during the Venetian period, as it escaped the attention of the Ottoman bombardment of the city in 1571. After their conquest, the Ottomans added a minaret to the south west corner and renamed the edifice Sinan Pasha Mosque, after “Sinan the Great” who served five times as Grand Vizier in the Ottoman empire.

 

During the British era of the island, the mosque was used as a potato and grain store and so is also locally referred to as the “Bugday Cami” (wheat mosque).

 

In the southern courtyard, underneath the second row of buttresses, you will find the grave of Yirmisekiz Celebi. Mehmed Efendi, was an Ottoman statesman who was delegated as ambassador by the Sultan Ahmed III to Louis XV’s France in 1720. he became to be known by the nickname Yirmisekiz (“twenty-eight” in Turkish) for his entire life, since he had served in the 28th battalion of the first modern standing army in Europe. He died in exile at Famagusta in 1732.

 

Famagusta is a city on the east coast of the de facto state Northern Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice), Famagusta was the island's most important port city and a gateway to trade with the ports of the Levant, from where the Silk Road merchants carried their goods to Western Europe. The old walled city and parts of the modern city are de facto part of Northern Cyprus as the capital of the Gazimağusa District.

 

The city was known as Arsinoe or Arsinoë (Greek: Ἀρσινόη, Arsinóē) in antiquity, after Ptolemy II of Egypt's sister and wife Arsinoe II.

 

By the 3rd century, the city appears as Ammochostos (Greek: Ἀμμόχωστος or Αμμόχωστος, Ammókhōstos, "Hidden in Sand") in the Stadiasmus Maris Magni.[5] This name is still used in modern Greek with the pronunciation [aˈmːoxostos], while it developed into Latin Fama Augusta, French Famagouste, Italian Famagosta, and English Famagusta during the medieval period. Its informal modern Turkish name Mağusa (Turkish pronunciation: [maˈusa]) came from the same source. Since 1974, it has formally been known to Turkey and Northern Cyprus as Gazimağusa ([ɡaːzimaˈusa]), from the addition of the title gazi, meaning "veteran" or "one who has faught in a holy war".

 

In the early medieval period, the city was also known as New Justiniana (Greek: Νέα Ἰουστινιανία, Néa Ioustinianía) in appreciation for the patronage of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, whose wife Theodora was born there.

 

The old town of Famagusta has also been nicknamed "the City of 365 Churches" from the legend that, at its peak, it boasted a church for every day of the year.

 

The city was founded around 274 BC, after the serious damage to Salamis by an earthquake, by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and named "Arsinoe" after his sister.[6] Arsinoe was described as a "fishing town" by Strabo in his Geographica in the first century BC. In essence, Famagusta was the successor of the most famous and most important ancient city of Cyprus, Salamis. According to Greek mythology, Salamis was founded after the end of the Trojan War by Teucros, the son of Telamon and brother of Aedes, from the Greek island of Salamis.

 

The city experienced great prosperity much later, during the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. To honor the city, from which his wife Theodora came, Justinian enriched it with many buildings, while the inhabitants named it New Justiniania to express their gratitude. In AD 647, when the neighboring cities were destroyed by Arab raiding, the inhabitants of these cities moved to Famagusta, as a result of which the city's population increased significantly and the city experienced another boom.

 

Later, when Jerusalem was occupied by the Arabs, the Christian population fled to Famagusta, as a result of which the city became an important Christian center, but also one of the most important commercial centers in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

The turning point for Famagusta was 1192 with the onset of Lusignan rule. It was during this period that Famagusta developed as a fully-fledged town. It increased in importance to the Eastern Mediterranean due to its natural harbour and the walls that protected its inner town. Its population began to increase. This development accelerated in the 13th century as the town became a centre of commerce for both the East and West. An influx of Christian refugees fleeing the downfall of Acre (1291) in Palestine transformed it from a tiny village into one of the richest cities in Christendom.

 

In 1372 the port was seized by Genoa and in 1489 by Venice. This commercial activity turned Famagusta into a place where merchants and ship owners led lives of luxury. By the mid-14th century, Famagusta was said to have the richest citizens in the world. The belief that people's wealth could be measured by the churches they built inspired these merchants to have churches built in varying styles. These churches, which still exist, were the reason Famagusta came to be known as "the district of churches". The development of the town focused on the social lives of the wealthy people and was centred upon the Lusignan palace, the cathedral, the Square and the harbour.

 

In 1570–1571, Famagusta was the last stronghold in Venetian Cyprus to hold out against the Turks under Mustafa Pasha. It resisted a siege of thirteen months and a terrible bombardment, until at last the garrison surrendered. The Ottoman forces had lost 50,000 men, including Mustafa Pasha's son. Although the surrender terms had stipulated that the Venetian forces be allowed to return home, the Venetian commander, Marco Antonio Bragadin, was flayed alive, his lieutenant Tiepolo was hanged, and many other Christians were killed.

 

With the advent of the Ottoman rule, Latins lost their privileged status in Famagusta and were expelled from the city. Greek Cypriots natives were at first allowed to own and buy property in the city, but were banished from the walled city in 1573–74 and had to settle outside in the area that later developed into Varosha. Turkish families from Anatolia were resettled in the walled city but could not fill the buildings that previously hosted a population of 10,000. This caused a drastic decrease in the population of Famagusta. Merchants from Famagusta, who mostly consisted of Latins that had been expelled, resettled in Larnaca and as Larnaca flourished, Famagusta lost its importance as a trade centre. Over time, Varosha developed into a prosperous agricultural town thanks to its location away from the marshes, whilst the walled city remained dilapidated.

 

In the walled city, some buildings were repurposed to serve the interests of the Muslim population: the Cathedral of St. Nicholas was converted to a mosque (now known as Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque), a bazaar was developed, public baths, fountains and a theological school were built to accommodate the inhabitants' needs. Dead end streets, an Ottoman urban characteristic, was imported to the city and a communal spirit developed in which a small number of two-storey houses inhabited by the small upper class co-existed with the widespread one-storey houses.

 

With the British takeover, Famagusta regained its significance as a port and an economic centre and its development was specifically targeted in British plans. As soon as the British took over the island, a Famagusta Development Act was passed that aimed at the reconstruction and redevelopment of the city's streets and dilapidated buildings as well as better hygiene. The port was developed and expanded between 1903 and 1906 and Cyprus Government Railway, with its terminus in Famagusta, started construction in 1904. Whilst Larnaca continued to be used as the main port of the island for some time, after Famagusta's use as a military base in World War I trade significantly shifted to Famagusta. The city outside the walls grew at an accelerated rate, with development being centred around Varosha. Varosha became the administrative centre as the British moved their headquarters and residences there and tourism grew significantly in the last years of the British rule. Pottery and production of citrus and potatoes also significantly grew in the city outside the walls, whilst agriculture within the walled city declined to non-existence.

 

New residential areas were built to accommodate the increasing population towards the end of the British rule,[11] and by 1960, Famagusta was a modern port city extending far beyond Varosha and the walled city.

 

The British period saw a significant demographic shift in the city. In 1881, Christians constituted 60% of the city's population while Muslims were at 40%. By 1960, the Turkish Cypriot population had dropped to 17.5% of the overall population, while the Greek Cypriot population had risen to 70%. The city was also the site for one of the British internment camps for nearly 50,000 Jewish survivors of the Holocaust trying to emigrate to Palestine.

 

From independence in 1960 to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus of 1974, Famagusta developed toward the south west of Varosha as a well-known entertainment and tourist centre. The contribution of Famagusta to the country's economic activity by 1974 far exceeded its proportional dimensions within the country. Whilst its population was only about 7% of the total of the country, Famagusta by 1974 accounted for over 10% of the total industrial employment and production of Cyprus, concentrating mainly on light industry compatible with its activity as a tourist resort and turning out high-quality products ranging from food, beverages and tobacco to clothing, footwear, plastics, light machinery and transport equipment. It contributed 19.3% of the business units and employed 21.3% of the total number of persons engaged in commerce on the island. It acted as the main tourist destination of Cyprus, hosting 31.5% of the hotels and 45% of Cyprus' total bed capacity. Varosha acted as the main touristic and business quarters.

 

In this period, the urbanisation of Famagusta slowed down and the development of the rural areas accelerated. Therefore, economic growth was shared between the city of Famagusta and the district, which had a balanced agricultural economy, with citrus, potatoes, tobacco and wheat as main products. Famagusta maintained good communications with this hinterland. The city's port remained the island's main seaport and in 1961, it was expanded to double its capacity in order to accommodate the growing volume of exports and imports. The port handled 42.7% of Cypriot exports, 48.6% of imports and 49% of passenger traffic.

 

There has not been an official census since 1960 but the population of the town in 1974 was estimated to be around 39,000 not counting about 12,000–15,000 persons commuting daily from the surrounding villages and suburbs to work in Famagusta. The number of people staying in the city would swell to about 90,000–100,000 during the peak summer tourist period, with the influx of tourists from numerous European countries, mainly Britain, France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. The majority of the city population were Greek Cypriots (26,500), with 8,500 Turkish Cypriots and 4,000 people from other ethnic groups.

 

During the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 14 August 1974 the Mesaoria plain was overrun by Turkish tanks and Famagusta was bombed by Turkish aircraft. It took two days for the Turkish Army to occupy the city, prior to which Famagusta's entire Greek Cypriot population had fled into surrounding fields. As a result of Turkish airstrikes dozens of civilians died, including tourists.

 

Unlike other parts of the Turkish-controlled areas of Cyprus, the Varosha suburb of Famagusta was fenced off by the Turkish army immediately after being captured and remained fenced off until October 2020, when the TRNC reopened some streets to visitors. Some Greek Cypriots who had fled Varosha have been allowed to view the town and journalists have been allowed in.

 

UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Famagusta by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. The UN's Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.

 

Famagusta's historic city centre is surrounded by the fortifications of Famagusta, which have a roughly rectangular shape, built mainly by the Venetians in the 15th and 16th centuries, though some sections of the walls have been dated earlier times, as far as 1211.

 

Some important landmarks and visitor attractions in the old city are:

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque

The Othello Castle

Palazzo del Provveditore - the Venetian palace of the governor, built on the site of the former Lusignan royal palace

St. Francis' Church

Sinan Pasha Mosque

Church of St. George of the Greeks

Church of St. George of the Latins

Twin Churches

Nestorian Church (of St George the Exiler)

Namık Kemal Dungeon

Agios Ioannis Church

Venetian House

Akkule Masjid

Mustafa Pasha Mosque

Ganchvor monastery

 

In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund listed Famagusta, a "maritime ancient city of crusader kings", among the 12 sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and development pressures.

 

Famagusta is an important commercial hub of Northern Cyprus. The main economic activities in the city are tourism, education, construction and industrial production. It has a 115-acre free port, which is the most important seaport of Northern Cyprus for travel and commerce. The port is an important source of income and employment for the city, though its volume of trade is restricted by the embargo against Northern Cyprus. Its historical sites, including the walled city, Salamis, the Othello Castle and the St Barnabas Church, as well as the sandy beaches surrounding it make it a tourist attraction; efforts are also underway to make the city more attractive for international congresses. The Eastern Mediterranean University is also an important employer and supplies significant income and activity, as well as opportunities for the construction sector. The university also raises a qualified workforce that stimulates the city's industry and makes communications industry viable. The city has two industrial zones: the Large Industrial Zone and the Little Industrial Zone. The city is also home to a fishing port, but inadequate infrastructure of the port restricts the growth of this sector. The industry in the city has traditionally been concentrated on processing agricultural products.

 

Historically, the port was the primary source of income and employment for the city, especially right after 1974. However, it gradually lost some of its importance to the economy as the share of its employees in the population of Famagusta diminished due to various reasons. However, it still is the primary port for commerce in Northern Cyprus, with more than half of ships that came to Northern Cyprus in 2013 coming to Famagusta. It is the second most popular seaport for passengers, after Kyrenia, with around 20,000 passengers using the port in 2013.

 

The mayor-in-exile of Famagusta is Simos Ioannou. Süleyman Uluçay heads the Turkish Cypriot municipal administration of Famagusta, which remains legal as a communal-based body under the constitutional system of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Since 1974, Greek Cypriots submitted a number of proposals within the context of bicommunal discussions for the return of Varosha to UN administration, allowing the return of its previous inhabitants, requesting also the opening of Famagusta harbour for use by both communities. Varosha would have been returned to Greek Cypriot control as part of the 2004 Annan Plan but the plan had been rejected by a majority(3/4) of Greek Cypriot voters.

 

The walled city of Famagusta contains many unique buildings. Famagusta has a walled city popular with tourists.

 

Every year, the International Famagusta Art and Culture Festival is organized in Famagusta. Concerts, dance shows and theater plays take place during the festival.

 

A growth in tourism and the city's university have fueled the development of Famagusta's vibrant nightlife. Nightlife in the city is especially active on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights and in the hotter months of the year, starting from April. Larger hotels in the city have casinos that cater to their customers. Salamis Road is an area of Famagusta with a heavy concentration of bars frequented by students and locals.

 

Famagusta's Othello Castle is the setting for Shakespeare's play Othello. The city was also the setting for Victoria Hislop's 2015 novel The Sunrise, and Michael Paraskos's 2016 novel In Search of Sixpence. The city is the birthplace of the eponymous hero of the Renaissance proto-novel Fortunatus.

 

Famagusta was home to many Greek Cypriot sport teams that left the city because of the Turkish invasion and still bear their original names. Most notable football clubs originally from the city are Anorthosis Famagusta FC and Nea Salamis Famagusta FC, both of the Cypriot First Division, which are now based in Larnaca. Usually Anorthosis Famagusta fans are politically right wing where Nea Salamis fans are left wing.

 

Famagusta is represented by Mağusa Türk Gücü in the Turkish Cypriot First Division. Dr. Fazıl Küçük Stadium is the largest football stadium in Famagusta. Many Turkish Cypriot sport teams that left Southern Cyprus because of the Cypriot intercommunal violence are based in Famagusta.

 

Famagusta is represented by DAÜ Sports Club and Magem Sports Club in North Cyprus First Volleyball Division. Gazimağusa Türk Maarif Koleji represents Famagusta in the North Cyprus High School Volleyball League.

 

Famagusta has a modern volleyball stadium called the Mağusa Arena.

 

The Eastern Mediterranean University was founded in the city in 1979. The Istanbul Technical University founded a campus in the city in 2010.

 

The Cyprus College of Art was founded in Famagusta by the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos in 1969, before moving to Paphos in 1972 after protests from local hoteliers that the presence of art students in the city was putting off holidaymakers.

 

Famagusta has three general hospitals. Gazimağusa Devlet Hastahanesi, a state hospital, is the biggest hospital in city. Gazimağusa Tıp Merkezi and Gazimağusa Yaşam Hastahanesi are private hospitals.

 

Personalities

Saint Barnabas, born and died in Salamis, Famagusta

Chris Achilleos, illustrator of the book versions on the BBC children's series Doctor Who

Beran Bertuğ, former Governor of Famagusta, first Cypriot woman to hold this position

Marios Constantinou, former international Cypriot football midfielder and current manager.

Eleftheria Eleftheriou, Cypriot singer.

Derviş Eroğlu, former President of Northern Cyprus

Alexis Galanos, 7th President of the House of Representatives and Famagusta mayor-in-exile (2006-2019) (Republic of Cyprus)

Xanthos Hadjisoteriou, Cypriot painter

Oz Karahan, political activist, President of the Union of Cypriots

Oktay Kayalp, former Turkish Cypriot Famagusta mayor (Northern Cyprus)

Harry Luke British diplomat

Angelos Misos, former international footballer

Costas Montis was an influential and prolific Greek Cypriot poet, novelist, and playwright born in Famagusta.

Hal Ozsan, actor (Dawson's Creek, Kyle XY)

Dimitris Papadakis, a Greek Cypriot politician, who served as a Member of the European Parliament.

Ṣubḥ-i-Azal, Persian religious leader, lived and died in exile in Famagusta

Touker Suleyman (born Türker Süleyman), British Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur, investor and reality television personality.

Alexia Vassiliou, singer, left here as a refugee when the town was invaded.

George Vasiliou, former President of Cyprus

Vamik Volkan, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry

Derviş Zaim, film director

 

Famagusta is twinned with:

İzmir, Turkey (since 1974)

Corfu, Greece (since 1994)

Patras, Greece (since 1994)

Antalya, Turkey (since 1997)

Salamina (city), Greece (since 1998)

Struga, North Macedonia

Athens, Greece (since 2005)

Mersin, Turkey

 

Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.

 

A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.

 

Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

 

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.

 

Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.

 

Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.

 

The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.

 

Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.

 

Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.

 

By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.

 

EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.

 

However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.

 

On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.

 

In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.

 

By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.

 

In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.

 

The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.

 

After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".

 

As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.

 

Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

 

On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.

 

Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.

 

The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.

 

Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.

 

Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria

An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."

 

In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.

 

Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.

 

In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.

 

Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.

 

Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.

 

Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.

 

The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:

 

UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.

 

The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.

 

By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."

 

After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.

 

On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.

 

The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.

 

During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.

 

In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.

 

Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.

(yo...the image gets bigger if you click on it...try it out)

 

Last month about 20 of us got together for a little downtown Phoenix photowalk and it was simply a blast. Especially when we all stopped to eat at Five Guys...holy moley that place is good.

 

I owe this shot to one of the other photographers with us that night. I wish I could remember her name, but I suck. I saw her standing by a fence looking into this place, so I wandered over to see what was up. What an amazing spot. The first thing I thought of was that I wanted a bride and groom standing in the middle of these warped tiles with that fantastic old windowed-wall behind them.

 

Of course, that wasn't going to happen on such short notice, not to mention the chain link fence surrounding this wide open area. So I tossed that idea away and concentrated on getting something sans models.

 

The 50mm was perfect for shooting through this fence, so I got low to the ground and tried to pull in the amazing shadows going on from some off-camera street lights.

 

Now I gotta send some love to my boy Brian Matiash. He *hearts* a filter called "Cyberpunk" in Phototools. He uses it a lot, it's kind of his signature style. It doesn't always work for me with my landscape/stormy subject matter anyways, but I tend to stay away from it because...well...I don't like stealing someone else's mojo.

 

Of course, when I do, I like to give credit. I loved this image when I was processing it, but it just lacked something special. For some reason I thought "Cyberpunk" and splashed that dude on there and bam, it was right. I masked out a bit of it around the tiles, but wow I loved what it did to the pavement and background building.

 

Two final things on this beautiful Friday with me heading home early from Vegas:

 

1. If you get inspired by someone or borrow heavily from stuff they do...be a man (or woMAN) and give some friggin' credit. There is nothing worse than passing off something as your own when you deep down inside know you saw it on some guy's website, or a webinar, or whatever. Make your momma proud.

 

2. It's Follow Friday on Twitter, so in the spirit of that, you guys should follow Sarah Fisch because...holy crap I LOVE her landscape work.

 

(exif: canon eos 5d mark ii, canon 50mm 1.4, iso 400, f/2.5)

Girl Scouts of Holy Name from Brooklyn, NY

 

Participants: Girl Scouts of Holy Name Brooklyn include Troops 2356, 2226, 2359, 2402 and 2029.

Organizer: Maryellen J. Keogh

 

Title: “Signs of Peace and Promise”

Dream Theme: Peace

 

Techniques & Materials Used: Letters were drawn and colored with fabric paint; Symbols were drawn on fabric or cut out of fabric and put together on a green fabric background; Green represents the color hope. All pieces were sewn together.

What is your artwork about? The girls used the Peace Symbol, the Peace Sign and the Girl Scout Promise Sign to tell their story. The world is represented in the Peace Symbol and is surrounded by the hand signs of peace and Girl Scouts offering the Girls Scout sign, which is used for a number of things including the recitation of the Girl Scout Promise.

The Girl Scout promise is a commitment to duty and service. When the girls were planning their design their formula was simple. Service, as promised by Girl Scouts when they raise their right hands making the Girl Scout sign + the signs of peace = love for one another and our world.

All the signs, Peace, the Girl Scout Promise and the World are placed on a huge heart. This heart is surrounded by the Holy Name Girl Scouts, who are trying to do their part to work towards peace for the love of the world and all those in it.

 

What other projects could the IFC do? The World’s Sphere, similar to that in Flushing Meadows Park, NY on the Old World’s Fair Grounds.

 

¬★ What is the Dream Rocket Project? Individuals & Groups around the world are contributing to a monumental public art project. They have been submitting artwork to be included in a massive cover in which will wrap a 365’ foot Saturn V Moon Rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Artworks & their stories are being placed on display in public venues around the United States prior to & after the wrapping the Saturn V. To date we have over 641 groups & schools from approximately 34 states & 17 countries submitting artwork for this wrap & tour.

The International Fiber Collaborative is a growing voice for collaborative public art projects around the world, we are dedicated to promoting understanding and appreciation of contemporary art & craft through educational experiences. We are committed to developing vital educational programs that elevate, expand, modernize and enhance the image of collaboration and education today. We are a new organization that was founded on the belief that connecting art & education through cross community collaborative projects can give individuals of all socio-economic, gender and age groups an opportunity to stimulate public dialogue about civic issues, give a national voice to our participant’s artwork and expand cross cultural understanding.

 

The founder of this organization saw the need and desire by individuals around the world to connect and engage with the broader world through art in a collaborative & educational spirit, this resulted in enriching the spirit & understanding of social issues and education in these regions around the world.

 

Sign up to participate in the Dream Rocket project at www.thedreamrocket.com

  

St Andrew, Great Saxham, Suffolk

 

This is a church I seem to revisit every five years or so, and I'm always left wondering why I don't come back more often. After the longest winter I can remember, and a good five months since my previous church exploring bike ride, I set off from Bury St Edmunds on a bright, cold Saturday morning, and Great Saxham was my first port of call.

 

Nothing much had changed. A large oak tree had fallen near to the fence of the park in a recent storm, but otherwise it was exactly as I remembered. It is always reassuring to cycle off into rural Suffolk to find that England has not entirely succumbed to the 21st Century.

 

But Suffolk has changed in the thirty-odd years I've been living here. There is hardly a dairy farm left, and not a single cattle market survives in the county. Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bury, and even the smaller places, are ringed by out-of-town shopping experiences, and the drifts of jerry-built houses wash against the edges of nearly every village. But the countryside has always been in a state of perpetually change, a constant metamorphosis, and often a painful one. I had been struck by this before while cycling across this parish, and the memory added a frisson to the experience of coming back.

 

For many modern historians, the 19th Century finished on August 4th 1914, and you can see their point. That was the day that the First World War began, and the England that would emerge from the mud, blood and chaos would be quite different. A new spirit was abroad, and rural areas left behind their previous patterns of ownership and employment that were little more than feudalism. Suffolk would never be the same again.

 

No more the Big House, no more the farm worker going cap in hand to the hiring fair, or the terrible grind to keep at bay the horrors of the workhouse. I think of Leonard, remembering the pre-war days in Ronald Blythe’s Akenfield, that passionate account of a 20th century Suffolk village, Charsfield: I want to say this simply as a fact, that Suffolk people in my day were worked to death. It literally happened. It is not a figure of speech. I was worked mercilessly. I am not complaining about it. It is what happened to me. But the men coming home from Flanders would demand a living wage. The new world would not bring comfort and democracy overnight, of course, and there are many parts of Suffolk where poverty and patronage survive even today, to a greater or lesser extent, but the old world order had come to an end. The Age of Empires was over, and the Age of Anxiety was beginning.

 

The English have a love-hate relationship with the countryside. As Carol Twinch argues in Tithe Wars, it is only actually possible for British agriculture to be fully profitable in war time. In time of peace, only government intervention can sustain it in its familiar forms. Here, at the beginning of the 21st century, British farmers are still demanding levels of subsidy similar to that asked for by the mining industry in the 1980s. With the UK's exit from the European Union looming, the answer from the state is ultimately likely to be the same. British and European agriculture are still supported by policies and subsidies that were designed to prevent the widespread shortages that followed the Second World War. They are half a century out of date, and are unsustainable, and must eventually come to an end.

 

But still sometimes in Suffolk, you find yourself among surroundings that still speak of that pre-WWI feudal time. Indeed, there are places where it doesn’t take much of a leap of the imagination to believe that the 20th century hasn’t happened. Great Saxham is one such place.

 

You travel out of Bury westwards, past wealthy Westley and fat, comfortable Little Saxham with its gorgeous round-towered church. The roads narrow, and after another mile or so you turn up through a straight lane of rural council houses and bungalows. At the top of the lane, there is a gateway. It is probably late 19th century, but seems as archaic as if it was a survival of the Roman occupation. The gate has gone, but the solid stone posts that tower over the road narrow it, so that only one car can pass in each direction. It is the former main entrance to Saxham Hall, and beyond the gate you enter the park, cap in hand perhaps.

 

Looking back, you can see now that the lane behind you is the former private drive to the Big House, obviously bought and built on by the local authority in the 1960s. It is easy to imagine it as it had once been.

 

Beyond the gate is another world. The narrowed road skirts the park in a wide arc, with woods off to the right. Sheep turn to look once, then resumed their grazing. About a mile beyond the gate, there is a cluster of 19th century estate buildings, and among them, slightly set back from the road beyond an unusually high wall, was St Andrew.

 

There was a lot of money here in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, so that you might even think it a Victorian building in local materials. But there is rather more to it than that. Farm buildings sit immediately against the graveyard, only yards from the church. When Mortlock came this way, he found chickens pottering about among the graves, and like me you may experience the unnervingly close neighing of a horse in the stables across from the porch.

 

The great restoration of this church was at a most unusual date, 1798, fully fifty years before the great wave of sacramentalism rolled out of Oxford and swept across the Church of England. Because of this, it appears rather plain, although quite in keeping with its Perpendicular origins - no attempt was made to introduce the popular mock-classical features of the day. The patron of the parish at the time was Thomas Mills, more familiar from his ancestors at Framlingham than here. There was another makeover in the 1820s.

 

I've always found this church open, and so it should be, for it has a great treasure which cannot be stolen, but might easily be vandalised if the church was kept locked (I wish that someone would explain this to the churchwardens at Nowton). The careful restoration preserved the Norman doorways and 15th century font, and the church would be indistinguishable from hundreds of other neat, clean 19th century refurbishments if it were not for the fact that it contains some most unusual glass. It was collected by Thomas Mills' son, William, and fills the east and west windows. It is mostly 17th century (you can see a date on one piece) and much of it is Swiss in origin. As at Nowton, it probably came from continental monasteries.

 

The best is probably the small scale collection in the west window. This includes figures of St Mary Magdalene, St John the Baptist and the Blessed Virgin, as well as scenes of the Annunciation, the Coronation of the Queen of Heaven, the Vision of St John, and much more. The work in the east window is on a larger scale, some of it Flemish in origin.

 

There are several simple and tasteful Mills memorials - but the Mills family was not the first famous dynasty to hold the Hall here. Back in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was the home of the Eldred family, famous explorers and circumnavigators of the globe. John Eldred died in 1632, and has one wall-mounted bust memorial on the south sanctuary wall, as well as a figure brass reset in the chancel floor from a lost table tomb. Both are gloriously flamboyant, and might seem quite out of kilter with that time, on the eve of the long Puritan night. Compare them, for instance, with the Boggas memorial at Flowton, barely ten years later. But, although the bust is of an elderly Elizabethan, I think that there is a 17th Century knowingness about them. The inscription beneath the bust reads in part The Holy Land so called I have seene and in the land of Babilone have bene, but in thy land where glorious saints doe live my soule doth crave of Christ a room to give - curiously, the carver missed out the S in Christ, and had to add it in above. It might have been done in a hurry, but perhaps it is rather a Puritan sentiment after all, don't you think?

 

The brass has little shields with merchant ships on, one scurrying between cliffs and featuring a sea monster. The inscription here is more reflective, asking for our tolerance: Might all my travells mee excuse for being deade, and lying here, for, as it concludes, but riches can noe ransome buy nor travells passe the destiny.

 

The First World War memorial remembers names of men who were estate workers here. And, after all, here is the English Church as it was on the eve of the First World War, triumphant, apparently eternal, at the very heart of the Age of Empires. Now, it is only to be found in backwaters like this, and the very fact that they are backwaters tells us that, really, it has not survived at all.

Architect: Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975),

Built in 1966

 

The Architect

The architect, Doctor of Technology, Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975) was 77 years old when he was asked to create St. Petri church. He had behind him, in addition to studies at Chalmers’ university, many years of collected experience, which he could now draw on. Full of life, knowledgeable, independent of all architectural traditions and styles he set about his task. He concentrated all his artistic passion on this task. What he created is not a product of a drawing-board. The placing of every brick is determined directly by him on the spot or indirectly by the instructions he gave to the artisans. The watchful eye of the architect constantly followed the work on the site.

 

Facts

The church was consecrated on 27th of November, 1966 by Bishop Martin Lindström. The nave is built according to “circumstantes”, the idea of the central place of worship. The area is quadratic, 18 x 18 meter. The height is 6 meter in the east and 5 meter in the west. The nave rests on and is built around a cross of iron (the T-cross or the Antonius-cross). The cross should be essential in the preaching and activity of the church as well as in human life. The ceiling is formed as archs and is a symbol of human spirit life as a waving movement. The building has no arched windows. The window-glasses are directly mounted on the outside of the wall with brackets, which gives a feeling of missing windows. All electric wiring and water pipes are mounted directly on the walls – nothing should be hidden into the church. The middle aisle corresponds to the holy way (via sacra) of old days which leads to the Holy Communion table. The walls are built up with the dark-brown brick from Helsingborg, which is made by hand craft as well as machine-made. No bricks are adjusted to suit – man is good enough to be used by God even if she is “odd, rough or not adjusted to suit”. The bricks are partly picked by the architect Lewerentz himself from a scrap-yard. Even human beings, who by others are considered as “scrap”, are suitable for the Lord. The daylight and the illumination are sparse. Too much natural light disturbs the full feeling according to the architect. Therefore the lamps must be lightened during service. Architect Lewerentz wanted to create a soft and warm surrounding with quiet and devotion. While sitting for a while in the church the details are coming forward. The chairs are from Denmark and originally designed for the Grundtvig-church (1940) in Copenhagen. Portable chairs in churches are an old tradition and give the opportunity to rearrange the furniture.

 

Source: Leaflet – Sankt Petri Church in Klippan – A Masterpiece by Sigurd Lewerentz

 

The church was renovated between the years 1979-1981 under the direction of architect Bengt Edman and the church copper roof has been changed during 2011.

