A simple question,,what is the purpose of a stairway? A simple answer,,a means to ascend to a higher level..

 

In 2002,I received a dream,from the Lord,revealing His hearts desire,for the heart condition,of those called to make up His bride…

 

In the dream,I was flying above a market place,such as you would see in the middle east,or maybe even Jerusalem..The Holy Spirit was my Guide,we set down on the busy street,and began to follow a newlywed couple,from vendor to vendor..

 

The little stores on this street,were incredible..They were filled with the most beautiful gifts,ones eyes could behold..Gold made up the majority of the items..It seemed each booth contained more glorious gifts then the last..Every where there were jewel encrusted items of all kinds..The greatest jewel collection in the world could not compare to these gift shops..It was breath taking in its beauty..Any of my friends,know I LOVE jewelry,and things of beauty..Yet surprisingly the beauty of the gift shops did not capture my attention,it was the couple walking through the shops,that mesmerised me..He was a tall man,I really could not tell you what He looked like other than that..She was an average sized lady..She clung to His left arm,with her face held upward,looking at Him..It was not” what they looked like” that captured my attention,,but” how they looked”,,at each other…Never in the most passion filled love story have I beheld,the consuming adoration, that flowed between these two lovers..Their eyes never strayed from each other..The chemistry between them pulled you into their shared passion,I couldn’t stop looking at them..Forgive me if I use the same words over and over to describe what I beheld..But I don’t have words in my vocabulary to describe,the love,,devotion,,and passion,,they shared..They were a thing of beauty,,as they meandered through the shops,there was always the same Attendant,ushering them through each one..Since I was on my own now,I realized my Guide ,was now their Attendant..I followed captivated..As they passed through row, after row of items of beauty..Occasionally,just the flicker or gleam,of an object would shine in the corner of this Brides eye.Never did she take her eyes of adoration from her Grooms face..She was totally enraptured in Him..He was in like condition of her,yet able to take note of items,that shined in her devoted eyes..He would then nod to the Attendant,Who would wrap each gift,and carry it to the next shop..It seemed to go on for quite some time..Eventually they finished,came out of the last shop, as caught up in each other as when they began..The Attendant followed beside them,baring arms filled with gifts.. Never once had her eyes left the face of her Beloved..Never once had her Groom,hesitated or missed a step in leading her through,the maze of gift shops..They were oblivious of any one else..When they came out of the place of gifting,they entered into a passionate embrace..The Attendant took a covering,like nothing I’ve ever seen,the material seemed from another world,floated it up into the air and let it cascade down over them for privacy..He looked at me, and then speaking for the first time stated,,”This happens with them all the time”………I awoke…

 

I believe in the dream,I saw our heavenly Bridegrooms heart and desire for us..There is much taught today of what we can attain thru relationship,all the blessing’s available to the believer..But even spiritual gifts will pass away,when that which is perfect shall come..1Cor.13:10. What shall remain,, Love,,and relationship borne out of that love..In Ephesians 5,a great mystery is spoken of,concerning Christ and His church..In verse 27 it refers to Him “presenting it {the church,Bride} to Himself”..The majority of the chapter is referring to the marriage relationship..Not by accident..Normally the minister presents the couple to those gathered..But here the scripture states in vs.27,”That He might present it to Himself”..In reality He alone can prepare us and “adorn” us..Our part is yielding ,and clinging to His arm,with adoring eyes..Read Revelation19:6-9,,in verse 7b it says for the marriage of the Lamb is come and His” wive” has made herself ready..The only reference ,I know of in the bible ,where she is called “wife”..Could the “readiness” be what separates bride,,from wife?We already have read where He will do the needful work in the bride{church},Himself..Again our part, is developing that heart of adoration, that clings to Him..Allowing Him to work in our midst those things pleasing to Him.. Song of Solomon 1:4 “Draw me,we will run after Thee,the King has brought me into His chambers,we will be glad and rejoice in Thee,we will remember Thy love more than wine..The upright love Thee.. ” In His chambers is where love begins,,grows,,and consumes our beings..He will draw,,but we must follow..All that is going on in the world is but a distraction.. Allow Him to draw,,pray for a heart of passionate Agape love,as never before..Do not say I have heard it all before,or tried it all..Run to the secret place,,pursue Him..Song of Solomon 2:14″O My dove,that art in the cleft of the rock,in the secret places of the stairs,,let Me see thy countenance,let Me hear thy voice,for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.” Are we dwelling in the cleft of the rock,{Psalm 91}, finding shelter in the secret place of the stairs?Again I ask what is the purpose of stairs? To travel from one level to the next..Do you realize your face and voice are beautiful to Him?Or has something kept you away from the stairs,and His face?We must see Him,2 Corinthians 3:18,”But we all,with open face beholding as in a glass,the glory of the Lord,are changed from glory to glory,even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” No wonder the enemy of our souls, tries with all he can,to hinder us from ascending the stairs..Sweep off the stairway,,and start anew your ascent..He calls,and draws,us upward,, but it is our part to respond……

 

Father in the name of Your precious Son Jesus,we pray,Help us find the secret place of the stairs,created for us,let us ascend and pursue,and never settle on any landing,,thinking we have went as far as is necessary..Let us behold Your face Lord,for it indeed is beautiful,and only then can we be changed,and made into that spotless bride,that You desire us to be..We are sorry Lord for the neglect we have shown at times,to the place of ascent.And pray for diligence in every area of our walks..Thank You Lord, for Your tender mercy and grace,,amen

 

Conference challenges men to be faithful and fearless

Annual gathering recognizes men’s spirituality

 

By Andrew Junker | March 2, 2010 | The Catholic Sun

 

Wet roads and chilly temperatures couldn’t keep them away. They streamed into St. Paul’s Parish Hall Feb. 20 for an all-day Lenten Men’s Conference.

 

“There are more than 800 Catholic men in here today,” said Mike Phelan, director of the diocesan marriage and respect life office. “Praise God.”

 

And they did.

 

Throughout the day, the men heard from a variety of speakers on spiritual challenges, sang praise and worship music, went to confession — there were 25 priests on hand — and celebrated Mass.

 

The theme for this year’s Lenten conference was “All In.”

 

“This conference is always going to be tied to this season in our Church when we’re called to go into the desert and lay some things down and suffer with Christ,” Phelan said.

 

He identified three goals for the conference. First, he wanted the men to deepen their personal encounter with Christ; he wanted them to go all in by dedicating their lives to Christ and His Church; and, he wanted them to change the culture.

 

“This is a great sign that the Holy Spirit is at work in our Church, and it’s a great encouragement to me as bishop of this Church,” Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted told the crowd.

 

“Love is not genuine unless it’s all in,” the bishop said.

 

He called on the men to allow God to be their Father so they could be good fathers to others, and prayed that everyone be given the grace to listen well.

 

Former Major League Baseball all-star Terry Mattingly served as master of ceremonies at the conference for the third year in a row. He pointed out the fact that there were many more young men in the crowd this year. Fathers brought their sons, which was a great thing, he said.

 

“This is a great opportunity for all of us,” he said. “Let’s give everything we’ve got for the hours that we’re here today.”

 

The conference featured speakers like local priest Fr. John Lankeit, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, apologist Peter Herbeck and Timothy Gray, a biblical scholar who teaches at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver. Local Catholic musician and songwriter Chris Muglia provided music for the conference.

 

Gray said that the world today has lost its narrative.

 

“The world doesn’t know why it exists. Therefore, we don’t know what we were made for,” he said. “We become men without a mission when we lose the meaning.”

 

He challenged the men to rebel against the soft, consumer-driven culture that pervades everything.

 

“The goal in modern culture is to get granite countertops and drive a Lexus,” he said. “That’s not something worth dying for.”

 

Rather than get caught up in the “spectator culture,” Gray encouraged the men to be selfless and active, to love their families and sacrifice for them.

 

That was a theme echoed throughout the day — the need to be faithful and fearless.

 

“If 800 men in Phoenix take to heart their duty, we will impact the culture,” Phelan told the crowd to loud applause.

 

More: www.catholicsun.org

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

Looking for a glossy/matte copy of this photo? Please call 602-354-2132 or send an e-mail for ordering information. Please note the photo's title when ordering. Download the order form here.

 

Copyright 2006-2010 The Catholic Sun. All rights reserved. This photo and all photos on this Web site credited to The Catholic Sun are provided for personal use only and may not be published, broadcasted, transmitted or sold without the expressed consent of The Catholic Sun.

The work of Holy Trinity Rathmines in supporting vulnerable people in their community during lockdown has been recognised by the Lord Mayor of Dublin. On Saturday afternoon (June 27) the Revd Rob Jones accepted a Covid Heroes award on behalf of his parish team. The award was presented by the Lord Mayor Tom Brabazon.

 

Earlier this month the Lord Mayor sought nominations for Covid Heroes and 1,210 people responded nominating 215 individuals and groups. He read each nomination and chose five people to receive the Dublin Crystal plaques.

 

Rob and his Holy Trinity team were nominated by a member of the local Garda station for helping vulnerable citizens in Rathmines with food and medicine drops while Rob also spent time with people in Harold’s Cross Hospice whose families couldn’t visit them because of the pandemic. Holy Trinity also worked to raise the spirits of people in the area and is currently hosting a community art exhibition on the church railings in conjunction with Kildare Place School.

 

Other Covid Heroes were Michael Larkin who became famous around the world for his balcony bingo in Canon Mooney Gardens in Ringsend, Glenda Harrington who continued helping homeless people during the pandemic, Moira Kennedy and her friends who raised funds for the Ranelagh Covid Response Team and Theresa Kelly who organised food deliveries for vulnerable people in Raheny.

 

The Lord Mayor visited all five Covid Heroes yesterday and in Holy Trinity Rathmines he said he had been drawn to the work the parish had done. “Rob’s work was drawn to my attention by a member of the local Garda station who highlighted the link that Rob provided between people who were passing away in the local hospice and their families who could not see them. But this only scratches the surface because I’ve come here and I see the connection with children, volunteers and the wider community. Everyone played their part,” he said.

 

He added: “Throughout the Covid period the city has drawn together in an amazing way. The work has been wonderful to see - the altruism that has come to the fore and the sense of community that has been discovered. I hope it is not lost. It has been the silver lining during this period. I thank each and every one of you for your leadership and community spirit”.

 

Archbishop Michael Jackson noted that Rob was keen to point out that the work had been carried out by the whole parish team. However, he said that all teams needed leaders. “Rob never puts himself above others but he is a very effective leader. During this time we could have locked ourselves down but honour and respect lies in doing something for someone else. When we see the range of people and activities right across the city it is a wonderful endorsement of what people have done in an age that people never thought they would see and never want to see again,” he said.

 

Rob said he was honoured to receive the award. When lockdown began 16 weeks ago he recalled sitting in the church office with the team. “We all felt that we needed to serve the community,” he said. “I knew I couldn’t do this alone. All of these people stepped up – whether it was food and medicine drops or providing online content to help and encourage people, the railings project, the flowers and the music. It was a privilege to serve together.”

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

Get to know the Holy Spirit, the Great Unknown, for it is he who has to sanctify you.

 

Don't forget that you are a temple of God. The Paraclete is in the center of your soul: listen to him, and be docile to his inspirations.

 

_________

 

"Throughout 1932 there was a noticeable growth in St. Josemaría's devotion to the Holy Spirit, as recorded in his Intimate Notes. That year Pentecost fell on 15 May, and two notes date from his preparation for this feast:

 

" 'We are within the novena to the Holy Spirit. My God! when will you rid me of this heap of my wretchednesses?'

 

" 'While I was closing the tabernacle, I said (moved by this affection because we are within the novena to the Holy Spirit): "May the fire of your Spirit fill me." '

 

"By June he already had a copy of the recently-published Decenario al Espiritu Santo by Francisca Javiera del Valle, which he annotated as he read. In September he wrote the text of point 599 (see chapter 27), which contemplates 'the breath of the Holy Spirit' lifting the 'dust, fallen and dirty.' At the beginning of October of that year he did a retreat in Segovia, close to the tomb of St. John of the Cross, and from then on the theme of the Holy Spirit came out in his considerations with renewed force, as is apparent from the commentary on point 58 and point 755. On his return to Madrid, a few days before writing point 57, he went to see his spiritual director, putting into practice what he would later recommend in this chapter. The conversation must have centered around the Holy Spirit's action in the soul, a theme which St. Josemaría was very conscious of, as we have seen. A simple but deep piece of advice from his spiritual director produced a burst of light in his soul. Returning home, he immediately wrote in his Notebook:

 

" 'Octave of All Saints - Tuesday - 8 November 1932: This morning, not yet an hour ago, my Fr. Sanchez revealed to me "another Mediterranean." He told me: "Make friends with the Holy Spirit. Don't speak: listen to him." And while I was praying on my way home from Leganitos, my prayer was both gentle and enlightening, and I saw how the life of childhood, by making me aware that I was a son of God, had brought me to love the Father; that, even before that, I had gone through Mary to reach Jesus, whom I adore as a friend, as a brother, as his lover, for that is what I am... Up until now, I knew the Holy Spirit was dwelling in my soul to sanctify it... but I hadn't grasped the truth of his presence. Fr. Sanchez's words were what I needed. I feel Love within me, and I want to get to know him, to become his friend, his confidant... I want to facilitate his work of polishing, uprooting and enkindling... I won't know how to: but He will give me the strength. He will do everything, if I want him to... and I do! Divine Guest, Master, Light, Guide, Love: may this poor donkey make you welcome and listen to your lessons, and be set aflame, and follow you and love you. Resolution: develop, uninterruptedly if possible, friendship and a loving, docile conversation with the Holy Spirit. Veni Sancte Spiritus!...'

 

"His visit to his confessor led him to re-read Francisca Javiera del Valle's book on the Holy Spirit intensely. He transcribed phrases from it into Notebook 6, and his copy of the book is filled with many annotations of extraordinary spiritual richness.

 

"The point of this long digression is that it was during his reading of this book and his exploration of this 'Mediterranean' that he wrote point 57. Its message is that we should not just be grateful for the action of the Holy Spirit in our soul, but should develop a personal relationship with the Paraclete, 'the Great Stranger,' so that he remains a stranger no longer. In 1934 St. Josemaría composed the following prayer, which seems to have resulted from the advice he had received ["Listen to him!"] and a supernatural experience ["I have heard his voice"]:

 

" 'Come, Holy Spirit! Enlighten my mind, so as to know your commands; strengthen my heart against the snares of the enemy; set my will aflame... I have heard your voice and I don't want to harden my heart and resist, saying, "Later ..., tomorrow." Nunc coepi - now I begin! Now! - lest there be no tomorrow for me.

 

" 'O Spirit of truth and wisdom, Spirit of understanding and counsel, Spirit of joy and peace! I want whatever you want. I want it because you want it, I want it however you want it, I want it whenever you want it ...'

 

"This was the first time St. Josemaría used the expression 'The Great Stranger' to describe the Holy Spirit. It was to become characteristic of his spiritual language. See the homily of the same name. It has its roots in Scripture and was teased out while meditating on the Decenarium.

 

" '...is in the centre of your soul': this expression, which in all the Notebooks of his Intimate Notes only appears here, reappears in The Forge on three occasions. It is interesting to contrast them with The Way. Who is in the center of the soul? In this point of The Way it is the Holy Spirit. But in The Forge it is 'God' (932), 'your Father-God' (538), 'Jesus ... is our God' (1016). The three divine Persons are in the center of the soul: 'If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him' (John 14:23). It is the theology of the circuminsessio - the mutual immanence of the three Persons - which is behind this friendly conversation which St. Josemaría proposes for his readers. In a get-together in 1959 he expressed himself thus:

 

" 'I am getting on, and we old people begin to treat as accidental those things which, when we were young, seemed to us to be important. I am going ahead retaining the essentials, I am getting to a 'synthesis.' And the synthesis is this: in human matters, omnia in bonum and in the supernatural, to speak with the Father, to speak with the Son, to speak with the Holy Spirit. The rest is of no importance.' "

 

_________

 

[excerpted from "The Way: Critical-historical edition," prepared by P. Rodriguez of the Josemaría Escrivá Historical Institute]

Congratulations to Revd Alison Calvin who has become the rector of Kilkeel Parish following her institution on Thursday 13 February.

 

Alison is the first rector to be instituted by Bishop David who served his first incumbency in Kilkeel from 1990–2001.

 

Both received a warm welcome as did Bishop Ken Clarke who preached at the service.

 

Alison comes to Down and Dromore from the Killeshandra Group of Parishes in Co. Cavan where she ministered for over ten years.

 

Alison introduces herself

 

As a young child of 5 I asked Jesus to be my Saviour and since then my life has been a journey of getting to know Him through His Word and His Spirit. I continue to learn how to hear, trust and obey the wonderful Saviour who loves me. Seeking His Kingdom is my life. I also love people and community and look forward to new relationships in this next chapter.

 

I grew up just outside Markethill and after studying languages I returned there to teach in Markethill High School for 2 years before heading off to France as a missionary with Youth For Christ. After 3 years in France, I went to Kingdom Faith Bible College as a student for 2 years and then taught there and worked with the Way of the Spirit ministry for 4 years. It was a very clear call from God that brought me back to Ireland to train for ordination, something I would never have thought of doing!

 

I’ve been in the Killeshandra Group of Parishes, Co. Cavan, since May 2009, first as Bishop’s Curate and then as Rector. It’s been a rich and wonderful experience – such a privilege to have been part of the family of God in this place. I have learned much and been deeply enriched by the people I have shared life with here. I will always be thankful to God for his guidance and grace as together we have sought to reach out with his love, under the vision, “Killeshandra for Christ, a community filled with God’s Spirit”.

 

As I follow God’s call to Kilkeel, I’d have to admit I’m more than a little overwhelmed. It will be very different, but I’m looking forward to seeing God’s plans unfold and am already praying for a fresh outpouring of His Holy Spirit that we might see His power at work in the whole community. Your Kingdom come Lord, Your will be done. What an awesome privilege to join with others in God’s redeeming plan.

Branches of the Vine

Young Catholics complete sacraments of initiation

 

By Andrew Junker | May 21, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

 

CAREFREE — They were lined up down the main aisle of Our Lady of Joy’s church in starched shirts, white dresses and uncomfortable dress shoes.

 

And they were nervous.

 

Well, “nervous and excited,” explained Jenna Mateo, one of the 40 or so third-graders who made their first Communion and were confirmed by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted May 10 at the north Valley parish.

 

Maci McMeel — who chose Christina as her confirmation name — agreed with Mateo.

 

“I was kind of nervous because there were a lot of people watching us,” she said. McMeel said she had thought a lot about what it would be like to receive the Eucharist, and that making her first Communion was very “exciting.”

 

Across the Diocese of Phoenix, confirmation and first Communion season is in full bloom. Hundreds of children are receiving the sacraments either from the hands of the bishop or one of his appointed vicars or deans.

 

Jill Pavolovsky prepared the young confirmandi at Our Lady of Joy. The sacrament preparation is worked into the regular religious education classes at the parish, which have been focused on preparing for confirmation and first Communion for about a year now.

 

“The restored order of the sacraments helps the children receive the Blessed Sacrament more worthily and gives them the graces to make better choices in their lives,” said Pavlovsky, who is known to her students simply as “Miss Jill.”

 

Linking confirmation to baptism as one of the sacraments of initiation, as well as teaching the children about Pentecost and the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit “helps them understand how confirmation will help them live out, spread and defend the faith,” she said, “as a third-grader and hopefully beyond.”

 

In his homily, Bishop Olmsted told the children about their new responsibilities as fully initiated members of the Church and gave them advice on how to remain close to Christ.

 

The Gospel reading included Jesus telling His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing.”

 

“These words of Jesus help us see why holy Communion and confirmation are such great blessings from God,” Bishop Olmsted said. “The sacraments help us stay in communion with Christ, and that’s the only way to have real joy.”

 

More: www.catholicsun.org

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

Looking for a glossy/matte copy of this photo? Please call 602-354-2132 or send an e-mail for ordering information. Please note the photo's title when ordering. Download the order form here.

 

Copyright 2006-2009 The Catholic Sun. All rights reserved. This photo and all photos on this Web site credited to The Catholic Sun are provided for personal use only and may not be published, broadcasted, transmitted or sold without the expressed consent of The Catholic Sun.

We're back.. we're back. Today we take a quick look at one of the relatively recent Fate Figma, the line that got me collecting these in the first place.

 

This is Figma Nero Claudius from Fate/Extella, the game prior to the current Musou style offering.

 

For those who follow (or at least attempt to follow) Fate, it's no surprise that the expanded universe, first beginning with the Fate/Extra spin off game on PSP, has introduced many characters that remain popular to this day, seeing action in the various sequels to that game or expansion into the Mobile Gaming and Light Novel universes.

 

One such character is Nero Claudius, the Saber in the red dress. Nero is the Heroic Spirit of the last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, conveniently made a female for the purposes of selling merch.. of course. She's a colourful character that, if I had to summarize, despite looking kind of like Artoria, behaves NOTHING like her both in terms of personality or fighting style.

 

This is actually the second release of this character in Figma form, with the first Nero Figma actually coming as an extra with the Japanese collectors edition of the Fate/Extra game on PSP. I can't exactly say this figure was a bargain for me, but it was less than original MSRP and much less than trying to find one of the figures that came with the original game.

 

The set comes with the figure, based of course on the 2.0 Figma body, three total face plates (smiling, laughing, shouting), her sword Aestus Estus, an extra left forearm and various golden parts to replaced her armoured look, a variety of posing and weapon holding hands, and of course the standard Figma stand.

 

As far as I can tell, the original toy had no buckler and only two faceplates, but did come with windswept hair like the Artoria Pendragon 2.0 Figma did.

 

Being a Figma 2.0 release, it goes without saying that this version of Nero has better proportions and detailing of pretty much everything. Most notable of an improvement would be face plates, which are larger and allow for a better representation of not only the source material, but also, accuracy of the desired expression.

 

The articulation piece is only arguably better as I don't have an actual sample on hand to fiddle with and is based on my experiences with Lily Saber and Saber 1.0 to 2.0 comparisons.

 

Just what do I mean by that? Lets start with the basics, as always.

 

Nero is fitted out with the standard array of Figma joints - ankles, single jointed knees, hips, mid torso, shoulders with slight chest compress and bicep swivel, single jointed elbows, wrists, and head. She has a bonus point of articulation on the back of her head, where the "bun" can be rotated for a more dynamic look. As with all other Figma, joints are cut such that you get a pretty good range of motion for a single jointed area.

 

So far so good, right?

 

The reason why I say I presume it's got better articulation than the 1.0 is based on the arms and shoulders alone, which on the Saber and Lily Saber releases are improved with regards to range of motion, mostly due to redesign of the shoulder pad areas (Saber only).

 

What's hilarious to me is the character with the fabric dress actually has worse lower body than the one wearing an armoured skirt. I guess because there's no segmenting on the character model, Nero's skirt is basically one giant plastic cone, just like on the original release. As you can probably imagine, yep, her legs are basically stuck within the confines of that space so sitting, squatting, lunging, etc. are effectively out of the question.

 

Positioning of legs to replicate slight movements is possible, particularly with the aid of the stand, but I don't think Nero is gonna be winning to many battles with the ability to hop a bit.

 

Paint work is up to the normal Figma quality, which is effectively silky smooth paint apps across the board including the semi-gloss buckler, with acceptable or better work on the smaller details. Gold trim across the dress are sharply done, including the trim on the hem of the dress. Underlying mould details are not lost due to paint application, even on the more intricate parts such as the gold braids and the Epaulets on her shoulders.

 

Build quality is solid as well. Joints are of a good strength, with limbs being the proper length to prevent lopsidedness. Tolerances are generally good, important given the nature of the necessary interchanging of parts on this figure. Finish on the plastic parts is smooth, which helps to further highlight the smoothness of the paint applications. Another neat thing is the use of translucent white plastics rather than a solid white, so not only does it look nicer but you're also able to see her legs through the walls of their plastic prison.

 

So, unsurprisingly, I find Nero to be a beautiful Figma, if somewhat limited, release. From a design perspective, I can see that if Good Smile had tried to make an articulated skirt the look would just be terrible looking - a separate "hiked" skirt would probably have been preferable even if it costs more.

 

I did get another Fate piece which I'll be getting around to looking at soon, but first, a few things that are different.

Storm Lillian did her worse over Thursday night, blowing a right hoolie.

 

Winds were still strong at dawn, but nothing to give much of a thought about, so that when Jools dropped me off at the station, I went into the greasy spoon for a bacon and sausage butty and a brew. And then sat on the low wall to eat and drink, knowing I had half an hour to kill as the train had just left.

 

So I thought.

 

Storm Lillian had, in fact, brought a tree down on the line near Sittingbourne, and a train had hit it, so that al services were backed up, and I wasn't going to get to Canterbury East. But as the name suggests, there is another station in the city, though no direct trains from Dover to Canterbury West now.

 

Instead I caught a train north through Deal and Sandwich to Ramsgate, which was uneventful, if overlong due to the rambling nature of the line north of Richborough.

 

At Ramsgate, having just missed a high speed service, we waited.

 

For half an hour a Charing Cross service was "at Dumpton Park", but never arrived, so that it was the next high speed service we all piled onto.

 

A 15 minute run along the Stour Valley brought me to the city, where half the population with suitcases were waiting to get on.

 

I slipped off, but instead of going straight to the city, I turned left to the Goods Shed, an artisan market to check out whether there was guanciale.

 

They had some, and at half the price in Borough Market, so I made plans that either Jools or I would go back later to buy a hunk at only £2.60/Kg.

 

What I did notice too, was the eatery had just opened up, and were selling bubble and squeak with a variety of toppings. So I found myself ordering a second breakfast of bubble topped with chorizo and scrambled egg, along with the best coffee I have had for a long while.

 

That was better, now to face the naked city!

 

The long, dark and empty days of COVID are behind us, and although the streets were not packed, there were groups following guides, and it felt normal.

 

The reason for being here was the first ever public opening of the Corona Tower and then the chance to climb the 87 steps to the roof, for panoramic views of the city and surrounding downs.

 

Just one tour a day, with limited numbers, so I wanted to make sure my name was on the list. I got to the cathedral at five past ten, and was indeed the first name on the list, though a decision on whether the rooftop visit would go ahead depended on the winds dropping.

 

I went round the cathedral one more time, rattling of a couple of hundred shots, going down the crypt and around the Apse.

 

A short walk away is St Paul Without, which was open. So I went in to take some shots, I think I was there a couple of years back and was recognised in the guise of my Facebook avatar and name.

 

At midday, or just past, I was at the door of the Thomas Backet pub for a swifter. The landlord's two dogs made me feel very welcome.

 

The sun had got out and was warm outside, so I stayed inside for a second beer, and then they put their new house ale on, Troublesome Priest, named after the curse of King John of Thomas Becket. Its a dark best bitter, and very drinkable.

 

Three pints in, I thought I had better stop and go to meet up with Jools. The cathedral called to let me know the tour was on, so all was good.

 

I booked a table at a BBQ place for later, bought Jools a cider as she was parched, whereas I was well hydrated.

 

At quarter to three, I walked back to the cathedral, and was entertained by a choir while I waited. Their voices filled the huge space of the Nave, spinetingling stuff.

 

At half three, I met the guide at the lectern in the Quire, five others joined in to. So, after introductions, we walked to the Chapel at the very east of the Cathedral.

 

The public can look in the chapel, but have never been allowed inside, so this was a rare chance.

 

We swapped stories and news, me pointing out that the guide should really go to Nackington to see the ancient glass there, glass that gives the cathedral a good run for its money with the oldest stained glass in the country.

 

Then, time to climb to to roof of the chapel. An ancient door was unlocked, and beyond, medieval steps, unworn by many feet, so looking almost new, lead up and round.

 

Two glass doors look out onto the Quire, but are left dirty so people don't linger on the stairs to look. So, up and up, round and round, until the steps straighten up and with one last double-height step, we were out on the roof.

 

Not the very top of the cathedral: the roof of the Chancel rose to the west, and the central tower behind that, and in the distance, the two western tower just showed.

 

We look down on the city: a party in the grounds of the posh school nearby, the hustle of the streets and shops, and beyond, ground rose on all sides to the north Downs.

 

For half an hour we lingered and soaked the warm in.

 

Time ran out, so back down. With the first huge step a doosie, but once over that, just round and round, down and down until we were back in the Chancel, with the last visitors of the day looking in surprise as we emerged from the cathedral walls.

 

Jools was in the Thomas Becket, as was my colleague Peter. They were two beers up on me. Or Peter was. Jools would be driving, so she had the one cider.

 

The pub is city centre, but down a side street, so is good, but quieter than it might otherwise be. And their beer is good, which helps, and the food, if you eat there, very good indeed.

 

We talk for an hour, then walk to the smokehouse, which turned out not to be a smokehouse, but a fast food place, opposite the grand entrance to King's School. They di platters for us, and was pretty good, and not too pricey either.

 

Then back to the Thomas Becket for "one last beer", and more chatting.

 

Jools lead me to the car, as my health app ticked over 18,000 steps. I was pooped and ready to go home for a cuppa before bed.

 

The city was just waking up, as bright and beautiful young things tumbled out of cars for a night in the clubs and bars, just beginning their fun just as we were finishing up.

 

Out through Windcheap and onto the A2, a cruise in the gloaming back to Dover.

 

Needless to say, the cats were very pleased/annoyed to see us just after nine. So we fed them, fussed over them. Jools made a brew and I checked my shots, charged the battery ready for Saturday and another fine day out planned.

 

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

 

History of the cathedral

THE ORIGIN of a Christian church on the scite of the present cathedral, is supposed to have taken place as early as the Roman empire in Britain, for the use of the antient faithful and believing soldiers of their garrison here; and that Augustine found such a one standing here, adjoining to king Ethelbert's palace, which was included in the king's gift to him.

 

This supposition is founded on the records of the priory of Christ-church, (fn. 1) concurring with the common opinion of almost all our historians, who tell us of a church in Canterbury, which Augustine found standing in the east part of the city, which he had of king Ethelbert's gift, which after his consecration at Arles, in France, he commended by special dedication to the patronage of our blessed Saviour. (fn. 2)

 

According to others, the foundations only of an old church formerly built by the believing Romans, were left here, on which Augustine erected that, which he afterwards dedicated to out Saviour; (fn. 3) and indeed it is not probable that king Ethelbert should have suffered the unsightly ruins of a Christian church, which, being a Pagan, must have been very obnoxious to him, so close to his palace, and supposing these ruins had been here, would he not have suffered them to be repaired, rather than have obliged his Christian queen to travel daily to such a distance as St. Martin's church, or St. Pancrace's chapel, for the performance of her devotions.

 

Some indeed have conjectured that the church found by St. Augustine, in the east part of the city, was that of St.Martin, truly so situated; and urge in favor of it, that there have not been at any time any remains of British or Roman bricks discovered scattered in or about this church of our Saviour, those infallible, as Mr. Somner stiles them, signs of antiquity, and so generally found in buildings, which have been erected on, or close to the spot where more antient ones have stood. But to proceed, king Ethelbert's donation to Augustine was made in the year 596, who immediately afterwards went over to France, and was consecrated a bishop at Arles, and after his return, as soon as he had sufficiently finished a church here, whether built out of ruins or anew, it matters not, he exercised his episcopal function in the dedication of it, says the register of Christ-church, to the honor of Christ our Saviour; whence it afterwards obtained the name of Christ-church. (fn. 4)

 

From the time of Augustine for the space of upwards of three hundred years, there is not found in any printed or manuscript chronicle, the least mention of the fabric of this church, so that it is probable nothing befell it worthy of being recorded; however it should be mentioned, that during that period the revenues of it were much increased, for in the leiger books of it there are registered more than fifty donations of manors, lands, &c. so large and bountiful, as became the munificence of kings and nobles to confer. (fn. 5)

 

It is supposed, especially as we find no mention made of any thing to the contrary, that the fabric of this church for two hundred years after Augustine's time, met with no considerable molestations; but afterwards, the frequent invasions of the Danes involved both the civil and ecclesiastical state of this country in continual troubles and dangers; in the confusion of which, this church appears to have run into a state of decay; for when Odo was promoted to the archbishopric, in the year 938, the roof of it was in a ruinous condition; age had impaired it, and neglect had made it extremely dangerous; the walls of it were of an uneven height, according as it had been more or less decayed, and the roof of the church seemed ready to fall down on the heads of those underneath. All this the archbishop undertook to repair, and then covered the whole church with lead; to finish which, it took three years, as Osbern tells us, in the life of Odo; (fn. 6) and further, that there was not to be found a church of so large a size, capable of containing so great a multitude of people, and thus, perhaps, it continued without any material change happening to it, till the year 1011; a dismal and fatal year to this church and city; a time of unspeakable confusion and calamities; for in the month of September that year, the Danes, after a siege of twenty days, entered this city by force, burnt the houses, made a lamentable slaughter of the inhabitants, rifled this church, and then set it on fire, insomuch, that the lead with which archbishop Odo had covered it, being melted, ran down on those who were underneath. The sull story of this calamity is given by Osbern, in the life of archbishop Odo, an abridgement of which the reader will find below. (fn. 7)

 

The church now lay in ruins, without a roof, the bare walls only standing, and in this desolate condition it remained as long as the fury of the Danes prevailed, who after they had burnt the church, carried away archbishop Alphage with them, kept him in prison seven months, and then put him to death, in the year 1012, the year after which Living, or Livingus, succeeded him as archbishop, though it was rather in his calamities than in his seat of dignity, for he too was chained up by the Danes in a loathsome dungeon for seven months, before he was set free, but he so sensibly felt the deplorable state of this country, which he foresaw was every day growing worse and worse, that by a voluntary exile, he withdrew himself out of the nation, to find some solitary retirement, where he might bewail those desolations of his country, to which he was not able to bring any relief, but by his continual prayers. (fn. 8) He just outlived this storm, returned into England, and before he died saw peace and quientness restored to this land by king Canute, who gaining to himself the sole sovereignty over the nation, made it his first business to repair the injuries which had been done to the churches and monasteries in this kingdom, by his father's and his own wars. (fn. 9)

 

As for this church, archbishop Ægelnoth, who presided over it from the year 1020 to the year 1038, began and finished the repair, or rather the rebuilding of it, assisted in it by the royal munificence of the king, (fn. 10) who in 1023 presented his crown of gold to this church, and restored to it the port of Sandwich, with its liberties. (fn. 11) Notwithstanding this, in less than forty years afterwards, when Lanfranc soon after the Norman conquest came to the see, he found this church reduced almost to nothing by fire, and dilapidations; for Eadmer says, it had been consumed by a third conflagration, prior to the year of his advancement to it, in which fire almost all the antient records of the privileges of it had perished. (fn. 12)

 

The same writer has given us a description of this old church, as it was before Lanfranc came to the see; by which we learn, that at the east end there was an altar adjoining to the wall of the church, of rough unhewn stone, cemented with mortar, erected by archbishop Odo, for a repository of the body of Wilfrid, archbishop of York, which Odo had translated from Rippon hither, giving it here the highest place; at a convenient distance from this, westward, there was another altar, dedicated to Christ our Saviour, at which divine service was daily celebrated. In this altar was inclosed the head of St. Swithin, with many other relics, which archbishop Alphage brought with him from Winchester. Passing from this altar westward, many steps led down to the choir and nave, which were both even, or upon the same level. At the bottom of the steps, there was a passage into the undercroft, under all the east part of the church. (fn. 13) At the east end of which, was an altar, in which was inclosed, according to old tradition, the head of St. Furseus. From hence by a winding passage, at the west end of it, was the tomb of St. Dunstan, (fn. 14) but separated from the undercroft by a strong stone wall; over the tomb was erected a monument, pyramid wife, and at the head of it an altar, (fn. 15) for the mattin service. Between these steps, or passage into the undercroft and the nave, was the choir, (fn. 16) which was separated from the nave by a fair and decent partition, to keep off the crowds of people that usually were in the body of the church, so that the singing of the chanters in the choir might not be disturbed. About the middle of the length of the nave, were two towers or steeples, built without the walls; one on the south, and the other on the north side. In the former was the altar of St. Gregory, where was an entrance into the church by the south door, and where law controversies and pleas concerning secular matters were exercised. (fn. 17) In the latter, or north tower, was a passage for the monks into the church, from the monastery; here were the cloysters, where the novices were instructed in their religious rules and offices, and where the monks conversed together. In this tower was the altar of St. Martin. At the west end of the church was a chapel, dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary, to which there was an ascent by steps, and at the east end of it an altar, dedicated to her, in which was inclosed the head of St. Astroburta the Virgin; and at the western part of it was the archbishop's pontifical chair, made of large stones, compacted together with mortar; a fair piece of work, and placed at a convenient distance from the altar, close to the wall of the church. (fn. 18)

 

To return now to archbishop Lanfranc, who was sent for from Normandy in 1073, being the fourth year of the Conqueror's reign, to fill this see, a time, when a man of a noble spirit, equal to the laborious task he was to undertake, was wanting especially for this church; and that he was such, the several great works which were performed by him, were incontestable proofs, as well as of his great and generous mind. At the first sight of the ruinous condition of this church, says the historian, the archbishop was struck with astonishment, and almost despaired of seeing that and the monastery re edified; but his care and perseverance raised both in all its parts anew, and that in a novel and more magnificent kind and form of structure, than had been hardly in any place before made use of in this kingdom, which made it a precedent and pattern to succeeding structures of this kind; (fn. 19) and new monasteries and churches were built after the example of it; for it should be observed, that before the coming of the Normans most of the churches and monasteries in this kingdom were of wood; (all the monasteries in my realm, says king Edgar, in his charter to the abbey of Malmesbury, dated anno 974, to the outward sight are nothing but worm-eaten and rotten timber and boards) but after the Norman conquest, such timber fabrics grew out of use, and gave place to stone buildings raised upon arches; a form of structure introduced into general use by that nation, and in these parts surnished with stone from Caen, in Normandy. (fn. 20) After this fashion archbishop Lanfranc rebuilt the whole church from the foundation, with the palace and monastery, the wall which encompassed the court, and all the offices belonging to the monastery within the wall, finishing the whole nearly within the compass of seven years; (fn. 21) besides which, he furnished the church with ornaments and rich vestments; after which, the whole being perfected, he altered the name of it, by a dedication of it to the Holy Trinity; whereas, before it was called the church of our Saviour, or Christ-church, and from the above time it bore (as by Domesday book appears) the name of the church of the Holy Trinity; this new church being built on the same spot on which the antient one stood, though on a far different model.

 

After Lanfranc's death, archbishop Anselm succeeded in the year 1093, to the see of Canterbury, and must be esteemed a principal benefactor to this church; for though his time was perplexed with a continued series of troubles, of which both banishment and poverty made no small part, which in a great measure prevented him from bestowing that cost on his church, which he would otherwise have done, yet it was through his patronage and protection, and through his care and persuasions, that the fabric of it, begun and perfected by his predecessor, became enlarged and rose to still greater splendor. (fn. 22)

 

In order to carry this forward, upon the vacancy of the priory, he constituted Ernulph and Conrad, the first in 1104, the latter in 1108, priors of this church; to whose care, being men of generous and noble minds, and of singular skill in these matters, he, during his troubles, not only committed the management of this work, but of all his other concerns during his absence.

 

Probably archbishop Anselm, on being recalled from banishment on king Henry's accession to the throne, had pulled down that part of the church built by Lanfranc, from the great tower in the middle of it to the east end, intending to rebuild it upon a still larger and more magnificent plan; when being borne down by the king's displeasure, he intrusted prior Ernulph with the work, who raised up the building with such splendor, says Malmesbury, that the like was not to be seen in all England; (fn. 23) but the short time Ernulph continued in this office did not permit him to see his undertaking finished. (fn. 24) This was left to his successor Conrad, who, as the obituary of Christ church informs us, by his great industry, magnificently perfected the choir, which his predecessor had left unfinished, (fn. 25) adorning it with curious pictures, and enriching it with many precious ornaments. (fn. 26)

 

This great undertaking was not entirely compleated at the death of archbishop Anselm, which happened in 1109, anno 9 Henry I. nor indeed for the space of five years afterwards, during which the see of Canterbury continued vacant; when being finished, in honour of its builder, and on account of its more than ordinary beauty, it gained the name of the glorious choir of Conrad. (fn. 27)

 

After the see of Canterbury had continued thus vacant for five years, Ralph, or as some call him, Rodulph, bishop of Rochester, was translated to it in the year 1114, at whose coming to it, the church was dedicated anew to the Holy Trinity, the name which had been before given to it by Lanfranc. (fn. 28) The only particular description we have of this church when thus finished, is from Gervas, the monk of this monastery, and that proves imperfect, as to the choir of Lanfranc, which had been taken down soon after his death; (fn. 29) the following is his account of the nave, or western part of it below the choir, being that which had been erected by archbishop Lanfranc, as has been before mentioned. From him we learn, that the west end, where the chapel of the Virgin Mary stood before, was now adorned with two stately towers, on the top of which were gilded pinnacles. The nave or body was supported by eight pair of pillars. At the east end of the nave, on the north side, was an oratory, dedicated in honor to the blessed Virgin, in lieu, I suppose, of the chapel, that had in the former church been dedicated to her at the west end. Between the nave and the choir there was built a great tower or steeple, as it were in the centre of the whole fabric; (fn. 30) under this tower was erected the altar of the Holy Cross; over a partition, which separated this tower from the nave, a beam was laid across from one side to the other of the church; upon the middle of this beam was fixed a great cross, between the images of the Virgin Mary and St. John, and between two cherubims. The pinnacle on the top of this tower, was a gilded cherub, and hence it was called the angel steeple; a name it is frequently called by at this day. (fn. 31)

 

This great tower had on each side a cross isle, called the north and south wings, which were uniform, of the same model and dimensions; each of them had a strong pillar in the middle for a support to the roof, and each of them had two doors or passages, by which an entrance was open to the east parts of the church. At one of these doors there was a descent by a few steps into the undercroft; at the other, there was an ascent by many steps into the upper parts of the church, that is, the choir, and the isles on each side of it. Near every one of these doors or passages, an altar was erected; at the upper door in the south wing, there was an altar in honour of All Saints; and at the lower door there was one of St. Michael; and before this altar on the south side was buried archbishop Fleologild; and on the north side, the holy Virgin Siburgis, whom St. Dunstan highly admired for her sanctity. In the north isle, by the upper door, was the altar of St. Blaze; and by the lower door, that of St. Benedict. In this wing had been interred four archbishops, Adelm and Ceolnoth, behind the altar, and Egelnoth and Wlfelm before it. At the entrance into this wing, Rodulph and his successor William Corboil, both archbishops, were buried. (fn. 32)

 

Hence, he continues, we go up by some steps into the great tower, and before us there is a door and steps leading down into the south wing, and on the right hand a pair of folding doors, with stairs going down into the nave of the church; but without turning to any of these, let us ascend eastward, till by several more steps we come to the west end of Conrad's choir; being now at the entrance of the choir, Gervas tells us, that he neither saw the choir built by Lanfranc, nor found it described by any one; that Eadmer had made mention of it, without giving any account of it, as he had done of the old church, the reason of which appears to be, that Lanfranc's choir did not long survive its founder, being pulled down as before-mentioned, by archbishop Anselm; so that it could not stand more than twenty years; therefore the want of a particular description of it will appear no great defect in the history of this church, especially as the deficiency is here supplied by Gervas's full relation of the new choir of Conrad, built instead of it; of which, whoever desires to know the whole architecture and model observed in the fabric, the order, number, height and form of the pillars and windows, may know the whole of it from him. The roof of it, he tells us, (fn. 33) was beautified with curious paintings representing heaven; (fn. 34) in several respects it was agreeable to the present choir, the stalls were large and framed of carved wood. In the middle of it, there hung a gilded crown, on which were placed four and twenty tapers of wax. From the choir an ascent of three steps led to the presbiterium, or place for the presbiters; here, he says, it would be proper to stop a little and take notice of the high altar, which was dedicated to the name of CHRIST. It was placed between two other altars, the one of St. Dunstan, the other of St. Alphage; at the east corners of the high altar were fixed two pillars of wood, beautified with silver and gold; upon these pillars was placed a beam, adorned with gold, which reached across the church, upon it there were placed the glory, (fn. 35) the images of St. Dunstan and St. Alphage, and seven chests or coffers overlaid with gold, full of the relics of many saints. Between those pillars was a cross gilded all over, and upon the upper beam of the cross were set sixty bright crystals.

 

Beyond this, by an ascent of eight steps towards the east, behind the altar, was the archiepiscopal throne, which Gervas calls the patriarchal chair, made of one stone; in this chair, according to the custom of the church, the archbishop used to sit, upon principal festivals, in his pontifical ornaments, whilst the solemn offices of religion were celebrated, until the consecration of the host, when he came down to the high altar, and there performed the solemnity of consecration. Still further, eastward, behind the patriarchal chair, (fn. 36) was a chapel in the front of the whole church, in which was an altar, dedicated to the Holy Trinity; behind which were laid the bones of two archbishops, Odo of Canterbury, and Wilfrid of York; by this chapel on the south side near the wall of the church, was laid the body of archbishop Lanfranc, and on the north side, the body of archbishop Theobald. Here it is to be observed, that under the whole east part of the church, from the angel steeple, there was an undercrost or crypt, (fn. 37) in which were several altars, chapels and sepulchres; under the chapel of the Trinity before-mentioned, were two altars, on the south side, the altar of St. Augustine, the apostle of the English nation, by which archbishop Athelred was interred. On the north side was the altar of St. John Baptist, by which was laid the body of archbishop Eadsin; under the high altar was the chapel and altar of the blessed Virgin Mary, to whom the whole undercroft was dedicated.

 

To return now, he continues, to the place where the bresbyterium and choir meet, where on each side there was a cross isle (as was to be seen in his time) which might be called the upper south and north wings; on the east side of each of these wings were two half circular recesses or nooks in the wall, arched over after the form of porticoes. Each of them had an altar, and there was the like number of altars under them in the crost. In the north wing, the north portico had the altar of St. Martin, by which were interred the bodies of two archbishops, Wlfred on the right, and Living on the left hand; under it in the croft, was the altar of St. Mary Magdalen. The other portico in this wing, had the altar of St. Stephen, and by it were buried two archbishops, Athelard on the left hand, and Cuthbert on the right; in the croft under it, was the altar of St. Nicholas. In the south wing, the north portico had the altar of St. John the Evangelist, and by it the bodies of Æthelgar and Aluric, archbishops, were laid. In the croft under it was the altar of St. Paulinus, by which the body of archbishop Siricius was interred. In the south portico was the altar of St. Gregory, by which were laid the corps of the two archbishops Bregwin and Plegmund. In the croft under it was the altar of St. Owen, archbishop of Roan, and underneath in the croft, not far from it the altar of St. Catherine.

 

Passing from these cross isles eastward there were two towers, one on the north, the other on the south side of the church. In the tower on the north side was the altar of St. Andrew, which gave name to the tower; under it, in the croft, was the altar of the Holy Innocents; the tower on the south side had the altar of St. Peter and St. Paul, behind which the body of St. Anselm was interred, which afterwards gave name both to the altar and tower (fn. 38) (now called St. Anselm's). The wings or isles on each side of the choir had nothing in particular to be taken notice of.— Thus far Gervas, from whose description we in particular learn, where several of the bodies of the old archbishops were deposited, and probably the ashes of some of them remain in the same places to this day.

 

As this building, deservedly called the glorious choir of Conrad, was a magnificent work, so the undertaking of it at that time will appear almost beyond example, especially when the several circumstances of it are considered; but that it was carried forward at the archbishop's cost, exceeds all belief. It was in the discouraging reign of king William Rufus, a prince notorious in the records of history, for all manner of sacrilegious rapine, that archbishop Anselm was promoted to this see; when he found the lands and revenues of this church so miserably wasted and spoiled, that there was hardly enough left for his bare subsistence; who, in the first years that he sat in the archiepiscopal chair, struggled with poverty, wants and continual vexations through the king's displeasure, (fn. 39) and whose three next years were spent in banishment, during all which time he borrowed money for his present maintenance; who being called home by king Henry I. at his coming to the crown, laboured to pay the debts he had contracted during the time of his banishment, and instead of enjoying that tranquility and ease he hoped for, was, within two years afterwards, again sent into banishment upon a fresh displeasure conceived against him by the king, who then seized upon all the revenues of the archbishopric, (fn. 40) which he retained in his own hands for no less than four years.

 

Under these hard circumstances, it would have been surprizing indeed, that the archbishop should have been able to carry on so great a work, and yet we are told it, as a truth, by the testimonies of history; but this must surely be understood with the interpretation of his having been the patron, protector and encourager, rather than the builder of this work, which he entrusted to the care and management of the priors Ernulph and Conrad, and sanctioned their employing, as Lanfranc had done before, the revenues and stock of the church to this use. (fn. 41)

 

In this state as above-mentioned, without any thing material happening to it, this church continued till about the year 1130, anno 30 Henry I. when it seems to have suffered some damage by a fire; (fn. 42) but how much, there is no record left to inform us; however it could not be of any great account, for it was sufficiently repaired, and that mostly at the cost of archbishop Corboil, who then sat in the chair of this see, (fn. 43) before the 4th of May that year, on which day, being Rogation Sunday, the bishops performed the dedication of it with great splendor and magnificence, such, says Gervas, col. 1664, as had not been heard of since the dedication of the temple of Solomon; the king, the queen, David, king of Scots, all the archbishops, and the nobility of both kingdoms being present at it, when this church's former name was restored again, being henceforward commonly called Christ-church. (fn. 44)

 

Among the manuscripts of Trinity college library, in Cambridge, in a very curious triple psalter of St. Jerome, in Latin, written by the monk Eadwyn, whose picture is at the beginning of it, is a plan or drawing made by him, being an attempt towards a representation of this church and monastery, as they stood between the years 1130 and 1174; which makes it probable, that he was one of the monks of it, and the more so, as the drawing has not any kind of relation to the plalter or sacred hymns contained in the manuscript.

 

His plan, if so it may be called, for it is neither such, nor an upright, nor a prospect, and yet something of all together; but notwithstanding this rudeness of the draftsman, it shews very plain that it was intended for this church and priory, and gives us a very clear knowledge, more than we have been able to learn from any description we have besides, of what both were at the above period of time. (fn. 45)

 

Forty-four years after this dedication, on the 5th of September, anno 1174, being the 20th year of king Henry II.'s reign, a fire happened, which consumed great part of this stately edifice, namely, the whole choir, from the angel steeple to the east end of the church, together with the prior's lodgings, the chapel of the Virgin Mary, the infirmary, and some other offices belonging to the monastery; but the angel steeple, the lower cross isles, and the nave appear to have received no material injury from the flames. (fn. 46) The narrative of this accident is told by Gervas, the monk of Canterbury, so often quoted before, who was an eye witness of this calamity, as follows:

 

Three small houses in the city near the old gate of the monastery took fire by accident, a strong south wind carried the flakes of fire to the top of the church, and lodged them between the joints of the lead, driving them to the timbers under it; this kindled a fire there, which was not discerned till the melted lead gave a free passage for the flames to appear above the church, and the wind gaining by this means a further power of increasing them, drove them inwardly, insomuch that the danger became immediately past all possibility of relief. The timber of the roof being all of it on fire, fell down into the choir, where the stalls of the manks, made of large pieces of carved wood, afforded plenty of fuel to the flames, and great part of the stone work, through the vehement heat of the fire, was so weakened, as to be brought to irreparable ruin, and besides the fabric itself, the many rich ornaments in the church were devoured by the flames.

 

The choir being thus laid in ashes, the monks removed from amidst the ruins, the bodies of the two saints, whom they called patrons of the church, the archbishops Dunstan and Alphage, and deposited them by the altar of the great cross, in the nave of the church; (fn. 47) and from this time they celebrated the daily religious offices in the oratory of the blessed Virgin Mary in the nave, and continued to do so for more than five years, when the choir being re edified, they returned to it again. (fn. 48)

 

Upon this destruction of the church, the prior and convent, without any delay, consulted on the most speedy and effectual method of rebuilding it, resolving to finish it in such a manner, as should surpass all the former choirs of it, as well in beauty as size and magnificence. To effect this, they sent for the most skilful architects that could be found either in France or England. These surveyed the walls and pillars, which remained standing, but they found great part of them so weakened by the fire, that they could no ways be built upon with any safety; and it was accordingly resolved, that such of them should be taken down; a whole year was spent in doing this, and in providing materials for the new building, for which they sent abroad for the best stone that could be procured; Gervas has given a large account, (fn. 49) how far this work advanced year by year; what methods and rules of architecture were observed, and other particulars relating to the rebuilding of this church; all which the curious reader may consult at his leisure; it will be sufficient to observe here, that the new building was larger in height and length, and more beautiful in every respect, than the choir of Conrad; for the roof was considerably advanced above what it was before, and was arched over with stone; whereas before it was composed of timber and boards. The capitals of the pillars were now beautified with different sculptures of carvework; whereas, they were before plain, and six pillars more were added than there were before. The former choir had but one triforium, or inner gallery, but now there were two made round it, and one in each side isle and three in the cross isles; before, there were no marble pillars, but such were now added to it in abundance. In forwarding this great work, the monks had spent eight years, when they could proceed no further for want of money; but a fresh supply coming in from the offerings at St. Thomas's tomb, so much more than was necessary for perfecting the repair they were engaged in, as encouraged them to set about a more grand design, which was to pull down the eastern extremity of the church, with the small chapel of the Holy Trinity adjoining to it, and to erect upon a stately undercroft, a most magnificent one instead of it, equally lofty with the roof of the church, and making a part of it, which the former one did not, except by a door into it; but this new chapel, which was dedicated likewise to the Holy Trinity, was not finished till some time after the rest of the church; at the east end of this chapel another handsome one, though small, was afterwards erected at the extremity of the whole building, since called Becket's crown, on purpose for an altar and the reception of some part of his relics; (fn. 50) further mention of which will be made hereafter.

 

The eastern parts of this church, as Mr. Gostling observes, have the appearance of much greater antiquity than what is generally allowed to them; and indeed if we examine the outside walls and the cross wings on each side of the choir, it will appear, that the whole of them was not rebuilt at the time the choir was, and that great part of them was suffered to remain, though altered, added to, and adapted as far as could be, to the new building erected at that time; the traces of several circular windows and other openings, which were then stopped up, removed, or altered, still appearing on the walls both of the isles and the cross wings, through the white-wash with which they are covered; and on the south side of the south isle, the vaulting of the roof as well as the triforium, which could not be contrived so as to be adjusted to the places of the upper windows, plainly shew it. To which may be added, that the base or foot of one of the westernmost large pillars of the choir on the north side, is strengthened with a strong iron band round it, by which it should seem to have been one of those pillars which had been weakened by the fire, but was judged of sufficient firmness, with this precaution, to remain for the use of the new fabric.

 

The outside of this part of the church is a corroborating proof of what has been mentioned above, as well in the method, as in the ornaments of the building.— The outside of it towards the south, from St. Michael's chapel eastward, is adorned with a range of small pillars, about six inches diameter, and about three feet high, some with santastic shasts and capitals, others with plain ones; these support little arches, which intersect each other; and this chain or girdle of pillars is continued round the small tower, the eastern cross isle and the chapel of St. Anselm, to the buildings added in honour of the Holy Trinity, and St. Thomas Becket, where they leave off. The casing of St. Michael's chapel has none of them, but the chapel of the Virgin Mary, answering to it on the north side of the church, not being fitted to the wall, shews some of them behind it; which seems as if they had been continued before, quite round the eastern parts of the church.

 

These pillars, which rise from about the level of the pavement, within the walls above them, are remarkably plain and bare of ornaments; but the tower above mentioned and its opposite, as soon as they rise clear of the building, are enriched with stories of this colonade, one above another, up to the platform from whence their spires rise; and the remains of the two larger towers eastward, called St. Anselm's, and that answering to it on the north side of the church, called St. Andrew's are decorated much after the same manner, as high as they remain at present.

 

At the time of the before-mentioned fire, which so fatally destroyed the upper part of this church, the undercrost, with the vaulting over it, seems to have remained entire, and unhurt by it.

 

The vaulting of the undercrost, on which the floor of the choir and eastern parts of the church is raised, is supported by pillars, whose capitals are as various and fantastical as those of the smaller ones described before, and so are their shafts, some being round, others canted, twisted, or carved, so that hardly any two of them are alike, except such as are quite plain.

