tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49846714282427179742024-02-21T01:17:22.628+01:00The Roman AnglicanAn Anglican review on art and history, based in Rome.Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-53752125264281662162023-05-15T20:30:00.001+02:002023-05-16T10:24:37.537+02:00Tribute to my beautiful Grandmother.<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrtPCFOUBPl0X6Mr7W9mC74_gd0UncrhU7Wp0W69EhT-zx4Y513iS3gk_9v3VeIfUiaR-6GefDLvA7UgebVdwi88-9wpcscPKGVjNUzHL6KUrK2-NzzgYh6_x7iWsZeNhA1MQ8E33fhBRVyS0NLdepfyc3tPktUOZfxU9uBJZp7FMoTP5XLWipRVti"><img height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrtPCFOUBPl0X6Mr7W9mC74_gd0UncrhU7Wp0W69EhT-zx4Y513iS3gk_9v3VeIfUiaR-6GefDLvA7UgebVdwi88-9wpcscPKGVjNUzHL6KUrK2-NzzgYh6_x7iWsZeNhA1MQ8E33fhBRVyS0NLdepfyc3tPktUOZfxU9uBJZp7FMoTP5XLWipRVti=w640-h533" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nonna, your favorite color is green, your favorite season is spring. You love the sun and its light, the flowers; hydrangeas, orchids, daisies. You love those butterflies accompanying you and landing on the flowers touched by your sun, they remind you of your loved ones. As a child you wanted to be a bird. You found eternal rest at the first light of dawn, that light that always accompanies you, when the spring birds begin to sing. You entered into that great heavenly love and warmth with all your loved ones; grandparents, uncles, nephews, parents, children... your radiance has been tested so much at difficult and dark moments; a great and excruciating pain has taken you away slowly, slowly. You raised me, you mothered me. As a child you used to take me for walks. Once, I asked you: grandma what is Easter? She said: "it's the Resurrection of Jesus", that Jesus you have now met, nonna. As a child, when I missed you at school you gave me candies to remind me of you. You love spending the summer in your favorite place, Praiano, with all our loved ones. You took me to the beach in the summer, to the zoo in the spring; we spent afternoons at the Villa Pamphilj, we had walks on the Corso. I remember then all the toys, those Roman Nativity Scenes we loved building... you took me to museums and churches and you made my love for history and art grow in me. Finally, you forged my strong faith that now sees you with your loves and affections. You have always loved all your affections madly, you cook wonderfully. Nonna, you are my mother; you taught me good manners, like that time you told me off outside kindergarten for not walking nicely. You made me finish school and start college. You have always been close to me and you were there to love me, you are my mother too and I thank you for everything. Francesca, Antonio, Egidio and Mafalda, Rolando and Angelo are now with you and you with them at last. The beginning of your journey of love began where you met Christ for the first time in baptism, communion and confirmation, and where your love was blessed in marriage in a basilica that was once the main monastic sanctuary of Rome, the city you love and that you made great yourself. You left at dawn with the birds, at dawn on a Saturday, like when Christ entered the Limbo. You left us, for the moment, during the liturgical season of Easter, the season of Resurrection, before Sunday, and in the week before the Ascension. Now, you are with those you love, in heaven but also with us here as you are embraced by that great cloud of God's love. Thank you for everything you have done for us. Know that my daughter will be called Eleonora. Like the ascended Christ you will always be with us, side by side until the beautiful moment we meet again. Your joyful character has accompanied us until your last days on this earth. Thank you for all the moments with you, even the last ones, having allowed us to greet you well. You will always be missed. You will always be with us. In heaven, in the big cloud of God's love and warmth, with the angels and saints, affections... there's no time there, so we'll see each other soon nonna. Pray for us here and we will pray for you. I love you forever.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Eleanora Cipriani</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Roma 17-03-1940; Roma 13-05-2023</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Rest eternal grant unto her O Lord and let light perpetual shine upon her. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>May she rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Read at the Funeral Mass of Eleonora Cipriani in the Basilica of San Saba in Rome at 11:00 am on 15 May, 2023.