 

More pictures of Sigurd Lewerentz’ work

 

Images of other architects' works

 

More information at the St. Petri web page

It’s not unusual for me to spend several hours during the night in prayer, but seldom do I spend the entire night praying. Last night was the exception.

    

I can honestly say it wasn’t intentional, so I can’t take any credit for it. When I began to pray, the Spirit of the Lord had so much to say that the morning sun had risen before the Spirit released me.

    

It reminds me of an old song: “Shut in with God in a secret place. There in the Spirit beholding His face; gaining more power to run in the race. I love to be shut in with God.”

    

I knew in my heart I was interceding for you in your life. The burden didn’t leave, but the Spirit helped me to pray the prayers that needed to be prayed for you, your family, your finances, and your future.

    

I was reminded again and again of Jeremiah 33:3: “Call unto Me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

    

Over and over, the Spirit encouraged me to tell you that you are doing something great for God.

    

Let me say that again: You are doing something great for God.

    

In case you missed that, let me repeat: You are doing something great for God.

    

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.”

    

If there is anyone I know to be the most unlikely candidate to be used of God to rally Christian Zionists to defend the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, it was me.

    

Tragically, my mother’s relatives had been murdered by professing Christians in Auschwitz.

    

Her great-grandfather had been burned to death in his synagogue in Russia by Orthodox Christians.

    

Plus, I was raised in abject poverty by a violent, anti-Semitic, child-abusing father. He never believed I was his son because he thought my Jewish mother had an affair with a Jewish man.

    

While I was in school one day, my teacher asked us this question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I was terrified of answering her question.

    

As the class neared an end, the teacher reached my desk and asked me that question. I stuttered in reply, “T-t-t-wenty.” My goal at that time in life was to survive to the age of twenty.

    

I was certain my father would kill me before then, as he had seriously threatened to do so several times before.

    

Three days later, it looked as if my desire for a future and a hope was doomed.

    

As my father, in a drunken rage, began to beat on my mother, I screamed to him to “STOP!” He ran up the stairs, grabbed me by the throat, raised me above his head, and strangled me. I tried to pry his fingers loose, but couldn’t. I lost consciousness, but later awoke in a fetal position with dried vomit covering my upper body.

It was then I prayed my first prayer: “God, why was I born?”

    

What I meant in my prayer was: “What a mistake you made God by allowing me to be born. My mother’s being beaten every Friday night because of me. My father hates me. He’s never called me ‘son’, never said ‘I love you”, and has never affirmed me.”

    

That prayer was not a long prayer - it was not a holy prayer; it was a prayer of pain.

    

At that time, I didn’t believe in God. The only image of God I had was that of my father.

    

But seconds after I asked that question, a light so bright I couldn’t tolerate it flooded my bedroom. I covered my eyes, and then I peeked. I saw two scarred hands reaching towards me. Then I saw eyes with every color in the rainbow shining from them. The eyes seemed to smile, and it was the first time I had ever seen that kindness from any man. It was as if you could see through His eyes into eternity. They drew me to Him.

    

The man spoke three things to me: “Son.” “I love you.” “I have a great plan for your life.” Then He left.

    

The next morning I realized I could eat a meal without my stomach hurting terribly. (I had a stomach ulcer.) I was able to talk without stuttering as I had done for years. I could raise my head and look people in the eye. My fears were gone—the fear of darkness, people, death, heights, and many more.

    

For over twenty years, I did not share this story with anyone until I finally told my wife at the age of thirty-three.

    

Now, fifty-four years have gone by since that encounter, and with God leading the way, you and I are on the brink of launching the most strategic work in the nation of Israel and in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

    

I'm telling you that the Jerusalem World Center is a miracle building that God has provided -- a beautiful facility to minister to the Jewish people, build bridges between Christians and Jews, and raise up prayer for Jerusalem from all around the world.

    

During those fifty-four years, I’ve had the privilege of praying with every prime minister in Israel—some of them numerous times. I’ve given many of them words from the Lord, and I’ve ministered to fifty-two other world leaders as well.

    

I want to encourage you today that God loves you too. You are His child, and He has a plan for you to do great work for Him.

    

Part of your work may be to pray. Part of your work may be to give. Part of your work may be to stand up and defend the Jewish people until the Lord returns.

    

But however you feel led to participate, together, we are going to intercede for the final payment of $777,777 that completes the purchase of the Jerusalem World Center to be raised before this month of December ends.

    

Plus, a dear friend and lover of Israel has agreed to match your gift for the rest of December. In other words, if you give $7,777.77, it will be doubled to $15,555.54. Or if you give $777.77, it will be doubled to $1,555.54. If you give $77.77, it will be doubled to $155.54.

    

This is a huge answer to prayer!

    

Thus far 1,975 people have given $245,370. Please pray with me right now for supernatural favor that this need will be met.

       

What a joy it is to focus on things of eternal value and to live our lives in the light of eternity. In Psalm 102:16, it says, “When the Lord shall build up Zion, then shall He appear in His glory.”

    

I just have to think that what you and I are doing in Jerusalem is building up Zion. Isaiah declared, “The Word of the Lord will go from Zion. The law will go out from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3).

    

Jerusalem is Ground Zero for spiritual warfare in our world. It is the target of the enemy, and it is vital that you and I do our part to not only pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but to speak out in support of Israel's right to her capital city. One of the most important tools for us to fight and win this battle will be the Jerusalem World Center.

    

This wonderful facility in the Holy City will be a lasting witness of God’s love to the Jewish people and a center of ministry and outreach to them that will truly be life changing. We have made every payment on the building so far—all praise and glory to God—but we must make the final payment of $777,777 this month. Will you be part of this great miracle with your generous gift today to make the Jerusalem World Center a reality?

    

Dr. Mike Evans

   

For more on this story, visit: Jerusalem Prayer Team Articles Page.

  

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Dedicatory Prayer

 

Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, October 13, 1996

 

O God our Eternal Father, thanks be to Thee, Thou great Elohim, in whose service we are honored to labor.

 

In these sacred precincts we bow before Thee in humble prayer to present unto Thee the gift of Thy people whose consecrated tithes and offerings have made possible the erection of this beautiful house.

 

Thou hast conferred upon us Thy Holy Priesthood. In that authority, and in the name of Thy Beloved Son, our Redeemer, even the Lord Jesus Christ, we dedicate this, the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, and consecrate it unto Thee and unto Thy Son as Thy holy house, praying that Thou wilt accept it and honor it with Thy presence.

 

We dedicate the ground on which it stands with its trees, lawns, shrubbery, and flowers. We dedicate the structure from the footings to the figure of Moroni. We dedicate all of the rooms and facilities found herein, and in a particular way those rooms which will be used for the administration of sacred ordinances which Thou hast revealed unto Thy people.Here, in the beautiful font, baptisms will be performed by living proxies in behalf of the dead. Here with repentant hearts we will be made clean before Thee and stand clothed in robes of spotless white.

 

Here we will be instructed in the things of eternity and enter into solemn covenants with Thee. Here at sacred altars we will be joined as husband and wife, as parents and children under the authority of the eternal Priesthood, in bonds and covenants that will endure forever.

 

We acknowledge with thanksgiving the marvelous blessings here to be gained and pray that all who enter the portals of this Thy house may do so with clean hands and pure hearts, with love for Thee and Thy Son, and with faith in Thine everlasting promises made unto us.

 

May this in very deed be "a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God" (D&C 88:119).

 

May its beauty never be marred by evil hands. May it stand strong against the winds and storms that will beat upon it. May it be a beacon of peace and a refuge to the troubled. May it be an holy sanctuary to those whose burdens are heavy and who seek Thy consoling comfort.We thank Thee for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, that in this the dispensation of the fulness of times Thou didst appear with Thy Beloved Son to the boy Joseph Smith. We thank Thee that following that glorious manifestation Thou didst send Moroni with the Book of Mormon as another testament of the Lord Jesus Christ; that Thou didst send John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John to restore the authority of Thy Holy Priesthood; that Thou didst send Moses, Elias, and Elijah to bring again to earth those grand keys which unlock the door of eternal life to all who shall become partakers of Thy promised blessings.

 

Dear Father, please forgive our sins and remember them no more against us. Give us strength and discipline to walk above our weaknesses. Grant us the companionship of Thy Holy Spirit and the directing power of the Holy Ghost in our lives at all times and under all circumstances, that we may serve Thee faithfully and well in Thy great work of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of Thy sons and daughters.

 

We thank Thee for this favored season in the history of Thy work. Renew our appreciation for our faithful forebears, who were driven from their homes and came with trust in Thee to these mountain valleys. These desert lands have become fruitful and have blossomed as the rose, in fulfillment of prophecy.

 

Thy people have been gathered from over the earth, and they and their posterity continue to walk in faith before Thee. Please accept of their consecrations, and open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon the faithful as Thou hast promised.

 

Touch the hearts of Thy Saints that they may work with outreaching love in this holy edifice in behalf of their forebears.

 

May they seek after their kindred dead, and do for them what must be done if they are to be released from the bondage in which they have been kept for so long. Touch the hearts of Thy people with the spirit of the Prophet Elijah, that the hearts of the fathers may be turned to the children and the hearts of the children may be turned to the fathers, that the purposes of the earth may not be frustrated, but may all be fulfilled.

 

Father, we plead with Thee that Thou wilt overrule among the nations that doors may be opened for the preaching of Thine eternal word. Wilt Thou touch the hearts of rulers, and men and women of government, that they may unlock the gates of those lands which have been previously closed to Thy faithful servants. Bless in a special way Thy messengers who go forth as missionaries to the people of the earth that they may do so with power "to reprove the world of all their unrighteous deeds and...teach them of a judgment which is to come" (D&C 84:87). Let Thy Spirit go before them. May Thy watch care be over them. May they be magnified and led to those who will hear the glad tidings of salvation as they have been restored in this dispensation.

 

Bless Thy Church and kingdom, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that it shall "come forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (D&C 109:73).

 

Bless Thy servants whom Thou hast called and ordained to stand as leaders in Thy Church in these days of great opportunity. Sustain them, give them strength, speak through them according to Thy divine will, and uphold them before the people. Bless all who serve in this temple and throughout Thy Church, that each may be faithful and that each may be possessed of a great desire to strengthen Thy work and build testimony in the hearts of others.

 

Father, we invoke Thy blessings upon this nation, the United States of America, where Thy work was restored in this dispensation. May those who stand in places of leadership look to Thee and be guided by Thee that liberty and freedom may be preserved and enhanced, and that because of the strength and goodness of the people of this nation, Thy work may be assisted as it moves across the earth.

 

Now, our Beloved Father and our God, we bow in reverence before Thee. We worship Thee in spirit and in truth. We love Thee. We love Thy gracious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We love Thy work. Help us to live with respect and kindness one toward another as should all of those who are partakers of Thy bounteous goodness.

 

May we on this day of dedication, rededicate ourselves and reconsecrate our talents and our means to Thy service and to the blessing of Thy sons and daughters everywhere and through all generations, we humbly pray in the name of our great Redeemer, the Lord Omnipotent, even Jesus Christ, amen.

I had not been to Lincoln for some seven years, and back then I had little entrance in churches. But all that is different now, but I guess even then I knew there was something special about how the cathedral and church sat atop their hill with the ancient Steep Hill leading the way up from the river.

 

Of course, as I visit more and more fine buildings and churches, I notice more and more things, and so take more and more photos, so for those of you not interested in churches, I suppose this could be a tad dull? I hope not, Lincoln was splendid, and well worth a trip, or even a return.

 

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Lincoln Cathedral (in full The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln, or sometimes St. Mary's Cathedral) is a cathedral located in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. Building commenced in 1088 and continued in several phases throughout the medieval period. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 238 years (1311–1549).[1][2][3] The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt. The cathedral is the third largest in Britain (in floor space) after St Paul's and York Minster, being 484 by 271 feet (148 by 83 m). It is highly regarded by architectural scholars; the eminent Victorian writer John Ruskin declared: "I have always held... that the cathedral of Lincoln is out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have."

 

Remigius de Fécamp, the first Bishop of Lincoln, moved the episcopal seat (cathedra) there "some time between 1072 and 1092"[4] About this, James Essex writes that "Remigius ... laid the foundations of his Cathedral in 1088" and "it is probable that he, being a Norman, employed Norman masons to superintend the building ... though he could not complete the whole before his death."[5] Before that, writes B. Winkles, "It is well known that Remigius appropriated the parish church of St Mary Magdalene in Lincoln, although it is not known what use he made of it

 

Up until then St. Mary's Church in Stow was considered to be the "mother church"[7] of Lincolnshire[8] (although it was not a cathedral, because the seat of the diocese was at Dorchester Abbey in Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire). However, Lincoln was more central to a diocese that stretched from the Thames to the Humber.

 

Bishop Remigius built the first Lincoln Cathedral on the present site, finishing it in 1092 and then dying on 9 May of that year,[9] two days before it was consecrated. In 1141, the timber roofing was destroyed in a fire. Bishop Alexander rebuilt and expanded the cathedral, but it was mostly destroyed by an earthquake about forty years later, in 1185 (dated by the BGS as occurring 15 April 1185).[6][10] The earthquake was one of the largest felt in the UK: it has an estimated magnitude of over 5. The damage to the cathedral is thought to have been very extensive: the Cathedral is described as having "split from top to bottom"; in the current building, only the lower part of the west end and of its two attached towers remain of the pre-earthquake cathedral.[10] Some (Kidson, 1986; Woo, 1991) have suggested that the damage to Lincoln Cathedral was probably exaggerated by poor construction or design; with the actual collapse most probably caused by a vault collapse.[10]

 

After the earthquake, a new bishop was appointed. He was Hugh de Burgundy of Avalon, France, who became known as St Hugh of Lincoln. He began a massive rebuilding and expansion programme. Rebuilding began with the choir (St Hugh's Choir) and the eastern transepts between 1192 and 1210.[11] The central nave was then built in the Early English Gothic style. Lincoln Cathedral soon followed other architectural advances of the time – pointed arches, flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting were added to the cathedral. This allowed support for incorporating larger windows. There are thirteen bells in the south-west tower, two in the north-west tower, and five in the central tower (including Great Tom). Accompanying the cathedral's large bell, Great Tom of Lincoln, is a quarter-hour striking clock. The clock was installed in the early 19th century.[12] The two large stained glass rose windows, the matching Dean's Eye and Bishop's Eye, were added to the cathedral during the late Middle Ages. The former, the Dean's Eye in the north transept dates from the 1192 rebuild begun by St Hugh, finally being completed in 1235. The latter, the Bishop's eye, in the south transept was reconstructed a hundred years later in 1330.[13] A contemporary record, “The Metrical Life of St Hugh”, refers to the meaning of these two windows (one on the dark, north, side and the other on the light, south, side of the building):

 

"For north represents the devil, and south the Holy Spirit and it is in these directions that the two eyes look. The bishop faces the south in order to invite in and the dean the north in order to shun; the one takes care to be saved, the other takes care not to perish. With these Eyes the cathedral’s face is on watch for the candelabra of Heaven and the darkness of Lethe (oblivion)."

 

After the additions of the Dean's eye and other major Gothic additions it is believed some mistakes in the support of the tower occurred, for in 1237 the main tower collapsed. A new tower was soon started and in 1255 the Cathedral petitioned Henry III to allow them to take down part of the town wall to enlarge and expand the Cathedral, including the rebuilding of the central tower and spire. They replaced the small rounded chapels (built at the time of St Hugh) with a larger east end to the cathedral. This was to handle the increasing number of pilgrims to the Cathedral, who came to worship at the shrine of Hugh of Lincoln.

 

In 1290 Eleanor of Castile died and King Edward I of England decided to honour her, his Queen Consort, with an elegant funeral procession. After her body had been embalmed, which in the 13th century involved evisceration, Eleanor's viscera were buried in Lincoln cathedral and Edward placed a duplicate of the Westminster Abbey tomb there. The Lincoln tomb's original stone chest survives; its effigy was destroyed in the 17th century and replaced with a 19th-century copy. On the outside of Lincoln Cathedral are two prominent statues often identified as Edward and Eleanor, but these images were heavily restored in the 19th century and they were probably not originally intended to depict the couple.

 

Between 1307 and 1311 the central tower was raised to its present height of 271 feet (83 m). The western towers and front of the cathedral were also improved and heightened. At this time, a tall lead-encased wooden spire topped the central tower but was blown down in a storm in 1549. With its spire, the tower reputedly reached a height of 525 feet (160 m) (which would have made it the world's tallest structure, surpassing the Great Pyramid of Giza, which held the record for almost 4,000 years). Although there is dissent,[1] this height is agreed by most sources.[14][15][16][17][18] Other additions to the cathedral at this time included its elaborate carved screen and the 14th-century misericords, as was the Angel Choir. For a large part of the length of the cathedral, the walls have arches in relief with a second layer in front to give the illusion of a passageway along the wall. However the illusion does not work, as the stonemason, copying techniques from France, did not make the arches the correct length needed for the illusion to be effective.

 

In 1398 John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford founded a chantry in the cathedral to pray for the welfare of their souls. In the 15th century the building of the cathedral turned to chantry or memorial chapels. The chapels next to the Angel Choir were built in the Perpendicular style, with an emphasis on strong vertical lines, which survive today in the window tracery and wall panelling.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Cathedral

Another of Famagusta’s remarkable Gothic-era ruined churches is the Church of St. Mary of Carmel or the Carmelite Church, found in the north west corner of the city.

 

Located in the bastion precinct, the church of St. Mary was one of the city’s larger edifices.

 

In the 13th century, as Muslim armies gradually reclaimed the Holy Land, many middle eastern Christians fled to Famagusta. Although Christian, their specific beliefs differed from that of Latin or Orthodox Christians, and they tended to congregate in the same area.

 

In a letter dated 13 March 1311, Pope Clement V authorised the Carmelites to settle in Cyprus. Two other mendicant orders—the Franciscan and Dominican orders—had already been established in the city for fifteen years or so. The Augustinians, the last of the mendicant orders, arrived shortly after.

 

The Carmelites who originated from the Carmel mountains of Northern Israel found themselves in a district of Famagusta which later became known as the Syrian quarter of the city.

 

The church was built in the 14th Century as part of a monastic complex dedicated to the Virgin Mary, hence its name St. Mary of Carmel. Indeed, many other churches were built in the town at the same era, and chroniclers believe Famagusta to be one of the richest cities in Christendom.

 

It was close to a corner of the urban enclosure where the Venetians would later build the Martinengo Bastion in the sixteenth century. It adjoined the Armenian monastery, which was established at the same time, and was next to other monasteries belonging to eastern communities with whom the Carmelites traditionally maintained a religious dialogue.

 

Located in an area provided by King Henry II who reigned between 1285 – 1306 and 1310 – 1324, evidence of royal participation, the kingdom’s coat of arms and that of the Lusignan family can be found on the façade of the church. A keystone on the ground bears the same coat of arms of Cyprus.

 

Another keystone bears the coat of arms of the Babin family, a powerful family in the kingdom who had donated generously to the monastery, and the remains of this family’s’ epitaphs were also found during archaeological excavations.

 

The wall-niche tombs testify to the popularity of the mendicant orders amongst the faithful, who wanted to have their final resting places in their church.

 

The plan of the Church of St Mary of the Carmelites is characteristic of the beautiful simplicity of the mendicant orders – a single nave of three bays that terminates in a five-sided hexagonal apse. This plan is almost identical to that of the Franciscan St. Francis Church, which was built slightly earlier and today is aesthetically less severe.

 

The monument’s outline does in fact give it an extremely austere appearance – the walls, which are without interest and have no decorations, are supported by buttresses without projections. Only the façade, which opened onto the street and therefore faced the city and the faithful was richly decorated, featuring a large pointed window with tracery.

 

In its day, St. Mary was an important church – the tomb of Peter Thomas, a Carmelite friar recognised as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, who was the Pope’s representative and the Patriarch of Constantinople, died in 1366 and was buried here.

 

The austerity of mendicant architecture also spread to other religious edifices – the neighbouring Church of St. Anne was built in a similar style to this Carmelite church.

 

Famagusta is a city on the east coast of the de facto state Northern Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice), Famagusta was the island's most important port city and a gateway to trade with the ports of the Levant, from where the Silk Road merchants carried their goods to Western Europe. The old walled city and parts of the modern city are de facto part of Northern Cyprus as the capital of the Gazimağusa District.

 

The city was known as Arsinoe or Arsinoë (Greek: Ἀρσινόη, Arsinóē) in antiquity, after Ptolemy II of Egypt's sister and wife Arsinoe II.

 

By the 3rd century, the city appears as Ammochostos (Greek: Ἀμμόχωστος or Αμμόχωστος, Ammókhōstos, "Hidden in Sand") in the Stadiasmus Maris Magni.[5] This name is still used in modern Greek with the pronunciation [aˈmːoxostos], while it developed into Latin Fama Augusta, French Famagouste, Italian Famagosta, and English Famagusta during the medieval period. Its informal modern Turkish name Mağusa (Turkish pronunciation: [maˈusa]) came from the same source. Since 1974, it has formally been known to Turkey and Northern Cyprus as Gazimağusa ([ɡaːzimaˈusa]), from the addition of the title gazi, meaning "veteran" or "one who has faught in a holy war".

 

In the early medieval period, the city was also known as New Justiniana (Greek: Νέα Ἰουστινιανία, Néa Ioustinianía) in appreciation for the patronage of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, whose wife Theodora was born there.

 

The old town of Famagusta has also been nicknamed "the City of 365 Churches" from the legend that, at its peak, it boasted a church for every day of the year.

 

The city was founded around 274 BC, after the serious damage to Salamis by an earthquake, by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and named "Arsinoe" after his sister.[6] Arsinoe was described as a "fishing town" by Strabo in his Geographica in the first century BC. In essence, Famagusta was the successor of the most famous and most important ancient city of Cyprus, Salamis. According to Greek mythology, Salamis was founded after the end of the Trojan War by Teucros, the son of Telamon and brother of Aedes, from the Greek island of Salamis.

 

The city experienced great prosperity much later, during the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. To honor the city, from which his wife Theodora came, Justinian enriched it with many buildings, while the inhabitants named it New Justiniania to express their gratitude. In AD 647, when the neighboring cities were destroyed by Arab raiding, the inhabitants of these cities moved to Famagusta, as a result of which the city's population increased significantly and the city experienced another boom.

 

Later, when Jerusalem was occupied by the Arabs, the Christian population fled to Famagusta, as a result of which the city became an important Christian center, but also one of the most important commercial centers in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

The turning point for Famagusta was 1192 with the onset of Lusignan rule. It was during this period that Famagusta developed as a fully-fledged town. It increased in importance to the Eastern Mediterranean due to its natural harbour and the walls that protected its inner town. Its population began to increase. This development accelerated in the 13th century as the town became a centre of commerce for both the East and West. An influx of Christian refugees fleeing the downfall of Acre (1291) in Palestine transformed it from a tiny village into one of the richest cities in Christendom.

 

In 1372 the port was seized by Genoa and in 1489 by Venice. This commercial activity turned Famagusta into a place where merchants and ship owners led lives of luxury. By the mid-14th century, Famagusta was said to have the richest citizens in the world. The belief that people's wealth could be measured by the churches they built inspired these merchants to have churches built in varying styles. These churches, which still exist, were the reason Famagusta came to be known as "the district of churches". The development of the town focused on the social lives of the wealthy people and was centred upon the Lusignan palace, the cathedral, the Square and the harbour.

 

In 1570–1571, Famagusta was the last stronghold in Venetian Cyprus to hold out against the Turks under Mustafa Pasha. It resisted a siege of thirteen months and a terrible bombardment, until at last the garrison surrendered. The Ottoman forces had lost 50,000 men, including Mustafa Pasha's son. Although the surrender terms had stipulated that the Venetian forces be allowed to return home, the Venetian commander, Marco Antonio Bragadin, was flayed alive, his lieutenant Tiepolo was hanged, and many other Christians were killed.

 

With the advent of the Ottoman rule, Latins lost their privileged status in Famagusta and were expelled from the city. Greek Cypriots natives were at first allowed to own and buy property in the city, but were banished from the walled city in 1573–74 and had to settle outside in the area that later developed into Varosha. Turkish families from Anatolia were resettled in the walled city but could not fill the buildings that previously hosted a population of 10,000. This caused a drastic decrease in the population of Famagusta. Merchants from Famagusta, who mostly consisted of Latins that had been expelled, resettled in Larnaca and as Larnaca flourished, Famagusta lost its importance as a trade centre. Over time, Varosha developed into a prosperous agricultural town thanks to its location away from the marshes, whilst the walled city remained dilapidated.

 

In the walled city, some buildings were repurposed to serve the interests of the Muslim population: the Cathedral of St. Nicholas was converted to a mosque (now known as Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque), a bazaar was developed, public baths, fountains and a theological school were built to accommodate the inhabitants' needs. Dead end streets, an Ottoman urban characteristic, was imported to the city and a communal spirit developed in which a small number of two-storey houses inhabited by the small upper class co-existed with the widespread one-storey houses.

 

With the British takeover, Famagusta regained its significance as a port and an economic centre and its development was specifically targeted in British plans. As soon as the British took over the island, a Famagusta Development Act was passed that aimed at the reconstruction and redevelopment of the city's streets and dilapidated buildings as well as better hygiene. The port was developed and expanded between 1903 and 1906 and Cyprus Government Railway, with its terminus in Famagusta, started construction in 1904. Whilst Larnaca continued to be used as the main port of the island for some time, after Famagusta's use as a military base in World War I trade significantly shifted to Famagusta. The city outside the walls grew at an accelerated rate, with development being centred around Varosha. Varosha became the administrative centre as the British moved their headquarters and residences there and tourism grew significantly in the last years of the British rule. Pottery and production of citrus and potatoes also significantly grew in the city outside the walls, whilst agriculture within the walled city declined to non-existence.

 

New residential areas were built to accommodate the increasing population towards the end of the British rule,[11] and by 1960, Famagusta was a modern port city extending far beyond Varosha and the walled city.

 

The British period saw a significant demographic shift in the city. In 1881, Christians constituted 60% of the city's population while Muslims were at 40%. By 1960, the Turkish Cypriot population had dropped to 17.5% of the overall population, while the Greek Cypriot population had risen to 70%. The city was also the site for one of the British internment camps for nearly 50,000 Jewish survivors of the Holocaust trying to emigrate to Palestine.

 

From independence in 1960 to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus of 1974, Famagusta developed toward the south west of Varosha as a well-known entertainment and tourist centre. The contribution of Famagusta to the country's economic activity by 1974 far exceeded its proportional dimensions within the country. Whilst its population was only about 7% of the total of the country, Famagusta by 1974 accounted for over 10% of the total industrial employment and production of Cyprus, concentrating mainly on light industry compatible with its activity as a tourist resort and turning out high-quality products ranging from food, beverages and tobacco to clothing, footwear, plastics, light machinery and transport equipment. It contributed 19.3% of the business units and employed 21.3% of the total number of persons engaged in commerce on the island. It acted as the main tourist destination of Cyprus, hosting 31.5% of the hotels and 45% of Cyprus' total bed capacity. Varosha acted as the main touristic and business quarters.

 

In this period, the urbanisation of Famagusta slowed down and the development of the rural areas accelerated. Therefore, economic growth was shared between the city of Famagusta and the district, which had a balanced agricultural economy, with citrus, potatoes, tobacco and wheat as main products. Famagusta maintained good communications with this hinterland. The city's port remained the island's main seaport and in 1961, it was expanded to double its capacity in order to accommodate the growing volume of exports and imports. The port handled 42.7% of Cypriot exports, 48.6% of imports and 49% of passenger traffic.

 

There has not been an official census since 1960 but the population of the town in 1974 was estimated to be around 39,000 not counting about 12,000–15,000 persons commuting daily from the surrounding villages and suburbs to work in Famagusta. The number of people staying in the city would swell to about 90,000–100,000 during the peak summer tourist period, with the influx of tourists from numerous European countries, mainly Britain, France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. The majority of the city population were Greek Cypriots (26,500), with 8,500 Turkish Cypriots and 4,000 people from other ethnic groups.

 

During the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 14 August 1974 the Mesaoria plain was overrun by Turkish tanks and Famagusta was bombed by Turkish aircraft. It took two days for the Turkish Army to occupy the city, prior to which Famagusta's entire Greek Cypriot population had fled into surrounding fields. As a result of Turkish airstrikes dozens of civilians died, including tourists.

 

Unlike other parts of the Turkish-controlled areas of Cyprus, the Varosha suburb of Famagusta was fenced off by the Turkish army immediately after being captured and remained fenced off until October 2020, when the TRNC reopened some streets to visitors. Some Greek Cypriots who had fled Varosha have been allowed to view the town and journalists have been allowed in.

 

UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Famagusta by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. The UN's Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.

 

Famagusta's historic city centre is surrounded by the fortifications of Famagusta, which have a roughly rectangular shape, built mainly by the Venetians in the 15th and 16th centuries, though some sections of the walls have been dated earlier times, as far as 1211.

 

Some important landmarks and visitor attractions in the old city are:

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque

The Othello Castle

Palazzo del Provveditore - the Venetian palace of the governor, built on the site of the former Lusignan royal palace

St. Francis' Church

Sinan Pasha Mosque

Church of St. George of the Greeks

Church of St. George of the Latins

Twin Churches

Nestorian Church (of St George the Exiler)

Namık Kemal Dungeon

Agios Ioannis Church

Venetian House

Akkule Masjid

Mustafa Pasha Mosque

Ganchvor monastery

 

In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund listed Famagusta, a "maritime ancient city of crusader kings", among the 12 sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and development pressures.

 

Famagusta is an important commercial hub of Northern Cyprus. The main economic activities in the city are tourism, education, construction and industrial production. It has a 115-acre free port, which is the most important seaport of Northern Cyprus for travel and commerce. The port is an important source of income and employment for the city, though its volume of trade is restricted by the embargo against Northern Cyprus. Its historical sites, including the walled city, Salamis, the Othello Castle and the St Barnabas Church, as well as the sandy beaches surrounding it make it a tourist attraction; efforts are also underway to make the city more attractive for international congresses. The Eastern Mediterranean University is also an important employer and supplies significant income and activity, as well as opportunities for the construction sector. The university also raises a qualified workforce that stimulates the city's industry and makes communications industry viable. The city has two industrial zones: the Large Industrial Zone and the Little Industrial Zone. The city is also home to a fishing port, but inadequate infrastructure of the port restricts the growth of this sector. The industry in the city has traditionally been concentrated on processing agricultural products.

