View allAll Photos Tagged devotion
Symbolization of color meanings (red=passion, blue=devotion)
Leidenschaft & Hingebung
Versinnbildlichte Farbbedeutung (Rot=Leidenschaft, Blau=Hingebung)
This Eastern Bluebird mother was taking very good care of her hungry baby. It doesn't get any better than live mealworms!
I was thrilled to actually get to see the Bluebird fledgelings this weekend. I was bound and determined to get some shots of them so the chores and housework were put on hold. Even though these shots are on the rooftop and not on any of the nearby perches or tree branches I think it was time well spent.
Ellora Cave 16: the Kailasanatha Temple. 8th century.
Conceptualizing an idea that would take 200 years to complete, take 7500 people to finish, with buy-in from 10 generations of stake holders, detailing it to the T (a house of god cannot have a wrong cut), excavating 400000 tonnes of rock, all of these could only have been possible because of the sheer brilliance, love and devotion of those involved.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kailasa_temple,_Ellora
Ellora Caves Album:
The Hall of Pillars, or East Tazaung of Shwezigon Pagoda, in Myanmar, is a significant structure. The hall symbolizes devotion and is integral to the pagoda's religious and historical importance, attracting pilgrims and visitors seeking spiritual solace.
Devotion young boy delivering the new Torah to the alter in this early 70s shot on film, found in North Carolina.
The village of Oberammergau, is situated in Bavaria Germany in the district of Garmisch-Partenkiirchen in Alps near the Austrian border.
This is a small picturesque and fairy village. Each house in this place is artwork with bibly stories. There are traditional fairytale houses with colorful pictures on the exteriors, painted by artists. This is an old custom that has been carried on through the ages and continued in modern times.
"Lüftlmalerei" refers to the art of ornately painting the facades of buildings, and is essentially the "fresco" tradition that spilled over from baroque Italy into the foothills of southern Germany. In fact, it’s difficult to imagine a typical Bavarian village without these opulent adornments to their buildings, and Oberammergau is no different.
Oberammergau is widely known for its Passionsspiele (Passion Play) that attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world once every ten years. This charming town is also known for its woodcarvers who have been skilled at this craft continuously ever since medieval times and there are many shops that offer these wonderful carvings. Many of the carvings depict biblical figures such as angels, Madonnas and nativity scenes, in harmony with the religious theme of the play. Others are more contemporary but all display a skill that reflects 500 years of tradition.
Walking through the village itself is a fascinating experience with its splendid buildings, flower gardens, cafes and souvenir shops. Oberammergau and its inhabitants combine history, art and tradition with devotion to their region and hospitality.
She lowers her eyes to the dark,
not in fear, but in trust.
The night asks nothing gently,
and she gives herself to it anyway.
Her heart kneels before unseen hands
fate, memory, love that never stayed.
She has learned the grace of soft obedience:
to ache, to wait, to remain open.
Silk and shadow cling like promises
she never demanded be kept.
She is strongest in her surrender,
most alive when she does not resist.
She lets the darkness name her,
shape her, hold her still.
Not because she is weak
but because devotion
is its own kind of power.
A true architectural wonder, the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory stands as a tangible symbol of one man's unshakable faith and devotion to his patroness, Mary. It is a place of wondrous beauty, radiating hope to all those who arrive at its doors in desperate need. Its hundreds of paintings, sculptures, and mosaics dazzle the senses and evoke awe in even the hardest of hearts. But, above all, the Basilica is a gift of thanks. A gift, offered by Msgr. Nelson Baker, V.G., to his helpmate, Our Lady of Victory, for more than 50 years of inspiration and spiritual assistance.
The Gift
The year was 1921. Although Father Baker was 79 years old, he was still a visionary with great dreams -- and he had one more that needed attention. At a routine parish council meeting, the humble priest shocked all in attendance as he calmly unveiled ambitious plans for a shrine that would rival any within the U.S. Speaking before an astonished crowd, Father Baker outlined his desire for the finest materials and artists to come together for a true masterwork -- a way of paying homage to the Blessed Mother who provided him with so much throughout the years. Astounding all with his infectious vigor, construction was begun almost immediately.
Knowing that he had not set aside a penny for the new shrine's building did not seem to upset him either, as Father Baker was confident that Our Lady of Victory would again look kindly upon him -- and She did. The "Padre of the Poor" sent out a call of support and it was answered by thousands of citizens from around the nation, happy to support such a divine project. Some contributed through the Association of Our Lady of Victory, Father Baker's pioneering direct-mail fundraising club (via per-brick sponsorships of $10), while countless others sent offerings both large and small.