 

These, I suppose, may be concluded to be of the same age, and if buildings in the same stile may be conjectured to be so from thence, the antiquity of this part of the church may be judged, though historians have left us in the dark in relation to it.

 

In Leland's Collectanea, there is an account and description of a vault under the chancel of the antient church of St. Peter, in Oxford, called Grymbald's crypt, being allowed by all, to have been built by him; (fn. 51) Grymbald was one of those great and accomplished men, whom king Alfred invited into England about the year 885, to assist him in restoring Christianity, learning and the liberal arts. (fn. 52) Those who compare the vaults or undercrost of the church of Canterbury, with the description and prints given of Grymbald's crypt, (fn. 53) will easily perceive, that two buildings could hardly have been erected more strongly resembling each other, except that this at Canterbury is larger, and more pro fusely decorated with variety of fancied ornaments, the shafts of several of the pillars here being twisted, or otherwise varied, and many of the captials exactly in the same grotesque taste as those in Grymbald's crypt. (fn. 54) Hence it may be supposed, that those whom archbishop Lanfranc employed as architects and designers of his building at Canterbury, took their model of it, at least of this part of it, from that crypt, and this undercrost now remaining is the same, as was originally built by him, as far eastward, as to that part which begins under the chapel of the Holy Trinity, where it appears to be of a later date, erected at the same time as the chapel. The part built by Lanfranc continues at this time as firm and entire, as it was at the very building of it, though upwards of seven hundred years old. (fn. 55)

 

But to return to the new building; though the church was not compleatly finished till the end of the year 1184, yet it was so far advanced towards it, that, in 1180, on April 19, being Easter eve, (fn. 56) the archbishop, prior and monks entered the new choir, with a solemn procession, singing Te Deum, for their happy return to it. Three days before which they had privately, by night, carried the bodies of St. Dunstan and St. Alphage to the places prepared for them near the high altar. The body likewise of queen Edive (which after the fire had been removed from the north cross isle, where it lay before, under a stately gilded shrine) to the altar of the great cross, was taken up, carried into the vestry, and thence to the altar of St. Martin, where it was placed under the coffin of archbishop Livinge. In the month of July following the altar of the Holy Trinity was demolished, and the bodies of those archbishops, which had been laid in that part of the church, were removed to other places. Odo's body was laid under St. Dunstan's and Wilfrid's under St. Alphage's; Lanfranc's was deposited nigh the altar of St. Martin, and Theobald's at that of the blessed Virgin, in the nave of the church, (fn. 57) under a marble tomb; and soon afterwards the two archbishops, on the right and left hand of archbishop Becket in the undercrost, were taken up and placed under the altar of St. Mary there. (fn. 58)

 

After a warning so terrible, as had lately been given, it seemed most necessary to provide against the danger of fire for the time to come; the flames, which had so lately destroyed a considerable part of the church and monastery, were caused by some small houses, which had taken fire at a small distance from the church.— There still remained some other houses near it, which belonged to the abbot and convent of St. Augustine; for these the monks of Christ-church created, by an exchange, which could not be effected till the king interposed, and by his royal authority, in a manner, compelled the abbot and convent to a composition for this purpose, which was dated in the year 1177, that was three years after the late fire of this church. (fn. 59)

 

These houses were immediately pulled down, and it proved a providential and an effectual means of preserving the church from the like calamity; for in the year 1180, on May 22, this new choir, being not then compleated, though it had been used the month be fore, as has been already mentioned, there happened a fire in the city, which burnt down many houses, and the flames bent their course towards the church, which was again in great danger; but the houses near it being taken away, the fire was stopped, and the church escaped being burnt again. (fn. 60)

 

Although there is no mention of a new dedication of the church at this time, yet the change made in the name of it has been thought by some to imply a formal solemnity of this kind, as it appears to have been from henceforth usually called the church of St. Thomas the Martyr, and to have continued so for above 350 years afterwards.

 

New names to churches, it is true. have been usually attended by formal consecrations of them; and had there been any such solemnity here, undoubtedly the same would not have passed by unnoticed by every historian, the circumstance of it must have been notorious, and the magnificence equal at least to the other dedications of this church, which have been constantly mentioned by them; but here was no need of any such ceremony, for although the general voice then burst forth to honour this church with the name of St. Thomas, the universal object of praise and adoration, then stiled the glorious martyr, yet it reached no further, for the name it had received at the former dedication, notwithstanding this common appellation of it, still remained in reality, and it still retained invariably in all records and writings, the name of Christ church only, as appears by many such remaining among the archives of the dean and chapter; and though on the seal of this church, which was changed about this time; the counter side of it had a representation of Becket's martyrdom, yet on the front of it was continued that of the church, and round it an inscription with the former name of Christ church; which seal remained in force till the dissolution of the priory.

 

It may not be improper to mention here some transactions, worthy of observation, relating to this favorite saint, which passed from the time of his being murdered, to that of his translation to the splendid shrine prepared for his relics.

 

Archbishop Thomas Becket was barbarously murdered in this church on Dec. 29, 1170, being the 16th year of king Henry II. and his body was privately buried towards the east end of the undercrost. The monks tell us, that about the Easter following, miracles began to be wrought by him, first at his tomb, then in the undercrost, and in every part of the whole fabric of the church; afterwards throughout England, and lastly, throughout the rest of the world. (fn. 61) The same of these miracles procured him the honour of a formal canonization from pope Alexander III. whose bull for that purpose is dated March 13, in the year 1172. (fn. 62) This declaration of the pope was soon known in all places, and the reports of his miracles were every where sounded abroad. (fn. 63)

 

Hereupon crowds of zealots, led on by a phrenzy of devotion, hastened to kneel at his tomb. In 1177, Philip, earl of Flanders, came hither for that purpose, when king Henry met and had a conference with him at Canterbury. (fn. 64) In June 1178, king Henry returning from Normandy, visited the sepulchre of this new saint; and in July following, William, archbishop of Rhemes, came from France, with a large retinue, to perform his vows to St. Thomas of Canterbury, where the king met him and received him honourably. In the year 1179, Lewis, king of France, came into England; before which neither he nor any of his predecessors had ever set foot in this kingdom. (fn. 65) He landed at Dover, where king Henry waited his arrival, and on August 23, the two kings came to Canterbury, with a great train of nobility of both nations, and were received with due honour and great joy, by the archbishop, with his com-provincial bishops, and the prior and the whole convent. (fn. 66)

 

King Lewis came in the manner and habit of a pilgrim, and was conducted to the tomb of St. Thomas by a solemn procession; he there offered his cup of gold and a royal precious stone, (fn. 67) and gave the convent a yearly rent for ever, of a hundred muids of wine, to be paid by himself and his successors; which grant was confirmed by his royal charter, under his seal, and delivered next day to the convent; (fn. 68) after he had staid here two, (fn. 69) or as others say, three days, (fn. 70) during which the oblations of gold and silver made were so great, that the relation of them almost exceeded credibility. (fn. 71) In 1181, king Henry, in his return from Normandy, again paid his devotions at this tomb. These visits were the early fruits of the adoration of the new sainted martyr, and these royal examples of kings and great persons were followed by multitudes, who crowded to present with full hands their oblations at his tomb.— Hence the convent was enabled to carry forward the building of the new choir, and they applied all this vast income to the fabric of the church, as the present case instantly required, for which they had the leave and consent of the archbishop, confirmed by the bulls of several succeeding popes. (fn. 72)

 

¶From the liberal oblations of these royal and noble personages at the tomb of St. Thomas, the expences of rebuilding the choir appear to have been in a great measure supplied, nor did their devotion and offerings to the new saint, after it was compleated, any ways abate, but, on the contrary, they daily increased; for in the year 1184, Philip, archbishop of Cologne, and Philip, earl of Flanders, came together to pay their vows at this tomb, and were met here by king Henry, who gave them an invitation to London. (fn. 73) In 1194, John, archbishop of Lions; in the year afterwards, John, archbishop of York; and in the year 1199, king John, performed their devotions at the foot of this tomb. (fn. 74) King Richard I. likewise, on his release from captivity in Germany, landing on the 30th of March at Sandwich, proceeded from thence, as an humble stranger on foot, towards Canterbury, to return his grateful thanks to God and St. Thomas for his release. (fn. 75) All these by name, with many nobles and multitudes of others, of all sorts and descriptions, visited the saint with humble adoration and rich oblations, whilst his body lay in the undercrost. In the mean time the chapel and altar at the upper part of the east end of the church, which had been formerly consecrated to the Holy Trinity, were demolished, and again prepared with great splendor, for the reception of this saint, who being now placed there, implanted his name not only on the chapel and altar, but on the whole church, which was from thenceforth known only by that of the church of St. Thomas the martyr.

  

On July 7, anno 1220, the remains of St. Thomas were translated from his tomb to his new shrine, with the greatest solemnity and rejoicings. Pandulph, the pope's legate, the archbishops of Canterbury and Rheims, and many bishops and abbots, carried the coffin on their shoulders, and placed it on the new shrine, and the king graced these solemnities with his royal presence. (fn. 76) The archbishop of Canterbury provided forage along all the road, between London and Canterbury, for the horses of all such as should come to them, and he caused several pipes and conduits to run with wine in different parts of the city. This, with the other expences arising during the time, was so great, that he left a debt on the see, which archbishop Boniface, his fourth successor in it, was hardly enabled to discharge.

 

¶The saint being now placed in his new repository, became the vain object of adoration to the deluded people, and afterwards numbers of licences were granted to strangers by the king, to visit this shrine. (fn. 77) The titles of glorious, of saint and martyr, were among those given to him; (fn. 78) such veneration had all people for his relics, that the religious of several cathedral churches and monasteries, used all their endeavours to obtain some of them, and thought themselves happy and rich in the possession of the smallest portion of them. (fn. 79) Besides this, there were erected and dedicated to his honour, many churches, chapels, altars and hospitals in different places, both in this kingdom and abroad. (fn. 80) Thus this saint, even whilst he lay in his obscure tomb in the undercroft, brought such large and constant supplies of money, as enabled the monks to finish this beautiful choir, and the eastern parts of the church; and when he was translated to the most exalted and honourable place in it, a still larger abundance of gain filled their coffers, which continued as a plentiful supply to them, from year to year, to the time of the reformation, and the final abolition of the priory itself.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol11/pp306-383

Branches of the Vine

Young Catholics complete sacraments of initiation

 

By Andrew Junker | May 21, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

 

CAREFREE — They were lined up down the main aisle of Our Lady of Joy’s church in starched shirts, white dresses and uncomfortable dress shoes.

 

And they were nervous.

 

Well, “nervous and excited,” explained Jenna Mateo, one of the 40 or so third-graders who made their first Communion and were confirmed by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted May 10 at the north Valley parish.

 

Maci McMeel — who chose Christina as her confirmation name — agreed with Mateo.

 

“I was kind of nervous because there were a lot of people watching us,” she said. McMeel said she had thought a lot about what it would be like to receive the Eucharist, and that making her first Communion was very “exciting.”

 

Across the Diocese of Phoenix, confirmation and first Communion season is in full bloom. Hundreds of children are receiving the sacraments either from the hands of the bishop or one of his appointed vicars or deans.

 

Jill Pavolovsky prepared the young confirmandi at Our Lady of Joy. The sacrament preparation is worked into the regular religious education classes at the parish, which have been focused on preparing for confirmation and first Communion for about a year now.

 

“The restored order of the sacraments helps the children receive the Blessed Sacrament more worthily and gives them the graces to make better choices in their lives,” said Pavlovsky, who is known to her students simply as “Miss Jill.”

 

Linking confirmation to baptism as one of the sacraments of initiation, as well as teaching the children about Pentecost and the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit “helps them understand how confirmation will help them live out, spread and defend the faith,” she said, “as a third-grader and hopefully beyond.”

 

In his homily, Bishop Olmsted told the children about their new responsibilities as fully initiated members of the Church and gave them advice on how to remain close to Christ.

 

The Gospel reading included Jesus telling His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing.”

 

“These words of Jesus help us see why holy Communion and confirmation are such great blessings from God,” Bishop Olmsted said. “The sacraments help us stay in communion with Christ, and that’s the only way to have real joy.”

 

More: www.catholicsun.org

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

Looking for a glossy/matte copy of this photo? Please call 602-354-2132 or send an e-mail for ordering information. Please note the photo's title when ordering. Download the order form here.

 

Copyright 2006-2009 The Catholic Sun. All rights reserved. This photo and all photos on this Web site credited to The Catholic Sun are provided for personal use only and may not be published, broadcasted, transmitted or sold without the expressed consent of The Catholic Sun.

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"

Christian Inspirational Movie | ''Awoken'' | What Is the Meaning of Life? (English Dubbed Movie)

 

www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/awoken/

 

Her name is Chen Xi, and since she was little the education and influence of her parents and her schooling made her always want to stand out from the crowd and seek to be above others, so she was diligent in her studies and would spare no effort. After believing in God Chen Xi read a great deal of God's words and came to understand some truths. She saw that the only correct path in life is to believe in and follow God and became an enthusiastic seeker, and was very proactive in performing her duty. Chen Xi went abroad in 2016 to escape the pursuit and persecution of the Chinese Communist government, and needed to use English when performing her duty of spreading the gospel and bearing witness to God's work in

the last days. She felt honored, and that she was a rare talent. Just as she was filled with confidence and was thinking of really making a place for herself in the church, she discovered that her brothers and sisters shared fellowship on God's words with light and that they had a better grasp of English than her. She didn't want to fall behind, so in order to surpass others and be looked up to and commended by them, she redoubled her learning efforts. A bit of time passed but she still didn't match up to the others. Chen Xi could not accept this reality and she found herself living every day within the pain of struggling for her name and personal benefit. She no longer had the heart to pursue the truth or focus on entry into life, and she was particularly unable to perform her duty well. She fell into pessimism and disappointment…. It was then that she came in front of God in prayer and read His words—the judgment and chastisement of His words awakened her soul and allowed her to clearly see the essence of reputation and status as well as the consequences of her being bound and afflicted by these things. She came to understand the significance of performing her duty, the true value of life, and what kind of life is true happiness. From then on she began to have proper goals to pursue and no longer be subject to the strictures of face or status. She also began to focus on pursuing the truth and fulfilling the duty of a creature to repay God's love …

  

Student: Regarding the gravitational center... you seem to imply that your center of gravity is in Yesod, and that the center of gravity of gnosis (the Aquarian message of Master Samael), has its center of gravity in the Son of Man, in Tiphereth, and that is similar, or equal, to the center of gravity of the teaching that the great Kabir Jesus gave. Am I right or am I wrong, master?

Samael Aun Weor: Well, you are correct. It is clear that every confessional religion has its specific center of gravity.

If we study esoteric and transcendental Buddhism judiciously, we can show that it is very abstract, very deep, that it belongs to certain transcendental states of Kether. This allows us to deduce, with full certainty, that the specific center of gravity of the Buddhist religion is Kether, the ancient of the days, the elder of the centuries... Now, if we analyze the Egyptian religion, or Nahua (Aztec), Mayan or Zapotec, Persian or Chaldean, we discover the specific center of gravity in Yesod (we already know, between parentheses, that the cubic stone of Yesod is sex, and that sephirah is located exactly in the sexual organs). But if we carefully study Christian esotericism, we discover its specific center of gravity in Tiphereth, the Son of Man. and it is in the light of its sephirah that we must try to understand the mystique of authentic Christianity.

The Tree of Life of Kabbalah: We already know that Kether, as a sephirah, is, let us say, the mathematical point, the ancient of the centuries, the truth of truths, the hidden of the hidden, the mercy of mercies. Chokmah is the second logoic aspect, the Chrestos, the second Logos. Binah is the third Logos, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, Shiva of the Hindustans. By studying some Kabbalists, we discovered certain errors; there is someone (whose name I do not mention), who emphasizes the idea that Chokmah is masculine and that Binah is feminine; thus, they want to put Chokmah and Binah as the two columns of the temple, something like the Jakin-Bohaz of Freemasonry. It is indisputable that author is wrong. because it turns out that Binah, in itself, is masculine and feminine. Shiva of the Hindustans is polarized in masculine form, but when unfolding himself he becomes Shakti, that is, the Divine Mother Kundalini, that Isis or Marah that appears in Christianity, that, in terrible sufferings, appears with seven daggers stuck in her heart. So Binah, in itself, becomes our secret Father and our Divine Mother. Thus, considering the Logos as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, or as Kether, Chokmah and Binah, they form a perfect trinity within the unity; together they are what we could call the "Father" and if we look at Binah, unfolding as the Shakti potential, then obviously we have the Logos and his wife: the Father who is in secret and our Divine Mother Kundalini Shakti. It is already known that the Father, in himself, and the mother, come to meet, properly, in Yesod; in some way they are related to Yesod, because they govern creation. Malkuth, the kingdom, the physical world, could not exist without the force of Yesod, that is to say, without the vital sexual potential of that sephirah. Unquestionably, then, the Logos have to use that sephirah Yesod, in order to create, to reproduce all species, all things, to shape all that is, has been and will be... (In the throat, where the word, the λόγος, is gestated), there is a secret sephirah named Daath, which is found related precisely to Yesod; the secret sephirah Daath is in a matter of tantra, all that tantric knowledge that properly used allows us the intimate self-realization of the being. Therefore, in synthesis, the first triangle: Kether, Chokmah and Binah, is the indivisible Father. Then comes the second triangle: Chesed, Geburah and Tiphereth, which is convenient to understand. Unquestionably, the second triangle is Christic, and the basic center of the second triangle, its nuclear center, shall we say, fundamental, is Tiphereth. Chesed, Geburah and Tiphereth, is the manifested triune spirit (the Son of the Father), yet its basic, structural center, is precisely the human soul, Tiphereth. Then comes the third triangle. Well, the third triangle is made up by Netzach, Hod and Yesod. Netzach is properly the mental, the mind; Hod is the astral; Yesod is the sexual seat, or the organic life seat of the physical body; finally we have Malkuth, which is the physicality. Well then, the truth is that the gravitational center of the third triangle is Yesod (the center of practical magic, right?); Malkuth is a detached sephirah... Well, now, what we must not lose sight of, is the following: that although it is true that Buddhism has as its center of gravitation the elder of the centuries, the Kether of the Hebraic Kabbalah, it is not for that reason less true that Tantric Buddhism - without which one could never reach the initiation of Kether, right? - that Tantric Buddhism has its basis in Yesod, in sex, since we already know that Tantric Buddhism is what is needed in order to reach the intimate self-realization of the Being. Well, continuing a little along this path of the great mysteries, we come to discover Yesod in the Egyptian religions. But this does not mean, for that reason, that Yesod (the basis or foundation of this entire universe, which is sex), is the only thing that the Persian, Egyptian, Aztec, etc., etc. religions are occupied with. No! We already know that deep down there is the most pure doctrine of a Quetzalcoatl, the Mexican Cosmic Christ...Now for example, in authentic Christianity we can see, with dazzling clarity, as the center of gravity the Son, Tiphereth; but if we delve into Christian esotericism, we discover the great arcanum in the very redeemer's own cross, since we already know that the vertical pole is male and that the horizontal one is female, and that at the intersection of both is the key to all power; on top of the cross is written INRI (ignis natura renovatur integra). So, tantra is the background of all that authentic, true Christianity, right? It is therefore convenient to understand all that...Student: Master, you mentioned, you were explaining something that is very important when teaching neophytes. I was asking you about the immaculate conception of the virgin, to which you replied that for this one has to know the kabbalah, and that only with a thorough knowledge of the ten sephiroth, of the three triangles and of Malkuth, can one intuit the immaculate conception of the mother of God; since you are addressing the sephiroth, would you like to repeat that concept, please? Samael Aun Weor: With greatest pleasure we will give an answer. It is clear that in no way could the mystery of the sacred conception be understood, if we did not really know the Tree of Life. We have already said that the first triangle, the Logoic triangle, is made up by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the kabalistic Kether, Chokmah and Binah. We also said that Binah, the third sephirah, unfolds as the Divine Mother Kundalini; Shiva unfolds into his wife; thus, the Divine Mother Kundalini is the goddess. She, herself, is the feminine aspect of Shiva, the feminine aspect of Binah, the wife of the Holy Spirit; then the other sephiroth come, as we have already explained.

Christ and the Initiation of Tiphereth

An Isis with the Horus child in her arms is always portrayed in all theogonies; the goddess Venus with Cupid; Marah or Maria with her baby Jesus, the savior, in her arms; it is clear that the other sephiroth (second triangle) emerge from her and from him (in Daath); Binah unfolds in her, his wife; and she unfolds in Chesed, in Geburah and finally in Tiphereth; Tiphereth being the basic gravitational center of the second triangle.

 

The Menger

 

So that Tiphereth, that child, is the one that she, the Isis-María, carries her child in her arms. Of course, that child has to come into the world, and he comes when everything is ready. It has been written that he is "born in a manger or stable"; lay people think of a stable over there, located in a village, no! First of all, it is good to know that Belen or Bethlehem, where it is said that the child was born, the little village, did not exist in the time of Jesus of Nazareth...If we analyze the word “Belen,” it has its root in a Chaldean etymology: “bel”, which means “tower of fire.” So such “Belen or Bethlehem” is symbolic, because everything is within ourselves...It is necessary first of all to create an astral body, because no one is born with the [solar] astral body; We already know that it is possible to create it through the transformations of the Mercury of the secret philosophy; then a mental body, which is the body of objective reasoning, and finally to create the body of the conscious will…Thus, when one already possesses the physical, astral, mental and causal bodies, everything is ready for that one to receive the child; nevertheless, many could, for example, have the luxury to create these vehicles, to possess a healthy, strong and vigorous physical body; a magnificent astral body, an extraordinary mental body and the causal body, and nonetheless, not for that, to incarnate the child (that child that the Divine Mother carries in her arms). At that point there is something very subtle, very delicate, that easily escapes any kabbalist; we could properly confuse the kabbalistic Tiphereth with the causal body, such is the danger that exists in this. Just by analyzing a little the passages, for example, from the "Epistles of Paul of Tarsus to the Corinthians", we could clarify this subject-matter… Paul of Tarsus states: “Howbeit that was not first which is pneumatikos, but that which is psychikos; and afterward that which is pneumatikos. The first human is of the earth, earthy: the second human is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” - 1 Corinthians 15: 46-49. Unquestionably, the earthly human is constituted by the physical, with its organic vital seat (naturally they form a single whole); then Hod (the sidereal vehicle, or the Kedsjan body, of which Gurdjieff spoke), the mental body or body of objective reasoning, and finally, the body of the conscious will; This is what we could define as "earthly human." First of all, if we want Tiphereth (the Son) to come into the world, it is necessary for the true human, the earthly human, to come into existence, because ordinary humanoids are not yet human beings, although they think they are, but they are not yet; only when one has given to oneself the luxury of creating the existential bodies of the being, can one then be called "human", although one is a earthly human, but "human (anthrōpos in Greek)." The second human that Paul of Tarsus tells us about is the heavenly human, and Paul of Tarsus is very wise in this; Paul of Tarsus tells us: "And as we have borne the image of the earthy," that is, as we created the earthly human, likewise "we shall also bear the image of the heavenly human," who is the Son of Man. Someone may have received, for example, the fifth initiation of fire, and yet, not because of that, that one has incarnated, within his or herself, the Son of Man. The birth of the Son of Man comes after having passed through the fifth initiation of fire. This is very "detailed," this is very delicate and only on the basis of a rigorous observation can one avoid falling into error. Properly, the advent of the Son of Man is a grace from the Most High; the Son of Man comes, in himself, when he must fulfill some specific mission on earth, when the initiate has really taken the strait path..., the direct path, to be more clearer, the path that can lead him or her to the final liberation... He comes into a humble stable, he is born, then, in a "manger" among the animals of desire; it is clear that when he enters into the "stable", such "stable" is not yet clean, because the initiate has not yet had time to dissolve the animal elements that one carries within. The child is born, therefore, very weak; he has been conceived by the work and grace of the Third Logos and of the Divine Mother who carried him in her arms; a newborn child is made, who has to grow and develop... As we eliminate the inhuman elements, he grows and develops; In the beginning, the change in the initiate who has had the good fortune to incarnate the Son of Man is not noticeable; apparently he is the same personage, his weaknesses are more or less the same, the change of is not immediately noticeable because the child is born very weak; but he has to subdue all things, he has to eliminate the animals of desire, and he does it with the help of his Divine Mother Kundalini; he has to work hard until he submits all things to his Father; the last thing he does is defeat death, because he always conquers death. After he has subdued all things, after he has disintegrated all the inhuman elements that we carry within, after he has already eliminated everything undesirable from the inner kingdom, then he himself submits to the Father; his posthumous work is to defeat death, to destroy it. Thus, he resurrectes in the Father and the Father resurrectes in him, because: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;… Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me." - John 14: 10, 11

 

INRI

 

It is clear that when he comes into the world he will be rejected by the elders (that is to say, by people full of experiences); hated by the scribes (even mocked by them, that is, by the great intellectuals of his time); and third, persecuted, hated, cursed, excommunicated, etc., by the Pharisees (who are the religious of his time).

 

He will have to be killed with the death of a cross; that is, since he has entered into that earthly human, and that human must die in himself, here and now, that is why it is said that he "must be killed with the death of the cross"...

 

Keep in mind that it is with the cross that the undesirable elements can be eliminated; bear in mind that fidelity to the Father is tested with the cross.

 

Many are those who say: "I am faithful to Gnosis, I am firm", but at the hour of the hour, they fail with the cross. Where is the cross? At the crossing of the lingam-yoni; they fail there, there they fornicate, there they adulterate, there they commit their evil deeds, and then, where is their fidelity? And it is with that instrument of the sexual cross that the inhuman elements must be disintegrated, and the earthly human also dies.

 

Once the earthly death has been reached, then the Son of Man resurrects after three days. Those three days are the three purifications by iron and by fire. Those three days are represented with the three nails of the cross, and by INRI itself. It is through these three purifications, based on iron and fire, that the Son of Man can die and rise from the dead.

 

All this must be understood with dazzling clarity. Many are those who say "I am faithful to Gnosis, I follow the Father", but when the time comes to be tested with the cross, they show that they are not faithful, nor do they follow the path...

 

The Seven Days of Genesis and the Seven Seals of the Apocalypse

Student: All of that which you are telling us now, and which is extremely transcendental, and is directly connected with the festivities of the Easter Holy Week. Simply, to study its connection a little, to what we understand profanely, would you like to refer to all of Palm Sunday, the... well, everything related to Easter Holy Week, in synthesis as possible, master?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, we are going to give an answer in synthesis, but quite concrete, because the subject on which you ask is equivalent to writing several volumes. In any case, what I can assert is that we have to live the Easter Holy Week within ourselves, here and now, in the great work.

 

The book of Genesis of Moses and the book the Apocalypse or Revelation of Saint John complement each other. we should take a look at the bible and see the coordination of Genesis and the Apocalypse. For this, we are going to quote, here, the sacred scriptures. It is stated in Genesis:

 

“In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Elohim moved upon the face of the waters. And Elohim said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohim saw the light, that it was good: and Elohim divided the light from the darkness. And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” - Genesis 1: 1-5

 

That relates to the first day of the great work of Easter Holy Week, in which it is necessary to "separate the light from the darkness." the initiate then has to go down to the infernal worlds and know the secret of the abyss: the secret of Malkuth, the secret of Klipoth and of the second death.

 

“And Elohim said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And Elohim made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And Elohim called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day....” - Genesis 1: 6-8

 

This is the second alchemical work that must be done. In this second alchemist work, one has to "divide the waters from the waters."

 

Take into account that when Genesis speaks about "waters", Genesis is referring to those spermatic waters of the first instant, to the metallic chaos of alchemy. It is clear that within the sperm there is, let us say, the "soul" of the semen itself, the soul of chaos; such soul is the Mercury of the secret philosophy.

 

That it is necessary to "divide the waters from the waters" is a fact: the superior waters or the "milk of the virgin" as it is stated in alchemy, the Mercury of the secret philosophy or the metallic soul of Azoth, must be separated from the gross part, this is done by means of transmutation; this is obvious.

 

There are three types of Mercury, namely, brute Mercury or the sperm; the metallic soul of the Mercury, which are, let's say, the sexual, seminal currents, rising through ida and pingala (that is the second Mercury), and the third Mercury, it is clear, which is when the solar and lunar atoms of Mercury make contact in the triveni, near the coccyx and awakens the kundalini, the sacred fire, the Sulfur.

 

This Sulfur fertilizes the Mercury and forms the third Mercury that comes to penetrate better said, to ascend through the sushumna canal, along the spinal column to the brain; and it is with that third Mercury (with the surplus of that third Mercury) with which the astral body comes to crystallize, and much later, in a higher octave, the mental body, and much later the causal body.

 

Therefore, "to divide the waters from the waters" is indispensable by means of sexual transmutation. This is the second day of creation… Genesis continues:

 

“And Elohim said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And Elohim called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and Elohim saw that it was good.

 

And Elohim said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and Elohim saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. ” - Genesis 1: 9-13

 

Behold, here is the third work: the creation of the astral body or the sidereal vehicle, which must "come to yield fruit." And when does it yield "fruit"? The astral body has already yielding “fruit” when it is already a vehicle of pure gold, in this third vehicle, the astral body is, we might say, life...

 

“And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seaSons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And Elohim made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And Elohim set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohim saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.” - Genesis 1:14-19

 

This is when one comes, then, to give shape, properly said, to the fourth initiation, when it comes, well, properly said, to possess that vehicle of the mind, when it comes to christify it in the great work (and this is very important)...

 

So those "signs" that are seen above: the sun, the moon, the stars and all that subject-matter, refers to the hermetic wisdom; because in the world of Netzach is the world of hermetic wisdom, there is where you find hermetic knowledge. So that the fourth day is very interesting, which has to do with the fourth initiation… Genesis continue:

 

“And Elohim said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And Elohim created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and Elohim saw that it was good. And Elohim blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.”... - Genesis 1: 20-23

 

It is well known that in the fifth initiation (which corresponds to the causal world), is where one has to become master of the elements, to learn how to handle everything that has life, to become lord of fire, air, water and earth; to learn to handle the powers of nature, but that is only possible by working on oneself.

 

That is why I said that before trying to handle the elements of nature (the elementals of fire, air, water, earth), one has to handle one's own elements: to learn how to handle the atomic elementals of the sperm; to learn how to handle the atomic elementals of sexual fire; to learn how to handle the sylphs of one's own mind, the atomic sylphs of the mind (that is, to become master of his own mind), and to learn how to handle also the atomic gnomes that form the flesh and bones; to become master of the atomic elementals within himself...

 

Only the one who becomes master of one's own body can become master of nature. One could not learn to handle the elementals of the universe if one has not yet learn how to handle one's own atomic elementals, those of one's own body. All of this is learned on the fifth day of creation.

 

“And Elohim said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And Elohim made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and Elohim saw that it was good. And Elohim said, Let us make Adam in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So Elohim created Adam in his own image, in the image of Elohim created he him; male and female created he them. And Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And Elohim said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And Elohim saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” - Genesis1: 24-31

 

So Elohim created Adam; male and female created he them.” But, when is it that one truly becomes male and female? When do the masculine and feminine principles of the Seity merge?

 

Bear in mind that this, the work of the sixth day in alchemy belongs to the sixth work in which the buddhi, the Valkyrie, after having married the knight, the human soul, merge themselves integrally through fire. Then the perfect androgyne human being becomes. Yes, this is the perfect male and female, with powers over fire, over the air, over the waters, over the earth, and over all that is, has been and will be. This is the last day of creation...

 

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day Elohim ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And Elohim blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which Elohim created and made… - Genesis 2: 1-3

 

When the seventh work is done, on the seventh day of the Easter Holy Week, the work is finished (“consummatum est!,” that is, “everything has been finished!”); then comes the supreme surrender of the spirit to the Father.

 

Later, on the eighth day, the Father resurrects in the Son and the Son resurrects in the Father, the Son rises from his crystal tomb, after the resurrection of the dead; but the whole of that work, in itself, forms the Easter Holy Week...

 

We have looked at this from the angle of Genesis, because with the same laws that the Logos (the perfect multiple unity) used in order to create this solar system, those same laws have to be used by the alchemist in order to create his inner universe, this, in order to have reality, in order to create one's own universe, these are the same laws...

 

When one works with alchemy, one is working with the same laws with which the creator created the universe. Even more, one is expanding the work of the creator, because the work of the creator is enlarged when a new master is born.

 

Therefore, when the work is consummated and when one reaches what one wanted to reach: this becomes what the creator, the Logos, ultimately wanted, which is, that the self-realized adepts, the resurrected humans, the Elohim, all of this, become the consummation of his work.

 

Genesis is closely related to the apocalypse of Saint John, with the seven seals, as with the seven trumpets that each angel is going to blow...

 

When the initiate receives the initiation of Malkuth, one unquestionably breaks the first seal; when one passes through the initiation of Yesod one breaks the second seal of the sacred book, which is the human himself; when one goes through the third initiation one breaks the third seal; when one passes through the fourth one breaks the fourth seal; when one passes through the fifth one breaks the fifth seal; when one passes through the sixth initiation one breaks the sixth seal and the work has been completed, because the seventh is the one of rest, prayer, meditation, supplication, as it is seen there, in the Apocalypse of Saint John. It is clear that when the seventh seal is broken, the work is already, in fact, finished, since the eighth day is always for the resurrection.

 

One has to live Genesis individually or collectively. One lives it collectively with the creation of the universe, as a divine particle that comes to this creation.

 

Now, the Apocalypse, one has to live it individually or live it collectively. Collectively it is the book of life, the book of wisdom, thus throughout history each seal is broken. At this time the last seal is about to be broken... at least the sixth seal, the penultimate; I mean, humanity is experiencing the apocalypse collectively...

 

If the alchemist has to make gold, that is, he has not only create the superior existential bodies of the being, but also has to convert those bodies into pure gold before they can be "swallowed" by the serpent. Likewise the Logos, he wants an age of gold; and in order for the Logos to be able to have a golden age, he has to do the same thing that the alchemist does in his laboratory, to start breaking seal by seal.

 

Thus the Logos has to make humanity live, in all nature, make it live or breaking off each seal. Of course, when it ends, when the sixth seal is broken, the work is practically finished, right? Then the final catastrophe is coming; and with the breaking of the seventh seal there is practically nothing left of everything that was. Finally comes the resurrection of the Logos in everything created, in all of nature, and that happens when it is the new age: the golden age...

 

Just as a human in order to make gold (I am speaking in alchemist science) needs to break the seven seals, so too the Logos (in order to be able to make a golden age) needs all of humanity to break the seven seals, that all of nature breaks them, and then the golden age begins; but he has to put all of this to pass through a tremendous and frightening Apocalypse.

 

So, either we live the Apocalypse individually or we have to live it collectively.

 

Better, to live it individually, which gives us the triumph! For this, we have to fix the gold in ourselves, we achieve, then, the golden fleece of the ancients...

 

Otherwise we have to live it collectively, with the great worldly Apocalypse, and to enter in the infernal worlds, in order to go through the second death in order for later, to have the right to live in the golden age as pure essences in new organisms, of course, without self-realization! As simple elementals... for a new golden age... So either way, we still have to live the great book and break its seals...

 

Holy Week, if it is called “Holy” is for that reason, because it is the week in which one has to live the cosmic drama, and each of those days is equivalent to long periods of work. but, at the end of the day, the great work is always summarized, symbolically, in the book of Job, in the eight years of Job (they are the summation or the extract itself), but as a whole, the great work, since even if it is summarized in eight days, in eight years totally (together with the resurrection and everything), that is to say, the easter holy week can last many years, right?

 

In any case, everyone has to live his holy week, right? The Son of Man lives his; when the Son of Man is born in the "manger", he must live his easter holy week, to perform all the work in his holy week...

 

All of this cannot be explained to laypeople, because laypeople do not understand. Laypeople receives the "crust", the "husk" of the teachings, but the initiates are taught the "meat of the doctrine", they are given the doctrine to "eat"...

 

Student: Does the visit to the seven churches refer to our seven chakras?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, of course it refers to that!...

 

Therefore, Christianity has two aspects: exoteric or public Christianity, for laypeople, and esoteric or sacred Christianity for the initiates...

 

Student: Venerable master, in order to become cognizant of our work, I want to ask you: if the bodhisattva (even if he is a fallen bodhisattva) has to form the body of the conscious will, that is, the causal body, in order for Tiphereth to enter?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, the bodhisattva, being a bodhisattva, then, does not have to enter to create the causal body, since that one is known to be a bodhisattva, that is, the human soul of a master; It is already understood that these vehicles were created in the past. However, that one has to light the fire in each of the vehicles, restore the fire in each of the vehicles, and then regenerate the gold in the bodies. Having achieved that, then, the bodhisattva rises.

 

But well, not going so far but starting at the base, we would say that after the fire has been lit in each of the vehicles, after the igneous principle has been restored, let us say, in the physical, vital, astral, mental and causal bodies. If the Father wants, if it is his will, he can send Tiphereth to be born in the "inner stable."

But I understand that the iniation of Tiphereth is a grace from the highest; because someone may have reached, I repeat, the fifth initiation of fire, and yet, not because of that, the child (who carries the Divine Mother in her arms) has penetrated into his vehicles, into the "stable." However, if you really yearn for it, if you want to work for humanity, then you can get the Son of Man to come into the world, and if it is the will of the Father…

 

Student: Venerable master, concretely the soul..., when an initiate has formed the causal body, does he then achieve the formation of the human soul, or is the human soul Tiphereth?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, the human soul, properly, is in the same causal body, right? A fraction of the causal is what constitutes the buddhata, the essence.

 

In the bodhisattva, then, that buddhata or essence is the already organized golden embryo...

 

In any case, we must bear in mind what I already said at the beginning, which is, that this is too subtle, meaning, that this subject-matter about the causal body and the Christic Tiphereth is easily given to confusion. It is so subtle and fine that one can make mistakes, one can "confuse gymnastics with jinn-gnostics"...

 

Tiphereth, that is to say, the living expression of the intimate Christ, is very correlated, then, with the causal body, with the human soul; Tiphereth becomes an integral part with the human soul, but when it is the will of the Father, when the Son of Man comes into the world...

 

I think you have already understood it, although this is very fine, because it turns out that you have to have a very elastic, very ductile, and very receptive mind in order to understand this.

 

Student: Well, in short, master, in order to achieve the initiation of Tiphereth, do you have to have the solar vehicles?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, unquestionably, if one does not possess the superior existential bodies of the being, one could never reach the initiation of Tiphereth.

 

Transmigrations of the Essence

Student, Master, what is the origin of our essence? We who want to rise up, why haven't we done it before?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, with the greatest pleasure I am going to give an answer to all that... the essence comes from the Milky Way (I am speaking in synthesis), it reaches the Sun and then, finally, it penetrates into nature.

 

In the beginning, the essence manifests itself as a simple primeval elemental, right? It ascends through the mineral, vegetable and animal stages, until finally penetrating into the body of the "humanoid" or "rational mammal"...

 

It is clear that the essence needs to become the golden embryo, it needs to work to create the superior existential bodies of the Being and transform itself into a bodhisattva.

 

When the essence does not achieve, then, its mission in the first cycle of manifestation, which is 108 lives, then it has to descend into the bowels of the earth in a devolving processes, with the purpose of eliminating the inhuman elements or psychic aggregates in which it comes to be bottled up due to mistakes.

 

Once it has passed through the second death, it rises again to the surface of the world to restart new evolutionary processes from the mineral.

 

Unquestionably, these new processes have as their starting point a higher spiral within the great spiral of life: it will begin or return, or it will restart its evolutionary processes, again, from the mineral, but in a higher octave, no longer as a simple inferior elemental, but as a superior gnome, until the humanoid state is reconquered (after having passed through the vegetable and animal levels) where it will be assigned, as we already know, the 108 existences. If that essence does not succeed, the process will continue repeating itself for 3,000 cycles (cycles or wheels of manifestation, or ages)...

 

Well, you who are not bodhisattvas yet, it is because you did not work in that sense, you did not reach those heights in past cycles of manifestation, but right now you can become bodhisattvas if you want to.

 

In any case, do not forget the origin of the essence: it comes from the Milky Way, passes into the Sun and finally enters here, in our nature, in our world. Of course, if we think that the Milky Way has Sirius as its central capital, those esotericists who think that we are going to Sirius, are not wrong. It is true: towards Sirius we are going!...

 

Student: And when did our essences leave the Milky Way?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, that was already, at the dawn of life, right? Let us think that these essences had to first pass through involutionary processes, they descended into the mineral, forming part of many principles, let us say, in the superior worlds. Upon reaching the mineral state, they began as primival essences, they restarted an evolutionary ascent...

 

Obviously, you have already done the cycle several times; you have passed several times not only through the "mill wheels", but also through each one of the "grinding wheels" of the "mill wheels", several times...

 

Student: Oh boy we already have “tusks”!...

 

Samael Aun Weor: That's obvious! Now, naturally, you have to take advantage of this cycle of manifestation to achieve your self-realization, and above all, in moments when we are living the final parts of the collective or worldly Apocalypse.

 

It would be unfortunate if you, at this time, did not realize yourselves, because you would have to descend into the bowels of the earth and at a very bad time, along with all this world catastrophe. I therefore advise you to become bodhisattvas once and for all.

 

Student: Could you explain more or less briefly, how the government of this solar system of Ors originated and who governs it?

 

Samael Aun Weor:

 

“In the beginning (the archē) was the Logos (the word), and the Logos was with (theos) God, and the Logos was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”...

 

Therefore, the universe is governed by the Logos; the Logos is the army of the voice, the great word, the architect demiurge, the archeaus.

 

Each of the Logoi (already speaking separately, since the Logos is a perfect multiple unit) has its mission, its work, its ministry, in relation to this solar system of ors, and the entire set of Elohim (to speak more clearly, they form the army of the great word, the herupa-khroat), they constitute in themselves the government of our solar system of ors. So that's my answer…

 

Student:... and Jesus Christ crucified?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, let it be understood that the paschal lamb is the agnus dei, the sacred fire, which is immolated in nature, which underlies in all organic and inorganic matter… this is the sacrifice of the second Logos, of the chrestos. That is why the word "INRI" is on the redeemer's cross, which means: "ignis natura renovatur integra", "fire renews nature incessantly."

 

It is wonderful to know that the second Logos, the agnus dei or the sacred fire, is really immolated in the depth of all this creation; it is known that it underlies at the bottom, I repeat, of all organic and inorganic matter.

 

If we strike two stones we will see the spark, the fire, jump. Thus, fire is in everything; the same ice burns (because it is fire in another form). Nature could not exist without fire. The first thing that exists is always fire. The fire becomes air, and that air becomes water, and water becomes earth, it is true, but the fire always remains as the center, as the base. Thus, that is the agnus dei, "the immolated lamb, that erases the sins of the world." because only through fire can we clean every stain, only through fire can we eliminate all our mistakes, incinerate them... It is understood that the fire is completely sexual, you know this...

 

Student: Master, do the gunas initiate the manifestation of everything created?

 

Samael Aun Weor: The three gunas are sattva, rajas and tamas, that is, harmony, emotion, and inertia. when they are in perfect equilibrium we have the night of the great pralaya; but when the gunas are disequilibrated, cosmic manifestation comes...

 

Now, why are the gunas disequilibrated? That is something very important. Why is a mahamanvantara coming? For the karma of the gods, right? This is not an inferior karma? No, that is superior karma that corresponds to the law of katancia, this is obvious...

 

This is why we (the microcosm), really, should never have pride. If we examine our life, we discover it full of blemishes, errors. If we review our previous lives, they are all full of very serious mistakes.

 

Reintegration of the Ten Sephiroth

Now, if we consider the divine (our monad) in us, we discover that as workers of the great work, we are in a process of reintegration: what we want is to reintegrate the ten sephiroth of the Kabbalah.

 

Who does the work of reintegration of the ten sephiroth? Tiphereth, the Son of Man does it! That is why the Son of Man must come into the world, to do his work, he needs to reintegrate the ten sephiroth in us. Once all ten are reintegrated, they constitute in themselves, an atom with ten characteristics, an ineffable atom that has to submerge, naturally, within the bosom of the omnimerciful and eternal common cosmic Father...

 

Who is the eternal common cosmic Father? It is the unmanifested Absolute, Sat. However, we must not look at the unmanifested Absolute in that cold way as the Asians see it [as shunyata, emptiness]. The Absolute in itself, is the Father of all Fathers; the Absolute is what is, what has always been and what will always be: the omnimerciful, the omnipresent, the infinitude that sustain everything. Within the Absolute we are only, each one of us, a simple atom. The day we manage to integrate, we will be a luminous atom within the sublime bosom of the eternal cosmic Father, but nothing more than that: an atom...

 

It so happens that when a unity yearns to be something more than a simple atom within the bosom of that which has no name, then, it immediately falls into the world of the 3 laws (ayocosmos), and later in the world of the 6 laws (macrocosmos) , and later in the world of 12 laws (deuterocosmos) and in the world of 24 laws (mesocosmos); then if his pride becomes too great (in the microcosmos governed by 48 laws), that essence will fall into the world of 96 laws (tritocosmos) and will continue to submerge until the second death...

 

The grave error of those divine atoms, let's call them, Elohim, gods (or whatever you want), is to yearn to be something more than a simple atom within the bosom of that which has no name.

 

If one were content to be what one is (a simple divine atom within the bosom of the eternal common cosmic Father), one would in fact become a paramarthasatya, plunging deeper and deeper into states within the bosom of the eternal common cosmic Father; then one would enjoy states of infinite, inexhaustible happiness.

 

But it is the impulse of to be something else is what brings the monads into manifestation; such progressive yearning, in the beginning, originates the protocosmos: then the world of the 3 laws. As the impulse becomes even more progressive (the impulse to stand out, to be someone or something), it comes in a world of 6 laws, and then 12 laws, and then 24 laws, and so on and so forth. Thus, the universe, properly speaking, is the outcome of the karma of the gods, and karma is the outcome of imperfection; and it is because of this imperfection that one wants to be more than one is. Sadly, even if one says that one is more, one is never more than what is; that's the truth.

 

Therefore, to die within oneself is indispensable. And if we want to one day achieve definitive liberation, if we really want to immerse ourselves within the bosom of the eternal common cosmic Father, then, from now on we must (as microcosmoses) worry about the radical elimination of pride. So, you have to pay close attention to this...

 

The Three Gunas

Student: we would like, to see if it were possible to explain a little more in depth the subject-matter of the three gunas? You already explained unto us the three gunas on a macrocosmic, universal level, but we would like to know, if those same three gunas are, then, on our (microcosmos) level; and if they are on what does their manifestation consist of?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, it is necessary to clarify more... undoubtedly that the three gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas, I said that during the cosmic night they are in perfect equilibrium; later I also spoke about what we are: I affirmed that each atom of the divine must be submerged within the bosom of the eternal common cosmic Father; when one (as a monad) does not want anymore to be immersed within a pralaya: and want to be more than what one is, and to stand out, to climb to the top of the ladder, to make oneself felt, to be someone or something, in fact, one immediately falls into the world of three laws because a disequilibrium occurs: the disequilibrium of the gunas.

 

Such disequilibrium becomes collective, when such disequilibrium relates to all the gods, those who organized or who gave rise to this great creation. This disequilibrium of the gunas, in the solar system of Ors (in which we live, move and have our being), was due to the fact that those divine atoms of the Ain, of the unmanifested absolute, wanted to be someone or something; such yearning, then, caused the disequilibrium of the gunas, and as a consequence they fell into the world of manifestation. This is how the universe came into being: a product of karma and error.

 

We also know that sattva is harmony, that rajas is emotion, and that tamas is inertia.

 

It is clear that these three gunas exist in prakriti, they are saturating the entire universal principle (what is, has been and will be). These three elements exist in everything: there are in food, there are in atoms, there are in molecules, there are in organisms; these three principles are everywhere...

 

In order to enjoy the cosmic night, without hindrance of any kind, it is necessary that the three gunas remain in perfect repose. and the three gunas remain in perfect repose, when the ineffable (those particles that form the army of the voice), calmly submerge themselves within the bosom of the eternal common cosmic Father...

 

The cosmic night lasts until the moment when such divine particles, such atoms, wake up and yearn to be something or someone; then, immediately, they fall into the world of the 3 laws.

 

This is how the gunas become disequilibrated, and that is why they fall into the world of the 3 laws and then into that of 6 laws, and then into that of 12 laws, and so on and so forth.

 

The three gunas would not become disequilibrated in themselves, if those atoms did not yearn to be something or someone.

 

This is why we from the beginning, if we want to achieve the true freedom that is in the eternal common cosmic Father, we must, above all, not to want to be something else, not to want to climb to the top of the ladder, or to make ourselves to feel grandiose...

 

Student: Master, is the world of the 3 laws that of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?

 

Samael Aun Weor: The important thing in life is to always die, die, and die, and die... So that when one day, when the ten sephiroth in each one of us are completely integrated, we will be able to immerse ourselves in the bosom of the eternal common cosmic Father, then, If we truly no longer wish to exist, if all desire for “sensitive” life has ended, then we will enjoy infinite bliss forever...

 

Student: Venerable master, since our brother xx asks us about the three gunas (which relate to the ignous serpent that is coiled three and a half times in the muladhara chakra), now I want to refer to the half, the vittris or vikritis, that is, is it the root of the cosmos, is it the root of the being? Or is it fire, let's say, that can help us to get back to the primordial?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, the igneous serpent of our magical powers is naturally coiled three and a half times inside the muladhara chakra, on the tailbone. From there she must wake up in order to climb the spine; but it is said to be coiled three and a half times; the half belongs to the vikritis; These vittris (or vikritis) are nothing else but, simply, what we could call the Klipoth of the Hebraic kabbalah. Thus you have to take that into account...

 

Student: Venerable master, then the vittris or vikritis, are not the Divine Mother?

 

Samael Aun Weor: No, the Divine Mother, in herself, symbolizes them; She symbolizes the existence of the three gunas and also symbolizes the vittris (or vikritis) that are part of the Klipoth, and of the sentient life, or of the sublunar processes, right?

 

Student: Master, how symbolism, what primordial part then represents the Divine Mother? Because if sattva is harmony or purity, if an initiate, for example, is in a state of purity, especially in the state of a master? We are always in another state and very rarely are we in a sattvic state, so is there some special particularity in the atoms of the Divine Mother, say, especially in sattva or in the three parts of the three gunas?

 

Samael Aun Weor: All three parts are necessary: sattva, rajas and tamas, but when they are in perfect equilibrium they are wonderful. sattva is harmony; rajas is the emotion that becomes the pure soul, that type of ineffable vibration, and inertia, because, properly, already viewed from a higher angle, is the deep repose within the bosom of the Absolute.

 

But in the world of manifestation, inertia is inertia; a stone is inert; the individual who does not work on his or her self is an inert person; that's a fact. The pure emotion of the soul can be transformed into the lower emotions of the physical world. The same harmony from above becomes disharmony from here below. So all these factors have to be taken into account...

 

Student: In short, the Divine Mother, then would it be a triangle of these three gunas?

 

Samael Aun Weor: The Divine Mother is above the three gunas. She is what she is, what she has been and what she will always be; She is the wife of Shiva, the wife of the Third Logos. That such qualities exist in the prakriti during manifestation, that is something else, but She is beyond such qualities. She is Brahma deep down...

 

Student: Venerable master, in fact and by right, through his talk, can it be considered that we do not have the Divine Mother incarnated, but only the qualities of the Divine Mother are in us?

 

Samael Aun Weor: For they are in all nature, but the Divine Mother is coiled three and a half times in our coccyx, she is the sacred fire deposited in the muladhara...

 

Now, that word, "incarnate", is a word that we have to know how to measure, little by little.

 

What is called "incarnate" and what is not called "incarnate"? So that the Divine Mother, then, can express herself through a human, definitely, well, she will have to "swallow" that human, and as long as she does not swallow that human, she will not be able to express herself totally in that human, right?

 

The serpent has to swallow the initiate; only when the serpent "devours" the initiate, then does the serpent remain manifesting itself without interventions, let us say, of any kind; but the serpent has to swallow the initiate first...

 

Student: Master, now we understand you well, according to your talk, what is concretely then in our coccygeal center or in the muladhara chakra, in relation to the Divine Mother?

 

Samael Aun Weor: The Divine Mother is in a potential state, the serpent is coiled, waiting for the moment when she can not only climb the spine, but also swallow the initiate, she awaits...

 

Student: In potential state... understood master, thank you very much...

 

Samael Aun Weor: You are welcome!

 

Student... Regarding the rounds, we wanted you to talk to us a bit; since this is not very clear to our understanding yet, thus, now, we would like you to tell us about the rounds...

 

Samael Aun Weor: Well, it is clear, that in the beginning any planet has a first round, when it becomes a simple mental form, right? When it's a mental planet. This mental planet arises in a very extraordinary way: the army of the voice, the army of the word, makes the chaotic waters fertile. In the beginning fertilizes by means of certain rites and sacred words, so that life may arise, right?

 

From an alchemist point of view, it is very interesting to know how life comes into being, right?: there is the need to "separate the waters from the waters", because the basic or spermatic waters, the alkaest of alchemists, is coexistent with Sat, but in those primival, primogenic and chaotic waters, underlie, let us say, also, the Mercury of the secret philosophy, the metallic soul, let us say, of the chaotic waters...

 

Well, separating such "waters" by means of transmutation (the same thing that one does within the organism), "separating the superior waters from the inferior waters," this is a task that is performed by means of fruitful and creator work of the holy gods.

 

Thereafter when the superior waters have already been separated from the inferior waters, then, in turn, these superior waters make the inferior waters fertile, this, we might say, makes an even more higher third type of Mercury to appear, whose crystallization comes to be the world of the mind. Then the planet appears in its mental form: First round.

 

Second round, when that planet becomes astral matter; third when it becomes ethereal matter; fourth when it becomes physical matter; fifth when it becomes ethereal again; sixth when it becomes astral again; seventh when it becomes mental again. Well, here comes the dissolution of such a planet, and the great pralaya.

 

What we say for a planet applies to a whole system of worlds: To the solar system, and thus we speak of the great days and the great nights of Brahma. There are seven rounds in total.

 

Maha Kalpa

 

Thus, we are now in the fourth round; after this (terrestrial) round is over, life will unfold in the ethereal world: round five; then life will be processed in the astral world: sixth round; and then in the mental world: round seven. Then the dissolution of this planet and of all the planets of the solar system, will come; and then the cosmic night will arrive, that is, the mahapralaya, the profound night...

 

Student: The equilibrium of the three gunas?

 

Samael Aun Weor: The equilibrium... then the three gunas equilibrate again.

 

Student: Let's say that there are three rounds more to go before the cosmic night arrives?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Yes, we are currently in the middle of the great cosmic day. Three more rounds to go so that the night will fall...

 

Student: So then does a cosmic day have seven rounds?

 

Samael Aun Weor: The seven rounds is a week of seven days: "the easter holy week." The octave is the glory in the Logos, in the Absolute, to be even more clear... "the holy week"...

 

Student: Venerable master, I want to refer in relation to the Klipoth. You told us that the vittris are the Klipoth; and that the Klipoth, let's say, represent a gravitational force of weight in the planetary organism and in ourselves, then in relation to this, say, the three qualities, what forces do the Klipoth represent, especially?

 

Samael Aun Weor: The Klipoth are, let us say, the sephiroth in reverse. the sephiroth in their negative aspect; that's the Klipoth...

 

Student: Master, if the Klipoth are tenebrous, and are introduced, at the same time, with the three qualities, how to understand this?

 

Samael Aun Weor: Listen, the Klipoth are not introduced in the three qualities, which are symbolized by the Divine Mother, and she represents them, and this is why it is stated that "she is coiled three and a half times"; so she is coiled three and a half times; that "half" symbolizes the Klipoth...

 

The Klipoth are called "vittris (or vikritis)" or "vibration", I think very differently. Those "vittris (or vikritis)"..., the vibration is infinite, but when specified in the case of the three and a half times, then here it represents, precisely, the antithesis of the sephiroth, meaning, the sephiroth in reverse, the sephirotic qualities on the negative, the virtues in reverse.

 

What is a virtue in reverse? Let us have, for example, the quality of Geburah: the rigor, the law in reverse is tyranny, is dictatorship. From what region? we have to see to which region this sephirah belongs to. Obviously Geburah is the sixth of the sephiroth, right? if we count from Malkuth up right? Undoubtedly, in that sixth region we would already find Geburah, then, in a form of rigor taken to the devil, that is, a dictatorship, a terrible, frightening tyranny...