 

Historically, the port was the primary source of income and employment for the city, especially right after 1974. However, it gradually lost some of its importance to the economy as the share of its employees in the population of Famagusta diminished due to various reasons. However, it still is the primary port for commerce in Northern Cyprus, with more than half of ships that came to Northern Cyprus in 2013 coming to Famagusta. It is the second most popular seaport for passengers, after Kyrenia, with around 20,000 passengers using the port in 2013.

 

The mayor-in-exile of Famagusta is Simos Ioannou. Süleyman Uluçay heads the Turkish Cypriot municipal administration of Famagusta, which remains legal as a communal-based body under the constitutional system of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Since 1974, Greek Cypriots submitted a number of proposals within the context of bicommunal discussions for the return of Varosha to UN administration, allowing the return of its previous inhabitants, requesting also the opening of Famagusta harbour for use by both communities. Varosha would have been returned to Greek Cypriot control as part of the 2004 Annan Plan but the plan had been rejected by a majority(3/4) of Greek Cypriot voters.

 

The walled city of Famagusta contains many unique buildings. Famagusta has a walled city popular with tourists.

 

Every year, the International Famagusta Art and Culture Festival is organized in Famagusta. Concerts, dance shows and theater plays take place during the festival.

 

A growth in tourism and the city's university have fueled the development of Famagusta's vibrant nightlife. Nightlife in the city is especially active on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights and in the hotter months of the year, starting from April. Larger hotels in the city have casinos that cater to their customers. Salamis Road is an area of Famagusta with a heavy concentration of bars frequented by students and locals.

 

Famagusta's Othello Castle is the setting for Shakespeare's play Othello. The city was also the setting for Victoria Hislop's 2015 novel The Sunrise, and Michael Paraskos's 2016 novel In Search of Sixpence. The city is the birthplace of the eponymous hero of the Renaissance proto-novel Fortunatus.

 

Famagusta was home to many Greek Cypriot sport teams that left the city because of the Turkish invasion and still bear their original names. Most notable football clubs originally from the city are Anorthosis Famagusta FC and Nea Salamis Famagusta FC, both of the Cypriot First Division, which are now based in Larnaca. Usually Anorthosis Famagusta fans are politically right wing where Nea Salamis fans are left wing.

 

Famagusta is represented by Mağusa Türk Gücü in the Turkish Cypriot First Division. Dr. Fazıl Küçük Stadium is the largest football stadium in Famagusta. Many Turkish Cypriot sport teams that left Southern Cyprus because of the Cypriot intercommunal violence are based in Famagusta.

 

Famagusta is represented by DAÜ Sports Club and Magem Sports Club in North Cyprus First Volleyball Division. Gazimağusa Türk Maarif Koleji represents Famagusta in the North Cyprus High School Volleyball League.

 

Famagusta has a modern volleyball stadium called the Mağusa Arena.

 

The Eastern Mediterranean University was founded in the city in 1979. The Istanbul Technical University founded a campus in the city in 2010.

 

The Cyprus College of Art was founded in Famagusta by the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos in 1969, before moving to Paphos in 1972 after protests from local hoteliers that the presence of art students in the city was putting off holidaymakers.

 

Famagusta has three general hospitals. Gazimağusa Devlet Hastahanesi, a state hospital, is the biggest hospital in city. Gazimağusa Tıp Merkezi and Gazimağusa Yaşam Hastahanesi are private hospitals.

 

Personalities

Saint Barnabas, born and died in Salamis, Famagusta

Chris Achilleos, illustrator of the book versions on the BBC children's series Doctor Who

Beran Bertuğ, former Governor of Famagusta, first Cypriot woman to hold this position

Marios Constantinou, former international Cypriot football midfielder and current manager.

Eleftheria Eleftheriou, Cypriot singer.

Derviş Eroğlu, former President of Northern Cyprus

Alexis Galanos, 7th President of the House of Representatives and Famagusta mayor-in-exile (2006-2019) (Republic of Cyprus)

Xanthos Hadjisoteriou, Cypriot painter

Oz Karahan, political activist, President of the Union of Cypriots

Oktay Kayalp, former Turkish Cypriot Famagusta mayor (Northern Cyprus)

Harry Luke British diplomat

Angelos Misos, former international footballer

Costas Montis was an influential and prolific Greek Cypriot poet, novelist, and playwright born in Famagusta.

Hal Ozsan, actor (Dawson's Creek, Kyle XY)

Dimitris Papadakis, a Greek Cypriot politician, who served as a Member of the European Parliament.

Ṣubḥ-i-Azal, Persian religious leader, lived and died in exile in Famagusta

Touker Suleyman (born Türker Süleyman), British Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur, investor and reality television personality.

Alexia Vassiliou, singer, left here as a refugee when the town was invaded.

George Vasiliou, former President of Cyprus

Vamik Volkan, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry

Derviş Zaim, film director

 

Famagusta is twinned with:

İzmir, Turkey (since 1974)

Corfu, Greece (since 1994)

Patras, Greece (since 1994)

Antalya, Turkey (since 1997)

Salamina (city), Greece (since 1998)

Struga, North Macedonia

Athens, Greece (since 2005)

Mersin, Turkey

 

Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.

 

A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.

 

Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

 

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.

 

Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.

 

Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.

 

The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.

 

Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.

 

Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.

 

By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.

 

EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.

 

However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.

 

On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.

 

In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.

 

By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.

 

In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.

 

The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.

 

After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".

 

As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.

 

Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

 

On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.

 

Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.

 

The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.

 

Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.

 

Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria

An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."

 

In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.

 

Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.

 

In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.

 

Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.

 

Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.

 

Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.

 

The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:

 

UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.

 

The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.

 

By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."

 

After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.

 

On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.

 

The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.

 

During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.

 

In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.

 

Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.

Holy Family and St Michael, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk

 

A new entry on the Suffolk Churches site.

 

There are ages of faith which leave their traces in splendour and beauty, as acts of piety and memory. East Anglia is full of silent witnesses to tides which have ebbed and flowed. Receding, they leave us in their wake great works from the passing ages, little Norman churches which seem to speak a language we can no longer understand but which haunts us still, the decorated beauty of the 14th Century at odds with the horrors of its pestilence and loss, the perpendicular triumph of the 15th Century church before its near-destruction in the subsequent Reformation and Commonwealth, the protestant flowering of chapels and meeting houses in almost all rural communities, and most obvious of all for us today the triumphalism of the Victorian revival.

 

But even as tides recede, piety and memory survive, most often in quiet acts and intimate details. The catholic church of Holy Family and St Michael at Kesgrave is one of their great 20th Century treasure houses.

 

At the time of the 1851 census of religious worship, Kesgrave was home to just 86 people, 79 of whom attended morning service that day, giving this parish the highest percentage attendance of any in Suffolk. However, they met half a mile up the road at the Anglican parish church of All Saints, and the current site of Holy Family was then far out in the fields. In any case, it is unlikely that any of the non-attenders was a Catholic. Today, Kesgrave is a sprawling eastern suburb of Ipswich, home to about 10,000 people. It extends along the A12 corridor all the way to Martlesham, which in turn will take you pretty much all the way to Woodbridge without seeing much more than a field or two between the houses.

 

Holy Family was erected in the 1930s, and serves as a chapel of ease within the parish of Ipswich St Mary. However, it is still in private ownership, the responsibility of the Rope family, who, along with the Jolly family into which they married, owned much of the land in Kesgrave that was later built on.

 

The growth of Kesgrave has been so rapid and so extensive in these last forty years that radical expansions were required at both this church and at All Saints, as well as to the next parish church along in the suburbs at Rushmere St Andrew. All of these projects are interesting, although externally Holy Family is less dramatic than its neighbours. It sits neatly in its trim little churchyard, red-brick and towerless, a harmonious little building if rather a curious shape, of which more in a moment. Beside it, the underpass and roundabout gives it a decidedly urban air. But this is a church of outstanding interest, as we shall see.

 

It was good to come back to Kesgrave. As a member of St Mary's parish I generally attended mass at the parish's other church, a couple of miles into town, but I had been here a number of times over the years, either to mass or just to wander around and sit for a while. These days, you generally approach the church from around the back, where you'll find a sprawling car park typical of a modern Catholic church. To the west of the church are Lucy House and Philip House, newly built for the work of the Rope family charities. Between the car park and the church there there is a tiny, formal graveyard, with crosses remembering members of the Rope and Jolly families.

 

Access to the church is usually through a west door these days, but if you are fortunate enough to enter through the original porch on the north side you will have a foretaste of what is to come, for to left and right are stunning jewel-like and detailed windows depicting St Margaret and St Theresa on one side and St Catherine and the Immaculate Conception on the other. Beside them, a plaque reveals that the church was built to the memory of Michael Rope, who was killed in the R101 airship disaster of 1930.

 

Blue Peter-watching boys like me, growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, were enthralled by airships. They were one of those exciting inventions of a not-so-distant past which were, in a real sense, futuristic, a part of the 1930s modernist project that imagined and predicted the way we live now. And they were just so big. But they were doomed, because the hydrogen which gave them their buoyancy was explosive.

 

As a child, I was fascinated by the R101 airship and its disaster, especially because of that familiar photograph of its wrecked and burnt-out fuselage sprawled in the woods on a northern French hillside. It is still a haunting photograph today. The crash of the R101 put an end to airship development in the UK for more than half a century.

 

Of course, this is all ancient history now, but in the year 2001 I had the excellent fortune to be shown around Holy Family by Michael Rope's widow, Mrs Lucy Doreen Rope, née Jolly, who was still alive, and then in her nineties. She was responsible for the building of this church as a memorial to her husband. We paused in the porch so that I could admire the windows. "Do you like them?" Mrs Rope asked me. "Of course, my sister-in-law made them."

 

Her sister-in-law, of course, was Margaret Agnes Rope, who in the first half of the twentieth century was one of the finest of the Arts and Craft Movement stained glass designers. She studied at Birmingham, and then worked at the Glass House in Fulham with her cousin, Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope, whose work is also here. But their work can be found in churches and cathedrals all over the world. What Mrs Rope did not tell me, and what I found out later, is that these two windows in the porch were made for her and her husband Michael as a wedding present.

 

Doreen Jolly and Michael Rope were married in 1929. Within a year, he was dead. Mrs Rope was just 23 years old.

 

The original church from the 1930s is the part that you step into. You enter to the bizarre sight of a model of the R101 airship suspended from the roof. The nave altar and tabernacle ahead are in the original sanctuary, and you are facing the liturgical east (actually south) of the original building, and what an intimate space this must have been before the church was extended. Red brick outlines the entrance to the sanctuary, and here are the three windows made by Margaret Rope for the original church. The first is the three-light sanctuary window, depicting the Blessed Virgin and child flanked by St Joseph and St Michael. Two doves sit on a nest beneath Mary's feet, while a quizzical sparrow looks on. St Michael has the face of Michael Rope. The inscription beneath reads Pray for Michael Rope who gave up his soul to God in the wreck of His Majesty's Airship R101, Beauvais, October 5th 1930.

 

Next, a lancet in the right-hand side of the sanctuary contains glass depicting St Dominic, with a dog running beneath his feet and the inscription Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare, ('to praise, to bless, to preach'). The third window is in the west wall of the church (in its day, the right hand side of the nave), depicting St Thomas More and St John Fisher, although at the time the window was made they had not yet been canonised. The inscription beneath records that the window was the gift of a local couple in thankfulness for their conversion to the faith for which the Blessed Martyrs Thomas More and John Fisher gave their lives. A rose bush springs from in front of the martyrs' feet.

 

By the 1950s, Holy Family was no longer large enough for the community it served, and it was greatly expanded to the east to the designs of the archtect Henry Munro Cautley. Cautley was a bluff Anglican of the old school, the retired former diocesan architect of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, but he would have enjoyed designing a church for such an intimate faith community, and in fact it was his last major project before he died in 1959. The original sanctuary was retained as a blessed sacrament chapel, and the church was turned ninety degrees to face east for the first time. The north and south sides of the new church received three-light Tudor windows in the style most beloved by Cautley, as seen also at his Ipswich County Library in Northgate Street, and the former Fosters (now Lloyds) Bank in central Cambridge.

 

Although the Rope family had farmed at Blaxhall near Wickham Market for generations, Margaret Rope herself was not from Suffolk at all, and nor was she at first a Catholic. She was born in Shrewsbury in 1882, the daughter of Henry Rope, a surgeon at Shrewsbury Infirmary, and a son of the Blaxhall Rope family. The largest collection of Margaret Rope's glass is in Shrewsbury Cathedral. When Margaret was 17, her father died. The family were received into the Catholic church shortly afterwards. A plaque was placed in the entrance to Shrewsbury Infirmary to remember her father. When the hospital was demolished in the 1990s, the plaque was moved to here, and now sits in the north aisle of the 1950s church. In her early days in London Margaret Rope designed and made the large east window at Blaxhall church as a memorial to her grandparents. It features her younger brother Michael, and is believed to be the only window that she ever signed.

 

In her early forties, Margaret Rope took holy orders and entered the Carmelite Convent at nearby Woodbridge, but continued to produce her stained glass work until the community moved to Quidenham in Norfolk, when poor health and the distances involved proved insurmountable. She died there in 1953, and so she never saw the expanded church. Her cartoons, the designs for her windows, are placed on the walls around Holy Family. Some are for windows in churches in Scotland and Wales, one for a window in the English College in Rome. Among them are the roundels for within the enclosure of Tyburn Convent in London. "They had to remove the windows there during the War", said Mrs Rope. "Of course, with me, you have to ask which war!"

 

Turning to the east, we see the new sanctuary with its high altar, completed in 1993 as part of a further reordering and expansion, which gave a large galilee porch, kitchen and toilets to the north side of the church. The window above the new sanctuary has three lights, and the two outer windows were made by Margaret Rope for the chapel of East Bergholt convent to the south of Ipswich. They remember the Vaughan family, into which Margaret Rope's sister had married, and in particular one member, a sister in the convent, to celebrate her 25 year jubilee.

 

The convent later became Old Hall, a famous commune. They depict the prophet Isaiah and King David.

 

The central light between them is controversial. Produced in the 1990s and depicting the risen Christ, it really isn't very good, and provides the one jarring note in the church. It is rather unfortunate that it is in such a prominent position. It is not just the quality of the design that is the problem. It lets in too much light in comparison with the two flanking lights. "The glass in my sister-in-law's windows is half an inch thick", Mrs Rope told me. "In the workshop at Fulham they had a man who came in specially to cut it for them". The glass in the modern light is simply too thin.

 

Despite the 1990s extension, and as so often in modern urban Catholic churches, Holy Family is already not really big enough, although it is hard to see that there could ever be another expansion. We walked along Munro Cautley's south aisle, and at that time the stations of the cross were simple wooden crosses. However, about three months after my conversation with Mrs Rope, the World Trade Centre in New York was attacked and destroyed, and among the three thousand people killed were two local Kesgrave brothers who were commemorated with a new set of stations in cast metal.

 

Here also is a 1956 memorial window by Margaret Rope's cousin, Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope, to Mrs Rope's mother Alice Jolly, depicting the remains of the shrine at Walsingham and the Jolly family at prayer before it. Another MEA Rope window is across the church in the galilee, a Second World War memorial window, originally on the east side of the first church before Cautley's extension. It depicts three of the English Martyrs, Blessed Anne Lynne, Blessed Robert Southwell and Blessed John Robinson, as well as the shipwreck of Blessed John Nutter off of Dunwich, with All Saints church on the cliffs above.

 

The galilee is designed for families with young children to play a full part in mass, and is separated from the church by a glass screen. At the top of the screen is a small panel by Margaret Rope which is of particular interest because it depicts her and her family participating in the Easter vigil, presumably in Shrewsbury Cathedral. This is hard to photograph because it is on an internal window between two rooms.

 

A recent addition to the Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope windows here is directly opposite, newly installed on the south side of the nave. It was donated by her great-nephew. It depicts a nativity scene, the Holy Family in the stable at Bethlehem, an angel appearing to shepherds on the snowy hills beyond. It is perhaps her loveliest window in the church.

 

Finally, back across the church. Here, beside the brass memorial to Margaret Rope, is a window depicting the Blessed Virgin and child, members of the Rope family in the Candlemas procession beneath. The inscription reminds us to pray for the soul of Sister Margaret of the Mother of God, mistress of novices and stained glass artist, Monastery of the Magnificat of the Mother of God, Quidenham, Norfolk, entered Carmel 14th September 1923, died 6th December 1953. Sister Margaret of the Mother of God was, of course, Margaret Rope herself. She was buried in the convent at Quidenham, a Shrewsbury exile at rest in the East Anglian soil of her forebears. The design is hers, and the window was made by her cousin Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope.

 

Back in 2001, we were talking about the changing Church, and I asked Mrs Rope what she thought about the recently introduced practice of transferring Holy Days on to the nearest Sunday, so that the teaching of them was not lost. Mrs Rope approved, a lady clearly not stuck in the past. She had a passion for ensuring that the Faith could be shared with children. As we have seen, her church is designed so that young families can take a full part in the Mass. But she was sympathetic to the distractions of the modern age. "The world is so exciting for children these days", she said. "I think it must be difficult to bring them up with a sense of the presence of God." She smiled. "Mind you, my son is 70 now! And I do admire young girls today. They have such spirit!"

 

She left me to potter about in her wonderful treasure house. As I did so, I thought of medieval churches I have visited, which were similarly donated by the Mrs Ropes of their day, perhaps even for husbands who had died young. They not only sought to memorialise their loved ones, but to consecrate a space for prayer, that masses might be said for the souls of the dead. This was the Catholic way, a Christian duty. Before the Reformation, this was true in every parish in England. It remained true here at Kesgrave.

 

And finally, back outside to the small graveyard. Side by side are two crosses. One remembers Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope, artist, 1891-1988. The other remembers Lucy Doreen Rope, founder of this church, 1907-2003.

Before this day, I had not heard of Hemblington. But I saw a sign pointing to the church, away over the fields, and I had time, so I turned to see where it went.

 

The road went for ages until I saw the church, tucked in the countryside, round tower looking so typically Norfolk.

 

Inside I was dazzled by the painted font, the wall paintings on the north wall and the various nooks and crannies of this ancient church, but not really knowing what each was for.

 

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You don't have to go far off of the hellish A47 between Norwich and Yarmouth to come out into an utterly rural and remote corner of Norfolk. This is partly sleight of hand, because the narrow lanes which leave the busy road are so winding that they make you think you've come further than you have. Also, you might expect this area between the marshes and the broads to be flat and open; but here the landscape rolls, a patchwork of hedged fields and copses. In the late summer, there was a balmy restlessness, the soothing warmth of the sun competing with the wind from the North Sea ruffling and rustling the long grass.

All Saints is set in a secretive graveyard on a rise above a lattice of country lanes. From a distance it appears a sentinel; but, closer to, the aspect softens, and the church reveals itself as a humble little round-towered building, with much that is old about it, but also the simple mendings and making dos of later generations. I was particularly struck by the use of red brick, both in the elegant window in the western side of the Norman tower (is it 17th century?) and the moulding inside the opening of what is otherwise a humble south porch.

 

When I first came this way I bemoaned the fact that Hemblington church was kept locked, but I am happy to report that it is now open every day. Certainly, Hemblington is a remote parish, and its church a remote church, and trusting strangers is a risk - and Faith itself is a risk, of course. But the great medieval treasures of Hemblington are not the kind that can be carted away in the back of a white van.

 

The first is one of a number of very interesting, even idiosyncratic, fonts in this part of Norfolk. These do not appear to be part of a series, although this one does bear a strong resemblance to that nearby at Buckenham. They do suggest, however, that there was an abundance of stonecarvers working in this area in the 15th century, and that parishes were able to express their independence and individuality in their choice of subject. The Reformation would put a stop to that.

 

The Hemblington font was recoloured lightly in the 1930s under the eye of Professor Tristram. It is a great celebration of Saints; there are seven seated on the panels of the bowl, and eight more standing around the shaft. The eighth panel subject is a beautiful Holy Trinity, with God the Father seated holding his crucified Son between his knees, while the dove of the Spirit descends. It is a charming image; there is another on the font at Acle a few miles off. Among the Saints on the panel are St Augustine, St Edward the Confessor, St Barbara, and a striking St Agatha - she sits with her breasts bared, a sword descending. Among those around the shaft are St Lawrence with a finely carved grid iron, St Leonard with his manacles, St Margaret dispatching a dragon with her cross, St Catherine with her wheel and sword, St Stephen and St Mary Magdalene.

 

If there was only the font, Hemblington would be a must-see for anyone interested in the late medieval period. But just as the font demonstrates the enthusiasms of the cool, rational 15th century, so there is evidence of the shadowier devotions of a century earlier. This is the best single surviving wall painting of the narrative of St Christopher in England. The giant figure bestrides the river opposite the south doorway, just as he does in about twenty churches in this part of Norfolk, but here his staff has become a club, and on either bank there are smaller scenes depicting events in the Saint's story. those on the west side, recalling his life as a pagan before conversion, are all but obliterated. Those on the east side, however, are marvellously well-preserved, vivid and immediate in their clarity. They show the trials and tribulations he underwent in his life as a Christian, including the occasion on which two women were sent to tempt him in prison, and another where he is led to the executioner's sword. Another shows him tied to a tree being flogged, an echo of the scourging of Christ; another shows him being shot through with arrows, which would have immediately brought to mind the martyrdom of their own dear St Edmund to the medieval East Anglians.

 

The donors who paid for the font, in that great, late medieval attempt to reinforce Catholic orthodoxy in the face of local abuses and superstitions, are probably among those remembered by brass inscriptions in the nave.

 

And this must have been a busy parish in those days, for will evidence reveals that there were three guild altars where lights burned for the dead. We can even trace where these guild altars may have been, for on the north side of the nave there is a piscina, and connected to it is a pedestal, where a statue of a Saint would have stood. Such things were probably destroyed in the 1530s by orders of the increasingly paranoid King Henry VIII; those that survived would have fallen to the orders of the enthusiastically puritan advisors of his son, the boy King Edward VI a decade later. It is appalling to think of the richness that once was, not just here, but in thousands of village churches all over England. So much lost, so much wilfully destroyed.

Hemblington has retained more than most, and the church is a fascinating testimony to the mindset of late medieval East Anglia. But even without these great treasures, All Saints is a charming, rural building that speaks as loudly of the Victorian villagers who paid for, and probably worked on, its restoration as it does of their mysterious Catholic forebears. I stood for a moment imagining the blacksmith and the plowboy, the wheelwright and the carpenter, sitting in the pews for Divine Service. And then, after a chat with the modern custodians, we headed on for North Burlingham.

 

Simon Knott, November 2007

 

www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/hemblington/hemblington.htm

 

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Six socmen of Gert were at the Conquest deprived of 30 acres of land, 2 acres of meadow, with 2 carucates, in this town, there were also 2 socmen, one of them belonged to the soc of the hundred, who held half a carucate of land, and a borderer with 6 acres of meadow, who had under them 7 socmen, with 20 acres of land, and one of meadow, and there was one carucate and an half among them all; it was one leuca long, and half a leuca broad, and paid 16d. gelt. (fn. 1)

 

This lordship was in the Crown at the survey, and Godric took care of it; and was granted to the family of Le Botiler, and from them came to the Botetourts, as in South Walsham, and Upton.

 

William de Rothing and Joan his wife claimed view of frankpledge, &c. in the 15th of Edward I.

 

Henry de Cat and Margery his wife had an interest herein, in the 35th of the said King, and Henry Cat, and Jeffrey Atte Fenne were returned to be lords in the 9th of Edward II. after this John Fastolf and Margery his wife.

 

The principal manor belonged to the see of Norwich; at the survey William Beaufoe Bishop of Thetford held it in his own right, as a lay fee, 60 acres of land; of which 2 freemen (of Ralph Stalre were deprived) with the soc and sac; of one of these Almar Bishop of Elmham had the commendation, or protection only, of this Beaufoe had the soc, &c. and Ralph, the Earl had the other, valued at 2s.

 

Bishop Beaufoe in right of his see had also 21 socmen, with 140 acres of land, 8 acres of meadow, and 3 carucates and a half, &c. this was valued in his principal lordship of Blowfield: in this town, there were also 60 acres of demean land. (fn. 2)

 

Bishop Beaufoe gave this to his see at his death, and Bishop Herbert settled it on the priory, with the advowson of the church.

 

The ancient family of the Castons held a considerable part of these fees. of the see of Norwich, of whom see in Blofield, Bradeston, &c. and after came to the Berneys of Reedham; the Lords Bardolf had also an interest herein, in the 15th of Edward I. William Bardolf, claimed the assise, frank pledge, &c.

 

Sir Thomas Berney died lord in 1389, and his descendant, Henry Berney, Esq. in 1584.

 

The tenths were 2l. The temporalities of St. Faith's priory 18d. Of Weybridge 5s.

 

The Church was a rectory dedicated to All-Saints, and formerly in the patronage of the Bishops of Norwich, but was appropriated to the prior and convent of Norwich, for the prior's table, by Walter Suffield Bishop in 1248, and was valued together with the vicarage at 5l.—Peter-pence 12d.—Carvage 2d. ob.

 

Vicars.

 

In 1304, Thomas de Langele, instituted vicar, presented by the prior &c. of Norwich.

 

1307, Richard de Boton. Ditto.

 

1324, And. de Bedingham. Ditto.

 

1349, Edmund Barker. Ditto.

 

1367, Thomas Gilbert. Ditto.

 

1395, John Malpas. Ditto.

 

1395, Edmund Heryng. Ditto.

 

1397, Robert Gernon. Ditto.

 

1401, Sim. Annable. Ditto.

 

1402, Robert Body. Ditto.

 

It has for many years been served with a stipendiary curate, nominated by the dean and chapter, who have the appropriated rectory.

 

¶In the church were the lights of All-Saints, St. Mary, Holy Cross, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol1...

Myth and Psyche

The Evolution of Consciousness

This introduction to Jungian psychology was written by Donald Kalsched and Alan Jones as a companion to a photographic exhibition at The Hofstra Museum, in New York City, November 15 – December 19, 1986. The exhibit was presented by The Hofstra Museum with The Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism (ARAS). The exhibit was curated by Karin Barnaby and Annmari Ronnberg.

 

Introduction

Mythology is the most archaic and profound record we have of mankind's essential spirit and nature. As far back as we are able to trace the origins of our species, we find myth and myth-making as the fundamental language through which man relates to life's mystery and fashions meaning from his experiences. The world of myth has its own laws and its own reality. Instead of concepts and facts that make logical sense, we find patterns of irrational imagery whose meaning must be discerned or experienced by the participant-observer. Discovering these patterns of meaning is what Jung meant by the symbolic approach to religion, myth, and dream.

The mythic image is not to be taken literally and concretely as it would be in the belief-system of a particular religion, nor is it to be dismissed as 'mere illusion,' as often happens in scientific circles. Instead, we must approach myth symbolically as revealed eternal 'truths' about mankind's psychic existence — about the reality of the psyche. 'Once upon a time' does not mean 'once' in history but refers to events that occur in eternal time, always and everywhere. Any myth is very much alive today. Every night in sleep we sink back into that source of all mythological imagery, the unconscious psyche — the origin of dreams. Many of our games have their roots in mythology and much of contemporary art, literature, and film is shot through with mythological themes.

The comparative method is the basic key to a symbolic understanding of mythology. Through it we discover certain patterns which recur in widely varying cultures separated by an immensity of both distance and time. Jung called these underlying patterns 'archetypes' from 'arche' meaning primordial, and 'typos' meaning typical. Archetypal images embody the most essential elements of the human experience and drama. They manifest both as powerful images, and as dynamic behavioral patterns. They are a repertoire of instinctive human functioning, analogous in our species to the instinctive impulse that impels, say, the Baltimore Oriole to build a beautiful teardrop nest, or Salmon to return to the streams of their birth. The generality of these images result from recurrent reactions of human beings to situations and stimuli of the same general order, repeated over thousands of years.

The archetypal images represent several basic stages of the life drama symbolized by the Hero myth. They lead from an initial stage of unconsciousness before the ego has awakened, through various stages of heroic struggle, to a final state of 'wholeness' or integration when life has reached its full potential and a relationship between the human and divine has been reestablished. Jung called this process 'individuation,' the process of becoming the true individual that one really is. This 'true self' Jung felt to be the dynamic factor in the unconscious of each individual. It represents the central archetype of order and wholeness among the other archetypes. Jung called it the Self.

The Original Embryonic State

In the beginning of many creation myths is an image of an original state of perfection, wholeness, and beatific containment. This is often represented as a containing circle, cave, pool, or sphere. The predominant archetypal symbol is that of the primordial Earth Goddess — the Great Mother with her nourishing and protective womb. Many other symbols express this archetype. Anything large and embracing or containing, such as a vessel, that enwraps, shelters, and preserves something small and fragile partakes of this 'primordial mother' One very common symbol is the uroborus, the snake with its tail in its mouth. These symbols express a paradisal state prior to any degree of self-sufficiency and autonomy. The Garden of Eden, and the Golden Age when mankind lived in union with the gods, partaking of divine fullness and totality, are other common motifs of this psychological condition. In the biological life of the individual this symbolism corresponds not only to the pre-natal gestation of the embryo in the mother's uterus, but to the state of the newborn's total dependence upon the mother. Psychologically, these symbols express the stage when the ego is only a potential, or when the ego is dominated by the universal instinctual patterns of human response to the world, or a condition when little or nothing of a uniquely personal value is expressed by the individual.

Separation, Creation, and the Birth Of Consciousness

Comparative mythology teaches us that there is always a creative tension or urgency in the original embryonic state which leads to trouble. The great uroboric round breaks open and light is born into the world. A typical personification of this impulse is the snake that tempts Eve to violate her passive containment in the Garden, or the shadowy figure or animal in Fairy Tales that tempt the hero or heroine to break the status quo and do something 'evil,' i.e., individual. Such acts result in expulsion from paradisal condition. The protection of childhood, as well as the contentment with the past or with what has been achieved, are types of a paradise that are lost when life calls for a new adaptation.

This process begins with a cataclysmic separation. In myth it is often imaged as the separation of the world Parents. Father Sky and Mother Earth hold each other in an embrace and the world is left in darkness. The children born between them must thrust them apart, despite their parents' protesting cries and groans. Only then does light enter the world. This light symbolizes consciousness. Only in the light of consciousness can man know. Yet the acquisition of consciousness is a Promethean act subjecting the hero to the danger of inflation and retribution. For stealing fire from the Gods Prometheus was chained to a rock where an eagle ate his liver every night; when Icarus flew too high on his man-made wings, their wax melted and he plunged to his death in the sea. As a bearer of light, the hero is willing to face these dangers, despite the awareness of his aloneness, individuality, and mortality, in order to carry development further.