</span></div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-63140994075966893712023-05-05T14:01:00.012+02:002023-05-06T08:36:11.937+02:00As kings, priests, and prophets were anointed: the Coronation of King Charles III.<div style="text-align: justify;">Tomorrow, we are going to witness one of the most historic events in our lifetimes, one that most people alive today will witness for the first time; a moment that will bring Christendom together in their celebration of the only Christian Coronation of our day, that of King Charles III.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Coronations are important for two reasons, a monarch is not merely a head of state but he is an anointed Christian ruler who becomes such in a rite that is similar to the sacrament of ordination and which goes back thousands of years to the very establishment of our faith. A Coronation is a testament to the continuity of our faith.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTlOpxxTa7ct0CKk0niKY9KNK5XK3MHE0_pp-Zw6SdifwC0jV10luW84L77-HvdsWCEdQee3tXFB-6bYSjRrzXngbgFcJHqeQXBa4FHCdiSZ-RyX1ITFVukHUdl8gA73xb5tUN3CHv8A01kSI1UHsdVqlSz0M0HjvuoyNtmhUdsSphtKvxKZav0_Yv"><img height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTlOpxxTa7ct0CKk0niKY9KNK5XK3MHE0_pp-Zw6SdifwC0jV10luW84L77-HvdsWCEdQee3tXFB-6bYSjRrzXngbgFcJHqeQXBa4FHCdiSZ-RyX1ITFVukHUdl8gA73xb5tUN3CHv8A01kSI1UHsdVqlSz0M0HjvuoyNtmhUdsSphtKvxKZav0_Yv=w400-h290" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The British monarch is the Defender of the Faith, a title which finds its roots in the very establishment of Christianity as we know it, under Roman Emperor Constantine with the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, when Christianity became the state religion and in which the monarch would be an extra voice in the life of the Church’s episcopal system, the Church of England is the only branch of Christendom that maintains this to this day, now that all other Roman and Eastern anointed head of states are no more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEir87-ZyAntUyBu_WqB7uepbdpEMnpnB-5pPrzspHkxQXGpxtYRuQv_XOZD5nmOmHhzQKRzdmnyFO1gETf8wZBHgj_KzVMuYsc-7jQomI6HeviT40Q_yWSRIQpphpFpMX9b4MKbzFjmykVIo47yf0LI1EjGy1MqdDo8wQlqhVmyESeMV9ikDhkmRBPE"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEir87-ZyAntUyBu_WqB7uepbdpEMnpnB-5pPrzspHkxQXGpxtYRuQv_XOZD5nmOmHhzQKRzdmnyFO1gETf8wZBHgj_KzVMuYsc-7jQomI6HeviT40Q_yWSRIQpphpFpMX9b4MKbzFjmykVIo47yf0LI1EjGy1MqdDo8wQlqhVmyESeMV9ikDhkmRBPE=w400-h266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This ancient practice going back to Roman times, and <i>de facto</i> constituting the oldest continuing form of Christianity as we know it, continues to this day and was adopted by Rome when it became Byzantium. It was the Greek Byzantines who shaped the rite as we know it to this day. The ancient rite of the Coronation then spread throughout Europe, it followed the expansion of new European nations, such as the Holy Roman Empire which then inspired the Coronations of France, Austria and England itself, even the Russian crown which followed on the steps of Byzantium.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2vSxAw1nohbTZT3eP_SWDYW8p09BkN3YFOl9DfiCtVsI6Pjt1spxETUJZX8i2zILVPyS2M72P9PBRdUERhh_06XU2XfHBqm0Mxe0groQAENDiM9zrsXdls54-mU9NXnVMRte8Qggw4FvdaDVhx3OogI01TZReBcN-uKFg4aHzEvt-ebCsAXAadZC_"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2vSxAw1nohbTZT3eP_SWDYW8p09BkN3YFOl9DfiCtVsI6Pjt1spxETUJZX8i2zILVPyS2M72P9PBRdUERhh_06XU2XfHBqm0Mxe0groQAENDiM9zrsXdls54-mU9NXnVMRte8Qggw4FvdaDVhx3OogI01TZReBcN-uKFg4aHzEvt-ebCsAXAadZC_=w355-h400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first English monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1066 was William the Conqueror himself, tomorrow Charles III will be the fortieth. The current ritual is based on that of the 14th century <i>Liber Regalis </i>of Edward II and is set in the beautiful language of the Book of Common Prayer. The rite of Coronation consists of important key moments, it begins with a set of vows and oaths, as those set forth to defend the Protestant Episcopal faith in the English realm, to be a servant of his people, etc. as at the ordination, the monarch is then presented with the King James Bible. The St. Augustine Gospels, which will be carried in procession, go back to the 6th c. and came with the saint from Rome when he evangelized England under Saint Gregory the Great - they are as old as British Christianity itself. The service then continues with an invocation of the Holy Spirit, through the ancient song of the Church “Come Holy Ghost our souls inspire”, the same that is sung at the ordination of deacons, priests, and bishops. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipGxWZrpAZeyqZkmlfArFN48VvdmCvpwm7Eafe9gsjgvb-jecsv0RJS37FAUTsPGze50XeeaO2NJSMgrwhquHJhcqzOHjEiMgZGwXXZcFJUTwM5K7XuMdKwCT02m84jjei6nXxsgRUxRq8aZ8RAw2S4YcfB-9Qxx61Nh1mTtpLU-QY1omsk7qbFuVY"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipGxWZrpAZeyqZkmlfArFN48VvdmCvpwm7Eafe9gsjgvb-jecsv0RJS37FAUTsPGze50XeeaO2NJSMgrwhquHJhcqzOHjEiMgZGwXXZcFJUTwM5K7XuMdKwCT02m84jjei6nXxsgRUxRq8aZ8RAw2S4YcfB-9Qxx61Nh1mTtpLU-QY1omsk7qbFuVY=w320-h400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The anointing of the monarch by the Archbishop of Canterbury, on hands, chest, and head with Chrism oil blessed by the Greek patriarch in Jerusalem, is the most important moment and is of a sacramental nature. This is effectively the moment in which the monarch becomes ontologically such, and therefore is suitably dressed in the old Byzantine kingly vestments that mimic those of a priest: Colobium Sindonis, Supertunica and Girdle, the Stole and Robe Royal, Rings and Gloves all. A moment so sacred that it shall be hidden behind a canopy. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil9aP50pZZEi4Gr5HEOIzSRpklFD0w24nJjUdGSMWk5iSnWJlRX3UUhfuM2yj1l2xPP5U_WOOmWxzendUKV011egWzEpzEhJtOTshA_w2R211btBRA4hHFngbbZx3TGggJZRxkFGD4HaQJpTRkFHGF00fWu6k8jNUuHP35TKNol8vzyW_3A5IXOaVp"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil9aP50pZZEi4Gr5HEOIzSRpklFD0w24nJjUdGSMWk5iSnWJlRX3UUhfuM2yj1l2xPP5U_WOOmWxzendUKV011egWzEpzEhJtOTshA_w2R211btBRA4hHFngbbZx3TGggJZRxkFGD4HaQJpTRkFHGF00fWu6k8jNUuHP35TKNol8vzyW_3A5IXOaVp=w400-h225" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Archbishop utters the following words and prayers during the anointing:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Be your hands anointed with holy oil.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Be your breast anointed with holy oil.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Be your head anointed with holy oil,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so may you be anointed, blessed, and consecrated King over the peoples, whom the Lord your God has given you to rule and govern; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The King is then crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Crown of Saint Edward, remodelled on the same relic worn by Saint Edward the Confessor, whose shrine lies beyond the reredos at the Abbey. He will be given the orb and sceptre, signs of power, both sacred and temporal. The beauty of having an anointed monarch as head of state is that all the Crown Jewels are used and are not merely part of some museum collection, sitting still and collecting dust day after day; they still form part of the life of the nation and its traditions. Finally, the ritual will conclude with the administration of Holy Communion to mark the sacramental nature of this ancient rite with the very body and blood of Christ. The monarch will then leave the Abbey wearing the Imperial State Crown, marking the completion of this journey and the beginning of his reign as an anointed monarch.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2UyO5EprErsB7GZtFD20TVyuyn3vlHnMzjyzVrGJB8SOmYcpz1suM02_YRXnnE-Vn1uuhHjgsKdT_ds9D_42vsVro25a67ndWaSmeOfxV0PV649yqNvgmQm-wQ7geBUw0RCwnc-P4M9pByl4Bypy51aaqPdigDFUd3vUB8j1-sXWDlK0iQ7RbyIIF"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2UyO5EprErsB7GZtFD20TVyuyn3vlHnMzjyzVrGJB8SOmYcpz1suM02_YRXnnE-Vn1uuhHjgsKdT_ds9D_42vsVro25a67ndWaSmeOfxV0PV649yqNvgmQm-wQ7geBUw0RCwnc-P4M9pByl4Bypy51aaqPdigDFUd3vUB8j1-sXWDlK0iQ7RbyIIF=w400-h268" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ceremonial will be memorable, thanks to the pageantry only the British can pull off - the music will be classic and will include Parry’s “I was Glad” and Handel’s “Zadok the Priest”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We are very lucky as Anglicans to claim this ancient rite as our own and to have our very rituals and traditions so relevant in the modern world. Tomorrow, millions will watch one of the most ancient Anglican liturgies and so should you, wherever you are in the Anglican Communion. Our prayers at this time are with their majesties, the King and Queen, who will be crowned tomorrow. Long live the King!