 

Student: A Hitler?

 

Samael Aun Weor: A Hitler, a Mussolini... thus, the same happens with charity, which is a patrimony of Chesed, it could become, let us say, complacency with crime. To become complacent with crime is charity taken to the extreme, right? in its negative aspect.

 

For example, out of charity, we would say: "the drunkard must be given enough tequila, let him continue drinking because that is his vice, so that he keeps drinking"... that is the sephirah of charity in reverse.

 

Prostitutes, for example, Many times they give themselves up to males, supposedly out of charity, right?; So here is that sephirah in reverse, is it not?

 

Student: Venerable, excuse me, the sephiroth in reverse, in other words, the Klipoth, are they related to the kundabuffer organ? Since we now understand that the Klipoth are tenebrous.

 

Samael Aun Weor: Yes, the Klipoth and the kundabuffer organ are all one; in the kundabuffer organ are the Klipoth of the Hebraic kabbalah. The Klipoth are, let us say, the virtues in reverse, turned upside down, that's all. And where is the world of the Klipoth? It is within the interior of Malkuth; and what is Malkuth? Well, the whole planet Earth. Within the "pouch" of this planet, of this "great whale" are the famous Klipoth...

 

Student: So let's say then that the Divine Mother, is the three qualities?

 

DivineMotherHerChild

 

Samael Aun Weor: Listen, the Divine Mother is beyond the three qualities, she is far beyond all those three qualities, beyond all of that has been, and will be; she is the wife of the third Logos; deep down she is also Brahma, and she is beyond the three qualities of prakriti.

 

Student: Understood venerable master; thank you so much...

 

glorian.org/learn/courses-and-lectures/lectures-by-samael...

  

Of the numerous entries we received in our recent Faith Solutions Contest, we thought this entry from Michael L. of Illinois was the best. It’s longer than any of the others, but well worth the time and full of good examples and advice for all us at this difficult time.

 

“Thank you for the opportunity to share with you how the Holy Spirit has led me to a greater prayer life and, consequently, a greater relationship, with God. This is not about the contest. This is about growing in Christ. As we get to know Him better, we love Him more and as we love Him more, we display that love to Him by bringing others to Him.

 

As the (above) photo shows, I have a prayer corner in my home office. That did not exist at Christmas 2019. In fact, it did not exist until Lent 2020 when we were in lock-down due to the Plague. The forced Fasting from Eucharist in addition to the usual Lenten Fast, created a void in my spiritual life. The civil authorities and our cooperating hierarchy might keep me from Mass and Adoration but they cannot keep me from praying.

 

In forming the prayer corner, I let the Holy Spirit guide me where to arrange it. Naturally, He led me to the east wall of my office, where I set up the icons you see on either side of the red candle-holder with the Cross on it. So, I am always facing east when I pray to the Lord. I now pray to Him upon arising, usually at 4:30, again at Noon, at 5:00 pm and finally before going to bed. All of the books you see in the picture are books about the faith, the vast majority of which I have read. The ones lying horizontally are up next.

praying hands

 

Prayer four times a day! My prayer life before the Plague was scatter-shot and inconsistent. Now, it is more consistent than my meals and more plentiful, too! We can either throw up our hands and surrender at the first sign of trouble or we can go to Him and have Him provide us with what we need to love and serve Him here so we can be happy with Him later. Prayer facilitates all of that.

 

My improved prayer life has not only improved my relationship with God, it has improved my relationship with my wife; it has improved my relationship with my son and daughter-in-law; it has improved my relationship with my parents and my brother and my friends. Why? Because who can consciously nurture ill-will towards others when he prays four times a day? It would mean not comprehending the very words he uses in speaking to the Lord!

 

So, you ask what are my Faith Solutions? It is prayer, prayer, prayer and prayer again. The prayer corner is where I sit four times per day talking to my Lord and Savior. I know He hears me and I know He loves me. I know this "sacred ground" in my house created in response to the civil authorities' response to the Plague was what the Holy Spirit wanted from me in order to get closer to Him.

contest winners authors graphic

 

Reading Scripture and books by Augustine, Benedict XVI, St. Therese of Lisieux, Faustina, Chesterton, Belloc, Chrysostom help us know and love God more. I do that now in the corner you see. So, not only do I sit and pray there four times per day, I spend free time reading His word or about Him from men and women holier than I.

 

Prayer is our holiness at work. Reading is formation which increases our knowledge of God pursuant to which we love Him more and to show Him our love we do what He wants: to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves; and to go and make disciples of all the nations. We do this when we draw others to Christ through our actions as Christians.

 

So, the Plague has not been all bad for me at all. It has borne some very sweet fruit, indeed!”

A simple question,,what is the purpose of a stairway? A simple answer,,a means to ascend to a higher level..

 

In 2002,I received a dream,from the Lord,revealing His hearts desire,for the heart condition,of those called to make up His bride…

 

In the dream,I was flying above a market place,such as you would see in the middle east,or maybe even Jerusalem..The Holy Spirit was my Guide,we set down on the busy street,and began to follow a newlywed couple,from vendor to vendor..

 

The little stores on this street,were incredible..They were filled with the most beautiful gifts,ones eyes could behold..Gold made up the majority of the items..It seemed each booth contained more glorious gifts then the last..Every where there were jewel encrusted items of all kinds..The greatest jewel collection in the world could not compare to these gift shops..It was breath taking in its beauty..Any of my friends,know I LOVE jewelry,and things of beauty..Yet surprisingly the beauty of the gift shops did not capture my attention,it was the couple walking through the shops,that mesmerised me..He was a tall man,I really could not tell you what He looked like other than that..She was an average sized lady..She clung to His left arm,with her face held upward,looking at Him..It was not” what they looked like” that captured my attention,,but” how they looked”,,at each other…Never in the most passion filled love story have I beheld,the consuming adoration, that flowed between these two lovers..Their eyes never strayed from each other..The chemistry between them pulled you into their shared passion,I couldn’t stop looking at them..Forgive me if I use the same words over and over to describe what I beheld..But I don’t have words in my vocabulary to describe,the love,,devotion,,and passion,,they shared..They were a thing of beauty,,as they meandered through the shops,there was always the same Attendant,ushering them through each one..Since I was on my own now,I realized my Guide ,was now their Attendant..I followed captivated..As they passed through row, after row of items of beauty..Occasionally,just the flicker or gleam,of an object would shine in the corner of this Brides eye.Never did she take her eyes of adoration from her Grooms face..She was totally enraptured in Him..He was in like condition of her,yet able to take note of items,that shined in her devoted eyes..He would then nod to the Attendant,Who would wrap each gift,and carry it to the next shop..It seemed to go on for quite some time..Eventually they finished,came out of the last shop, as caught up in each other as when they began..The Attendant followed beside them,baring arms filled with gifts.. Never once had her eyes left the face of her Beloved..Never once had her Groom,hesitated or missed a step in leading her through,the maze of gift shops..They were oblivious of any one else..When they came out of the place of gifting,they entered into a passionate embrace..The Attendant took a covering,like nothing I’ve ever seen,the material seemed from another world,floated it up into the air and let it cascade down over them for privacy..He looked at me, and then speaking for the first time stated,,”This happens with them all the time”………I awoke…

 

I believe in the dream,I saw our heavenly Bridegrooms heart and desire for us..There is much taught today of what we can attain thru relationship,all the blessing’s available to the believer..But even spiritual gifts will pass away,when that which is perfect shall come..1Cor.13:10. What shall remain,, Love,,and relationship borne out of that love..In Ephesians 5,a great mystery is spoken of,concerning Christ and His church..In verse 27 it refers to Him “presenting it {the church,Bride} to Himself”..The majority of the chapter is referring to the marriage relationship..Not by accident..Normally the minister presents the couple to those gathered..But here the scripture states in vs.27,”That He might present it to Himself”..In reality He alone can prepare us and “adorn” us..Our part is yielding ,and clinging to His arm,with adoring eyes..Read Revelation19:6-9,,in verse 7b it says for the marriage of the Lamb is come and His” wive” has made herself ready..The only reference ,I know of in the bible ,where she is called “wife”..Could the “readiness” be what separates bride,,from wife?We already have read where He will do the needful work in the bride{church},Himself..Again our part, is developing that heart of adoration, that clings to Him..Allowing Him to work in our midst those things pleasing to Him.. Song of Solomon 1:4 “Draw me,we will run after Thee,the King has brought me into His chambers,we will be glad and rejoice in Thee,we will remember Thy love more than wine..The upright love Thee.. ” In His chambers is where love begins,,grows,,and consumes our beings..He will draw,,but we must follow..All that is going on in the world is but a distraction.. Allow Him to draw,,pray for a heart of passionate Agape love,as never before..Do not say I have heard it all before,or tried it all..Run to the secret place,,pursue Him..Song of Solomon 2:14″O My dove,that art in the cleft of the rock,in the secret places of the stairs,,let Me see thy countenance,let Me hear thy voice,for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.” Are we dwelling in the cleft of the rock,{Psalm 91}, finding shelter in the secret place of the stairs?Again I ask what is the purpose of stairs? To travel from one level to the next..Do you realize your face and voice are beautiful to Him?Or has something kept you away from the stairs,and His face?We must see Him,2 Corinthians 3:18,”But we all,with open face beholding as in a glass,the glory of the Lord,are changed from glory to glory,even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” No wonder the enemy of our souls, tries with all he can,to hinder us from ascending the stairs..Sweep off the stairway,,and start anew your ascent..He calls,and draws,us upward,, but it is our part to respond……

 

Father in the name of Your precious Son Jesus,we pray,Help us find the secret place of the stairs,created for us,let us ascend and pursue,and never settle on any landing,,thinking we have went as far as is necessary..Let us behold Your face Lord,for it indeed is beautiful,and only then can we be changed,and made into that spotless bride,that You desire us to be..We are sorry Lord for the neglect we have shown at times,to the place of ascent.And pray for diligence in every area of our walks..Thank You Lord, for Your tender mercy and grace,,amen

 

Heidelberg - Rathaus

 

Heidelberg (German: [ˈhaɪdl̩bɛʁk]) is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. In the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students.

 

Located about 78 km (48 mi) south of Frankfurt, Heidelberg is the fifth-largest city in Baden-Württemberg. Heidelberg is part of the densely populated Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region.

 

Heidelberg University, founded in 1386, is Germany's oldest and one of Europe's most reputable universities. Heidelberg is a scientific hub in Germany and home to several internationally renowned research facilities adjacent to its university, including the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and four Max Planck Institutes. The city has also been a hub for the arts, especially literature, throughout the centuries, and it was designated a "City of Literature" by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

 

Heidelberg was a seat of government of the former Electorate of the Palatinate and is a popular tourist destination due to its romantic cityscape, including Heidelberg Castle, the Philosophers' Walk, and the Baroque old town.

 

Geography

 

Heidelberg is in the Rhine Rift Valley, on the left bank of the lower part of the Neckar in a steep valley in the Odenwald. It is bordered by the Königsstuhl (568 m) and the Gaisberg (375 m) mountains. The Neckar here flows in an east–west direction. On the right bank of the river, the Heiligenberg mountain rises to a height of 445 meters. The Neckar flows into the Rhine approximately 22 kilometres north-west in Mannheim. Villages incorporated during the 20th century stretch from the Neckar Valley along the Bergstraße, a road running along the Odenwald hills.

 

Heidelberg is on European walking route E1 (Sweden-Umbria).

 

History

 

Early history

 

Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907. Scientific dating determined his remains as the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of worship were built on the Heiligenberg, or "Holy Mountain". Both places can still be identified. In 40 AD, a fort was built and occupied by the 24th Roman cohort and the 2nd Cyrenaican cohort (CCG XXIIII and CCH II CYR). The late Roman Emperor Valentinian I, in 369 AD, built new and maintained older castra (permanent camps) and a signal tower on the bank of the Neckar. They built a wooden bridge based on stone pillars across it. The camp protected the first civilian settlements and was eventually captured by Germanic tribes. The local administrative center in Roman times was the nearby city of Lopodunum, today known as Ladenburg.

 

Middle Ages

 

Modern Heidelberg can trace its beginnings to the fifth century. The village Bergheim ("Mountain Home") is first mentioned for that period in documents dated to 769 AD. Bergheim now lies in the middle of modern Heidelberg. The people gradually converted to Christianity. In 870 AD, the monastery of St. Michael was founded on the Heiligenberg inside the double rampart of the Celtic fortress. Around 1130, the Neuburg Monastery was founded in the Neckar valley. At the same time, the bishopric of Worms extended its influence into the valley, founding Schönau Abbey in 1142. Modern Heidelberg can trace its roots to this 12th-century monastery. The first reference to Heidelberg can be found in a document in Schönau Abbey dated to 1196. This is considered to be the town's founding date. In 1156, Heidelberg castle and its neighboring settlement were taken over by the house of Hohenstaufen. Conrad of Hohenstaufen became Count Palatine of the Rhine (German: Pfalzgraf bei Rhein). In 1195, the Electorate of the Palatinate passed to the House of Welf through marriage. In 1214, Ludwig I, Duke of Bavaria acquired the Palatinate, as a consequence of which the castle came under his control. By 1303, another castle had been constructed for defense. In 1356, the Counts Palatine were granted far-reaching rights in the Golden Bull, in addition to becoming Electors. In 1386, Heidelberg University was founded by Rupert I, Elector Palatine.

 

Modern history

 

Heidelberg University played a leading part in Medieval Scholasticism, Renaissance humanism, the German Reformation, and in the subsequent conflict between Lutheranism and Calvinism during the 15th and 16th centuries. In April 1518, a few months after proclaiming his Ninety-five Theses, Martin Luther was received in Heidelberg, to defend them.

 

Heidelberg's library, founded in 1421, is the oldest existing public library in Germany.

 

In 1537, the castle located higher up the mountain was destroyed by a gunpowder explosion. The duke's palace was built at the site of the lower castle.

 

Elector Frederick III, sovereign of the Electoral Palatinate from 1559 to 1576, commissioned the composition of a new Catechism for his territory. While the catechism's introduction credits the "entire theological faculty here" (at the University of Heidelberg) and "all the superintendents and prominent servants of the church" for the composition of the Catechism, Zacharius Ursinus is commonly regarded as the catechism's principal author. Caspar Olevianus (1536–1587) was formerly asserted as a co-author of the document, though this theory has been largely discarded by modern scholarship. Johann Sylvan, Adam Neuser, Johannes Willing, Thomas Erastus, Michael Diller, Johannes Brunner, Tilemann Mumius, Petrus Macheropoeus, Johannes Eisenmenger, Immanuel Tremellius and Pierre Boquin are all likely to have contributed to the Catechism in some way. Frederick himself wrote the preface to the Catechism and closely oversaw its composition and publication. Frederick, who was officially Lutheran but had strong Reformed leanings, wanted to even out the religious situation of his highly Lutheran territory within the primarily Catholic Holy Roman Empire. The Council of Trent had just concluded with its conclusions and decrees against the Protestant faiths, and the Peace of Augsburg had only granted toleration for Lutheranism within the empire where the ruler was Lutheran. One of the aims of the catechism was to counteract the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church as well as Anabaptists and "strict" Gnesio-Lutherans like Tilemann Heshusius and Matthias Flacius, who were resisting Frederick's Reformed influences, particularly on the matter of Eucharist (the Lord's Supper). The Catechism-based each of its statements on biblical proof-texts, and Frederick himself would defend it as biblical, not reformed, at the 1566 Diet of Augsburg when he was called to answer to charges of violating the Peace of Augsburg. This was the Heidelberg Catechism, officially called the ″Catechism, or Christian Instruction, according to the Usages of the Churches and Schools of the Electoral Palatinate.″

 

In November 1619, the Royal Crown of Bohemia was offered to the Elector, Frederick V. (He was married to Princess Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James VI and I of Scotland and England, respectively.) Frederick became known as the "Winter King", as he reigned for only one winter before the Imperial House of Habsburg regained Bohemia by force. His overthrow in 1621 marked the beginning of the Thirty Years' War. In 1622, after a siege of two months, the armies of the Catholic League, commanded by Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly, captured the town. Tilly gave the famous Bibliotheca Palatina from the Church of the Holy Spirit to the Pope as a present. The Catholic and Bavarian House of Wittelsbach gained control over the Palatinate and the title of Prince-Elector.

 

In late 1634, after the Swedish army had conquered Heidelberg, imperial forces attempted to recapture the city. They quickly took the city, but were unable to take the castle. As they prepared to blow up its fortifications with gunpowder the French army arrived, 30,000 men strong, led by Urbain de Maillé-Brézé, who had fought in many battles and participated in the Siege of La Rochelle (1627–1628), and Jacques-Nompar de Caumont, duc de La Force. They broke the siege and drove off the Imperial forces.

 

In 1648, at the end of the war, Frederick V's son Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine, was able to recover his titles and lands. To strengthen his dynasty, Charles I Louis arranged the marriage of his daughter Liselotte to Philip I, Duke of Orléans, brother of Louis XIV, King of France. In 1685, after the death of Charles Louis' son, Elector Charles II, King Louis XIV laid claim to his sister-in-law's inheritance. The Germans rejected the claim, in part because of religious differences between local Protestants and the French Catholics, as the Protestant Reformation had divided the peoples of Europe. The War of the Grand Alliance ensued. In 1689, French troops took the town and castle, bringing nearly total destruction to the area in 1693. As a result of the destruction due to repeated French invasions related to the War of the Palatinate Succession coupled with severe winters, thousands of German Calvinist Palatines emigrated in the early 18th century. They fled to other European cities and especially to London (where the refugees were called "the poor Palatines"). In sympathy for the Protestants, in 1709–1710, Queen Anne's government arranged transport for nearly 6,000 Palatines to New York. Others were transported to Pennsylvania, and to South Carolina. They worked their passage and later settled in the English colonies there.

 

In 1720, after assigning a major church for exclusively Catholic use, religious conflicts with the mostly Protestant inhabitants of Heidelberg caused the Roman Catholic Prince-Elector Charles III Philip to transfer his court to nearby Mannheim. The court remained there until the Elector Charles Theodore became Elector of Bavaria in 1777 and established his court in Munich. In 1742, Elector Charles Theodore began rebuilding the Palace. In 1764, a lightning bolt destroyed other palace buildings during reconstruction, causing the work to be discontinued.

 

1803 to 1933

 

Heidelberg fell to the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1803. Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden, re-founded the university, named "Ruperto-Carola" after its two founders. Notable scholars soon earned it a reputation as a "royal residence of the intellect". In the 18th century, the town was rebuilt in the Baroque style on the old medieval layout.

 

In 1810 the French revolution refugee Count Charles Graimberg began to preserve the palace ruins and establish a historical collection. In 1815, the Emperor of Austria, the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia formed the "Holy Alliance" in Heidelberg. In 1848, the German National Assembly was held there. In 1849, during the Palatinate-Baden rebellion of the 1848 Revolutions, Heidelberg was the headquarters of a revolutionary army. It was defeated by a Prussian army near Waghaeusel. The city was occupied by Prussian troops until 1850. Between 1920 and 1933, Heidelberg University became a center of notable physicians Czerny, Erb, and Krehl; and humanists Rohde, Weber, and Gandolf.

 

Nazism and the World War II-period

 

During the Nazi period (1933–1945), Heidelberg was a stronghold of the NSDAP/Nazi party, (the National Socialist German Workers' Party) the strongest party in the elections before 1933 (the NSDAP obtained 30% at the communal elections of 1930). The NSDAP received 45.9% of the votes in the German federal election of March 1933 (the national average was 43.9%). In 1934 and 1935 the Reichsarbeitsdienst (State Labor Service) and Heidelberg University students built the huge Thingstätte amphitheatre on the Heiligenberg north of the town, for Nazi Party and SS events. A few months later, the inauguration of the huge Ehrenfriedhof memorial cemetery completed the second and last NSDAP project in Heidelberg. This cemetery is on the southern side of the old part of town, a little south of the Königstuhl hilltop, and faces west towards France. During World War II and after, Wehrmacht soldiers were buried there.

 

During the Kristallnacht on November 9, 1938, Nazis burned down synagogues at two locations in the city. The next day, they started the systematic deportation of Jews, sending 150 to Dachau concentration camp. On October 22, 1940, during the "Wagner Buerckel event", the Nazis deported 6000 local Jews, including 281 from Heidelberg, to Camp Gurs concentration camp in France. Within a few months, as many as 1000 of them (201 from Heidelberg) died of hunger and disease. Among the deportees from Heidelberg, the poet Alfred Mombert (1872–1942) left the concentration camp in April 1941 thanks to the Swiss poet Hans Reinhart but died shortly thereafter due to illness he contracted while held prisoner. From 1942, the deportees who had survived internment in Gurs were deported to Eastern Europe, where most of them were murdered.

 

On March 29, 1945, German troops left the city after destroying three arches of the old bridge, Heidelberg's treasured river crossing. They also destroyed the more modern bridge downstream. The U.S. Army (63rd Infantry, 7th Army) entered the town on March 30, 1945. The civilian population surrendered without resistance.

 

Heidelberg, unlike most German cities and towns, was spared from Allied bombing raids during the war. A popular belief is that Heidelberg escaped bombing because the U.S. Army wanted to use the city as a garrison after the war, but, as Heidelberg was neither an industrial center nor a transport hub, it did not present a tactical or strategic target. Other notable university towns, such as Tübingen and Göttingen, were spared bombing as well. Allied air raids focused extensively on the nearby industrial cities of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen.

 

The U.S. Army may have chosen Heidelberg as a garrison base because of its excellent infrastructure, including the Heidelberg–Mannheim Autobahn (motorway), which connected to the Mannheim–Darmstadt–Frankfurt Autobahn, and the U.S. Army installations in Mannheim and Frankfurt. The intact rail infrastructure was more important in the late 1940s and early 1950s when most heavy loads were still carried by train, not by truck. Heidelberg had the untouched Wehrmacht barracks, the "Grossdeutschland Kaserne" which the US Army occupied soon after, renaming it the Campbell Barracks.

 

History after 1945

 

In 1945, the university was reopened relatively quickly on the initiative of a small group of professors, among whom were the anti-Nazi economist Alfred Weber and the philosopher Karl Jaspers. The surgeon Karl Heinrich Bauer was nominated rector.

 

On 9 December 1945, US Army General George S. Patton was involved in a car accident in the adjacent city of Mannheim and died in the Heidelberg US Army hospital on December 21, 1945. His funeral ceremony was held at the Heidelberg-Weststadt Christuskirche (Christ Church), and he was buried in the 3rd Army cemetery in Luxembourg.

 

During the post-war military occupation, the U.S. Army used the Thingstätte for cultural and religious events. Civilian use started in the early to mid-1980s for occasional concerts and other cultural events. Today, the celebrations on Hexennacht ("Witches' Night"), also called Walpurgis Night), the night of April 30, are a regular "underground" fixture at the Thingstätte. Thousands of mostly young people congregate there to drum, to breathe fire, and to juggle. The event has gained fame throughout the region, as well as a certain notoriety due to the amount of litter left behind. Officially, this event is forbidden due to security concerns. The City declares it will fence the Thingstätte and prosecute any trespassers.

 

In 2022, a mass shooting occurred in the university, killing a woman and injuring three other people. The gunman then committed suicide.

 

Cityscape

 

The old town

 

The "old town" (German: Altstadt), on the south bank of the Neckar, is long and narrow. It is dominated by the ruins of Heidelberg Castle, 80 metres above the Neckar on the steep wooded slopes of the Königstuhl (King's chair or throne) hill.

 

The Main Street (Hauptstrasse), a mile-long pedestrian street, running the length of the old town.

The old stone bridge was erected 1786–1788. A medieval bridge gate is on the side of the old town, and was originally part of the town wall. Baroque tower helmets were added as part of the erection of the stone bridge in 1788.

The Church of the Holy Spirit (Heiliggeistkirche), a late Gothic church in the marketplace of the old town.

The Karls‘ gate (Karlstor) is a triumphal arch in honour of the Prince Elector Karl Theodor, located at Heidelberg's east side. It was built 1775–1781 and designed by Nicolas de Pigage.

The house Zum Ritter Sankt Georg (Knight St. George) is one of the few buildings to survive the War of Succession. Standing across from the Church of the Holy Spirit, it was built in the style of the late Renaissance. It is named after the sculpture at the top.

The Marstall (Stables), a 16th-century building on the Neckar that has served several purposes through its history. It is now a cafeteria for the university.

 

Heidelberg Castle

 

The castle is a mix of styles from Gothic to Renaissance. Prince Elector Ruprecht III (1398–1410) erected the first building in the inner courtyard as a royal residence. The building was divided into a ground floor made of stone and framework upper levels. Another royal building is located opposite the Ruprecht Building: the Fountain Hall. Prince Elector Philipp (1476–1508) is said to have arranged the transfer of the hall's columns from a decayed palace of Charlemagne from Ingelheim to Heidelberg.

 

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Prince Electors added two palace buildings and turned the fortress into a castle. The two dominant buildings at the eastern and northern side of the courtyard were erected during the rule of Ottheinrich (1556–1559) and Friedrich IV (1583–1610). Under Friedrich V (1613–1619), the main building of the west side was erected, the so-called "English Building".

 

The castle and its garden were destroyed several times during the Thirty Years' War and the Palatine War of Succession. As Prince Elector Karl Theodor tried to restore the castle, lightning struck in 1764, and ended all attempts at rebuilding. Later on, the castle was misused as a quarry; stones from the castle were taken to build new houses in Heidelberg. This was stopped in 1800 by Count Charles de Graimberg, who then began the process of preserving the castle.

 

Although the interior is in Gothic style, the King's Hall was not built until 1934. Today, the hall is used for festivities, e.g. dinner banquets, balls and theatre performances. During the Heidelberg Castle Festival in the summer, the courtyard is the site of open air musicals, operas, theatre performances, and classical concerts performed by the Heidelberg Philharmonics.

 

The castle is surrounded by a park, where the famous poet Johann von Goethe once walked. The Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway runs from Kornmakt to the summit of the Königstuhl via the castle.

 

The castle looks over the entire city of Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley.

 

Philosophers' Walk

 

On the northern side of the Neckar is located the Heiligenberg (Saints' Mountain), along the side of which runs the Philosophers' Walk (German: Philosophenweg), with scenic views of the old town and castle. Traditionally, Heidelberg's philosophers and university professors would walk and talk along the pathway. Farther up the mountain lie the ruined 11th-century Monastery of St. Michael, the smaller Monastery of St. Stephen, a Nazi-era amphitheater, the so-called Pagan's hole and the remains of an earthen Celtic hill fort from the 4th century BC.

 

Heidelberg churches

 

There are many historical churches in Heidelberg and its surroundings. The Church of the Holy Spirit has been shared over the centuries since the Protestant Reformation by both Catholics and Protestants. It is one of the few buildings to survive the many wars during the past centuries. It was rebuilt after the French set fire to it in 1709 during the War of the Palatinian Succession. The church has remains of the tombs and epitaphs of the past Palatinate electors. This Church stands in the Marktplatz next to the seat of local government. In 1720, Karl III Philip, Elector Palatine came into conflict with the town's Protestants as a result of giving the Church of the Holy Spirit exclusively to the Catholics for their use. It had previously been split by a partition and used by both congregations. Due to pressure by the mostly Protestant powers of Prussia, Holland, and Sweden, Prince Karl III Philip gave way and repartitioned the church for joint use. In 1936 the separating wall was removed. The church is now exclusively used by Protestants. Furthermore, there is the Catholic Church of the Jesuits. Its construction began in 1712. It was completed with the addition of a bell tower from 1866 to 1872. The church is also home to the Museum für sakrale Kunst und Liturgie (Museum of Ecclesiastical Arts). The oldest church in Heidelberg is the St. Peter's Church (now Lutheran). It was built some time during the 12th century.

 

Tourism

 

In 2004, 81.8% of people worked for service industries, including tourism. As a relic of the period of Romanticism, Heidelberg has been labeled a "Romantic town". This is used to attract more than 11.9 million visitors every year. Many events are organized to attract visitors. One of the biggest tourist attractions is the Christmas market during the winter time.

 

Popular movies, TV and games

 

Heidelberg features in the 1968 film The Girl on a Motorcycle, the university being the ultimate destination of Marianne Faithfull's character.

Heidelberg also features during a mission in the Electronic Arts strategy game Red Alert 3.

Morris from America takes places in Heidelberg.

In the Watchmen TV series which serves as alternate direct sequels to the original Watchmen graphic novel, Dr. Manhattan aka Jonathan "Jon" Osterman aka Calvin "Cal" Abar (né Jelani), is said to be born in Heidelberg, Germany and immigrates to the US along with his father.

Heidelberg is also revealed to be the home town of Sergeant Schultz on Hogan's Heroes.

 

Popular literature

 

Heidelberg Castle forms the setting for the beginning of Mark Twain's story The Awful German Language.

Most of David Lodge's novel Out of the Shelter takes place in Heidelberg in 1951 during the American occupation after World War II.

Heidelberg is the home of a professional Quidditch team operating within the fictional Harry Potter universe: the Heidelberg Harriers have been described as “fiercer than a dragon and twice as clever”.[45]

Heidelberg is the residence of fictional character Nina Fortner/Anna Liebert in the anime/manga series Monster, by Naoki Urasawa.

Heidelberg also features in Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage and its film versions.

Heidelberg also is he setting of some German crime novels, for example by Wolfgang Burger (protagonist: Detective Gerlach) or Carlo Schäfer (protagonist: Detective Theurer).

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The Hauptstrasse (German: Hauptstraße, "Main Street") is the central street of Heidelberg's old town, the Altstadt, running the full length of the quarter. Today, it is a pedestrianised zone and popular shopping street. Numerous landmarks are located along its course, including the Town Hall, the Church of the Holy Spirit, and the Church of Providence.

 

Route

 

The Hauptstrasse runs right through the Altstadt from Bismarckplatz in the west to the Karlstor [de] in the east, with a slight bend following that of the Neckar river. Between Theaterstrasse and Universitätsplatz, there is a slight rise, which is caused by the alluvial fan of the now subterranean Klingenteichbach stream. The street is around 1.8 km long. It is crossed by numerous streets running from north to south (mostly called Gassen, "alleys") and there are five squares along its route. One of these, the Marktplatz was planned as a market place from the beginning, while the other four - Anatomiegarten, Universitätsplatz, Kornmarkt, Karlsplatz - were created through the demolition of buildings.

 

The street numbering starts at Bismarckplatz (in the west), with the uneven numbers on the north (left) side and the even numbers on the south (right) side. The highest number is 251.[1] From 1856 until 1877, the Hauptstrasse was divided into western and eastern sections with separate numbering.

 

History

 

There was a road on the course of the current Hauptstrasse even before the foundation of Heidelberg in 1220, which was used as the central axis of the new city. In 1391, this street was named German: Obere Gasse ("Upper Alley"), in 1491 Latin: platea magna ("Big Street") and in 1508 German: Speierer Straße ("Speyer Street"). It has borne the name German: Hauptstraße, "Main Street" since 1689. City gates stood at the east and west ends of the street. In the east, in the area of the modern Plankengasse, there was the German: Obere Tor ("Upper Gate"), which was replaced by the Karlstor in the 18th century. At the western end of the original city, in the area of the modern Universitätsplatzes, was the German: Niedrige Tor ("Lower Gate") or German: Speyerer Tor ("Speyer Gate"), which was later known as the German: Mitteltor ("Central Gate") and was demolished in 1827. Following the expansion of the city to the west in 1392, the graves outside the gate were dug up and the Hauptstrasse was extended. At the new western edge of the city, in the region of the modern Bismarckplatz, a new gate was built, the German: Äußere Speyerer Tor ("Outer Speyer Gate"), later replaced by the German: Mannheimer Tor ("Mannheim Gate").

 

After the destruction of Heidelberg in the War of the Palatine Succession in 1693, the city was rebuilt in the baroque style, but retaining the old streetplan. The Hauptstrasse retained its original course and width.

 

In 1885, the first Heidelberg horse-drawn tramline was opened, which ran on rails from the old train station at what is now Adenauerplatz along the Hauptstrasse to the Karlstor. A second horse was required for the light rise between Theaterstrasse and Universitätsplatz (then known as Ludwigsplatz). The horse-drawn trams were replaced with electric trams in 1902.

 

Under Mayor Reinhold Zundel [de], the Hauptstrasse was modified and pedestrianised. In 1969, through-traffic was banned. From 6 November 1971, the western part up to Universitätsplatz was closed to all traffic on weekends. On 15 July 1972, the section from Universitätsplatz to Marktplatz was converted to a tram-only street and from 1 January 1974, it was also closed to all traffic on weekends. On 2 July 1975 and on 29 April 1976, the town council decided to convert most streets of the Altstadt into pedestrian zones. On 4 July of the same year, the trams were stopped and the tracks were covered with asphalt on 20 September; the powerlines for the trams were removed on 7 January 1977. The conversion to a pedestrian zone was completed on 30 September 1978.

 

Use

 

Until its closure to through-traffic in 1969, the Hauptstrasse was an important route for motor traffic and a two-track tram. Since the completion of the conversion in 1978, the whole of the Hauptstrasse except for a short section between Kornmarkt and Karlstor is a pedestrian zone. It is by far the busiest shopping street in Heidelberg and the 43rd busiest in Germany as of 2013, with an average of 5618 people visiting it per hour over the period 2004 to 2013. In addition to the shops and restaurants, there are several significant institutions, like the Town Hall, the Kurpfälzisches Museum, and parts of the University. The Hauptstrasse and the squares along it are often used for events, like the Heidelberger Herbst, the Christmas markets, and the Heidelberg half-marathon.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Heidelberg ([ˈhaɪ̯dl̩bɛɐ̯k], etymologische Bedeutung unsicher) ist eine Großstadt mit 159.245 Einwohnern (31. Dezember 2021) im deutschen Bundesland Baden-Württemberg. Die Stadt liegt am Neckar dort, wo dieser den Odenwald verlässt und in den Oberrheingraben eintritt. Die ehemalige kurpfälzische Residenzstadt ist bekannt für ihre malerische Altstadt, ihre Schlossruine und ihre Ruprecht-Karls-Universität, die die älteste Hochschule auf dem Gebiet des heutigen Deutschlands ist. Die Stadt zieht Besucher und Wissenschaftler aus der ganzen Welt an.

 

Hinsichtlich der Einwohnerzahl ist Heidelberg die fünftgrößte Stadt Baden-Württembergs und auf Platz 52 der größten Städte Deutschlands. Sie ist ein Stadtkreis und zugleich Sitz des umliegenden Rhein-Neckar-Kreises. Das dicht besiedelte Rhein-Neckar-Gebiet, in dem Heidelberg gemeinsam mit den Großstädten Mannheim und Ludwigshafen am Rhein liegt, wird als Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar bezeichnet.

 

Lage

 

Heidelberg liegt zum Teil in der Oberrheinischen Tiefebene überwiegend am linken Ufer des unteren Neckars vor dessen Ausfluss aus dem Odenwald in einer länglich, flussaufwärts sich zuspitzenden Talsohle. Der Neckar fließt hier von Ost nach West, am rechten Neckarufer erhebt sich der Heiligenberg (445 m). Im Süden wird Heidelberg vom Königstuhl (568 m) und vom Gaisberg (375 m) begrenzt. Der Neckar mündet etwa 22 Kilometer nordwestlich, gemessen vom Ende der Talsohle, in Mannheim in den Rhein. Die im 20. Jahrhundert eingemeindeten Orte reichen über das Neckartal in die Bergstraße hinein, die am Rand des Odenwalds entlangführt. Die Stadt liegt in der Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar, einem 2,35 Millionen Einwohner zählenden Verdichtungsraum, der neben Teilen Südhessens und der rheinland-pfälzischen Vorderpfalz in Baden-Württemberg die beiden Stadtkreise Mannheim und Heidelberg sowie die westlichen und südlichen Gemeinden des Rhein-Neckar-Kreises umfasst.

 

Geschichte

 

Die Stadt Heidelberg wurde im 12. Jahrhundert gegründet; ihre Geschichte reicht aber bis in keltische und römische Zeiten zurück. Vom 13. Jahrhundert bis zum Jahr 1720 war Heidelberg Residenz der Pfalzgrafen bei Rhein und Hauptstadt der Kurpfalz.

 

Vorgeschichte

  

Nahe bei Heidelberg, in der Gemeinde Mauer, fand man 1907 in einer Sandgrube den Unterkiefer eines Urmenschen (Unterkiefer von Mauer), einen der ältesten Funde der Gattung Homo in Europa überhaupt. Von dieser ausgestorbenen Hominiden-Art Homo heidelbergensis (Heidelbergmensch) stammt der Neandertaler ab.

 

Kelten

 

Ab etwa 500 v. Chr. gründeten die Kelten auf dem Heiligenberg eine größere befestigte Siedlung. Deren doppelter Ringwall, zum Schutz gegen die vordringenden Germanen angelegt, ist noch zu erkennen. 200 Jahre später wurde diese Anlage aus ungeklärten Gründen aufgegeben.

 

Römer

 

Das römerzeitliche Heidelberg bestand vom 1. bis zum 3. Jahrhundert n. Chr. Um 70 n. Chr. gründeten die Römer ein Lager im heutigen Neuenheim, das um 90 durch zwei steinerne Kastelle ersetzt wurde. Über den Neckar führte zunächst eine hölzerne Brücke, ab circa 200 eine Steinpfeilerbrücke. Auf dem Gipfel des Heiligenbergs entstand ein Merkurtempel, auch der Mithras-Kult war in Heidelberg verbreitet. Der Hauptort der Region war in römischer Zeit das benachbarte Lopodunum (heute Ladenburg), aber auch um das Militärlager in Heidelberg (dessen lateinischer Name unbekannt ist) entwickelte sich ein florierendes Töpfereizentrum.

 

Nach 260 mussten sich die Römer vor dem Germanenstamm der Alamannen, der den Limes durchbrochen hatte und in römisches Territorium eingefallen war, an den Rhein zurückziehen. Der Sieg des Merowingerkönigs Chlodwig I. über die Alamannen im Jahr 506 machte Heidelberg schließlich zu einem Teil des Frankenreichs, zugleich wurde das Gebiet christianisiert.

 

Mittelalter

 

870 wurde auf dem Gipfel des Heiligenbergs an Stelle des alten Merkurtempels das Michaelskloster als Filialkloster des Klosters Lorsch, das zu jener Zeit mit dem Bistum Worms um die Vorherrschaft in der Region rang, gegründet. Später folgten eine weitere Filiale, das Stephanskloster, und das Stift Neuburg.

 

Die älteste schriftliche Erwähnung Heidelbergs stammt aus dem Jahr 1196. Es ist aber davon auszugehen, dass der Ort bereits im Laufe des 12. Jahrhunderts entstanden war. Zu jener Zeit war Heidelberg im Besitz des Bistums Worms und bestand aus der Oberen Burg auf der Molkenkur am Hang des Königsstuhls und einem Burgweiler im Bereich der Peterskirche am Fuße des Berges. Viele der heutigen Stadtteile Heidelbergs gehen auf Dörfer zurück, die schon zur Frankenzeit im 6. Jahrhundert entstanden waren. Einige von ihnen wurden im Lorscher Codex erstmals urkundlich erwähnt, Neuenheim und Handschuhsheim etwa im Jahr 765.

 

Der Vorgängerbau des Heidelberger Schlosses wurde im 13. Jahrhundert auf dem Jettenbühl errichtet. Wohl zur gleichen Zeit wurde die Stadt im Bereich zwischen Königstuhl und Neckar planmäßig mit einem rechtwinkligen Grundriss und dem Marktplatz im Zentrum angelegt. Diese Stadtanlage nahm den östlichen Teil der heutigen Altstadt bis zur Grabengasse ein. Sie war von einer Stadtmauer umgeben, über den Neckar führte eine Brücke.

 

Kaiser Friedrich I. Barbarossa hatte 1156 seinen Halbbruder Konrad den Staufer zum Pfalzgrafen bei Rhein ernannt. Die Pfalzgrafschaft wurde später von der Dynastie der Wittelsbacher regiert und entwickelte sich zu einem größeren Territorialgebilde innerhalb des Heiligen Römischen Reichs. Im Jahr 1225 erhielt der Pfalzgraf bei Rhein das vormals Wormser Heidelberg als Lehen. In der Goldenen Bulle wurde 1356 den Pfalzgrafen bei Rhein die Kurwürde verliehen. Von da an waren sie als Kurfürsten von der Pfalz bekannt, ihr Herrschaftsgebiet wurde als Kurpfalz bezeichnet. Anfangs hatten die Pfalzgrafen keine feste Residenz, sondern hielten sich an verschiedenen Orten ihres Herrschaftsbereichs auf. Schon im 13. Jahrhundert hatte Heidelberg den Charakter einer Residenzstadt entwickelt. Als im 14. Jahrhundert die Reiseherrschaft aufgegeben wurde, konnte sich die Stadt gegen Neustadt an der Haardt durchsetzen und wurde zur Hauptstadt der Kurpfalz.

 

Im Jahr 1386 gründete Ruprecht I. die Universität Heidelberg als dritte Hochschule im Heiligen Römischen Reich (nach Prag und Wien). Sie ist die älteste Universität in Deutschland. 1392 wurde Heidelberg umfangreich erweitert, das Stadtgebiet nahezu verdoppelt und entsprach der heutigen Altstadt. Von der Herrschaft Ruprechts III., der im Jahr 1400 zum römisch-deutschen König gewählt wurde, profitierte Heidelberg durch den Bau der Heiliggeistkirche. Seine Nachfolger machten die Universität Heidelberg gegen Ende des 15. Jahrhunderts zu einer Hochburg des frühen Humanismus.

 

Neuzeit

 

Martin Luthers reformatorische Ideen hatten sich schon in der ersten Hälfte des 16. Jahrhunderts in Südwestdeutschland verbreitet. Die Bevölkerung entschied sich 1545/1546 für die Annahme des neuen Glaubens, dessen Einführung Paul Fagius im Auftrag von Friedrich II. vorbereiten sollte.[14] Unter Kurfürst Ottheinrich (1556–1559) wurde in der Kurpfalz schließlich die Reformation eingeführt. Nach dem Übergang zum Calvinismus zog Heidelberg Studenten und Wissenschaftler aus ganz Westeuropa an und galt nach Leiden als drittes Genf. So erschien 1563 in Heidelberg der Heidelberger Katechismus und 1572 die erste deutsche Gesamtübersetzung der Institutio Christianae Religionis, des Hauptwerks von Johannes Calvin. Gegen Ende des Jahrhunderts wurde in Heidelberg eine Vielzahl prächtiger Renaissancebauten errichtet, die im Pfälzer Erbfolgekrieg allesamt zerstört wurden – lediglich die Fassade des Hauses zum Ritter überstand die Verheerungen. Auch das Schloss wurde damals wesentlich erweitert und von der mittelalterlichen Burg zu einer neuzeitlichen Residenz umgestaltet.

 

Um seiner Gattin, der englischen Königstochter Elisabeth Stuart, ein standesgemäßes Hofleben bieten zu können, ließ Kurfürst Friedrich V. (1610–1623) das Heidelberger Schloss durch den Bau des Hortus Palatinus umgestalten. Auf politischem Terrain war Friedrich als Führer der Protestantischen Union in die Wirren des Dreißigjährigen Kriegs verwickelt, als er sich 1619 zum böhmischen König wählen ließ. Er konnte sich aber nicht gegen den katholischen Kaiser durchsetzen und wurde 1620 in der Schlacht am Weißen Berge geschlagen. Wegen seiner kurzen Herrschaft ging er als Winterkönig in die Geschichte ein. In den ersten Wochen des Septembers 1622 belagerte Tilly als Heerführer der Katholischen Liga Heidelberg erfolgreich. Die Einnahme Heidelbergs erfolgte am 16. September. Die Stadt blieb, wie die ganze rechtsrheinische Kurpfalz, bis zu den Friedensschlüssen von Münster und Osnabrück bayerisch besetzt (während die linksrheinische Kurpfalz spanisch wurde). Allerdings wurde die Stadt wiederholt erobert und war zwischen 1632 und 1634 von schwedischen Truppen besetzt. Während dieser Zeit schenkte Herzog Maximilian I. von Bayern die Bibliotheca Palatina Papst Gregor XV. Sie wird seitdem in der Bibliotheca Vaticana verwahrt (und hat auf diese Weise die spätere Zerstörung Heidelbergs durch die Truppen Ludwigs XIV. im Pfälzischen Erbfolgekrieg sicher überdauert). Heidelberg wurde vom Krieg schwer getroffen, die Bevölkerung litt große Not. Im Westfälischen Frieden, der 1648 den Dreißigjährigen Krieg beendete, wurde die Kurpfalz wiederhergestellt, sie verlor aber viel von ihrem politischen Gewicht.

 

Als Kurfürst Karl II. 1685 kinderlos verstarb, erlosch die Linie Pfalz-Simmern des Hauses Wittelsbach, und die Kurfürstenwürde ging auf die katholische Nebenlinie Pfalz-Neuburg über. Aus den Erbansprüchen, die der französische König Ludwig XIV. nun mit Verweis auf seine Schwägerin Elisabeth Charlotte (besser bekannt als Liselotte von der Pfalz) erhob, resultierte der Pfälzische Erbfolgekrieg. Im Verlaufe dieses Krieges wurde Heidelberg zweimal, 1688 und 1693, von französischen Truppen eingenommen und dabei komplett verwüstet. Nachdem der Erbfolgekrieg 1697 beendet war, baute man das zerstörte Heidelberg im Stil des Barock auf mittelalterlichem Grundriss wieder auf. Die nunmehr katholischen Kurfürsten siedelten in der Stadt Jesuiten an.

 

Das Heidelberger Schloss war nach der Zerstörung durch die Franzosen unbewohnbar, entsprach aber ohnehin nicht mehr dem barocken Zeitgeschmack, der großzügige Schlossanlagen nach dem Vorbild von Versailles bevorzugte. Pläne, eine solche Residenz in der Ebene im Bereich des heutigen Stadtteils Bergheim zu bauen, scheiterten am Widerstand der Heidelberger Bürgerschaft, und so entschloss sich Karl III. Philipp 1720 nach einem Streit mit den Heidelberger Protestanten um die evangelische Heiliggeistkirche, die der katholische Kurfürst für sich beanspruchte, seine Residenz nach Mannheim zu verlegen. In der Quadratestadt, die dem barocken Zeitgeist und dem Repräsentationsinteresse des Kurfürsten weitaus mehr entsprach als das mittelalterliche Heidelberg, ließ er das prunkvolle Schloss Mannheim errichten. Heidelberg verlor seine Stellung als politisches Machtzentrum und litt auch ökonomisch durch den Weggang des Hofstaats. Von der Herrschaftszeit Kurfürst Carl Theodors (1743–1799) profitierte aber auch Heidelberg durch den Bau der Alten Brücke und des Karlstores. Die Instandsetzung des Schlosses wurde 1764 nach einem verheerenden Blitzschlag wieder eingestellt.

 

1803 bis 1933

 

Im Reichsdeputationshauptschluss des Jahres 1803 wurde die Kurpfalz aufgelöst, die rechtsrheinischen Gebiete und somit auch Heidelberg wurden dem bald darauf zum Großherzogtum erhobenen Baden zugeschlagen. Der badische Großherzog Karl Friedrich (1771–1811) machte die Hochschule zu einer staatlich finanzierten Lehranstalt und verhalf ihr zum Wiederaufstieg zu einer renommierten Bildungsstätte. Ihm und dem Universitätsgründer, Kurfürst Ruprecht I., zu Ehren erhielt die Universität Heidelberg den neuen Namen „Ruprecht-Karls-Universität“.

 

Anfang des 19. Jahrhunderts wurde die Neckarstadt zu einem der wichtigsten Orte der deutschen Romantik, begünstigt durch die schöne Landschaft und die pittoreske Schlossruine. Das Wirken von Dichtern wie Friedrich Hölderlin, Ludwig Achim von Arnim, Clemens Brentano und Joseph von Eichendorff wurde als „Heidelberger Romantik“ bekannt. Arnim und Brentano veröffentlichten zwischen 1806 und 1808 in Heidelberg unter dem Titel Des Knaben Wunderhorn eine Sammlung deutscher Volkslieder. Auch ein Künstlerzirkel um die Maler Carl Philipp Fohr, Carl Rottmann und Ernst Fries entstand in Heidelberg.

 

Während des Vormärzes wurden an der Heidelberger Universität nationale, liberale und demokratische Ideen verbreitet. Nach Beginn der Märzrevolution versammelten sich am 5. März 1848 liberale und demokratische Politiker aus Südwestdeutschland zur Heidelberger Versammlung, die maßgebliche Impulse zum Vorparlament und somit zur Konstituierung der Frankfurter Nationalversammlung setzte. Nach dem Scheitern der Nationalversammlung wurde der Maiaufstand in Baden von zu Hilfe gerufenen preußischen Truppen niedergeschlagen. Auch in Heidelberg kam es zu Kämpfen gegen liberale Freischärler.

 

Die Industrialisierung ging an der Neckarstadt ohne größere Spuren vorbei. Der Tourismus entwickelte sich ab dem frühen 19. Jahrhundert, vor allem ab dem Anschluss der Stadt an das Eisenbahnnetz im Jahr 1840, zu einem wichtigen Wirtschaftsfaktor in Heidelberg, ebenfalls nahm die Zahl der Studenten zu, von denen viele den Studentenverbindungen angehörten. Joseph Victor von Scheffels Gedicht Alt-Heidelberg, du feine (später in der vertonten Version ein populäres Studentenlied) und das 1901 uraufgeführte Schauspiel Alt-Heidelberg machten Heidelberg zu einem Sinnbild des Studentenlebens im 19. Jahrhundert.

 

Im letzten Viertel des 19. Jahrhunderts erlebte Heidelberg eine rasante Expansion, als das Stadtgebiet durch zahlreiche Eingemeindungen vergrößert wurde. Die Einwohnerzahl Heidelbergs stieg von 20.000 im Jahr 1871 auf 85.000, also mehr als das Vierfache, im Jahr 1933. Zugleich wurde die Infrastruktur mit der Einführung der Straßenbahn und der Bergbahn sowie der Kanalisierung des Neckars (in den 1920er Jahren) ausgebaut. 1930 ermöglichten großzügige Spenden von einflussreichen US-Bürgern den Bau des Hörsaalgebäudes der Neuen Universität am Universitätsplatz. Eine Gedenkplakette im Innern des Hörsaalgebäudes nennt unter anderem die Familie Chrysler.

 

Die Wahlergebnisse der NSDAP lagen in Heidelberg meist über dem Durchschnitt der Ergebnisse im Reich oder in Baden: Bei der Reichstagswahl am 20. Mai 1928 im Reich 2,6 %, in Baden 2,9 % und in Heidelberg 4,4 %; bei der Reichstagswahl am 14. September 1930 im Reich 18,3 %, in Baden 19,2 % und in Heidelberg 30,2 %.

 

Zeit des Nationalsozialismus und Zweiter Weltkrieg

 

Nach der Machtergreifung der Nationalsozialisten am 30. Januar 1933 begann eines der dunkelsten Kapitel der Stadt, die organisierte Diskriminierung von Juden und anderen „Nichtariern“. Die NSDAP wurde bei den Reichstagswahlen vom 5. März 1933 mit 45,8 % der abgegebenen Stimmen (Reich: 43,9 %; Baden: 45,4 %) die stärkste Partei in der Stadt. Im April 1933 wurden alle „nichtarischen“ Beamten zwangsbeurlaubt, bis 1939 verlor die Heidelberger Universität mehr als ein Drittel ihres Lehrkörpers aus rassistischen oder politischen Gründen (1930 waren 9 % des Lehrkörpers jüdischer Konfession). Während der Reichspogromnacht am 9. November 1938 brannten Heidelberger Nationalsozialisten die Synagogen in der Altstadt und in Rohrbach nieder. Zeitgleich zerstörten sie den Betsaal in der Plöck 35 und verwüsteten bzw. plünderten zahlreiche Geschäfte und Wohnungen jüdischer Bürger vor den Augen der Bevölkerung und der Polizei. Am nächsten Tag wurden 150 Heidelberger Juden in das Konzentrationslager Dachau zur vorgeblichen Schutzhaft verschleppt, um sie zur Emigration zu nötigen und ihr Vermögen zu arisieren. Am 22. Oktober 1940 wurden in der „Wagner-Bürckel-Aktion“ über 6000 badische Juden, darunter 280 aus Heidelberg, in das Internierungslager Camp de Gurs nach Südwestfrankreich deportiert. Nur wenige überlebten.

 

Als sichtbare bauliche Hinterlassenschaft steht die Thingstätte auf dem Heiligenberg, eine zwischen 1934 und 1935 vom Reichsarbeitsdienst und Heidelberger Studenten errichtete Freilichtbühne. Ebenso wurde der Ehrenfriedhof auf dem Ameisenbuckel 1934 vom Reichsarbeitsdienst angelegt. 1935 wurde die Reichsautobahn Heidelberg–Mannheim eingeweiht, heute als A 656 bekannt, und an beiden Endstücken, in Mannheim und Heidelberg, auf Bundesstraßenniveau herabgesetzt, heute die B 37. Bis in die späten 1990er Jahre führte die A 656 direkt nach Mannheim und Heidelberg hinein.

 

Das mit Lazaretten angefüllte Heidelberg überstand als eine der wenigen deutschen Großstädte den Zweiten Weltkrieg nahezu unversehrt. Den ersten Luftangriff flogen die Alliierten in der Nacht vom 19. auf den 20. September 1940, als der Stadtteil Pfaffengrund von Bomben getroffen wurde. Am 23. September 1940 folgte als Vergeltung für diesen Angriff auf Heidelberg ein deutscher Luftangriff auf Cambridge. Kleinere Luftangriffe in den Jahren 1944 und 1945 richteten nur geringe Schäden an. Von den 9.129 Wohngebäuden Heidelbergs wurden insgesamt 13 total zerstört (0,14 %), 32 schwer beschädigt (0,35 %), 80 mittelgradig (0,87 %) und 200 leicht beschädigt (2,19 %). Von 25 933 Wohnungen wurden 45 total zerstört (0,17 %) und 1 420 beschädigt (5,47 %). Der Wohnraumverlust durch Luftangriffe betrug insgesamt 0,8 %. Güterbahnhof und Tiergarten wurden durch Bomben bzw. Artilleriebeschuss schwer beschädigt. Durch Luftangriffe kamen in Heidelberg insgesamt 241 Menschen ums Leben.

 

Warum Heidelberg fast verschont blieb, ist nicht gänzlich klar. Zahlreiche Zeitzeugen aus Altstadt, Weststadt und Pfaffengrund berichten davon, dass in Heidelberg wenige Monate vor dem US-Einmarsch Flugblätter abgeworfen wurden mit der Aufschrift „Heidelberg wollen wir schonen, denn wir wollen selbst drin wohnen“; lediglich der genaue Wortlaut variiert geringfügig je nach Bericht. Die Ankündigung der Verschonung und Befreiung wurde von allen Zeitzeugen weggeworfen, sodass bis heute kein Exemplar archiviert werden konnte.

 

Bei ihrem Rückzug am 29. März 1945 sprengte die Wehrmacht u. a. die Alte Brücke. Am 30. März marschierten die amerikanischen Truppen der 63rd Infantry Division der 7. US-Armee ein, ohne auf nennenswerten Widerstand zu treffen. Sie konnten viele Gebäude in der Stadt für ihre Zwecke übernehmen, u. a. die Großdeutschland-Kaserne, die seitdem den Namen Campbell Barracks trägt. Bis Kriegsende war dort das deutsche Infanterieregiment 110 stationiert, das der 33. Infanteriedivision und ab Ende 1940 der 112. Infanteriedivision unterstellt und im Frankreich- und Russlandfeldzug eingesetzt worden war.

 

Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg

 

Das unversehrte Heidelberg zog nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg viele ausgebombte und vertriebene Menschen an. Heidelberg wurde Teil der amerikanischen Besatzungszone und Standort hoher Kommandostellen der US-Armee und später auch der NATO. Dafür enteigneten die amerikanischen Behörden Immobilien, was zunächst für Unmut sorgte. Von 1948 bis 2013 waren die Campbell Barracks in Heidelberg Sitz des Hauptquartiers der United States Army Europe (USAREUR), der früheren 7. US-Armee. Bis 2013 war die Stadt zudem Sitz des NATO-Landhauptquartiers Mitteleuropa.