However, once the apple is eaten the world falls into opposites, and 'good' and 'evil' are assigned their place in the world. The Great Good Mother shows her dark aspect, the hateful or Terrible Mother, while the creative Father now sits opposite the Destructive Father, and brothers kill each other in the name of love, and the world is alternately either an enchanted or persecutory place.

The Hero Myth: Birth, Call, Journey

The hero myth symbolizes that personality formation occurs only through struggle, suffering, and sacrifice. The hero's triumphs and defeats are the paradigms of the individual's confrontation with the challenges of his or her own individual life — no matter how mundane or exalted. The birth of the hero usually occurs in humble surroundings such as a manger or cave, but it is always extraordinary in some way. Often there is a special light around the child, or the child is perceived to be a threat to the King. Frequently, the hero has two fathers — his personal father and a 'higher' father. Often the mother is a virgin, and the hero's conception is of divine origin. The hero thereby inherits a dual nature. He is a human being like everyone else, yet at the same time he feels himself to be an outsider, a stranger to the community. He does not fit in, and discovers within himself something that sets him apart, such as his prophetic powers, healing abilities, or creative powers. These lead him to extraordinary deeds.

The heroic adventure often begins with some message or 'call' from a miraculous source. A frog talks to the princess, or Moses confronts a burning bush, or an empty rice bowl floats upstream (Buddha), or there is an annunciation in a dream. The call often comes at an important moment. Old life values have often been outgrown and a certain sterility has set in. Parsifal's quest for the Holy Grail was set in motion by the Fisher King's realm having become a wasteland. Whatever its form, the call awakens the hero to his or her special destiny.

The Hero Myth: The Dragon Fight and Redemption of the Feminine

In the fight with the dragon the hero battles the regressive forces of the unconscious which threaten to swallow the individuating ego. The forces, personified in figures like Circe, Kali, medusa, sea serpents, Minotaur, or Gorgon, represent the Terrible side of the Great Mother. The Hero may voluntarily submit to being swallowed by the monster, or to a conscious descent into Hades so as to vanquish the forces of darkness. This mortifying descent into the abyss, the sea, the dark cave, or the underworld in order to be reborn to a new identity expresses the symbolism of the night-sea journey through the uterine belly of the monster. It is a fundamental theme in mythology the world over — that of death and rebirth. All initiatory rituals involve this basic archetypal pattern through which the old order and early infantile attachments must die and a more mature and productive life be born in their place.

The mythological goal of the dragon fight is almost always the virgin, the captive, or more generally, the 'treasure hard to attain.' This image of the vulnerable, beautiful, and enchanting woman, guarded by and captive of a menacing monster gives us a picture of the inner core of the personality and its surrounding defenses. The hero's task is to rescue the maiden from the grasp of the monster and, ultimately, to marry her and establish his kingdom with her. This dragon fight and liberation of the captive is the archetypal pattern that can guide us through those major transitional passages in our personal development where a rebirth or reorientation of consciousness is indicated. The captive represents the 'new' element whose liberation makes all further development possible.

In response to the call the hero undertakes a journey, usually a dangerous journey to an unknown region full of both promise and danger. Often the journey is a descent. Sometimes, as with Jonah, Aeneas, Christ, and Psyche, it is a descent into the depths — the sea, the underworld, or Hades itself. Always there is a perilous crossing. Sometimes the faintheartedness of the hero is balanced by the appearance of guardians or helpful animals that enable the hero to perform the superhuman task that cannot be accomplished unaided. These helpful forces are representatives of the psychic totality that supports the ego in its struggle. They bear witness to the fact that the essential function of the hero myth is the development of the individual's true personality.

The Goal of Individuation and Its Symbols

The successful completion of the hero drama forges a relationship between the psychic opposites which split apart at the birth of consciousness. The major symbols for this synthesis are various forms of the Coniunctio Oppositorium or Mandala in which the original wholeness is now re-established but on a higher, more differentiated level. In the images of King and Queen united in marriage, or male and female united in the form of the androgyne, or geometrical opposites paradoxically united in the 'squared circle' or life and death come together in the mysterious image of the immortal God suffering a mortal wound, the integration of the opposites within the personality are symbolized. Additional symbols of wholeness are the elixir of immortality, the pearl of great price, and the divine child, representing a life-transcending potential for future growth.

The hero myth tells us that the ego's courage to suffer the burdens of fear, guilt, and the conflicts within the personality — the willingness to be crucified on the cross of one's own doubleness and to hold this inwardly — is the only way God and man can be reconciled and drawn closer together. The original unity of God and man, as in the Garden, is broken when the ego aspires to consciousness. The ego is then banished to a world full of opposites which war with each other within the personality, as brother falls upon brother in war and devastation. But into the chaos is born the child of light, the hero, whose struggle can forge an everlasting relationship between male and female, light and darkness, life and death, God and man. This is the promise, the Ring, the Covenant, the Flaming Rainbow Bridge which can unite the human and divine in the inward depths of the human psyche.

 

www.cgjungny.org/d/d_mythpsyche.html

 

The biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis Chapters 2-3) is foundational to our Western culture and has influenced the upbringing and psychology of all of us, whether we realize it or not.Mythologists as well as many biblical scholars recognize the story as being in the genre of myth, which makes it appropriate to analyze it from the perspective of depth psychology, among other approaches. Indeed, as Joseph Campbell concluded, “This story yields its meaning only to a psychological interpretation” (2001, p. 50). Further, Carl Jung (CW 9.2, para. 230) had already written that “cosmogonic myths are, at bottom, symbols for the coming of consciousness.” But the literature about the Eden story taking such a psychological approach is scant, largely due to traditional and problematic gaps and tensions between academic disciplines. My recent book, The Mythology of Eden, is in part an interdisciplinary effort to take on this fascinating and important task and advance our knowledge on the subject. Below I distill some of my findings from this approach to the Eden myth, and I hope they break some new ground: The Story as Told.In the story, Yahweh warns Adam (before Eve is created) not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, or he will die that very day. In many mythologies and religions, including traditional Canaanite-Israelite religion, sacred trees have been thought of as conduits for connecting with and directly experiencing the divine, whereas the Eden story’s author insisted upon a covenant (contract) relationship between the divine (Yahweh) on the one hand and the human (earthly, profane, non-divine) sphere on the other. In the ancient biblical world, one way to experience the divine was to partake of the fruit or other produce of the sacred tree or plant, thus imbibing the essence of the divinity represented by or immanent within the tree, but this practice was condemned in the Bible.When Eve was tempted by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, she decided to eat it for various reasons, but mainly because she desired wisdom (Gen. 3:6). This purpose was realized when, immediately after Eve and then Adam ate the fruit, “the eyes of both were opened” (Gen. 3:7), and Yahweh remarked (to other divine beings), “See, the man has become like one of us [deities], knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:22). The questions become: What kind of knowledge/wisdom did Adam and Eve acquire, and what kind of transformation did these archetypal humans undergo? Both relate to the psyche.

 

The Creation of the Cosmos from ChaosIn ancient Near Eastern creation myths, there was no such thing as creation from nothing. Before the creation, there was always a formless watery substance characterized as “chaos” (see, e.g., Gen. 1:1) because at that stage no time, space, or other order existed. The same is true before the beginning of creation in the Eden story (a separate creation story from that in Genesis 1, by a different, earlier author), only a different metaphor for chaos was used, that of a desert wasteland (Gen. 2:4-5). The ordered cosmos is created like a bubble within the surrounding chaos and is bordered by the solid firmament above and the ground below, as shown in Diagram 1 below. The cosmos (including humans) is made of the same substance as chaos; the only difference is that it is ordered, has multiplicity, and the things created have names given by the creator decreeing their function and destiny.This motif of creation from chaos was universal in the ancient Near East and common around the world. Why? Marie-Louise von Franz (1995, pp. 2-4) explained that this is a natural result of our psyche experiencing its own ego-consciousness coming into being as “world-becoming.” As far as our psyche is concerned, our becoming aware of the world and the world coming into existence are one and the same. This process occurred not only when humans first developed ego-consciousness but also occurs in any young child’s development (as shown by developmental psychology) and in the life of adults, such as when we wake up in the morning from an unconscious state and order falls into place. Our unconscious has no sense of space or time and little sense of order; it is indeed chaotic and is experienced as such. Thus, the dawn of consciousness and our image of the creation of the world are parallel and related processes which throw up corresponding, related symbols. The notion of primordial chaos is a natural projection of an archetypal image that helps make the unknown comprehensible.Chaos as Evil and Sin.After the creation, chaos is not eliminated but continues outside the cosmos, always trying to encroach upon and undo the created cosmos. Particular things are “created” only to the extent that chaos is absent in them. But in fact nothing is perfect (except the initial Garden of Eden); each thing contains some element of chaos. In nature, chaos is manifested in natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and violent storms. Since humans are made of the same substance as the rest of the cosmos (recall Adam being formed from the ground and water), chaos can and will inevitably erupt in humans too. In modern psychological terms, this is the unconscious at work. In the biblical world, chaos was typically symbolized by a serpent, so when in the Eden story the serpent appears before Eve, the story’s ancient audience knew that chaos had entered the Garden and Eve’s mind. Her dialogue with the serpent represents this manifestation of chaos within herself and inner turmoil.In normative terms, chaos is viewed as bad (evil), while creation is good. After all, God had created the ordered cosmos from chaos, so that’s what He wanted. The cosmos in this respect has a teleological nature, which should be respected, maintained, and furthered. Chaos manifested in humans is what results in human evil (which the biblical authors said includes pagan religion). This is what Yahweh warns Cain about: “sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it” (Gen. 4:7, by the same author as the Eden story). The same biblical author later described this chaotic trait within human nature as wild imaginings of the human heart (in the ancient world thought to be the repository of thought) (Gen. 6:5; 8:21), much like Eve’s imaginings during her temptation (Gen. 3:6). Later rabbinical writings characterized this trait as the yezer hara (“impulse to evil”), which became the standard rabbinical explanation for the origin of evil. The ancients did not understand the nature of the unconscious as such, but they did reach the insight that much of human behavior, especially evil behavior, stems from urges deep within and barely susceptible to our rational, conscious control.The Antidote: The Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the Law

Adam and Eve’s transgression in the Garden showed what happens if unrestricted human nature takes its natural course. The author had to provide a remedy. His antidote was twofold: the knowledge of good and evil, combined with the Law (here in its incipient form).First, the immediate result of eating the forbidden fruit was to acquire the godlike knowledge of good and evil. What this knowledge consists of has been the subject of much debate, but actually the Hebrew Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls go fairly far in explaining it. In several passages they describe this knowledge as being acquired (or perfected) as one passes from minority to adulthood, at the age of 20 (e.g., Isa. 7:14-16). Thus, when the Hebrews rebelled against Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai, those 20 or older (except for the virtuous Joshua and Caleb) were implicated in this sin and so were not allowed to enter the Promised Land (hence the long stay in the wilderness), while minors under 20 had no knowledge of good and evil and so were considered incapable of sin, and therefore would eventually enter the Promised Land (Num. 14:29-30; Deut. 1:39). The Hebrew Bible goes on to portray Israel’s best kings, David and Solomon, has having an extra dose of the knowledge of good and evil, which is described as wisdom and a power of discernment (2 Sam. 14:17, 20; 1 Kings 3:9-12, 28; 4:29-31).The above understanding means that Adam and Eve’s transgression did not rise to the level of sin, since they had not yet acquired the knowledge of good and evil. They were like minors without legal capacity. In fact, their transgression was the result of human nature already at creation having the aforementioned inclination toward evil, not the cause of our sinfulness, as claimed in the doctrine of original sin.Given that evil is a form of chaos and good is a manifestation of the divinely created order of creation, the knowledge of good and evil is nothing less than the godlike knowledge of how the universe works in terms of the dynamic between chaos and order, both at the cosmic level and at the human moral level of good and evil. This understanding was likewise an insight into how the human psyche works. According to the biblical writers, in principle the knowledge of good and evil is what can (if applied) enable humans to avoid sin and further good.As shown by the snowballing of human evil leading up to Noah’s flood, however, in practice merely having this knowledge was not enough for good to prevail. Humans needed divine guidance and assistance. It was for this reason that Yahweh bestowed on the Hebrews the Law, a set of ordering principles which, if followed, would result in good prevailing, as well as the greatness of the Israelite nation. Having the knowledge of good and evil would enable humans to understand and follow the Law. This scheme is shown in Diagram 2 below, presenting the knowledge of good and evil as a type of merism, encompassing these opposites at the cosmic and human level.The Psychic Nature of the Transgression.Having the knowledge of good and evil enables humans to discern and understand both external and internal (psychic) reality, in particular pairs of opposites, symbolized by the opposites of good and evil but including others in the story such as male and female, and God and humans. Therefore, Adam and Eve’s acquisition of this knowledge constituted an enlightenment and transformation into a higher psychic level, that of full ego-consciousness. Before that, they were mired in a lower psychic state dominated by the unconscious that Erich Neumann (1954) famously called the “uroboros,” where all is one and there are no pairs of opposites (pp. 5-38). Yahweh’s warning that Adam would “die” upon eating the fruit, may well render this moment a kind of initiation scenario, with the old human dying and entering a new state of being. This transformation is what made humans responsible and accountable for their actions (especially before God), truly capable of sin or of good, and ready to act in the real world. That is when Adam and Eve exited the Garden. In psychological terms, they were not driven from the Garden but grew up and walked out on their own. As Joseph Campbell explained, “The Garden is a metaphor for the following: our minds” (2001, p. 50).Although no act of “original sin” occurred, the Eden story remains principally a story explaining human nature, in particular our psyche. Especially important is the story’s recognition of the role of chaos in the psyche, which today means the unconscious and especially the Shadow. As Jung recognized, “it is a frightening thought that man also has a shadow-side to him, consisting not just of little weaknesses and foibles, but of a positively demonic dynamism” (CW 7, para. 35). This chaos eventually came to be represented by the Devil. The author of the Eden story honestly brought out this psychic fact, and he did his best to fashion a way to deal with it. His remedy was the application of our knowledge of good and evil (an aspect of ego-consciousness) plus the Law.

What Does the Eden Story Mean for Us?In considering the relevance of the Eden story in today’s world, we must reevaluate the biblical author’s remedy and determine what our conclusions mean for us individually (spirituality, psychology), as well as socio-politically in terms of criminology, social policy, ethics and morality, education, religious doctrine (or abandonment thereof), and law. This complicated endeavor would take us far beyond the scope of this article, so I will end with just two points in this regard.

First, to the extent the biblical remedy involves conscious application of the knowledge of good and evil, this seems inevitably to involve, at least in part, ego-consciousness repressing and suppressing contents of our unconscious, which modern psychology has shown to cause still more problems.Second, historically, the biblical authors’ reliance on prophylactic laws to control human behavior has had mixed results. Further, such approach assumes that the human psyche is incapable of further change, even though it had transformed once before in the Garden. As a result, the prophylactic approach treats symptoms rather than the underlying problems, including evolved traits that once had survival value but which in many cases are now dysfunctional.

An alternative approach is to endeavor to transform the human psyche to a higher level, in which case the need for prophylactic measures and suppression and repression of the unconscious would lessen. Such is the approach, for example, being explored by Allan Combs (2009), the integral psychology movement championed by Ken Wilber (1996; 2000), and other progressive thinkers and initiatives. One means toward this end may well be spiritual practices giving a direct experience of divinity (however conceived), the type of approach condemned in the Bible but which resulted in the elevation of Adam and Eve’s consciousness.

www.depthinsights.com/Depth-Insights-scholarly-ezine/jung...

I had not been to Lincoln for some seven years, and back then I had little entrance in churches. But all that is different now, but I guess even then I knew there was something special about how the cathedral and church sat atop their hill with the ancient Steep Hill leading the way up from the river.

 

Of course, as I visit more and more fine buildings and churches, I notice more and more things, and so take more and more photos, so for those of you not interested in churches, I suppose this could be a tad dull? I hope not, Lincoln was splendid, and well worth a trip, or even a return.

 

-------------------------------------------------------

 

Lincoln Cathedral (in full The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln, or sometimes St. Mary's Cathedral) is a cathedral located in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. Building commenced in 1088 and continued in several phases throughout the medieval period. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 238 years (1311–1549).[1][2][3] The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt. The cathedral is the third largest in Britain (in floor space) after St Paul's and York Minster, being 484 by 271 feet (148 by 83 m). It is highly regarded by architectural scholars; the eminent Victorian writer John Ruskin declared: "I have always held... that the cathedral of Lincoln is out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have."

 

Remigius de Fécamp, the first Bishop of Lincoln, moved the episcopal seat (cathedra) there "some time between 1072 and 1092"[4] About this, James Essex writes that "Remigius ... laid the foundations of his Cathedral in 1088" and "it is probable that he, being a Norman, employed Norman masons to superintend the building ... though he could not complete the whole before his death."[5] Before that, writes B. Winkles, "It is well known that Remigius appropriated the parish church of St Mary Magdalene in Lincoln, although it is not known what use he made of it

 

Up until then St. Mary's Church in Stow was considered to be the "mother church"[7] of Lincolnshire[8] (although it was not a cathedral, because the seat of the diocese was at Dorchester Abbey in Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire). However, Lincoln was more central to a diocese that stretched from the Thames to the Humber.

 

Bishop Remigius built the first Lincoln Cathedral on the present site, finishing it in 1092 and then dying on 9 May of that year,[9] two days before it was consecrated. In 1141, the timber roofing was destroyed in a fire. Bishop Alexander rebuilt and expanded the cathedral, but it was mostly destroyed by an earthquake about forty years later, in 1185 (dated by the BGS as occurring 15 April 1185).[6][10] The earthquake was one of the largest felt in the UK: it has an estimated magnitude of over 5. The damage to the cathedral is thought to have been very extensive: the Cathedral is described as having "split from top to bottom"; in the current building, only the lower part of the west end and of its two attached towers remain of the pre-earthquake cathedral.[10] Some (Kidson, 1986; Woo, 1991) have suggested that the damage to Lincoln Cathedral was probably exaggerated by poor construction or design; with the actual collapse most probably caused by a vault collapse.[10]

 

After the earthquake, a new bishop was appointed. He was Hugh de Burgundy of Avalon, France, who became known as St Hugh of Lincoln. He began a massive rebuilding and expansion programme. Rebuilding began with the choir (St Hugh's Choir) and the eastern transepts between 1192 and 1210.[11] The central nave was then built in the Early English Gothic style. Lincoln Cathedral soon followed other architectural advances of the time – pointed arches, flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting were added to the cathedral. This allowed support for incorporating larger windows. There are thirteen bells in the south-west tower, two in the north-west tower, and five in the central tower (including Great Tom). Accompanying the cathedral's large bell, Great Tom of Lincoln, is a quarter-hour striking clock. The clock was installed in the early 19th century.[12] The two large stained glass rose windows, the matching Dean's Eye and Bishop's Eye, were added to the cathedral during the late Middle Ages. The former, the Dean's Eye in the north transept dates from the 1192 rebuild begun by St Hugh, finally being completed in 1235. The latter, the Bishop's eye, in the south transept was reconstructed a hundred years later in 1330.[13] A contemporary record, “The Metrical Life of St Hugh”, refers to the meaning of these two windows (one on the dark, north, side and the other on the light, south, side of the building):

 

"For north represents the devil, and south the Holy Spirit and it is in these directions that the two eyes look. The bishop faces the south in order to invite in and the dean the north in order to shun; the one takes care to be saved, the other takes care not to perish. With these Eyes the cathedral’s face is on watch for the candelabra of Heaven and the darkness of Lethe (oblivion)."

 

After the additions of the Dean's eye and other major Gothic additions it is believed some mistakes in the support of the tower occurred, for in 1237 the main tower collapsed. A new tower was soon started and in 1255 the Cathedral petitioned Henry III to allow them to take down part of the town wall to enlarge and expand the Cathedral, including the rebuilding of the central tower and spire. They replaced the small rounded chapels (built at the time of St Hugh) with a larger east end to the cathedral. This was to handle the increasing number of pilgrims to the Cathedral, who came to worship at the shrine of Hugh of Lincoln.

 

In 1290 Eleanor of Castile died and King Edward I of England decided to honour her, his Queen Consort, with an elegant funeral procession. After her body had been embalmed, which in the 13th century involved evisceration, Eleanor's viscera were buried in Lincoln cathedral and Edward placed a duplicate of the Westminster Abbey tomb there. The Lincoln tomb's original stone chest survives; its effigy was destroyed in the 17th century and replaced with a 19th-century copy. On the outside of Lincoln Cathedral are two prominent statues often identified as Edward and Eleanor, but these images were heavily restored in the 19th century and they were probably not originally intended to depict the couple.

 

Between 1307 and 1311 the central tower was raised to its present height of 271 feet (83 m). The western towers and front of the cathedral were also improved and heightened. At this time, a tall lead-encased wooden spire topped the central tower but was blown down in a storm in 1549. With its spire, the tower reputedly reached a height of 525 feet (160 m) (which would have made it the world's tallest structure, surpassing the Great Pyramid of Giza, which held the record for almost 4,000 years). Although there is dissent,[1] this height is agreed by most sources.[14][15][16][17][18] Other additions to the cathedral at this time included its elaborate carved screen and the 14th-century misericords, as was the Angel Choir. For a large part of the length of the cathedral, the walls have arches in relief with a second layer in front to give the illusion of a passageway along the wall. However the illusion does not work, as the stonemason, copying techniques from France, did not make the arches the correct length needed for the illusion to be effective.

 

In 1398 John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford founded a chantry in the cathedral to pray for the welfare of their souls. In the 15th century the building of the cathedral turned to chantry or memorial chapels. The chapels next to the Angel Choir were built in the Perpendicular style, with an emphasis on strong vertical lines, which survive today in the window tracery and wall panelling.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Cathedral

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)

Creativity

My life of creativity has lived with the difference between control and chaos; discipline and spontainity; and, planned and improvisation. In art, architecture, interior decoration, hanging drapes, disc jockeying, puppeteering, drafting and sketching I have always walked a tightrope but was at my best when I was loose, improvised, sketch and sing my way through. Even my drafting precision is best when left to my whim and whiles of intuition and spontaneity. I can work for many hours continuously and without eating or sleeping. As my art, design and writing is best when I write and not pre-plan nor compose but let God’s spirit guide. When I prepare sermons I plan, compose and make notes. I mark the bible with sticky backs at every page. But, when I preach it all goes away and I am led by the Holy Spirit to preach God’s word based on the research and prayer that has gone before. I pour my heart out in art, design, writing, conversation, and management. It is all the same creativity to me. Even public speaking and managing meetings. It is all-intuitive. I love gypsy and jazz music because it best reflects my spirit. I love open and creative mnemonic conversation, rhetoric, and singing words to make up melodies given from intuition. Rapp, Calypso, street gypsy, folk, and classic chant are like this. I can do this easily. In a Puerto Rico club a performer stood and took any suggestion given by the audience and immediately composed song and rhyme to perform. This is what I can do and to me it is the ultimate in creativity. It is also so tuned into mind and utterances given by God and keeps one’s ego out of the way. I take pleasure in the creative process and enjoy its seconds, moments, hours, and days. At Yale we discussed this issue and I came down strong ON process to which Professor Charles brewer and the class agreed I was abnormal. My products were so prolific and imaginative they could not conceive these done in an unplanned disciplined was and especially not appreciating the process rather than the product. I love the process and the moments I am living within my creation while creating the creation. When it ends I am now separated from it and it has its own life. Others may now possess and experience the creation. Perhaps they may enjoy and relive what I did to create the product. I have enjoyed other creations by other creators who I sensed created in this way but it is very rare. Most that I have known who do create do not have this experience. It is where I live and where I understand craft.

 

When I went to Saudi I knew how to deal with harshness from USA led Arabs. TCN (third country nationals) were tricky. My work ethic and morality was always surprising and disarming. Having labored in menial jobs for tips and crumbs I knew where they were comming from.

 

In ''Toward a Sociological Theory of Income Differences'' Mark Granovetter says that socioeconomic background affects mental ability; background and ability affect educational attainment; background, ability, and education affect occupational achievement; and all of the preceding variables affect earnings. This particularly resonates with my own experience. God has used these phenomena to His purposes, to win souls and bring comfort to the lost and suffering. God and His will did not guide by a concept, family or father but my career.

 

Labor is infinitely divisible into homogeneous units, as well-behaved neoclassical commodities are supposed to be. Labor, or course, is not well behaved and comes instead in inconvenient lumps called workers.

I had to leave the class of workers and “be” the class of master, manager, leader, and source of worker’s directions.

I had to behave and beleive differently.

My parents pictured themselves as labor and victums of a system. They had no ability to affect change.

Granovetter says that it is only important to know what the individual brings to the labor market in terms of educational credentials and training, etc. to understand income differences. It is the only thing a person can do who has no other connections, leverage, capital, assets, and ownership.

I believed that I could make a difference if I were to possess these attributes of educational credentials and training.

Granovetter rightly points out that the difficulty is that whether one's investment pays off depends on whether there is demand for what one's acquired skills can produce (characteristics of available jobs) and on whether one will be in a position to help meet that demand (the matching process). And, when I graduated Pratt and Yale demand was down for my skills and profession. It wasn’t until the early nineties that demand increased for these skills. By 1993 I was fifty-six and out of range to learn computer aided design.

I applied for civil service works in the same building I applied and received my FCC forth class broadcaster’s license in about 1955. At my interview I was told that I could apply for the civil service test and after several times I’d probably pass. But, m that did not determine if I’d gets hired. I was told, candidly, that of the many who pass the test few actually get any job assignments the selections are apportioned to people who have inside and special connections, political (Democratic party), Religious (Irish Catholic, etc.) or other very personal connections I had none of that! I simply dropped it. Years later, after several years of employment in KSA i traveled to Heidelberg Germany, fort Abram’s to apply for Core of Engineers, open advertisements and was told much the same the thing. Still not convinced, in 1990 I applied for Lee county government building department employment, and after interviews and applications lost a perfect position because of my age, I was too old; the acceptable candidate has all my qualifications and less but was twenty years my junior. I was so surprised to ten years later be hired by Mr. Robert Stewart after one simple interview.

People who obtain their jobs through personal contacts made more on average than those who obtained their jobs through application process did. On the demand side, there are few jobs for which large numbers of people are not qualified

I believed if I needed to be an honorable man. High principled with a code of ethics who does the right thing. However, this model is obsolete and irrelevant in the twenty- first century, and particularly in an ever increasingly technical culture.

There were always stirrings with in each company I worked. The question was always, how much are you willing to take to keep the job. Even when I later became the boss it was the same for me and I would convey this sentiment to those under me. The issues may have been political, relationships, behavioral, promises, etc. I never was so interested and I rather loose the job. I never regarded any company or situation so valuable as to it be worth my while to make the efforts. I could get another and always did.

However, I’d always work closely with my supervisor, boss, and employer to find out what was required and to do that, which was needed and requested. I certainly sought to improve my performance and better meet my supervisor and company’s objectives.

Christina and I concluded that those that succeed in cutting edge big business have a killer mentality. Killing themselves, families, and there competitors. They entered a market to gain a share of what has already been provided by another and in some other way. It correlated with those that had fought and won W.W.II. They were conquers and sought victories. It just seemed that we were out of our element as this was not the sort of personality or character that we were made of. With this in mind we embarked on a career supporting these killers and despots in positions well away these instincts. It was only in Saudi where I came so close to these owners and leaders and was really their accomplice. I knew them and there intents and helped them succeed.

Whatever talent I have was given by God to serve his purpose and at His pleasure. Whatever product or good comes from these talents are returned to God for His treasure. I am very grateful for a life of gifts and talents to serve God and bring people to Him.

 

All Saints, Gazeley, Suffolk.

 

There was never any doubt I would go to Rob's funeral. Rob was born just two weeks before me, and in our many meetings, we found we had so much in common.

 

A drive to Ipswich should be something like only two and a half hours, but with the Dartford Crossing that could balloon to four or more.

 

My choice was to leave early, soon after Jools left for work, or wait to near nine once rush hour was over. If I was up early, I'd leave early, I said.

 

Which is what happened.

 

So, after coffee and Jools leaving, I loaded my camera stuff in the car, not bothering to program in a destination, as I knew the route to Suffolk so well.

 

Checking the internet I found the M2 was closed, so that meant taking the M20, which I like as it runs beside HS2, although over the years, vegetation growth now hides most of it, and with Eurostar cutting services due to Brexit, you're lucky to see a train on the line now.

 

I had a phone loaded with podcasts, so time flew by, even if travelling through the endless roadworks at 50mph seemed to take forever.

 

Dartford was jammed. But we inched forward, until as the bridge came in sight, traffic moved smoothly, and I followed the traffic down into the east bore of the tunnel.

 

Another glorious morning for travel, the sun shone from a clear blue sky, even if traffic was heavy, but I had time, so not pressing on like I usually do, making the drive a pleasant one.

 

Up through Essex, where most other traffic turned off at Stanstead, then up to the A11 junction, with it being not yet nine, I had several hours to fill before the ceremony.

 

I stopped at Cambridge services for breakfast, then programmed the first church in: Gazeley, which is just in Suffolk on the border with Cambridgeshire.

 

I took the next junction off, took two further turnings brought be to the village, which is divided by one of the widest village streets I have ever seen.

 

It was five past nine: would the church be open?

 

I parked on the opposite side of the road, grabbed my bag and camera, limped over, passing a warden putting new notices in the parish notice board. We exchange good mornings, and I walk to the porch.

 

The inner door was unlocked, and the heavy door swung after turning the metal ring handle.

 

I had made a list of four churches from Simon's list of the top 60 Suffolk churches, picking those on or near my route to Ipswich and which piqued my interest.

 

Here, it was the reset mediaeval glass.

 

Needless to say, I had the church to myself, the centuries hanging heavy inside as sunlight flooded in filling the Chancel with warm golden light.

 

Windows had several devotional dials carved in the surrounding stone, and a huge and "stunningly beautiful piscina, and beside it are sedilia that end in an arm rest carved in the shape of a beast" which caught my eye.

 

A display in the Chancel was of the decoration of the wooden roof above where panels contained carved beats, some actual and some mythical.

 

I photographed them all.