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_KMko9DIvE83yzyNrVbBCaxwEHd8zqQTuxwEs9NPNbrBUcRHyYIFNwgys9Q3iTHxmCIDKM4d3SAvysKSAYShWzbrkuqfwLdILe8pymySZ9YuUu2Ui1tYa326mnCJLefxnnAaodpnogMOXT99NFVw140r2Th5ajNF-FOAcdgcDqtArAzmFuvxFWjka"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_KMko9DIvE83yzyNrVbBCaxwEHd8zqQTuxwEs9NPNbrBUcRHyYIFNwgys9Q3iTHxmCIDKM4d3SAvysKSAYShWzbrkuqfwLdILe8pymySZ9YuUu2Ui1tYa326mnCJLefxnnAaodpnogMOXT99NFVw140r2Th5ajNF-FOAcdgcDqtArAzmFuvxFWjka=w400-h300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>God save our gracious King,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Long live our noble King,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>God save the King!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Send him victorious,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy and glorious,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Long to reign over us,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>God save the King!</i></div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-88502567016274820922023-01-15T23:58:00.025+01:002023-01-16T10:50:35.732+01:00A Roman Tragedy: the Casino dell'Aurora.<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="#"><img height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6D4HPA5XjE7A-RiJU0LHdYLooPBIlKfjw82K5Dx7bfP1vkjExQFku6Ye0IxLGNzJSa1Tzr6Emv0LclX-tg-atZpbDPQ-dfXA-zk8SShq3eqjiakJ_17ShMJ9dky3ejzbeZnHR3cQjwjM6XOf0lYwbex9xI4vvJtCSzWthVVCISeLr2iolTIRD5Sw3=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of Rome's many beautiful and somewhat hidden treasures is what is known as the Casino di Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi or Casino or Villa dell'Aurora, after its Guercino masterpiece. This beautiful country house was originally built in 1570 by Francesco del Nero, known as <i>Cecchino</i>, an apostolic secretary and a nephew of Niccolò Machiavelli. Later in the century, it was purchased by Cardinal Francesco del Monte, a patron of the arts and sciences, among his favorite artists was Caravaggio himself. In 1621-1623, the villa was sold to Ludovico Ludovisi, as part of his acquisition campaign - his uncle Alessandro had become Pope Gregory XV, the man who gave us our current "Gregorian" calendar. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The cardinal expanded the property which ended up forming a great park known as the Villa Ludovisi that survived until the late 19th century, when the the Rione Boncompagni-Ludovisi was urbanized. The Casino was "just" the gardens' hunting lodge, the family palazzo, Palazzo Piombino (after the family title of <i>Principe di Piombino</i>), was originally down the Corso in Piazza Colonna and later by the Via Veneto. The only building that survives is the Palazzo Margherita, the former family palazzo which then passed on to the Italian Royal Family and is now the American Embassy. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGcvr4zp89TxX8KXI3ePJYph7qitmUJfrlUOyIFl8B7y6SRPI9Gbgx9TbC7jiSYfPxzIXBzxz5gbRCWLIFga_tentrspSyoZDLeaDzfSC8W1Wt_KKgLzfpvgqx0ZhNe97uGkYerpNIrBxPktlNDW-JALX_E3VywRoU9qxaUk-jPi4Le02g29CZX-aA"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGcvr4zp89TxX8KXI3ePJYph7qitmUJfrlUOyIFl8B7y6SRPI9Gbgx9TbC7jiSYfPxzIXBzxz5gbRCWLIFga_tentrspSyoZDLeaDzfSC8W1Wt_KKgLzfpvgqx0ZhNe97uGkYerpNIrBxPktlNDW-JALX_E3VywRoU9qxaUk-jPi4Le02g29CZX-aA"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGcvr4zp89TxX8KXI3ePJYph7qitmUJfrlUOyIFl8B7y6SRPI9Gbgx9TbC7jiSYfPxzIXBzxz5gbRCWLIFga_tentrspSyoZDLeaDzfSC8W1Wt_KKgLzfpvgqx0ZhNe97uGkYerpNIrBxPktlNDW-JALX_E3VywRoU9qxaUk-jPi4Le02g29CZX-aA=w400-h299" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through the centuries many stayed at the villa, American poet Henry James wrote of its gardens: "certainly there is nothing better in Rome, and perhaps nothing so beautiful, inside there is everything: dark avenues shaped for centuries with scissors, valleys, clearings, groves". The Casino dell'Aurora is home to splendid artworks: from the fine Greek and Roman statues, once part of a much larger collection and now spread throughout various museums, including the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, a rather rude sculpture of Pan by Michelangelo in the garden, to the intriguing Pomarancio Mannerist craze as one enters the building.