 

Im Oktober 2009 wurde bekanntgegeben, dass das Hauptquartier von USAREUR nach Wiesbaden verlegt werden sollte. Im August 2011 verließ das traditionsreiche V. US Army Corps Heidelberg und zog nach Wiesbaden um. Im September 2013 wurden die Campbell Barracks offiziell von der US-Armee geschlossen. Mit dem Umzug in das neue Hauptquartier nach Wiesbaden-Erbenheim ging 2013 in Heidelberg die 65 Jahre währende Geschichte der USAREUR – und der amerikanischen Truppen generell – zu Ende. Im Jahre 2008 hatten die amerikanischen Streitkräfte noch fast 200 Hektar Fläche belegt, unter anderem für zwei Kasernen, zwei Wohnsiedlungen sowie ein Militärkrankenhaus (Nachrichten Kaserne). 2010 lebten rund 16.000 US-Amerikaner in Heidelberg; die Amerikaner hatten damals also einen Anteil an der Heidelberger Bevölkerung von zehn Prozent.

 

Die Ruprecht-Karls-Universität nahm im Januar 1946 als zweite westdeutsche Hochschule nach Göttingen den Lehrbetrieb wieder auf. Schon vor dem Krieg waren vereinzelte Einrichtungen der Universität vom Altstadtcampus nach Neuenheim auf die andere Neckarseite verlegt worden, ab 1951 begann man dann mit dem Aufbau eines komplett neuen Campus, des Neuenheimer Feldes, am westlichen Stadtrand. Mitte der 1970er Jahre war der Ausbau des 120 Hektar großen Geländes im Wesentlichen beendet. 1955 wurde der Hauptbahnhof an seine heutige Stelle rund 1,2 Kilometer westlich des alten Standortes verlegt. Die freigewordene Fläche nutzte man für den Bau zahlreicher Verwaltungsgebäude an der Kurfürstenanlage. Um der wachsenden Einwohnerzahl Heidelbergs Rechnung zu tragen, entstanden in den 1960er und 1970er Jahren im Süden der Stadt mit Boxberg und Emmertsgrund zwei gänzlich neue Wohngebiete.

 

Mit der Eingemeindung der im Neckartal gelegenen Gemeinde Ziegelhausen war die flächenmäßige Expansion Heidelbergs 1975 abgeschlossen. Während der Amtszeit von Oberbürgermeister Reinhold Zundel (1966 bis 1990) wurde die Altstadt saniert, die Hauptstraße mit 1,6 Kilometern Länge in eine der längsten Fußgängerzonen Europas umgewandelt und der Bismarckplatz erhielt seine heutige Form.

 

In den 1970er und 1980er Jahren verübte die Terrororganisation RAF in Heidelberg zwei Anschläge gegen amerikanische Militäreinrichtungen. Am 24. Mai 1972 wurden durch einen Sprengstoffanschlag auf das US-Hauptquartier der 7. US-Armee in den Campbell Barracks die amerikanischen Soldaten Clyde R. Bonner, Charles L. Peck sowie Ronald A. Woodward getötet und fünf weitere Personen schwer verletzt. Das Attentat vom 15. September 1981 auf den Oberbefehlshaber der US-Landstreitkräfte in Europa, General Frederick James Kroesen, mit einer reaktiven Panzerbüchse des sowjetischen Typs RPG-7 am Heidelberger Karlstor scheiterte, da das LKA Baden-Württemberg ihm kurz zuvor eine gepanzerte Mercedes-Benz-Limousine zugeteilt hatte, nachdem verdächtige Personen bei der Observation Kroesens beobachtet worden waren.

 

Ein Antrag auf die Aufnahme des Schlosses und der Altstadt in die UNESCO-Liste des Weltkulturerbes wurde 2005 und 2007 abgelehnt.

 

Am Mittag des 24. Januar 2022 schoss ein 18-jähriger in einem Hörsaal des Centre for Organismal Studies der Universität auf dort anwesende Personen, wobei es drei Verletzte und ein Todesopfer gab. Der Täter beging anschließend Suizid.

 

Kultur und Sehenswürdigkeiten

 

Bauwerke und Anlagen

 

Heidelberg ist eine der wenigen deutschen Großstädte, die im Zweiten Weltkrieg nicht zerstört wurden. Eine Besonderheit ist die barocke Altstadt, die – nach den Zerstörungen in den Jahren 1689 und 1693 – auf mittelalterlichem Grundriss neu errichtet wurde. In der Altstadt, die mit 1,6 km Länge eine der längsten Fußgängerzonen Europas hat, befinden sich auch die meisten der bedeutenden Bauwerke. Im gesamten Stadtgebiet stehen etwa 2830 Gebäude unter Denkmalschutz (Stand: April 2017).

 

Schloss

 

Das Heidelberger Schloss ist eine der berühmtesten Ruinen Deutschlands und das Wahrzeichen der Stadt. Das Bauwerk entstand ursprünglich als wehrhafte Burg an strategisch günstiger Lage oberhalb einer Verengung des Neckartals und wurde später zur prachtvollen Residenz der Kurfürsten von der Pfalz ausgebaut. Seit den Zerstörungen 1689 und 1693 im Pfälzischen Erbfolgekrieg wurde das Schloss nur teilweise restauriert. 1764 besiegelte ein weiterer Brand nach Blitzschlag das Los des damals gerade renovierten Schlosses. Es wurde aufgegeben und die Ruine als Steinbruch (Baumaterial) für das neue Schwetzinger Sommerschloss und später für die Heidelberger Bürger verwendet, bevor es Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts von Literaten entdeckt und als Sinnbild für die Vergänglichkeit, in der Epoche der napoleonischen Kriege aber auch als patriotisches Monument begriffen wurde. Die Schlossruine erhebt sich 80 Meter über dem Talgrund am Nordhang des Königstuhls und dominiert von dort das Bild der Altstadt. Der Ottheinrichsbau, einer der Palastbauten des Schlosses, gehört zu den bedeutendsten Bauwerken der Renaissance nördlich der Alpen.

 

Alte Brücke

 

Der offizielle Name der Alten Brücke ist Karl-Theodor-Brücke. Sie gehört zu Deutschlands ältesten Brückenbauten und wurde 1284 erstmals urkundlich erwähnt. Es gab viele Vorgängerbauten aus Holz, die jedoch wiederholt durch Eisgang zerstört wurden. In ihrer heutigen Form wurde sie 1788 erbaut, jedoch wurden gegen Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges zwei Pfeiler von der Wehrmacht gesprengt, um die vorrückenden alliierten Truppen aufzuhalten. Im Jahr 1947 war die Brücke vollständig rekonstruiert.

 

Bedeutende Kirchen

 

Die Heiliggeistkirche ist die bekannteste Kirche Heidelbergs. Sie steht im Zentrum der Stadt, nur unweit des Heidelberger Schlosses. Ihre Fassade prägt zusammen mit dem Schloss die Silhouette der Neckarstadt. Sie diente einst als Aufbewahrungsort der berühmten Bibliotheca Palatina, doch während des Dreißigjährigen Krieges wurde die Sammlung von Handschriften und frühen Drucken von Kurfürst Maximilian I. geraubt und dem Papst als Geschenk überreicht.

 

Die älteste Kirche der Heidelberger Altstadt ist die Peterskirche. Es wird vermutet, dass die Peterskirche schon vor der Gründung Heidelbergs errichtet wurde. Ihr Alter wird auf etwa 900 Jahre geschätzt. Im Spätmittelalter wurde sie zur Universitätskapelle. Sie dient als letzte Ruhestätte für etwa 150 Professoren und kurfürstliche Hofleute. Unter anderem ist hier auch Marsilius von Inghen begraben, der Gründungsrektor der Universität Heidelberg. Zum 400. Geburtstag Martin Luthers wurde an der Ostseite 1883 die Luthereiche gepflanzt.

 

Unweit befindet sich die im Jahr 1749 fertiggestellte Jesuitenkirche. Sie ist das Wahrzeichen der Gegenreformation in Heidelberg und bildete einst den Mittelpunkt des ehemaligen Jesuitenviertels.

 

Repräsentative Kirchbauten des Historismus entstanden Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts in der planmäßig angelegten Weststadt: die evangelische Christuskirche (1904) und die katholische Bonifatiuskirche (1903).

 

Historische Bauwerke

 

Eines der ältesten noch erhaltenen Gebäude in der Heidelberger Altstadt ist das Hotel „Zum Ritter“. Es wurde 1592 von einer Tuchhändlerfamilie erbaut. Mit seinem Standort in der Altstadt gegenüber der Heiliggeistkirche ist es eine der meistbesuchten Sehenswürdigkeiten Heidelbergs.

 

Am östlichen Rand der Altstadt steht das Karlstor, ein freistehender Torbogen, welcher ein Geschenk der Bürger Heidelbergs an den Kurfürsten Karl Theodor war. Die Bauarbeiten dauerten sechs Jahre und wurden 1781 abgeschlossen. Das Karlstor ist dekoriert, unter anderem befinden sich das Wappen des Kurfürsten sowie Porträts von ihm und seiner Ehefrau auf dem Torbogen.

 

In der Altstadt befinden sich weitere historische Gebäude der Universität Heidelberg. Eines der bedeutendsten ist die Universitätsbibliothek, in der die zentrale Bibliothek der Universität und ein Museum mit alten Handschriften und Codices, ebenfalls Teil des Buchbestandes der Universität, untergebracht sind. Eine davon ist der Codex Manesse, die umfangreichste und berühmteste deutsche Liederhandschrift des Mittelalters. Die gesamte Bibliothek befindet sich in einem klassizistischen Gebäude aus rotem Sandstein.

 

Historische Orte

 

Einen berühmten und oft dargestellten Ausblick auf die Heidelberger Altstadt hat man vom Philosophenweg. Der Weg beginnt im Stadtteil Neuenheim, führt halb auf den Heiligenberg, welcher sich auf dem dem Heidelberger Schloss gegenüberliegenden Neckarufer befindet, und zieht sich dann oberhalb vom Neckar durch das Tal bis nach Ziegelhausen.

 

Der Bergfriedhof ist eine der bekanntesten letzten Ruhestätten Deutschlands. Viele bedeutende Persönlichkeiten wie der erste Reichspräsident Friedrich Ebert oder die Wissenschaftler Carl Bosch und Robert Bunsen liegen hier begraben. Zahlreiche Denkmäler erinnern an die Opfer vergangener Kriege und des Holocaust.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Das Rathaus ist ein historisches Gebäude in der Altstadt von Heidelberg.

 

Baugeschichte

 

An gleicher Stelle befand sich bereits vor der Zerstörung Heidelbergs während des Pfälzischen Erbfolgekrieges das Rathaus der Stadt. Der ursprüngliche Bau lässt sich aufgrund einer Zeichnung im Thesaurus Picturarum des Marcus zum Lamm in Ansätzen rekonstruieren. Es scheint sich um einen repräsentativen Bau gehandelt zu haben, der sich gut zwischen die benachbarten Bürgerhäuser einfügte. Das Erdgeschoss war durch zwei rundbogige Tore dominiert, während dem Obergeschoss ein breiter Balkon vorgeblendet war. Die Dachzone war durch steile Treppengiebel dekoriert.

 

Nachdem dieser Bau bei der Eroberung Heidelbergs im Jahr 1689 zerstört worden war, wurde an gleicher Stelle in den Jahren 1701 bis 1703 ein neues Gebäude im Stil des Barock errichtet. Aus dieser ersten Epoche des Rathauses stammen auch die Masken und das kurfürstliche Wappen des ungarischen Bildhauers Heinrich Charrasky an der Frontfassade. Charraskys Werk ist auch am Haus zum Riesen zu sehen.

 

Das Rathaus hat hiernach mehrere Um- und Anbauten erfahren. Der Nordflügel wurde zwischen 1886 und 1890 angebaut. Der große Rathaussaal, der sich in jenem Flügel befindet, ist im Neorenaissancestil gehalten und mit Gemälden und Fenstern zur kurpfälzischen Geschichte des Künstlers Karl Hoffacker ausgeschmückt. Zuvor hatte sich jener im Mittelteil hinter dem Balkon befunden.

 

Nach einem Brand des Rathauses im Jahr 1908 wurde das Gebäude von 1911 bis 1924 nach Plänen von Franz Sales Kuhn um den ebenso im Stil des Neubarocks gehaltenen Südflügel erweitert.[2] Die davor an dieser Stelle stehenden Häuser wurden abgerissen. Der dabei links neben der Hauptfassade errichtete Turm wurde allerdings später wieder entfernt und die unteren Geschosse des Turmes in die Fassade integriert.

 

Den letzten Anbau erlebte das Rathaus 1961, als der Glockenturm an der Ostfassade angebracht wurde.

 

Brauchtum

 

Die offizielle Eröffnung des Weihnachtsmarktes wird jedes Jahr vom Balkon des Rathauses aus durch ein Christkind ausgeführt. Zur Zeit des Weihnachtsmarktes wird die Hauptfassade des Rathauses jedes Jahr vom Marktplatz aus mit weihnachtlichen Motiven illuminiert, am schwul-lesbischen „Pink Monday“ nach dem 1. Advent in pink-rosa.

 

(Wikipedia)

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

We're back.. we're back. Today we take a quick look at one of the relatively recent Fate Figma, the line that got me collecting these in the first place.

 

This is Figma Nero Claudius from Fate/Extella, the game prior to the current Musou style offering.

 

For those who follow (or at least attempt to follow) Fate, it's no surprise that the expanded universe, first beginning with the Fate/Extra spin off game on PSP, has introduced many characters that remain popular to this day, seeing action in the various sequels to that game or expansion into the Mobile Gaming and Light Novel universes.

 

One such character is Nero Claudius, the Saber in the red dress. Nero is the Heroic Spirit of the last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, conveniently made a female for the purposes of selling merch.. of course. She's a colourful character that, if I had to summarize, despite looking kind of like Artoria, behaves NOTHING like her both in terms of personality or fighting style.

 

This is actually the second release of this character in Figma form, with the first Nero Figma actually coming as an extra with the Japanese collectors edition of the Fate/Extra game on PSP. I can't exactly say this figure was a bargain for me, but it was less than original MSRP and much less than trying to find one of the figures that came with the original game.

 

The set comes with the figure, based of course on the 2.0 Figma body, three total face plates (smiling, laughing, shouting), her sword Aestus Estus, an extra left forearm and various golden parts to replaced her armoured look, a variety of posing and weapon holding hands, and of course the standard Figma stand.

 

As far as I can tell, the original toy had no buckler and only two faceplates, but did come with windswept hair like the Artoria Pendragon 2.0 Figma did.

 

Being a Figma 2.0 release, it goes without saying that this version of Nero has better proportions and detailing of pretty much everything. Most notable of an improvement would be face plates, which are larger and allow for a better representation of not only the source material, but also, accuracy of the desired expression.

 

The articulation piece is only arguably better as I don't have an actual sample on hand to fiddle with and is based on my experiences with Lily Saber and Saber 1.0 to 2.0 comparisons.

 

Just what do I mean by that? Lets start with the basics, as always.

 

Nero is fitted out with the standard array of Figma joints - ankles, single jointed knees, hips, mid torso, shoulders with slight chest compress and bicep swivel, single jointed elbows, wrists, and head. She has a bonus point of articulation on the back of her head, where the "bun" can be rotated for a more dynamic look. As with all other Figma, joints are cut such that you get a pretty good range of motion for a single jointed area.

 

So far so good, right?

 

The reason why I say I presume it's got better articulation than the 1.0 is based on the arms and shoulders alone, which on the Saber and Lily Saber releases are improved with regards to range of motion, mostly due to redesign of the shoulder pad areas (Saber only).

 

What's hilarious to me is the character with the fabric dress actually has worse lower body than the one wearing an armoured skirt. I guess because there's no segmenting on the character model, Nero's skirt is basically one giant plastic cone, just like on the original release. As you can probably imagine, yep, her legs are basically stuck within the confines of that space so sitting, squatting, lunging, etc. are effectively out of the question.

 

Positioning of legs to replicate slight movements is possible, particularly with the aid of the stand, but I don't think Nero is gonna be winning to many battles with the ability to hop a bit.

 

Paint work is up to the normal Figma quality, which is effectively silky smooth paint apps across the board including the semi-gloss buckler, with acceptable or better work on the smaller details. Gold trim across the dress are sharply done, including the trim on the hem of the dress. Underlying mould details are not lost due to paint application, even on the more intricate parts such as the gold braids and the Epaulets on her shoulders.

 

Build quality is solid as well. Joints are of a good strength, with limbs being the proper length to prevent lopsidedness. Tolerances are generally good, important given the nature of the necessary interchanging of parts on this figure. Finish on the plastic parts is smooth, which helps to further highlight the smoothness of the paint applications. Another neat thing is the use of translucent white plastics rather than a solid white, so not only does it look nicer but you're also able to see her legs through the walls of their plastic prison.

 

So, unsurprisingly, I find Nero to be a beautiful Figma, if somewhat limited, release. From a design perspective, I can see that if Good Smile had tried to make an articulated skirt the look would just be terrible looking - a separate "hiked" skirt would probably have been preferable even if it costs more.

 

I did get another Fate piece which I'll be getting around to looking at soon, but first, a few things that are different.

William Booth (10 April 1829 – 20 August 1912) was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General (1878–1912). The Christian movement with a quasi-military structure and government founded in 1865 has spread from London, England, to many parts of the world and is known for being one of the largest distributors of humanitarian aid. In 2002, Booth was named among the 100 Greatest Britons in a BBC poll.

 

William Booth was born in Sneinton, Nottingham, the second son of five children born to Samuel Booth and his second wife, Mary Moss. Booth's father was relatively wealthy by the standards of the time, but during William's childhood, the family descended into poverty. In 1842, Samuel Booth, who could no longer afford his son's school fees, apprenticed the 13-year-old William Booth to a pawnbroker. Samuel Booth died on 23 September 1842.

 

Two years into his apprenticeship Booth was converted to Methodism. He then read extensively and trained himself in writing and in speech, becoming a Methodist lay preacher. Booth was encouraged to be an evangelist primarily through his best friend, Will Sansom. Sansom and Booth both began in the 1840s to preach to the poor and the sinners of Nottingham, and Booth would probably have remained as Sansom's partner in his new Mission ministry, as Sansom titled it, had Sansom not died of tuberculosis, in 1849.

 

When his apprenticeship ended in 1848, Booth was unemployed and spent a year looking in vain for work. In 1849, Booth reluctantly left his family and moved to London, where he again found work with a pawnbroker. Booth tried to continue lay preaching in London, but the small amount of preaching work that came his way frustrated him, and so he resigned as a lay preacher and took to open-air evangelising in the streets and on Kennington Common.

 

In 1851, Booth joined the Reformers (Methodist Reform Church), and on 10 April 1852, his 23rd birthday, he left pawnbroking and became a full-time preacher at their headquarters at Binfield Chapel in Clapham. William styled his preaching after the revivalist American James Caughey, who had made frequent visits to England and preached at the church in Nottingham where Booth was a member, Broad Street Chapel. Just over a month after he started full-time preaching, on 15 May 1852, William Booth became formally engaged to Catherine Mumford.

 

Interested in the Congregationalist approach, Booth consulted David Thomas at Stockwell about the ministry. Through Thomas, he met John Campbell and then James William Massie. The recommendation was training under Rev. John Frost; but Booth disliked Frost's school, and left shortly. In November 1853, he was invited to become the Reformers' minister at Spalding, in Lincolnshire. He married Catherine Mumford on 16 July 1855 at Stockwell Green Congregational Church in London.

 

Though Booth became a prominent Methodist evangelist, he was unhappy that the annual conference of the denomination kept assigning him to a pastorate, the duties of which he had to neglect to respond to the frequent requests that he do evangelistic campaigns. At the Liverpool conference in 1861, after having spent three years at Gateshead, his request to be freed for evangelism full-time was refused yet again, and Booth resigned from the ministry of the Methodist New Connexion.

 

Soon he was barred from campaigning in Methodist congregations, so he became an independent evangelist. His doctrine remained much the same, though; he preached that eternal punishment was the fate of those who do not believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the necessity of repentance from sin, and the promise of holiness. He taught that this belief would manifest itself in a life of love for God and mankind.

 

In 1865 Booth was in the East End of London, preaching to crowds of people in the streets. Outside the "Blind Beggar" public house some missioners heard him speak, and were so impressed by his preaching that they invited him to lead a series of meetings they were holding in a large tent.

 

The tent was set up on an old Quaker burial ground on Mile End Waste in Whitechapel. The first of these meetings was held on 2 July 1865. To the poor and destitute of London's East End, Booth brought the good news of Jesus Christ and his love for all.

 

Booth soon realised he had found his destiny, and later in 1865 he and his wife Catherine opened 'The Christian Revival Society' in the East End of London, where they held meetings every evening and on Sundays, to share the repentance that salvation can bring through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to the poorest and most needy, including alcoholics, criminals and prostitutes. The Christian Revival Society was later renamed The Christian Mission.

 

Slowly The Christian Mission began to grow but the work was difficult and Booth would "stumble home night after night haggard with fatigue, often his clothes were torn and bloody bandages swathed his head where a stone had struck", wrote his wife. Evening meetings were held in an old warehouse where urchins threw stones and fireworks through the window. Outposts were eventually established and in time attracted converts, yet the results were discouraging. The Christian Mission was just one of about 500 charitable and religious groups trying to help the poor and needy in London's East End.

 

Booth and his fellow brethren in Christ practised what they preached and performed self-sacrificing Christian and social work, such as opening "Food for the Million" shops (soup kitchens), not caring if they were scoffed at or derided for their work.

 

The name The Salvation Army developed from an incident in May 1878. William Booth was dictating a letter to his secretary George Scott Railton and said, "We are a volunteer army." Bramwell Booth heard his father and said, "Volunteer, I'm no volunteer, I'm a regular!" Railton was instructed to cross out the word "volunteer" and substitute the word "salvation". The Salvation Army was modelled after the military, with its own flag (or colours) and its own music, often with Christian words to popular and folkloric tunes sung in the pubs. Booth and the other soldiers in "God's Army" would wear the Army's own uniform, 'putting on the armour,' for meetings and ministry work. He became the "General" and his other ministers were given appropriate ranks as "officers". Other members became "soldiers".

 

Though the early years were lean ones, with the need of money to help the needy an ever growing issue, Booth and The Salvation Army persevered. In the early 1880s, operations were extended to other countries, notably the United States, France, Switzerland, Sweden and others, including to most of the countries of the British Empire: Australia, Canada, India, Cape Colony, New Zealand, Jamaica, etc.

 

Often the beginnings in other countries occurred through "salvationist" activities by non-officers who had emigrated. With some initial success they would contact London to 'send officers.'

 

In other cases, like in Argentina, a non-salvationist told Booth that there were thousands of British people there who needed salvation. The four officers sent in 1890 found that those British were scattered all over the pampas. But the missionaries started ministry in the Spanish language and the work spread throughout the country – initially following the rail-road development, since the British in charge of building the rail-roads were usually sympathetic to the movement.

 

During his lifetime, William Booth established Army work in 58 countries and colonies, travelling extensively and holding, "salvation meetings."

 

Booth regularly published a magazine and was the author of a number of books; he also composed several songs. His book In Darkest England and the Way Out not only became a best-seller after its 1890 release, it set the foundation for the Army's modern social welfare approach. It compared what was considered "civilised" England with "Darkest Africa" – a land then considered poor and backward. What Booth suggested was that much of London and greater England after the Industrial Revolution was not better off in the quality of life than those in the underdeveloped world.

 

He proposed a strategy to apply the Christian Gospel and work ethic to the problems. The book speaks of abolishing vice and poverty by establishing homes for the homeless, farm communities where the urban poor can be trained in agriculture, training centres for prospective emigrants, homes for fallen women and released prisoners, aid for the poor, and help for drunkards. He also lays down schemes for poor men’s lawyers, banks, clinics, industrial schools and even a seaside resort. He says that if the state fails to meet its social obligations it will be the task of each Christian to step into the breach. However, Booth was not departing from his spiritual convictions to set up a socialist or communist society or sub-class, supported by people forced to finance his plans; Booth's ultimate aim was to get people "saved."

 

Booth asserts in his introduction,

 

I have no intention to depart in the smallest degree from the main principles on which I have acted in the past. My only hope for the permanent deliverance of mankind from misery, either in this world or the next, is the regeneration or remaking of the individual by the power of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ. But in providing for the relief of temporal misery I reckon that I am only making it easy where it is now difficult, and possible where it is now all but impossible, for men and women to find their way to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

It was asserted in some circles that In Darkest England was actually written by the crusading journalist, W.T. Stead, who, in his own words, acted as a "literary hack" for the General when Mrs. Booth lay dying. However, this assumption was swiftly dismissed by Stead some years later, declaring that, "The idea of Darkest England ... was the General's own. My part, of which I had no wish to speak ... was strictly subordinate throughout."

 

In Darkest England and the Way Out was reprinted several times and lately in 2006.

 

There are also other works that have focused on the impact and significance of In Darkest England. For example, marking the 125th anniversary of the publication of In Darkest England, the book Darkness and Deliverance: 125 Years of the Darkest England Scheme contains fifteen chapters from leading and emerging authors that explore various historical aspects and future implications of the Darkest England scheme.

 

During its early years The Salvation Army faced a great deal of opposition, especially from those in the alcohol-selling industry who were concerned that the activities of Booth and his followers would persuade the poorer classes to stop drinking. One group opposed to Booth and The Salvation Army was the Skeleton Army, a diffuse group, particularly in Southern England, that opposed and disrupted The Salvation Army's marches against alcohol from the early 1880s until about 1892. Clashes between the two groups lead to the deaths of several Salvationists and injuries to many others. During 1882 alone 662 Salvation Army soldiers were assaulted: 251 of them were women and 23 of them were under fifteen years of age.

 

Other accusations centred around the fact that Booth appointed his own children to posts for which others were better qualified, leading to claims that The Salvation Army was a Booth family-business. For example, he appointed his daughter Emma Booth as the Principal of the Officers' Training Home, The Salvation Army's first training school for women when she was just 19. Others believed that Booth was creating a dynasty, as was suggested by the fact that he insisted that his sons-in-law added 'Booth' to their own names (see Frederick Booth-Tucker and Arthur Booth-Clibborn). This was further borne out when Booth appointed his son, Bramwell Booth, as his successor as General in his will. However, William Booth had once said to his children that "The Salvation Army does not belong to you, or to me, it belongs to the world" and was very wary of the leadership of the Army becoming a dynasty.

 

The press was often hostile to Booth and The Salvation Army as well because their methods and message were widely misinterpreted. The Army's motto "Blood & Fire", which had deep theological meaning representing the saving "blood of Jesus" and the sanctifying "fire of the Holy Spirit", was erroneously thought to mean the blood of sinners and the fire of hell. There was also suspicion about the Army's motives, with Booth often portrayed as a charlatan only out to make money.[

 

The Church of England was at first also extremely hostile to the activities of Booth and The Salvation Army. The philanthropist, politician and evangelist Lord Shaftesbury even went so far as to describe Booth as the "Anti-Christ". One of the main complaints against Booth was his "elevation of women to man's status". Many found him dictatorial and hard to work with. Some of his own children denounced him as their leader and turned their backs on The Salvation Army, including his daughter Kate Booth and his sons Herbert and Ballington Booth, the latter founding a separate organisation, the Volunteers of America with himself as "General". The evangelist Rodney "Gipsy" Smith left him because of his rigidity and D.L. Moody would not support him because he felt there was a threat to the local Church. But no one could deny his compassion for the sufferings of his fellow man.

 

Opinion of The Salvation Army and William Booth eventually changed to that of favour. In his later years, he was received in audience by kings, emperors and presidents, who were among his ardent admirers. Even the mass media began to use his title of 'General' with reverence.

 

In 1899, Booth suffered from blindness in both eyes, but with a short rest, was able to recover his sight. In 1904 he took part in a "motorcade" when he was driven around Great Britain, stopping off in cities, towns and villages to preach to the assembled crowds from his open-top car. In 1906 Booth was made a Freeman of the City of London, and was granted an honorary degree from the University of Oxford. In 1902 he was invited to attend the coronation of King Edward VII.

 

His last visit to the United States was made in 1907, and in 1909 he embarked on a six-month motor tour of the United Kingdom. During this tour he discovered he was blind in his right eye and the sight in his left eye was dimmed by cataracts. The rest of the tour had to be cancelled. On 21 August 1909 a surgeon at Guy's Hospital removed his right eye. Despite this setback, in 1910 Booth campaigned in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. On his return to England he embarked on his seventh and last motor tour.

 

William Booth was 83 years old when he died (or, in Salvationist parlance, was Promoted to Glory) at his home in Hadley Wood, London. At the three-day lying in state at Clapton Congress Hall 150,000 people filed past his casket. On 27 August 1912 Booth's funeral service was held at London’s Olympia where 40,000 people attended, including Queen Mary, who sat almost unrecognised far to the rear of the great hall.

 

The following day Booth's funeral procession set out from International Headquarters. As it moved off 10,000 uniformed Salvationists fell in behind. Forty Salvation Army bands played the "Dead March" from Handel's Saul as the vast procession set off. He was buried with his wife Catherine Booth in the main London burial ground for 19th century non-conformist ministers and tutors, the non-denominational Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington.

 

Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, London

Not so long ago, the main road from Dover to Sandwich passed right through the centre of Easty. Its narrow roads lined with parked cars must have been quite a bottle neck. But now the main road goes round and the cars can park was their owners want.

 

I visited Eastry many years ago, early in the Kent church project. So I am revisiting those first churches to see what I missed now I have a little knowledge of church architecture.

 

We park in the centre on the main road and walk down the dead end street to the church. It looks fine in the spring sunshine, flints glistening. It sits surrounded by gfand houses, most of which are listed.

 

Entrance is via a unique porch in the west end of the church, under the tower, where a porch has been fashioned from carved wood and leaded lights.

 

Upon entering you are greeted by the glory of the church, the chancel arch festooned with panels showing four different designs, but my eye is taken by the two quatrefoil cut outs either side.

 

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

 

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.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Eastry

 

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

 

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

 

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

Conference challenges men to be faithful and fearless

Annual gathering recognizes men’s spirituality

 

By Andrew Junker | March 2, 2010 | The Catholic Sun

 

Wet roads and chilly temperatures couldn’t keep them away. They streamed into St. Paul’s Parish Hall Feb. 20 for an all-day Lenten Men’s Conference.

 

“There are more than 800 Catholic men in here today,” said Mike Phelan, director of the diocesan marriage and respect life office. “Praise God.”

 

And they did.

 

Throughout the day, the men heard from a variety of speakers on spiritual challenges, sang praise and worship music, went to confession — there were 25 priests on hand — and celebrated Mass.

 

The theme for this year’s Lenten conference was “All In.”

 

“This conference is always going to be tied to this season in our Church when we’re called to go into the desert and lay some things down and suffer with Christ,” Phelan said.

 

He identified three goals for the conference. First, he wanted the men to deepen their personal encounter with Christ; he wanted them to go all in by dedicating their lives to Christ and His Church; and, he wanted them to change the culture.

 

“This is a great sign that the Holy Spirit is at work in our Church, and it’s a great encouragement to me as bishop of this Church,” Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted told the crowd.

 

“Love is not genuine unless it’s all in,” the bishop said.

 

He called on the men to allow God to be their Father so they could be good fathers to others, and prayed that everyone be given the grace to listen well.

 

Former Major League Baseball all-star Terry Mattingly served as master of ceremonies at the conference for the third year in a row. He pointed out the fact that there were many more young men in the crowd this year. Fathers brought their sons, which was a great thing, he said.

 

“This is a great opportunity for all of us,” he said. “Let’s give everything we’ve got for the hours that we’re here today.”

 

The conference featured speakers like local priest Fr. John Lankeit, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, apologist Peter Herbeck and Timothy Gray, a biblical scholar who teaches at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver. Local Catholic musician and songwriter Chris Muglia provided music for the conference.

 

Gray said that the world today has lost its narrative.

 

“The world doesn’t know why it exists. Therefore, we don’t know what we were made for,” he said. “We become men without a mission when we lose the meaning.”

 

He challenged the men to rebel against the soft, consumer-driven culture that pervades everything.

 

“The goal in modern culture is to get granite countertops and drive a Lexus,” he said. “That’s not something worth dying for.”

 

Rather than get caught up in the “spectator culture,” Gray encouraged the men to be selfless and active, to love their families and sacrifice for them.

 

That was a theme echoed throughout the day — the need to be faithful and fearless.

 

“If 800 men in Phoenix take to heart their duty, we will impact the culture,” Phelan told the crowd to loud applause.

 

More: www.catholicsun.org

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

Looking for a glossy/matte copy of this photo? Please call 602-354-2132 or send an e-mail for ordering information. Please note the photo's title when ordering. Download the order form here.

 

Copyright 2006-2010 The Catholic Sun. All rights reserved. This photo and all photos on this Web site credited to The Catholic Sun are provided for personal use only and may not be published, broadcasted, transmitted or sold without the expressed consent of The Catholic Sun.

September Week 4 - The Promise of the Holy Spirit

 

I think there's something about Isaiah that just speaks to me - it's as if an invisible hand has reached in and grabbed hold of my heart! So I almost had no choice about what to work with when I wrote out the words of Isaiah 43:2 -

 

"Do not be afraid - I will save you.

I have called you by name - you are mine.

When you pass through deep waters I will be with you;

your troubles will not overwhelm you."

 

That second line - wow! I knew straight away that I wanted the water in the image. I again used the same 5 textures, rearranging them in layer order, opacity and blend mode. I loved the shapes that appeared in front of my eyes with this last combination and which, once the water was in place, suggested the shapes of mountains covered in bushes and trees! So I enhanced the trees idea with some brushwork, and tried to give the appearance of darkness closer to the water.

 

The lady is, of course, one of the HKC Digital images (I've loved finding this subtle new away of working with them this month!). She has passed through the deep waters, the darkness at the water's edge representing her troubles. They have not overwhelmed her though as she has continued on her journey and reached the top of the mountain, when she worships and is bathed in light to represent blessings from God, and perhaps also being chosen.

 

This 'story' of the picture didn't come to mind until I spotted it myself when the piece was finished! It wasn't a conscious story I built into the piece! Love it when that happens, and looking at this such an encouragement for me at this time!

TFL!

The Church of the Holy Spirit (or Helligåndskirken in Danish) is one of the Copenhagen's oldest churches. The first abbey in Copenhagen was a Franciscan monastery founded in 1238, just 12 years after the death of Francis of Assisi. Prior to that, Archbishop Eskil had founded two Cistercian monasteries, Esrom Abbey and Herrevad Abbey. Typically for the order, they had been founded at more remote locations in Northern Zealand and Skåneland. At first, the new institution in Copenhagen was more of a hostel and workshop for travelling monks than a monastery proper. It was expanded on a number of occasions and remained the only monastery and a central part of the city's life for the next 250 years.

 

After the reformation the church was converted into a parish church. At the initiative of Christoffer Valkendorff, Governor of Copenhagen, work on the tower resumed in 1582. Brickwork was continued in another bond, making the transition between the old and the new part of the tower easily detectable. The tower was topped by a spire mounted in August 1594. It is attributed to Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder although no clear documentation exists.

 

Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Ghost,_Copenhagen

 

Copenhagen (København in Danish) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of around 660,000 in the municipality and 1.4 million in the urban area in the 2020s. The city is on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the Øresund strait. The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road.

 

Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century in the vicinity of what is now Gammel Strand, Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century.

 

Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen

"Although the Lord Jesus’ time of working in the flesh was full of hardships and suffering, through His appearance in His spiritual body of flesh and blood, He completely and perfectly accomplished His work of that time in the flesh to redeem mankind. He began His ministry by becoming flesh, and He concluded His ministry by appearing to mankind in His fleshly form. He heralded the Age of Grace, He began the Age of Grace through His identity as Christ. Through His identity as Christ, He carried out the work in the Age of Grace and He strengthened and led all of His followers in the Age of Grace. It can be said of God’s work that He truly finishes what He starts. There are steps and a plan, and it is full of God’s wisdom, His omnipotence, and His marvelous deeds. It is also full of God’s love and mercy. Of course, the main thread running through all of God’s work is His care for mankind; it is permeated with His feelings of concern that He can never put aside" (Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh).

 

Website: www.holyspiritspeaks.org/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/godfootstepsen

Facebook: www.facebook.com/godfootstepsen

Twitter: twitter.com/churchAlmighty

Blog: en.blog.hidden-advent.org/

Instagram: instagram.com/thechurchofalmi...

Email: info@almightygod.church

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

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

We're back.. we're back. Today we take a quick look at one of the relatively recent Fate Figma, the line that got me collecting these in the first place.

 

This is Figma Nero Claudius from Fate/Extella, the game prior to the current Musou style offering.

 

For those who follow (or at least attempt to follow) Fate, it's no surprise that the expanded universe, first beginning with the Fate/Extra spin off game on PSP, has introduced many characters that remain popular to this day, seeing action in the various sequels to that game or expansion into the Mobile Gaming and Light Novel universes.

 

One such character is Nero Claudius, the Saber in the red dress. Nero is the Heroic Spirit of the last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, conveniently made a female for the purposes of selling merch.. of course. She's a colourful character that, if I had to summarize, despite looking kind of like Artoria, behaves NOTHING like her both in terms of personality or fighting style.

 

This is actually the second release of this character in Figma form, with the first Nero Figma actually coming as an extra with the Japanese collectors edition of the Fate/Extra game on PSP. I can't exactly say this figure was a bargain for me, but it was less than original MSRP and much less than trying to find one of the figures that came with the original game.

 

The set comes with the figure, based of course on the 2.0 Figma body, three total face plates (smiling, laughing, shouting), her sword Aestus Estus, an extra left forearm and various golden parts to replaced her armoured look, a variety of posing and weapon holding hands, and of course the standard Figma stand.

 

As far as I can tell, the original toy had no buckler and only two faceplates, but did come with windswept hair like the Artoria Pendragon 2.0 Figma did.

 

Being a Figma 2.0 release, it goes without saying that this version of Nero has better proportions and detailing of pretty much everything. Most notable of an improvement would be face plates, which are larger and allow for a better representation of not only the source material, but also, accuracy of the desired expression.

 

The articulation piece is only arguably better as I don't have an actual sample on hand to fiddle with and is based on my experiences with Lily Saber and Saber 1.0 to 2.0 comparisons.

 

Just what do I mean by that? Lets start with the basics, as always.

 

Nero is fitted out with the standard array of Figma joints - ankles, single jointed knees, hips, mid torso, shoulders with slight chest compress and bicep swivel, single jointed elbows, wrists, and head. She has a bonus point of articulation on the back of her head, where the "bun" can be rotated for a more dynamic look. As with all other Figma, joints are cut such that you get a pretty good range of motion for a single jointed area.

 

So far so good, right?

 

The reason why I say I presume it's got better articulation than the 1.0 is based on the arms and shoulders alone, which on the Saber and Lily Saber releases are improved with regards to range of motion, mostly due to redesign of the shoulder pad areas (Saber only).

 

What's hilarious to me is the character with the fabric dress actually has worse lower body than the one wearing an armoured skirt. I guess because there's no segmenting on the character model, Nero's skirt is basically one giant plastic cone, just like on the original release. As you can probably imagine, yep, her legs are basically stuck within the confines of that space so sitting, squatting, lunging, etc. are effectively out of the question.

 

Positioning of legs to replicate slight movements is possible, particularly with the aid of the stand, but I don't think Nero is gonna be winning to many battles with the ability to hop a bit.

 

Paint work is up to the normal Figma quality, which is effectively silky smooth paint apps across the board including the semi-gloss buckler, with acceptable or better work on the smaller details. Gold trim across the dress are sharply done, including the trim on the hem of the dress. Underlying mould details are not lost due to paint application, even on the more intricate parts such as the gold braids and the Epaulets on her shoulders.

 

Build quality is solid as well. Joints are of a good strength, with limbs being the proper length to prevent lopsidedness. Tolerances are generally good, important given the nature of the necessary interchanging of parts on this figure. Finish on the plastic parts is smooth, which helps to further highlight the smoothness of the paint applications. Another neat thing is the use of translucent white plastics rather than a solid white, so not only does it look nicer but you're also able to see her legs through the walls of their plastic prison.

 

So, unsurprisingly, I find Nero to be a beautiful Figma, if somewhat limited, release. From a design perspective, I can see that if Good Smile had tried to make an articulated skirt the look would just be terrible looking - a separate "hiked" skirt would probably have been preferable even if it costs more.

 

I did get another Fate piece which I'll be getting around to looking at soon, but first, a few things that are different.

The three military chapels, and the final three uploads from Lincoln Cathedral.

 