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

All Saints is a large, remarkably good church in one of the sleepy, fat villages along the Cambridgeshire border, the sort of place you cycle through and imagine wistfully that you've won the lottery and could move there. The wide churchyard on both sides is a perfect setting for the church, which rises to heaven out of a perpendicular splendour of aisles, clerestories and battlements. The tower was complete by the 1470s when money was being left for a bell. The earlier chancel steadies the ship, anchoring it to earth quietly, although the tall east window has its spectacular moment too. And you step into a deliciously well-kept interior, full of interest.

One of the most significant medieval survivals here is not easily noticed. This is the range of 15th Century glass, which was reset by the Victorians high in the clerestory. This seems a curious thing to have done, since it defeats the purpose of a clerestory, but if they had not done so then we might have lost it. The glass matches the tracery in the north aisle windows, so that is probably where they came from. There are angels, three Saints and some shields, most of which are heraldic but two show the instruments of the passion and the Holy Trinity. I would not be surprised to learn that some of the shields are 19th century, but the figures are all original late 15th or early 16th century. The Saints are an unidentified Bishop, the hacksaw-wielding St Faith and one of my favourites, St Apollonia. She it was who was invoked by medieval people against toothache.

 

Waling from the nave up into the chancel, the space created by the clearing of clutter makes it at once mysterious and beautiful. Above, the early 16th century waggon roof is Suffolk's best of its kind. Mortlock points out the little angels bearing scrolls, the wheat ears and the vine sprays, and the surviving traces of colour. The low side window on the south side still has its hinges, for here it was that updraught to the rood would have sent the candles flickering in the mystical church of the 14th century. On the south side of the sanctuary is an exquisitely carved arched recess, that doesn't appear to have ever had a door, and may have been a very rare purpose-built Easter sepulchre at the time of the 1330s rebuilding. Opposite is a huge and stunningly beautiful piscina, and beside it are sedilia that end in an arm rest carved in the shape of a beast. It is one of the most significant Decorated moments in Suffolk.

 

On the floor of the chancel there is a tiny, perfect chalice brass, one of only two surviving in Suffolk. The other is at Rendham. Not far away is the indent of another chalice brass - or perhaps it was for the same one, and the brass has been moved for some reason. There are two chalice indents at Westhall, but nowhere else in Suffolk. Chalice brasses were popular memorials for Priests in the 15th and early 16th centuries, and thus were fair game for reformers. Heigham memorials of the late 16th century are on the walls. Back in the south aisle there is a splendid tombchest in Purbeck marble. It has lost its brasses, but the indents show us where they were, as do other indents in the aisle floors. Some heraldic brass shields survive, and show that Heighams were buried here. Brass inscriptions survive in the nave and the chancel, dating from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

 

The 14th century font is a good example of the tracery pattern series that appeared in the decades before the Black Death. They may have been intended to spread ideas at that time of great artistic and intellectual flowering before it was so cruelly snatched away. The cover is 17th Century. At this end of the nave are two good ranges of medieval benches, one, rare in East Anglia, is a group of 14th Century benches with pierced tracery backs. Some of them appear to spell out words, and Mortlock thought one might say Salaman Sayet. The block of benches to the north appears to be 15th Century or possibly early 16th Century. Further north, the early 17th Century benches are simpler, even cruder, and were likely the work of the village carpenter.

 

All rather lovely then. And yet, it hasn't always been that way. All Saints at Gazeley, near Newmarket, was the first church that I visited after an international team of scientists conclusively proved that God did not exist began the first page for this church that I wrote in 2003, in a satirical mood after finding the church locked and at a very low ebb. At a time when congregations were generally falling, I'd been thinking about the future of medieval churches beyond a time when they would have people to use them in the traditional way. I wondered if the buildings might find new uses, or could adapt themselves to changing patterns and emphases in Christianity, or even changing spiritual needs of their parishes. Even if science could somehow prove that God did not exist, I suggested, there were parishes which would rise to the challenge and reinvent themselves, as churches have always done over the two millennia of Christianity. Coming to Gazeley I felt that here was a church which felt as if it had been abandoned. And yet, it seemed to me a church of such significance, such historical and spiritual importance, that its loss would be a disaster. If it had been clean, tidy and open at the time he was visiting, Simon Jenkins England's Thousand Best Churches would not have been able to resist it. Should the survival of such a treasure store depend upon the existence of God or the continued practice of the Christian faith? Or might there be other reasons to keep this extraordinary building in something like its present integrity?

 

In the first decade of the 21st Century, Gazeley church went on a tremendous journey, from being moribund to being the wonderful church you can visit today. If you want to read the slightly adapted 2006 entry for Gazeley, recounting this journey, you can do so here. Coming back here today always fills me with optimism for what can be achieved. On one occasion I mentioned my experiences of Gazeley church to a Catholic Priest friend of mine, and he said he hoped I knew I'd seen the power of the Holy Spirit at work. And perhaps that is so. Certainly, the energy and imagination of the people here have been fired by something. On that occasion I had wanted to find someone to ask about it, to find out how things stood now. But there was no one, and so the building spoke for them.

 

Back outside in the graveyard, the dog daisies clustered and waved their sun-kissed faces in the light breeze. The ancient building must have known many late-May days like this over the centuries, but think of all the changes that it has known inside! The general buffeting of the winds of history still leaves room for local squalls and lightning strikes. All Saints has known these, but for now a blessed calm reigns here. Long may it remain so.

 

Simon Knott, June 2019

 

www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gazeley.htm

All Saints, Gazeley, Suffolk.

 

There was never any doubt I would go to Rob's funeral. Rob was born just two weeks before me, and in our many meetings, we found we had so much in common.

 

A drive to Ipswich should be something like only two and a half hours, but with the Dartford Crossing that could balloon to four or more.

 

My choice was to leave early, soon after Jools left for work, or wait to near nine once rush hour was over. If I was up early, I'd leave early, I said.

 

Which is what happened.

 

So, after coffee and Jools leaving, I loaded my camera stuff in the car, not bothering to program in a destination, as I knew the route to Suffolk so well.

 

Checking the internet I found the M2 was closed, so that meant taking the M20, which I like as it runs beside HS2, although over the years, vegetation growth now hides most of it, and with Eurostar cutting services due to Brexit, you're lucky to see a train on the line now.

 

I had a phone loaded with podcasts, so time flew by, even if travelling through the endless roadworks at 50mph seemed to take forever.

 

Dartford was jammed. But we inched forward, until as the bridge came in sight, traffic moved smoothly, and I followed the traffic down into the east bore of the tunnel.

 

Another glorious morning for travel, the sun shone from a clear blue sky, even if traffic was heavy, but I had time, so not pressing on like I usually do, making the drive a pleasant one.

 

Up through Essex, where most other traffic turned off at Stanstead, then up to the A11 junction, with it being not yet nine, I had several hours to fill before the ceremony.

 

I stopped at Cambridge services for breakfast, then programmed the first church in: Gazeley, which is just in Suffolk on the border with Cambridgeshire.

 

I took the next junction off, took two further turnings brought be to the village, which is divided by one of the widest village streets I have ever seen.

 

It was five past nine: would the church be open?

 

I parked on the opposite side of the road, grabbed my bag and camera, limped over, passing a warden putting new notices in the parish notice board. We exchange good mornings, and I walk to the porch.

 

The inner door was unlocked, and the heavy door swung after turning the metal ring handle.

 

I had made a list of four churches from Simon's list of the top 60 Suffolk churches, picking those on or near my route to Ipswich and which piqued my interest.

 

Here, it was the reset mediaeval glass.

 

Needless to say, I had the church to myself, the centuries hanging heavy inside as sunlight flooded in filling the Chancel with warm golden light.

 

Windows had several devotional dials carved in the surrounding stone, and a huge and "stunningly beautiful piscina, and beside it are sedilia that end in an arm rest carved in the shape of a beast" which caught my eye.

 

A display in the Chancel was of the decoration of the wooden roof above where panels contained carved beats, some actual and some mythical.

 

I photographed them all.

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

All Saints is a large, remarkably good church in one of the sleepy, fat villages along the Cambridgeshire border, the sort of place you cycle through and imagine wistfully that you've won the lottery and could move there. The wide churchyard on both sides is a perfect setting for the church, which rises to heaven out of a perpendicular splendour of aisles, clerestories and battlements. The tower was complete by the 1470s when money was being left for a bell. The earlier chancel steadies the ship, anchoring it to earth quietly, although the tall east window has its spectacular moment too. And you step into a deliciously well-kept interior, full of interest.

One of the most significant medieval survivals here is not easily noticed. This is the range of 15th Century glass, which was reset by the Victorians high in the clerestory. This seems a curious thing to have done, since it defeats the purpose of a clerestory, but if they had not done so then we might have lost it. The glass matches the tracery in the north aisle windows, so that is probably where they came from. There are angels, three Saints and some shields, most of which are heraldic but two show the instruments of the passion and the Holy Trinity. I would not be surprised to learn that some of the shields are 19th century, but the figures are all original late 15th or early 16th century. The Saints are an unidentified Bishop, the hacksaw-wielding St Faith and one of my favourites, St Apollonia. She it was who was invoked by medieval people against toothache.

 

Waling from the nave up into the chancel, the space created by the clearing of clutter makes it at once mysterious and beautiful. Above, the early 16th century waggon roof is Suffolk's best of its kind. Mortlock points out the little angels bearing scrolls, the wheat ears and the vine sprays, and the surviving traces of colour. The low side window on the south side still has its hinges, for here it was that updraught to the rood would have sent the candles flickering in the mystical church of the 14th century. On the south side of the sanctuary is an exquisitely carved arched recess, that doesn't appear to have ever had a door, and may have been a very rare purpose-built Easter sepulchre at the time of the 1330s rebuilding. Opposite is a huge and stunningly beautiful piscina, and beside it are sedilia that end in an arm rest carved in the shape of a beast. It is one of the most significant Decorated moments in Suffolk.

 

On the floor of the chancel there is a tiny, perfect chalice brass, one of only two surviving in Suffolk. The other is at Rendham. Not far away is the indent of another chalice brass - or perhaps it was for the same one, and the brass has been moved for some reason. There are two chalice indents at Westhall, but nowhere else in Suffolk. Chalice brasses were popular memorials for Priests in the 15th and early 16th centuries, and thus were fair game for reformers. Heigham memorials of the late 16th century are on the walls. Back in the south aisle there is a splendid tombchest in Purbeck marble. It has lost its brasses, but the indents show us where they were, as do other indents in the aisle floors. Some heraldic brass shields survive, and show that Heighams were buried here. Brass inscriptions survive in the nave and the chancel, dating from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

 

The 14th century font is a good example of the tracery pattern series that appeared in the decades before the Black Death. They may have been intended to spread ideas at that time of great artistic and intellectual flowering before it was so cruelly snatched away. The cover is 17th Century. At this end of the nave are two good ranges of medieval benches, one, rare in East Anglia, is a group of 14th Century benches with pierced tracery backs. Some of them appear to spell out words, and Mortlock thought one might say Salaman Sayet. The block of benches to the north appears to be 15th Century or possibly early 16th Century. Further north, the early 17th Century benches are simpler, even cruder, and were likely the work of the village carpenter.

 

All rather lovely then. And yet, it hasn't always been that way. All Saints at Gazeley, near Newmarket, was the first church that I visited after an international team of scientists conclusively proved that God did not exist began the first page for this church that I wrote in 2003, in a satirical mood after finding the church locked and at a very low ebb. At a time when congregations were generally falling, I'd been thinking about the future of medieval churches beyond a time when they would have people to use them in the traditional way. I wondered if the buildings might find new uses, or could adapt themselves to changing patterns and emphases in Christianity, or even changing spiritual needs of their parishes. Even if science could somehow prove that God did not exist, I suggested, there were parishes which would rise to the challenge and reinvent themselves, as churches have always done over the two millennia of Christianity. Coming to Gazeley I felt that here was a church which felt as if it had been abandoned. And yet, it seemed to me a church of such significance, such historical and spiritual importance, that its loss would be a disaster. If it had been clean, tidy and open at the time he was visiting, Simon Jenkins England's Thousand Best Churches would not have been able to resist it. Should the survival of such a treasure store depend upon the existence of God or the continued practice of the Christian faith? Or might there be other reasons to keep this extraordinary building in something like its present integrity?

 

In the first decade of the 21st Century, Gazeley church went on a tremendous journey, from being moribund to being the wonderful church you can visit today. If you want to read the slightly adapted 2006 entry for Gazeley, recounting this journey, you can do so here. Coming back here today always fills me with optimism for what can be achieved. On one occasion I mentioned my experiences of Gazeley church to a Catholic Priest friend of mine, and he said he hoped I knew I'd seen the power of the Holy Spirit at work. And perhaps that is so. Certainly, the energy and imagination of the people here have been fired by something. On that occasion I had wanted to find someone to ask about it, to find out how things stood now. But there was no one, and so the building spoke for them.

 

Back outside in the graveyard, the dog daisies clustered and waved their sun-kissed faces in the light breeze. The ancient building must have known many late-May days like this over the centuries, but think of all the changes that it has known inside! The general buffeting of the winds of history still leaves room for local squalls and lightning strikes. All Saints has known these, but for now a blessed calm reigns here. Long may it remain so.

 

Simon Knott, June 2019

 

www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gazeley.htm

THE NEW JERUSALEM

 

Revelation 21:3-27, "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

 

God greatly desires to fellowship with man. All of His various covenants with man were designed to bring man closer to God. But because of man's sinfulness it was impossible for man to dwell in the presence of God.

 

Now with God's final work he creates the bride of Christ, or the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is the juxtaposition between the new earth and the heavens.

 

Literally, the New Jerusalem is an inconceivably large cubical structure, approximately 1500 miles on a side. The New Jerusalem is so large that it would cover almost the entire Mediterranean basin. If it were centred over present day Jerusalem it would extend North into the Black Sea, South into the Sudan, East into the Persian Gulf and West into Greece. If you were to try to fly over it you would need the space shuttle since it is also 1500 miles high.

 

Figuratively the New Jerusalem represents the Bride of Christ, or the Church. The true Church is by definition the juxtaposition of heaven and earth. At this time God speaks to the world through the Church and by faith in Jesus Christ we can boldly enter the presence of God.

 

The twelve gates whereby we enter in represent the twelve tribes of Israel from whom Messiah Jesus originated. Jesus is the gate of John 10:9. The twelve foundations represent the foundations laid by the Apostles of the Lamb. Since they were merely messengers of what Jesus taught it could be said that in this respect Jesus also is the foundation of the New Jerusalem or the chief cornerstone of Mt. 21:42, Mk. 12:10, Lk. 20:17.

 

When the New Jerusalem descends God will dwell in the midst of his people. The city will be lit by the Glory of the Lord and man will have direct access to their one true God. All grief and pain that has been birthed by sin will be no more.

 

All men will be able to drink from the water of life. This will be a literal fluid as well as a representation of the Holy Spirit. There will also be the tree of life, which bears many different types of fruit of which we may eat. Again, the tree of life is both literal and figurative in its meaning. There will be a literal tree with literal fruit. The fruit in a figurative sense is the fruit of the Spirit. — at www.apocalypsetheunveiling.com.

This is a work in progress ~ Enjoy the Good News. And have a happy Day on this brand New day of life. Life is a gift from Love's creation. Sincerely, Poet JasMine KiaRa Snow

 

It is not the End of the World on December 21, 2012. Be assured according to the true God & His Word the Bible. God's Day is unknown to us. I am a witness of the true God in heaven. Only by His Word do I follow ever so closely till the ending of the Dark World.

 

Before God's Day of His War arrives ending the old-system of things. A world of wicked ones destroying the Earth Lands other biblical prophesies must first be fulfilled.

 

Armageddon is a Selective Day. Presently according to what has been recorded in the Ancient Scrolls of the bible books; the hour & day of the End of the World is known only to God Himself. Neither the angels nor the Son know the hour. The Day arrives like a thief in the night.

 

I am one in 8 million. A witness taken out from among nations for the name sake of my God Jehovah. Armageddon is the day God sanctifies his name as being Sovereign Eternal King. God identifies Himself as having a personal name.

 

The God identifying himself as the true God of heaven says: He is Jehovah God Of Armies. He is the one pronouncing through His Son, the resurrected Christ (Mediator between man, woman & child. Jesus, a high priest to time indefinite must Mediate for any of us to approach God. We are presently in our imperfect, Adamic-inherited-sinful state) & into all nations of the entirety of the inhabited earth, God's Good News of His Kingdom, The sanctification of His name are voiced by His witnesses as well as from His angels in heaven. They are utilizing the ladder between heaven & earth; helpers of sharing God's News & upcoming events of the fulfillment of all God's promises day by day.

 

It is Jehovah Himself declaring by means of His Word that only He is the true, living God of heaven & earth. He is our God as well as the God of Christ Jesus, our ransom sacrifice. Jehovah God is the one who gave life to Jesus. He is Creator of all things including bringing His first born Son, Christ Jesus named Michael in heaven into existence. Christ was first a born as a spirit son. The first angel-in heaven. All other things were created through him by His Father allowing him to use God's personal power, His holy spirit.

 

Only by God's Word do I follow ever so closely. Never do I go outside of the counsel of the bible. It is in fact the Rule & the Law of divine truth. Paying more than the usual attention to God's divine warnings in our days of Critical Times is crucial to surveying the ending of the system of things.

 

Becoming a prepared people. Walk with God now & forever by taking in His counsel. This means everlasting life for those knowing the one, Christ Jesus whom the true God sent forth. ~ John 17:3. Accurate knowledge is powerful. It is life-saving.

 

God promises us according to His all Wise & accurate directions that Armageddon's hour belongs to nobody on earth or in heaven. This being the reason that He alone knows the hour & day in which He will summons His King of His people & Kingdom to ride with the entire angelic army of God ushering out the world that Satan is now ruling.

 

Be refreshed & know right over wrong. Truth over lies by hearing & studying for yourself what God's message of Love is to us. God is Love. Love will not fail us. The ones believing in God may approach God through Christ Jesus in prayer. God answers the ones genuinely seeking Him while time still remains for Him to be found. prayer is a powerful tool. It also is the way to speak to God in heaven. He hears all the ones crushed in spirit & broken in heart, He draws close to them as they draw close to Him.

 

His Word is a light shining in dark places. Christ already conquered the world. My footsteps now & forever walk by the brilliant light of God's healthful & truthful counsel. His Word is a shining Lamp to my foot.

 

Hear what the spirit of Love is saying according to the Good News of God's Kingdom. Awaken Earthling-kind to divine truth. The Everlasting Sayings of heaven are from God not from mortal mankind.

 

And do not be terrified of the world's lies. According to God. He has had it written down in His living Books (the bible) writings that the world's wisdom is nothing more than-mere-foolishness. A tickling of the ears of superciliousness says God.

 

He strongly warns not to pay attention to anything outside His Word as the world teaches what is not from God. They are in fact spiritualistic teachings of demon inspired prophesied falsehoods.

 

Be forewarned: Any Prophesied war day of the end of the world not from the true God & His Source the bible; are false and without merit.

 

Go on enduring by God's light, lighting up dark-places (the world without God is the dark places) till the ending of Satan's world rule on earth. It is Satan's world that God destroys. God does not destroy Planet earth. He does not destroy Earth Land's or sea creatures. God preserves obedient humankind.

 

The true God Jehovah/Yahweh. He is Love, destroys only the vile things on earth which Satan's rule brought about. Even death will be destroyed in the end of the end.

 

Death had entered into the world by one man, Adam's sin not by God's work. Death & sin are the works of the first fallen spirit son, Beelzebub an angel who turned himself into the prince of Demons. He is Satan the Devil. The first angel who chose to rebel against His Creator. Truth never existed in this one says God's Word.

 

Satan is a spirit son of God. He was formed as an angel. He is also known as the Original Serpent on earth in the Garden of Eden.

 

Prayer is a powerful way to have God intervene when His servant needs guidance and direction to find her dear one. Charlie Yohnah. I pray you will awaken before the true Day of Armageddon so that you will go on living everlasting life on earth under God's New heaves (the New heavens represent: God's active Spiritual government in heaven) Amen. Through the Living Amen, I say thank-you to God for all that He has taught me & will eternally go on teaching me.

 

~ LiLy-DoVe Art ~ Warrior Princess. Woman-child, KiaRa ChelSea ReeSe of the Ancient Of Days.

www.holyspiritspeaks.org/on-quieting-your-heart-before-go...

 

Pondering the words of God and praying over the words of God at the same time as eating and drinking the actual words of God—this is the first step to being at peace before God. If you can be truly at peace before God, then the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit will be with you.

All spiritual life is achieved by relying on being quiet before God. In praying you must be quiet before God before you can be moved by the Holy Spirit. By being quiet before God when you eat and drink God’s words you can be enlightened and illuminated and be able to achieve truly understanding God’s words. In your usual meditation and fellowship, and when you are drawing close to God with your heart, only when you are quiet before God can you have genuine closeness to God, genuine understanding of God’s love and God’s work, and true thoughtfulness toward God’s intentions. The more you are usually able to be quiet before God the more you can be illuminated, and the more you are able to understand your own corrupt disposition, what you lack, what you should enter, what function you should serve, and where you have defects. All these are achieved by relying on being quiet before God. If you truly reach some depth in being quiet before God, you can touch some mysteries in the spirit, touch on what God at present wants to do on you, touch on deeper understanding of God’s words, and touch on the essence of God’s words, on the substance of God’s words, on the being of God’s words, and you can see the path of practice more thoroughly and more accurately. If you cannot be quiet in your spirit to a certain depth, you will just be somewhat moved by the Holy Spirit, inside you will feel strength, and some enjoyment and peace, but you will not touch anything deeper. I have said before, if one does not use all their strength, it will be difficult for them to hear My voice or see My face. This refers to achieving depth in being quiet before God, not to external effort. A person who can truly be quiet before God is able to free themselves from all worldly ties and can achieve being occupied by God. All people who are unable to be quiet before God are assuredly dissolute and unrestrained. All who are able to be quiet before God are people who are pious before God, people who yearn for God. It is only people who are quiet before God who pay attention to life, pay attention to fellowship in spirit, who thirst for God’s words, and who pursue the truth. All those who pay no attention to being quiet before God, who do not practice being quiet before God are vain people who are completely attached to the world, who are without life; even if they say they believe in God they are just paying lip-service. Those God ultimately perfects and completes are people who can be quiet before God. Therefore, people who are quiet before God are people graced with great blessings. People who during the day take little time to eat and drink God’s words, who are completely preoccupied with external affairs, and do not pay attention to life entry are all hypocrites with no prospect of developing in the future. It is those who can be quiet before God and genuinely commune with God who are God’s people.

 

from "On Quieting Your Heart Before God"

Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts

PRAYERS

of the

EARLY CHURCH

 

Edited by

J. MANNING POTTS

 

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3

Preface

 

Demand for books of prayers has caused this book to be compiled. The experience of The Upper Room in publishing Ralph S. Cushman’s A Pocket Book of Prayer with its sale of over a million copies and the reaction from the publication of other prayer books have prompted the editor to collect and arrange these prayers. There are prayers of our Lord, the apostles, the martyrs, and the saints covering the period of the Early Church from its beginning through the fifth century. There are some prayers from each of the first five centuries. The treasure house from which to choose is almost unlimited. It is a vast and fruitful field and anyone is amply rewarded who delves into it.

 

The prayers have been selected primarily for their spiritual and devotional content. Many have been laid aside with regret that they could not be included in this book, but its compass in size is set and only so many can be used.

 

The prayers are arranged chronologically. Some other method of arrangement might have been chosen but this seemed good in order to represent each century. There are questions about the date and authorship of the prayers. They are the same questions that arise in reference to the Books of the Bible.

 

4

This book of prayers is published with the hope and prayer that it may have wide use. It has been prepared for individual and family devotions. It can be used with prayer groups in prayer meetings, for cells, and, of course, for the development of one’s own personal spiritual life. The material is perfect for use in the devotional services of young people’s groups, women’s groups, and men’s clubs. The prayers are excellent for insertion in church bulletins. Other ways will be found of making these great prayers usable.

 

The prayers have been collected from many old books of prayers and devotional materials. The editor is deeply indebted to all those who have ploughed the field before. They have labored and we have entered into their labors. It has been a joy to search out the material, to arrange the prayers, to put them in order, and to index them under so many subjects.

 

J. Manning Potts

Editor, THE UPPER ROOM

Nashville, Tennessee

5

Contents

 

Chapter I

FIRST CENTURY PRAYERS 7

1. New Testament Prayers 8

Simeon, Mary, Jesus, Stephen, Paul, Peter.

2. Other First Century Prayers 15

Clement of Rome, Clementine Liturgy, Syrian Clementine Liturgy.

Chapter II

SECOND CENTURY PRAYERS 21

Polycarp, Ignatius, Liturgy of St. James, Barnabas, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus.

Chapter III

THIRD CENTURY PRAYERS 31

Old Gallican Sacramentary, Liturgy of St. Mark, Eastern Church Liturgy, Eastern Church Vespers.

Chapter IV

FOURTH CENTURY PRAYERS 41

Coptic Liturgy of St. Cyril, Ambrose, Nerses of Clajes, Gallican Sacramentary, Armenian Liturgy, Basil, Chrysostom, Augustine, Apostolic Constitutions.

Chapter V

FIFTH CENTURY PRAYERS 77

Liturgy of the Nestorians, Ancient Collect, Leonine Sacramentary, Gelasian Sacramentary, Liturgy of the Blessed Apostles.

7

Chapter I

FIRST CENTURY PRAYERS

 

8

1. New Testament Prayers

 

The Prayer of Simeon

 

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

—Luke 2:29.

 

The Magnificat

 

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy.

—Luke 1:46-54.

 

9

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

 

O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

—Matt. 26:39, 42.

 

Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer

 

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For 10 I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

—John 17:1-8.

 

Jesus Prays From the Cross

 

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

—Luke 23:34.

 

Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.

—Luke 23:46.

 

Prayer of Stephen

 

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

 

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

—Acts 7:59-60.

 

That Christ May Dwell in Your Hearts

 

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the 11 knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.

 

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

 

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

—Epistle to the Ephesians 1:15-20; 3:14-21.

 

12

For Friends and Relatives

 

O God, the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in heaven and earth is named, thou who hast set the solitary in families, grant to all members of this family and to all the members of our different families, that, according to the riches of thy glory, we may be strengthened with might by thy Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fulness of God; through the eternal Christ our Saviour. Amen.

—Adapted: Ephesians 1:17; 3:15-19.

 

For a Knowledge of God’s Will

 

O Almighty God, we are confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in us, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: we pray that our love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that we may approve things that are excellent; that we may be sincere and without offense, till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. Amen.

—Adapted: Philippians 1:6-11.

 

13

Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake

 

O Lord, our heavenly Father, grant to thy children who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake that our conversation may be as becometh the Gospel of Christ; that we may stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel; that in nothing terrified by ...

This is Rose BOWING to her JESUS now at 17 14/16 INCHES on 03 OCTOBER 2006. She is in a cement level base since 25 September that we made. I couldn't resist, when we made it to put soil from Rose's grave, soil from each of her houses, some tiny rocks, a leaf, and a flower from her houses. It was just a little of each but I thought it would make it all the more special. You can see her Heart shape base which is what I will make her memorial stone into soon. It will be made with smooth cement, black die, a white birch cross with Rose's name engraved in it & her picture with Angel wings. The "FERRON" ROSARY with 15 Mysteries that the Virgin Mary had designed & showed Rose on 01 May 1928 and will show each of the Ferron children will surround the edge in heart-shape form with gemstones representing the 10 X 15 Hail Mary beads.. Also Roses saying "Let us braid a crown of Thorns here on earth so my Jesus will turn it into a crown of Roses in Heaven will be surroung the edge a half inch inside before the Rosary. Mr. & Mrs. Ferron will be at the end. I would also like to include St. Michael & Mama Mary with Jesus somehow but havent figured that out yet.. I hope to complete that within next few weeks as Jesus blesses me strength & health enough to do so. I can't wait til it is completed, it will be so beautiful. Then I want to repaint Jesus's face as his eyes don't look right from the statue makers doings. One eye is bigger than the other. It's a shame statue makers & painters don't take greater care in their work but I think I can fix it.

The Famagusta Walled City Association (MASDER) is an initiative that aims to turn the Famagusta Walled City into an attractive and appealing spot for visitors, through various efforts and programs that will make such efforts sustainable.

 

MASDER is an initiative created to contribute to the cultural, tourism-related, socio-economic and social development of the Walled City.

 

MASDER believes that numerous historical artifacts found in the Walled City of Famagusta belonging to various civilizations are the most important assets of both Famagusta and the Turkish Cypriot Community, and aims at protecting and promoting such assets.

 

MASDER aims at turning the Walled City of Famagusta into a preferred destination for tourists as well as for local visitors by drawing their attention to the historical places in the Walled City.

 

MASDER, as a legal entity, shall not have any affiliation with any political party or undertake any political activity.

 

In order to fulfill its objectives, MASDER will plan cultural and art related, traditional, folkloric activities and implement them.

 

MASDER will work in collaboration with organizations and associations/institutions having similar aims in order to organize such activities.

 

MASDER will regularly organize events to this end and conduct lobbying activities to increase awareness on the Walled City of Famagusta vis-à-vis the public bodies and institutions regarding other aims.

 

MASDER will provide support for different projects that will directly or indirectly contribute to the Famagusta Walled City.

 

MASDER will develop projects for the activities that will take place in the Walled City and find funding for them.

 

MASDER is firmly attached to the environmental assets and will play an effective role in the introduction of measures to protect the environment as well as raise awareness in this regard. MASDER undertakes or has access to a wealth of scientific and historical research related to the basic principles mentioned above or implement them in order to improve Famagusta and achieve the basic aims stated above.

 

Another mission of MASDER is to develop projects in order to protect the historical assets of the Walled City, to draw the attention of the competent authorities, as well as international donors, to the Walled City.

 

MASDER has received technical assistance and support from the Economic Development and Growth for Enterprises (EDGE) project, which is implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Like all U.S. funded programs in Cyprus, EDGE’s activities are aimed at facilitating reunification, including through the responsible management of natural and cultural resources.

 

Famagusta is a city on the east coast of the de facto state Northern Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice), Famagusta was the island's most important port city and a gateway to trade with the ports of the Levant, from where the Silk Road merchants carried their goods to Western Europe. The old walled city and parts of the modern city are de facto part of Northern Cyprus as the capital of the Gazimağusa District.

 

The city was known as Arsinoe or Arsinoë (Greek: Ἀρσινόη, Arsinóē) in antiquity, after Ptolemy II of Egypt's sister and wife Arsinoe II.