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The most renowned works in the house include Caravaggio's only wall painting representing Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto (c.1597) and Guercino's Aurora (c.1621), Aurora is the goddess of dawn in Roman mythology, she renews herself every morning and announces the coming of the sun by flying across the sky on her chariot. These are some of the most defining art pieces of the Baroque era in Rome.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl4HtmdJm-VwmN13M2YILy4lNGmZgla2xdbXrDRa19A3SD8yEdXGNQWDQZ99j-h30Gfmy1-MObpEkh7ZKUW2OGjFCFrm7P72yNQkDKtILGCohdeuXVZlTJX8qDsna_hXDwClK_62fFQjTsIz-UogHv69c7_1nyx3rPiwhmPqMIsjh9_VNDMoT4XsUA"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl4HtmdJm-VwmN13M2YILy4lNGmZgla2xdbXrDRa19A3SD8yEdXGNQWDQZ99j-h30Gfmy1-MObpEkh7ZKUW2OGjFCFrm7P72yNQkDKtILGCohdeuXVZlTJX8qDsna_hXDwClK_62fFQjTsIz-UogHv69c7_1nyx3rPiwhmPqMIsjh9_VNDMoT4XsUA"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl4HtmdJm-VwmN13M2YILy4lNGmZgla2xdbXrDRa19A3SD8yEdXGNQWDQZ99j-h30Gfmy1-MObpEkh7ZKUW2OGjFCFrm7P72yNQkDKtILGCohdeuXVZlTJX8qDsna_hXDwClK_62fFQjTsIz-UogHv69c7_1nyx3rPiwhmPqMIsjh9_VNDMoT4XsUA=w400-h301" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Visiting this beautiful Roman villa was always a pleasure, from the Mannerist frescoes to the unique masterpieces by Caravaggio and Guercino. Since 2021, due to a family dispute, following the death of Prince Niccolò Boncompagni Ludovisi, the house has been put on sale by the Italian government (which cannot wait on taking hold of another historic property it cannot maintain). So far there have been several bids and the price which was originally half a billion euros has been more than halved. The local court has ordered the princess to be evicted after coming up with unfounded accusations on the fabric of the building and her management of the same.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">What a shame that the Italian government, and some judges who came from nowhere, are so full of envy and greed. The current resident, Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi (who is also a good friend of Anglican Rome), has been nothing short of a cross between a Renaissance and a Gilded Age philanthropist; her love and care for both the poor and orphan in Rome, as well as the care for this amazing fabric and its archival patrimony has been incredible and very generous indeed. This included the recent restoration of the villa and the setting up of a family <a href="https://villaludovisi.org">archive</a> that includes extremely valuable documents.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdY0QcVArABtU7omAThxi64Sil0U6nm3bdn_qzaljfixHgMICRDc0e-Uw4CRMTGfXwmXBaPNQEnGFBM2CwGUDarpXFlWZs5273ZAqrTZA71j46wHDcZjw173MTscvGkSk3K1-QMitKfFLzds40of_Meccdoisf6nINQnyXuocfuw_ArqsO3e_MpviE"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdY0QcVArABtU7omAThxi64Sil0U6nm3bdn_qzaljfixHgMICRDc0e-Uw4CRMTGfXwmXBaPNQEnGFBM2CwGUDarpXFlWZs5273ZAqrTZA71j46wHDcZjw173MTscvGkSk3K1-QMitKfFLzds40of_Meccdoisf6nINQnyXuocfuw_ArqsO3e_MpviE"><img height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdY0QcVArABtU7omAThxi64Sil0U6nm3bdn_qzaljfixHgMICRDc0e-Uw4CRMTGfXwmXBaPNQEnGFBM2CwGUDarpXFlWZs5273ZAqrTZA71j46wHDcZjw173MTscvGkSk3K1-QMitKfFLzds40of_Meccdoisf6nINQnyXuocfuw_ArqsO3e_MpviE=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the charms of Rome is that its palazzos are still lived in by the families that made this Eternal City. After the Altieri, Barberini, and more recently, the Sacchetti... another family loses its Roman seat. My fear is that this beautiful villa, home to much, unique art pieces, will become an empty, sterile space like the Barberini, the Corsini, the Spada galleries and many others... (not to take anything away from the wonderful people that run these museums with very little resources) making it a sad shadow of what it once was. No more patrons of the arts and culture will host artists or indeed, the orphan. I am not looking forward to the day when hordes of teenagers will stick their chewing gums to a badly written sign below the Caravaggio ceiling. A day that will see the walls of this villa crumble because most funds are almost exclusively directed towards archeological sites in this city. Given that day will ever come. God save our city from the heathen.