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

LUCKDRAGON IMAGINATION ANGELS GODS OF NATURE RAINBOW TOWER LIBRARY SPIRAL LABYRINTH LEGENDARY HEART SACRED HOLY MOUNTAIN TEMPLE STATION CASTLE DREAM WORLD LODGE COSMIC REFRACTIONS #LABYRINTHLIBRARY #ENTERSANDMAN #THECURE #LABYRINTHMAGNETS luck dragon imagination angels gods of nature rainbow tower library spiral 💟⚛️️☸️☮️☯️☪️✝️☦️✡️🔯♾️🆔⚕️️‍🌈❤️💛💚💙♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎⛎♀️♂️⚧️🐦🐬🐋🐉🐢🌎🌍🌏🌠🌌🌙💫✨🌟 #STARLIGHT #FLOWER #LIFE #RAINBOW #CASTLE #TOWER #SPIRAL #GATEWAY #COSMIC #FANTASY #TEMPLE #INN #FRACTAL #MANDALA #SUNFLOWER #IMAGINATION #STATION #LIBRARY #REFUGE #SKY #BLUE #SAPPHIRE #WORLD #GARDEN #MULTIVERSAL #ISLAND #EVENING #STAR #SECRET #PALACE #FORTRESS #PORTAL #FOREST #FAIRY #ELF #MYSTICAL #MAGICAL #MYSTERY #AURA #PROTECTION #PRESERVATION #RESTORATION #HEALING #IMMANENCE #ASTRAL #DREAM #DREAMS #DREAMING #MEMORY #STORYTELLING #CONSCIOUSNESS #SPIRIT #CHAKRAS #TRANSCENDENCE #MYSTIC #MYSTICSSKY #HAPPY #KIND #LATTICE #NETWORK #CIRCLE #DRAGON #LIGHT #BUTTERFLY #GUARDIAN #WATER #RIVER #OF #MATRIX #TREE #UNIVERSAL #GATLINBURG #RECORD #STORE #CROSSROADS #BEAR #MOUNTAIN #WHITE #LODGE #MALL #PARADISE #UTOPIA #CITY #BIRD #BEAUTY #BETH #BORN #BELL #BLISS #MOEBIUS #WATERCOLOR #LAKE #OCEAN #SUN #MOON #HOUSE #WATERFALL #LABYRINTH #LEGEND #ALCHEMY #MUSHROOM #PSYCHEDELIC #EYE #RA #HORUS #PYRAMID #ULTRA #VIOLET #LAVENDER #CAMP #CRYSTAL #MULTIVERSE #UNIVERSE #OMNIVERSE #PURPLE #GREEN #BRIDGE #DOLLY #STAIRWAY #HEAVEN #TREASURY #KABBALAH #ASTROLOGY #AQUARIUS #WIND #ELEMENTAL #FLOWERS #LAND #SEA #SHIP #PARTON #STOMPING #GROUNDS #AQUARIUM #HAVEN #PEACE #WAYSTATION #FAERY #SEASCAPE #AVALON #CELESTIAL #WIZARD #DOORWAY #MUSIC #ELFLAND #KINDNESS #LUCIDITY #DIAMOND #DIMENSION #LANDSCAPE #FIRE #AMETHYST #UNDERSTANDING #OLYMPUS #ATLANTIS #AVALOKITEŚVARA #THEATER #EYES #FAERIE #IMAGINARY #MAGICIAN #ARCANE #PLANE #PAISLEY #EMERALD #MAGIC #WINDOW #CHURCH #POCKET #EARTH #AIR #WALL #MIND #MOVIES #VILLAGE #VALHALLA #LOVE #BODHISATTVA #HOLY #FAIRIES #PARK #CONNECTION #INTERDIMENSIONAL #FRACTALS #BALANCE #MAP #SCHOOL #ELYSIUM #CREATION #COMPASSION #TREASURE #TROVE #COSMOS #TRUTH #CREATIVITY #BETWEEN #WORLDS #ART #ANGEL #MORNING #DAWN #SPRING #SUMMER #MOTHER #SPACE #NEXUS #RECORDS #PHILOSOPHY #MULTIVERSITY #WONDERLAND #VIRGO #GROWTH #FIELDS #TRANSFORMATION #SYSTEM #PEACETIME #GALAXY #CHANGE #SANCTUARY #CLOVER #MOONFLOWER #ENTRANCE #TO & #MYSTERIES #BACKDROPS #WIZARDCORE #SUBJECTS #CELESTIALCORE #DAYLIGHT #ROOM #TERRACE #SONG #YET #BLOOMCORE #DAZECORE #OMNIVERSAL #GOBLINWAVE #MOUNTAINS #SYMMETRICAL #SAGITTARIAN #EARTHCORE #ALIEN #COSMICART #YGGDRASIL #VISION #BYZANTINE #STANDING #NATURE #INDIGO #ETHEREAL #WIMMELBILDER #ALICEINWONDERLAND #COMPASSIONATE #MAGICSPELLS #NEWAGE #STARGAZER'S #FLORAL #NEW #SPHERES #DAZEWAVE #MILKY #MULTICOLORED #MYTHICAL #TARA #HEROIC #LABYRINTHIAN #METAPHYSICAL #ELABORATECOSTUMES #ALCHEMICAL #WITCHY #PRESENT #DREAMY #PIECES #ALCHEMICALART #COLORS #LIBRARIANS #LUMINOUS #CLOUD #PATHWAY #SILVER #STARS #INTRICATE #MULTIDIMENSIONALCATS #INTERGALACTIC #VISIONS #CLOUDCORE #SPELL #GREEKMYTHOLOGY #STUDYPLACE #TREES #SUNDAY #RESURRECTION #LADDER #BETA #CABINCORE #ASTROLOGICALART #SPARKLING #COTTAGECORE #HYPERSPATIAL #MAGEWAVE #VIBRANTACADEMIA #BIBLICALGRANDEUR #FUTURE #ASTROLOGICAL #NETS #NAVYGOLD #SPACECORE #ANDROMEDA #WISDOM #DIGITAL #FAIRYCORE #DARK #STONE #GEOMANTIC #GIANT #DEPICTION #GOBLINCORE #ANDROMEDAN #PUZZLE #ACADEMIA #SENSORYEXPERIENCE #HELLENIC #STARFLOWER #MUSICAL #INSTALLATIONS #GEOMETRIC #HEART #MURALS #NATURECORE #LO-FI #ELVES #CAT #SHAKTI #CYAN #SCIENCE #TAPESTRIES #SPACESHIP #VIVID #DIMENSIONS #MENTAL #CLUTTERED #RAIN #IDEAS #SUMMERLANDS #ENERGY-FILLED #AZURE #NIGHT #RAVENCORE #ITERATIVE #GAZE #LEGENDARY #CHARACTER #AMBER #STARSHIP #FANTASTICALMACHINES #SHIVA #TURTLE #BRIGHT #BE #DETAILED #IT #RELIGIOUS #SKYSCAPE #COSMICCORE #PHENOMENOLOGICAL #REFLECTIVE #ARCHITECTURAL #LIGHTFANTASY #DUSTYPILES #VIBRANT #ORGANIC #PSYCHOLOGICAL #ILLUSTRATIONS #DREAMLIKE #PAINTING #MEDITATIVE #SYMBOLS #OCEANGRUNGE #SUNRISE #VERDANT #HONEYCORE #MULTICOLOR #ORB #EAGLE #INFINITY #URBANCORE #WITCHCORE #TAROT #WITCHYACADEMIA #RARE #SOLARIZING #CROSSWAY #COLOR #JIGSAW #DAY #CREATIVE #LUCIDDEVELOPMENTS #MASTER #DRAGONCORE #ANGELCORE #CRYSTALWAVE #FULL #FUTURISTIC #LEVITATION #BEAUTIFUL #PSYCHEDELIA #CELESTIALPUNK #CHAKRA #COSMOLOGICAL #CALMING #FIGURATIVE #LEO #COLORIST #MACHINE #WITCHHOUSE #CATCORE #TELESCOPE #EVOLUTION #OPAL #LIVING #INFINITE #MYTHOLOGICAL #OLYMPIAN #TRANSCENDENTAL #TRAVELING #COTTAGEWAVE #CONSCIOUS #SILENT #CENTERED #STARLIT #ADVENTUROUS #ARTISTIC #IMAGINATIVE #ARCHITECTURE #EMPRESS #REFLECTIONS #HYPERREAL #OTHERWORLDLY #PASTEL #REALISTIC #ELECTRIC #TOMORROWLAND #WAVE #KNOWLEDGE #PROSPERITY #SHOWING #ALIENS #ANGELWAVE #CATS #PUZZLE-LIKE #CAPTIVATING #TRANSFORMATIVE #GAEA #CRYSTALCORE #RAINBOWS #MOSSCORE #VISHNU #VIEWS #PORTRAIT #IMAGERY #CREATING #MAGECORE #GODDESS #SURROUNDING #MIND-BENDING #DESTINY #ENCHANTING #INSPIRATION #POETRY #BEGINNINGS #AGE #PERSON #PERCEPTION #SPACEWAVE #CATHEDRAL #MYSTERIOUS #SWEET #CELTIC #VISIONARY #ACIDWAVE #JOSEPHINEWALL #STARSCAPE #ILLUSTRATIVE #TRIANGLE #LIBRA #LIGHTING #ELLEN #SPIRITUAL #JUSTICE #SOUL #BYZANTINEART #EXPERIMENTAL #POETIC #HEAVENLY #RICHLYCOLORED #AQUARIAN #LIVE #CLOCKWORK #TIMESTAR #UHDIMAGE #BOBSEGER #CHRISTMAS #RIVEROFDREAM #GIVE #GODS #CURRENTLY #TURNING #FLY #HELPING #TENACIOUSD #SPRAWLII #ANGELS #STEVENS #POSTERS #CALIFORNIADREAMING #BLACKSTAR #TAYLORSWIFT #AWARENESS #PRINCE #WAY #SPINNINGSONGTREE #TOUGH #DAYINDAYOUT #STORY #USASUNFLOWER #KINGDOM #MUSHROOMS #IN #THE #STYLE #ANIMECORE #COLORFUL #MINDSCAPES #HIGH #DETAIL #MULTILAYERED #FAIRYTALE #LANDSCAPES #LUMINESCENT #SCHEME #PERCEPTIVE #SCENES #ANIME #GARDENS #AURORAPUNK #NIGHTCORE #PLAYFULLY #HOUSES #RAINBOWCORE #UHD #IMAGE #GIGANTIC #SCALE #GLOWING #LUSH #MOTIFS #GRANDEUR #HYPERCOLORFUL #DREAMSCAPES #PRISMATIC #FORMS #PALETTES #RADIO #FORESTMAGIC #DIFFERENT #PICTURES #SERENE #DREAMWORLD #TIME #ELFIN #STAIRWAYTOHEAVEN #RAINBOWBRIDGE #TREEOFLIFE #DREAMCORE #BLOOMS #AESTHETIC #SKY-BLUE #CHROMATIC #SPECTACULAR #CARTOONISH #LARGE #COLLAGES #MEDIEVAL #FANTASY-INSPIRED #CONFESSIONAL #SURREALISM #SATURATED #FAIRYTALES #FLORALS #WHIMSICAL #TECHNICOLOR #DREAMSCAPE #FAIRYTALE-INSPIRED #SURREAL #MIRROR #NATURE-INSPIRED #BRIGHTLY #COLORED #EMOTIONAL #TEAL #PINK #SEASONS #PLANTS #MAGENTA #ELABORATE #PRECISIONIST #EARTHY #MOUNTAINOUS #VISTAS #EXPANSIVE #SOFTLY #RESTORED #REPURPOSED #ARTWORK #COLORIZED #DIGITALLY #PROCESSED #TURQUOISE #SUNFLOWERS #SKIES #TRANQUIL #GARDENSCAPES #ATMOSPHERIC #PANORAMIC #DEEP #MINDSCAPE #BLOSSOMS #LUCID #LUCIDDREAMING #MYSTICS #SKYBLUE #LUCIDDREAMS #MUSHROOMCASTLE #BLOOMING #RICH #LUCIDDREAM #LIMINAL #IMMERSIVE #CHILDHOOD #GOJIRA 🏰 #PLUS #SCHOOLOFSTARS #SHELVING #ALCHEMISTSLABORATORYLAKSHMI #MUSIC1978 #POISON #LETSBUILDACAR #COMEVISITUS #COUNTRY #GEOMETRY #HARTI #PENTACLE #IRIDESCENCE MAIDEN FUTURISTIC ENAMEL THERHYTHMSECTION78 KEY ACDC NIRVANA TSHIRT 611 UNICORN HEALINGISAMIRACLE SECURITY BILLIE MANDALA METAVERSE CONTINENT PLANET KEEP HAPPINESS MIRACLE SAVED MEANING LOCAL MATRIXWATEROFLIFE MANDALASTARWILDERNESS GOOD GATEWAYSTATION MIRACLEOFLIFE SPACEPYRAMID WINDOFCHANGE TIMEWIND MIRACLEOFLOVE MIRACLEOFLIGHT SECRETCOLLEGE SACREDHEART WORLDTREE STAR #NOSTALGIA LODGECOSMICREFRACTIONSMAIDENFUTURISTICENAMELTHERHYTHMSECTION78THERHYTHMSECTION78KEYACDCNILODGECOSMICREFRACTIONSMAIDENFUTURISTICENAMELTHERHYTHMSECTION78THERHYTHMSECTION78KEYACDCNIRVANATSHIRT611UNICORNHEALINGISAMIRACLESECURITYBILLIERAINBOWCASTLETHERHYTHMSECTION78THERHYTHMSECTION78THERHYTHMSECTION78THERHYTHMSECTION78THERHYTHMSECTION78THERHYTHMSECTION78THERHYTHMSECTION78VALLEYSTICKERSTHERHYTHM❤️💛💚💙💜❤️💛💚💙💜♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎ #A3 #GIANTS #MASTODON #WATERTEMPLE #DAVIDBOWIE #MADWORLD #ANGELL #DAY-OUT #COSMICCASTLE #MANDALAJUNG #FREEDOMENVIRONMENT 🌻 #SACREDGEOMETRY #AWESOME #CRISES #GENESIS #NATWEST #IMAGINED #VINYLCOLLECTION •#FM #PUSH #WONDERS #VERSION #LADYTRON #DAVIS #PRESENTS #CONTINENT #TSHIRTS #INTEGRATIVE #BUTTERFLYHEALING #10 #M83 #LILAC #WORDPRESS #LOVEISTHEANSWER #LIBRARIANCONSTELLATION #MODERNLOVE #SMOKYMOUNTAINS #PINS #FREEWORLD #GOGH #BARRIERNEGOTIATION #IWILLFOLLOW #HUNTER #SWEETDREAMS #SHIELD #HOLIDAY #SPIRALBEARS #OLIVIARODRIGO #PEACELOVEUNDERSTANDING #BANDS #PLEASEREMEMBERME #CHRISTIANWOMAN #TSHIRTSTYLE #CANVA #GRATEFULDEAD #PSYCHE #CATPEOPLE #ARROW #DAVID #MADONNA #MAGICMEADOW #CITYOFLIGHTGIANTS (#SEX #CONANTHEBARBARIAN #BUILDING #LUSHMOTIFS #ARCTICMONKEYS #BATMAN #WRITING #BLESSINGS #TIMEWILLCRAWL #APHRODITESCHILD #APARTMENT 👪 #WEGOTTALIVETOGETHER #CAN #RADIOHEAD ++++ #DAZEDANDCONFUSED #TOWERS #HALFAXA #JPEGMAFIA #RINGOFFIRE #BORDER #CARRYMERECORDS #ALICECOOPER #EMBRACED #COSMICMUSHROOM #TRANSMUTATION #MOTLEYCRUE #PERFECTION #PLEIADES #VINYLFINDS #BETWEENFLOWERS #INCANTATIONS #VARIOUSTREASURES #RAGEAGAINSTTHEMACHINE #HURTING #ORDERS #RELATE #WHOAREYOU #RECEPTIVITYSPACE #MAGNETS #FAT COM #TEMPTATION #TOPOGRAPHIC #HIGHWAYREVISITED #MOONSHINE #MAGICDANCE #VENOM #UPTHEHILLBACKWARDS #S #FIVESECONDSOFSUMMER #WAIT #TOURISTDESTINATIONRHYTHM #FOOTSTEPS SECTION78 #MOUNTAIN_MALL SMASHINGPUMPKINS BUTTERFLY #KUANYIN♊💜🌈💛🌻✨🔥🎑😍🎨🔜🌠🌝🍀💕🕘🙏😯🐢🐈💟🐦🐉💙🔵💚💙💜💖💗💛💘💚💓😻💝💟♥️❣️💕💞😍🔥🌎🙏🐢🐈🐦🐉🔵💙💚💙 #BRAINDAMAGE #DEMOCRATIC #BETTEDAVISEYES #SHIVAYA #CDS #FASHION #REFUGEES #WWW FLICKR COM/PHOTOS/MUSIC1978/ #KRISHNADAS #RETURNSCIENCE #DEEPEST #THESMITHSMORRISSEY #MAKE #TNMOUNTAINMALL #TOURISTDESTINATION #KIDA #NOAHKAHAN #SKELETONTREE #VARIOUS #DONTLOOKBACK #MYSELF #SPIDER #QUEENRADIOHEAD #OCEANIA 💜☮️♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒ #MAGINARDIAN #TAMEIMPALA #ASTRALTRAVELER #SUNLANDICTWINS #TRIPTHROUGHYOURWIRES #ZACHBRYAN #JOURNEY #MILESDAVIS #PUBLIC #CASTLEIMAGINATION #AROUND #EAGLES #ADVERTISEMENT #AND #ENAMEL #MYCHEMICALROMANCE #REPETITION #BOSTON #THROUGH #MULTIPLE #MELANIEMARTINEZ #STONETEMPLEPILOTS #MACMILLER #ROADTONOWHERE #EVERYONE #SORCERER #JANESAYS #YEAR #SPIRALGALAXY #SCHISM #DISINTEGRATION #AURORA #TROLLS #DREAMRIVER #ARMY #ADDRESSING #U2 #MASTERSOFTHEUNIVERSE #ROOMS #LISTEN #ELEMENTALS #SHAMAN #EARLS #PARKWAY #GREY #DRAWING #ARCADEFIRE #SECRETSTARSTATION #DELICATESOUNDOFTHUNDER #SPEAKS #DARKNESS #MUNICH #PYTHON'S #27 #SPACEBETWEEN #HOLYSPIRIT #THOUGHT #MATTED #AM #SINCE #ANCIENTS #LAVE #BURZUM #HIGHER #MOUNTAINSCAPE #MFDOOM #NEVERLETMEDOWN #CROWNED #METALLICA #MORNINGBELL #MUSICDISCOVERIES #SPARK #SPIRITEMERALD < #3 #DREAMSPACE #BOATOFAMILLIONYEARS #TIMESPACEMATRIX #LAST #6 #EVERY #FORCES #BRIANENO #PHILOSOPHER #WATERSPIRIT #ONEWAYOUT #2000 #CREATIONLIBRARY #TOOL #TALK #TOWERCOSMIC #ALLIANCES #TANGERINE #RECORDSTORE #MUSHROOMHAVEN #DISCRIMINATING #STONEROSES #IMMIGRANTSONG #MUSICISLOVE #SEVERAL #MUSICSHOPS #CALL #SARASWATI #SPRINGBREAK #MASTERSOFWAR #NINEREALMS #JOHN #PLACE #MEMORYCASTLE #EVOLVING #KATEBUSHRAINBOWMAGIC #CITADELSUNFLOWER #SUPERCLUSTERS #MAGI #MORRIS #LATE #2 #CITYGIANT #NOVA #REDBUBBLE #HEALTH #4 #SLIPKNOT #UNCONSCIOUS #YOUTUBEMUSIC #ECONOMIC #MYBLOODYVALENTINE ++ #ST #QUEEN👑 #GODDESSOFCOMPASSION #SILVERDRAGON #SOCIALDEMOCRACY #PICTURESOFYOU #LP #THEDOORS #LETSDANCE #GOLD #GATLINBURGUSA #D4VD #BEAUTYANDTHEBEAST ♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒ #DISTRIBUTION #GEMSTONES #SHOP #SWORDS #KOR #TEMPLEBLUE #ORACLE #VILE #DONTCHANGE #STUDIO #VOYAGES #GEMINI #HALLWAYOF1000DOORWAYS #SMOKYMTN #COMETOGETHER #IMPORTSFROMEUROPE #CLEANLINESRHYTHM 🍀 #LF #COLLECTIVE #HALLWAY #RECORDSTORETENNESSEE #ABSOLUTEBEGINNERS #LEMONGRAB #SAMURAI #INDIVIDUAL #CELTICMANDALA #HOLYMOUNTAIN #WAR" #MOUNTAINTOWER #TRANSCENDING #SABBRACADABRA #INSTAGRAM #BELLEANDSEBASTIAN #APPROXIMATELY #GATEKEEPER #PATIENCE #VOYAGER #ROSEMARY #MEGADETH #OREILLY #WAYLONGJENNINGS #BEING #ORANGE #MEGAVERSAL #THAT #CONFLICT #BODHISATTVAOFCOMPASSION #GATLINBURGTIME #WEWEREBORNTHEMUTANTSAGAINWITHLEAFLING #NEXT #WEEKND #SEEKER #INDIEMUSIC #STATIONRAINBOW #SHINEALIGHT #PEACEEARTH #ORDERS+ #TEMPLELABYRINTH #MEATLOAF #ROCKYHORRORPICTURESHOW #CRYLITTLESISTER #LOVEWILLTEARUSAPART #IRONMAIDEN #REQUESTS #DIVISION #TREASURETROVE #WILDISTHEWIND #MINDGAMES #JIMIHENDRIX #ARRIVALS #DRAGONTURTLE #HEADING #LIVEMILES #ANSWER #FARBEHIND #SPOT #SENSUALWORLD #COLLECTION #AMETHYSTSUNFLOWER #LYNDON #TAURUS #ENDOR #IFIHADAHEART #EVANGELINE #SOUNDGARDEN #ECHOES 🌜 #MUSICDISCOVERY #TAYLORNATION #ASTHEWORLDFALLSDOWN #FRACTALBODHISATTVA #ENJOYTHESILENCE #COM #DER #SYDBARRETT #BEETLEJUICE #HUMMER #RECORDLOVER #ECOSYSTEM #ROSE #BETTER 🐢 #CROSSROADSSTATION #RICHNESS #TOPAZ #REBELREBEL #NEONGENEISEVANGELION #OVER #MEMBRANES #DREAMS? #CITYOFLIGHT #LONG #YOUMAYBERIGHT MUSIC1978 #BECOMING #INVESTIGATION #RHYTHMSECTIONTN #DISCOVERYVOYAGES #BADOMENS #ELFTREE #ISTILLHAVENTFOUNDWHATIMLOOKINGFOR #BOBDYLAN #BARBIE #ECOPSYCHOLOGY #SEVIER #CHEETAL #NEWORDER #TEMPLEOFLOVE #NICKS #VINYLCOMMUNITY #COSMICFANTASY #CURE #TRANSCENDENTALISM #GEORGESTRAIT #ASIA #MANDALARAINBOW #HOLYDIVER #SMOKYMTNS #REFMAN #TEACHING #GUIDEPOSTS #JOHNNYCASH #TUBULARBELLS #INSPIRATIONAL #ALLALONGTHEWATCHTOWER #PAPER #YANG #DUNE #SONGOFTHEWHALE ♎ #SPINNINGSONG #YOURSELF #RIVERS #GIEDI #CELESTIALPALACE #LISTS #DEVAS #STORYTELLINGPSYCHEDELIC #LOVER #JOURNALS #MAGICTREE #BRIAN #TYLERCHILDERS #MELISSA #COSMICHEALING #COZY #KPOP #PEACEANDLOVE #COSMICSHIVA #VISIT #ENERGY #TYGERBLINK182 #FORMESS #GHOSTS #PORT #GUITAR #USA #I #MEAN #TREESECRET #DAZE #MATTE #ONTOLOGY #INTERFAITH #PURPLERAIN #FORGIVENESS #MAPS #PULSE #STRANGEPOWERS #NOMANSLAND #INVISIBLETOUCH #DOWNBYTHEWATER #HALSEY #PROMISE #RELEASES #PANTERA #WORLDDREAM #SEXBEAT #UNIVERSITY #MGMT #TREEOFLIGHT #RESTOCKS 💙#AGEOFWINTERS #TEMPLECIRCULAR #GLORIA #OCEANSEASTARTOWER #INYOUREYES #BOWIE #BELOW #CHINAGIRL #APPRECIATION #ELIVER #YOU #VINYLCOLLECTORS #QLAZARUS #GREENDAY #QUALITY #GRUDIAN #TYLERTHECREATOR #DARKSTAR #EVERLASTING #DECAY #CONSCIOUSNESSREALM #OTHERS #STURGILLSIMPSON #UNDERPRESSURE #GIMMESHELTER #FREYA #JOURNEYSEXPLORATION #PROTECTING #WHENWILLYOUCOMEHOME #RHYTHM #ONGOING #PROTECTIONOFLIFE #RODRIGO #WAKEUP #INXS #FLOWERSSPIRAL #GAIMAN #PINKFLOYD #SECRETCOLLEGE #KNOWLEDGEINFORMATION #YINYANG #THUNDER #ELECTRICLIGHTORCHESTRA #STATION #ALCHEMIST #VEDDER #SLOWDIVE #PEOPLEWHODIED #SHADOWONTHEWALL #IS #MOONBOAT #SIMPLICITY #REED #JANISJOPLIN #MAGNETO #GOLDEN #HARD #NEXUSSPACE #GREATSMOKYMOUNTAINSNATIONALPARK #SAPPHIRES #MEMORYBRIDGE #MATTER #CHILD #CATERPILLAR #HORNEDGODDESS #PATCH #LANGUAGE #LUSTFORLIFE #IDONTKNOW #BODHIS #PRICES #SZA #PERSERVATION #TRIPLE #ASGARDIANS #TOGETHER #CITADEL #WHITEEAGLE #HIGHLYDETAILED #OFTEN #NIN #MASKSOFGOD #MOEBIUSSECRET #TRUELOVEWAITS #KNEBWORTH #NORTHSTAR #JASMINE #STRUCTURE #DO #DAZEDANDCONFUSED💜☮️♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒ #DRAWINGSTAR #ASTAL #RAINBOWINTHEDARK #CRYSTALUNIVERSE #LANDS #WAKEMAN #ANOTHERGREENWORLD #TOWERAVATAR #IMAGINARYWORLDS #ADVENTURES #GOVERNMENT #ELIZABETHFRASER #FLOYD #GEMSTONE #MAGICMANDALA #CROW #FULLSHOW #HISTORY #SHOP #PHOSPHORESCENT #SPINNINGAWAY #RECORDSHOP #AVENGEDSEVENFOLD #BRUCESPRINGSTEEN #GORILLAZ #SMALL #PLANETARY #TRULY #T-SHIRTS+ #UPPER #BOOKOFLOVE #BRIDGEGUARDIAN #SACREDFRACTAL #KUTI #LEVITATING #MULTIVERSALLIBRARY #BLACKSABBATH #SCIFI #EVOLVE #SAFETY #EXIT #FUTURISM #ISIS #DEATH #NIGHTRAID #AVAILABILITY #WHATINTHEWORLDAURA #COLORFULCOLORFUL #MATAIN #LANDSEASHIP #JOSHUAOAKLEY #GOGHGATLINBURG #METAL #CALLFORPRODUCTINQUIRIES #REST #LABYRINTHGARDENS #WATERHEALING #GREATSMOKYMTNS " #WITHOUT #UNDERWORLDS #DEFTONES #FRANKOCEAN #BANDTSHIRTS #SUNDRY #SUGARFORTHEPILL #DEMIGODS #1999 #SUPERCLUSTER #ADVENTURETIME #IMAGINATIONLIBRARY #BANDITS #ACDC #ELEPHANT #TIEDYE #VAPORWAVE #F #BLOODYWELLRIGHT #THERHYTHMSECTION78 #SU #LEDZEPPELIN #INVISIBLE #BENEVOLENCE #CORNUC #MEDITATION #HANDS #YANTRA #HOMELIGHT #LEARNINGGROWING #FOOTLOOSE #YEAHYEAHYEAHS #CHRISSTAPLETON #ALLOUTOFLOVE #MINDS #MEDIA #WUTANG #LINKINPARK #SILVERSTAR #SAGE #WITCHITAITO #PUMPKIRS #SHIRTSTORE #LION #BRYANFERRY #BUBBLES #PEARLJAM #WHATISLIFE #DOORS #PEACEFUL #WILL #PILOTSSUNFLOWERWIZARDS #NEWRELEASES #FAERIES #FADEINTOYOU #STICKERS #STICKERSTORE #GETTINGINTUNE #LUMPYSPACEPRINCESS #TRANSCENTALPRAGMATISM #SPIRITCASTLE #REDHOTCHILIPEPPERS #BREAKTHROUGHS #RANGE #TIE #BEATLES #MOUNTAINMALL #SPINNING #TSHIRTSLOVERS #LABYRINTH+ #GATLINBURGTN #WHEEL #INFORMATION #JUBILEESTREET #FIFTH #TRUE #STATIONMOEBIUS #TN #BOX #RECORDSRECORDSRECORDS #INTERDIMENSIONALCELESTIAL #BLANKETS #BROTHERS #NOW #FRANKSINATRA #KEEP #ONLYTIMEWILLTELL #OUTERWORLDS #WISE #FIREFLIES #JUDASPRIEST #RESOURCES #KILLER #ASK #SECTION #STORM #GAYE #COMESEEUS #GYPSYEYES #THANK #UFO #ABANDONEDLOVE #MEDICINEHEALING #INTERDISCIPLINARITY #MARBLE #ITEMS #RHYTHMS #ANCIENTPORTAL #HIGHDETAIL #FIVE #EASTTENNESSEE #SOLAR #SAVING #SMILING #FAMILY #SPIRALBEAUTY #PRIESTS #EMPTINESS #YGGDRASSIL #GONG #ABOVE #ELVISPRESLEY #ROBOTROCKOHYEAH #HEATHER #PREMIER #BANDSHIRTS #DANCING #BURST #THOREAU #ROAD #EQUALITY #INTRODUCES #ROUNDABOUT #BLACK #OFMONTREAL #CLOSETOME #THANKYOU #TENNESSEE #REFLECTION #JIMMYBUFFET #HIKE #DIARYOFAMADMAN #GOLDENSILVER #PANAMA #SHIRTSHOPS "#WITHOUT #KATE #WOODSTOCK #KEY #INTERACTION #DIRTYDANCING #SHIRTS #WONDER #INTERDIMENSIONALANCIENT #DARYLLHALL #EVER #TIEDYETSHIRTS #SHINING ✨ #PROTECTIONAURA #VINYLJUNKIE #GATLINBURGGARDEN #ABBEYROAD #SPIRALBEAR #MUSE #HEALINGISAMIRACLE #WORLDBUILDING #NATIONS #IJUSTWANTYOU #HOLIDAYSEASON #FORRESTGUMP #PROSEMUSIC #ARCADE #UNICORNCORE #VAMPIREWEEKEND #EDUCATION #BOTTOM #MEDICINAL #OZZYOSBOURNE #TAO #ENERGYFIRE #TREX #STEEL #HER #NOMOREILOVEYOUS #TRAVELLINGWILBURYS #TRUTHANDFICTION #REFLECTING #DEER 🚉 #WARY #FINDING #BUTKODY #CLOUDBUSTING #STARRY #MAGICALCONSCIOUSNESS #GRIMES #RIVEROFDREAMBEES #EMOTION #LOGOS #IMPORTS #PLAY #PRAYERSFORRAINRECORDS 🐉#THE #PLANETOLOGY #STRONGGATLINBURG #EVOLUTIONCHANGE #WEDNESDAY #SLEEVE #JUSTONEVICTORY ( #ONLY #CLOUDBURSTFLIGHT #GOLDENHOURS #VANAHEIM #SAVED #STARSHINING #T-SHIRTS #SUPPORTSMALLBUSINESS #METHODOLOGY #WISDOW #BOB #CLUB #SUPPLICATION #MILES #REGIMENT #CONSTANTLY #MACDEMARCO #ROCKPOP #DANMORRIS #STATIONTOSTATION #SEAOFSTARS #MEAT #FLOWEROFLIFE #KISS #DEPART -- #THOUSANDS #GNOME #ANASTASIS #FASCINATING #VANHALEN #CROSSROADSINN #NOSTALGIANOSTALGIANOSTALGIANOSTALGIAN #ASTERACEAE #SALEATION #GEIDI #FARMING #HARMONY #SPARKLECORE #JUNGIANMANDALADIAMOND #STOREROOM #PRIMUS #GHOSTEEN #GLEN #SEPIA #PROMPTS #PLANETRAINBOWINN #POWER #HAPPINESS #STATIONCROSSROADS #TOO #LOVEGORILLAZ #GHOSTBUSTERS #RAINBOWMAGIC #WIZARDOFTHERAINBOW #WARRIOR #LADYINRED #DREAMERS #DEVELOPMENT #POWERFUL #GUIDE #STATIONCREATIONLIBRARY #TODAY #BLOGGERRECORDS #THISMUSTBETHEPLACE #SKI #WHO #86546442 #PROGRESSIVE @#THERHYTHMSECTION78 #SNOW #MAGICFAIRY #OPIUM #COALITIONS #WORLDFORTRESS #GODDESSES #STEVEHACKETT #PERFECTSPOT #RETURN #BOOKSHELVES #ICEBLINKLUCK #AQUAMARINE #MIXED #IDEA #CONCERT #LEGENDTREE #STORERHYTHMSECTIONGATLINBURG #DEMOCRACY #TIMBUCKLEY #VINTAGESTYLE #HANGONTOYOURSELF #WITCH #EVERYTHING #FATIC #RARITIES #REVOLUTION #POSSESSED #GET #HIGHLANDER #PERFECT #ARISE #GRANDILLUSION #ALWAYS #INVISIBLEUNIVERSITY #JADE #DIVERSITY #DISCOVER #LIQUID #SO #FEARS #GATLINBURGTENNESSEE #STARFIGHTER #MEMOIRSOFAMADMAN #611 #BLUEGRASS #METAVERSE #MEGAVERSE #MUSICFANS #WEEK #GOINGTOCALIFORNIA #MOVING ♒ #OVERTHEHILLSANDFARAWAY #80SROCK #DAYTOREMEMBER #ORGANIZATION #IMAGINATIONFANTASY #HELPMESOMEBODY #DEADKENNEDYS #FOR #BARBIE+ #SMOKY #GARDENKINGART #INTHEBACKROOM #REFRACTIONSOFDAWN #HAWKWIND #IWANNABEYOURLOVER ♾️🔴🔵 #TSHIRTDESTINATION #PSYCHOLOGY #HESITATE #POPDAYS #HIGHLANDERSOUNDTRACK #MORE #INFIDELS #LAKEOFFIRE #INTODUST #INSIGHT #COUPLE #NINEINCHNAILS #PERSEVERANCE #JOINT #SPECIAL #PRIMETIMEOFYOURLIFE #BABYSONFIRE #TOOLBAND #FRAGILE #BEGINNING #MICRO #RESOURCES #AROUNDTHEWORLDHARDERBETTERFASTERSTRONGER #DUALITY #LOVING #DREAMLETTER #KEYHOLE #DREAMSSKY #BROADCASTS #CLASSICAL #THOSE 🙏 #MOVEMENTIMAGINATION #WORLDTREE #COMPACTDISCS #AMERICANGRAFFITI #MTNS #SPIRALCASTLE #HOLISMECOSOPHY #KINGGIZZARDANDTHELIZARDWIZARD #OUTER #CHAOTIC #DYLAN #WALKING #TROYESIVAN #HUMAN #KINGCRIMSON #RECORDSBUTTERFLY #TWENTYTWOWHEELSOFLIGHT #DIVINITY #UNITYINDIVERSITY #NETWORKS #PRECOGNITION #BESTSELLER #EXPLOREMORE #LEGENDARYHEARTS #2XL #BABAORILEY #DOLLYTREASURY #NATIONALPARK #ONANIGHTLIKETHIS #RHYTHMSECTIONGATLINBURG #3THERHYTHMSECTION78 #HAPPYMONDAYS #CLOUDBURST #FUTURISMPROGRESSIVE #NOSTALGIAFOOTLOOSE #STUDENT #LIES #SUNDAYBLOODYSUNDAY #Q #SPIRITCHASER #WINDFLOWERS #OBROTHERWHEREARTTHOU #SYMBOLIC #WARM #BALANCE #MANINTHEMIRROR #PINKFLOYDFAN #FOOLONTHEHILL #SOUNDTRACK #WHOLE #FORESTRAINBOW #VOODOOCHILD #SILVERTOWER #STREAM #INDARKTREES #FROMEUROPE #CAME #REALITIES #AURAL #HAMMERHORROR #FRESH #BEFORE REDBUBBLE COM/PEOPLE/RHYTHMSECTIONTN/SHOP #GRETAVANFLEET #BOYGENIUS #COMESAILAWAY 🌈 #IMAGINARYLANDSCAPES #HEARTWIZARDS #MUSICSTORES #TAKEMYBREATHAWAY #BARRY #BEST #VACATION #INDIVIDUALS #CHRONOLOGICAL #THERESHEGOESMYBEAUTIFULWORLD #SPIRALMANDALA #PROSE #LOVEBALANCE #DIMENSIONBLUE #DIAMONDDRAGON #HENDRIX+ #TYPEONEGATIVE #RELUCTANT #FRANKZAPPA #RIVERLIGHT #FALCON #ALBUMS #WARDENS #JEFFBUCKLEY #OSLOINTHESUMMERTIME #LEONARD #SUR #BANDTSHIRT #PRECURSOR #ELEMENTALBALANCE #HAD #AVATAR #NEGATIVE #SYNTHESIS #LETSSTICKTOGETHER #RHYTHMSECTIONRECORDSTORE #SHAMROCK #LANADELREY #COEXIST #AUDIOPHILEQUALITY #ETC #GREAT #HADTOCRYTODAY #DOLLYPARTON #WERD #SHIRTSRECORDS #KINDS #LONGER #CAUSES #MEMORYPALACE #TENTH #BOTH #INTELLECTUAL #AFTERFOREVER #SHADOWS @#VISIT #GODOFNATURE #WILDERNESS #VINYLALBUMS #GOLDENDRAGON #YOUSPINMEROUND #BELLS #TOME #ELEVENTHINFINITE #REPRODUCTIONPOSTERS #PRESENCE #MAGNET #WIZARDS #MATRIXWATEROFLIFE #CANTFINDMYWAYHOME #FLEETWOODMAC #HELL #SHOPPING #ALL #SPA #MAGEWAVEMOONSHADOW #DON’T #FAR #STATIONTOTSTATION #TWINS #THEMES #RECORDSHOPS #PLANES #AWAKENING #SOUNDTRACKS #HOMEGALAXY #SEVEN #CELESTIALCITADEL #CARRYONWAYWARDSON #NIRVANA #SOULPOWER #COLORADOFARM #INBETWEENRAINBOW #BONJOVI #DREAMWORKS #SPHINXLIGHTNING #USED #EXPLORATION #ENTRANCEWAY #MISTAKE #KEYCHAINS #WANTEDMAN #THOUSAND-ARMED #HELLOGOODBYE #PORTRESS #RAINBOWINN #MOONCHILD #BEIN #BEYONCE #BETTER/EASIER #FAN #DOORWAYOFTIME #LSD #LUIS #SUBLIME #SMOKYMOUNTAINSNATIONALPARK 🐉 #FRACTALSSPARKLING #DREAMDREAM #WAITING #GATLINBURGRECORDSTORE #INTUITION #NEUTRALMILKHOTEL #SEAT #DANCINGINTHESTREET #GODLOVESAMERICA #MONTY #COGNITIVE #INNBETWEENWORLDSYOUREGONNAMAKEMELONESOMEWHENYOUGO #COLLECTOR #HILL #IMGINATIONSTATION #INDULCEJUBILO #LOVEOFLIFE #DIAMONDEYES #EGYPTIAN #ODIN #BEHEMOTH #ANGELEYES #REINEN #REGULARLY #SISTERSOFMERCY #OLDANDWISE #CHERRYCOLOUREDFUNK #KIDCUDI #HANDOFGOD #TRAINSPOTTING #JOURNEYS #REFLECTIONSUNFLOWER #VALLEYGATEWAY #NURTURING #THESE #MICHAELJACKSON #BLUEJEAN #PEACE EARTH #REDBUBBLECOMPEOPLERHYTHMSECTIONTNSHOP #FIGHT #UNDERSTAND #COMESATIME #MEDICINE #MTN #LIMETREEARBOUR #PROVIDE #ELEVENDIMENSIONS #RIDEONTHERAY #SOMETHING #BUILDINGFUTURE #CAGETHEELEPHANT #DOORWAYS #HIGHWAY61REVISITEDTIMEMTHERHYTHMSECTION78 #SPACEPYRAMID #SHIRTDESTINATION #LOVELIGHT #CELESTIALCASTLE #MONSTERS #TIMEWINDMANDALUCKDRAGON #LIKEAROLLINGSTONE #COMING #SPIRITUALITY #NEWYEARSDAYRECORDS #HAS #MAGICTRANSFORMATION #SMOOTHCRIMINAL #TRUECOLORS #ELIXIR #YOUTH #GUARDIANCONSCIOUSNESS #LEARNING #NAILS #WELLBEING #JULIA #LIFESECRET #INTHECOURTOFTHECRIMSONKING #THESMITHS #JOYDIVISION #ARTIFICIAL #NEVERENDING #ASPECTS #ACTION #ALFHEIM #ABOUTAGIRL #VAN #THEWEEKND #LOVELIESBLEEDING #ABETH #MINE #STRANGERSWHENWEMEET #PLANET #ROXY #ARNICA #ENGINEERS #FOREPLAYLONGTIME 🌼 #AGAIN #EYEOFRA #SCARY" #NONVIOLENCE #XL #THEATERCITY #ELECTISE #COMMUNITIES #INTHEWAKEOFPOSEIDON #MANDALAPUNK #STARSPIRAL #MACHINES #THEPOLICE #UNDERABLOODREDSKY #RECORDSRECORDSLUCKDRAGON #REMASTERED #RESTOCKED #REVOLUTIONARY #DONTANSWERME #VULCAN #MOTH #GREATSMOKYMOUNTAINS #GRACE #ANKH #GUARDING #DIRECTION #FRACTALART #IMAGINATIONRAINBOW #COMMUNITY #WRITE #REMINDER #GLAMROCK #NOT #LIFEMOVING #COLE #WAITINGFORYOU #SPIRST #MIKEOLDFIELD #RECEPTIVITY #SOBER #GATLINBURGRECORDSTOREIMAGINATION #IMAGINATIONLIBRARYGOLDEN #PEACERECORD #HOUSEOFDREAM #SECURITY #COEXISTENCE #LIVINGMIND #SEASON #SISTERS #VICTORY #MULTIPANEL #MICKJAGGER #ARTNOUVEAU #BESTRECORDSTORE #DRAW #KEEPING #AKIRA #PEOPLE #SNAKECATTURTLE #EDEN #BLACKFLAG #WINDOWSINTIME #SUNS #VAMPIRES #ARGEL #ISLANDSANCTUARY #STAIRCASE #KABBALAHALCHEMY #COUNTRYMUSIC #BLISSFUL #PASSION #EMERALDLABYRINTH+ #TWENTY-TWO #DANCINGBEARS #SACREDHEART #YOUMAKEMYDREAMSCOMETRUE #SONGTOTHESIREN #FUN #PICTURE #HEALINGMAGIC #IMAGES #CARRYME #LOVELETTER #WATEROFLIFE #LOCALGROUP ❄️ #FIRST #TUBULAR #TWELFTHVALLEY #MUCHMORE #TENNESSEERECORDSRECORDS #BUTTONSPINS #SYMPATHY #FLOWEROFCONSCIOUSNESS #MEACULPA #TUPELOHONEY #FOLK #PHILCOLLINS #SANTUNG #SMOKYMOUNTAINCHRISTMAS #LILY #GRATEFULDEADSHIRTS #SOULSPIRIT #MOTHEROFEARTH #ITSNOGAME #DISARM #ENDOFTHELINE #LOVELY #DIALOGUE "#WELL #SONGOFTHESTARS #UKRAINE @#MOUNTAIN_MALLTEMPLARS #WAITINGMAN #WITCHES #PARKWAYGATLINBURG #LOGOUT #BRUNO #ALICEINCHAINS #HAVE #TRAIN #RADIANCE #OVERTHEMOUNTAIN #STRAITS #WEAVEWORLD #POLITICS #BLADE #MOTORHEAD #HURRICANE #DOOR #LYNYRDSKYNYRD #ISLANDSPLANETARY #SPECIES #LOVEONAREALTRAIN #EMERALDLABYRINTH #JAM #MAIL #LEONARDCOHEN #NICKCAVE #BESTSHIRTSHOP #WALKINGONSUNSHINE #GOODNIGHT #WATERDIMENSION #LOVEISABATTLEFIELD #TULIP #AGAINST #TRANSFORM #SELFAWARE #CONSCIOUSNESSREFUGE #EXPOSURE #FOLKLORE #BEAUTIFULMIND #CDSTORE #CRYSTALS #LAKSHMI #NESTLED #CHANGINGOFTHEGUARDS #ALCHEMIST’S #POSITIVE #CRANBERRIES #THISTIMETOMORROW #REBELLION #CHAOS #UPON #JIMMYBUFFETT #DRAYA #MYTH #BUCKLEY #HARDTOFIND #INTERESTED #TRIBECALLEDQUEST #GOINGTOCALIFORNIAOCEANIA #FINTHEHUMAN #PRETTYCOOL #PRIMES #ECONOMICS #NECKDEEP #CLUSTER #SCARY #NEWARRIVALSVINYL #PEACESHIP #GHOSTEENSPEAKS #INTRO #EMILY #TIEDYELOVE #BUTTONS #FOOLS #LIBRARYSTATION #OMNIVERSEPURPLE #RIGHTS #VALLEYS #PEOPLEHAVETHEPOWER #HEROES #HOURS #COCTEAUTWINS #ECOCENTEREDCONSCIOUSNESS #QUICK #NINE #ZOMBIES #SNAKE #GOLDENYEARS #TODDRUNDGREN #SISTER #FAREST #BUTTERFLIES #STEVIENICKS #BED #MYLIFEINTHEBUSHOFGHOSTS #HEALINGISAMIRACLERAINBOW #SIRIUS #TRETIVERSAL #MASKSOFDREAM #LABORATORY #SPIRALLIBRARY #PARKMUSIC #BLUEGREEN #KANYEWEST #LIMINALSPACE #FRIENDS #SOLARSYSTEM #TERRAPIN #ELDREN <#3 💜 #OZZY #WISDOMPOWER #EYEOFHORUS #TSHIRTSHOP #GOOD #MANDALAGEOMETRIC #CELESTIALS #HARRYSTYLES #FATHER #HEAVENLYPYRAMID #UNDERGROUND #GIVENTOFLY #BLADERUNNERSOUNDTRACK #PUNKROCKNROLL #FRIENDSHIP #PROTECTIONSPIRIT #WAT #LASTINLINE #KINGART #YELLOW #BLINK182 #STARCASTLE #QUESTIONS #FLAMES #MAGICALBUTTERFLY #OMNISCIENCE #MUSICSTORE #5 #BEAUTIFULBUTTERFLY #IVAN #TOWARDTHEWITHIN #POEM #SKYWORLD #HELMET #LIFESTATION #HAPPINESSISEASY #INDIEVINYL #APPEARS #FOURASTROPHYSICS #UNDERICE #WECAREALOT #FIFTHDIMENSIONAL #RENEWAL #RECORDSTOREFINDS #REPRESENT #WUTHERINGHEIGHTS #EDGE #BEGINNER #HEARTHEALING #DRUGS #AA #SPEEDOFLIFE #LOCAL #LANDSAGE #HEALINGREFLECTION #AIKEAGUINEA #MOEBIUSSUNFLOWER #PINKFLOYDLIVE #KINGOFPAIN #ENLIGHTENMENT #WATERFALL+ #SHINY #TRAVELLING #AVALOKITESVARA #PERSEUS #TRAVELS #U #SILENCE #SONGS #SELFUNDERSTANDING #RECORDSHOPPING #WITH #WHENDOVESCRY #MULTISENSORY #LOVETHEONEYOUREWITH #PATTISMITH #RAINBOWCASTLE #SHELTERFROMTHESTORM #LINKINBIO #MANICMONDAY #GIANTHOME #SHAPESHIFTINGKNOWLEDGE #SINCE1978 #CLASH #MANNER #ROSICRUCIANS #STARMAN #GODLINESS #CHAMBER #WARD #SUNMOON #THEWHO #BREATHLESS #THEWAYSTATIONWIND #GENTLE #ELEVEN #WHYICRY #FANTASYLIBRARY #NEWARRIVALS #DUNE+ #AURORACORE #AUTHOR #ASTRALFORTRESS #RETRO #ABRAXAS #DEPARTMENT #PERSERVATIONOFENVIRONMENT #HYPERBOREAN #STAIN #DICTATE #NOUVEAU #RECORDSRECORDS #EXPERIENCES #IMAGINATIONSTAR #GALAXIES #IT'S #GUARANTEED #DARE #PARVATI #TALKING #MORGANWALLEN #AMERICA #MONARY #SPIRITMOTH #PISTOLS #SHAPESHIFTING #UNIVERSALITY #COMESEE #POLICE #PROTECTIONTOWER #PROMPT #FUGAZI #ELEVENTH #RELATIVELY #MIRACLE #JUMPTHEYSAY #MASTEROFREALITY #RIDGE #LENNON #SERIESOFDREAMS #URATH #BARRIER #NEUTRAL #TRANSCENDINGHUMAN #KISHINGS #FUTURES #LONGTRAINRUNNIN #KUAN #QUEEN #ROCKMUSIC #WHATSYOURFAVORITEBOWIELIVE #REVEAL #BUSH #ALLMYLITTLEWORDS #PAINTINGS #POSITIVITY #ASTIL #YOURSELF? #WARDEN #GREENPROTECTION #RESTORATION+ #ECLECTICPLAYLIST #RAINBOWGUARDIAN #DIEGEN #WEEZER #NOVELTY #POWEROFSOUL #LAUREL #YES #SHEPPERTON #YEARS #T-SHIRT #TERRAPINSTATION #LOVERS #JIMI #CD #LITTLEREDCORVETTE #HANGED #WRONGWAYUP #CHILDRENOFTHESUN #HUNT #DRAGONPEOPLE #EVERYBODYHAVEFUNTONIGHT #COHEN #HEARTOFTHESUNRISE #RUNINTOFLOWERS #WARID #ANTHRAX #STUFF #HAVENSILVER #NEWYESTONETEMPLEPILOTS #BOBMARLEY #RABBIT #WILD #ATLANTISREALM #BANGBANG / #SECTION #BORGES #DRAGON-TURTLE #SLEEPTOKEN #POPLIFE #ASHESTOASHES #RUBYLAZULI #SHOES #TREEWORLD #CLEANLINES #CORAL #RAPMUSIC +++++ #DOWNTOWN #GUARDINGTHEMULTIVERSE #BEEN #SUPER (#IF #BRIANENOMUSIC #STEVIERAYVAUGHAN #THECROW #PIMPIN #GOBLINBATTLE #COTTON #BLUEWATERUNDERWORLD #UNDERTHEMILKYWAY #SKYBLUETREEOFLIFE #STARGATE #SIZE #CONTEMPLATION #STARWILDERNESS ************ #CAMPING #STICKERSHOP #INTRICATEDETAIL #WIT #ASPECT #MAGICMIRROR #WINDOWS #WALKINGONTHEMOON #GOT #RUSH #ELECTRICLADYLAND #BARBARIAN #SACRED #GATEWAYS #TURTLETHE #WATERFALLMOUNTAIN #CAMPGARDEN #MOUNT #MADE #TRIBUNAL #ISLANDS #ONEWORD #COSMICCROSSROADS #THOUSANDARMED #HOUSING #CENTER #AMETHYS #LAPISPOWER #EMERALDAVATAR #WHILE #ANIMALCOLLECTIVE #CHARM #MATHEMATICAL #WILBURYS #WINTER #STATIONS #DIPLOMACYPOLITICS #PRAYERSFORRAINIMAGINATIONMANDALA #OTHER #DAYDREAM #BAJAS #THORSHELMET #RECORDSFORSALE #COMPANIONS #REX #BABA #TOWN #UNPLUGGED #FREEDOM #OUTRO @#MOUNTAIN_MALL #FELA #CROSSROAD #JETHRO #TANGERINEDREAM ❤️ #ENGINEER #CARRYING #CASTILE #THERHYTHMSECTIONTN #KURTCOBAIN #FACTIONS #DEFLEPPARD #HELEN #ELTOPO #EVOLVE? #L #WINDGUARDIAN #ZEPPELIN #CERTAINTY #ROLL #WIZARDMOUNTAIN #CHANGINGEVOLVING #TWO #DIRECTLY #CITADELSUNFLOWERSUNFLOWER \ #APPALACHIANMOUNTAINS #FOURTH #ARCHETYPAL #CREEDS #INTERPLANETARY #MORRISON #METALSTICKERS #LETSGOCRAZY #GROWTHAURA #SUNANCIENT #DEFENDER #BRIANENOFAN #IWANNADANCEWITHSOMEBODY #TITLES #MAGE #BACKTOTHEFUTURE #BESTSHIRTSTORE #EMERGED #FAERYSEASCAPE #FLOATINGCONTINENT #RIGHT #LADIES FACEBOOK COM/GATLINBURGMTNMALL #STICKERS/100% #BRIDGES #RELATED #STRAIT #HOUNDSOFLOVE #YOUCHAMGEDMYLIFE #CREATE #ROCKANDROLLWITHME #LIVINGHEART #STAICARY #HOLYMOUNTAINSOUNDTRACK #ROMANCEINDURANGO #SOMENEWTHINGS #GRAFFITI #GRONLANDICEDIT #WE #PROSEMUSICWATEROFLIFE #EVERYBODYWANTSTORULETHEWORLD #PROGRESSION #ARMED #WINDOFCHANGE #COMPACT #ELLIOTTSMITH #MEAGAN #MIDNIGHTCITY #ISYOURLOVESTRONGENOUGH #DEAD/PINK #JOYDIVISIONTENNESSEE #NINTHREALITY #PRISM #BOXOFRAIN #INTEGRATION #LOSTBOYS #JOHNNY #ALSO #INVISIBLECOLLEGE #RAY #PRIESTESS #SPELLS #865-436-4342 #UNDYING #MAYONAISE #DIO #SUNNYDAYREALESTATE 🌠 ? #RICOCHET #DEVI #SOL #ANN #HERA #HOUSEOFDREAMS #LIFESTATION #VANESSA #IZIMBRA #GENEROSITY #WEB #MUCH #WATERSEDGE #ASTRALPALACE #THEN #BILLYJOEL #REALM #PLEASESHOPLOCAL #EXCALIBUR #LAKES #BECAUSETHENIGHT #ENGLAND #PUNK #ELEMENTS #SPACEGUARDIAN #JANIS ⭐ #POLEDOURIS #PINKFLOYDFANS #DRAWINGDREAMS #HANKWILLIAMS #TEMPERATE #REALIZATION #HOME #GLORIOUS #CITADELSANCTUARY #PRAGMATIC #SHIRT #WESTERNLANDS #BEYOND #HANDALA #COWBOYBEBOP #BONNIEPRINCEBILLY #ABILITY #JUDE #CLOTH #GREATSMOKYMOUNTAINS+ #ASSORTED #STRENGTH 💜☮️♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎⛎♾️🔴🔵#I #RECORDSHOPRHYTHM #ASGARD #STRAYKIDS #KIDSINAMERIA #DESIGN #HAMMER #SECTIONS #MAGICIANS #DONTGIVEUP #MANKELE #HERMETIC #BLOGGER #TALKTALK #FLEETWOOD #GUARDIANS #PROLOGUE #ROCKBANDS #TWOHEADEDDOG #II #ALCHEMISTS #THERHYTHMSECTION #JUSTLIKEHONEY #HONEY #REVIVAL #MUSIKLADEN #AVATARS #DREAMCATCHERS #MA THAT'S #FIGURE8 #CITIES #SECRETHOLY #OPIUMTEA #RESTAURANT #REXORANGECOUNTY #ETERNAL #BEESHONEY #BABAOREILY #BEMYWIFE #WRITINGGARDENING #AEGIANSEA #MICHAEL ♊ #HIDDENGEM #GATE #THESHINS #SUFFERFORFASHION #MILLER #BLESSED #SAT #SPIRITOFIMAGINATION #PREMIERE #THERHYTHMSECTIONRHYTHM #ELSE #BIODIVERSITY #IMPORTED #GARDENTREE #PATCHES+ #ARTS #PRAYERSFORRAIN #THESECTION #HOLDING #OCHILDREN #HEALINGS #FOUNTAINS #HELPFULNESS #RAINBOWHARDSUN #STORYLINE #SEEYOUONTHEOTHERSIDE #SECOND #ARDA #PROGRESS #SMASHINGPUMPKINS #SFAITH #DREAMSMUSHROOM #STORYTELLINGWATERFALLRAINBOWBRIDGETREE #GHOSTINYOU #YOUNGAMERICANS #PROPHECY #GLOBAL #FANTASYFOREST #PICKS #GOING #WAK #VINYL #TRANSDISCIPLINARY #SMASHING #SWELLMAPS #CONSTELLATION #HIPHOP #SUNFLOWERTOWER #SEN #WHENIGROWUP #OUT #WATCHTOWER #TIEDYESHIRTS #HAWK #NEILYOUNG #FIGURE #MOUNTAINFOREST #FRANK #THIS #CASTLEOFIMAGINATION #MUSIC/MOVIES #BREAK #NO #GEOGRAPHY #WRITER #POP #MODELO #GUNSNROSES #SWEETESTTHING #MULTIVERSES #SHOPTSHIRTS #THERHYTHMSECTIONGATLINBURG #TSHIRTSTORE #FACE #LONGNIGHTS #PRESIDENTGAS #A #EMISSARIES #RAINBOWINNLEGEND #GOBLINS #RIVE #PURE #HEAVENANDHELL #17 #BERYL #UNCERTAINTY #CITYOFDREAMS #AFICIONADO #LIVEAID #BUCKETSOFRAIN #GALAXYSPIRAL #COSMICFAIRY #WELCOMETOTHEMACHINE #DAMNED #BIGSHIP #NOMORE #PSYCHEDELICFURS #POPULAR #OTHERWORLD #RIVEROFDREAMS #SEAS #BROKENWINGS 🙏🌻 #GHOST #MIKE #LIQUIDBLUESHIRTS #SCOOBYDOO #PRESERVING #STUDIOS #OCEANJUSTICE #LOTSOFNEWARRIVALRECORDS #NEONGENESISEVANGELION #FORWHOMTHEBELLTOLLS #MANDALAY #LOCATION #VISITGATLINBURG #MIME #2080 #STAROCEAN #BILLIEEILISH #DOORWAYSTAIRWAY #1978 #PICKOFDESTINY #FEAR #FUTUREWORLD #WAKING #EVENTUALLY #MISTY #TAKEITONTHERUN #PAREST #ALEXGREY #INVISIBLESUN #SKYTIME #SOURCE #MANAGER #AWAY #MINDBENDING #DOCUMENTARY #TOURISTATTRACTION #DISPLAY #JUPITER #SHAREYOURBOWIELOVE #MERMAIDS #VINYLRECORDS #YOUMAKELOVINGFUN #DAYSARENUMBERS #RHYTHMSECTION #THOR #VOICESFROMACOMMONLAND #HORSES #HEAVYMETALMUSIC #O'RILEY #RHYTHMSECTIONGATLINBURGTN #ELDAR #ECHOANDTHEBUNNYMEN #BESTSELLERS #STRANGERTHINGS #MIDWORLD #SEPHIROTH #CHANGELIFE #TONIGHTTONIGHT #FORESTS #STELLAR #YEAROFTHECAT #YIN #WORLDSPSYCHEDELIC #MIRACLEOFLIFE #AVOID #SLAYER #FARFROMME #SHINEONYOUCRAZYDIAMOND #MEANING #WELL #PRINCESS #MUSICDIMUSICLOVERS #STEVEMCQUEEN #TENNSEE #YORK #UP #WOLF #POSTER #INTERDISCIPLINARY #RESURRECTING #NECESSITY #TUNNEL #DWARVES #GARDENING #ELLINE #MAZE #INTENTION #ALANJACKSON ♍ #TNVINYL #CROWNEDBYSTARLIGHT #SOON #MISFITS #FORTIFIED #ANCIENT #ARTIST #DREAMSCRYSTAL #ARTENSEMBLEOFCHICAGO #WITHOUTTEARS #KORN #RAINBOWTOWER #FROM #ANDDREAMOFSHEEP ♏ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++#OUTERWORLD #WOMEN 🍀💙🔵💕🌝🌠💜♑♐🐦💟🐈🐢🐉🌈😍💚🍀💙🔵💕🌝🌠💜♑♐🐦💟🐈🐢🐉🌈😍💚🍀💙🔵💕🌝🌠💜♑♐🐦💟🐈🐢🐉 #IP #MANINME #ALLTHETIREDHORSES #STREET #VALLEY #SMITH #ROCK #NEWVINYLRECORDS #AIRHEAVENLY #NATIONALPARKSTICKERSTORE #LAZULI #MEMORABLE #COMEINTOMYSLEEP #VENUS #SMITHS #WHAT’S #OOHLALA #BRUNOS #VIOLENTFEMMES #SOUTH #UNLOCK #CLUSTERS #MY #ASTROLOGYAQUARIUS #ASSORTMENT #MESSAGE #MIRACLEOFLIGHT ♌ #FAME #LCITADEL #ELFPOWER #COASTLINES #LIFERHYTHM #YOUR #LOOKINGFORTODAY #865-436-4342 #SUNSHINE #SPEED #RESOURCE #CLEANLINESS #PEARL #JOSEPHINE #FEAROFMUSIC #HILLS #SERIOUS #JELLYROLL #HEAVYMETALVINYL #TOWEL #GATLINBURGSTORE #LISTENING #INCLUDING #RECORDSTORESSUNFLOWER #BEASTIEBOYS #EYEOFHORUSRA #GLASSPIDER #TSHIRTSTORES #NIETZSCHE #STONES #WINGS #ASSORTEDSUNDRYTREASUREHUNTLOCATION #JOSHUASTARLIGHT #PLANESCAPE #HUMORGARDEN #WOMENS #LOTUS #MOTHEROFPEARL #TOMPETTY #ORION #HUMANITY #TEMPLARSBLUE #MARCELINE #STEVIE #FLAMINGLIPS #MACRO #COSMICTEMPLE #SETS #PSYCHEDELICSTYLE #SINGING #EYEINTHESKY #READ #EXPANSION #LUMINESCENCE #BUDDHISM #LAW #EARTHLINGS #MAYONNAISE #PERCEIVING #ATMOSPHERE #GRAAF #TELEVISIONRULESTHENATION #WORKING #RING #NEWWAVE #ASTEL #ALLOW #WATCHER #VOID #DREAMWAVE #HANDLEWITHCARE #PHOEBEBRIDGERS #MYTHOLOGY #SALLY #TRANSCENDENTALELEPHANT RHYTHMSECTIONGATLINBURG #AERODYNAMICBEATS #JON #LOUREED #NOCEILING #KNOW #THEATERFRACTAL #SELF #TIMEWIND #INTERLOCKING #NEVER #ARIANAGRANDE #PALCECLOUDEDWHITE #JUST #COCTEAU #BUT #SPIRITSKY #SOBEGINSOURALABEE #RAMBLEON #TRY #AWAKE #SUNFLOWERBLUE #UNICORN #MYTHS #AMNESIAC #SUSTAINABILITYWISDOM #AUDIOPHILE #1978 #SET #MANASA #STATIONUSA #LOCOMOTIVE #LIFESAVING ⭐✨ #BOBDYLANFAN #VALHALLAAVALON #LOWER #HIERARCHY #JAZZ #BEASTIE #VISUAL #MOUNTAINSARECALLING #ELEANOR 🔵 #RADIORADIO #KATEBUSH #ROXYMUSIC #HAITI #LABYRINTHS #VINYLCOLLECTIONS #ALLMANBROTHERSBAND #SPIRALTOWER #CLEANLINESS+GODLINESS+EMPTINESS #W ⛎ #DIONYSUS #TEN #MOVIE #VIDEOS #WALLS #GATLINBURGINN #BORDERLANDS #SCOTTPILGRIM #TEST #28 #FRACTALPUNK #DREAMTIME #LEDZEPPELINGATLINBURG #GOALS #FLOATING #COMEVISIT 🎑 #IMAGINING #THING #MANTHAN #1000YEARS #WILDFLOWERS #GABRIELLE #WATERFALLPROTECTION #REFRACTIONS #MERMAID #HEAVYWEIGHT #ILLUMINATOR #GAIA #HEALINGISAMIRACLELEARNING #POSTMODERN #BACKGROUND #CARNIVALISOVER #NATIONAL #ANIMIZED #HOMEBYTHESEA #GEOMANCY #THIEF #VAMPIRE #SERVES #NEWANDOLD #RICK #SOWINGTHESEEDSOFLOVE #CARNAGE #HERO #ACOLYTE #SUPERNATURALACCOMPLICE #OCEANS #MULTIDIMENSIONAL #IVESEENALLGOODPEOPLE #STCENTRAL #BONO #PM #LOVEISTHEDRUG #BIRDSOFFIRE ♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎ #AVATARWATER #BMO #EMBROIDERED #STARRYEYES #MUSPELHEIM #INTERIOR #VIRGOSUPERCLUSTER #SHAMBALA #CRESCENDOLLS #ETERNALS #ARE #FRAMPTON #EDUCATIONAL #TER #ELFLANDKINDNESS #MASKS #AWE #INTERGALACTICRADIOSTATION // #WORLDLUCK #JUMP #GRATEFUL #THREEDAYSGRACE #POSSIBLE #EMPATHY #PERSPECTIVES #SAVEDMIRACLE #VIOLETASTROLOGY #NIRVANA+KURTCOBAIN #ALREADY #CREATOR #INTENSE #SUICIDEBOYS #TUPLE #LEVIATHAN #LEADER #CHILDRENOFTHEREVOLUTION #EXPLORE #MALLAQUARIUM #PEN #APPEAR #BRIGHTDRAGON #AMETHYSTBRIGHT #CARPETCRAWLERS #COSMICDREAM #WORLDOFDREAM #LOOKBACKINANGER #STORES #FUJI #RECORDSTOREGATLINBURG #HARDRAIN #MAINTHING #INTERNATIONAL #JOSH #COMMUNE #JANISSTYLE #YOUANGELYOU #JOY #LIBERALISM #LEARN #SMOKYMTNSMALL #BAT #SCORPIONS #MASTEROFPUPPETS #LAMAR #GATLINBURGTENNESSEERADIOHEAD #YESSONGS #WITHIN #SPECIALAVAILABILITY #INTELLIGENCE #HUMANSBEING #THEMOUNTAINSARECALLING #AMETHYSTLEGEND #ONEWORLD #NICK #SONGFOREUROPE #ELEVATOR #SOULFRIENDSHIP #RESURRECTIONRESTORATION #LIFEWATER #ROWHOW #TAKEMEHOME #MANY #MUSICSHOP 💛🐈 #CLOSERTOTHEHEART #PLEASE #WOODYGUTHRIE #STAIRWAYHEAVENLY #RAGEAGAINSTHEMACHINE #EMERALDCITY #LIGHTHOUSE #ANGELSOFLIGHT #OFFICIAL #ONETHATIVEBEENWAITINGFOR #OLYMPIANS #INEEDYOU #10AM #CASTLES #ELTON #MANDELA #PETERGABRIEL #OPPOSITION @#VISITGATLINBURG #BROMPTONORATORY #LAKEISLAND #CHARLIEBROWN #NICE #HURRYUPWEREDREAMING #DISARMAMENT #DIRECT #USANDTHEM #DANZIG #TIM #APRILSKIES #COULEURS #RUNNINGUPTHATHILL #ALICE #TAKINGTIGERMOUNTAINBYSTRATEGY #DISCOVERY #GALAXYENLIGHTENMENT #SMOKYMOUNTAINS+ #SWEETNESSANDLIGHT #FOOFIGHTERS #TECHNOLOGIC #ULTRAVIOLET #RAP #XANADU #EFFORT #BATHING #RHYTHMSECTIONRGATLINBURGRECORDSTORE #PRAYERSFORRAIN+ #EAT #ROOFTOP 💛 #ROLES #REFUGECITY #HARDSUN #SONGSOFLOVEANDHATE #MORNINGSTAR #SAND #GOD #SHELVES #PAVER #TWOHEARTSBEATASONE #MAGGIEROGERS #80SMUSIC #THECARNIVALISOVER #PRETTY #EDITING #LIGHTPATHWAY #YESALBUM #SABBATHBLOODYSABBATH #ELVISCOSTELLO #BY #MARS #IRON-ON/SCREEN-PRINTED #EBAY COM/STR/INTERDISCIPLINARYTREASURES $$*%+ #ARMYDARKNESS #LIFESAVINGPRINCE #SPHINX #TREASURETROVE #MANDALAS #DREAMSNEVEREND #SCOTT #AI #VISITING #REMAKER #COLLEGE 🌝 #OCEANINN #WER #REPRODUCTION #RETROSHOP #BLUEROOM #GREMLINS #STUDENTOFGOOD #CRY #TRAFFIC #EVERYGRAINOFSAND #SUBWAY #CASHMONEY #REDRAIN #MANWHOSOLDTHEWORLD #YOUTUBE #LOVES #FIREWOMAN #ANY #DAN #LIVE? #ACT #PICKUP #SNAKECAT #SHADOW #WEIGHTLESS #GANGOFFOUR #COME ♋ #WHAT #PLANETS #EATING #GATLINBURGTNSMOKYMOUNTAINS #LAUREN #WHEELS #IWOULDDIE4U #BRIGHTHORSES #VEGAS #TEARSINRAIN #QUARTET #ASTRALPLANE #FLYT 🎶 #SAXANDVIOLINS #MIRROROFWATER #CROSSOFCHANGES \\ #FAIRIE #GATEWAYSAPPHIRE #GATLINBURGMUSICANDMOVIES #SUNSHINEDAYDREAM #GOODMORNING #SUNGLASS RECORDS RECORDS+RECORDS +++RECORDS+ JIMIHENDRIX #ROLLWITHTHECHANGES #FALLOUTBOY #SPACEAGELOVESONG #RAINBOWWIZARD #PEACETRAIN #PIN #CYCLE #COMPLEXITYSIMPLICITY #GUARDIANSAVATAR #SECRETLIFE #1 #ANIMAL #SWAMPTHING #OBSERVING #INFINITEWORLDS #NEGOTIATION #RITUAL #NATUREELF #MEMORYSCHOOL #SUICIDEBLONDE #1980 #DISC #TRANSCENDENTALPRAGMATISM #LAYERED #LABYRINTHRECEPTIVITY #EXPERIMENTING 🐦 #GREENHLOUREED #HEAVENISINYOURMIND #ROCKNROLL #MESIN #MUSIKMOVIES #MERCHANDISE #DAFT #STACKS #PRIME #LIFT #ONE #PRAYERSFORRAINPURP #WINDWATER #SLEEP #AGEOFWINTERS #KILLINGMOON #BORNTORUN #SAPPHIRESANCTUARY #SYSTEMOFADOWN #STORYTELLER #MAILORDERS #WORLDOFDREAMS #LOW #ALLMANBROTHERS #CHANGINGFINDING #MOSS #TEARSFORFEARS #WIZARDTOWER #EMERALDAMETHYST #LIPSLIKESUGAR #RECORDSTORES #PICTUREDISC #ENO #FANTASYFORESTMANDALA #ENVIRONMENT? #BRAHMA #CITADEL7 #FAERYCASTLE #WATCH #SPIRITED #MOST #POSTERSRAINBOW #GOVINDA #MULTIVERSEOFHEAVEN #GILMOUR #ROBOTROCK #PIERCETHEVEIL ♑ #WHATINTHEWORLD ⭐#RHYTHM #SUPERTRAMP #PINKFLOYDFLASHBACK #FORTIES #UNFORTUNATELY #SPIDERANDI #MANDALASTARWILDERNESS #TAYLORNATIONTSHIRTSHOP #HAVENSECRET #SMOKYMOUNTAINSTRONG #MEMORYISLAND #GUARDIANDRAGON #37738 #NEVERTEARUSAPART #IDEALS #CLOSE #WORLDSWONDERLAND ❤️💛💚💙💜♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎⛎ #ECCENTRICS #ROSES #HONESTY #TIEDYEISART #INTHEEYESOFNATURE INNBETWEENWORLDSYOUREGONNAMAKEMELONESOMEWHENYOUGO #MACHINERY #CLEARANCE #DREAMWEAVER #NOTDARKYET #NYCNY #NEILGAIMAN COM/PHOTOS/MUSIC1978 #DREAMGEOMETRIC #STEALYOURFACE #SPIRALTOWERRAINBOW #AVALOKITESHVARA #MOBIUS #INNBETWEENWO0RLDS #GATLINBURGRECORDS #OBSERVATION #PLAYBOICARTI #ETERNITY #BRITNEY #RHYTHMSECTIONTENNESSEE #TEARS #GIVEALITTLEBIT #COOL #SHESELLSSANCTUARY #NEWVINYL #OCCUR #LIKE #GOODTIMES #CIVILWARS #MOVEMENTS #SERIES 💟 #FIND #ISAVEDTHEWORLDTODAY #FIELDSOFTHENEPHILIM #24 #IROBOT #FRACTALCENTERSANCTUM #DESCENDENTS #NEVERENDINGSTORY #ORDERSACRED #HERMES #MERU #SHEBLINDEDMEWITHSCIENCE #TOUCHITTECHNOLOGIC #DEAD #GEORGEHARRISON #EYEOFHORUS/RA #WILLIAM #PRESLEY #EIF #GOODMUSIC #ATLANTEANS #CONCERTPOSTERS #SPIRALARCHITECT #INTERACT #SPECIALORDERS #UNIVERSES #CASH #SOPHIA #STATIONELF #VERY #SING #BROKEN #BTS #WATERFALLRAINBOWBRIDGETREE #LIKEAPRAYER #SPIRALWIZARDTOWER #OUTERWORLD #3@THERHYTHMSECTION78DREAMREALMEXPLORATION #MAGICMUSHROOM #MELLONCOLLIEANDTHEINFINITESADNESS #TYLERCHILDERSSUNFLOWER #SUPERNATURALLY #DELPHI #ARE #MITSKI #BAROQUE #INBETWEENWORLDS #AMETHYSTOPAL #META #BADRELIGION #OHSISTER #LUCK #LIVEPERFORMANCE #TAOISM #PRAYERSFORRAIN+GOINGTOCALIFORNIAOCEANIA #REFUGEALITY #CLEANSING #GATEWAYSTATION #PLANAR 🙏❤️💛💚💙💜♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎ #IDONTBELIEVEYOU #SAVE #STEVEWINWOOD #JUSTLIKEHEAVEN #DEFENSEDRAGON #TRADITION #EMERALDGREEN #FLAME #ASTRONOMY #VEGETABLES #PICTUREDISCS #CREATION+ #ALANPARSONSPROJECT #NAMAH #LABYRINTHSOUNDTRACK #OM #CASTLEMAGIC #FUNERALFORAFRIEND #ELDER #9TO5 #EAST 🌟 #BREATH @ #LOVESONG #WI #OR #WINDOWINTIME #TURTLEPEOPLE #TNRHYTHM #ACCESSORIES #ADVENTURE #MELLONCOLLIE #ELVENHOME #SANJACINTO #GATLINBURGLIFE #NINTH #PROTECTIONLIFE #SECRETS #APPEARANCE #CLASSIC #OPEN #MAGICALNEXUS #CRAYONS #CHROMATICART #HOTEL #SINGLE #ORGANIZATIONS #SPIRITS #ADVENTURETIMESMOKYMTNS #HOZIER #BLINK #CRYSTALCLEAR #RELIGION #LIBRARYOFOLYMPUS #FAGIN #DREAMSEYE #SHOWERS #BACKWARDS #SHIRTSADVENTURETIME #SOMEWHERE #ACEOFWANDS #ICE #INDIE #TENWHEELS #GALADRIEL #MAJOR #PRISMATICFORMS #FAERYFOREST #FRIEDRICH #STICKER #WEMBLEY #ARCHITECT #CHINAGROVE #BODY #REALMS #GAMESWITHOUTFRONTIERS #JODOROWSKY #SUCCESSFUL #REVOLVER #PATCHES #GOLDENHAIR #PARALLEL #JUNG #FLASHBACK #OCTOPUS ✨⭐ #SAVEASECRETFORTHEMOON #CHILDRENOFTOMORROW #CITY=== #UNDERTHEPRESSURE #BEETHOVEN #LIBRARIAN #LOVINGTHEALIEN #LOOK #WESTERN #PRAYER #STARISBORN #ARCHIVES #VIBRATIONS #TRADE #PURSUIT #RHYTHMGATLINBURG #NC #ASTRALCHASEMING #FLOYD #ENTERTAINMENT #COSMICFOREST #SE #AFTERWORLD #ALOYSIUS #AURAGARDEN #SIMONANDGARFUNKEL #INTERCONNECTION #LIBRAAGEOFWINTERS #MORERHYTHM #ROLLINGSTONES #DEARGOD #PERSONAL #ILLUMINATIONRADIANCE 🗼 #NEONGENESIS #ROLLING #SPIRALS #PLACES #SISTERCHRISTIAN #DANCINGWITHTEARSINMYEYES #SENSEOFDOUBT #STAIRS #DANCINGBEAR #TOTAL #MUSICRAINBOW #HOW #XO RHYTHMSECTIONTN #REBOST #ETHEREALFANTASY #HUMANS #SOCIALISM #INNBETWEENWORLDS #DRAKE #BADCOMPANY #GERMANY #TIEDYES #BRITNEYSPEARS #VIDEO #FUNKO #FEVERRAY #DEADCANDANCE #VISITTENNESSEE #SLAVETOLOVE #FOOLED #HISTORIC #KILLINGYOURSELFTOLIVE #PJHARVEY #WUTANGCLAN #DAFTPUNK #CAPACITY #ROCKS #FATHERJOHNMISTY #NATIONALACROBAT #PENELOPE #IWANTTOKNOWWHATLOVEIS #WHICH #BARGAIN #CAROL #36 #SONSOFTHESILENTAGE #HEM #DIPLOMACY #SORTOFHOMECOMING #MIDDLE #DIRECTOR #VINYLRECORD$ #THRONE #GROWING #ULTRAMARINE #LEIDEN #AUTUMN #MUSIK #PARTNERSHIPS #STARFLOWERS #HERITAGESURVIVAL 💙💜💚💙💜💚💙💜💚💙💜💚💙💜💚💙💜💚💙💜💚💙🙏🌻🐦🙏🌻 #SECRETSOL #SUNGLASSESATNIGHT #MUSICGATLINBURG #GATLINBURGRHYTHMSECTION #SERAL #INTOMYARMS #LOVED #MATHEMATICS #SAMEDEEPWATERASYOU #WINDONWATER #ESTABLISH #HALLOWEEN #POSSIBLY #TEMPLAR #ITS #TANGRAM #BOYNAMEDSUE #PROBABLY #COULD #SABBATH #SUPERMAN #PINKFLOYDMUSIC ♐ #94 #SWEETEMOTION #VIOLETAURA #PATRONAGE #AMAZING #ELIZABETH #BREAKFASTINAMERICA #TREASUREHUNT #JIN #HEAVENS #GATEKEEPERS #ONCE #SANCTUM #CONTRIBUTING #PUERNATUSESTNOBIS #MEMORYLABYRINTH #DIRESTRAITS #WOULD #EASYMONEY #LT3 #PALESHELTER #LAMBLIESDOWNONBROADWAY #MANONTHESILVERMOUNTAIN #ISEEADARKNESS #COMPELLING #VEIL #AVALOKITEVARA #BRASSINPOCKET #WEAREHIM #EXCLUSIVES #DIVINE #GATLINBURGMUSIC #TRANSPORTATION #SPACEYOURFACE #DOVE #BREAKINGGLASS #GATLINBURG+ #ASHEVILLE #GLASSSPIDERLIVE #WIZARDSILVER #ASTRALTHEATER #TRANSDISCIPLINARITY #GENESISSHIVA #PRINCESSBUBBLEGUM #DANNYELFMAN #ELVISH #HIGHWAY61REVISITED #MERLIN #SUPERNOVA #FAIR #AVALONNEW #CITYTREEOFLIFE #OUTDOORS #FEW #SAN #SEVENFOLD #BEACHHOUSE 😍 #DESTINATION #INTUITIVE #SYMBOL #RESOLUTION #ALTERNATE #VINYLS #MINEMINEMIND #WON’T #SOMBREREPTILES #HUNGERGAMES #SEE #AVATARRAINBOW #VANGELIS #WHISTLE #HIEROPHANT #ELTONJOHN #KURT #WHOKNOWS #SYSTEMS #CLUTCH #ARM #CIVIL #WORLDSMETALLIC % #RERELEASES #ELSE #OCEANUNDERWORLD #TEMPLEOFTHEDOG #SPRINGS #TEACHER #CARRYON #HENDRIX #TUNRECORDS #WHITESTRIPES #AQUATIC #CREEDENCECLEARWATERREVIVAL #EDDIEVEDDER #HINDUISM #BOATS #ARCHETYPES #EXPLOITING #MAN #GENERAL #RELIGIONTRANSPORTATION #TOWARD #IMMIGRANT #LOVEMYWAY #WAYLON #SUBLIMATION #N #DEMONDAYS #RHYTHMSECTIONGATLINBURGRECORDSTORE #HERECOMESTHERAINAGAIN #TRINITY #PUT #RECORDSRECORDSRECORDSRECORDS #AMONG #REALITY 💚 #SUMMERTOURBUS #THOUSANDANDTHOUSANDS #SELFECOLOGY #FIVEFINGERDEATHPUNCH ️ #LIVEALBUMS #SEW-ON #HUNTING #BRAINWASHER #RESPECT #SHOE #SOUND #SECRETLIBRARY #JOSHUATREE #PROPER #SQUARE #RESERVOIRDOGS #DOOM #OMNIVERSITY #PRODUCT #VELVETUNDERGROUND #BLONDIE #MANYMORE #JOSHUA #SOUNDANDVISION #THEDREAMISALWAYSTHESAME #KIDS #STELLA #RUNNER #MAGICK ❤️💛💚💙💜♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒ #UNIQUE #RAYPUNK #EXPERIENCE #SPIRITOFLIFE #ATTRACTION #DIMENSIONAL #BURROUGHS #VITAL #RESEARCH #UNITY #BLIZZARDOFOZZ #MIRACLEOFLOVE #COSMICALLY #GIRLS #THEY #SISTERSOFTHEMOON #ECOLOGY #QUEENSRYCHE #SHAMBHALLA #WHOLENESS #PINKFLOYDLOVE 💜☮️♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎⛎♾️🔴🔵 #TOOLONGSTEAMMACHINE #ULTRARESOLUTION #GUARDIANSOFTHEGALAXY #RECORDSHOPPINGSTICKERSTORE #BRUCE ************* #UNDERSTANDING? #OMMANIPADMEHUM #ANCIENTFUTURE #DIAMONDDIARY #ANDJUSTICEFORALL #VALINOR #AWAKENS #SOCIAL #CEREMONY #LIDS #HUNTERS #COMMUNICATION #COMPASSIERT #STORYOFMYLIFE #LUCIDITYHOUSE #PLAINSONG #WATERFALLS #PSYCHEDELICBUTTERFLY #SPECIALREQUESTS #NUTRITIONAL #TRANSFORMING #CHEETAH #THEME #MERKABAH #STAY #MORELPS #TALESOFBRAVEULYSSES #CATSTEVENS #MUSHROOMMAGIC #WHATSYOURFAVORITEPINKFLOYDSONG? #HUNDREDS 💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜💚💜😻❤️💛💚💙💜♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎ #STRONG #HALCYON #NOTHINGBUTFLOWERS #MASK #METALLIC #SUSTAINABILITY #HALL #MANUSCRIPT 💙 #DESIRE #ENVIRONMENT #IVORYTOWER #EMERALDANDROMEDA #VIEWING #STARSTATION #SUNANDMOON #ANDTHROUGHTHEWIRE #BILLYSTRINGS #EDUCATE #WATERFALLRAINBOWBRIDGE #PRAYERSFORRAIN+GOLDEN #ASISATSADLYBYHERSIDE #LAYERS #TOOLONG #CENTURIES #SYPHIRE #DOTHESTRAND #CRIMSON #APOLLO #HOLLYWOOD #TANGLEDUPINBLUE #BRINGINGITALLBACKHOME #STEAMMACHINE #RUNNINGONEMPTY #NUCLEAR #HOLARCHY 🐈 #SAGITTARIUS #BRIGHTCOLORS #MAC #FULLCONCERT #DIRE #LAWOMAN #JENNINGS #OLYMPUS+ #US #HOLOGRAPHIC #TOURIST #IWASNEVERYOUNG #WAYS #TEMPERANCE #AURALIVING #GLASSSPIDERTOUR #RAMONES #ALIVEANDKICKING #CANDLE #DEFENSE #HEARTOFGLASS #LIGHTYOUTUBE #CONTEMPOR #GISH #READING #TRANSCENDENT #DIVERSE #VULTURECULTURE #TOUROFLIFE #BARRACUDA #KILLERS #HEAVENISAPLACEONEARTH #CULT #MOONSHADOW #SPEARS #BALANCED #DRAWINGS #LAS • #CLINTEASTWOOD #BILLYCORGAN #WORLDVIEWS #OLD #LOVEREIGNOERME #OBSESSION #LAZARUS #JOHNLENNON #GEORGE THE #HERE #SAPPHIRESPIRIT #EMPEROR #ORGANIZING #MESSENGER #ALLTHINGSMUSTPASS #WHAM #MULTIVOXEL #STAIRWAYS #ORDER #DESTRUCTION #VAPOR #LED #HEAVY #NOMORETEARS #AURAOFPROTECTION #JUICEWRLD #JONANDERSON #CHANGING #NEWYEARSDAY #GOODVIBESONLY #SANDMAN #100% #GENERATOR #TOWARDS #INBETWEENEMERALD #CHAIR #KATEBUSHMUSICDISCOVERY #LONGING #EVEN #PREVIOUS #FAITH #TALKINGHEADS #A-3 #FIONNAAPPLE #ENIGMA #TALE #BECAUSEYOUREYOUNG #ANTERIOR #HERECOMESTHESUN #UTOPIAN #THAT'S #CLEANING #CAVERNS #ON #SWANS #ILLUMINATION 💜♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒⛎ #SWAMP •#OFFICIAL #NEWSENSATION #WRAITHS #BOOK #LOCOMOTIVEBREATH #LOVECATS #TIMEBANDITS #FROST #INDIGENOUS #AREA #FINNTHEHUMAN #TAL #MIRACLES #SVARTALFHEIM #IWALKEDWITHAZOMBIE #EARTHAVATAR #LAPIS #REMAININLIGHT #FORTRESSNEXUS #MIRAGE #AEON #MUSICISLIFE #HOLYIMAGINATION #LIV #YOGIS #IMAGINE #FRASE #MUSICANDMOVIES #HIGHERLOVE #RUBYCON #GHOSTBAND #ASGARDIAN #MONIECE #ARTMORNINGBELL #ELYSIANFIELDS #OBSCURE #AEROSMITH #ALCHEMYOFTHEHEART #ANGELIC #POSSIBILITY #INNWHATISTHIS #FUTASY #CARAVAN #ME #25 #HORNS #JOKERMAN #HALLWAYS #CHILDREN #INDIVIDUATION #LIFEMATRIX #ASTROPHYSICS #THINGS #HOT #ADDICTEDTOLOVE #COIL #HEARTOFGOLD #YOUREGONNAMAKEMELONESOMEWHENYOUGO #EXTERNAL #WIDE #FUNERAL #9 #MORTAL #CRAZYTRAIN #INEFFABLE #HOPE #CENTRAL #TULL #HOMEWORLD #FLICKRCOMPHOTOSMUSIC1978 #SPRINT #OFFSPRING #LIQUIDBLUERECORDS #SCARYMONSTERS #BUS #SANQUENTIN #KOKOMO #POSSIBLE #LIBRARYIMAGINARY #ONYX #FALL #LOAD #UNREQUITED #PITCHTHEBABY #STORYTELLINGHUMANITY #TRAVEL #FLIGHT #DANCEHALLDAYS #BLUES #ENVIRONMENTAL #GREEN_HIMAGINATIONLIBRARY #SEL #COSMICTREE #PROTECTORGUARDIAN #SOME #LOAF #VINYLCOLLECTOR #AN #HAVEN'T #OSBOURNE #SOULDREAMS #SOCIETY #MRCROWLEY #COMPARATIVE #HERESTOTHESTATE #STARINGATTHESUN #FEELINGS #HOLISTIC #THEORY #JESSICA #SHANTI #JIMIHENDRIXVINYL #HEARTANDSOUL #FACES #FLOODLAND #WEDIDNTSTARTTHEFIRE #BOOKS #ROXYMUSICLOVER #THESMITHS+MORRISSEY #PAST #POLICY #SMOKYMOUNTAIN #TIEDYEFASHION #GOODREMOTE #ROBERTFRIPP #NEEDYOUTONIGHT #SUSSUDIO #HOLE ♥ #STILLIMSAD #GANDHI #ASTRALMANUSCRIPT #CHRISTIAN #YOUEARTH #LOADOUT #CHILI #SELECTION #ABYSS #SOURCES #RISKYBUSINESS #APRIL #GUNS #RETURNOFTHESHEKING #DEEPPURPLE #THIEFSOUNDTRACK #BLUEMONDAY #SPIRITBLACKSABBATH #SCHOOLS #LUMPYSPACEPRINCESSTHE #ROXYMUSICFAN #HONEYMEDICINE #BLUERIDGEMOUNTAINS #2PM #HIDDEN #MORETHANTHIS #PILGRIM #DUSTINTHEWIND #BUTTON #VINYLRECORD #FULLMOONINMYPOCKET #RECORDSTORETN #ABSTRACT #LT 3 #PROTECTOR #SMOKYTHEMOUNTAINSARECALLING #ISLAND #PUNKROCK #SISTERSOFTHEMOONCOME #ONETREEHILL #FEEL #FORESTVALLEY #PATBENATAR #OVERCOMING #JOETHELION #MWINDOWS #IRON-ON #DREAMER #CARTI #SUPERCLUSTERRAINBOW #ARCANA #ASTRALCASTLE #PATTERN #HELLRAISER #PATHWAYS #DEFINITION #SHAMANIC #WHERETHESTREETSHAVENONAME #LUNA #1973 #BABYDRIVER #DJ #MUSICSECTION #TECHNOLOGY #IWANTYOU #GROUP #EST #OLDFIELD #PAULMCCARTNEY #COVER #ENERGYPROTECTION #BILLY #CONTINUITY #SIGNIFYING #OCTOBERRUST #HOCUSPOCUS #SHOPS #MOVEMENT #ADRIENNE #VINYL/CD #IF 🌚 #TRADITIONS #HIGHEST #TARTLE #JOTUNHEIM #26 #CLIMB #TWITTER #TWIN #EDWARDSCISSORHANDS #IM #QUEENSOFTHESTONEAGE #ITSMYLIFE #POPS #SIMPLICITYANDCOMPLEXITY #EASIER #WINDOWCITY #PHYSICAL #TANGLED #21 #KINGGIZZARD #FUNCTION #HARDRAINSAGONNAFALL #TAYLORNATIONTSHIRTS #SAFETYDANCE #GIEDIPRIMES #RETROWAVE #SUICIDEBOYSEARTH #LOTS #NETWORKING #DOITAGAIN #DAYS #SCUBASCUBA #777 #CARINA #DRAGONS #WORK #JACKSON #LADY #LABYRINTHINE #WISHYOUWEREHERE #WALLEN #GROOMSSTILLWAITINGATTHEALTAR #MAGICFOREST #WINDONWIND #SPIRALLABYRINTH #MAGICALMYSTERYTOUR #ARTACADEMIA #SELFTRANSFORMING #OCEANLIFE #STARSEA #PLAINS #CONSENSUS #TOBEFREE #KNOWLEDGEWISDOM #GOOGLEDOCS #WILDWORLD #LOVEUNDERSTANDING #FLYING #POWERTOTHEPEOPLE #ESOTERIC #THUNDERBOLT #BEAUT #TOY #TWELFTH #BETTERMENT #TIMEITSTIME + $$ #DESERT #RISING #PERENNIAL #INTERIORS #LAKECOSMIC #CITYOFLIGHTGIANT #SYMBOLISM #ALLIGATOR-CATFISH #FOREVERYOUNG #AID #CHANGESIV #EVENFLOW #UNDERWORLD #IN-STORE 🌎 #COMPLEX #BAD #FANTASTICAL #APPALACHIAN #EATER #MOONLIGHT #MORRISSEY #ENERGETIC #RECREATION #INNDOLLYPARTON #RAWAYSTATION #HOMES #CROSS #GENTLEGIANT #CORE #HEATOFTHEMOMENT #TROVE #EXPLORATIONS #KENDRICK #DOG 💮 #PORTAL/IMAGINE #CORPORATION #RAINBOWSILVER #AREYOUTHEONETHATIVEBEENWAITINGFOR #SUSPICIOUS #EXCITEMENT #NOTHINGCOMPARESTOU #CONAN #AVENTURETIME #ARTEMIS #PARTING #SHELVING #RIVERMAGIC #SEVENDAYS #CRUELSUMMER #PAWS #CONNECT #BAND #HEADOVERHEELS #DREAMCATCHER #FOREVER #CHAMELEON #BRAIN #UPSCALE #NUMENERA #HERMIT #EILISH #UTILIZED #SPARKLE #TEMPLARS #SONGOFTHESUN #JOSEPH #MADISON #MUSIKMOVIESTHE #ENTERPRISES #MONTYPYTHON #STATICA #TITANS 🌛 #SALVATION #IGGYPOP #SUPPORTLOCAL #SMOKYMOUNTAINSRECORDS #TENNESSEETHE #RHYTHMSECTION RECORDSTORE GATLINBURG #CHORUS #TWILIGHT #CARNIVALOFLIGHT #THOUSAND #BLISSFULAURAOFPROTECTION #UWA #SILVERSEAL #WALKLIKEANEGYPTIAN #STRINGS #RAINBOWDRAGON #RAVEN #CHAINS #NICKCAVEANDTHEBADSEEDS #INTERPLAY #THEKEEPSOUNDTRACK #GRAB #ASURA #WHENYOUSLEEP #JOURNEYNORTHWARD #BESTRECORDSHOP #BBC #INTO #PEACELIFE #REFLECT #HEAVYMETAL #THECLASH #MERCURY #WAITINGROOM #MAGICMOUNTAIN #WANT #FUNNY #RED #SPIRITLIFE #LUCKDRAGON #INSIDE ♾️🔴🔵#I #KATEBUSHFAN #ALLAPOLOGIES #OSBOURNEMUSICLOVERS #BLOWIN #LOVINGCUP #ELECTRICMAYHEM #CONDITION #ZEUS #PLACING #CLOUDS #PETER #JOPLIN #MAGICCASTLE #CLASSICROCK #KING #AVALOKITEVARALOVE #REJOICE #PINS+ #RICKANDMORTY #ICEKING #SOLITUDE #TOTALLYWIRED #COMPLEXITY #JOLENE #OURHOUSE #VINYLSTICKERS #NEWYORKDOLLS #RIDER #ABRACADABRA #PRINCEANDTHEREVOLUTION #CIRCULAR #EMINENCEFRONT #SIREN #PSYCHEDELICA #STORMHOLD #MIRACLEOFLOVELUCK #MOUNTAINSTRONG #ABOUT #WHENYOUDANCEICANREALLYLOVE #INFORMATICS #PINKFLOYDTRIBUTE #HOLLY #BEGIN #LIBRARIES #DEVIL #ROCKNROLLSTORE #GATLINBURGVIBES #RASPBERRYBERET #REFUGEE #RESILIENCE #PEPPERS #RESCUE #NEIL #SIOUXSEANDTHEBANSHEES #REY #HEAVENLYRAINBOW #ELFLEGEND #TENACIOUSDRECORDS #KARMA #COURT #OPIUMEYES #EXILEONMAINSTREET #FITS #BROWNE #PHILOSOPHICAL #KNOXVILLE #VIBRATE 😻 #ILLUMINATED #REAL #SEND #SPRINGSTEEN #CONSTELLATIONS #OMNAMAHSHIVAYA ♈ #SURREALDRAGON #COMBINING #ECOSYSTEMS #RANGER #MESSAGETOLOVE #SHIRTDESIGN #MIGHT #AS #MAKINGTIME #SPEAKTHETRUTH #ULTRABLUE #ASTER #INSPIRATIONS #FINAL #MULTI #COUNTY #GUARDIAN SPIRITMOTH #MAGNETICFIELDS #SCREEN-PRINTED #TOPGUN #ONEILOVE #INTIME #YOUREABIGGIRLNOW #GLASSSPIDER #DYE #INNINDIGOMOEBIUS #THERE #COLLABORATION #OKCOMPUTER ‍♂️ #TRAVELER #EUROPE 😘 #GABRIEL #HELPME #BRAZIL #CHAMELEONS #LODGER #EARTHWORLD #WALLED #MOTHERSOFRAIN #LOU #MUSIC/MOVIE #ENVIRONMENTALISM #EMERGENCE #LEVELS #JOHNCALE #RECORDSANDCDS #CONSIDER #31 #WAR #PLATINUM #AVAILABLE #DET #ALIGNMENT #HOOKEDONAFEELING #TIMEAFTERTIME #SUSTAINABLE #1000 #RESEARCHRECORDS #GATLINBURGFUN #GLASS #FORWHATITSWORTH #APPLIED #ORCS #LEVE #HARDERBETTERFASTERSTRONGER 🌎#PALACE #JAKETHEDOG #EMINEM #BEES #PROMISEOFWATER #CERTAINRATIO #BOAT #MOONLIGHTSHADOW #CHANGES #BOTTLE #RAINFOREST #INTOTHEWILD #STARCITY #2SUNFLOWER #HAPPENING #LOVELESS #GATEWAYTEMPLE #FREDDIEMERCURY #INCORPORATED #ELVIS #FREDDIEGIBBS #INSTANT #THIRD #NEWALBUMS #MYSTICISM #BLUERIDGEMOUNTAINAREA #SHOULD #AT #NIRVANATSHIRTDESIGN #UNKNOWN #NIRVANAKURTCOBAIN #WORRIEDBLUESHEAVENISAPLACEONEARTH #KENDRICKLAMAR #DANCE #NATIVE #BACK #UNLESS #DONTBLAMEME #LEGENDS #GOLDENSILVERVINYLRECORDS #WOMAN #DIANA #MILKYWAY #HEY #RECORDCOLLECTION #3@THERHYTHMSECTION78 #TSHIRT #STICKERSTORES #REMAKEREMODEL #SILENTLUCIDITY #CONCERTREPRODUCTION #SHARING #DEVO #NEWANCIENT #TIERS #DEATHGRIPS #GUARDIANOFWORLDS #SURREALSYMMETRY #MERKABA #HUMANISM #ALLMAN #NIGHTMAREBEFORECHRISTMAS #BLADERUNNER #SUPPORTING #FURS #EDDIE #KNOCK #INVOCATION #PROTECTIONARY #FADETOBLACK #MAGGIEROGER #EVERYTHINGINITSRIGHTPLACE #UPANISHADS #GEIDIPRIMES #HEXAGRAM #YEARONEONEUFO #TUMBLR #TWOWOMEN #SHIRTS❤️ #FLUFF #CHINACATSUNFLOWERIKNOWYOURIDER #ELLIOTT #MUSICLOVER #DIRTYWORK #ELLIOTSMITH #MEADOW #RHCP #IMAGINARYSEASCAPE #WHEELINTHESKY #CONSTANTINE #CHRIS #AVALOKITEVARARECORDSRECORDSRECORDS #STORE💙 💙✨⭐❤️🌈🌠😻 #RECOGNITION #PARALLELWORLDS #MOONBLUE #ULTRAVOX #JCOLE #APHRODITE #PINKFLOYDTRIBUTEBANDS #COSMOSSUNFLOWER #STARWARS #STUDY #TRANSPARENCY #VISTHY #TWENTY #PATCHPRAYERSFORRAINGOINGTOCALIFORNIARAINBOW #SIAMESEDREAM #SUMMARIZE #HEADS #SEVENTEEN #GRIPS #ROCKANDROLL #SMILE #AMERICAN #COOPERATION #SOX #WILLIENELSON #EXISTENCE #LPALBUMS #JUDAS #TURTLEDRAGONPEOPLE #HALEN #MARCBOLAN #INNER #ORBIT #GLOW #TEAR #LITHUANIA #MINDTREE #END #VIRGINIAPLAIN #DODECAHEDRON #PROTECTIONS #MEATPUPPETS #LANADELRAY #RANDYRHOADS #HEALERS #ENGLANDINNBETWEENWORLDSYOUREGONNAMAKEMELONESOMEWHENYOUGO #MUPPETS #MYTHPUNK #TRADER #TOMORROW #SOUTHPARK #KEYS #CASHRECORDS #FEET #OUTSIDE #ARTDECADE #SHOPNOW #BLIND #WEARETHEWORLD #COMES #GUARDIANSOFTHEGALAXYSOUNDTRACK #STAPLETON #RADHA #CRUEL #SERPENT #WHIPPINGPOST #CHIT #HOODIES #FALLINGINREVERSE #LIQUIDBLUE #GOODWILL #SOMEONESGOTAHOLDOFMYHEART #WORMS #WEST #CHILDRENOFTHESUNTHERESHEGOESMYBEAUTIFULWORLD #FORWARDS #GUIDES #RHYTHMSECTIONRADIO #INVISIBLES #FAS #BROTHER #REALITI #SHE #SAIL #NAVYBLUE #AQUATICSUNFLOWER #CLASSROOM #WOMANINCHAINS #COLLECTIBLES #SHIPOFFOOLS #MALLRECORDS #SAMUDRA #ZZTOP #SHAKESPEAREAN #TYGER #SHIPPING #IMAGINATIONSTATION #LOGICALSONG #WHATSYOURFAVORITEPINKFLOYDSONG #VIDEOKILLEDTHERADIOSTAR #INANNA #HANKE #CAVE #BUSINESSPATRONAGE #DRAGER #WALK #DISTRIBUTE #TREASURES #NEIGHBORHOOD #EVENINGSTAR #EX #FLAMEBLUE #SUZANNE #MAGIE #CROWSOUNDTRACK #TOURISM #SACREDSONGS #LINE #ACTIVISM #CONCERTREPRODUCTIONPOSTERS #MINDSCAPEEVOLUTIONCHANGE 🍀🌈 #SMOKIN #WONDERING #UPTOWN #FRIDGE #THEWORDFORWORLDISFOREST #RAINBOWRISING ✨❤️⭐💜💛💙💚💟🐉🌈🌠😻 #GRASSROOTS #12" #HUMOR #MUSEUM #PRINTS #WAYLONJENNINGS #MOEBIUSMETALLIC #MUTUAL #EYEHORUS ❤ #DOCTOR #NEWSENSATIONS #GALLEONSHIP > #CURIOSITY #SPACETIME #LABYRINTHSCHOOL #ANDMANYMORE #SEAPUNK #INSECT #33 #HERBS #IDIOTPRAYER #DREAMISALWAYSTHESAME #IRANSOFARAWAY #QUENTIN #MONTREAL #17DAYS #TVC15 #THEKEEP #DOCK #UNDERWATER #MUSICSTATION #REINMAKER #LIVEAID1985 #DIRECTIONS #NEEDAWOMAN #HEALER #DISTURBED #VIBRATION #SPACE-TIME #LINDENARDENSTOLETHEHIGHLIGHTS #ENAMELPINS #MASTERS #WITHORWITHOUTYOU #NUMENOR #CLASSICROCKFANS #BLACKOUT #VINYLRECORDSRECORDS #LONDON #CULTURE #RETROSTORE #MESO #REQUEST #GETREADYFORLOVE #TELEVISION #DAY-IN #HIEROGLYPHICS #ACEOFSPADES #THOR’S #SMOKEYMOUNTAINSNATIONALPARK #COSMOSBLUE #KINGDOMCOME #IMAGINATIONMANDALA #PORTALS #PILOTS #RECORDS+RECORDS+++RECORDS+ #LUCIDTAROT #GREATER << #MAGICALMANDALA #NEWARRIVAL #WHIPLASH #FLICKR #EAR #ASTRALLABYRINTH #JUBILEE #REDSHOES #MYSTERYMALL #CATPOWER #ASAL #SUNNYAFTERNOON #BANDONTHERUN #CITYOFSTARS #SAILOR #SELFTRANSFORMATION #LIGHTNING #LILYPOND #JONES #JEREMY #SAPPHIREDIAMOND #COSMICRAINBOW #PLAYBOI #BAGS #FRACTALGEOMETRY #REM #MOREGREATSMOKYMOUNTAINSNATIONALPARK #CLASSICROCKLEGEND #NATUREBOY 💚💙💜 #SUNLIGHT #ATLANTEAN #FLYBYNIGHT #ICEPULSE #MARVIN #NORTH #KEYCHAIN #SWORD #TENACIOUSDGATLINBURG #PI #SIMPLETWISTOFFATE #EMBRACEDPEACE #SKYSAW #EMERGED #IMAGINATIONSTATIONLIBRARY #HYPERBOREA #IMAGEREFLECTION #SHIRTSTORES #RAINMAKER #AROUNDTHEWORLD #HUNGERGHEAVENISAPLACEONEARTH #POLOSE #RAREVINYL #MANDALACORE #NEBULA #BOWIEFANS #TAVERN #GOODBYEHORSES #WORDS #DOLPHINDANCE #TEMPLES #CITYSCAPE #MEMORIES #BOYSKEEPSWINGING #CANNIBALCORPSE #NOTHING #SYMMETRY #OUTOFTHEBLUE #SHIRTNEW #REMOTE #LUCIDD #PEACOCK #PUTASTRAWUNDERBABY #REVUE #QUEST #EFFICIENT #PRETTYNATURE #MAHAVISHNUORCHESTRA #TECHNOLOGYMAGIC #CHINA #NEWYORK #FATHERJOHNMISTY75 #TSHIRTSHOPGOINGTOCALIFORNIA #22 #GREENDESERT #OCEANOFSTARS #RILKEANHEART #STAIR #NUMBERS #RESTAURANTDREAM #PULPFICTION #MULTICOLORFUL #LIFESAVINGRECORDS #ANANDA #RELAX #CAPABILITIES #PRAYERSFORRAIN GREEN_HIMAGINATIONLIBRARY #STADIUM #CANT #IT’S #WHATS #LPS #BLOOM #REPUTATION #PRAGMATISM #TEACH #WALES #TRIBES #PARIS #LETITBE #DEPTH #KINDOFMAGIC #COMIC #WING #ARTCORE 🙏💜🌈🌎🌅🌄️️‍🌈 #EATAPEACH #MAGICRAINBOW #TRANSCEND #CHANNELING #POTENTIAL #CITYPROTECTION #UNCUTGEMS #JOEL #MUSICLOVERS #LETLOVEIN #FALLING #SOUNDCHECK #BANDSHIRTSETC #LETTER #ISHTAR #SOULSHIP #DECENTRALIZATION #COSMOSDOLLY #STARGAZER #BLUERIDGE #SERVE #FREE #REMOTEVIEWING #DREAMBLUE #HUMALLAHHUM #FAIRYMAGIC #LORELEI 🌉 #OMMADAWN #RECORDS+ #CHILDISHGAMBINO #HOUSEOFMYSTERY #DUST #ECOLOGICAL #GOODVIBES #STICKERSRHYTHMSECTIONGATLINBURG #PRISTINE #GOODBYEYELLOWBRICKROAD #PETERFRAMPTON #SOUVLAKI #WHITETOWER #UNIVERSITYOFNATURE #COSMICMAGIC #LILITH ♉ #HUSH #SCALES #FICTION #SERVICE #CASEY #STOP #BLUERIDGEMOUNTAIN #DREAMSFRACTAL #SHADOWRUN #VINTAGE #NEWALBUM #BITCHESBREW #FANTASYKINGDOM #FIGHTING #TOUR #RAW 🌈😍⭐💙✨🌠💜🔵😻🌝❤️💛💚🐦💟🐈🐢🐉🙏#STONETEMPLEPILOTS #CHARIOT #DISCS #DIALECTICS #WHYWASITSOEASY #PATH #PASTISAGROTESQUEANIMAL #SYNTHWAVE #POSTERITY #CORE #MANDALAMAGIC #TOTALECLIPSEOFTHEHEART #PARKGATLINBURG #ELYSIAN #ASTARTE #PRODUCTINQUIRIES #SHIRTSHOP #BADGE #WAITFORTHESUMMER #ROCKPALAST #TOUCHIT #RUBY #WHERE #SEEDS #GIVEPEACEACHANCE #IMAGINATIONMULTIVERSE #FLAMEIMAGINATION #BANDSHIRTSETCBANDSHIRTSETC #PUMPITUP #COLLEGEDROPOUT #SLEEPER #23 #PRAYERSFORRAIN #GREEN #emerald #light #APPRECIATE #SOLUTION #TIMEWIND MANDALA #PROTECTIon #PRINCESOFTHEUNIVERSE #BUTTERFLY SECRET #CREEDENCE #BLOODYKISSES #LETITDOWN #BLONDEONBLONDE #ARCADIA #NIRVANATSHIRT #APART #SUNFOREST #FLOWERING #HEAVENORLASVEGAS #TIGER #tyger #tangerinedream #dreamisalwaysthesame