 

By the 3rd century, the city appears as Ammochostos (Greek: Ἀμμόχωστος or Αμμόχωστος, Ammókhōstos, "Hidden in Sand") in the Stadiasmus Maris Magni.[5] This name is still used in modern Greek with the pronunciation [aˈmːoxostos], while it developed into Latin Fama Augusta, French Famagouste, Italian Famagosta, and English Famagusta during the medieval period. Its informal modern Turkish name Mağusa (Turkish pronunciation: [maˈusa]) came from the same source. Since 1974, it has formally been known to Turkey and Northern Cyprus as Gazimağusa ([ɡaːzimaˈusa]), from the addition of the title gazi, meaning "veteran" or "one who has faught in a holy war".

 

In the early medieval period, the city was also known as New Justiniana (Greek: Νέα Ἰουστινιανία, Néa Ioustinianía) in appreciation for the patronage of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, whose wife Theodora was born there.

 

The old town of Famagusta has also been nicknamed "the City of 365 Churches" from the legend that, at its peak, it boasted a church for every day of the year.

 

The city was founded around 274 BC, after the serious damage to Salamis by an earthquake, by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and named "Arsinoe" after his sister.[6] Arsinoe was described as a "fishing town" by Strabo in his Geographica in the first century BC. In essence, Famagusta was the successor of the most famous and most important ancient city of Cyprus, Salamis. According to Greek mythology, Salamis was founded after the end of the Trojan War by Teucros, the son of Telamon and brother of Aedes, from the Greek island of Salamis.

 

The city experienced great prosperity much later, during the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. To honor the city, from which his wife Theodora came, Justinian enriched it with many buildings, while the inhabitants named it New Justiniania to express their gratitude. In AD 647, when the neighboring cities were destroyed by Arab raiding, the inhabitants of these cities moved to Famagusta, as a result of which the city's population increased significantly and the city experienced another boom.

 

Later, when Jerusalem was occupied by the Arabs, the Christian population fled to Famagusta, as a result of which the city became an important Christian center, but also one of the most important commercial centers in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

The turning point for Famagusta was 1192 with the onset of Lusignan rule. It was during this period that Famagusta developed as a fully-fledged town. It increased in importance to the Eastern Mediterranean due to its natural harbour and the walls that protected its inner town. Its population began to increase. This development accelerated in the 13th century as the town became a centre of commerce for both the East and West. An influx of Christian refugees fleeing the downfall of Acre (1291) in Palestine transformed it from a tiny village into one of the richest cities in Christendom.

 

In 1372 the port was seized by Genoa and in 1489 by Venice. This commercial activity turned Famagusta into a place where merchants and ship owners led lives of luxury. By the mid-14th century, Famagusta was said to have the richest citizens in the world. The belief that people's wealth could be measured by the churches they built inspired these merchants to have churches built in varying styles. These churches, which still exist, were the reason Famagusta came to be known as "the district of churches". The development of the town focused on the social lives of the wealthy people and was centred upon the Lusignan palace, the cathedral, the Square and the harbour.

 

In 1570–1571, Famagusta was the last stronghold in Venetian Cyprus to hold out against the Turks under Mustafa Pasha. It resisted a siege of thirteen months and a terrible bombardment, until at last the garrison surrendered. The Ottoman forces had lost 50,000 men, including Mustafa Pasha's son. Although the surrender terms had stipulated that the Venetian forces be allowed to return home, the Venetian commander, Marco Antonio Bragadin, was flayed alive, his lieutenant Tiepolo was hanged, and many other Christians were killed.

 

With the advent of the Ottoman rule, Latins lost their privileged status in Famagusta and were expelled from the city. Greek Cypriots natives were at first allowed to own and buy property in the city, but were banished from the walled city in 1573–74 and had to settle outside in the area that later developed into Varosha. Turkish families from Anatolia were resettled in the walled city but could not fill the buildings that previously hosted a population of 10,000. This caused a drastic decrease in the population of Famagusta. Merchants from Famagusta, who mostly consisted of Latins that had been expelled, resettled in Larnaca and as Larnaca flourished, Famagusta lost its importance as a trade centre. Over time, Varosha developed into a prosperous agricultural town thanks to its location away from the marshes, whilst the walled city remained dilapidated.

 

In the walled city, some buildings were repurposed to serve the interests of the Muslim population: the Cathedral of St. Nicholas was converted to a mosque (now known as Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque), a bazaar was developed, public baths, fountains and a theological school were built to accommodate the inhabitants' needs. Dead end streets, an Ottoman urban characteristic, was imported to the city and a communal spirit developed in which a small number of two-storey houses inhabited by the small upper class co-existed with the widespread one-storey houses.

 

With the British takeover, Famagusta regained its significance as a port and an economic centre and its development was specifically targeted in British plans. As soon as the British took over the island, a Famagusta Development Act was passed that aimed at the reconstruction and redevelopment of the city's streets and dilapidated buildings as well as better hygiene. The port was developed and expanded between 1903 and 1906 and Cyprus Government Railway, with its terminus in Famagusta, started construction in 1904. Whilst Larnaca continued to be used as the main port of the island for some time, after Famagusta's use as a military base in World War I trade significantly shifted to Famagusta. The city outside the walls grew at an accelerated rate, with development being centred around Varosha. Varosha became the administrative centre as the British moved their headquarters and residences there and tourism grew significantly in the last years of the British rule. Pottery and production of citrus and potatoes also significantly grew in the city outside the walls, whilst agriculture within the walled city declined to non-existence.

 

New residential areas were built to accommodate the increasing population towards the end of the British rule,[11] and by 1960, Famagusta was a modern port city extending far beyond Varosha and the walled city.

 

The British period saw a significant demographic shift in the city. In 1881, Christians constituted 60% of the city's population while Muslims were at 40%. By 1960, the Turkish Cypriot population had dropped to 17.5% of the overall population, while the Greek Cypriot population had risen to 70%. The city was also the site for one of the British internment camps for nearly 50,000 Jewish survivors of the Holocaust trying to emigrate to Palestine.

 

From independence in 1960 to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus of 1974, Famagusta developed toward the south west of Varosha as a well-known entertainment and tourist centre. The contribution of Famagusta to the country's economic activity by 1974 far exceeded its proportional dimensions within the country. Whilst its population was only about 7% of the total of the country, Famagusta by 1974 accounted for over 10% of the total industrial employment and production of Cyprus, concentrating mainly on light industry compatible with its activity as a tourist resort and turning out high-quality products ranging from food, beverages and tobacco to clothing, footwear, plastics, light machinery and transport equipment. It contributed 19.3% of the business units and employed 21.3% of the total number of persons engaged in commerce on the island. It acted as the main tourist destination of Cyprus, hosting 31.5% of the hotels and 45% of Cyprus' total bed capacity. Varosha acted as the main touristic and business quarters.

 

In this period, the urbanisation of Famagusta slowed down and the development of the rural areas accelerated. Therefore, economic growth was shared between the city of Famagusta and the district, which had a balanced agricultural economy, with citrus, potatoes, tobacco and wheat as main products. Famagusta maintained good communications with this hinterland. The city's port remained the island's main seaport and in 1961, it was expanded to double its capacity in order to accommodate the growing volume of exports and imports. The port handled 42.7% of Cypriot exports, 48.6% of imports and 49% of passenger traffic.

 

There has not been an official census since 1960 but the population of the town in 1974 was estimated to be around 39,000 not counting about 12,000–15,000 persons commuting daily from the surrounding villages and suburbs to work in Famagusta. The number of people staying in the city would swell to about 90,000–100,000 during the peak summer tourist period, with the influx of tourists from numerous European countries, mainly Britain, France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. The majority of the city population were Greek Cypriots (26,500), with 8,500 Turkish Cypriots and 4,000 people from other ethnic groups.

 

During the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 14 August 1974 the Mesaoria plain was overrun by Turkish tanks and Famagusta was bombed by Turkish aircraft. It took two days for the Turkish Army to occupy the city, prior to which Famagusta's entire Greek Cypriot population had fled into surrounding fields. As a result of Turkish airstrikes dozens of civilians died, including tourists.

 

Unlike other parts of the Turkish-controlled areas of Cyprus, the Varosha suburb of Famagusta was fenced off by the Turkish army immediately after being captured and remained fenced off until October 2020, when the TRNC reopened some streets to visitors. Some Greek Cypriots who had fled Varosha have been allowed to view the town and journalists have been allowed in.

 

UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Famagusta by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. The UN's Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.

 

Famagusta's historic city centre is surrounded by the fortifications of Famagusta, which have a roughly rectangular shape, built mainly by the Venetians in the 15th and 16th centuries, though some sections of the walls have been dated earlier times, as far as 1211.

 

Some important landmarks and visitor attractions in the old city are:

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque

The Othello Castle

Palazzo del Provveditore - the Venetian palace of the governor, built on the site of the former Lusignan royal palace

St. Francis' Church

Sinan Pasha Mosque

Church of St. George of the Greeks

Church of St. George of the Latins

Twin Churches

Nestorian Church (of St George the Exiler)

Namık Kemal Dungeon

Agios Ioannis Church

Venetian House

Akkule Masjid

Mustafa Pasha Mosque

Ganchvor monastery

 

In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund listed Famagusta, a "maritime ancient city of crusader kings", among the 12 sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and development pressures.

 

Famagusta is an important commercial hub of Northern Cyprus. The main economic activities in the city are tourism, education, construction and industrial production. It has a 115-acre free port, which is the most important seaport of Northern Cyprus for travel and commerce. The port is an important source of income and employment for the city, though its volume of trade is restricted by the embargo against Northern Cyprus. Its historical sites, including the walled city, Salamis, the Othello Castle and the St Barnabas Church, as well as the sandy beaches surrounding it make it a tourist attraction; efforts are also underway to make the city more attractive for international congresses. The Eastern Mediterranean University is also an important employer and supplies significant income and activity, as well as opportunities for the construction sector. The university also raises a qualified workforce that stimulates the city's industry and makes communications industry viable. The city has two industrial zones: the Large Industrial Zone and the Little Industrial Zone. The city is also home to a fishing port, but inadequate infrastructure of the port restricts the growth of this sector. The industry in the city has traditionally been concentrated on processing agricultural products.

 

Historically, the port was the primary source of income and employment for the city, especially right after 1974. However, it gradually lost some of its importance to the economy as the share of its employees in the population of Famagusta diminished due to various reasons. However, it still is the primary port for commerce in Northern Cyprus, with more than half of ships that came to Northern Cyprus in 2013 coming to Famagusta. It is the second most popular seaport for passengers, after Kyrenia, with around 20,000 passengers using the port in 2013.

 

The mayor-in-exile of Famagusta is Simos Ioannou. Süleyman Uluçay heads the Turkish Cypriot municipal administration of Famagusta, which remains legal as a communal-based body under the constitutional system of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Since 1974, Greek Cypriots submitted a number of proposals within the context of bicommunal discussions for the return of Varosha to UN administration, allowing the return of its previous inhabitants, requesting also the opening of Famagusta harbour for use by both communities. Varosha would have been returned to Greek Cypriot control as part of the 2004 Annan Plan but the plan had been rejected by a majority(3/4) of Greek Cypriot voters.

 

The walled city of Famagusta contains many unique buildings. Famagusta has a walled city popular with tourists.

 

Every year, the International Famagusta Art and Culture Festival is organized in Famagusta. Concerts, dance shows and theater plays take place during the festival.

 

A growth in tourism and the city's university have fueled the development of Famagusta's vibrant nightlife. Nightlife in the city is especially active on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights and in the hotter months of the year, starting from April. Larger hotels in the city have casinos that cater to their customers. Salamis Road is an area of Famagusta with a heavy concentration of bars frequented by students and locals.

 

Famagusta's Othello Castle is the setting for Shakespeare's play Othello. The city was also the setting for Victoria Hislop's 2015 novel The Sunrise, and Michael Paraskos's 2016 novel In Search of Sixpence. The city is the birthplace of the eponymous hero of the Renaissance proto-novel Fortunatus.

 

Famagusta was home to many Greek Cypriot sport teams that left the city because of the Turkish invasion and still bear their original names. Most notable football clubs originally from the city are Anorthosis Famagusta FC and Nea Salamis Famagusta FC, both of the Cypriot First Division, which are now based in Larnaca. Usually Anorthosis Famagusta fans are politically right wing where Nea Salamis fans are left wing.

 

Famagusta is represented by Mağusa Türk Gücü in the Turkish Cypriot First Division. Dr. Fazıl Küçük Stadium is the largest football stadium in Famagusta. Many Turkish Cypriot sport teams that left Southern Cyprus because of the Cypriot intercommunal violence are based in Famagusta.

 

Famagusta is represented by DAÜ Sports Club and Magem Sports Club in North Cyprus First Volleyball Division. Gazimağusa Türk Maarif Koleji represents Famagusta in the North Cyprus High School Volleyball League.

 

Famagusta has a modern volleyball stadium called the Mağusa Arena.

 

The Eastern Mediterranean University was founded in the city in 1979. The Istanbul Technical University founded a campus in the city in 2010.

 

The Cyprus College of Art was founded in Famagusta by the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos in 1969, before moving to Paphos in 1972 after protests from local hoteliers that the presence of art students in the city was putting off holidaymakers.

 

Famagusta has three general hospitals. Gazimağusa Devlet Hastahanesi, a state hospital, is the biggest hospital in city. Gazimağusa Tıp Merkezi and Gazimağusa Yaşam Hastahanesi are private hospitals.

 

Personalities

Saint Barnabas, born and died in Salamis, Famagusta

Chris Achilleos, illustrator of the book versions on the BBC children's series Doctor Who

Beran Bertuğ, former Governor of Famagusta, first Cypriot woman to hold this position

Marios Constantinou, former international Cypriot football midfielder and current manager.

Eleftheria Eleftheriou, Cypriot singer.

Derviş Eroğlu, former President of Northern Cyprus

Alexis Galanos, 7th President of the House of Representatives and Famagusta mayor-in-exile (2006-2019) (Republic of Cyprus)

Xanthos Hadjisoteriou, Cypriot painter

Oz Karahan, political activist, President of the Union of Cypriots

Oktay Kayalp, former Turkish Cypriot Famagusta mayor (Northern Cyprus)

Harry Luke British diplomat

Angelos Misos, former international footballer

Costas Montis was an influential and prolific Greek Cypriot poet, novelist, and playwright born in Famagusta.

Hal Ozsan, actor (Dawson's Creek, Kyle XY)

Dimitris Papadakis, a Greek Cypriot politician, who served as a Member of the European Parliament.

Ṣubḥ-i-Azal, Persian religious leader, lived and died in exile in Famagusta

Touker Suleyman (born Türker Süleyman), British Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur, investor and reality television personality.

Alexia Vassiliou, singer, left here as a refugee when the town was invaded.

George Vasiliou, former President of Cyprus

Vamik Volkan, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry

Derviş Zaim, film director

 

Famagusta is twinned with:

İzmir, Turkey (since 1974)

Corfu, Greece (since 1994)

Patras, Greece (since 1994)

Antalya, Turkey (since 1997)

Salamina (city), Greece (since 1998)

Struga, North Macedonia

Athens, Greece (since 2005)

Mersin, Turkey

 

Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.

 

A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.

 

Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

 

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.

 

Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.

 

Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.

 

The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.

 

Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.

 

Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.

 

By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.

 

EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.

 

However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.

 

On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.

 

In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.

 

By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.

 

In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.

 

The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.

 

After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".

 

As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.

 

Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

 

On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.

 

Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.

 

The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.

 

Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.

 

Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria

An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."

 

In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.

 

Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.

 

In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.

 

Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.

 

Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.

 

Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.

 

The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:

 

UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.

 

The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.

 

By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."

 

After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.

 

On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.

 

The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.

 

During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.

 

In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.

 

Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.

I could think of little else to do, so I headed towards Dover thinking that as I had finally got into Minster church, I should try Eastry as well. So, we turned off the main road and went into the village. Parked up and got the gear out again. I forgot what an unusual porch the church had, I thought it locked, but the door was just stiff. I swung the door open, and then the inner door too, and in the process disturbing another warden, this time vacuuming.

 

She was very nice, telling us the fine details of the church and filling us in with the history. She did not offer to take us up the tower though! Whilst she chatted to Will, I went round to get my shots, which I hope come out well. And before she could take up more of our a time, a quick glance at the clock revealed it to be nearly one and Will had to be heading home by three.

 

jelltex.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/sunday-16th-march-2014.html

 

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Set away from the main street but on one of the earliest sites in the village, flint-built Eastry church has an over restored appearance externally but this gives way to a noteworthy interior. Built in the early thirteenth century by its patrons, Christ Church Canterbury, it was always designed to be a statement of both faith and power. The nave has a clerestory above round piers whilst the east nave wall has a pair of quatrefoils pierced through into the chancel. However this feature pales into insignificance when one sees what stands between them - a square panel containing 35 round paintings in medallions. There are four deigns including the Lily for Our Lady; a dove; Lion; Griffin. They would have formed a backdrop to the Rood which would have been supported on a beam the corbels of which survive below the paintings. On the centre pier of the south aisle is a very rare feature - a beautifully inscribed perpetual calendar or `Dominical Circle` to help find the Dominical letter of the year. Dating from the fourteenth century it divides the calendar into a sequence of 28 years. The reredos is an alabaster structure dating from the Edwardian period - a rather out of place object in a church of this form, but a good piece of work in its own right. On the west wall is a good early 19th century Royal Arms with hatchments on either side and there are many good monuments both ledger slabs and hanging tablets. Of the latter the finest commemorates John Harvey who died in 1794. It shows his ship the Brunswick fighting with all guns blazing with the French ship the Vengeur. John Bacon carved the Elder this detailed piece of work.

 

kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Eastry

 

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Eastry is a large and interesting village situated just off the A256 approximately 2 miles from Sandwich, 9 miles from Dover and 12 miles from Canterbury.

 

The name, meaning Eastern district, originated in the 7th Century, when the village was the capital of the most easterly of the provinces of the Kingdom of Kent, the Lathe of Eastry.

 

Here the Saxon kings had a Royal Hall on the site north of the Church, now occupied by Eastry Court, which was reputedly the scene of the murder in 665 of the two young princes, Etheldred and Ethelbert. Two Saxon burial sites in the village date from this period.

 

On the south side of the Church lies the former Tithe Barn (rebuilt 1832), now Aumbry Cottages, and the Parsonage Farm now known as the Aumbry (rebuilt 1825) from its having belonged to the Almonry of the Prior and Convent at Canterbury from the 12th Century.

 

The village was the birthplace of Henry of Eastry, Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury 1285-1333, in whose honour the Cathedral tower bears the name Bell Harry.

 

In Lower Street on the west side is Fairfield a 15th century aisled hall house, and in Mill Lane, the former Union Workhouse (1835) which became Eastry Hospital and which is now closed.

 

Beneath the garden of Beckets on the west side of Woodnesborough Lane are the Caves (now closed), a long series of galleries excavated in the last century by the Foord family in the course of extracting chalk for lime burning.

 

The Old Vicarage in Church Street was in use as the Vicarage until 1980 and stands on a site appropriated to that purpose in 1367.

 

In the 19th century the village possessed four windmills, only one of which now remains, as a private residence.

 

The Church dates from c.1230. It was built lavishly in the early English style of architecture by the monks of Christ Church Abbey, Canterbury who owned the Eastry Manor at that time.

 

This Norman church almost certainly replaced a Saxon building, since Eastry boasted a Royal Palace for the Kings of Kent as early as 660 AD. The origins of Christian worship on this site are lost in antiquity.

 

The beautiful church of St. Mary's Eastry, a place associated with the notable Prior of Canterbury, Henry of Eastry (after whom the "Bell Harry Tower" of Canterbury Cathedral is named), contains a most unique feature, restored during 1987.

 

Above the Chancel Arch, enclosed within a rectangular frame, are rows of seven "medallion" wall paintings; the lower group was discovered in 1857 and the rest in 1903. They remained in a rather dilapidated state until the Canterbury Cathedral Wall Paintings Department brought them back to life.

 

The medallions are evidently of the 13th Century, having been painted while the mortar was still wet. Each medallion contains one of four motifs:

 

The trefoil flower, pictured left, is perhaps a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom the church is dedicated; or symbolic of Christ.

 

The lion; symbolic of the Resurrection.

 

Doves, either singly, or in pairs, represent the Holy Spirit.

 

The Griffin represents evil, over which victory is won by the power of the Resurrection and the courage of the Christian.

 

www.ewbchurches.org.uk/eastrychurchhistory.htm

So, today we're gonna look at another of those pieces that I never thought I'd run into in the wild, the Tamashii Nations Chogokin Fate/Zero Archer Gilgamesh figure.

 

Released in 2013 at 9,500 Yen, I didn't even know such this figure existed, but sure enough after seeing an ad on Facebook and doing some research, the $80 CAD seemed like a good buy, so 10 minutes in the car later the figure is in my possession. Apparently there is a companion Chogokin Saber, which I didn't know existed either - the only die cast I knew about was the Armoured Girl Project version.

 

Gilgamesh is, unless things have changed drastically, the biggest asshole in the entire Fate universe. He is a Heroic Spirt that hails from ancient times, and is known as "The King of Kings". He pretty much looks down on everyone and anyone, and in his Archer form (which is the case for Fate/Zero) a formidable foe especially with lance Ea and his "Gates of Babylon" Noble Phantasm.

 

I've looked at quite a few Bandai/Tamashii Nations products, mostly within the Figuarts or D-Arts lines, but it's not that often I get my hands on something from the Chogokin lineup. Much like the God Cloth Andromeda Shun I picked up back earlier, Gilgamesh features significant use of die cast metal, and whatever isn't metal is a beautiful chromed plastic. The figure is quite heavy, easily weighing triple the Figma version.

 

So other than being shiny, you'll find that the armour on the Chogokin version is bulkier and more angular than the Figma. Based on what I can tell, the Figma wins the accuracy round, not only for looks but also for featuring a dark blue rather than black for the various crevices, so for all the sticklers out there you're pretty much better off avoiding this one all together.

 

The Chogokin however appears to have far more accurate looking face plates and hair. Furthermore, the detailing on the Chogokin is sharper due to the use of harder materials. You can make it out on the body, but where it really shines is on the script that is etched on the hand guard of his Lance.

 

The contents of the set aren't as impressive as the Andromeda Shun figure, but this figure doesn't have exploding armour that reforms itself into a totem of sorts. You get the figure, three total face plates (neutral, eyes shifted right, smiling), a pair of arms dedicated to making his cross arm pose work, Ea, three gold goblets, a giant gold wine decanter, a variety of posing hands, and a literal pedestal for displaying the figure on.

 

The two dedicated cross chest arms are a very nice touch, and look so much nicer than than the faux arm pieces that come with most figures these days. As this is going to be my display option of choice, it's something I really like.

 

So while the head overall looks better than the Figma version, you'll find the faces themselves somewhat lacking in any real variety, which is something generally pointed out by the other owners. I will say, however, that the faces for Gilgamesh do seem more on point and useful than the ones that come with Saber.

 

Articulation, as you can probably guess, is a dud. You get some movement sure, but ultimately you're going to be sticking with relatively static poses, which in a way works out given the somewhat tame choices of face plate. Sure the points of articulation are there (toes, ankles, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, shoulders with chest compress, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrists, neck, head) along with some other points for moving the armour bits around, you ill find the legs are generally constrained by the skirt, particularly the rear, and Pauldrons interfere with arm movement

 

Thus, as I mentioned before, pretty much static poses. It's a good thing he's a sharp looking figure.

 

Paint wise, there is nothing significant for me to complain about. Most of the paint apps are within the crevices of the armour and gear, and those are well done with no masking issues, and all other painted areas are equally sharp. The chroming of plastic is smooth and while doesn't have the same lustre of the metal piece, it is all smooth with no bubbles or poor finishes. Decal work on the eyes is tack sharp. The areas of greatest weakness in this section would be the hands, which due to the use of softer plastics the finish isn't as nice which in turn affects the smoothness of the paints.

 

You're not going to spending much time staring at those hands, though, and to be perfectly honest they're just rough looking by comparison to the rest of the figure.

 

Similarly, from a build quality perspective this figure is beautifully made. The metal parts are polished with no rough edges, and fit perfectly on the plastic frame that holds it all together. The plastic parts are generally hidden, with the chromed parts being pretty much flawless. As with these plastic/die cast hybrids, the joints do the job, though some can be a bit of a pain to move for fear of breakage, and the plastic on plastic joints work as well as any other Bandai figure. The plastic skirt pieces are well made.

 

Again, the roughest looking pieces, by comparison, are the hands, where there are some mould lines that weren't cleaned quite crisply enough as well as the aforementioned surface imperfections.

 

So in conclusion, a beautiful looking figure that values aesthetics (and use of die cast) over practical posing capabilities. While the bulk of Pauldrons is a necessary evil, posing options could have been vastly improved if they had simply used actual cloth for the skirt portions (which incidentally would have made the figure look even more impressive). It was already 9,500 Yen back in 2013, which puts it in the luxury figure price range, so why not go that extra step?

 

Oh well.. at least it will look damn good sitting on my desk.

I grew up literally in the shadow of Holy Family Catholic Church, in Mason City, IA. Every time I walked out of our home's back door, the steeple would be in my site. Everyday I could hear the church bells ringing at noon and on Sundays as a call to Mass.

 

I come from a practicing Catholic family. My father joined the church from his Baptist/Methodist background during the 1960's when he married my mother. Interestingly enough, some people didn't talk to his family for years after allowing him to marry a Catholic.

 

I was raised to be participant in the daily life of the church. Against my will sometimes, as a youngster, I was pushed into being an altar boy. My mother actually worked for the church as a pastoral associate and my father served on many committees. Dad is also a member of the Knights of Columbus as was my maternal grandfather.

 

Given all this upbringing, when I went to college, I separated myself from the church.

I'd never really studied the Catholic faith except for the mandatory classes which didn't add up to much. By college I was on my own at the time felt it was better to shelve it all together. Ignorance was bliss and I didn't want to hear all of the morality. I thought I was smarter than everyone else. I was having too much fun to be bothered with it.

 

After college I continued my ways until I was sent by my employer to Milwaukee, WI.

I was there without family or friends and it gave me a chance to start to reflect on the way I was living my life. A friend at a wedding challenged me during this time, calling me hypocrite and he made a lot of derogatory comments about the Catholic faith which I still claimed to be a part of. That struck my soul. I began going back to church and with all the free time I had, I began to research the claims of the Catholic faith. I wanted to know why they taught the things they did and I wanted to know the answers to common anti-Catholic arguments. Wow, were my eyes opened. With the multimedia assets at our disposal today, it's a better time than ever to learn about the faith.

 

When I returned after three years in Milwaukee, people didn't know what to make of me. I was completely different person. I never would miss a Sunday mass and began to speak openly about my faith. So much so, I started a local "Theology on Tap" group in Des Moines that brought people in their 20's-30's to a bar and grill to hear Catholic speakers explain the faith. I quickly found out that young people are hungry for the faith. They want to learn about what the church actually teaches and not what a third party interprets the church to be saying. By bringing these young adults together it provided encouragement for all. I also joined the Knights of Columbus and began to participate in Mass.

 

In 2006, my new bride and her brother both joined the Catholic Church coming from non-churched backgrounds. Our parish in Altoona, IA, outside of Des Moines, is thriving right now. It's alive in so many ways. It's sad to hear the media say some parishes are dead and dying in the US. I belong to a parish that people drive 45 minutes to get to. My friend says, ?A parish alive is worth the drive?.

I would like to mention that the appropriate title for our church is the Catholic Church. The word Roman was added as a negative during the Reformation. You won't find official church documents identifying itself as "Roman Catholic."

 

The faithfulness to Jesus Christ and our 2000 year history anchors me. The most important thing is that we worship and celebrate Jesus. We honor him for the sacrifice he made on our behalf. Furthermore, he left us a church and the apostles who have handed down the faith over the ages as we wait for his glorious return. The Holy Spirit is still very much alive with us. I have the most personal relationship possible with the lord everyday during Mass as he becomes truly present in the Eucharist.

 

Our church's history is filled with good and some bad stories but if the church had not existed, we'd live in a radically different culture today. We owe much to the church. I believe that due to its history, our church has a unique perspective on a wide range of issues and on modernity itself.

I'm really grateful to have such a wonderful shepherd as Pope Benedict as the leader. He is wonderful thinker and a true believer in Christ. He also makes a point that we should use faith and reason together.

 

I see the future as very positive for our faith. Over that last few years, Catholic media has expanded and is reaching people with the message of Christ that never would have heard it before. I believe more people from other Christian backgrounds will continue to learn to appreciate the Church and will choose to join it.

 

The church doesn't move with the times. Truth is truth! It's not decided by majority vote. As G.K. Chesterton wrote, ?He has come too near to the truth, and has forgotten that truth is a magnet, with the powers of attraction and repulsion. . . . The moment men cease to pull against [the Catholic Church] they feel a tug towards it. The moment they cease to shout it down they begin to listen to it with pleasure. The moment they try to be fair to it they begin to be fond of it. But when that affection has passed a certain point it begins to take on the tragic and menacing grandeur of a great love affair. . . . When he has entered the Church, he finds that the Church is much larger inside than it is outside.?

 

There are still certain aspects of the faith that are difficult to reconcile with my personality but I understand that the church is not a "right or left," "red or blue" church. It's encompasses a lot of issues from both sides of our political spectrum and therefore, we should try to shoe horn the church into the political labels.

 

Of course all is not perfect in the Church and I'll be the first to admit that. However, there is much more good happening every day then the news media will ever be able to share with society.

 

Finally, I'd like to share that I'm grateful for the church's stand on the dignity of life from the moment of conception to natural death. I was a product of an unplanned pregnancy and I was given up for adoption immediately after birth. After spending some time in a foster home I was adopted by my parents who raised me. I don't believe it's a coincidence that they raised me in a faith that strives to protect the most innocent among us. As a result of the actions of several people back in 1975, I was allowed to live. 32 years later my two young sons were given a chance as well.

 

I'd be happy to share a lot more of my story with you. Thank you for opening up this forum for us to share our thoughts about the Church and the historic visit by Benedict XVI.