</div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-41181150093171151082022-11-16T16:45:00.004+01:002022-11-16T16:45:32.376+01:00Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich<div style="text-align: justify;">For someone who loves English Baroque and Georgian architecture and for someone who also happens to be a naval geek there is perhaps one place that triumphs over all. Among my favorite places in London is that vast, monumental complex known as the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, sitting right on the southern bank of the Thames. It can be recognized from afar and it is perhaps one of those monuments that first displayed, at least in visual terms, the weight, power, and strength of the growing British Empire.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4HZTcmVOZYA1HNgY-FTDnd1ExzcEZ1WnTK5hMQPnBCR4ejv3OGSejeJb-Adz0qg1eDsWsHR-IftUkrGMG8bQ6D3iIPl_A7UjwtRGqunUNaoGVhC3U6xWI0mNHW6zu9mkekcocGlwCu8oHfy4GhIeQObfyWlCYqpc_GtkdotPgO3ioFhtBxNzeIY4o"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4HZTcmVOZYA1HNgY-FTDnd1ExzcEZ1WnTK5hMQPnBCR4ejv3OGSejeJb-Adz0qg1eDsWsHR-IftUkrGMG8bQ6D3iIPl_A7UjwtRGqunUNaoGVhC3U6xWI0mNHW6zu9mkekcocGlwCu8oHfy4GhIeQObfyWlCYqpc_GtkdotPgO3ioFhtBxNzeIY4o=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the buildings were erected between 1696 and 1712, they were intended to serve as the Greenwich Hospital, as a home for disabled sailors, it operated until 1869. From 1873 to just 1998, the Royal Naval College was a training establishment for naval officers and was home to the Royal Navy’s staff college. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG3Sf4rAOO98_5TLz546tXQ2ysTJ4VxPZ3TS3yTZqYJ6G3Bwsba63GHpYPqeWb2oKkfwJ_IHoTbJSyqT4B1ppeF4O1dRXWd3IAa5AjV0Iw-bpqL27VFehiTSSwl-SRSokta5YZBYRlCuU2Wq0CnPiRA4v-QnwjMX6MuS1ayFyZmduSJ31_Jps9cpa3"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG3Sf4rAOO98_5TLz546tXQ2ysTJ4VxPZ3TS3yTZqYJ6G3Bwsba63GHpYPqeWb2oKkfwJ_IHoTbJSyqT4B1ppeF4O1dRXWd3IAa5AjV0Iw-bpqL27VFehiTSSwl-SRSokta5YZBYRlCuU2Wq0CnPiRA4v-QnwjMX6MuS1ayFyZmduSJ31_Jps9cpa3"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG3Sf4rAOO98_5TLz546tXQ2ysTJ4VxPZ3TS3yTZqYJ6G3Bwsba63GHpYPqeWb2oKkfwJ_IHoTbJSyqT4B1ppeF4O1dRXWd3IAa5AjV0Iw-bpqL27VFehiTSSwl-SRSokta5YZBYRlCuU2Wq0CnPiRA4v-QnwjMX6MuS1ayFyZmduSJ31_Jps9cpa3=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The hospital was originally funded as the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich under the instructions of Queen Mary II who had been greatly touched by the sight of wounded sailors returning from the Battle of La Hogue in 1692. She ordered that the King Charles wing of the Greenwich Palace be turned into a hospital as a counterpart to the Chelsea Hospital for soldiers. The great Baroque architect Sir Christopher Wren and his assistant Nicholas Hawksmoor worked on the project for free.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmOaHejLIHSlG6IvhS0FtM3uR6nr-jUIX8b9CitwM_scKnw2W0C5tzCbOlj57MTSN6xxSsmg0XaMOsP9ZzzUOjvvsu9y2A8hukdWDoFDl5-cuyCbBWFiPnswzb9lxpQI-iFDdzY0lpjgoEWTG2OhUMQwUeXuizXMs98uDdh2ZSTrcev5FPdtFL_9ol"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmOaHejLIHSlG6IvhS0FtM3uR6nr-jUIX8b9CitwM_scKnw2W0C5tzCbOlj57MTSN6xxSsmg0XaMOsP9ZzzUOjvvsu9y2A8hukdWDoFDl5-cuyCbBWFiPnswzb9lxpQI-iFDdzY0lpjgoEWTG2OhUMQwUeXuizXMs98uDdh2ZSTrcev5FPdtFL_9ol"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmOaHejLIHSlG6IvhS0FtM3uR6nr-jUIX8b9CitwM_scKnw2W0C5tzCbOlj57MTSN6xxSsmg0XaMOsP9ZzzUOjvvsu9y2A8hukdWDoFDl5-cuyCbBWFiPnswzb9lxpQI-iFDdzY0lpjgoEWTG2OhUMQwUeXuizXMs98uDdh2ZSTrcev5FPdtFL_9ol=w448-h640" width="448" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">An early controversy emerged when it turned out that the new project would have blocked the view on the Queen’s House. Queen Mary II, ordered the buildings to be split in to, providing a riverside view on the house and Greenwich Hill. This gave the hospital its trademark look. Funds for the construction of the complex were raised through an endowment financed by merchants who had been convicted of smuggling, an additional sum was raised in 1705, once the terrible pirate Captain William Kidd had been hanged!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5pxE5AcSd11iEG4QHmNzmB29UutOz9ytgyX4kw54aPT4yqID5Jco_kVz_uwbRP-3OzHNJVuOcWLwICqeQ21MKwQmkTDZZGPchZRpAkSCiYExF5IZeZUAkRgs9Ce5pxqa6AWtjgcYFFbxKXtdE8mw9FmqVKu5YM78n7d--rcopgLhgmOYoC3-rWaXB"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5pxE5AcSd11iEG4QHmNzmB29UutOz9ytgyX4kw54aPT4yqID5Jco_kVz_uwbRP-3OzHNJVuOcWLwICqeQ21MKwQmkTDZZGPchZRpAkSCiYExF5IZeZUAkRgs9Ce5pxqa6AWtjgcYFFbxKXtdE8mw9FmqVKu5YM78n7d--rcopgLhgmOYoC3-rWaXB"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5pxE5AcSd11iEG4QHmNzmB29UutOz9ytgyX4kw54aPT4yqID5Jco_kVz_uwbRP-3OzHNJVuOcWLwICqeQ21MKwQmkTDZZGPchZRpAkSCiYExF5IZeZUAkRgs9Ce5pxqa6AWtjgcYFFbxKXtdE8mw9FmqVKu5YM78n7d--rcopgLhgmOYoC3-rWaXB=w524-h640" width="524" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first building to be completed was the King Charles Court, finished in 1705. Whereas the Queen Mary Court was completed in 1742. The Queen Anne Court and the King William Court were also completed after Wren’s death. The Queen Marty Court houses the hospital’s chapel, designed by Wren but rebuilt to a design of James “Athenian” Stuart between 1779 and 1789 following a terrible fire. The complex is vast, monumental despite the severe lines of English Baroque. The twin domes are somewhat remindful of Saint Paul’s Cathedral, making this one of Sir Cristopher Wren’s greatest works.