 

We're back.. we're back. Today we take a quick look at one of the relatively recent Fate Figma, the line that got me collecting these in the first place.

 

This is Figma Nero Claudius from Fate/Extella, the game prior to the current Musou style offering.

 

For those who follow (or at least attempt to follow) Fate, it's no surprise that the expanded universe, first beginning with the Fate/Extra spin off game on PSP, has introduced many characters that remain popular to this day, seeing action in the various sequels to that game or expansion into the Mobile Gaming and Light Novel universes.

 

One such character is Nero Claudius, the Saber in the red dress. Nero is the Heroic Spirit of the last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, conveniently made a female for the purposes of selling merch.. of course. She's a colourful character that, if I had to summarize, despite looking kind of like Artoria, behaves NOTHING like her both in terms of personality or fighting style.

 

This is actually the second release of this character in Figma form, with the first Nero Figma actually coming as an extra with the Japanese collectors edition of the Fate/Extra game on PSP. I can't exactly say this figure was a bargain for me, but it was less than original MSRP and much less than trying to find one of the figures that came with the original game.

 

The set comes with the figure, based of course on the 2.0 Figma body, three total face plates (smiling, laughing, shouting), her sword Aestus Estus, an extra left forearm and various golden parts to replaced her armoured look, a variety of posing and weapon holding hands, and of course the standard Figma stand.

 

As far as I can tell, the original toy had no buckler and only two faceplates, but did come with windswept hair like the Artoria Pendragon 2.0 Figma did.

 

Being a Figma 2.0 release, it goes without saying that this version of Nero has better proportions and detailing of pretty much everything. Most notable of an improvement would be face plates, which are larger and allow for a better representation of not only the source material, but also, accuracy of the desired expression.

 

The articulation piece is only arguably better as I don't have an actual sample on hand to fiddle with and is based on my experiences with Lily Saber and Saber 1.0 to 2.0 comparisons.

 

Just what do I mean by that? Lets start with the basics, as always.

 

Nero is fitted out with the standard array of Figma joints - ankles, single jointed knees, hips, mid torso, shoulders with slight chest compress and bicep swivel, single jointed elbows, wrists, and head. She has a bonus point of articulation on the back of her head, where the "bun" can be rotated for a more dynamic look. As with all other Figma, joints are cut such that you get a pretty good range of motion for a single jointed area.

 

So far so good, right?

 

The reason why I say I presume it's got better articulation than the 1.0 is based on the arms and shoulders alone, which on the Saber and Lily Saber releases are improved with regards to range of motion, mostly due to redesign of the shoulder pad areas (Saber only).

 

What's hilarious to me is the character with the fabric dress actually has worse lower body than the one wearing an armoured skirt. I guess because there's no segmenting on the character model, Nero's skirt is basically one giant plastic cone, just like on the original release. As you can probably imagine, yep, her legs are basically stuck within the confines of that space so sitting, squatting, lunging, etc. are effectively out of the question.

 

Positioning of legs to replicate slight movements is possible, particularly with the aid of the stand, but I don't think Nero is gonna be winning to many battles with the ability to hop a bit.

 

Paint work is up to the normal Figma quality, which is effectively silky smooth paint apps across the board including the semi-gloss buckler, with acceptable or better work on the smaller details. Gold trim across the dress are sharply done, including the trim on the hem of the dress. Underlying mould details are not lost due to paint application, even on the more intricate parts such as the gold braids and the Epaulets on her shoulders.

 

Build quality is solid as well. Joints are of a good strength, with limbs being the proper length to prevent lopsidedness. Tolerances are generally good, important given the nature of the necessary interchanging of parts on this figure. Finish on the plastic parts is smooth, which helps to further highlight the smoothness of the paint applications. Another neat thing is the use of translucent white plastics rather than a solid white, so not only does it look nicer but you're also able to see her legs through the walls of their plastic prison.

 

So, unsurprisingly, I find Nero to be a beautiful Figma, if somewhat limited, release. From a design perspective, I can see that if Good Smile had tried to make an articulated skirt the look would just be terrible looking - a separate "hiked" skirt would probably have been preferable even if it costs more.

 

I did get another Fate piece which I'll be getting around to looking at soon, but first, a few things that are different.

I am Kiara, spiritual warrior princess in search of her beloved; our days are the last days of Revelation. Love letters in the Sand letters from Kiara by JasMine Snow. Letter Fourteen, the Spirit of the Sword: To Charlie Yohnah these are the progressive living works of my hands beloved one of my heart written to help awaken you through the Amen. Amen. Wake-up my dear one, you will remember me by my eyes. Beloved Charles, your name is as a cool breeze over the mountains. Always remember this proverbial saying my dear one: "The blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it. To the stupid one the carrying on of loose conduct is like sport, but wisdom is for the man of discernment. The thing frightful to the wicked one—that is what will come to him; but the desire of the righteous ones will be granted. As when the storm wind passes over, so the wicked one is no more; but the righteous one is a foundation to time indefinite."

 

The Spirit of the Sword is God's Word. I am one of the many spiritual warriors here on this planet earth in these last days of the conclusion of this system of things. I along with the other spiritual warriors including the one that was pregnant with me her name being Sithri, in Jehovah she takes her concealment and in Jehovah she finds her escape she is something of a mentor. Sithri is the Progeny of Gemariah as I am the progeny of Sithri.

 

I am Kiara, Spiritual Warrior princess of the Ancient of Days in search of her beloved Charles. All of us trusting in Jehovah are as clay in the Potters hand. Gemariah is the one who bore the labor pains while giving birth to her first born daughter Sithri. Gemariah means Jehovah has perfected. Together we wield this symbolic sword in the name of our living God Yahweh/Jehovah.

 

We now journeyed through the ending of this world by wielding together the spirit of the sword that is directing those searching ones to sit, eat & drink at God's table. We invite these people those wanting the rule of Love to sit at God's table and feast spiritually. God's healthful teachings are being shared throughout this ongoing quest for the benefits of those submitting to God's Sovereignty. The Kingdom of Heaven has arrived.

 

The Acts of the Apostles books 17:1-3 reads: "They now journeyed through Am·phip´o·lis and Ap·ol·lo´ni·a and came to Thes·sa·lo·ni´ca, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. So according to Paul’s custom he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and [saying]: “This is the Christ, this Jesus whom I am publishing to YOU.” As a result some of them became believers and associated themselves with Paul and Silas, and a great multitude of the Greeks who worshiped [God] and not a few of the principal women did so."

 

In the Letters of God's Testament it is written: "For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and [their] marrow, and [is] able to discern thoughts and intentions of [the] heart.

 

And there is not a creation that is not manifest to his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting. . . . Jehovah your God is with you, YOU are drawing near today to the battle against YOUR enemies. Do not let YOUR hearts be timid. Do not be afraid and run in panic or shudder because of them, for Jehovah YOUR God is marching with YOU to fight for YOU against YOUR enemies so as to save YOU.’ " Books of Hebrews 4:12-13; Deuteronomy 20:1,3,4.

 

God's Word the bible is the symbolic sword that I hold close to my heart at the dawning of a New Era; speaking of it as the Word of God that is scriptural. God's Word the Bible is the sword it is also said that the spirit of the sword is God's Word. This sword is not a physical weapon and at no time is it carried on my person to harm others but to enlighten and refresh the broken hearted and the ones crushed in spirit for they are the down trodden ones which will find refreshment in the yoke of the Christ.

 

This sword is literally a symbolic sword that will remove the darkness of all that is evil bringing in the light of righteousness. A rule of Love, peace and security for all those that embrace this good news of the Kingdom of the living God, your grand Creator says to you by means of this sword: "Also, accept the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word, while with every form of prayer and supplication YOU carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit. And to that end keep awake with all constancy and with supplication in behalf of all the holy ones," Book of Ephesians 6: 17-18.

 

Dear readers & friends, I am Kiara, spiritual warrior princess in search of her beloved our days are in Revelations. I come to you today in love my dear readers & friends to sooth and comfort you in these critical times hard to deal with. I come to you in intense love and by Love I am to speak of God's divine warnings that are to occur here on earth in the last days.

 

A woman in love is what I am; nothing less than a poet: "And through Christ Jesus a loving, obedient Son towards his Father, we may ourselves draw close to the God of heaven Jehovah. For by him we have life and move and exist, even as certain ones of the poets among YOU have said, For we are also his progeny." Acts 17:28.

 

A humble servant woman is I to the true God identified within the holy book and with the heart of a child I slave for God's Son the Christ. My form is comely in the way of being womanly, simply God's blue eyed shepherdess who stands barefoot, meek & mild in front of you. We as the true God's witnesses come to you in love.

 

Sithri, Gemariah and I and we are not alone for it is Shiloh that walks invisible by our side. The lion of Judah is amongst us as I am a woman in love in search of my dear one I have nick-named Charlie.

 

As a 'cool breeze over the mountains' I am in search of my boy companion.I am a spiritual warrior their exists no hate inside of me only love keeps my heart alive; strong & fast our one-heart beloved beats on by Love that has been deeply implanted into us by God's strong hand as it is the seed of love. I am a woman whose only refuge is in the God of heaven. Se´lah.

 

"God will send his loving-kindness and his trueness. . . .May this house have peace". Be blessed my dear readers and friends in the spirit of God's holiness as the disciple Luke has said I also say to you again: "May this house have peace". Se´lah. I am nothing more than a mere poet, one of God's many spiritual warriors. A brier-rose, I am to many. A fair maiden, I appear to be to others and in the eyes of curious onlookers seeing me as nothing more than merely a beautiful peasant girl.

 

But a true princess is what I am to be by birth right; I have always belonged to the Ancient of days. I am his family and God is my truest of friends. I have in my God Jehovah, a forever friend this friend being the Eternal King is also my forever helper. God is Almighty. God is the Ancient of Days and it is in the name of Jehovah I come in search of you my dear one.

 

The one I am on a walk with is God by his begotten Son that constantly walks invisible amongst us. We will sooner than later be reunited my dearest beloved one; you, yourself will make certain of this as it is our destiny. Jehovah is identified in the ancient prophetic books of the Bible as being the one true living God.

 

God is the Creator of the universe. And it is this same God who is our heavenly father. Never have you been left fatherless my dear one. Eyes of discernment is given to those searching truly the knowledge belonging to the true God as it is a gift to His people. Se´lah. I have been promised in marriage to my beloved. My boy companion has been chosen as my eternal husband as I for him his one and only everlasting wife by the divine and genuine hand of the one true God; we have been sealed together by the loving & righteous flames of Jah. Se´lah.

 

I am Kiara, spiritual warrior princess in search of her beloved one, our days are Revelations. My dearest Charles: "My soul is in the middle of lions; I cannot but lie down among devourers, [even] the sons of men, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And whose tongue is a sharp sword. O be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let your glory be above all the earth. . . . Show me favor, O God, show me favor, For in you my soul has taken refuge; And in the shadow of your wings I take refuge until the adversities pass over." Book of Psalms 57:1,4-5.

 

We are to be baptized my dear one just as the others of the disciples have been throughout history. One begins to work towards the Kingdom of God by first taking in God's knowledge this is were wisdom is given and understanding. God speaks to my dear one, by means of His Word he says to Charles: "My son, my law do not forget,and my commandments may your heart observe, because length of days and years of life and peace will be added to you. . . .Do not become wise in your own eyes. Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad. . . .Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight." Book of Proverbs 3: 1-2,5-6.

 

Let God's true spiritual warriors continue to work zealously towards discipleship by obedience to God's high moral standards of all that is righteous & good in the eyes of God. Let us take our refuge together my dear one, under God's Kingdom that we may remain forever under the rule of love. One must become zealously active in living works towards God's Kingdom. Faith is dead without works. We are to understand and remember that the spirit of the sword is a symbolic sword representing the one faith that is God's Word.

 

God speaks into all nations by His divine Word which warns us in a loving way that there is only One faith, one Lord, one God and one baptism. It is His Word that is the one faith I continue to work actively in remaining within the holy writings this being scriptural. It is the one Word we as God's spiritual warriors carry in our hearts and minds at all times. And these are the everlasting sayings of the divine almighty one in the sky.

 

I pray for the everlasting sayings to have been written upon the very tablets of our hearts my dear one. "Happy is the man that has found wisdom, and the man that gets discernment, for having it as gain is better than having silver as gain and having it as produce than gold itself. . . .It is more precious than corals, and all other delights of yours cannot be made equal to it. Length of days is in its right hand; in its left hand there are riches and glory. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its roadways are peace. It is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy." Book of Proverbs 3:13-18.

 

Find wisdom my dearest beloved Charles, keeping fast hold of it and be called happy from the God giving to us His wisdom. Se´lah. "Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its roadways are peace. It is a tree of life to those taking hold of it," It is God's holy spirit which is the active spirit acting throughout these letters these are the letters from Kiara.

 

The spirit of God is received by the ones asking for it. Graciously received by them these being all the ones obedient to the grand Creator of heaven and earth through His only begotten Son. "Jesus spoke these things, and, raising his eyes to heaven, he said: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your son, that your son may glorify you, according as you have given him authority over all flesh, that, as regards the whole [number] whom you have given him, he may give them everlasting life. This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ." Book of John 17: 1-3.

 

Can you my dear one, hear the calling of the one true God through His shepherd king, Christ Jesus? Jesus is the Rock-Mass as God is the Rock. The foundation of God's people has been solidly built upon the Rock-Mass, God's living corner stone. Christ Jesus being the only one to be the head of the congregations belonging to His God Jehovah the God of Armies. The one calling out in the voice of an arch angel is God's shepherd; to God's people he has made known his God's name. It is promised to us by God through His Son that "God's Will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven."

 

Jesus Christ used the model prayer to give an example to his disciples of what they were to remember to ask God for by supplication through prayer. Let us then be of good faith by resting God's one faith in the hope of our love to be built upon the Rock's, Rock-Mass. "I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is destined to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his kingdom, preach the word, be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season, reprove, reprimand, exhort, with all long-suffering and [art of] teaching. For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do [the] work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5.

 

The Almighty living God Jehovah has glorified His Son along side him as he had already once been so long ago and once again is. The ones rightfully belonging to the true God are awakened by the truth and these are the believers. One must first "believe in God to approach God". The true God of heaven has been identified in the holy bible as Jehovah God. The ancient book of prophesies has been as a witness bearer into all nations on earth in the last days?

 

Our days are prophecy in action. It has been written that God's witnesses are the people taken out from amongst all nations for His name sake. These people are from all different walks of life and still they remain in intense love as a united family of Jehovah God's by the unity of God's love. God's people are looked upon by the general population of the world to be a small nation. But mighty is God's small nation of seven million and growing across the four corners of earths lands.

 

The spirit of the sword is from above & rises above all other-kinds of wisdom and knowledge; the earth being the Footstool of the God of heaven. The sword of the Divine Word is given to the ones bearing true witness of the true God and his resurrected Christ Jesus by God's accurate Word in which it has been written down for all of us believing God's Word that we are to awaken from the hubris disease; the spell of the red dragon is broken by means of the word.

 

God has said to each one of us loving His Word of truth through Jesus that spoke God's prophesies when alive on earth as a human man Jesus said to us my dear one: "This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ." Eyes of discernment is given to those searching truly the knowledge belonging to the true God as it is a gift to His people. Se´lah.

 

God is the Creator of the universe. And it is this same God who is our heavenly father. Never have you been left fatherless my dear one. God's Word teaches His people to build up thinking ability by the spirit that is our helper. The spirit which Christ Jesus, himself, requested from the Father, to send to us the helper; that would our comfort once he returned back to heaven by the power of Love. what is in store for this old system of things you may ask yourself as the world has gone quite mad?And why is God filling the earths lands up with spiritual news according to divine prophesies to still occur on earth with the message of this world's end?

 

This good News is being proclaimed today into all nations by God's people (they are the ones exercising faith in Christ recognizing his voice by means of God's Word; the same Jesus that has always been God's only begotten Son the resurrected first born from the dead to be granted to a spiritual immortal life) and even His angels do not have immortal life.

 

God's glorious angelic creatures are also hard at work. the good news of the true God's active and existing spiritual government Kingdom has always been and always will remain to be ruled by Love. This world as we now have known it has been prophesied to end in a selective and divine spiritual war arriving from heaven upon the world of ungodly ones and their earth bound kingdoms. God promises that He will make all things new by ushering out the dark world and its ruler Satan the Devil the great red fiery colored dragon in the end will be slain dead.

 

But first God's Millennium King will chain the dragon and his demons for a literal thousand years of inactivity due to being thrown into the abyss. God's Word is in our presence this Word being alive able to cut through bone and marrow as it is God's Word that is sharper than any two edge sword". The Almighty spirit of the sword is the helper that unveils all and any untruths spoken by false teachers and false prophets here in the end of days. These are the everlasting sayings of the true God of Heaven. Se´lah.

 

These are the Letters from Kiara by JasMine Snow. Did you know that God has a personal name? Did you realize that God is a title? Did you ever wonder if God has a purpose for the human race to protect and to preserve the very creation of obedient humankind? God's prophecies speak about God having His preset goal to sanctify His name come the great & fear inspiring Day of Armageddon.

 

The ruler of this old dark world which is nobody other than the original serpent, Satan the Devil known as the father of lies tried to tarnish God's holy name. Satan the first fallen angel fell out from God's grace by his willful disobedience to God & his skilfully worldly fashioned lies to Eve continuing down into our days of Revelations. He accomplished to end Adam and Eves perfect lives by fully seducing the first created human woman Eve when he spoke through a serpent in the Garden of Eden calling God a liar.

 

Prophecy has already shown the awakened ones by means of His Word that in the end it is Jehovah God of Armies to be Victorious. It has been written that the God of heaven and earth accomplishes this through His Messianic Kingdom ending all of the kingdoms infinitely on earth by His King crushing every man made kingdom here in the end of days.God's Love by means of His Word also prophesies that He has taken a people out from amongst all nations for His name sake?

 

And these people come to Him through His Shepherd King as they are led to the Mountain of Jehovah to feast and drink in a spiritual feast empowering them to endure till the end of this old system of things has been put out of commission by Christ Jesus who leads the entire angelic army, accomplishing God's Will and fulfillment of God's prophesies in action here in the end of days.

 

It has been written that in the last days God's Word is to ring true to all the ones wanting salvation through the Son of God will call upon the name of Jehovah and they will be saved. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life. For God sent forth his Son into the world, not for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him. He that exercises faith in him is not to be judged. . . . He that does not exercise faith has been judged already, because he has not exercised faith in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

 

Now this is the basis for judgment, that the light has come into the world but men have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked. For he that practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, in order that his works may not be reproved. But he that does what is true comes to the light, in order that his works may be made manifest as having been worked in harmony with God.” John 3:16-21.