This is Rose BOWING to her JESUS now at 18 1/4 INCHES on 10 OCTOBER 2006. She is in a cement level base since 25 September that we made. I couldn't resist, when we made it to put soil from Rose's grave, soil from each of her houses, some tiny rocks, a leaf, and a flower from her houses. It was just a little of each but I thought it would make it all the more special. You can see her Heart shape base which is what I will make her memorial stone into soon. It will be made with smooth cement, black die, a white birch cross with Rose's name engraved in it & her picture with Angel wings. The "FERRON" ROSARY with 15 Mysteries that the Virgin Mary had designed & showed Rose on 01 May 1928 and will show each of the Ferron children will surround the edge in heart-shape form with gemstones representing the 10 X 15 Hail Mary beads.. Also Roses saying "Let us braid a crown of Thorns here on earth so my Jesus will turn it into a crown of Roses in Heaven will be surroung the edge a half inch inside before the Rosary. Mr. & Mrs. Ferron will be at the end. I would also like to include St. Michael & Mama Mary with Jesus somehow but havent figured that out yet.. I hope to complete that within next few weeks as Jesus blesses me strength & health enough to do so. I can't wait til it is completed, it will be so beautiful. Then I want to repaint Jesus's face as his eyes don't look right from the statue makers doings. One eye is bigger than the other. It's a shame statue makers & painters don't take greater care in their work but I think I can fix it.

So, today we're gonna look at another of those pieces that I never thought I'd run into in the wild, the Tamashii Nations Chogokin Fate/Zero Archer Gilgamesh figure.

 

Released in 2013 at 9,500 Yen, I didn't even know such this figure existed, but sure enough after seeing an ad on Facebook and doing some research, the $80 CAD seemed like a good buy, so 10 minutes in the car later the figure is in my possession. Apparently there is a companion Chogokin Saber, which I didn't know existed either - the only die cast I knew about was the Armoured Girl Project version.

 

Gilgamesh is, unless things have changed drastically, the biggest asshole in the entire Fate universe. He is a Heroic Spirt that hails from ancient times, and is known as "The King of Kings". He pretty much looks down on everyone and anyone, and in his Archer form (which is the case for Fate/Zero) a formidable foe especially with lance Ea and his "Gates of Babylon" Noble Phantasm.

 

I've looked at quite a few Bandai/Tamashii Nations products, mostly within the Figuarts or D-Arts lines, but it's not that often I get my hands on something from the Chogokin lineup. Much like the God Cloth Andromeda Shun I picked up back earlier, Gilgamesh features significant use of die cast metal, and whatever isn't metal is a beautiful chromed plastic. The figure is quite heavy, easily weighing triple the Figma version.

 

So other than being shiny, you'll find that the armour on the Chogokin version is bulkier and more angular than the Figma. Based on what I can tell, the Figma wins the accuracy round, not only for looks but also for featuring a dark blue rather than black for the various crevices, so for all the sticklers out there you're pretty much better off avoiding this one all together.

 

The Chogokin however appears to have far more accurate looking face plates and hair. Furthermore, the detailing on the Chogokin is sharper due to the use of harder materials. You can make it out on the body, but where it really shines is on the script that is etched on the hand guard of his Lance.

 

The contents of the set aren't as impressive as the Andromeda Shun figure, but this figure doesn't have exploding armour that reforms itself into a totem of sorts. You get the figure, three total face plates (neutral, eyes shifted right, smiling), a pair of arms dedicated to making his cross arm pose work, Ea, three gold goblets, a giant gold wine decanter, a variety of posing hands, and a literal pedestal for displaying the figure on.

 

The two dedicated cross chest arms are a very nice touch, and look so much nicer than than the faux arm pieces that come with most figures these days. As this is going to be my display option of choice, it's something I really like.

 

So while the head overall looks better than the Figma version, you'll find the faces themselves somewhat lacking in any real variety, which is something generally pointed out by the other owners. I will say, however, that the faces for Gilgamesh do seem more on point and useful than the ones that come with Saber.

 

Articulation, as you can probably guess, is a dud. You get some movement sure, but ultimately you're going to be sticking with relatively static poses, which in a way works out given the somewhat tame choices of face plate. Sure the points of articulation are there (toes, ankles, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, shoulders with chest compress, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrists, neck, head) along with some other points for moving the armour bits around, you ill find the legs are generally constrained by the skirt, particularly the rear, and Pauldrons interfere with arm movement

 

Thus, as I mentioned before, pretty much static poses. It's a good thing he's a sharp looking figure.

 

Paint wise, there is nothing significant for me to complain about. Most of the paint apps are within the crevices of the armour and gear, and those are well done with no masking issues, and all other painted areas are equally sharp. The chroming of plastic is smooth and while doesn't have the same lustre of the metal piece, it is all smooth with no bubbles or poor finishes. Decal work on the eyes is tack sharp. The areas of greatest weakness in this section would be the hands, which due to the use of softer plastics the finish isn't as nice which in turn affects the smoothness of the paints.

 

You're not going to spending much time staring at those hands, though, and to be perfectly honest they're just rough looking by comparison to the rest of the figure.

 

Similarly, from a build quality perspective this figure is beautifully made. The metal parts are polished with no rough edges, and fit perfectly on the plastic frame that holds it all together. The plastic parts are generally hidden, with the chromed parts being pretty much flawless. As with these plastic/die cast hybrids, the joints do the job, though some can be a bit of a pain to move for fear of breakage, and the plastic on plastic joints work as well as any other Bandai figure. The plastic skirt pieces are well made.

 

Again, the roughest looking pieces, by comparison, are the hands, where there are some mould lines that weren't cleaned quite crisply enough as well as the aforementioned surface imperfections.

 

So in conclusion, a beautiful looking figure that values aesthetics (and use of die cast) over practical posing capabilities. While the bulk of Pauldrons is a necessary evil, posing options could have been vastly improved if they had simply used actual cloth for the skirt portions (which incidentally would have made the figure look even more impressive). It was already 9,500 Yen back in 2013, which puts it in the luxury figure price range, so why not go that extra step?

 

Oh well.. at least it will look damn good sitting on my desk.

After touring the ancient sites in England this summer I wanted an overview of what I was looking at that was not as advanced as Freddy's multi-layered book. I also wanted the perspective to be in the same general ball bark as Freddy's so when I saw the name of his mentor John Michell mentioned in the introduction I figured this book would give me the background I was looking for. It is a picture book and guide book for how to experience the mysteries of various sites. Examples are in England. Also includes a history of the study of Earth Mysteries which I found helpful just to have a name for it.

 

The story begins with the discovery of ley lines by Alfred Watkins, a respectable Welsh county magistrate and landscape photographer, who in 1921 had a revelation, while looking at a map, that lots of ancient sites could be found all in a line. This he called The Old Straight Track and thus spawned a whole new sport of ley line spotting. The author took it up and founded The Ley Hunter Journal.

 

Watkins continued to embellish on his idea by establishing that the old straight track was marked first by natural elements mostly hilltops, rock outcrops, tree clumps, springs and holy wells. Humans added to this cairns, markstones, mounds, earthworks and roads. Also churches which were built on older sacred sites to capitalize on converting the pagans. Author goes on to discuss world wide straight tracks, folklore about stones that move and stones that tingle. Also discussed are earth energies,parallels with chakras of the body, healing methods related to the earth, interesting concepts such as formative causation, auras and the gaia principle.

 

Discussion of dowsing as a way to locate ley lines and earth energies. Attributes dowsing to connection with one's own psychic ability. Pendulum work also included. Mentions Dragon Project which sends people to spend the night at various sites in order to account for common power dreams. Other ways to interact with the sites include ritual, art, geomancy, sacred geometry, archaeo-astrology, et al.

 

There is also an account of various ways sites were tested with scientific method in an attempt to account for human experience with the stones and all, including ultrasound and radiation. On the subject of a network of ley lines forming a grid over the earth, he says that there is no evidence at all that this is so. In fact he seems to come to the conclusion that ley lines are just an idea having no bearing in reality.

 

But then in the section addressing shamanic use of the landscape there is a new revelation. This is that shamans (and their local equivalent) would travel from place to place following straight lines, during out of body experiences. Spirits were also said to travel these straight lines as well as the dead, thus the term dead straight. Paths to cemeteries were straight lines. Lots of burial mounds are found on ley lines.

 

Thus a psychic spirit way was laid down in the landscape and other intuitives were able to pick up on this. And as the same paths were used repeatedly it strengthened the psychic strands into thicker and thicker energy fields. Thus ley lines are really a recording of human interaction with the landscape. And the experiences and memories laid down in these psychic roads could be accessed by others.

 

Some mention is also given to the properties of stone as an instrument of electromagnetic activity and chalk as highly receptive to recording human emotions that others will then pick up. And certain wells with healing properties that are likely homeopathic in slight chemical changes.

 

All this means is that we would do well to return our attention to the earth.

The Church of Ireland Diocese of Clogher now has a new bishop in place.

 

The Right Revd Dr Ian William Ellis was consecrated as Bishop of Clogher at a service on the Feast Day of St Mark on Monday, 26th April, in St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen. He was previously Rector of Rossorry Parish in Clogher Diocese.

 

While the numbers attending were restricted due to the Covid–19 guidelines, many people watched the service at home as it was live–streamed on the Enniskillen Cathedral website.

 

The Right Revd Dr Ian Ellis, who was elected following a meeting of the Episcopal Electoral College held on Monday, 9th November, an election which was subsequently approved by the House of Bishops, was ordained Bishop by the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd John McDowell, assisted by consecrating bishops, the Most Revd Pat Storey, Bishop of Meath and Kildare; the Right Revd George Davison, Bishop of Connor; and the Right Revd Lord Eames, OM, former Archbishop of Armagh.

 

The Dean of Clogher, the Very Revd Kenneth Hall, took part as the Archbishop of Armagh’s Chaplain and the Archdeacon of Clogher, the Venerable Brian Harper, also took part as the Bishop–elect of Clogher’s Chaplain.

 

The main Churches were represented at the service.

 

Representing the Methodist Church was the Revd Dr Heather Morris, Past President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Ireland and Secretary of the Conference, and also the Revd Lorna Dreaning, Minister of Enniskillen Methodist Church.

 

Representing the Roman Catholic Church was the Most Revd Larry Duffy, Bishop of Clogher, and the Rt Revd Monsignor Peter O’Reilly VG, Dean and Parish Priest of Enniskillen.

 

Representing the Presbyterian Church was the Revd David Cupples, Minister of Enniskillen Presbyterian Church.

 

A number of civic guests attended including the Viscount Brookeborough KG, the Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh, and the Viscountess Brookeborough; the Rt Hon Arlene Foster MLA, First Minister of Northern Ireland; Mrs Rosemary Barton MLA and Councillor Diana Armstrong, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

 

The organist was Mr Glenn Moore who was joined by the Choir of St Macartin’s Cathedral directed by Mr David Baxter.

 

The ceremony of ordination and consecration of the new bishop took place within the context of the Eucharist. The Bishop–elect was presented for ordination and consecration by his sponsors, Mr Sam Morrow and Mrs Ethne McCord.

 

The Archbishop, during his address to the congregation, emphasised a bishop’s role not only in serving and caring for the people of God, but also working with them in the oversight of the Church.

 

The Bishop–elect affirmed the questions put by the Archbishop and the Litany, and the Archbishop prayed for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and for the grace necessary for the office of a bishop in the Church of God. The Archbishop and other bishops present laid their hands on the head of the Bishop–elect who was then vested in his episcopal habit.

 

The sermon was preached by the Right Revd Lord Eames, former Archbishop of Armagh, who has known Bishop Ian since before his training for ordination.

 

He said Bishop Ian’s pilgrimage which began at his ordination as a deacon, then as a priest, through his responsibility for parish life and the incumbencies he has had was now continuing in a new role.

 

“Ian is answering the call of God,” he said.

 

Lord Eames said Bishop Ian was already familiar with Clogher Diocese, familiar with the clergy but he was about to become familiar on a different level with them and their families, their needs, their strengths and weaknesses and how they would work together as a family of God.

 

But he said he would get to know his colleagues and the diocese in new ways – he would reach out to them when they sought his help and guidance, to listen to them when a listening ear was all they needed.

 

“You will be to them the Father in God, a father figure,” he said.

 

Lord Eames said Bishop Ian was coming to this role and ministry at a time when the diocese like all other dioceses was facing such change.

 

“As we come out of lockdown and as we come out of restrictions of lockdown, as we look at the Church and parish life through which we have all come in the last few months, we do wonder what will survive in the structures of the Church.

 

“What have we learned in the period of what we can do without and what have we learned what we have missed most?”

 

But he said it was an exciting time to take up leadership of the diocese and while there will be problems, discussions and plans to decided upon, at the end of the day the one question Bishop Ian would face would be: “What’s God wish and what’s his plan for the Diocese of Clogher?”

 

Lord Eames said Bishop Ian would also be a figurehead in wider society and will be asked to represent his people.

 

He asked the people of Clogher Diocese to offer their prayers for their new Bishop and his wife Heather.

 

Following the consecration, the new Bishop of Clogher took his place with the other bishops present.

 

At the end of the service Bishop Ian and his wife, Heather, processed to the back of the Cathedral and greeted the congregation outside as they left.

The Church of Ireland Diocese of Clogher now has a new bishop in place.

 

The Right Revd Dr Ian William Ellis was consecrated as Bishop of Clogher at a service on the Feast Day of St Mark on Monday, 26th April, in St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen. He was previously Rector of Rossorry Parish in Clogher Diocese.

 

While the numbers attending were restricted due to the Covid–19 guidelines, many people watched the service at home as it was live–streamed on the Enniskillen Cathedral website.

 

The Right Revd Dr Ian Ellis, who was elected following a meeting of the Episcopal Electoral College held on Monday, 9th November, an election which was subsequently approved by the House of Bishops, was ordained Bishop by the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd John McDowell, assisted by consecrating bishops, the Most Revd Pat Storey, Bishop of Meath and Kildare; the Right Revd George Davison, Bishop of Connor; and the Right Revd Lord Eames, OM, former Archbishop of Armagh.

 

The Dean of Clogher, the Very Revd Kenneth Hall, took part as the Archbishop of Armagh’s Chaplain and the Archdeacon of Clogher, the Venerable Brian Harper, also took part as the Bishop–elect of Clogher’s Chaplain.

 

The main Churches were represented at the service.

 

Representing the Methodist Church was the Revd Dr Heather Morris, Past President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Ireland and Secretary of the Conference, and also the Revd Lorna Dreaning, Minister of Enniskillen Methodist Church.

 

Representing the Roman Catholic Church was the Most Revd Larry Duffy, Bishop of Clogher, and the Rt Revd Monsignor Peter O’Reilly VG, Dean and Parish Priest of Enniskillen.

 

Representing the Presbyterian Church was the Revd David Cupples, Minister of Enniskillen Presbyterian Church.

 

A number of civic guests attended including the Viscount Brookeborough KG, the Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh, and the Viscountess Brookeborough; the Rt Hon Arlene Foster MLA, First Minister of Northern Ireland; Mrs Rosemary Barton MLA and Councillor Diana Armstrong, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

 

The organist was Mr Glenn Moore who was joined by the Choir of St Macartin’s Cathedral directed by Mr David Baxter.

 

The ceremony of ordination and consecration of the new bishop took place within the context of the Eucharist. The Bishop–elect was presented for ordination and consecration by his sponsors, Mr Sam Morrow and Mrs Ethne McCord.

 

The Archbishop, during his address to the congregation, emphasised a bishop’s role not only in serving and caring for the people of God, but also working with them in the oversight of the Church.

 

The Bishop–elect affirmed the questions put by the Archbishop and the Litany, and the Archbishop prayed for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and for the grace necessary for the office of a bishop in the Church of God. The Archbishop and other bishops present laid their hands on the head of the Bishop–elect who was then vested in his episcopal habit.

 

The sermon was preached by the Right Revd Lord Eames, former Archbishop of Armagh, who has known Bishop Ian since before his training for ordination.

 

He said Bishop Ian’s pilgrimage which began at his ordination as a deacon, then as a priest, through his responsibility for parish life and the incumbencies he has had was now continuing in a new role.

 

“Ian is answering the call of God,” he said.

 

Lord Eames said Bishop Ian was already familiar with Clogher Diocese, familiar with the clergy but he was about to become familiar on a different level with them and their families, their needs, their strengths and weaknesses and how they would work together as a family of God.

 

But he said he would get to know his colleagues and the diocese in new ways – he would reach out to them when they sought his help and guidance, to listen to them when a listening ear was all they needed.

 

“You will be to them the Father in God, a father figure,” he said.

 

Lord Eames said Bishop Ian was coming to this role and ministry at a time when the diocese like all other dioceses was facing such change.

 

“As we come out of lockdown and as we come out of restrictions of lockdown, as we look at the Church and parish life through which we have all come in the last few months, we do wonder what will survive in the structures of the Church.

 

“What have we learned in the period of what we can do without and what have we learned what we have missed most?”

 

But he said it was an exciting time to take up leadership of the diocese and while there will be problems, discussions and plans to decided upon, at the end of the day the one question Bishop Ian would face would be: “What’s God wish and what’s his plan for the Diocese of Clogher?”

 

Lord Eames said Bishop Ian would also be a figurehead in wider society and will be asked to represent his people.

 

He asked the people of Clogher Diocese to offer their prayers for their new Bishop and his wife Heather.

 

Following the consecration, the new Bishop of Clogher took his place with the other bishops present.

 

At the end of the service Bishop Ian and his wife, Heather, processed to the back of the Cathedral and greeted the congregation outside as they left.

Fashion Life Modeling Academy

116 Spirit-Animal Totem

 

Homework Assignment: Spirit-Animal Totem Styling and Posing

Fashion Life Modeling Academy

  

Spirit-Animal Totem

 

Style Card:

 

(ABC) Sahiti V. Inspired Gown White (M)

YS&YS Monaco Suede Deer shoes

Snowpaws - Deer Antlers - Plain

JIAN Fallow Deer Buck Companion

S-Club Elizabeth Crown - 230222 Fatpack

S-Club Elizabeth Eyeacc - 230222 Fatpack

S-Club Elizabeth hairstyle - 230422 Fatpack

 

1.

The white deer is not a story or legend, but a spiritual truth that has been passed from generation to generation of the Lanape people. The white deer like the white buffalo of the western first nation tribes is a holy spirit. The white deer is a messenger as true as many holy stories of First Nations people.. The great white deer is larger than the average buck deer, on the Eastern Seacoast. He has enormous neck which seems more comparable to the moose. He walks in silence and he walks in dreams. We are reminded to respect life, through the great spiirit of the white deer.

 

The Curse of the White Deer

Imagine a Pleistocene hunter peering over a hill to see a white deer – something the hunter would undoubtedly never have seen before. What is this animal? It looks other-worldly: an apparition.

 

It is easy to see how such an animal might be viewed as sacred and off limits. That belief has informed hunting habits and even regulations to this day.

 

One of the most persistent legends is that a hunter killing a white deer will experience a long run of bad luck, perhaps never bagging another deer. This idea seems almost universal among hunting cultures. Hunting writer Peter Flack notes in his book Kudu that hunters across Africa believe misfortune (sometimes including death) will befall any hunter who kills a white antelope.

 

2. White Deer

 

3. Styling an Outfit Inspired by the Spirit Animal:

I first saw this white deer outfit at the Unique store. I did not buy it then and waited to go back. But, when I did the store had downsized and it was not there except for the antlers. So, I made my own outfit. I found many dresses I thought would work but they were probably flexy. (I don't know why they still sell outfits with flexy skirts. Most can't be used for anything.) I found this mesh dress that I thought would be a good match. I wanted the cape for the outfit but I decided not to use the cape because it covers too much of the dress.

I found shoes that actually look like Deer feet..

  

8. Documentation:

  

Blog on SL

Flickr photos (3)

Tag (ABC), and Tag Zibska, Tag Vannies

  

Full Styling & Credits

Thanks to my sponsors...

  

====

DRESS

HEADPIECE

Shoes

 

(ABC) Sahiti V. Inspired Gown White (M)

YS&YS Monaco Suede Deer shoes

Snowpaws - Deer Antlers - Plain

JIAN Fallow Deer Buck Companion

S-Club Elizabeth Crown - 230222 Fatpack

S-Club Elizabeth Eyeacc - 230222 Fatpack

S-Club Elizabeth hairstyle - 230422 Fatpack

  

BODY:

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St Francis's CofE church, Hawthorn Drive, Ipswich

 

St Francis, built in 1957, is probably the most interesting of the post-war Anglican churches in Suffolk. Perhaps that isn't saying very much, and the architecture here is not in any sense modernist; but this is an interesting church for several reasons. Although built in brick and with plain glass, there is a conscious attempt to echo the language of late-medieval Suffolk Perpendicular, the eye being drawn up to the highest points by the lines. Perhaps because of this, the campanile fits it surprisingly well. The body of the church is reminiscent of the near-contemporary St Mary's Catholic church across town. Flint panels may have been intended to give a further hint of the vernacular, but they are also rather jolly in a Festival of Britain kind of way, retaining that confidence which you found in the New Towns before that experiment went awry.

 

The architect of St Francis was Basil Hatcher; more famous, unfortunately, for his dull essay in architectural conservatism a few miles away at Chelmondiston. At the time St Francis was built, many of the new buildings in Ipswich were going up under the guiding hand and eye of the Johns, Slater Howard practice, whose work has a jauntiness which contributes strongly to the modern feel of the Borough. Castle Hill United Reformed church, built the same year as St Francis, is a good example of their work. Similarly, Hatcher seems to have been infected by the spirit of the age, but his work is more restrained, and with more gravitas. And, fifty years on, St Francis still looks fine; it is in good condition, and is well suited to its modern usage. What more could you ask of any kind of building?

 

The bell in the campanile came from the ruined church of Stanton St John. A hall runs at right-angles to the nave, giving it an integrity with the front courtyard and the shopping centre across the road. It is almost as if we were in some Italian hill town with the church on a corner of the old forum, although the illusion is hard to maintain with Hawthorn Drive cutting across the middle.

 

Internally, the fixtures and fittings are all still entirely original, another good reason to visit. Just as Ipswich All Hallows is a perfect example of a 1930s church, here we step back into the 1950s, into one of the first fruits of the Festival of Britain.

 

The nave is light and airy, the sober green of the windowless east wall textured by the light from the arrays of flanking lancets. There is a quiet, devotional feel, a traditional High Church Anglicanism translated into modern idiom. The font in particular is a real period piece.

 

Off of the north side of the nave is the Chapel of the Holy Cross, where the Blessed Sacrament isreserved among icons and candles; a blessing to find in the middle of this busy, challenging estate.

 

The dedication of the Parish is, more exactly, St Francis and St Clare. The church of St Clare was located down at the southern end of the parish in Belmont Road, but was abandoned after being destroyed by fire in the late 1990s. However, St Francis is an imposing church at the centre of its community; and rightly so, because in terms of population this is the biggest parish in Suffolk.

Famagusta is a city on the east coast of the de facto state Northern Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice), Famagusta was the island's most important port city and a gateway to trade with the ports of the Levant, from where the Silk Road merchants carried their goods to Western Europe. The old walled city and parts of the modern city are de facto part of Northern Cyprus as the capital of the Gazimağusa District.

 

The city was known as Arsinoe or Arsinoë (Greek: Ἀρσινόη, Arsinóē) in antiquity, after Ptolemy II of Egypt's sister and wife Arsinoe II.

 

By the 3rd century, the city appears as Ammochostos (Greek: Ἀμμόχωστος or Αμμόχωστος, Ammókhōstos, "Hidden in Sand") in the Stadiasmus Maris Magni.[5] This name is still used in modern Greek with the pronunciation [aˈmːoxostos], while it developed into Latin Fama Augusta, French Famagouste, Italian Famagosta, and English Famagusta during the medieval period. Its informal modern Turkish name Mağusa (Turkish pronunciation: [maˈusa]) came from the same source. Since 1974, it has formally been known to Turkey and Northern Cyprus as Gazimağusa ([ɡaːzimaˈusa]), from the addition of the title gazi, meaning "veteran" or "one who has faught in a holy war".

 

In the early medieval period, the city was also known as New Justiniana (Greek: Νέα Ἰουστινιανία, Néa Ioustinianía) in appreciation for the patronage of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, whose wife Theodora was born there.

 

The old town of Famagusta has also been nicknamed "the City of 365 Churches" from the legend that, at its peak, it boasted a church for every day of the year.

 

The city was founded around 274 BC, after the serious damage to Salamis by an earthquake, by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and named "Arsinoe" after his sister.[6] Arsinoe was described as a "fishing town" by Strabo in his Geographica in the first century BC. In essence, Famagusta was the successor of the most famous and most important ancient city of Cyprus, Salamis. According to Greek mythology, Salamis was founded after the end of the Trojan War by Teucros, the son of Telamon and brother of Aedes, from the Greek island of Salamis.

 

The city experienced great prosperity much later, during the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. To honor the city, from which his wife Theodora came, Justinian enriched it with many buildings, while the inhabitants named it New Justiniania to express their gratitude. In AD 647, when the neighboring cities were destroyed by Arab raiding, the inhabitants of these cities moved to Famagusta, as a result of which the city's population increased significantly and the city experienced another boom.

 

Later, when Jerusalem was occupied by the Arabs, the Christian population fled to Famagusta, as a result of which the city became an important Christian center, but also one of the most important commercial centers in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

The turning point for Famagusta was 1192 with the onset of Lusignan rule. It was during this period that Famagusta developed as a fully-fledged town. It increased in importance to the Eastern Mediterranean due to its natural harbour and the walls that protected its inner town. Its population began to increase. This development accelerated in the 13th century as the town became a centre of commerce for both the East and West. An influx of Christian refugees fleeing the downfall of Acre (1291) in Palestine transformed it from a tiny village into one of the richest cities in Christendom.

 

In 1372 the port was seized by Genoa and in 1489 by Venice. This commercial activity turned Famagusta into a place where merchants and ship owners led lives of luxury. By the mid-14th century, Famagusta was said to have the richest citizens in the world. The belief that people's wealth could be measured by the churches they built inspired these merchants to have churches built in varying styles. These churches, which still exist, were the reason Famagusta came to be known as "the district of churches". The development of the town focused on the social lives of the wealthy people and was centred upon the Lusignan palace, the cathedral, the Square and the harbour.

 

In 1570–1571, Famagusta was the last stronghold in Venetian Cyprus to hold out against the Turks under Mustafa Pasha. It resisted a siege of thirteen months and a terrible bombardment, until at last the garrison surrendered. The Ottoman forces had lost 50,000 men, including Mustafa Pasha's son. Although the surrender terms had stipulated that the Venetian forces be allowed to return home, the Venetian commander, Marco Antonio Bragadin, was flayed alive, his lieutenant Tiepolo was hanged, and many other Christians were killed.

 

With the advent of the Ottoman rule, Latins lost their privileged status in Famagusta and were expelled from the city. Greek Cypriots natives were at first allowed to own and buy property in the city, but were banished from the walled city in 1573–74 and had to settle outside in the area that later developed into Varosha. Turkish families from Anatolia were resettled in the walled city but could not fill the buildings that previously hosted a population of 10,000. This caused a drastic decrease in the population of Famagusta. Merchants from Famagusta, who mostly consisted of Latins that had been expelled, resettled in Larnaca and as Larnaca flourished, Famagusta lost its importance as a trade centre. Over time, Varosha developed into a prosperous agricultural town thanks to its location away from the marshes, whilst the walled city remained dilapidated.

 

In the walled city, some buildings were repurposed to serve the interests of the Muslim population: the Cathedral of St. Nicholas was converted to a mosque (now known as Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque), a bazaar was developed, public baths, fountains and a theological school were built to accommodate the inhabitants' needs. Dead end streets, an Ottoman urban characteristic, was imported to the city and a communal spirit developed in which a small number of two-storey houses inhabited by the small upper class co-existed with the widespread one-storey houses.

 

With the British takeover, Famagusta regained its significance as a port and an economic centre and its development was specifically targeted in British plans. As soon as the British took over the island, a Famagusta Development Act was passed that aimed at the reconstruction and redevelopment of the city's streets and dilapidated buildings as well as better hygiene. The port was developed and expanded between 1903 and 1906 and Cyprus Government Railway, with its terminus in Famagusta, started construction in 1904. Whilst Larnaca continued to be used as the main port of the island for some time, after Famagusta's use as a military base in World War I trade significantly shifted to Famagusta. The city outside the walls grew at an accelerated rate, with development being centred around Varosha. Varosha became the administrative centre as the British moved their headquarters and residences there and tourism grew significantly in the last years of the British rule. Pottery and production of citrus and potatoes also significantly grew in the city outside the walls, whilst agriculture within the walled city declined to non-existence.

 

New residential areas were built to accommodate the increasing population towards the end of the British rule,[11] and by 1960, Famagusta was a modern port city extending far beyond Varosha and the walled city.

 

The British period saw a significant demographic shift in the city. In 1881, Christians constituted 60% of the city's population while Muslims were at 40%. By 1960, the Turkish Cypriot population had dropped to 17.5% of the overall population, while the Greek Cypriot population had risen to 70%. The city was also the site for one of the British internment camps for nearly 50,000 Jewish survivors of the Holocaust trying to emigrate to Palestine.

 

From independence in 1960 to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus of 1974, Famagusta developed toward the south west of Varosha as a well-known entertainment and tourist centre. The contribution of Famagusta to the country's economic activity by 1974 far exceeded its proportional dimensions within the country. Whilst its population was only about 7% of the total of the country, Famagusta by 1974 accounted for over 10% of the total industrial employment and production of Cyprus, concentrating mainly on light industry compatible with its activity as a tourist resort and turning out high-quality products ranging from food, beverages and tobacco to clothing, footwear, plastics, light machinery and transport equipment. It contributed 19.3% of the business units and employed 21.3% of the total number of persons engaged in commerce on the island. It acted as the main tourist destination of Cyprus, hosting 31.5% of the hotels and 45% of Cyprus' total bed capacity. Varosha acted as the main touristic and business quarters.

 

In this period, the urbanisation of Famagusta slowed down and the development of the rural areas accelerated. Therefore, economic growth was shared between the city of Famagusta and the district, which had a balanced agricultural economy, with citrus, potatoes, tobacco and wheat as main products. Famagusta maintained good communications with this hinterland. The city's port remained the island's main seaport and in 1961, it was expanded to double its capacity in order to accommodate the growing volume of exports and imports. The port handled 42.7% of Cypriot exports, 48.6% of imports and 49% of passenger traffic.

 

There has not been an official census since 1960 but the population of the town in 1974 was estimated to be around 39,000 not counting about 12,000–15,000 persons commuting daily from the surrounding villages and suburbs to work in Famagusta. The number of people staying in the city would swell to about 90,000–100,000 during the peak summer tourist period, with the influx of tourists from numerous European countries, mainly Britain, France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. The majority of the city population were Greek Cypriots (26,500), with 8,500 Turkish Cypriots and 4,000 people from other ethnic groups.