By late1925, construction of the great Sanctuary of Our Lady of Victory was completed and the first Mass was held there on Christmas of that year. Amazingly, when it opened the following year, the Basilica had no debt, having been completely paid for at a cost of $3.2 million. On May 25, 1926, a very special consecration ceremony took place. Attended by thousands of local dignitaries, priests, nuns, and well-wishers, the event was presided over by Father Baker, Bishop William Turner of the Diocese of Buffalo, and Cardinal Patrick Hayes. Within two months an even higher honor was bestowed upon the shrine as it was officially designated a Minor Basilica via an apostolic decree from Pope Pius XI. Father Baker's greatest dream had been realized: the gift had been given
Through the Years
Although the Basilica has seen many years, it has not seen too many changes. Only three events have altered the original design of the shrine significantly.
In 1941, a freak and violent lightning storm caused major damage to the Basilica's original twin towers. Father Baker's first successor, Msgr. Joseph Maguire, led the efforts to refurbish the structures, replacing the marble towers with the lower, enclosed, copper-dome-tipped towers that can be seen today.
The only other change to the Basilica's exterior took place some 60 years later. Piles of snow and ice caused by the harsh winter of 2001-2002 took its toll on the National Shrine, forcing Msgr. Robert Wurtz to replace the shrine's greenish-hued roof. When the Basilica was first built, the dome and the roof were made of a shiny copper, but, over time, those features turned green due to prolonged exposure to the elements (the same chemical change seen on the Statue of Liberty). A new copper roof was put up, and although, it doesn't match the other greenish highlights, the structure will begin to turn colors in upcoming years and is expected to blend right in with the other sections of copper in about 50 years.
Father Baker Comes Home
March 11, 1999, was a date which would see a profound change in the shrine, and in the minds of thousands of Western New Yorkers. It was on that day, that Father Nelson Baker came home.
In July 1998, Msgr. Robert Wurtz, pastor of OLV Parish announced that the earthly remains of Father Baker would be transferred from nearby Holy Cross Cemetery into his most beloved of creations, the OLV Basilica. The move, which was ordered by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, would help raise awareness of Father Baker, his mission, and his legacy. On that brilliant morning in March, Father Baker's casket, carried by six men who were raised by the Padre of the Poor himself, was placed in a sarcophagus within the Grotto Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes, found on the southern end of the Basilica's transept. A truly unique area, the Grotto is hewn out of black lava rock from Mount Vesuvius in Italy. At the time of its construction, Father Baker insisted on finding a material that was untouched by humans to pay tribute to the vision of Our Blessed Lady to St. Bernadatte in Lourdes, France. It is estimated that nearly 6,000 people passed through the Basilica's doors that day just to honor the humble priest and all of his accomplishments.
Today & Beyond
In 2001, a celebration 75 years in the making was held as the OLV Parish celebrated the National Shrine's Diamond Jubilee. As the 75th Anniversary of consecration approached, a committee of parishioners and OLV Institutions' staff members banned together to plan a truly special day. On May 26, a special Mass was followed by a dinner party, at which hundreds of dignitaries, clergy members, and friends came together to celebrate the OLV Basilica and its saintly founder, Father Nelson Baker.
Today, the Basilica continues to draw close to 2,000 visitors every month. Pilgrims and well-wishers of all faiths from every state gather to offer prayers to Father Baker, enjoy a calm moment of reflection, or just to admire the breath-taking architecture. The future will no doubt hold even more promise, as Father Baker advances down the long Path to Sainthood. Beatification (the next step and the second of three in the process), would, in itself, cause attendance to jump, while canonization is expected to bring tens of thousands of visitors to Lackawanna and its wondrous shrine.
Simply stated, the OLV Basilica is what it is: a shrine of unparalleled beauty, a place for all to dream, hope and believe in. But it is also this: a gift offered by a humble servant to a provider of great things, the Blessed Mother. It is, and ever will be, a symbol of Father Baker's steadying faith and a dream that was very much worth dreaming.