 

Did you know that God's personal name Jehovah has been removed over seven thousand times in the old Testament and men have replaced His holy name with the title lord in capital letters? Christ Jesus made His God & Father's name known to all the ones God gave to him as Jesus Christ is the Son of man, Prince of peace & our high priest crowned to be the Millennium King to reign God's Kingdom ruled by Love for a literal thousand years beginning on the day of Armageddon.

 

What an exciting and history making time we are all living in as these are the end of days according to the spirit of the sword-God's Word.This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ. I have glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you have given me to do.

 

So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.“I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have observed your word. They have now come to know that all the things you gave me are from you; because the sayings that you gave me I have given to them, and they have received them and have certainly come to know that I came out as your representative, and they have believed that you sent me forth.

 

I make request concerning them; I make request, not concerning the world, but concerning those you have given me; because they are yours, and all my things are yours and yours are mine, and I have been glorified among them.“Also, I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them on account of your own name which you have given me, in order that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I used to watch over them on account of your own name which you have given me; and I have kept them, and not one of them is destroyed except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled.

 

But now I am coming to you, and I am speaking these things in the world in order that they may have my joy in themselves to the full. I have given your word to them, but the world has hated them, because they are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world. “I request you, not to take them out of the world, but to watch over them because of the wicked one. They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world. Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth.

 

Just as you sent me forth into the world, I also sent them forth into the world. And I am sanctifying myself in their behalf, that they also may be sanctified by means of truth. “I make request, not concerning these only, but also concerning those putting faith in me through their word; in order that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you, that they also may be in union with us, in order that the world may believe that you sent me forth." John 17:3-21.

 

God what is your name poem by JasMine Snow.

 

Here I lay in wait, no souls in sight just the stars and the moon and my memory of him-the man that swam in my eyes. I remember winding hills and the sent of wild yellow-jasmine growing across the edges of the mountainsides of little bear & Big-bear. Big Bear Mountain was winding itself up, up, up like a spin top as we drove on a motorcycle seven thousand feet high. Breathing in clouds & driving on air billowing memories on this mid summer’s night. It was the feeling of a walk in the clouds.

 

A big sign hung suspended as if by nothing like a painted white suitor. If true love has come to find me so may it be my love that binds me. I remember he lived beneath that giant white sign and I worked above it on the sunset horse ranch of the western Hollywood hills. Those winding hills still are calling out to me. The rising sent of wild yellow jasmine throughout the air; I could smell it now as if it where all around me.

 

He is calling me back that I may remember him, awakening me to return. Charlie has set it in his mind that he will be with the only woman that was created to be made his if she does indeed exist. Here I am as I am God's barefoot shepherdess; I am a woman with the heart of a child. My God given name is Kiara the one in which God has had created in all of my humanness to be your complement my beloved Charles. I will find my way to the man which God has chosen for me by the dove landing & appearing to be sitting on his shoulder. He will recognize me by my eyes and I will recognize him by his heart as we are one-heart my dear one.

 

If I find my way back to him it will be because God will lead me to find him for true love is life saving. Our hearts remember true Love's flight even when our minds can forget either by life's tragedies or falls into plight.I have fallen, stumbled somehow into this night. It is the rising sent of wild yellow jasmine taking me back to the winding hills. West Hollywood is where my heart awoke by love at first sight. Would he know who I was if he saw me again?

 

Would his heart remember me by the way he would feel after he looked into me? My eyes had greatly appealed to him way back then. I wonder now if we saw each other again after twenty years what would be his first reaction towards me?My true love did quote once to someone that he would rather remain private and silent on the matter of the things belonging to God.

 

Not in these words, in his own way he spoke with a boyish laugh to escape the question pondered by a curious inquiring mind. His personal thoughts about these things were to remain in silence to the outside world. Yet God read his heart in that moment.Even before that moment God had already entered into his heart; as God alone is the reader of all hearts. I knew then the things he did not understand as of yet frightened him, afraid to be judged by the people.

 

Come the time we meet things will become clear and understanding will come to you by the truth that has been revealed to you. I will share with him the ancient scrolls that he may see for himself the things belonging to God.“moreover, if, you call out for understanding itself and you give forth your voice for discernment itself, if you keep seeking for it as for silver, and as for hid treasures you keep searching for it, in that case you will understand the fear of Jehovah, and you will find the very knowledge of God. For Jehovah himself gives wisdom; out of his mouth there are knowledge and discernment.” Proverbs 2:3-6.

 

Who is it that made the stars? Who is it that made the moon? And what about the way the rainbow is arched like a doorway reaching from one end of the earth to the other end. Out will come the sun, the birds begin to hum- someone had to make the sun?

 

The grass is sweet, and it reminds me that there is a Creator. Man is so small compared to the universe; we are just part of His Creation.Sweet smelling earth the flowers are being tasted by buzzing bees. I will forget the rising pain I have from the fall and focus on what God is trying to tell me. Will my life be the same once I remember it all? Plucking with my finger and my thumb its like I'm strumming the guitar.

 

I bring the fresh picked grass close under my nose, breathing deep into its aromas settles me.am remembering snowdrifts and sunsets from the past as I lay on the bed of grass. In its dewy form beneath me, the grass has become like a bed to rest my wearisome soul upon.

 

The earth under me like a heartbeat warm. Not even man can reproduce one piece of natural grass so who made the grass and the earth? Man is a creation so man did not create himself. Neither did he create the earth or anything under the sun made by the hand of divine creation. God is the creator of the universe.

 

God is the one who made the stars, the moon, the sun, the grass, the earth and even God created us. Even before God had created all these things, He, first created his first-born creation being in the form of God that form being in spirit. What form is God? “God is a spirit,” John 4: 24.

 

God’s first born was a spirit son whom God named Michael in heaven when born into the earth in the flesh; God told the angel Gabriel to tell Mary that she was to call God’s Son Jesus. I am remembering certain passages from a book of ancient prophetic scroll. “God sent forth his Son, who came to be out of a woman and who came to be under law, … So the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory such as belongs to an only begotten son from a father; and he was full of undeserved kindness and truth. Galatians 4:4; John 1:14.

 

Jesus said at Proverbs 8: 22-23: “Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago. From time indefinite I was installed, One by one the stars slip away under painted skies of darkened colors slip away. A rising sun is on its glorious way as I lay in memories.

 

The sun is like the oranges I peeled and the tea spiced with ginger I drank.Yes, it must be God who has done these wonderful works. The hand of God is brushing the colors of maroon-yellowed hues from the sun into the morning indigo sky. "And God proceeded to make the two great luminaries, the greater luminary for dominating the day and the lesser luminary for dominating the night, and also the stars.” Genesis 1: 6.

 

Only love brings about such beauty. Love brings about the truth. The truth of God's Word is the good news that I will share with my love. Love shares the truth with us. If God were Love then He would want us to know Him. Love is kind. Love loyal and long-suffering. God must have a Name as everything else has a name.

 

Why would God not have a Name, all of Creation has been named! What is your name God? The earth speaks to us as a silent & forever witness by all of His Creations. And I heard what has been written down in the Holy Divine Scriptures from the Ancient of Days. As if He had spoken out loud I could hear God say: The Word of God is alive and always answers: “I am Jehovah, that is my name;” Isaiah 42:8.

 

Does it belong to mortal man to posses the powers of creation? Whose powers are the highest that He himself has created a universe its entirety yet to be discovered. Could the sovereign God be the one? Whose powers are the highest that He himself has created a universe its entirety yet to be discovered. Could the sovereign God be the one?

 

Who should it be to rule humankind by nothing more or nothing less than a rule existing only by love and in love should mortal man be ruled?It is God the source of all energy. He says to the ones searching for answers: “Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? . . . Show me favor, O God, show me favor, For in you my soul has taken refuge; And in the shadow of your wings I take refuge until the adversities pass over. I call to God the Most High, to the [true] God who is bringing [them] to an end on my account. He will send from heaven and save me. He will certainly confuse the one snapping at me. Se´lah.

 

God will send his loving-kindness and his trueness.My soul is in the middle of lions; I cannot but lie down among devourers, [even] the sons of men, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And whose tongue is a sharp sword. O be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let your glory be above all the earth.

 

A net they have prepared for my steps; My soul has become bowed down. They excavated before me a pitfall; They have fallen into the midst of it. Se´lah. My heart is steadfast, O God, My heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody.Do awake, O my glory; Do awake, O stringed instrument; you too, O harp. I will awaken the dawn. I shall laud you among the peoples, O Jehovah; I shall make melody to you among the national groups.For your loving-kindness is great up to the heavens, And your trueness up to the skies. Do be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let your glory be above all the earth." Psalms 57:1-11.

 

Welcome to the Album of Papillon. Each picture contains either Poetry, Letters or Articles by Kiara (JasMine Snow) with some wonderful Ancient Scroll ~*~ Hello my Dear Friends and Readers,visit at your leisure while you sit back to enjoy the inspired writings that are soothing, comforting, healing and up-building as they have been written with Love. Love letters in the Sand letters from Kiara.

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

Branches of the Vine

Young Catholics complete sacraments of initiation

 

By Andrew Junker | May 21, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

 

CAREFREE — They were lined up down the main aisle of Our Lady of Joy’s church in starched shirts, white dresses and uncomfortable dress shoes.

 

And they were nervous.

 

Well, “nervous and excited,” explained Jenna Mateo, one of the 40 or so third-graders who made their first Communion and were confirmed by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted May 10 at the north Valley parish.

 

Maci McMeel — who chose Christina as her confirmation name — agreed with Mateo.

 

“I was kind of nervous because there were a lot of people watching us,” she said. McMeel said she had thought a lot about what it would be like to receive the Eucharist, and that making her first Communion was very “exciting.”

 

Across the Diocese of Phoenix, confirmation and first Communion season is in full bloom. Hundreds of children are receiving the sacraments either from the hands of the bishop or one of his appointed vicars or deans.

 

Jill Pavolovsky prepared the young confirmandi at Our Lady of Joy. The sacrament preparation is worked into the regular religious education classes at the parish, which have been focused on preparing for confirmation and first Communion for about a year now.

 

“The restored order of the sacraments helps the children receive the Blessed Sacrament more worthily and gives them the graces to make better choices in their lives,” said Pavlovsky, who is known to her students simply as “Miss Jill.”

 

Linking confirmation to baptism as one of the sacraments of initiation, as well as teaching the children about Pentecost and the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit “helps them understand how confirmation will help them live out, spread and defend the faith,” she said, “as a third-grader and hopefully beyond.”

 

In his homily, Bishop Olmsted told the children about their new responsibilities as fully initiated members of the Church and gave them advice on how to remain close to Christ.

 

The Gospel reading included Jesus telling His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing.”

 

“These words of Jesus help us see why holy Communion and confirmation are such great blessings from God,” Bishop Olmsted said. “The sacraments help us stay in communion with Christ, and that’s the only way to have real joy.”

 

More: www.catholicsun.org

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

Looking for a glossy/matte copy of this photo? Please call 602-354-2132 or send an e-mail for ordering information. Please note the photo's title when ordering. Download the order form here.

 

Copyright 2006-2009 The Catholic Sun. All rights reserved. This photo and all photos on this Web site credited to The Catholic Sun are provided for personal use only and may not be published, broadcasted, transmitted or sold without the expressed consent of The Catholic Sun.

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot - French, 1796 - 1875

 

Rocks in the Forest of Fontainebleau, 1860/1865

 

West Building, Ground Floor — Gallery G21

 

Dense green vegetation surrounds a band of sun-dappled boulders that arc shallowly across this horizontal landscape painting. Just to our left of center and on our side of the boulders are several slender tree trunks. The area beyond the boulders is a haze of loosely painted moss and pine green. The tree trunks and rocks are painted in tones of sable, peanut, sand, and dark brown. The artist signed the lower left, “COROT.”

 

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, born in Paris in 1796, was the son of a prosperous draper and of a mother well known as a fashionable modiste in the years of the Empire and the Restoration. The infant was put in the care of a nurse in a village near L'Isle-Adam on the Oise river, where he grew into a sturdy and cheerful country boy. After grammar school in Paris, he attended a lycée in Rouen (1807-1812) under the guardianship of M. Sennegon, a quiet man and lover of nature, who often took him on meditative evening walks. Two further years in a boarding school near Paris concluded his formal studies, which, though far from brilliant, left him with a predilection for classical literature and its values of harmony and style.

 

His tastes inclined him to art, but his father wanted him to become a merchant. Apprenticed to a draper, Corot demonstrated his incompetence for business. Placed in another firm, under an indulgent manager, he proved employable as a delivery boy, though much given to admiring the sky and loitering at shop windows. To satisfy his appetite for work with pencil and brush, he enrolled in evening sessions at the private Académie Suisse, where, for a fee, he could draw the posing model.

 

When in 1822, aged twenty-six, he was still without a profession, his parents despaired of his fitness for moneymaking and settled an annuity on him that allowed him to go his own way. He found a studio near his parents' shop and took instruction from a painter of his own age, Achille-Etna Michallon (1796-1822), laureate of the Rome Prize for Historical Landscape in 1817, who had recently returned from Rome. Corot sketched with Michallon in the environs of Paris, but their work together ended when Michallon died in September 1822. He next turned to Jean-Victor Bertin (1767-1842), a more rigorous classicist, who in the course of three years thoroughly initiated him to his methods, but from whom Corot had the wit to absorb only what suited his own vision. He set up his easel on the quays of Paris, sketched from nature in Normandy, in the forest of Fontainebleau, and at Ville-d'Avray, where his parents owned a country house. His early development was rapid and sure. The studies from 1822-1825 already contain, in their modest directness and lucidity, the essence of his personal style.

 

To further his education, he started in the fall of 1825 on the obligatory voyage to Italy. Arriving in the rainy Roman winter, he began with studies of street people whom he posed casually in his room at the Spanish Steps. In his small, candidly direct pictures of Italian folk he avoided the picturesque or sentimental conventions then in vogue among his French colleagues, who in their turn regarded him with friendly condescension. Rome's art treasures did not greatly interest him. He spent little time in the churches and galleries but was drawn to the Roman townscape with its tawny brickwork under azure skies. In the spring of 1826 he worked daily in the Farnese Gardens painting the prospect of Roman ruins spread before him in the slanting light of morning or afternoon. With an instinctive sense of arrangement, conditioned by the lessons of his former teachers, he gave his studies a seemingly natural harmony and balance, responding as much to the light and atmosphere of these views as to their material features. In the fairweather months of 1826 and 1827, he searched the environs of Rome for motifs, and found one, the bridge at Narni, on which he based the picture with which he made his debut at the Paris Salon of 1827 (National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa). After further excursions and a visit to Naples, he left Rome in September 1828 and returned to Paris by way of Venice. Back in France, he settled into an annual routine of travel and open-air sketching in spring and summer, followed by winter work in the studio to elaborate his sketches into exhibitable compositions. The outbreak of revolution in July 1830 briefly disturbed his rounds, sending him for shelter to Chartres, where he accomplished one of the most serene of his architectural landscapes, Chartres Cathedral (Louvre).

 

Corot understood that to be noticed on the crowded walls of the Salon he must work on an impressive scale and introduce interesting subject matter into his foregrounds. Using studies gathered in Italy and in the forest of Fontainebleau, he composed landscapes of increasingly large size for exhibition, enlivening their foregrounds with rustic genre motifs. His first success came at the Salon of 1833, where his Vue de la forêt de Fontainebleau (location unknown), reminiscent of John Constable's (1776-1837) Hay Wain (exhibited in Paris in 1824, National Gallery, London), won a silver medal. His simple landscapes nevertheless attracted little notice and no purchasers. To give his work something of the prestige of "historical" landscape, Corot in 1834 introduced a biblical motif, a meditating Magdalene, into the composed landscape of unusually large size that he sent to the Salon of that year, the National Gallery of Art's Forest of Fontainebleau (1963.10.109).

 

In May 1834 he set out on a six-month tour of northern Italy, traveling along the Mediterranean coast to Genoa, Pisa, and Volterra, and continuing to Florence and Venice. His studies from this second Italian voyage, fewer in number, are larger and more richly furnished than those of his first stay. Back in France, he resumed his effort to go beyond pure landscape in his Salon exhibits by giving them a narrative content. His yearly submissions to the Salons, starting with Hagar in the Wilderness (1835, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) and continuing through the end of the 1830s with Diana and Actaeon (1836, also Metropolitan Museum of Art), Saint Jerome in the Desert (1837, church, Ville-d'Avray), Silenus (1838, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts), and Flight into Egypt (1840, church, Rosny-sur-Seine), gradually gave him visibility as a painter of "historical" landscape. Classicist training and an innate disposition enabled him to integrate various studies in one well-ordered design, without strain or recourse to formulas. His View near Volterra of 1838 at the National Gallery of Art (1963.10.111), blending earlier landscape studies with discreet borrowings from the masters, preserves the freshness of observed reality.

 

Until his mid-forties, Corot, still dependent on his parents who fondly regarded him as a talentless amateur, lived on his small allowance, cheerfully productive despite the public's indifference. But among artists he was beginning to find admirers. The first signal of official recognition was given him at the Salon of 1840 when the government bought his Le Petit Berger (La Cour d'Or, Musées de Metz), an early example of what came to be known as his "lyrical" style. In May 1843 he departed on his third and last Italian voyage, traveling directly to Rome for a six-months' stay, during which he took excursions to Tivoli, Genzano, and Lake Nemi. In a number of the relatively few paintings from this journey--The Gardens of the Villa d'Este (Tivoli) (Louvre), a study of early twilight, and The Goatherd of Genzano (The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.), an impression of hot sunlight--his naturalism attained its ultimate refinement.

 

On his return to Paris in 1844 he resubmitted his Destruction of Sodom (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) to the Salon from which it had been rejected the year before and had the satisfaction of seeing it hung. The following year, he showed Homer and the Shepherds (1845, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Saint-Lô) in which the landscape setting, though based on a drawing from nature, is more artificial and poetically vague than the backgrounds of his earlier historical compositions. His Forest of Fontainebleau (exhibited as Vue des gorges d'Apremont at the Salon of 1846, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), by contrast, indicates the persistence of a robustly naturalist strain in his work, reflecting his encounters with Théodore Rousseau and Jules Dupré at about this time. In 1846 the government awarded Corot the cross of the Legion of Honor. Major state commissions now came to him, among them a large Baptism of Christ (1847, Saint-Nicolas de Chardonnet, Paris). When his father died in 1847, Corot interrupted his study travel to devote himself to his mother with whom he went to live at Ville-d'Avray. The Revolution of 1848 passed him by, as had that of 1830. At the jury-free Salon of that year he showed no fewer than nine paintings and received a second-class medal. In 1851 his mother died. Corot, now orphaned at fifty-five, warded off loneliness by staying with hospitable friends in various parts of France. Between these adoptive homes he traveled in yearly rounds, combining landscape study with the pleasures of cordial domesticity.

 

Corot's work from this time on fell into three main categories: private studies from nature of landscape or of the human figure; historical compositions destined for the Salon; and work for sale--composed landscapes in hazily atmospheric settings for which there developed a strong demand. Studies from nature Corot usually secreted in his studio, to be seen only by friends. His Port of La Rochelle (1851, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven) is exceptional in being a finished study that he chose to show at a Salon (1852). For public exhibition he preferred narrative figural compositions on religious or literary subjects, such as his Saint Sebastian Aided by the Holy Women (1853, The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore), in which he placed figures of remarkable expressive vigor in shadowy dream landscapes that were only remotely derived from his nature studies, but perhaps owed something to his enjoyment of the theater and its scenery. For sale, he produced what came to be expected of him: harmonious arrangements of diaphanous trees, crepuscular skies, and distant sheets of water, nostalgic memories of favorite sites in Italy or France. The steady, rising demand for these landscape-poems by collectors and dealers tempted him into repetition. Soon, his own large output was augmented by a flood of vulgarizing imitations and forgeries.

 

The Universal Exposition of 1855, at which six of his paintings were shown, confirmed his popular success and won him a gold medal. Napoleon III put the official seal on the fashion for Corot's lyrical landscapes by purchasing his Souvenir de Marcoussis (1853, Musée d'Orsay, Paris) for his personal collection. Corot sometimes combined his "lyrical" manner with subjects taken from reality, composing foregrounds of feathery trees through which, as through a screen, he opened views into distances occupied by buildings as concrete and clearly defined as those in his early townscapes. The visual precision evident in such later paintings as Mantes Cathedral (c. 1865, Musée Saint-Denis, Reims), The Bridge of Mantes (c. 1868, Louvre), and the National Gallery of Art's Ville-d'Avray (1955.9.1) proves that, despite his concessions to decorative or poetic effect, Corot had lost nothing of his keenness of observation.

 

Portraits and figure studies, painted on the side throughout his life, took on a new importance in his private work of the 1850s and 1860s. While in his imagined landscapes he cultivated a hazy indefiniteness, he went in the opposite direction in his paintings of the figure. Posing models in costume or in the nude, he stressed their physical presence, defining their bodies with sculptural vigor and their costumes with strong color. In 1866-1870 he suffered attacks of gout that forced him to curtail travel and outdoor work. Confined to his Paris studio, he painted landscapes from memory and posed models in portraitlike arrangements, sometimes on a monumental scale, as in the National Gallery of Art's Agostina (1963.10.108). In a series of interiors from 1865-1872, among them the Gallery's Studio of the Artist (1942.9.11), he represented young women in Italian costume seated in his studio, in solitary meditation before an easel that holds one of his "lyrical" landscapes.

 

About 1870 he recovered his health and worked with undiminished energy, sustained by a robust constitution. Throughout the Franco-Prussian War and the siege of Paris (1870-1871), he remained at work in his Paris studio. The civil war of the Commune in 1871 drove him to the provincial quiet of Douai, where he painted a masterly townscape, The Belfry, Douai (1871, Louvre), as subtle in color and firm in handling as any of his architectural views of the 1830s. When peace returned, he resumed his migratory life, spending the year of 1872 in constant travel and outdoor painting. In his final years, his early, naturalist tendencies reasserted themselves in subjects taken from reality, such as his Interior of Sens Cathedral (1874, Louvre), which show that he preserved his clarity of vision and noble refinement of color to the end. He died on 22 February 1875 after a brief illness.

 

For half a century, Corot's fame rested entirely on his late, composed landscapes. His studies from nature remained largely unknown. A drastic reevaluation occurred after 1900, when critics, surfeited with the "poetic" manner, discovered his early sketches and judged their freshness preferable to the repetitiousness of the later compositions. Meanwhile, this estimate is itself being revised; the qualities of Corot's best composed landscapes, no longer obscured by overfamiliarity, are being valued once again. [This is the artist's biography published in the NGA Systematic Catalogue]

________________________________

 

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC is a world-class art museum that displays one of the largest collections of masterpieces in the world including paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, and decorative arts from the 13th century to the present. The National Gallery of Art collection includes an extensive survey of works of American, British, Italian, Flemish, Spanish, Dutch, French and German art. With its prime location on the National Mall, surrounded by the Smithsonian Institution, visitors often think that the museum is a part of the Smithsonian. It is a separate entity and is supported by a combination of private and public funds. Admission is free. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs, lectures, guided tours, films, and concerts.

 

The original neoclassical building, the West Building includes European (13th-early 20th century) and American (18th-early 20th century) paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and temporary exhibitions. The National Gallery of Art was opened to the public in 1941 with funds provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The original collection of masterpieces was provided by Mellon, who was the U. S. Secretary of the Treasury and ambassador to Britain in the 1930s. Mellon collected European masterpieces and many of the Gallery’s original works were once owned by Catherine II of Russia and purchased in the early 1930s by Mellon from the Hermitage Museum in Leningrad.

 

The core collection includes major works of art donated by Paul Mellon, Ailsa Mellon Bruce, Lessing J. Rosenwald, Samuel Henry Kress, Rush Harrison Kress, Peter Arrell Browne Widener, Joseph E. Widener, and Chester Dale. The Gallery's collection of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, medals, and decorative arts traces the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and the largest mobile created by Alexander Calder.

 

The NGA's collection galleries and Sculpture Garden display European and American paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, and decorative arts. Paintings in the permanent collection date from the Middle Ages to the present. The Italian Renaissance collection includes two panels from Duccio's Maesta, the tondo of the Adoration of the Magi by Fra Angelico and Filippo Lippi, a Botticelli work on the same subject, Giorgione's Allendale Nativity, Giovanni Bellini's The Feast of the Gods, Ginevra de' Benci (the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas) and groups of works by Titian and Raphael.

 

The collections include paintings by many European masters, including a version of Saint Martin and the Beggar, by El Greco, and works by Matthias Grünewald, Cranach the Elder, Rogier van der Weyden, Albrecht Dürer, Frans Hals, Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer, Francisco Goya, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, and Eugène Delacroix, among others. The collection of sculpture and decorative arts includes such works as the Chalice of Abbot Suger of St-Denis and a collection of work by Auguste Rodin and Edgar Degas. Other highlights of the permanent collection include the second of the two original sets of Thomas Cole's series of paintings titled The Voyage of Life, (the first set is at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in Utica, New York) and the original version of Watson and the Shark by John Singleton Copley (two other versions are in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Detroit Institute of Arts).

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Gallery_of_Art

 

Andrew W. Mellon, who pledged both the resources to construct the National Gallery of Art as well as his high-quality art collection, is rightly known as the founder of the gallery. But his bequest numbered less than two hundred paintings and sculptures—not nearly enough to fill the gallery’s massive rooms. This, however, was a feature, not a failure of Mellon’s vision; he anticipated that the gallery eventually would be filled not only by his own collection, but also by additional donations from other private collectors. By design, then, it was both Andrew Mellon and those who followed his lead—among them, eight men and women known as the Founding Benefactors—to whom the gallery owes its premier reputation as a national art museum. At the gallery’s opening in 1941, President Roosevelt stated, “the dedication of this Gallery to a living past, and to a greater and more richly living future, is the measure of the earnestness of our intention that the freedom of the human spirit shall go on.”

 

www.doaks.org/resources/cultural-philanthropy/national-ga...

.

We're back.. we're back. Today we take a quick look at one of the relatively recent Fate Figma, the line that got me collecting these in the first place.

 

This is Figma Nero Claudius from Fate/Extella, the game prior to the current Musou style offering.

 

For those who follow (or at least attempt to follow) Fate, it's no surprise that the expanded universe, first beginning with the Fate/Extra spin off game on PSP, has introduced many characters that remain popular to this day, seeing action in the various sequels to that game or expansion into the Mobile Gaming and Light Novel universes.

 

One such character is Nero Claudius, the Saber in the red dress. Nero is the Heroic Spirit of the last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, conveniently made a female for the purposes of selling merch.. of course. She's a colourful character that, if I had to summarize, despite looking kind of like Artoria, behaves NOTHING like her both in terms of personality or fighting style.

 

This is actually the second release of this character in Figma form, with the first Nero Figma actually coming as an extra with the Japanese collectors edition of the Fate/Extra game on PSP. I can't exactly say this figure was a bargain for me, but it was less than original MSRP and much less than trying to find one of the figures that came with the original game.

 

The set comes with the figure, based of course on the 2.0 Figma body, three total face plates (smiling, laughing, shouting), her sword Aestus Estus, an extra left forearm and various golden parts to replaced her armoured look, a variety of posing and weapon holding hands, and of course the standard Figma stand.

 

As far as I can tell, the original toy had no buckler and only two faceplates, but did come with windswept hair like the Artoria Pendragon 2.0 Figma did.

 

Being a Figma 2.0 release, it goes without saying that this version of Nero has better proportions and detailing of pretty much everything. Most notable of an improvement would be face plates, which are larger and allow for a better representation of not only the source material, but also, accuracy of the desired expression.

 

The articulation piece is only arguably better as I don't have an actual sample on hand to fiddle with and is based on my experiences with Lily Saber and Saber 1.0 to 2.0 comparisons.

 

Just what do I mean by that? Lets start with the basics, as always.

 

Nero is fitted out with the standard array of Figma joints - ankles, single jointed knees, hips, mid torso, shoulders with slight chest compress and bicep swivel, single jointed elbows, wrists, and head. She has a bonus point of articulation on the back of her head, where the "bun" can be rotated for a more dynamic look. As with all other Figma, joints are cut such that you get a pretty good range of motion for a single jointed area.

 

So far so good, right?

 

The reason why I say I presume it's got better articulation than the 1.0 is based on the arms and shoulders alone, which on the Saber and Lily Saber releases are improved with regards to range of motion, mostly due to redesign of the shoulder pad areas (Saber only).

 

What's hilarious to me is the character with the fabric dress actually has worse lower body than the one wearing an armoured skirt. I guess because there's no segmenting on the character model, Nero's skirt is basically one giant plastic cone, just like on the original release. As you can probably imagine, yep, her legs are basically stuck within the confines of that space so sitting, squatting, lunging, etc. are effectively out of the question.

 

Positioning of legs to replicate slight movements is possible, particularly with the aid of the stand, but I don't think Nero is gonna be winning to many battles with the ability to hop a bit.

 

Paint work is up to the normal Figma quality, which is effectively silky smooth paint apps across the board including the semi-gloss buckler, with acceptable or better work on the smaller details. Gold trim across the dress are sharply done, including the trim on the hem of the dress. Underlying mould details are not lost due to paint application, even on the more intricate parts such as the gold braids and the Epaulets on her shoulders.

 

Build quality is solid as well. Joints are of a good strength, with limbs being the proper length to prevent lopsidedness. Tolerances are generally good, important given the nature of the necessary interchanging of parts on this figure. Finish on the plastic parts is smooth, which helps to further highlight the smoothness of the paint applications. Another neat thing is the use of translucent white plastics rather than a solid white, so not only does it look nicer but you're also able to see her legs through the walls of their plastic prison.

 

So, unsurprisingly, I find Nero to be a beautiful Figma, if somewhat limited, release. From a design perspective, I can see that if Good Smile had tried to make an articulated skirt the look would just be terrible looking - a separate "hiked" skirt would probably have been preferable even if it costs more.

 

I did get another Fate piece which I'll be getting around to looking at soon, but first, a few things that are different.

Matthew 19:4-6

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

It was great sadness to hear of the death of Nicholas (Nicky) Brennan 19th December 2015 from Landen Road. When Nicky moved to Ballyfermot in 1948 to his new house on Landen Road along with his mother and sister. He immediately Joined the Legion of Mary, as he was in the Legion both in Dublin and the UK before he came to Ballyfermot. Nicky looked after me and many more young people in the 60s when we joined the Legion of Mary leading us on many outings around Ireland, organizing dances, ballad sessions, and debating society. He also introduced us all to our first dance where we would meet up for reunions, he would be the first on the floor when the slow sets came on not to dance but to make sure we left room for the Holy spirit between the boys and the girls. He was a very quiet man but he could debate with anyone on the Faith he knew, loved, and served. He also served Our Lady of the Assumption Church well, running the shop at the end of the Church, selling the Catholic papers, he was a minister of the word. And was recognised by the Catholic Church by being awarded the Benemerenit Medal which is an honor awarded by the Pope to members of the clergy and laity for service to the Catholic Church. Nicky was also awarded by the Ballyfermot Heritage Group for his voluntary work for so many years by being presented with the Ballyfermot Heritage person of the year for 2005. I have limited knowledge of the saints in Heaven only what I have learned in school. But I knew a living saint in Nicky Brennan. May he rest in peace his great work is recognised by a lot of the Ballyfermot people and the Legion of Mary

 

Mary Shealley Shared a memory of Nicky - Ken I met Mr Brennan many years ago , I was visiting home from the states , I went to Mass and after mass went to the gift shop , I was looking for a pioneer pin for an Irish friend of mine also from Ballyer living in the States who was trying to get sober , I had looked all over Dublin at various church's and was told the person had to be there (or something like that) to get the pin , That day I asked the lady in Assumption parish shop and suddenly a lovely gentleman came , he had overheard the conversation and took a pin off his jacket, and handed it to me , I told him I could not take it , he insisted and the lady in the shop told me to take it as Mr Brennan wanted me to .when I came back to the States I gave the pin to my friend , He was very touched that some one from his home town would be so kind and caring . Here we are many years later and that friend has been clean and sober ever since and doing awesome work helping those in a similar situation that he was in. God has a special place in Heaven for Mr Brennan , I have always kept the Faith of my childhood and believe we have another Saint in Heaven to pray to and I for one will be praying to this good and Holy man

 

Thank you Mary Shealley for letting me know that was Nicky always at hand helping people I think there is a message in this for us all just a little bit of Kindness

 

Indeed Ken I only met him once but have never forgotten his kindness and in turn how he helped and touched a young man from Ballyfermot on the other side of the world and his kind act is still at work many years later

 

Des Daly - I’m the grateful recipient of the pioneer pin - it was freely giving to me. I was born at home on Le Fanu Road. I like to joke that I had to travel 3,000 miles to get sober. But I did not really have to now did I. When Mary told me the story of Nicky's kindness I was filled with gratitude. God did for me what I couldn't do for myself. We still live in the age of miracles. I got the greatest gift

  

Twelfth century. KELSCH, Wolfgang (1987). Die Quattuor Coronati in der Legende und der bildenden Kunst. Forschungsloge 'Quatuor Coronati', Bayreuth, No. 808. ISBN 3-925749-03-9

----

The Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati boasts a 12th-century church (with 4th-century origins), a lovely cloister, and beautifully-preserved 13th-century frescoes. And it's only a short walk from the Colosseum or San Giovanni in Laterano. But I've yet to see more than a handful of visitors there.

I'm not complaining: The basilica does, after all, include a convent, and it's nice to see it all undisturbed by hordes of visitors. But. The church is a gem -- and a must-see for anyone interested in Rome's off-the-beaten-path sites.

The first church here was founded in the 4th century. Its name, "four crowned saints," comes from its original dedication to the four soldiers who were martyred by Emperor Diocletian after they refused to sacrifice to a pagan god. But in 1084, the Normans burned the church to the ground during their sack of Rome.

Pope Paschal II built the "new" version of Santi Quattro Coronati in the early 1100s, but at only half the size of the original. (Imagine!) Still, the structure remains impressive, particularly for the lesson that the pope seems to have taken from the Norman sack: If you're going to build, might as well build fortified. Even today, Santi Quattro Coronati has the appearance, looming from atop the Celian hill and surrounded by thick walls, of a military fort.

There are two parts of the basilica that you shouldn't miss -- but would if you didn't know what to look for. One is the Romanesque cloister (right). Once in the main basilica, ring a bell on the left wall. One of the Augustinian nuns will come to let you into the peaceful, lovely space. (Donations are requested, though not required, for the upkeep of the convent and the basilica. These churches aren't so wealthy anymore, and much of their art is suffering. If you can, give a euro or two).

Once you've exited both the cloister and the basilica and are in the main courtyard, you'll see a door to your left. That leads to the Chapel of St. Sylvester. Glorious but intimate, the chapel highlights the incredible narrative power of medieval frescoes, even those done by artists whose names have been forgotten. Don't miss it.

To enter the chapel, ring the little bell on the left after you've walked in. A nun will appear behind the grate and ask how many you are. The fee is 1 Euro per person. Once you've paid, she'll buzz you into the chapel. There, you'll find an entire 13th-century cycle of frescoes commemorating the life of St. Sylvester; they're charming (they hadn't quite figured out perspective yet!), but breathtaking, too. Not to mention that they're incredibly rare for their state of preservation, giving you a chance to see 700-year-old frescoes largely as they're meant to be seen -- vivid with color and detail.

It's not all that often that you get to see medieval frescoes in Renaissance art-laden Rome. Especially not alone, as you're likely to be. Enjoy it (revealedrome.com)

----

 

4.3. The Quattuor Coronati (in: 'FOUR. A Rediscovery of the 'Tetragonus mundus', Marten Kuilman, 1996/2011).

 

The legend of the Quattuor Coronati is a story of four stonemasons from Pannonia, who lived during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian (284 - 305 AD). They were called Claudius, Castorius, Simpronianus and Nicostratus (DEMETER, 1961; SIMON, 1988), and secretly devoted to Christianity.

The stonemasons opposed an assignment of the emperor to make a statue of Aesculapius, the god of surgery and medicine. Earlier they had, in cooperation with the sculpture Simplicius, finished a statue of the sun god (Sol invictor) on a quadriga. The refusal of the stonemasons provoked anger with the emperor, who had the man whipped and put into lead coffins to be thrown in the river Save. This happened, according to legend, on the eighth of November, around 302 AD

The Roman Catholic Church in the ‘Breviarium Romanum’ sanctioned this story, being part of the old-Christian and early mediaeval hagiolatry. In this version there were, together with the four stonemasons, another four martyrs (the brothers Severus, Severianus, Carpophorus and Victorinus), who were also tortured and killed under the reign of Diocletian. They were supposedly buried at the same place, along the Via Labicana in Rome, as where the Quattuor Coronati found their last resting-place.

The source in the 'Brevarium' is not indicated. The work was a compilation of the 'Vita', which circulated as legends. The story of the four stone-masons was only added to the 'Brevarium' in the revision of 1568. KELSCH (1987) gave four primary sources of the legend of the martyrs:

 

1. A Roman calendar of the fourth century, which provided the anniver-sary of the martyrs. This was before the early Christian church became the state-religion within the Roman Empire;

 

2. The so-called 'Depositio martyrium' of Furius Dionysius Philocalus from the year 354;

 

3. The 'Martyrologium Hieronymianum', from the beginning of the fifth century and

 

4. A 'Passio SS. Quattuor Coronatorum'.

 

A church on the Mons Caelius in Rome was mentioned in the year 595 AD as a place of pilgrimage for the 'Quattuor Coronati'. Travelogues from the seventh century recorded a catacomb along the Via Labicana as their last resting-place.

Pope Leo IV (847 – 855) had a particular affinity with the four martyrs, as described in the 'Histoire des Papes et souverains chefs de l'eglise' by Francois DUCHESNE (1653): 'Il auoit vne affection & deuotion particuliere aux saints Martyrs appelez les Quatre Couronnez. A cette cause il fit principalement rechercher leurs Os; & les ayent trouuez auec peine, les mit en la Basilique de leur nom, laquelle il regissoit auant son Pontificat. Il y transfera pareillement les Corps saints de Claude, Nicostrat, Symphorien, Castorius, & Simplicius ...' (Tome I, p. 489)(He had an affection with and a particular devotion to the saints called the Quattuor Coronati. For that reason he searched for their bones; and after having found them with difficulty, he put them in the basilica bearing their name. He organised this before he received the pontificate. He moved apparently the holy bodies of Claudius, Nicostratus, Symphorianus, Castorius and Simplicius...). Historical evidence showed that Leo IV enlarged the old basilica, which is named after the 'Quattuor Coronati'.

The saints on the ceiling of the church of SS. Quattro Coronati in Rome by an unknown master are of a much later date. The church itself (the emporium) dated from the twelfth century. In the apses are frescos of Giovanni Manozzi, also called Giovanni da San Giovanni, painted around 1630. DUFFY (1997) gave an illustration of the 'Donation of Constantine' as a fresco in the Quattro Santi Coronati by Raphael.

Also in other places in Italy are representations of the 'Quattro Coronati', for instance, in Florence in the guildhall of San Michele at the Via Calzaiolio. The sculptor Nanni d'Antonio di Banco (c. 1373 - 1421) depicted the saints around 1415 (GOLDTHWAITE, 1980).

Portraits of the saints also occur in Pavia (in the S. Pietro church on the Arca of the Holy Augustine, around 1360), in Venice (in the dome of the San Marco and in the Dogen Palace, Colonna degli Scultori, around 1400), in Arezzo (S. Francesco church, painted by Parri Spinelli in 1400, destroyed) and on the isle of Sicily (DU COLOMBIER, 1953).

Further north, in Austria, are representations at the Stadtpfarrkirch of Neunkirchen (Lower Austria), dating from around 1500. In the Pfarrkirche of Steyr (Upper Austria) is an epitaph of the builder-master Wolfgang Tenk, made of sandstone, with the heraldry of the building guild St. Stephan and the Quattuor Coronati.

The consecration of the Munster of Aachen (Germany) took place in 1474 and was dedicated to the Quattuor Coronati. The only profane repre-sentation of the 'Coronati' in Germany is at Wertheim on the Main. A sixteenth century house (now the Heimatmuseum in the Rathausgasse) is decorated with the 'Quattor Coronati' in red sandstone.

The 'Quattuor Coronati’ were, especially in Belgium and Holland, a popular motif. Paintings and sculptures can be found in Brussels, Antwerp, Brugues, Gent, Leuven, Mechelen, Amsterdam, Dordrecht and Haarlem. The following historical occurrences are also noticed by KELSCH (1987): Middelburg (Guildhouse 'In de Steenrotse', around 1590, lost), Leiden (Guildhouse of the carpenters and masons, 1615, destroyed), Delft (silver guild-beakers, 1633), Arnhem (Eusebius church, destroyed and Appingedam (Groningen, fourteenth century, restored).

Many representations of the 'Quattuor Coronati' are connected with the building guilds, which flowered in the fifteenth and sixteenth century. The guild of the 'Maestri' in Florence was, for example, a considerable political power block (GOLDTHWAITE, 1980) Their shield of arms showed the attributes of the 'Quattuor Coronati', with a waller's instrument for mixing mortar in the centre.

The guild sign of the masons and thatchers of Middelburg (Holland), dated from 1607, exhibited at its reverse four persons with tools from the trade. Their names (Claudus, Nicostracius, Dicideryus and Syplycus) indicated that the knowledge of the original legend had become somewhat distorted.

A medal with the arms of the building guild of St. Stephan in Vienna is dated from 1651. In the outer rim of the sign is written: 'Der Purgerlichen Steinmezen unndt Maurer Sigill der Haupthitten peu S. Steffan in Wien' and in the inner rim: 'S (= Sigillum) Fraternita Lapicidarum Vienensiu Austriae'.

The influence of the building- and crafts-guilds diminished during the seventeenth and eighteenth century, and tradition became the main motive to continue the societies. The prominence of the 'Quattuor Coronati', as the patron saints of the construction-workers, declined in due course. They are remembered in literature and on the calendar of the holy days (the 8th of November) of the Roman Catholic Church.

The building guilds found an interesting continuation in the Freemasonry. More and more 'members of honor' were allowed in the original mediaeval trade union. They were not only interested in the (financial) aspects of the building trade, but were also concerned with religious and moral questions within the union. The 'Grand Lodge' of the Freemasons in London was established in 1717. This event was the beginning of a movement, which subsequently spread over greater parts of Europe.

The union was open, in theory, for all races and creeds. To quote Alfred Robbins: 'Freemasonry can be described as an organised system of morality, derived from divine wisdom and age-long experience, which, for preservation from outer assault and inner decay, is veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbol.' This latter quality gave the movement a 'secret' aspect, aiming at knowledge, which was outside the mainstream of Christian thinking. The use of allegorical aspects and symbols with a pagan background brings Freemasonry sometimes within the realm of the tetradic world. The movement, however, is not guided by a specific form of division thinking, but seems to be attracted to the dynamic character of the (numerological) phenomenon as such.

The 'secret' character is enhanced by the fact that the type of ‘division’ is not explicitly mentioned as a philosophical force. What remains is a puzzling game of various observational stances. There are references to 'divine wisdom and age-long experience' - pointing to the Egyptian cultural period - but the quintessence of division-thinking remains in the dark. Despite these objections, it should be noted that Freemasonry is a valuable historical effort to explore the depths of multiple understanding. It is not surprising that the movement gained popularity in Mozart's time (1780 - 1790): from the Latin 'ars quadrataria' to the mediaeval guilds of masons and the Freemasonry runs a conceptual line, which favored a square and quadrated world, either in reality (of a building) or in the mind.

The oldest written record of devotion to the 'Quattuor Coronati' as a patron saint of the masons in England was discovered by James Orchard Halliwell in a document of the second half of the fourteenth century in the British Museum (Bibl. Reg. 17.A.I). A loge of the Freemasons in England was founded in 1886 under the name 'Quator Coronati'. The same happened in Germany in 1951. The more recent publication of KELSCH (1987) was published by the 'Forschungsloge 'Quatuor Coronati' in Bayreuth.

DEMETER (1961) pointed to some obvious contradictions in the story of the 'Quattuor Coronati': why did the sculptors make a representation of the pagan sun god (in a quadriga), but refused to make a sculpture of Asclepius? Furthermore, the connotation with four completely different persons, which were killed two years later - on the eighth of November - in Rome, because they were Christians, is peculiar. They were described as 'cornicularii' (with horns). A 'cornicularius' was a soldier of a civil servant with a certain rank. This title is very similar to the 'coronati'. It seems as if an old popular story - maybe collected in the provinces - was used by the Roman Catholic church for their own good use.

The name 'Coronati' has been subject to various interpretations of its meaning. The word could point to the martyrs - with a crown of thorn, a well-known Christian symbol. The term could also be associated with Asclepios, the son of Apollo, the sun god, and with the Koronids. The latter name is, in this assumption, subsequently being corrupted to Coronati. The number four was probably only of numerological importance.

The addition 'Quator' (written with one t) is, according to DEMETER (1961), not relevant, because there are five stonemasons in the original story. Stonemasonry was called the 'ars quadrataria' in Latin, and a stonemason was a 'quadratarius'. Maybe the legend writers of the fifth and sixth century transferred the initial five 'Quadratarii Koronidis' (stonemasons of Asclepios) into the 'Quatuor Coronati' (four Crowned Ones).

There could have been a connection between the Mithras-religion and the origin of the saints' life’s of the Four Crowned Ones. The worship of Mithra is centred on the Light. The god Mithras acts, in the dualistic environment of Light and Darkness/Heaven and Earth/Good and Evil, as a mediator between God and human beings. Mithras, as a God of Light (Sol Invictus) rode in a quadriga along the sky, pulled by four horses symbolizing the power over the elements.

The (Persian) mysteries of Mithras had special appeal to the Roman military and developed gradually into a soldiers-religion, which covered at one stage the entire length of the empire from east to west. The emerging Christianity grew into a serious competitor. Severe persecution of the Christians took place during the reign of Diocletian (emperor from 284 - 305 AD), who was born in Illyricum (Dalmatia), next to Pannonia. However, times changed, and now it was the turn of the followers of Mithras to be persecuted, also during the reign of Diocletian.

A complete break with history took place during the rule of Constantine I (306 - 337 AD) when Christianity became the state-religion. It is possible, according to DEMETER (1961), that the four (or five) sculptors were followers of Mithra instead of Christians. This could explain why they first sculptured the sun god on his quadriga and later furiated the Christians, who did not allow sculptures of (pagan) gods. They would have been accused of idolatry.

A 'mithrarium' (place of worship of Mithras) in Rome, underneath the church of San Clemente, between the Via Labicana and the Via de Santi Quattro supported the view (of DEMETER, 1961) of a possible tension between the Mithras and early Christianity. The original four martyrs (for Mithras) changed into the four Coronati, somewhere between the third and the fifth century AD. They became martyrs for Christianity and were incorporated into the world of legends of the Roman Catholic Church. KELSCH (1987, p. 8) disagreed with these suggestions and reckoned that the boundary between sound scientific research and fantasy was crossed: 'Hier beginnen sich die Grenzen der nüchternen Forschung und der ausufernden Phantasie der Forscher zu verwirren'.

The area of origin of the saints deserves some further attention. Pannonia is the area to the south and west of the Danube in the tributary of the Save and the Drau and comprises (present) parts of eastern Austria, western Hungary and Croatia. No special devotion of the four saints can historically be traced in Pannonia. The inhabitants of Pannonia had a track record of rebellion and insurrection, right from the beginning of the Roman domination in 119 BC.

The resistance of the inhabitants of Dalmatia was particular strong during the reign of Emperor Tiberius (6 AD) and it took him three years to control. Emperor Trajanus Decius (249 - 251) was sympathetic to Pannonia. Several of their dignitaries were immortalized on coins. Diocletian divided the area geographically and politically in a Pannonia Prima en Secunda. Emperor Valentinian originated from this area, but had to fight numerous rebellions on his home ground during his reign from 364 - 375 AD.

The Langobards, with their original home ground in Northern Germany, wandered during the period of the migration (526 AD) south to Pannonia and partly remained there. Another part of the population continued to the Po Valley and laid the foundations of the cultural area of the Longobards (Venice). From the east was an influx of Arian tribes, originating from the slopes of the Caucasus, who went as far as Silesia and Galicia. They founded the Croatian Empire, which made contact with the Slaves in Pannonia (GOSS, 1987). Clearly, such a geographical melting pot provided a good substratum for the origin of legends.

The reputation of Pannonia as a place of 'mystery' continued in the seventeenth century, when this area was known in Western Europe as 'Europa mirabilia'. It was, to a certain extend, the cultural horizon of Europe of that period, just as 'Timbuktu' figures in the present imagination as a place-far-away and the unknown. Pannonia featured, for this very reason, many times in the 'Martyrologium Hieronymianum' (composed at the beginning of the sixth century). The area was mentioned as the place of birth of Saint Martin of Tours, the man who cut his coat in half and gave it to a beggar.

A reference in the book of the German physician Michael Maier (1568 - 1622) 'Symbola Aureae Mensae Duodecim Nationum' (1617; FRICK, 1972, p. 574) painted the magical environment of Pannonia: 'In quibusdam Pannoniae locis homines sub aquis habitare scribunt, quia ex aquis induratis tophacei lapides concreuerint: In montanis Carolinis aqua feruentes lapidescunt similiter: Alibi intra ignem viuos degere mortales asserunt, si silices ignem actu continent, ut Castilia.'

HENDERSON (1987) mentioned the 'Quattuor Coronati' of the 'Coelian Hill' in Rome as a motif for a representation at the Canterbury Cathedral (now lost). He pointed to eight-century Bede and his 'Ecclesiasticae historiae gentis Anglorum', which mentioned the four saints (Lib. II, Cap. VII, r. 15, edition 1550): 'Erat autem eo loci, ubi flammarum impetus maxime incumbebat, martyrium beatorum quatuor coronatorum.'

The legend of the ‘Four Crowned Ones’ is important in the history of the tetradic thoughts in the first centuries of the Christian era, regardless of the difference in interpretation of the details. The myth of the 'Quattuor Coronati' allowed, in all its complexity, a glimpse at the contrivances of a tetradic theme in the time of fermentation of the Christian belief. The history is informative since it showed the transformation of a pagan tetradic theme (quadriga, quadratarius, Quattuor Coronati) change into a legend of the Roman Catholic Church and the subsequent defusing of its four-fold contents into numerology.

A further study of the changes in division thinking during the tetrarchy of Diocletian in the early fourth century would be warranted. The historic visibility (of tetradic thinking) had surfaced in the second century AD in the Roman Empire, more or less from emperor Hadrian (76 - 138 AD) onwards, but this upcoming presence was also a proof of its (political) weakness. The early Christian manifestations of belief in the true spirit of peace for all mankind - as the essence of the message of Christ - fitted smoothly within the world of tetradic thinking. It was only when it became involved in a power-struggle (with Mithraism as their main adversary), and the Christian identity was stressed, that a downgrading to oppositional thinking became necessary to fight off the dualistic tendencies of other religions. The Christian message lost its innocence in the real world.

 

See also: quadriformisratio.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/four-crowned-s...

    

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

On the holy spirit

 

It is as if a sort of communal personality came into existence. Of course, it is not a real person: it is only rather like a person. But that is just one of the differences between God and us. What grows out of the joint life of the Father and Son is a real Person, is in fact the Third of the three Persons who are God.

 

This third Person is called, in technical language, the Holy Ghost or the “spirit” of God. Do not be worried or surprised if you find it (or Him) rather vaguer or more shadowy in your mind than the other two. I think there is a reason why that must be so. In the Christian life you are not usually looking at Him: He is always acting through you. If you think of the Father as some- thing “out there,” in front of you, and of the Son as someone standing at your side, helping you to pray, trying to turn you into another son, then you have to think of the third Person as something inside you, or behind you. Perhaps some people might find it easier to begin with the third Person and work backwards. God is love, and that love works through men—especially through the whole community of Christians. But this spirit of love is, from all eternity, a love going on between the Father and Son.

 

From Mere Christianity. CS Lewis

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Portraits by Ani,Chennai,Tamilnadu,India

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen "A. P. J." Abdul Kalam (Listeni/ˈæbdʊl kəˈlɑːm/; 15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. A career scientist turned politician, Kalam was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and studied physics and aerospace engineering. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India's civilian space program and military missile development efforts.[1] He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.[2][3][4] He also played a pivotal organizational, technical, and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.[5]

 

Kalam was elected as the 11th President of India in 2002 with the support of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-opposition Indian National Congress. Widely referred to as the "People's President,"[6] he returned to his civilian life of education, writing and public service after a single term. He was a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.

 

While delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong, Kalam collapsed and died from an apparent cardiac arrest on 27 July 2015, aged 83.[7] Thousands including national-level dignitaries attended the funeral ceremony held in his hometown of Rameshwaram, where he was buried with full state honours.[8]Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 to a Tamil Muslim family in the pilgrimage centre of Rameswaram on Pamban Island, then in the Madras Presidency and now in the State of Tamil Nadu. His father Jainulabudeen was a boat owner and imam of a local mosque;[9] his mother Ashiamma was a housewife.[10][11][12][13] His father owned a ferry that took Hindu pilgrims back and forth between Rameswaram and the now uninhabited Dhanushkodi.[14][15] Kalam was the youngest of four brothers and one sister in his family.[16][17][18] His ancestors had been wealthy traders and landowners, with numerous properties and large tracts of land. Their business had involved trading groceries between the mainland and the island and to and from Sri Lanka, as well as ferrying pilgrims between the mainland and Pamban. As a result, the family acquired the title of "Mara Kalam iyakkivar" (wooden boat steerers), which over the years became shortened to "Marakier." With the opening of the Pamban Bridge to the mainland in 1914, however, the businesses failed and the family fortune and properties were lost over time, apart from the ancestral home.[19] By his early childhood, Kalam's family had become poor; at an early age, he sold newspapers to supplement his family's income.[20][20][21]

 

In his school years, Kalam had average grades but was described as a bright and hardworking student who had a strong desire to learn. He spent hours on his studies, especially mathematics.[21] After completing his education at the Schwartz Higher Secondary School, Ramanathapuram, Kalam went on to attend Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, then affiliated with the University of Madras, from where he graduated in physics in 1954.[22] He moved to Madras in 1955 to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology.[13] While Kalam was working on a senior class project, the Dean was dissatisfied with his lack of progress and threatened to revoke his scholarship unless the project was finished within the next three days. Kalam met the deadline, impressing the Dean, who later said to him, "I was putting you under stress and asking you to meet a difficult deadline".[23] He narrowly missed achieving his dream of becoming a fighter pilot, as he placed ninth in qualifiers, and only eight positions were available in the IAF.[24]

 

Career as a scientistAfter graduating from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1960, Kalam joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist. He started his career by designing a small hovercraft, but remained unconvinced by his choice of a job at DRDO.[26] Kalam was also part of the INCOSPAR committee working under Vikram Sarabhai, the renowned space scientist.[13] In 1969, Kalam was transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) where he was the project director of India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully deployed the Rohini satellite in near-earth orbit in July 1980; Kalam had first started work on an expandable rocket project independently at DRDO in 1965.[1] In 1969, Kalam received the government's approval and expanded the programme to include more engineers.[25]

 

Kalam addresses engineering students at IIT Guwahati

In 1963–64, he visited NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia; Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and Wallops Flight Facility.[11][27] Between the 1970s and 1990s, Kalam made an effort to develop the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and SLV-III projects, both of which proved to be successful.