 

During the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 14 August 1974 the Mesaoria plain was overrun by Turkish tanks and Famagusta was bombed by Turkish aircraft. It took two days for the Turkish Army to occupy the city, prior to which Famagusta's entire Greek Cypriot population had fled into surrounding fields. As a result of Turkish airstrikes dozens of civilians died, including tourists.

 

Unlike other parts of the Turkish-controlled areas of Cyprus, the Varosha suburb of Famagusta was fenced off by the Turkish army immediately after being captured and remained fenced off until October 2020, when the TRNC reopened some streets to visitors. Some Greek Cypriots who had fled Varosha have been allowed to view the town and journalists have been allowed in.

 

UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Famagusta by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. The UN's Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.

 

Famagusta's historic city centre is surrounded by the fortifications of Famagusta, which have a roughly rectangular shape, built mainly by the Venetians in the 15th and 16th centuries, though some sections of the walls have been dated earlier times, as far as 1211.

 

Some important landmarks and visitor attractions in the old city are:

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque

The Othello Castle

Palazzo del Provveditore - the Venetian palace of the governor, built on the site of the former Lusignan royal palace

St. Francis' Church

Sinan Pasha Mosque

Church of St. George of the Greeks

Church of St. George of the Latins

Twin Churches

Nestorian Church (of St George the Exiler)

Namık Kemal Dungeon

Agios Ioannis Church

Venetian House

Akkule Masjid

Mustafa Pasha Mosque

Ganchvor monastery

 

In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund listed Famagusta, a "maritime ancient city of crusader kings", among the 12 sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and development pressures.

 

Famagusta is an important commercial hub of Northern Cyprus. The main economic activities in the city are tourism, education, construction and industrial production. It has a 115-acre free port, which is the most important seaport of Northern Cyprus for travel and commerce. The port is an important source of income and employment for the city, though its volume of trade is restricted by the embargo against Northern Cyprus. Its historical sites, including the walled city, Salamis, the Othello Castle and the St Barnabas Church, as well as the sandy beaches surrounding it make it a tourist attraction; efforts are also underway to make the city more attractive for international congresses. The Eastern Mediterranean University is also an important employer and supplies significant income and activity, as well as opportunities for the construction sector. The university also raises a qualified workforce that stimulates the city's industry and makes communications industry viable. The city has two industrial zones: the Large Industrial Zone and the Little Industrial Zone. The city is also home to a fishing port, but inadequate infrastructure of the port restricts the growth of this sector. The industry in the city has traditionally been concentrated on processing agricultural products.

 

Historically, the port was the primary source of income and employment for the city, especially right after 1974. However, it gradually lost some of its importance to the economy as the share of its employees in the population of Famagusta diminished due to various reasons. However, it still is the primary port for commerce in Northern Cyprus, with more than half of ships that came to Northern Cyprus in 2013 coming to Famagusta. It is the second most popular seaport for passengers, after Kyrenia, with around 20,000 passengers using the port in 2013.

 

The mayor-in-exile of Famagusta is Simos Ioannou. Süleyman Uluçay heads the Turkish Cypriot municipal administration of Famagusta, which remains legal as a communal-based body under the constitutional system of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Since 1974, Greek Cypriots submitted a number of proposals within the context of bicommunal discussions for the return of Varosha to UN administration, allowing the return of its previous inhabitants, requesting also the opening of Famagusta harbour for use by both communities. Varosha would have been returned to Greek Cypriot control as part of the 2004 Annan Plan but the plan had been rejected by a majority(3/4) of Greek Cypriot voters.

 

The walled city of Famagusta contains many unique buildings. Famagusta has a walled city popular with tourists.

 

Every year, the International Famagusta Art and Culture Festival is organized in Famagusta. Concerts, dance shows and theater plays take place during the festival.

 

A growth in tourism and the city's university have fueled the development of Famagusta's vibrant nightlife. Nightlife in the city is especially active on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights and in the hotter months of the year, starting from April. Larger hotels in the city have casinos that cater to their customers. Salamis Road is an area of Famagusta with a heavy concentration of bars frequented by students and locals.

 

Famagusta's Othello Castle is the setting for Shakespeare's play Othello. The city was also the setting for Victoria Hislop's 2015 novel The Sunrise, and Michael Paraskos's 2016 novel In Search of Sixpence. The city is the birthplace of the eponymous hero of the Renaissance proto-novel Fortunatus.

 

Famagusta was home to many Greek Cypriot sport teams that left the city because of the Turkish invasion and still bear their original names. Most notable football clubs originally from the city are Anorthosis Famagusta FC and Nea Salamis Famagusta FC, both of the Cypriot First Division, which are now based in Larnaca. Usually Anorthosis Famagusta fans are politically right wing where Nea Salamis fans are left wing.

 

Famagusta is represented by Mağusa Türk Gücü in the Turkish Cypriot First Division. Dr. Fazıl Küçük Stadium is the largest football stadium in Famagusta. Many Turkish Cypriot sport teams that left Southern Cyprus because of the Cypriot intercommunal violence are based in Famagusta.

 

Famagusta is represented by DAÜ Sports Club and Magem Sports Club in North Cyprus First Volleyball Division. Gazimağusa Türk Maarif Koleji represents Famagusta in the North Cyprus High School Volleyball League.

 

Famagusta has a modern volleyball stadium called the Mağusa Arena.

 

The Eastern Mediterranean University was founded in the city in 1979. The Istanbul Technical University founded a campus in the city in 2010.

 

The Cyprus College of Art was founded in Famagusta by the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos in 1969, before moving to Paphos in 1972 after protests from local hoteliers that the presence of art students in the city was putting off holidaymakers.

 

Famagusta has three general hospitals. Gazimağusa Devlet Hastahanesi, a state hospital, is the biggest hospital in city. Gazimağusa Tıp Merkezi and Gazimağusa Yaşam Hastahanesi are private hospitals.

 

Personalities

Saint Barnabas, born and died in Salamis, Famagusta

Chris Achilleos, illustrator of the book versions on the BBC children's series Doctor Who

Beran Bertuğ, former Governor of Famagusta, first Cypriot woman to hold this position

Marios Constantinou, former international Cypriot football midfielder and current manager.

Eleftheria Eleftheriou, Cypriot singer.

Derviş Eroğlu, former President of Northern Cyprus

Alexis Galanos, 7th President of the House of Representatives and Famagusta mayor-in-exile (2006-2019) (Republic of Cyprus)

Xanthos Hadjisoteriou, Cypriot painter

Oz Karahan, political activist, President of the Union of Cypriots

Oktay Kayalp, former Turkish Cypriot Famagusta mayor (Northern Cyprus)

Harry Luke British diplomat

Angelos Misos, former international footballer

Costas Montis was an influential and prolific Greek Cypriot poet, novelist, and playwright born in Famagusta.

Hal Ozsan, actor (Dawson's Creek, Kyle XY)

Dimitris Papadakis, a Greek Cypriot politician, who served as a Member of the European Parliament.

Ṣubḥ-i-Azal, Persian religious leader, lived and died in exile in Famagusta

Touker Suleyman (born Türker Süleyman), British Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur, investor and reality television personality.

Alexia Vassiliou, singer, left here as a refugee when the town was invaded.

George Vasiliou, former President of Cyprus

Vamik Volkan, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry

Derviş Zaim, film director

 

Famagusta is twinned with:

İzmir, Turkey (since 1974)

Corfu, Greece (since 1994)

Patras, Greece (since 1994)

Antalya, Turkey (since 1997)

Salamina (city), Greece (since 1998)

Struga, North Macedonia

Athens, Greece (since 2005)

Mersin, Turkey

 

Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.

 

A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.

 

Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

 

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.

 

Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.

 

Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.

 

The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.

 

Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.

 

Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.

 

By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.

 

EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.

 

However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.

 

On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.

 

In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.

 

By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.

 

In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.

 

The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.

 

After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".

 

As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.

 

Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

 

On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.

 

Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.

 

The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.

 

Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.

 

Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria

An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."

 

In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.

 

Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.

 

In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.

 

Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.

 

Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.

 

Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.

 

The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:

 

UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.

 

The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.

 

By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."

 

After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.

 

On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.

 

The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.

 

During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.

 

In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.

 

Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.

All Saints, Gazeley, Suffolk.

 

There was never any doubt I would go to Rob's funeral. Rob was born just two weeks before me, and in our many meetings, we found we had so much in common.

 

A drive to Ipswich should be something like only two and a half hours, but with the Dartford Crossing that could balloon to four or more.

 

My choice was to leave early, soon after Jools left for work, or wait to near nine once rush hour was over. If I was up early, I'd leave early, I said.

 

Which is what happened.

 

So, after coffee and Jools leaving, I loaded my camera stuff in the car, not bothering to program in a destination, as I knew the route to Suffolk so well.

 

Checking the internet I found the M2 was closed, so that meant taking the M20, which I like as it runs beside HS2, although over the years, vegetation growth now hides most of it, and with Eurostar cutting services due to Brexit, you're lucky to see a train on the line now.

 

I had a phone loaded with podcasts, so time flew by, even if travelling through the endless roadworks at 50mph seemed to take forever.

 

Dartford was jammed. But we inched forward, until as the bridge came in sight, traffic moved smoothly, and I followed the traffic down into the east bore of the tunnel.

 

Another glorious morning for travel, the sun shone from a clear blue sky, even if traffic was heavy, but I had time, so not pressing on like I usually do, making the drive a pleasant one.

 

Up through Essex, where most other traffic turned off at Stanstead, then up to the A11 junction, with it being not yet nine, I had several hours to fill before the ceremony.

 

I stopped at Cambridge services for breakfast, then programmed the first church in: Gazeley, which is just in Suffolk on the border with Cambridgeshire.

 

I took the next junction off, took two further turnings brought be to the village, which is divided by one of the widest village streets I have ever seen.

 

It was five past nine: would the church be open?

 

I parked on the opposite side of the road, grabbed my bag and camera, limped over, passing a warden putting new notices in the parish notice board. We exchange good mornings, and I walk to the porch.

 

The inner door was unlocked, and the heavy door swung after turning the metal ring handle.

 

I had made a list of four churches from Simon's list of the top 60 Suffolk churches, picking those on or near my route to Ipswich and which piqued my interest.

 

Here, it was the reset mediaeval glass.

 

Needless to say, I had the church to myself, the centuries hanging heavy inside as sunlight flooded in filling the Chancel with warm golden light.

 

Windows had several devotional dials carved in the surrounding stone, and a huge and "stunningly beautiful piscina, and beside it are sedilia that end in an arm rest carved in the shape of a beast" which caught my eye.

 

A display in the Chancel was of the decoration of the wooden roof above where panels contained carved beasts, some actual and some mythical.

 

I photographed them all.

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

All Saints is a large, remarkably good church in one of the sleepy, fat villages along the Cambridgeshire border, the sort of place you cycle through and imagine wistfully that you've won the lottery and could move there. The wide churchyard on both sides is a perfect setting for the church, which rises to heaven out of a perpendicular splendour of aisles, clerestories and battlements. The tower was complete by the 1470s when money was being left for a bell. The earlier chancel steadies the ship, anchoring it to earth quietly, although the tall east window has its spectacular moment too. And you step into a deliciously well-kept interior, full of interest.

One of the most significant medieval survivals here is not easily noticed. This is the range of 15th Century glass, which was reset by the Victorians high in the clerestory. This seems a curious thing to have done, since it defeats the purpose of a clerestory, but if they had not done so then we might have lost it. The glass matches the tracery in the north aisle windows, so that is probably where they came from. There are angels, three Saints and some shields, most of which are heraldic but two show the instruments of the passion and the Holy Trinity. I would not be surprised to learn that some of the shields are 19th century, but the figures are all original late 15th or early 16th century. The Saints are an unidentified Bishop, the hacksaw-wielding St Faith and one of my favourites, St Apollonia. She it was who was invoked by medieval people against toothache.

 

Waling from the nave up into the chancel, the space created by the clearing of clutter makes it at once mysterious and beautiful. Above, the early 16th century waggon roof is Suffolk's best of its kind. Mortlock points out the little angels bearing scrolls, the wheat ears and the vine sprays, and the surviving traces of colour. The low side window on the south side still has its hinges, for here it was that updraught to the rood would have sent the candles flickering in the mystical church of the 14th century. On the south side of the sanctuary is an exquisitely carved arched recess, that doesn't appear to have ever had a door, and may have been a very rare purpose-built Easter sepulchre at the time of the 1330s rebuilding. Opposite is a huge and stunningly beautiful piscina, and beside it are sedilia that end in an arm rest carved in the shape of a beast. It is one of the most significant Decorated moments in Suffolk.

 

On the floor of the chancel there is a tiny, perfect chalice brass, one of only two surviving in Suffolk. The other is at Rendham. Not far away is the indent of another chalice brass - or perhaps it was for the same one, and the brass has been moved for some reason. There are two chalice indents at Westhall, but nowhere else in Suffolk. Chalice brasses were popular memorials for Priests in the 15th and early 16th centuries, and thus were fair game for reformers. Heigham memorials of the late 16th century are on the walls. Back in the south aisle there is a splendid tombchest in Purbeck marble. It has lost its brasses, but the indents show us where they were, as do other indents in the aisle floors. Some heraldic brass shields survive, and show that Heighams were buried here. Brass inscriptions survive in the nave and the chancel, dating from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

 

The 14th century font is a good example of the tracery pattern series that appeared in the decades before the Black Death. They may have been intended to spread ideas at that time of great artistic and intellectual flowering before it was so cruelly snatched away. The cover is 17th Century. At this end of the nave are two good ranges of medieval benches, one, rare in East Anglia, is a group of 14th Century benches with pierced tracery backs. Some of them appear to spell out words, and Mortlock thought one might say Salaman Sayet. The block of benches to the north appears to be 15th Century or possibly early 16th Century. Further north, the early 17th Century benches are simpler, even cruder, and were likely the work of the village carpenter.

 

All rather lovely then. And yet, it hasn't always been that way. All Saints at Gazeley, near Newmarket, was the first church that I visited after an international team of scientists conclusively proved that God did not exist began the first page for this church that I wrote in 2003, in a satirical mood after finding the church locked and at a very low ebb. At a time when congregations were generally falling, I'd been thinking about the future of medieval churches beyond a time when they would have people to use them in the traditional way. I wondered if the buildings might find new uses, or could adapt themselves to changing patterns and emphases in Christianity, or even changing spiritual needs of their parishes. Even if science could somehow prove that God did not exist, I suggested, there were parishes which would rise to the challenge and reinvent themselves, as churches have always done over the two millennia of Christianity. Coming to Gazeley I felt that here was a church which felt as if it had been abandoned. And yet, it seemed to me a church of such significance, such historical and spiritual importance, that its loss would be a disaster. If it had been clean, tidy and open at the time he was visiting, Simon Jenkins England's Thousand Best Churches would not have been able to resist it. Should the survival of such a treasure store depend upon the existence of God or the continued practice of the Christian faith? Or might there be other reasons to keep this extraordinary building in something like its present integrity?

 

In the first decade of the 21st Century, Gazeley church went on a tremendous journey, from being moribund to being the wonderful church you can visit today. If you want to read the slightly adapted 2006 entry for Gazeley, recounting this journey, you can do so here. Coming back here today always fills me with optimism for what can be achieved. On one occasion I mentioned my experiences of Gazeley church to a Catholic Priest friend of mine, and he said he hoped I knew I'd seen the power of the Holy Spirit at work. And perhaps that is so. Certainly, the energy and imagination of the people here have been fired by something. On that occasion I had wanted to find someone to ask about it, to find out how things stood now. But there was no one, and so the building spoke for them.

 

Back outside in the graveyard, the dog daisies clustered and waved their sun-kissed faces in the light breeze. The ancient building must have known many late-May days like this over the centuries, but think of all the changes that it has known inside! The general buffeting of the winds of history still leaves room for local squalls and lightning strikes. All Saints has known these, but for now a blessed calm reigns here. Long may it remain so.

 

Simon Knott, June 2019

 

www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gazeley.htm

All Saints, Gazeley, Suffolk.

 

There was never any doubt I would go to Rob's funeral. Rob was born just two weeks before me, and in our many meetings, we found we had so much in common.

 

A drive to Ipswich should be something like only two and a half hours, but with the Dartford Crossing that could balloon to four or more.

 

My choice was to leave early, soon after Jools left for work, or wait to near nine once rush hour was over. If I was up early, I'd leave early, I said.

 

Which is what happened.

 

So, after coffee and Jools leaving, I loaded my camera stuff in the car, not bothering to program in a destination, as I knew the route to Suffolk so well.

 

Checking the internet I found the M2 was closed, so that meant taking the M20, which I like as it runs beside HS2, although over the years, vegetation growth now hides most of it, and with Eurostar cutting services due to Brexit, you're lucky to see a train on the line now.

 

I had a phone loaded with podcasts, so time flew by, even if travelling through the endless roadworks at 50mph seemed to take forever.

 

Dartford was jammed. But we inched forward, until as the bridge came in sight, traffic moved smoothly, and I followed the traffic down into the east bore of the tunnel.

 

Another glorious morning for travel, the sun shone from a clear blue sky, even if traffic was heavy, but I had time, so not pressing on like I usually do, making the drive a pleasant one.

 

Up through Essex, where most other traffic turned off at Stanstead, then up to the A11 junction, with it being not yet nine, I had several hours to fill before the ceremony.

 

I stopped at Cambridge services for breakfast, then programmed the first church in: Gazeley, which is just in Suffolk on the border with Cambridgeshire.

 

I took the next junction off, took two further turnings brought be to the village, which is divided by one of the widest village streets I have ever seen.

 

It was five past nine: would the church be open?

 

I parked on the opposite side of the road, grabbed my bag and camera, limped over, passing a warden putting new notices in the parish notice board. We exchange good mornings, and I walk to the porch.

 

The inner door was unlocked, and the heavy door swung after turning the metal ring handle.

 

I had made a list of four churches from Simon's list of the top 60 Suffolk churches, picking those on or near my route to Ipswich and which piqued my interest.

 

Here, it was the reset mediaeval glass.

 

Needless to say, I had the church to myself, the centuries hanging heavy inside as sunlight flooded in filling the Chancel with warm golden light.

 

Windows had several devotional dials carved in the surrounding stone, and a huge and "stunningly beautiful piscina, and beside it are sedilia that end in an arm rest carved in the shape of a beast" which caught my eye.

 

A display in the Chancel was of the decoration of the wooden roof above where panels contained carved beasts, some actual and some mythical.

 

I photographed them all.

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

All Saints is a large, remarkably good church in one of the sleepy, fat villages along the Cambridgeshire border, the sort of place you cycle through and imagine wistfully that you've won the lottery and could move there. The wide churchyard on both sides is a perfect setting for the church, which rises to heaven out of a perpendicular splendour of aisles, clerestories and battlements. The tower was complete by the 1470s when money was being left for a bell. The earlier chancel steadies the ship, anchoring it to earth quietly, although the tall east window has its spectacular moment too. And you step into a deliciously well-kept interior, full of interest.

One of the most significant medieval survivals here is not easily noticed. This is the range of 15th Century glass, which was reset by the Victorians high in the clerestory. This seems a curious thing to have done, since it defeats the purpose of a clerestory, but if they had not done so then we might have lost it. The glass matches the tracery in the north aisle windows, so that is probably where they came from. There are angels, three Saints and some shields, most of which are heraldic but two show the instruments of the passion and the Holy Trinity. I would not be surprised to learn that some of the shields are 19th century, but the figures are all original late 15th or early 16th century. The Saints are an unidentified Bishop, the hacksaw-wielding St Faith and one of my favourites, St Apollonia. She it was who was invoked by medieval people against toothache.

 

Waling from the nave up into the chancel, the space created by the clearing of clutter makes it at once mysterious and beautiful. Above, the early 16th century waggon roof is Suffolk's best of its kind. Mortlock points out the little angels bearing scrolls, the wheat ears and the vine sprays, and the surviving traces of colour. The low side window on the south side still has its hinges, for here it was that updraught to the rood would have sent the candles flickering in the mystical church of the 14th century. On the south side of the sanctuary is an exquisitely carved arched recess, that doesn't appear to have ever had a door, and may have been a very rare purpose-built Easter sepulchre at the time of the 1330s rebuilding. Opposite is a huge and stunningly beautiful piscina, and beside it are sedilia that end in an arm rest carved in the shape of a beast. It is one of the most significant Decorated moments in Suffolk.

 

On the floor of the chancel there is a tiny, perfect chalice brass, one of only two surviving in Suffolk. The other is at Rendham. Not far away is the indent of another chalice brass - or perhaps it was for the same one, and the brass has been moved for some reason. There are two chalice indents at Westhall, but nowhere else in Suffolk. Chalice brasses were popular memorials for Priests in the 15th and early 16th centuries, and thus were fair game for reformers. Heigham memorials of the late 16th century are on the walls. Back in the south aisle there is a splendid tombchest in Purbeck marble. It has lost its brasses, but the indents show us where they were, as do other indents in the aisle floors. Some heraldic brass shields survive, and show that Heighams were buried here. Brass inscriptions survive in the nave and the chancel, dating from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

 

The 14th century font is a good example of the tracery pattern series that appeared in the decades before the Black Death. They may have been intended to spread ideas at that time of great artistic and intellectual flowering before it was so cruelly snatched away. The cover is 17th Century. At this end of the nave are two good ranges of medieval benches, one, rare in East Anglia, is a group of 14th Century benches with pierced tracery backs. Some of them appear to spell out words, and Mortlock thought one might say Salaman Sayet. The block of benches to the north appears to be 15th Century or possibly early 16th Century. Further north, the early 17th Century benches are simpler, even cruder, and were likely the work of the village carpenter.

 

All rather lovely then. And yet, it hasn't always been that way. All Saints at Gazeley, near Newmarket, was the first church that I visited after an international team of scientists conclusively proved that God did not exist began the first page for this church that I wrote in 2003, in a satirical mood after finding the church locked and at a very low ebb. At a time when congregations were generally falling, I'd been thinking about the future of medieval churches beyond a time when they would have people to use them in the traditional way. I wondered if the buildings might find new uses, or could adapt themselves to changing patterns and emphases in Christianity, or even changing spiritual needs of their parishes. Even if science could somehow prove that God did not exist, I suggested, there were parishes which would rise to the challenge and reinvent themselves, as churches have always done over the two millennia of Christianity. Coming to Gazeley I felt that here was a church which felt as if it had been abandoned. And yet, it seemed to me a church of such significance, such historical and spiritual importance, that its loss would be a disaster. If it had been clean, tidy and open at the time he was visiting, Simon Jenkins England's Thousand Best Churches would not have been able to resist it. Should the survival of such a treasure store depend upon the existence of God or the continued practice of the Christian faith? Or might there be other reasons to keep this extraordinary building in something like its present integrity?

 

In the first decade of the 21st Century, Gazeley church went on a tremendous journey, from being moribund to being the wonderful church you can visit today. If you want to read the slightly adapted 2006 entry for Gazeley, recounting this journey, you can do so here. Coming back here today always fills me with optimism for what can be achieved. On one occasion I mentioned my experiences of Gazeley church to a Catholic Priest friend of mine, and he said he hoped I knew I'd seen the power of the Holy Spirit at work. And perhaps that is so. Certainly, the energy and imagination of the people here have been fired by something. On that occasion I had wanted to find someone to ask about it, to find out how things stood now. But there was no one, and so the building spoke for them.

 

Back outside in the graveyard, the dog daisies clustered and waved their sun-kissed faces in the light breeze. The ancient building must have known many late-May days like this over the centuries, but think of all the changes that it has known inside! The general buffeting of the winds of history still leaves room for local squalls and lightning strikes. All Saints has known these, but for now a blessed calm reigns here. Long may it remain so.

 

Simon Knott, June 2019

 

www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gazeley.htm

So, today we're gonna look at another of those pieces that I never thought I'd run into in the wild, the Tamashii Nations Chogokin Fate/Zero Archer Gilgamesh figure.

 

Released in 2013 at 9,500 Yen, I didn't even know such this figure existed, but sure enough after seeing an ad on Facebook and doing some research, the $80 CAD seemed like a good buy, so 10 minutes in the car later the figure is in my possession. Apparently there is a companion Chogokin Saber, which I didn't know existed either - the only die cast I knew about was the Armoured Girl Project version.

 

Gilgamesh is, unless things have changed drastically, the biggest asshole in the entire Fate universe. He is a Heroic Spirt that hails from ancient times, and is known as "The King of Kings". He pretty much looks down on everyone and anyone, and in his Archer form (which is the case for Fate/Zero) a formidable foe especially with lance Ea and his "Gates of Babylon" Noble Phantasm.

 

I've looked at quite a few Bandai/Tamashii Nations products, mostly within the Figuarts or D-Arts lines, but it's not that often I get my hands on something from the Chogokin lineup. Much like the God Cloth Andromeda Shun I picked up back earlier, Gilgamesh features significant use of die cast metal, and whatever isn't metal is a beautiful chromed plastic. The figure is quite heavy, easily weighing triple the Figma version.

 

So other than being shiny, you'll find that the armour on the Chogokin version is bulkier and more angular than the Figma. Based on what I can tell, the Figma wins the accuracy round, not only for looks but also for featuring a dark blue rather than black for the various crevices, so for all the sticklers out there you're pretty much better off avoiding this one all together.

 

The Chogokin however appears to have far more accurate looking face plates and hair. Furthermore, the detailing on the Chogokin is sharper due to the use of harder materials. You can make it out on the body, but where it really shines is on the script that is etched on the hand guard of his Lance.

 

The contents of the set aren't as impressive as the Andromeda Shun figure, but this figure doesn't have exploding armour that reforms itself into a totem of sorts. You get the figure, three total face plates (neutral, eyes shifted right, smiling), a pair of arms dedicated to making his cross arm pose work, Ea, three gold goblets, a giant gold wine decanter, a variety of posing hands, and a literal pedestal for displaying the figure on.

 

The two dedicated cross chest arms are a very nice touch, and look so much nicer than than the faux arm pieces that come with most figures these days. As this is going to be my display option of choice, it's something I really like.

 

So while the head overall looks better than the Figma version, you'll find the faces themselves somewhat lacking in any real variety, which is something generally pointed out by the other owners. I will say, however, that the faces for Gilgamesh do seem more on point and useful than the ones that come with Saber.

 

Articulation, as you can probably guess, is a dud. You get some movement sure, but ultimately you're going to be sticking with relatively static poses, which in a way works out given the somewhat tame choices of face plate. Sure the points of articulation are there (toes, ankles, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, shoulders with chest compress, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrists, neck, head) along with some other points for moving the armour bits around, you ill find the legs are generally constrained by the skirt, particularly the rear, and Pauldrons interfere with arm movement

 

Thus, as I mentioned before, pretty much static poses. It's a good thing he's a sharp looking figure.

 

Paint wise, there is nothing significant for me to complain about. Most of the paint apps are within the crevices of the armour and gear, and those are well done with no masking issues, and all other painted areas are equally sharp. The chroming of plastic is smooth and while doesn't have the same lustre of the metal piece, it is all smooth with no bubbles or poor finishes. Decal work on the eyes is tack sharp. The areas of greatest weakness in this section would be the hands, which due to the use of softer plastics the finish isn't as nice which in turn affects the smoothness of the paints.

 

You're not going to spending much time staring at those hands, though, and to be perfectly honest they're just rough looking by comparison to the rest of the figure.

 

Similarly, from a build quality perspective this figure is beautifully made. The metal parts are polished with no rough edges, and fit perfectly on the plastic frame that holds it all together. The plastic parts are generally hidden, with the chromed parts being pretty much flawless. As with these plastic/die cast hybrids, the joints do the job, though some can be a bit of a pain to move for fear of breakage, and the plastic on plastic joints work as well as any other Bandai figure. The plastic skirt pieces are well made.

 

Again, the roughest looking pieces, by comparison, are the hands, where there are some mould lines that weren't cleaned quite crisply enough as well as the aforementioned surface imperfections.

 

So in conclusion, a beautiful looking figure that values aesthetics (and use of die cast) over practical posing capabilities. While the bulk of Pauldrons is a necessary evil, posing options could have been vastly improved if they had simply used actual cloth for the skirt portions (which incidentally would have made the figure look even more impressive). It was already 9,500 Yen back in 2013, which puts it in the luxury figure price range, so why not go that extra step?

 

Oh well.. at least it will look damn good sitting on my desk.

Movie Clips From the Throne Flows the Water of Life (3) - To Study the Lord's Return We Should Listen to the Voice of God

Introduction

Basically all of the prophecies mentioned in the Bible pertaining to the Lord's return have already come true. Most people have sensed that the Lord has already returned, so, how should we investigate this to make sure about the matter of whether or not Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus? Should we make our judgment based on the prophecies of the Bible or should we directly investigate the word and work of Almighty God? How should we seize this extremely rare opportunity and greet the return of our Lord? Almighty God says, "What you ought to do is acceptance of, without the need for further substantiation from the Bible, any work so long as it is that of the Holy Spirit, for you believe in God to follow God, not to investigate Him. You should not search out further proof for Me to show that I am your God. Rather, you ought to discern whether I am of benefit to you; that is the key" (The Word Appears in the Flesh).

  

recommend to you: From the Throne Flows the Water of Life

 

This is Rose BOWING to her JESUS now at 18 1/4 INCHES on 10 OCTOBER 2006. She is in a cement level base since 25 September that we made. I couldn't resist, when we made it to put soil from Rose's grave, soil from each of her houses, some tiny rocks, a leaf, and a flower from her houses. It was just a little of each but I thought it would make it all the more special. You can see her Heart shape base which is what I will make her memorial stone into soon. It will be made with smooth cement, black die, a white birch cross with Rose's name engraved in it & her picture with Angel wings. The "FERRON" ROSARY with 15 Mysteries that the Virgin Mary had designed & showed Rose on 01 May 1928 and will show each of the Ferron children will surround the edge in heart-shape form with gemstones representing the 10 X 15 Hail Mary beads.. Also Roses saying "Let us braid a crown of Thorns here on earth so my Jesus will turn it into a crown of Roses in Heaven will be surroung the edge a half inch inside before the Rosary. Mr. & Mrs. Ferron will be at the end. I would also like to include St. Michael & Mama Mary with Jesus somehow but havent figured that out yet.. I hope to complete that within next few weeks as Jesus blesses me strength & health enough to do so. I can't wait til it is completed, it will be so beautiful. Then I want to repaint Jesus's face as his eyes don't look right from the statue makers doings. One eye is bigger than the other. It's a shame statue makers & painters don't take greater care in their work but I think I can fix it.