...all I had to do was talking to the right Person to get myself back on the right path to feel safe, secure and respected.
this took forever because i had to take picturess of picturess and then make this collage.. the three pics on the left top are from her music video "desatame" , where she plays a tormented goddess in love..in this scene she was caught in a heavey fog, and as you can see she is an exotic sensuous butterfly..this was the early 90s, and she use to part her hair down the middle one side platinum blonde and one jet black..it looked amazing..next three pics top right the song is "sobrevivire" and she was in a white spaceship wearing a patent leather purple catsuit with black highheeled boots..her hair was jet black..then i decided to include the 2 pics at the bottom because i love them..my favorite picture i could not add because she is in the nude.. i will translate a few lines from one of her songs for those of you who dont speak spanish.....from europa.." i was that red rose adored by the sun..devine magic shower of rain, bubble of love".."and my grand palace was my youth".... "i had all the glory, your devotion was mine, and i felt loved, spoiled with blind delerious illusion" .... while most of this song is in spanish their is a part where she starts ranting, screaming, and raving in french..also at some point she gasps for air as the music stops and then starts again..this song mixes theatrical dramatics with pop, and very dramatic spanish violins..its dark, and her voice sounds deep and soultry..at the end she sings a long note as the music speeds up and then ends abruptly and geniously..
Rakher Upobash is a Hindu festival of lights, faith and devotion. It is also known as Kartik Brati. The festival is celebrated in the month of Kartik, which usually falls in November. Hindu worshipers fast and pray in the earnest to the Gods for their favors during the traditional ritual.
I've been running, trying to be one who sees
I've been working, this salvation out on my knees
There is nothing better than knowing
We are redeemed
I'm believing, trusting in creative hands,
I am praying for our world to bow to your plan
And this one thought is unmistakable
To take up my cross and follow You Lord
When You stand, the tall tress and mountains bow
When You speak, the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinner seek devotion
The lost become chosen, and I fall to my knees
I'm forgiven by a Savior who did not deserve death
He was blameless and I was lost in shamefulness
Undelivered, but it doesn't seem right
Unless I keep my eyes focues on the Savior who gave His life
In the middle of a world that denies it believes
It is breaking apart at the very seams
There is one thing to be alive for
And it's to take up my cross and follow You Lord
When You stand, the tall trees and mountains bow
When You speak, the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinner seek devotion
The lost become chosen, and I fall to my knees
I will take up my cross and follow Lord where You lead me
And I will take up my cross and follow wherever you go
When You stand, the tall trees and mountains bow
When You speak, the fiercest of oceans are still
And I see the sinner seek devotion
The lost become chosen, and I fall to my knees
Fall to my knees
A moving moment at the Mezquita, as a couple of young tourists used her phone to photograph a lady in front of a shrine. She had a mobility impairment, her walking sticks lying in front of her.
Shot on my birthday, and in near darkness. Very emotional scene ...
Here is Gallad, our 11 month-old puppy giving me that look...he loves to be talked to and like most dogs, he pricks up his ears, cocks his head and fixes his eyes on me as if trying to understand what the human is saying...and then he talks back in little yipes and hound howls. I love the look of utter trust in his eyes.
Wedding Photography by Mathew Irving for more information about me and
bookings visit my website - irvingphotographydenver.com
Sanctuary dedicated to one of the patron saints of Brasilia, designed by Oscar Niemeyer and his team.
www.conhecendobrasilia.com/#!santuario-dom-bosco/c20qo
Brasilia is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site whc.unesco.org/en/list/445
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A Temple In My Neighborhood.
The Girl Sitting Comes Everyday and Prays For More Then an Hour or So,A Scene I Seldom See In The Generation-x or whatever it's called.
True Devotion.
taking it was an ordeal as one usually doesn't start taking pictures of strangers praying in a temple,but i had to.i did get a few angry and bewildered looks but it was worth it.
Take With a Nokia N-72.
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In front of the Jokhang temple, she and her family did a full body prostration.
This is very hard to do,
The actual prostration is performed by dropping the body forward and stretching it full length on the floor, the arms outstretched in front.... Again, with hands in the lotus bud mudra, bend your arms back and touch your hands to the top of your head (forehead touching the ground), a gesture that acknowledges the blessing flowing from Guru Rinpoche. Then stretch your arms out once more and push yourself up.... Bring your hands into the lotus bud mudra for the third time and touch your heart in a gesture of reverence. Then, walk forward in body length, with a smooth motion, bring your hands to your crown and perform the next prostration...........
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostration_(Buddhism)