 

Kalam was invited by Raja Ramanna to witness the country's first nuclear test Smiling Buddha as the representative of TBRL, even though he had not participated in its development. In the 1970s, Kalam also directed two projects, Project Devil and Project Valiant, which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV programme.[28] Despite the disapproval of the Union Cabinet, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi allotted secret funds for these aerospace projects through her discretionary powers under Kalam's directorship.[28] Kalam played an integral role convincing the Union Cabinet to conceal the true nature of these classified aerospace projects.[28] His research and educational leadership brought him great laurels and prestige in the 1980s, which prompted the government to initiate an advanced missile programme under his directorship.[28] Kalam and Dr V S Arunachalam, metallurgist and scientific adviser to the Defence Minister, worked on the suggestion by the then Defence Minister, R. Venkataraman on a proposal for simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of taking planned missiles one after another.[29] R Venkatraman was instrumental in getting the cabinet approval for allocating ₹388 crores for the mission, named Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) and appointed Kalam as the chief executive.[29] Kalam played a major part in developing many missiles under the mission including Agni, an intermediate range ballistic missile and Prithvi, the tactical surface-to-surface missile, although the projects have been criticised for mismanagement and cost and time overruns.[29][30]

 

Kalam served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of the Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999. The Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted during this period in which he played an intensive political and technological role. Kalam served as the Chief Project Coordinator, along with Rajagopala Chidambaram, during the testing phase.[11][31] Media coverage of Kalam during this period made him the country's best known nuclear scientist.[32] However, the director of the site test, K Santhanam, said that the thermonuclear bomb had been a "fizzle" and criticisied Kalam for issuing an incorrect report.[33] Both Kalam and Chidambaram dismissed the claims.[34]

 

In 1998, along with cardiologist Soma Raju, Kalam developed a low cost coronary stent, named the "Kalam-Raju Stent".[35][36] In 2012, the duo designed a rugged tablet computer for health care in rural areas, which was named the "Kalam-Raju Tablet".[37]

 

Presidency

Kalam served as the 11th President of India, succeeding K. R. Narayanan. He won the 2002 presidential election with an electoral vote of 922,884, surpassing the 107,366 votes won by Lakshmi Sahgal. His term lasted from 25 July 2002 to 25 July 2007.[38]

 

On 10 June 2002, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which was in power at the time, expressed that they would nominate Kalam for the post of President,[39][40] and both the Samajwadi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party backed his candidacy.[41][42] After the Samajwadi Party announced its support for Kalam, Narayanan chose not to seek a second term in office, leaving the field clear.[43] Kalam said of the announcement of his candidature:

 

I am really overwhelmed. Everywhere both in Internet and in other media, I have been asked for a message. I was thinking what message I can give to the people of the country at this juncture.[44]

 

On 18 June, Kalam filed his nomination papers in the Indian Parliament, accompanied by Vajpayee and his senior Cabinet colleagues.[45]

 

Kalam along with Vladimir Putin and Manmohan Singh during his presidency

The polling for the presidential election began on 15 July 2002 in Parliament and the state assemblies, with the media claiming that the election was a one-sided affair and Kalam's victory was a foregone conclusion; the count was held on 18 July.[46] Kalam became the 11th president of the Republic of India in an easy victory,[47] and moved into the Rashtrapati Bhavan after he was sworn in on 25 July.[48] Kalam was the third President of India to have been honoured with a Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, before becoming the President. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1954) and Dr Zakir Hussain (1963) were the earlier recipients of Bharat Ratna who later became the President of India.[49] He was also the first scientist and the first bachelor to occupy Rashtrapati Bhawan.[50]

 

During his term as president, he was affectionately known as the People's President,[51][52][53] saying that signing the Office of Profit Bill was the toughest decision he had taken during his tenure.[54][55] Kalam was criticised for his inaction in deciding the fate of 20 out of the 21 mercy petitions submitted to him during his tenure.[56] Article 72 of the Constitution of India empowers the President of India to grant pardons, and suspend or commute the death sentence of convicts on death row.[56][57] Kalam acted on only one mercy plea in his five-year tenure as president, rejecting the plea of rapist Dhananjoy Chatterjee, who was later hanged.[56] Perhaps the most notable plea was from Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri terrorist who was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament and was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of India in 2004.[57] While the sentence was scheduled to be carried out on 20 October 2006, the pending action on his mercy plea resulted in him remaining on death row.[57] He also took the controversial decision to impose President's Rule in Bihar in 2005.[58]

 

In September 2003, in an interactive session in PGI Chandigarh, Kalam supported the need of Uniform Civil Code in India, keeping in view the population of the country.[59][60][61][62]

 

At the end of his term, on 20 June 2007, Kalam expressed his willingness to consider a second term in office provided there was certainty about his victory in the 2007 presidential election.[63] However, two days later, he decided not to contest the Presidential election again stating that he wanted to avoid involving Rashtrapati Bhavan from any political processes.[64] He did not have the support of the left parties, Shiv Sena and UPA constituents, to receive a renewed mandate.[65][66]

 

Nearing the expiry of the term of the 12th President Pratibha Patil on 24 July 2012, media reports in April claimed that Kalam was likely to be nominated for his second term.[67][68][69] After the reports, social networking sites witnessed a number of people supporting his candidature.[70][71] The BJP potentially backed his nomination, saying that the party would lend their support if the Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party and Indian National Congress proposed him for the 2012 presidential election.[72][73] A month ahead of the election, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee also expressed their support for Kalam.[74] Days afterwards, Mulayam Singh Yadav backed out, leaving Mamata Banerjee as the solitary supporter.[75] On 18 June 2012, Kalam declined to contest the 2012 presidential poll. He said of his decision not to do so:

 

Many, many citizens have also expressed the same wish. It only reflects their love and affection for me and the aspiration of the people. I am really overwhelmed by this support. This being their wish, I respect it. I want to thank them for the trust they have in me.[76]

 

Post-presidency

After leaving office, Kalam became a visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and the Indian Institute of Management Indore; an honorary fellow of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore;[77] chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram; professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University; and an adjunct at many other academic and research institutions across India. He taught information technology at the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, and technology at Banaras Hindu University and Anna University.[78]

 

In May 2012, Kalam launched a programme for the youth of India called the What Can I Give Movement, with a central theme of defeating corruption.[79][80]

 

In 2011, Kalam was criticised by civil groups over his stand on the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant; he supported the establishment of the nuclear power plant and was accused of not speaking with the local people.[81] The protesters were hostile to his visit as they perceived to him to be a pro-nuclear scientist and were unimpressed by the assurances provided by him regarding the safety features of the plant.[82]

 

Death

 

Kalam at Bijnor a week before his death

Wikinews has related news: Former Indian president APJ Abdul Kalam dies at age 83

On 27 July 2015, Kalam travelled to Shillong to deliver a lecture on "Creating a Livable Planet Earth" at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong. While climbing a flight of stairs, he experienced some discomfort, but was able to enter the auditorium after a brief rest.[83] At around 6:35 p.m. IST, only five minutes into his lecture, he collapsed.[84][85] He was rushed to the nearby Bethany Hospital in a critical condition; upon arrival, he lacked a pulse or any other signs of life.[84] Despite being placed in the intensive care unit, Kalam was confirmed dead of a sudden cardiac arrest at 7:45 p.m IST.[84][86][87] His last words, to his aide Srijan Pal Singh, were reportedly: "Funny guy! Are you doing well?"[88]

 

Following his death, Kalam's body was airlifted in an Indian Air Force helicopter from Shillong to Guwahati, from where it was flown to New Delhi on the morning of 28 July in an air force C-130J Hercules. The flight landed at Palam Air Base that afternoon and was received by the President, the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, and the three service chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces, who laid wreaths on Kalam's body.[89] His body was then placed on a gun carriage draped with the Indian flag and taken to his Delhi residence at 10 Rajaji Marg; there, the public and numerous dignitaries paid homage, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.[90]

 

On the morning of 29 July, Kalam's body, wrapped in the Indian flag, was taken to Palam Air Base and flown to Madurai in an air force C-130J aircraft, arriving at Madurai Airport that afternoon. His body was received at the airport by the three service chiefs and national and state dignitaries, including cabinet ministers Manohar Parrikar, Venkaiah Naidu, Pon Radhakrishnan and the governors of Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya, K Rosaiah and V. Shanmuganathan. After a brief ceremony, Kalam's body was flown by air force helicopter to the town of Mandapam, from where it was taken in an army truck to his hometown of Rameswaram. Upon arriving at Rameswaram, his body was displayed in an open area in front of the local bus station to allow the public to pay their final respects until 8 p.m. that evening.[91][92]

 

On 30 July 2015, the former President was laid to rest at Rameswaram's Pei Karumbu Ground with full state honours. Over 350,000 people attended the last rites, including the Prime Minister, the governor of Tamil Nadu and the chief ministers of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.[93][94]

 

Reactions

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays a wreath at Kalam's body, on arrival at Palam Air Base.

India reacted to Kalam's death with an outpouring of grief; numerous tributes were paid to the former President across the nation and on social media.[95] The Government of India declared a seven-day state mourning period as a mark of respect.[96] President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and other leaders condoled the former President's demise.[86] Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "[Dr. Kalam's] death is a great loss to the scientific community. He took India to great heights. He showed the way."[97] Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who had served as prime minister under Kalam, said, "our country has lost a great human being who made phenomenal contributions to the promotion of self reliance in defence technologies. I worked very closely with Dr. Kalam as prime minister and I greatly benefited from his advice as president of our country. His life and work will be remembered for generations to come."[98] ISRO chairman A. S. Kiran Kumar called his former colleague "a great personality and a gentleman", while former chairman G. Madhavan Nair described Kalam as "a global leader" for whom "the downtrodden and poor people were his priority. He always had a passion to convey what is in his mind to the young generation", adding that his death left a vacuum which none could fill.[99][100]

 

South Asian leaders expressed condolences and lauded the late statesman. The Bhutanese government ordered the country's flags to fly at half-staff to mourn Kalam's death, and lit 1000 butter lamps in homage. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay expressed deep sadness, saying Kalam "was a leader greatly admired by all people, especially the youth of India who have referred to him as the people's President".[101] Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina described Kalam as "a rare combination of a great statesman, acclaimed scientist, and a source of inspiration to the young generation of South Asia" and termed his death an "irreparable loss to India and beyond". Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia said "as a nuclear scientist, he engaged himself in the welfare of the people". Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, called Kalam "an inspirational figure to millions of people," noting that "we have a lot to learn from his life". Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala recalled Kalam's scientific contributions to India: "Nepal has lost a good friend and I have lost an honoured and ideal personality." The President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain, and Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif also expressed their grief and condolences on his death.[102][103][104] The President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, also expressed his condolences. "Dr. Kalam was a man of firm conviction and indomitable spirit, and I saw him as an outstanding statesman of the world. His death is an irreparable loss not only to India but to the entire world."[105] Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen and Vice President Ahmed Adheeb condoled Kalam's death, with Yameen naming him as a close friend of the Maldives who would continue to be an inspiration to Indians and generations of South Asians. Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had made an official visit to India during Kalam's presidency, termed his demise as a great loss to all of humankind.[106] The Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, expressed condolences on behalf of the Myanmar government.[107] The Dalai Lama expressed his sadness and offered condolences and prayers, calling Kalam's death "an irreparable loss".[108]

 

Kathleen Wynne, the Premier of Ontario, which Kalam had visited on numerous occasions, expressed "deepest condolences ... as a respected scientist, he played a critical role in the development of the Indian space program. As a committed educator, he inspired millions of young people to achieve their very best. And as a devoted leader, he gained support both at home and abroad, becoming known as 'the people's President'. I join our Indo–Canadian families, friends, and neighbours in mourning the passing of this respected leader."[109] United States President Barack Obama extended "deepest condolences to the people of India on the passing of former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam", and highlighted his achievements as a scientist and as a statesman, notably his role in strengthening U.S.–India relations and increasing space cooperation between the two nations. "Suitably named 'the People's President', Dr. Kalam's humility and dedication to public service served as an inspiration to millions of Indians and admirers around the world."[110] Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed sincere condolences and conveyed his sympathy and support "to the near and dear ones of the deceased leader, to the government, and entire people of India". He remarked on Kalam's outstanding "personal contribution to the social, economic, scientific, and technical progress of India and in ensuring its national security," adding that Dr. Kalam would be remembered as a "consistent exponent of closer friendly relations between our nations, who has done a lot for cementing mutually beneficial Russian–Indian cooperation."[111] Other international leaders—including former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum—also paid tribute to Kalam.[112][113] In a special gesture, Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon visited the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and signed a condolence book. "The outpouring of grief around the world is a testament of the respect and inspiration he has garnered during and after his presidency. The UN joins the people of India in sending our deepest condolences for this great statesman. May he rest in peace and eternity", Ban wrote in his message.[114]

 

Personal life

Kalam was the youngest of five siblings, the eldest of whom was a sister, Asim Zohra (d. 1997), followed by three elder brothers: Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar (b. 1916; aged 99), Mustafa Kamal (d. 1999) and Kasim Mohammed (d. 1995).[115] He was extremely close to his elder siblings and their extended families throughout his life, and would regularly send small sums of money to his older relations, himself remaining a lifelong bachelor.[115][116]

 

Kalam was noted for his integrity and his simple lifestyle.[116] He never owned a television, and was in the habit of rising at 6:30 or 7 a.m and sleeping by 2 a.m.[117] His few personal possessions included his books, his veena, some articles of clothing, a CD player and a laptop; at his death, he left no will, and his possessions went to his eldest brother, who survived him.[118][119]

 

In the 2011 Hindi film I Am Kalam, Kalam is portrayed as a positive influence on a poor but bright Rajasthani boy named Chhotu, who renames himself Kalam in honour of his idol.[120]

 

Religious and spiritual views

Religion and spirituality were very important to Kalam throughout his life.[121] In fact, he made his own spiritual journey the subject of his final book, Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji.[122][123]

 

Islam

A proud and practicing Muslim, daily namāz and fasting during Ramadan were integral to Kalam's life.[9][124][125] His father, the imam of a mosque in his hometown of Rameswaram, had strictly instilled these Islamic customs in his children.[9] His father had also impressed upon the young Kalam the value of interfaith respect and dialogue. As Kalam recalled: "Every evening, my father A.P. Jainulabdeen, an imam, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, the head priest of the Ramanathaswamy Hindu temple, and a church priest used to sit with hot tea and discuss the issues concerning the island."[122][126] Such early exposure convinced Kalam that the answers to India's multitudinous issues lay in "dialogue and cooperation" among the country's religious, social, and political leaders.[124] Moreover, since Kalam believed that "respect for other faiths" was one of the key cornerstones of Islam, he was fond of saying: "For great men, religion is a way of making friends; small people make religion a fighting tool."[127]

 

Syncretism

One component of Kalam's widespread popularity among diverse groups in India, and an enduring aspect of his legacy, is the syncretism he embodied in appreciating various elements of the many spiritual and cultural traditions of India.[124][125][128][129] In addition to his faith in the Koran and Islamic practice, Kalam was well-versed in Hindu traditions; he learnt Sanskrit,[130][131] read the Bhagavad Gita[132][133] and he was a vegetarian.[134] Kalam also enjoyed writing Tamil poetry, playing the veena (a South Indian string instrument),[135] and listening to Carnatic devotional music every day.[125] In 2002, in one of his early speeches to Parliament after becoming President, he reiterated his desire for a more united India, stating that "[d]uring the last one year I met a number of spiritual leaders of all religions ... [and] I would like to endeavour to work for bringing about unity of minds among the divergent traditions of our country".[128] Describing Kalam as a unifier of diverse traditions, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor stated, "Kalam was a complete Indian, an embodiment of the eclecticism of India's heritage of diversity".[125] BJP leader L. K. Advani concurred that Kalam was "the best exemplar of the Idea of India, one who embodied the best of all the cultural and spiritual traditions that signify India's unity in immense diversity. This was most strikingly evident in the last book he wrote, presciently titled Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swami.[129]

 

Pramukh Swami as Guru

Kalam's desire to meet spiritual leaders to help create a more prosperous, spiritual, and unified India was what initially led him to meet Pramukh Swami, the Hindu guru of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sampradaya, who Kalam would come to consider his ultimate spiritual teacher and guru.[122][124] The first of eight meetings between Kalam and Pramukh Swami over a fourteen-year period took place on 30 June 2001 in New Delhi, during which Kalam described being immediately drawn to Pramukh Swami's simplicity and spiritual purity.[136] Kalam stated that he was inspired by Pramukh Swami throughout their numerous interactions. One such incident occurred the day following the terrorist attack on BAPS' Akshardham, Gandhinagar complex in September 2002; Pramukh Swami prayed for, and sprinkled holy water upon, the sites of all of the deceased, including the terrorists, demonstrating the view that all human life is sacred. Kalam recalled being moved by Pramukh Swami's equanimity and compassion, citing this incident as one of his motivations for writing Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji.[137] Summarizing the effect that Pramukh Swami had on him, Kalam stated that "[Pramukh Swami] has indeed transformed me. He is the ultimate stage of the spiritual ascent in my life ... Pramukh Swamiji has put me in a God-synchronous orbit. No manoeuvres are required any more, as I am placed in my final position in eternity."[124][138] Following Kalam's death a month after his final book was released, co-author Arun Tiwari pointed to this passage as potentially prophetic and premonitory of Kalam's death.[139]

 

Writings

 

A P J Abdul Kalam delivering a speech

In his book India 2020, Kalam strongly advocated an action plan to develop India into a "knowledge superpower" and a developed nation by the year 2020. He regarded his work on India's nuclear weapons programme as a way to assert India's place as a future superpower.[140]

 

I have identified five areas where India has a core competence for integrated action: (1) agriculture and food processing; (2) education and healthcare; (3) information and communication technology; (4) infrastructure, reliable and quality electric power, surface transport and infrastructure for all parts of the country; and (5) self-reliance in critical technologies. These five areas are closely inter-related and if advanced in a coordinated way, will lead to food, economic and national security.

 

Kalam describes a "transformative moment" in his life when he asked Pramukh Swami, the guru of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sampradaya, how India might realize this five-pronged vision of development. Pramukh Swami's answer—to add a sixth area developing faith in God and spirituality to overcome the current climate of crime and corruption—became the spiritual vision for the next 15 years Kalam's life, which he describes in his final book, Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji, published just a month before his death.[136]

 

It was reported that there was considerable demand in South Korea for translated versions of books authored by him.[141]

 

Kalam took an active interest in other developments in the field of science and technology, including a research programme for developing biomedical implants. He also supported open source technology over proprietary software, predicting that the use of free software on a large scale would bring the benefits of information technology to more people.[142]

 

Kalam set a target of interacting with 100,000 students during the two years after his resignation from the post of scientific adviser in 1999.[21] He explained, "I feel comfortable in the company of young people, particularly high school students. Henceforth, I intend to share with them experiences, helping them to ignite their imagination and preparing them to work for a developed India for which the road map is already available."[21]

 

Awards and honours

 

An Indian Post commemorative postage stamp on A. P. J. Abdul Kalam - issued on October 15, 2015

Kalam received honorary doctorates from 40 universities.[143][144] The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1981 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 for his work with ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Government.[145] In 1997, Kalam received India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, for his contribution to the scientific research and modernisation of defence technology in India.[146] In 2013, he was the recipient of the Von Braun Award from the National Space Society "to recognize excellence in the management and leadership of a space-related project".[147]

 

Following his death, Kalam received numerous tributes. The Tamil Nadu state government announced that his birthday, 15 October, would be observed across the state as "Youth Renaissance Day;" the state government further instituted the "Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award," constituting an 8-gram gold medal, a certificate and ₹500,000 (US$7,400). The award will be awarded annually on Independence Day, beginning in 2015, to residents of the state with achievements in promoting scientific growth, the humanities or the welfare of students.[148]

 

On occasion of his birth day (2015), CBSE has given the topics on his name in the CBSE expression series.[149]

 

The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi released the commemorative postal stamps on the former President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on his 84th birth anniversary celebrations, at DRDO Bhawan, in New Delhi on October 15, 2015.

 

Educational and scientific institutions

Several educational and scientific institutions and other locations were renamed or named in honour of Kalam following his death.

 

An agricultural college at Kishanganj, Bihar, was renamed the "Dr. Kalam Agricultural College, Kishanganj" by the Bihar state government on the day of Kalam's funeral. The state government also announced it would name a proposed science city after Kalam.[150]

Uttar Pradesh Technical University (UPTU) was renamed "A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University" by the Uttar Pradesh state government.[151]

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Memorial Travancore Institute of Digestive Diseases, a new research institute in Kollam city, Kerala attached to the Travancore Medical College Hospital.[152]

A new academic complex at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala.[153]

A new science centre and planetarium in Lawspet, Puducherry.[154]

India and the US have launched the Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship In September 2014. The first call for applicants was announced on Friday March 12, 2016, for the fellowship which will enable up to 6 Indian PhD students and post-doctoral researchers to work with US host institutions for a period of 6–12 months. The fellowship will be operated by the binational US-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) under theFulbright programme.[155]

Island

Wheeler Island, a national missile test site in Odisha, was renamed Abdul Kalam Island in September 2015.[156]

  

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Portraits by Ani,Chennai,Tamilnadu,India

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen "A. P. J." Abdul Kalam (Listeni/ˈæbdʊl kəˈlɑːm/; 15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. A career scientist turned politician, Kalam was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and studied physics and aerospace engineering. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India's civilian space program and military missile development efforts.[1] He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.[2][3][4] He also played a pivotal organizational, technical, and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.[5]

 

Kalam was elected as the 11th President of India in 2002 with the support of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-opposition Indian National Congress. Widely referred to as the "People's President,"[6] he returned to his civilian life of education, writing and public service after a single term. He was a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.

 

While delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong, Kalam collapsed and died from an apparent cardiac arrest on 27 July 2015, aged 83.[7] Thousands including national-level dignitaries attended the funeral ceremony held in his hometown of Rameshwaram, where he was buried with full state honours.[8]Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 to a Tamil Muslim family in the pilgrimage centre of Rameswaram on Pamban Island, then in the Madras Presidency and now in the State of Tamil Nadu. His father Jainulabudeen was a boat owner and imam of a local mosque;[9] his mother Ashiamma was a housewife.[10][11][12][13] His father owned a ferry that took Hindu pilgrims back and forth between Rameswaram and the now uninhabited Dhanushkodi.[14][15] Kalam was the youngest of four brothers and one sister in his family.[16][17][18] His ancestors had been wealthy traders and landowners, with numerous properties and large tracts of land. Their business had involved trading groceries between the mainland and the island and to and from Sri Lanka, as well as ferrying pilgrims between the mainland and Pamban. As a result, the family acquired the title of "Mara Kalam iyakkivar" (wooden boat steerers), which over the years became shortened to "Marakier." With the opening of the Pamban Bridge to the mainland in 1914, however, the businesses failed and the family fortune and properties were lost over time, apart from the ancestral home.[19] By his early childhood, Kalam's family had become poor; at an early age, he sold newspapers to supplement his family's income.[20][20][21]

 

In his school years, Kalam had average grades but was described as a bright and hardworking student who had a strong desire to learn. He spent hours on his studies, especially mathematics.[21] After completing his education at the Schwartz Higher Secondary School, Ramanathapuram, Kalam went on to attend Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, then affiliated with the University of Madras, from where he graduated in physics in 1954.[22] He moved to Madras in 1955 to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology.[13] While Kalam was working on a senior class project, the Dean was dissatisfied with his lack of progress and threatened to revoke his scholarship unless the project was finished within the next three days. Kalam met the deadline, impressing the Dean, who later said to him, "I was putting you under stress and asking you to meet a difficult deadline".[23] He narrowly missed achieving his dream of becoming a fighter pilot, as he placed ninth in qualifiers, and only eight positions were available in the IAF.[24]

 

Career as a scientistAfter graduating from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1960, Kalam joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist. He started his career by designing a small hovercraft, but remained unconvinced by his choice of a job at DRDO.[26] Kalam was also part of the INCOSPAR committee working under Vikram Sarabhai, the renowned space scientist.[13] In 1969, Kalam was transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) where he was the project director of India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully deployed the Rohini satellite in near-earth orbit in July 1980; Kalam had first started work on an expandable rocket project independently at DRDO in 1965.[1] In 1969, Kalam received the government's approval and expanded the programme to include more engineers.[25]

 

Kalam addresses engineering students at IIT Guwahati

In 1963–64, he visited NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia; Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and Wallops Flight Facility.[11][27] Between the 1970s and 1990s, Kalam made an effort to develop the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and SLV-III projects, both of which proved to be successful.

 

Kalam was invited by Raja Ramanna to witness the country's first nuclear test Smiling Buddha as the representative of TBRL, even though he had not participated in its development. In the 1970s, Kalam also directed two projects, Project Devil and Project Valiant, which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV programme.[28] Despite the disapproval of the Union Cabinet, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi allotted secret funds for these aerospace projects through her discretionary powers under Kalam's directorship.[28] Kalam played an integral role convincing the Union Cabinet to conceal the true nature of these classified aerospace projects.[28] His research and educational leadership brought him great laurels and prestige in the 1980s, which prompted the government to initiate an advanced missile programme under his directorship.[28] Kalam and Dr V S Arunachalam, metallurgist and scientific adviser to the Defence Minister, worked on the suggestion by the then Defence Minister, R. Venkataraman on a proposal for simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of taking planned missiles one after another.[29] R Venkatraman was instrumental in getting the cabinet approval for allocating ₹388 crores for the mission, named Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) and appointed Kalam as the chief executive.[29] Kalam played a major part in developing many missiles under the mission including Agni, an intermediate range ballistic missile and Prithvi, the tactical surface-to-surface missile, although the projects have been criticised for mismanagement and cost and time overruns.[29][30]

 

Kalam served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of the Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999. The Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted during this period in which he played an intensive political and technological role. Kalam served as the Chief Project Coordinator, along with Rajagopala Chidambaram, during the testing phase.[11][31] Media coverage of Kalam during this period made him the country's best known nuclear scientist.[32] However, the director of the site test, K Santhanam, said that the thermonuclear bomb had been a "fizzle" and criticisied Kalam for issuing an incorrect report.[33] Both Kalam and Chidambaram dismissed the claims.[34]

 

In 1998, along with cardiologist Soma Raju, Kalam developed a low cost coronary stent, named the "Kalam-Raju Stent".[35][36] In 2012, the duo designed a rugged tablet computer for health care in rural areas, which was named the "Kalam-Raju Tablet".[37]

 

Presidency

Kalam served as the 11th President of India, succeeding K. R. Narayanan. He won the 2002 presidential election with an electoral vote of 922,884, surpassing the 107,366 votes won by Lakshmi Sahgal. His term lasted from 25 July 2002 to 25 July 2007.[38]

 

On 10 June 2002, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which was in power at the time, expressed that they would nominate Kalam for the post of President,[39][40] and both the Samajwadi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party backed his candidacy.[41][42] After the Samajwadi Party announced its support for Kalam, Narayanan chose not to seek a second term in office, leaving the field clear.[43] Kalam said of the announcement of his candidature:

 

I am really overwhelmed. Everywhere both in Internet and in other media, I have been asked for a message. I was thinking what message I can give to the people of the country at this juncture.[44]

 

On 18 June, Kalam filed his nomination papers in the Indian Parliament, accompanied by Vajpayee and his senior Cabinet colleagues.[45]

 

Kalam along with Vladimir Putin and Manmohan Singh during his presidency

The polling for the presidential election began on 15 July 2002 in Parliament and the state assemblies, with the media claiming that the election was a one-sided affair and Kalam's victory was a foregone conclusion; the count was held on 18 July.[46] Kalam became the 11th president of the Republic of India in an easy victory,[47] and moved into the Rashtrapati Bhavan after he was sworn in on 25 July.[48] Kalam was the third President of India to have been honoured with a Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, before becoming the President. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1954) and Dr Zakir Hussain (1963) were the earlier recipients of Bharat Ratna who later became the President of India.[49] He was also the first scientist and the first bachelor to occupy Rashtrapati Bhawan.[50]

 

During his term as president, he was affectionately known as the People's President,[51][52][53] saying that signing the Office of Profit Bill was the toughest decision he had taken during his tenure.[54][55] Kalam was criticised for his inaction in deciding the fate of 20 out of the 21 mercy petitions submitted to him during his tenure.[56] Article 72 of the Constitution of India empowers the President of India to grant pardons, and suspend or commute the death sentence of convicts on death row.[56][57] Kalam acted on only one mercy plea in his five-year tenure as president, rejecting the plea of rapist Dhananjoy Chatterjee, who was later hanged.[56] Perhaps the most notable plea was from Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri terrorist who was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament and was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of India in 2004.[57] While the sentence was scheduled to be carried out on 20 October 2006, the pending action on his mercy plea resulted in him remaining on death row.[57] He also took the controversial decision to impose President's Rule in Bihar in 2005.[58]

 

In September 2003, in an interactive session in PGI Chandigarh, Kalam supported the need of Uniform Civil Code in India, keeping in view the population of the country.[59][60][61][62]

 

At the end of his term, on 20 June 2007, Kalam expressed his willingness to consider a second term in office provided there was certainty about his victory in the 2007 presidential election.[63] However, two days later, he decided not to contest the Presidential election again stating that he wanted to avoid involving Rashtrapati Bhavan from any political processes.[64] He did not have the support of the left parties, Shiv Sena and UPA constituents, to receive a renewed mandate.[65][66]

 

Nearing the expiry of the term of the 12th President Pratibha Patil on 24 July 2012, media reports in April claimed that Kalam was likely to be nominated for his second term.[67][68][69] After the reports, social networking sites witnessed a number of people supporting his candidature.[70][71] The BJP potentially backed his nomination, saying that the party would lend their support if the Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party and Indian National Congress proposed him for the 2012 presidential election.[72][73] A month ahead of the election, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee also expressed their support for Kalam.[74] Days afterwards, Mulayam Singh Yadav backed out, leaving Mamata Banerjee as the solitary supporter.[75] On 18 June 2012, Kalam declined to contest the 2012 presidential poll. He said of his decision not to do so:

 

Many, many citizens have also expressed the same wish. It only reflects their love and affection for me and the aspiration of the people. I am really overwhelmed by this support. This being their wish, I respect it. I want to thank them for the trust they have in me.[76]

 

Post-presidency

After leaving office, Kalam became a visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and the Indian Institute of Management Indore; an honorary fellow of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore;[77] chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram; professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University; and an adjunct at many other academic and research institutions across India. He taught information technology at the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, and technology at Banaras Hindu University and Anna University.[78]

 

In May 2012, Kalam launched a programme for the youth of India called the What Can I Give Movement, with a central theme of defeating corruption.[79][80]

 

In 2011, Kalam was criticised by civil groups over his stand on the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant; he supported the establishment of the nuclear power plant and was accused of not speaking with the local people.[81] The protesters were hostile to his visit as they perceived to him to be a pro-nuclear scientist and were unimpressed by the assurances provided by him regarding the safety features of the plant.[82]

 

Death

 

Kalam at Bijnor a week before his death

Wikinews has related news: Former Indian president APJ Abdul Kalam dies at age 83

On 27 July 2015, Kalam travelled to Shillong to deliver a lecture on "Creating a Livable Planet Earth" at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong. While climbing a flight of stairs, he experienced some discomfort, but was able to enter the auditorium after a brief rest.[83] At around 6:35 p.m. IST, only five minutes into his lecture, he collapsed.[84][85] He was rushed to the nearby Bethany Hospital in a critical condition; upon arrival, he lacked a pulse or any other signs of life.[84] Despite being placed in the intensive care unit, Kalam was confirmed dead of a sudden cardiac arrest at 7:45 p.m IST.[84][86][87] His last words, to his aide Srijan Pal Singh, were reportedly: "Funny guy! Are you doing well?"[88]

 

Following his death, Kalam's body was airlifted in an Indian Air Force helicopter from Shillong to Guwahati, from where it was flown to New Delhi on the morning of 28 July in an air force C-130J Hercules. The flight landed at Palam Air Base that afternoon and was received by the President, the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, and the three service chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces, who laid wreaths on Kalam's body.[89] His body was then placed on a gun carriage draped with the Indian flag and taken to his Delhi residence at 10 Rajaji Marg; there, the public and numerous dignitaries paid homage, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.[90]

 

On the morning of 29 July, Kalam's body, wrapped in the Indian flag, was taken to Palam Air Base and flown to Madurai in an air force C-130J aircraft, arriving at Madurai Airport that afternoon. His body was received at the airport by the three service chiefs and national and state dignitaries, including cabinet ministers Manohar Parrikar, Venkaiah Naidu, Pon Radhakrishnan and the governors of Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya, K Rosaiah and V. Shanmuganathan. After a brief ceremony, Kalam's body was flown by air force helicopter to the town of Mandapam, from where it was taken in an army truck to his hometown of Rameswaram. Upon arriving at Rameswaram, his body was displayed in an open area in front of the local bus station to allow the public to pay their final respects until 8 p.m. that evening.[91][92]

 

On 30 July 2015, the former President was laid to rest at Rameswaram's Pei Karumbu Ground with full state honours. Over 350,000 people attended the last rites, including the Prime Minister, the governor of Tamil Nadu and the chief ministers of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.[93][94]

 

Reactions

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays a wreath at Kalam's body, on arrival at Palam Air Base.

India reacted to Kalam's death with an outpouring of grief; numerous tributes were paid to the former President across the nation and on social media.[95] The Government of India declared a seven-day state mourning period as a mark of respect.[96] President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and other leaders condoled the former President's demise.[86] Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "[Dr. Kalam's] death is a great loss to the scientific community. He took India to great heights. He showed the way."[97] Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who had served as prime minister under Kalam, said, "our country has lost a great human being who made phenomenal contributions to the promotion of self reliance in defence technologies. I worked very closely with Dr. Kalam as prime minister and I greatly benefited from his advice as president of our country. His life and work will be remembered for generations to come."[98] ISRO chairman A. S. Kiran Kumar called his former colleague "a great personality and a gentleman", while former chairman G. Madhavan Nair described Kalam as "a global leader" for whom "the downtrodden and poor people were his priority. He always had a passion to convey what is in his mind to the young generation", adding that his death left a vacuum which none could fill.[99][100]

 

South Asian leaders expressed condolences and lauded the late statesman. The Bhutanese government ordered the country's flags to fly at half-staff to mourn Kalam's death, and lit 1000 butter lamps in homage. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay expressed deep sadness, saying Kalam "was a leader greatly admired by all people, especially the youth of India who have referred to him as the people's President".[101] Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina described Kalam as "a rare combination of a great statesman, acclaimed scientist, and a source of inspiration to the young generation of South Asia" and termed his death an "irreparable loss to India and beyond". Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia said "as a nuclear scientist, he engaged himself in the welfare of the people". Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, called Kalam "an inspirational figure to millions of people," noting that "we have a lot to learn from his life". Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala recalled Kalam's scientific contributions to India: "Nepal has lost a good friend and I have lost an honoured and ideal personality." The President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain, and Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif also expressed their grief and condolences on his death.[102][103][104] The President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, also expressed his condolences. "Dr. Kalam was a man of firm conviction and indomitable spirit, and I saw him as an outstanding statesman of the world. His death is an irreparable loss not only to India but to the entire world."[105] Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen and Vice President Ahmed Adheeb condoled Kalam's death, with Yameen naming him as a close friend of the Maldives who would continue to be an inspiration to Indians and generations of South Asians. Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had made an official visit to India during Kalam's presidency, termed his demise as a great loss to all of humankind.[106] The Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, expressed condolences on behalf of the Myanmar government.[107] The Dalai Lama expressed his sadness and offered condolences and prayers, calling Kalam's death "an irreparable loss".[108]

 

Kathleen Wynne, the Premier of Ontario, which Kalam had visited on numerous occasions, expressed "deepest condolences ... as a respected scientist, he played a critical role in the development of the Indian space program. As a committed educator, he inspired millions of young people to achieve their very best. And as a devoted leader, he gained support both at home and abroad, becoming known as 'the people's President'. I join our Indo–Canadian families, friends, and neighbours in mourning the passing of this respected leader."[109] United States President Barack Obama extended "deepest condolences to the people of India on the passing of former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam", and highlighted his achievements as a scientist and as a statesman, notably his role in strengthening U.S.–India relations and increasing space cooperation between the two nations. "Suitably named 'the People's President', Dr. Kalam's humility and dedication to public service served as an inspiration to millions of Indians and admirers around the world."[110] Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed sincere condolences and conveyed his sympathy and support "to the near and dear ones of the deceased leader, to the government, and entire people of India". He remarked on Kalam's outstanding "personal contribution to the social, economic, scientific, and technical progress of India and in ensuring its national security," adding that Dr. Kalam would be remembered as a "consistent exponent of closer friendly relations between our nations, who has done a lot for cementing mutually beneficial Russian–Indian cooperation."[111] Other international leaders—including former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum—also paid tribute to Kalam.[112][113] In a special gesture, Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon visited the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and signed a condolence book. "The outpouring of grief around the world is a testament of the respect and inspiration he has garnered during and after his presidency. The UN joins the people of India in sending our deepest condolences for this great statesman. May he rest in peace and eternity", Ban wrote in his message.[114]

 

Personal life

Kalam was the youngest of five siblings, the eldest of whom was a sister, Asim Zohra (d. 1997), followed by three elder brothers: Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar (b. 1916; aged 99), Mustafa Kamal (d. 1999) and Kasim Mohammed (d. 1995).[115] He was extremely close to his elder siblings and their extended families throughout his life, and would regularly send small sums of money to his older relations, himself remaining a lifelong bachelor.[115][116]

 

Kalam was noted for his integrity and his simple lifestyle.[116] He never owned a television, and was in the habit of rising at 6:30 or 7 a.m and sleeping by 2 a.m.[117] His few personal possessions included his books, his veena, some articles of clothing, a CD player and a laptop; at his death, he left no will, and his possessions went to his eldest brother, who survived him.[118][119]

 

In the 2011 Hindi film I Am Kalam, Kalam is portrayed as a positive influence on a poor but bright Rajasthani boy named Chhotu, who renames himself Kalam in honour of his idol.[120]

 

Religious and spiritual views

Religion and spirituality were very important to Kalam throughout his life.[121] In fact, he made his own spiritual journey the subject of his final book, Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji.[122][123]

 

Islam

A proud and practicing Muslim, daily namāz and fasting during Ramadan were integral to Kalam's life.[9][124][125] His father, the imam of a mosque in his hometown of Rameswaram, had strictly instilled these Islamic customs in his children.[9] His father had also impressed upon the young Kalam the value of interfaith respect and dialogue. As Kalam recalled: "Every evening, my father A.P. Jainulabdeen, an imam, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, the head priest of the Ramanathaswamy Hindu temple, and a church priest used to sit with hot tea and discuss the issues concerning the island."[122][126] Such early exposure convinced Kalam that the answers to India's multitudinous issues lay in "dialogue and cooperation" among the country's religious, social, and political leaders.[124] Moreover, since Kalam believed that "respect for other faiths" was one of the key cornerstones of Islam, he was fond of saying: "For great men, religion is a way of making friends; small people make religion a fighting tool."[127]

 

Syncretism

One component of Kalam's widespread popularity among diverse groups in India, and an enduring aspect of his legacy, is the syncretism he embodied in appreciating various elements of the many spiritual and cultural traditions of India.[124][125][128][129] In addition to his faith in the Koran and Islamic practice, Kalam was well-versed in Hindu traditions; he learnt Sanskrit,[130][131] read the Bhagavad Gita[132][133] and he was a vegetarian.[134] Kalam also enjoyed writing Tamil poetry, playing the veena (a South Indian string instrument),[135] and listening to Carnatic devotional music every day.[125] In 2002, in one of his early speeches to Parliament after becoming President, he reiterated his desire for a more united India, stating that "[d]uring the last one year I met a number of spiritual leaders of all religions ... [and] I would like to endeavour to work for bringing about unity of minds among the divergent traditions of our country".[128] Describing Kalam as a unifier of diverse traditions, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor stated, "Kalam was a complete Indian, an embodiment of the eclecticism of India's heritage of diversity".[125] BJP leader L. K. Advani concurred that Kalam was "the best exemplar of the Idea of India, one who embodied the best of all the cultural and spiritual traditions that signify India's unity in immense diversity. This was most strikingly evident in the last book he wrote, presciently titled Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swami.[129]

 

Pramukh Swami as Guru

Kalam's desire to meet spiritual leaders to help create a more prosperous, spiritual, and unified India was what initially led him to meet Pramukh Swami, the Hindu guru of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sampradaya, who Kalam would come to consider his ultimate spiritual teacher and guru.[122][124] The first of eight meetings between Kalam and Pramukh Swami over a fourteen-year period took place on 30 June 2001 in New Delhi, during which Kalam described being immediately drawn to Pramukh Swami's simplicity and spiritual purity.[136] Kalam stated that he was inspired by Pramukh Swami throughout their numerous interactions. One such incident occurred the day following the terrorist attack on BAPS' Akshardham, Gandhinagar complex in September 2002; Pramukh Swami prayed for, and sprinkled holy water upon, the sites of all of the deceased, including the terrorists, demonstrating the view that all human life is sacred. Kalam recalled being moved by Pramukh Swami's equanimity and compassion, citing this incident as one of his motivations for writing Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji.[137] Summarizing the effect that Pramukh Swami had on him, Kalam stated that "[Pramukh Swami] has indeed transformed me. He is the ultimate stage of the spiritual ascent in my life ... Pramukh Swamiji has put me in a God-synchronous orbit. No manoeuvres are required any more, as I am placed in my final position in eternity."[124][138] Following Kalam's death a month after his final book was released, co-author Arun Tiwari pointed to this passage as potentially prophetic and premonitory of Kalam's death.[139]

 

Writings

 

A P J Abdul Kalam delivering a speech

In his book India 2020, Kalam strongly advocated an action plan to develop India into a "knowledge superpower" and a developed nation by the year 2020. He regarded his work on India's nuclear weapons programme as a way to assert India's place as a future superpower.[140]

 

I have identified five areas where India has a core competence for integrated action: (1) agriculture and food processing; (2) education and healthcare; (3) information and communication technology; (4) infrastructure, reliable and quality electric power, surface transport and infrastructure for all parts of the country; and (5) self-reliance in critical technologies. These five areas are closely inter-related and if advanced in a coordinated way, will lead to food, economic and national security.

 

Kalam describes a "transformative moment" in his life when he asked Pramukh Swami, the guru of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sampradaya, how India might realize this five-pronged vision of development. Pramukh Swami's answer—to add a sixth area developing faith in God and spirituality to overcome the current climate of crime and corruption—became the spiritual vision for the next 15 years Kalam's life, which he describes in his final book, Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji, published just a month before his death.[136]

 

It was reported that there was considerable demand in South Korea for translated versions of books authored by him.[141]

 

Kalam took an active interest in other developments in the field of science and technology, including a research programme for developing biomedical implants. He also supported open source technology over proprietary software, predicting that the use of free software on a large scale would bring the benefits of information technology to more people.[142]

 

Kalam set a target of interacting with 100,000 students during the two years after his resignation from the post of scientific adviser in 1999.[21] He explained, "I feel comfortable in the company of young people, particularly high school students. Henceforth, I intend to share with them experiences, helping them to ignite their imagination and preparing them to work for a developed India for which the road map is already available."[21]

 

Awards and honours

 

An Indian Post commemorative postage stamp on A. P. J. Abdul Kalam - issued on October 15, 2015

Kalam received honorary doctorates from 40 universities.[143][144] The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1981 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 for his work with ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Government.[145] In 1997, Kalam received India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, for his contribution to the scientific research and modernisation of defence technology in India.[146] In 2013, he was the recipient of the Von Braun Award from the National Space Society "to recognize excellence in the management and leadership of a space-related project".[147]

 

Following his death, Kalam received numerous tributes. The Tamil Nadu state government announced that his birthday, 15 October, would be observed across the state as "Youth Renaissance Day;" the state government further instituted the "Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award," constituting an 8-gram gold medal, a certificate and ₹500,000 (US$7,400). The award will be awarded annually on Independence Day, beginning in 2015, to residents of the state with achievements in promoting scientific growth, the humanities or the welfare of students.[148]

 

On occasion of his birth day (2015), CBSE has given the topics on his name in the CBSE expression series.[149]

 

The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi released the commemorative postal stamps on the former President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on his 84th birth anniversary celebrations, at DRDO Bhawan, in New Delhi on October 15, 2015.

 

Educational and scientific institutions

Several educational and scientific institutions and other locations were renamed or named in honour of Kalam following his death.

 

An agricultural college at Kishanganj, Bihar, was renamed the "Dr. Kalam Agricultural College, Kishanganj" by the Bihar state government on the day of Kalam's funeral. The state government also announced it would name a proposed science city after Kalam.[150]

Uttar Pradesh Technical University (UPTU) was renamed "A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University" by the Uttar Pradesh state government.[151]

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Memorial Travancore Institute of Digestive Diseases, a new research institute in Kollam city, Kerala attached to the Travancore Medical College Hospital.[152]

A new academic complex at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala.[153]

A new science centre and planetarium in Lawspet, Puducherry.[154]

India and the US have launched the Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship In September 2014. The first call for applicants was announced on Friday March 12, 2016, for the fellowship which will enable up to 6 Indian PhD students and post-doctoral researchers to work with US host institutions for a period of 6–12 months. The fellowship will be operated by the binational US-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) under theFulbright programme.[155]

Island

Wheeler Island, a national missile test site in Odisha, was renamed Abdul Kalam Island in September 2015.[156]

  

Branches of the Vine

Young Catholics complete sacraments of initiation

 

By Andrew Junker | May 21, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

 

CAREFREE — They were lined up down the main aisle of Our Lady of Joy’s church in starched shirts, white dresses and uncomfortable dress shoes.

 

And they were nervous.

 

Well, “nervous and excited,” explained Jenna Mateo, one of the 40 or so third-graders who made their first Communion and were confirmed by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted May 10 at the north Valley parish.

 

Maci McMeel — who chose Christina as her confirmation name — agreed with Mateo.

 

“I was kind of nervous because there were a lot of people watching us,” she said. McMeel said she had thought a lot about what it would be like to receive the Eucharist, and that making her first Communion was very “exciting.”

 

Across the Diocese of Phoenix, confirmation and first Communion season is in full bloom. Hundreds of children are receiving the sacraments either from the hands of the bishop or one of his appointed vicars or deans.

 

Jill Pavolovsky prepared the young confirmandi at Our Lady of Joy. The sacrament preparation is worked into the regular religious education classes at the parish, which have been focused on preparing for confirmation and first Communion for about a year now.

 

“The restored order of the sacraments helps the children receive the Blessed Sacrament more worthily and gives them the graces to make better choices in their lives,” said Pavlovsky, who is known to her students simply as “Miss Jill.”

 

Linking confirmation to baptism as one of the sacraments of initiation, as well as teaching the children about Pentecost and the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit “helps them understand how confirmation will help them live out, spread and defend the faith,” she said, “as a third-grader and hopefully beyond.”

 

In his homily, Bishop Olmsted told the children about their new responsibilities as fully initiated members of the Church and gave them advice on how to remain close to Christ.

 

The Gospel reading included Jesus telling His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing.”

 

“These words of Jesus help us see why holy Communion and confirmation are such great blessings from God,” Bishop Olmsted said. “The sacraments help us stay in communion with Christ, and that’s the only way to have real joy.”

 

More: www.catholicsun.org

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

Looking for a glossy/matte copy of this photo? Please call 602-354-2132 or send an e-mail for ordering information. Please note the photo's title when ordering. Download the order form here.

 

Copyright 2006-2009 The Catholic Sun. All rights reserved. This photo and all photos on this Web site credited to The Catholic Sun are provided for personal use only and may not be published, broadcasted, transmitted or sold without the expressed consent of The Catholic Sun.

Branches of the Vine

Young Catholics complete sacraments of initiation

 

By Andrew Junker | May 21, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

 

CAREFREE — They were lined up down the main aisle of Our Lady of Joy’s church in starched shirts, white dresses and uncomfortable dress shoes.

 

And they were nervous.

 

Well, “nervous and excited,” explained Jenna Mateo, one of the 40 or so third-graders who made their first Communion and were confirmed by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted May 10 at the north Valley parish.

 

Maci McMeel — who chose Christina as her confirmation name — agreed with Mateo.

 

“I was kind of nervous because there were a lot of people watching us,” she said. McMeel said she had thought a lot about what it would be like to receive the Eucharist, and that making her first Communion was very “exciting.”

 

Across the Diocese of Phoenix, confirmation and first Communion season is in full bloom. Hundreds of children are receiving the sacraments either from the hands of the bishop or one of his appointed vicars or deans.

 

Jill Pavolovsky prepared the young confirmandi at Our Lady of Joy. The sacrament preparation is worked into the regular religious education classes at the parish, which have been focused on preparing for confirmation and first Communion for about a year now.

 

“The restored order of the sacraments helps the children receive the Blessed Sacrament more worthily and gives them the graces to make better choices in their lives,” said Pavlovsky, who is known to her students simply as “Miss Jill.”

 

Linking confirmation to baptism as one of the sacraments of initiation, as well as teaching the children about Pentecost and the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit “helps them understand how confirmation will help them live out, spread and defend the faith,” she said, “as a third-grader and hopefully beyond.”

 

In his homily, Bishop Olmsted told the children about their new responsibilities as fully initiated members of the Church and gave them advice on how to remain close to Christ.

 

The Gospel reading included Jesus telling His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing.”

 

“These words of Jesus help us see why holy Communion and confirmation are such great blessings from God,” Bishop Olmsted said. “The sacraments help us stay in communion with Christ, and that’s the only way to have real joy.”

 

More: www.catholicsun.org

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

Looking for a glossy/matte copy of this photo? Please call 602-354-2132 or send an e-mail for ordering information. Please note the photo's title when ordering. Download the order form here.

 

Copyright 2006-2009 The Catholic Sun. All rights reserved. This photo and all photos on this Web site credited to The Catholic Sun are provided for personal use only and may not be published, broadcasted, transmitted or sold without the expressed consent of The Catholic Sun.

Not so long ago, the main road from Dover to Sandwich passed right through the centre of Easty. Its narrow roads lined with parked cars must have been quite a bottle neck. But now the main road goes round and the cars can park was their owners want.

 

I visited Eastry many years ago, early in the Kent church project. So I am revisiting those first churches to see what I missed now I have a little knowledge of church architecture.

 

We park in the centre on the main road and walk down the dead end street to the church. It looks fine in the spring sunshine, flints glistening. It sits surrounded by gfand houses, most of which are listed.

 

Entrance is via a unique porch in the west end of the church, under the tower, where a porch has been fashioned from carved wood and leaded lights.

 

Upon entering you are greeted by the glory of the church, the chancel arch festooned with panels showing four different designs, but my eye is taken by the two quatrefoil cut outs either side.

 

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

 

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.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Eastry

 

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

 

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

 

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

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 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 Church of the Annunciation in Finglas West is one of Ireland’s largest suburban churches, with the building itself covering approximately one acre. The turning of the first sod to build this church took place in July 1964 and was finally opened on the 8th October 1967 with the blessing of the Archbishop of Dublin, Charles McQuaid. The Parish of Finglas West was formally established in 1962 and the new building replaced an older tin-roofed church (Church of the Incarnation) that was located just in front of the main entrance.

 

The church is dedicated to the Annunciation of Our Lady which marks the occasion when the Archangel Gabriel informed the Blessed Virgin Mary that she will conceive a child through the Holy Spirit and that his name shall be Jesus. The Feast Day of the Annunciation is held on March 25th.

 

Additional information about the Church of the Annunciation:

 

• David Keane & Partners of Dublin were the architects who designed the new church. David Keane 22/9/1929 – 28/9/2007. The firm is still trading as KMD Architecture (Keane, Murphy & Duff partners). David Deane retired from KMD in 1987 but remained on as a consultant to the firm.

 

• Stephen Walsh designed and completed the stained glass windows, including the massive Annunciation window above the main entrance. He also created the mosaic Stations of the Cross and the large image of Christ Ascending into Heaven seen behind the alter.

 

• Richard Joseph King (1907-1974) designed the bronze and enamelled tabernacle. Richard is more famously known as a stained glass artist who worked with Harry Clark and went on to become director of the Harry Clarke Studios after Harry’s death in 1931. He was also well-known as an ecclesiastical painter with his own particular style, of which many of these have been illustrated in the Capuchin Annual from 1940 through to its final issue in 1977. Stephen also designed and executed the Connemara marble plaque behind the baptismal font.

 

.

I was anxious to get some photos of the Church of the Annunciation since it’s been confirmed the church will be demolished and replaced. The reasons given have been structural problems, increasing costs of maintenance and heating, as well as falling congregation numbers. The current church can hold up to 3,500 mass-goers, while its replacement will hold up to around 350. The proposed new church has been designed by Coda Architects of Dublin. Some of the land the church is on will be used to build social housing.

 

At this stage, it is not clear when the church will be demolished and that could be up to two years away. The structural problems are considered too expensive to fix and relate mainly to the roof, which also leaks in places. The roof is partially constructed of cast concrete with reinforcing steel bar and it seems that the thickness of concrete used was insufficient, so rain water ingresses into it and has been corroding away the reinforcing steel bar. It is also unclear what will happen to the stained glass and other fittings that adorns the building, especially the huge and impressive window above the main entrance. There is also a fine large organ whose fate is as yet, undecided. The church is also adorned inside with many statues and the bronze and enamelled tabernacle designed by artist Richard Joseph King.

 

But one thing is for sure, the Finglas skyline will never be the same without The Church of the Annunciation and its distinctive high spire.

 

.

References:

 

www.thejournal.ie/finglas-church-closure-3220514-Feb2017/

 

www.facebook.com/GlasnevinHeritage/photos/a.1826516385521... (Glasnevin Heritage Facebook page – short note about the Church of the Annunciation and the old tin church it replaced).

 

www.coda.ie/portfolio/church-finglas-dublin (Coda Architects website - includes artist’s impressions of the proposed replacement church).

 

www.facebook.com/rtearchives/photos/a.1397188113944316.10... (A 1966 photo of the new Annunciation church alongside the old tin church that it replaced. The old tin church was dismantled shortly afterwards and sold off.)

  

Conference challenges men to be faithful and fearless

Annual gathering recognizes men’s spirituality

 

By Andrew Junker | March 2, 2010 | The Catholic Sun

 

Wet roads and chilly temperatures couldn’t keep them away. They streamed into St. Paul’s Parish Hall Feb. 20 for an all-day Lenten Men’s Conference.

 

“There are more than 800 Catholic men in here today,” said Mike Phelan, director of the diocesan marriage and respect life office. “Praise God.”

 

And they did.

 

Throughout the day, the men heard from a variety of speakers on spiritual challenges, sang praise and worship music, went to confession — there were 25 priests on hand — and celebrated Mass.

 

The theme for this year’s Lenten conference was “All In.”

 

“This conference is always going to be tied to this season in our Church when we’re called to go into the desert and lay some things down and suffer with Christ,” Phelan said.

 

He identified three goals for the conference. First, he wanted the men to deepen their personal encounter with Christ; he wanted them to go all in by dedicating their lives to Christ and His Church; and, he wanted them to change the culture.

 

“This is a great sign that the Holy Spirit is at work in our Church, and it’s a great encouragement to me as bishop of this Church,” Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted told the crowd.

 

“Love is not genuine unless it’s all in,” the bishop said.

 

He called on the men to allow God to be their Father so they could be good fathers to others, and prayed that everyone be given the grace to listen well.

 

Former Major League Baseball all-star Terry Mattingly served as master of ceremonies at the conference for the third year in a row. He pointed out the fact that there were many more young men in the crowd this year. Fathers brought their sons, which was a great thing, he said.

 

“This is a great opportunity for all of us,” he said. “Let’s give everything we’ve got for the hours that we’re here today.”

 

The conference featured speakers like local priest Fr. John Lankeit, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, apologist Peter Herbeck and Timothy Gray, a biblical scholar who teaches at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver. Local Catholic musician and songwriter Chris Muglia provided music for the conference.

 

Gray said that the world today has lost its narrative.

 

“The world doesn’t know why it exists. Therefore, we don’t know what we were made for,” he said. “We become men without a mission when we lose the meaning.”

 

He challenged the men to rebel against the soft, consumer-driven culture that pervades everything.

 

“The goal in modern culture is to get granite countertops and drive a Lexus,” he said. “That’s not something worth dying for.”

 

Rather than get caught up in the “spectator culture,” Gray encouraged the men to be selfless and active, to love their families and sacrifice for them.

 

That was a theme echoed throughout the day — the need to be faithful and fearless.

 

“If 800 men in Phoenix take to heart their duty, we will impact the culture,” Phelan told the crowd to loud applause.

 

More: www.catholicsun.org

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

Looking for a glossy/matte copy of this photo? Please call 602-354-2132 or send an e-mail for ordering information. Please note the photo's title when ordering. Download the order form here.

 

Copyright 2006-2010 The Catholic Sun. All rights reserved. This photo and all photos on this Web site credited to The Catholic Sun are provided for personal use only and may not be published, broadcasted, transmitted or sold without the expressed consent of The Catholic Sun.

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