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf2BeQl2JwsMGwEqeofDzNqkt2fIquQMzLO09x-w_M1Zs8B0WHc9XjesG8t3Ol5OakrexDmTHI9DFvxLiW0ecW4CgK8K6ZNxzrxVytlh0oRcUmLt6g9wjeikCFD6Oo_d3hoFzFKsoTs9NydkZwTTfwfgj-oqPdM89QgXlADWX6lRIvDfaAV1CbouWU"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf2BeQl2JwsMGwEqeofDzNqkt2fIquQMzLO09x-w_M1Zs8B0WHc9XjesG8t3Ol5OakrexDmTHI9DFvxLiW0ecW4CgK8K6ZNxzrxVytlh0oRcUmLt6g9wjeikCFD6Oo_d3hoFzFKsoTs9NydkZwTTfwfgj-oqPdM89QgXlADWX6lRIvDfaAV1CbouWU"><img height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf2BeQl2JwsMGwEqeofDzNqkt2fIquQMzLO09x-w_M1Zs8B0WHc9XjesG8t3Ol5OakrexDmTHI9DFvxLiW0ecW4CgK8K6ZNxzrxVytlh0oRcUmLt6g9wjeikCFD6Oo_d3hoFzFKsoTs9NydkZwTTfwfgj-oqPdM89QgXlADWX6lRIvDfaAV1CbouWU=w640-h459" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The beautiful Georgian chapel, dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul is a wonderful testimony to the style and churchmanship of that age. The understated elegance of English Neo-Classicism is very evident here. Its richly decorated ceiling with naval themes and motives on plasterwork by John Papworth, lead the eye towards the holy sanctuary where we can admire the beautiful altarpiece depicting Paul’s shipwreck in Malta by Benjamin West, known as the Raphael of America. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4XAkKcfdAoxxySfDsb0mFUluLuO8Cw_k79nzNITOBHh4B2UCWnhKoVzQE33Yi-Dw5a28HSmMmb8EZs4aA_6q3tvtAoGHN2Hm8lE5H0BaVh3vV-5-HbcjnRzbQ-FdjPa-XmWqQwluHc9ssEDFnZCeDhN01eL9XqQcmgRk8HHEQHTyk5epU4K85yb4Y"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4XAkKcfdAoxxySfDsb0mFUluLuO8Cw_k79nzNITOBHh4B2UCWnhKoVzQE33Yi-Dw5a28HSmMmb8EZs4aA_6q3tvtAoGHN2Hm8lE5H0BaVh3vV-5-HbcjnRzbQ-FdjPa-XmWqQwluHc9ssEDFnZCeDhN01eL9XqQcmgRk8HHEQHTyk5epU4K85yb4Y"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4XAkKcfdAoxxySfDsb0mFUluLuO8Cw_k79nzNITOBHh4B2UCWnhKoVzQE33Yi-Dw5a28HSmMmb8EZs4aA_6q3tvtAoGHN2Hm8lE5H0BaVh3vV-5-HbcjnRzbQ-FdjPa-XmWqQwluHc9ssEDFnZCeDhN01eL9XqQcmgRk8HHEQHTyk5epU4K85yb4Y=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The oak and mahogany pulpit is also a very fine addition to this beautiful and rational space. The Old Royal Naval College chapel is considered to be one of the finest 18th century interiors in existence. The chapel still offers old fashioned prayer book services such as Mattins and Evensong, they also boast a fine professional choir.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3qaC258GHda4mdYFbChH2fmsWPHnxoowckqUVRD77zxbWydlKrs6khcSlhoLasESJWOk-CMeh2VRHbPVcNHME8pcDWCc8Z9qUJLiaaAJnj2mo1dN6njwYyZ_QwDJts9sIF-DthCLHs1CoiKKdSHCQp19NjkIXgoerV2LflmKkPmzJRu6AtsyoXv1C"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3qaC258GHda4mdYFbChH2fmsWPHnxoowckqUVRD77zxbWydlKrs6khcSlhoLasESJWOk-CMeh2VRHbPVcNHME8pcDWCc8Z9qUJLiaaAJnj2mo1dN6njwYyZ_QwDJts9sIF-DthCLHs1CoiKKdSHCQp19NjkIXgoerV2LflmKkPmzJRu6AtsyoXv1C=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The King William Court houses the crowning jewel of the complex which is its Painted Hall, also informally known as Britain’s Sistine Chapel. It was originally painted by Sir James Tornhill who was probably Britain’s greatest Baroque artist, inspiring the likes of William Hogarth himself. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtlLxtoIvrMPKK3yG5GEGsL55bfdUSLZSFPAI94kgfvaPfJObvrLJN3XyHjZ_WEU4zOARDL1sF-wWenftUdKV3hUG_d1enFmDyIy5hbBahuzDaddmZq9o30f8bH9hlU46sCEHoIZsczOc0CukzC4NoSVbrpf0elGPt6pWk9cJrqtRBwbcaNBxlN5-F"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtlLxtoIvrMPKK3yG5GEGsL55bfdUSLZSFPAI94kgfvaPfJObvrLJN3XyHjZ_WEU4zOARDL1sF-wWenftUdKV3hUG_d1enFmDyIy5hbBahuzDaddmZq9o30f8bH9hlU46sCEHoIZsczOc0CukzC4NoSVbrpf0elGPt6pWk9cJrqtRBwbcaNBxlN5-F"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtlLxtoIvrMPKK3yG5GEGsL55bfdUSLZSFPAI94kgfvaPfJObvrLJN3XyHjZ_WEU4zOARDL1sF-wWenftUdKV3hUG_d1enFmDyIy5hbBahuzDaddmZq9o30f8bH9hlU46sCEHoIZsczOc0CukzC4NoSVbrpf0elGPt6pWk9cJrqtRBwbcaNBxlN5-F=w473-h640" width="473" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The artist who shows his architectural background in his work dedicated the work to the co-regent King William III and Queen Mary II in the ceiling of the Lower Hall; and of Queen Anne and her husband Prince George of Denmark on the ceiling of the Upper Hall, finally the new Hanoverian dynasty with George I on the northern wall of the Upper Hall. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2xq1QK4YPjJD6EJBn5815gBxIx2r5KW5fGiQVGpSHXndi8agynSCLdNLAw6gZ9MxfHtrVZOS7zgawvWOCx4oMN8AftKRQBgKjlgZnBjAMePXDzHF8Kuh_VOU9mXODcZbDvNynt3b_bSm6eZ41J0seP1dW0N1_RwyQgSs5meayF_7ALKbw5kcPamzE"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2xq1QK4YPjJD6EJBn5815gBxIx2r5KW5fGiQVGpSHXndi8agynSCLdNLAw6gZ9MxfHtrVZOS7zgawvWOCx4oMN8AftKRQBgKjlgZnBjAMePXDzHF8Kuh_VOU9mXODcZbDvNynt3b_bSm6eZ41J0seP1dW0N1_RwyQgSs5meayF_7ALKbw5kcPamzE"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2xq1QK4YPjJD6EJBn5815gBxIx2r5KW5fGiQVGpSHXndi8agynSCLdNLAw6gZ9MxfHtrVZOS7zgawvWOCx4oMN8AftKRQBgKjlgZnBjAMePXDzHF8Kuh_VOU9mXODcZbDvNynt3b_bSm6eZ41J0seP1dW0N1_RwyQgSs5meayF_7ALKbw5kcPamzE=w436-h640" width="436" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The paintings serve as a political purpose, they represent an apotheosis of the reigning monarchs as well as displaying in a not too allegorical way, the sheer power of Britain’s navy. In a way this is the pictorial baptism of the British Empire. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeYhvjBhY6ZucQBBs020AsPmsxJnVZculb0cYS1JvMiuNTWAt7HWoWu7eQTiFT8--HxmbQPcQLLiseS5Kxr1iG8eS_VC2cF-GxgRB3HqfxCijIuk-E1RTUKvJwEG9HxGZjFZkTc_ggQI38Be9sos60YG6hZCjcNeBkcmiiLHx9jAT-JLDBfcFfo1FJ"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeYhvjBhY6ZucQBBs020AsPmsxJnVZculb0cYS1JvMiuNTWAt7HWoWu7eQTiFT8--HxmbQPcQLLiseS5Kxr1iG8eS_VC2cF-GxgRB3HqfxCijIuk-E1RTUKvJwEG9HxGZjFZkTc_ggQI38Be9sos60YG6hZCjcNeBkcmiiLHx9jAT-JLDBfcFfo1FJ"><img height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeYhvjBhY6ZucQBBs020AsPmsxJnVZculb0cYS1JvMiuNTWAt7HWoWu7eQTiFT8--HxmbQPcQLLiseS5Kxr1iG8eS_VC2cF-GxgRB3HqfxCijIuk-E1RTUKvJwEG9HxGZjFZkTc_ggQI38Be9sos60YG6hZCjcNeBkcmiiLHx9jAT-JLDBfcFfo1FJ=w640-h413" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, it was deemed so good that the pensioned seamen were never allowed to use it as their own refectory! It was here that on January 5, 1805 the body of Lord Nelson did lay in state following his victory and death at Trafalgar. In 1824, a collection of naval art established here and later transferred to the nearby National Maritime Museum in 1936.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifZHBGbI5nZLeJ15-Bp4Gv6NlH34r2NYWdqL_LYgwmmnjjkHNav6SEtCuZ_4oGPLe2KhJ3ilgjrXjTk8SeKiht4wvnzlFEzuvxUW9P6SUK2zXlksgoxlcEid3NZ0gauTpFYzRgm_dXT0etPywyilxh5QrBjrTRFgrt6qz7e0KNe8KKPwS_ye9USjR0"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifZHBGbI5nZLeJ15-Bp4Gv6NlH34r2NYWdqL_LYgwmmnjjkHNav6SEtCuZ_4oGPLe2KhJ3ilgjrXjTk8SeKiht4wvnzlFEzuvxUW9P6SUK2zXlksgoxlcEid3NZ0gauTpFYzRgm_dXT0etPywyilxh5QrBjrTRFgrt6qz7e0KNe8KKPwS_ye9USjR0"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifZHBGbI5nZLeJ15-Bp4Gv6NlH34r2NYWdqL_LYgwmmnjjkHNav6SEtCuZ_4oGPLe2KhJ3ilgjrXjTk8SeKiht4wvnzlFEzuvxUW9P6SUK2zXlksgoxlcEid3NZ0gauTpFYzRgm_dXT0etPywyilxh5QrBjrTRFgrt6qz7e0KNe8KKPwS_ye9USjR0=w640-h434" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The oldest part of the complex is the Queen’s House, a former royal residence built between 1616 and 1636, during the reigns of Anne and Charles I, on the grounds of the Tudor Greenwich Palace,, while now it forms a central focus to the Old Royal Naval College. It is considered to be Britain’s earliest classical building. Its architect was the great Inigo Jones, who like Wren had worked on Saint Paul’s Cathedral, albeit on the previous one. It is inspired by Jones’ Grand Tour of Italy between 1613-1615 and the design is clearly derived from the architecture of Ancient Rome, the Renaissance, and Palladian Venice. The Tulip stairs and lantern are the first helical stairs constructed in England and are somewhat remindful of those seen in Italy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4GxH-xiNaujBi7c9eNazEEoKOfijT77WxfTGOHBa5SlXNwHxdHo9WDFiQcsHQ6WTkbPDLmQ9zI06fWcEMxdantettJgmNOnti-6YwyKo8nmgwctdGXHcvm2-9oCf_J2dn9soqrqyGhkyULAADBIK-0O9hm5bjVMjiTZSFOyUHokJob0iKT6rPlvMs"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4GxH-xiNaujBi7c9eNazEEoKOfijT77WxfTGOHBa5SlXNwHxdHo9WDFiQcsHQ6WTkbPDLmQ9zI06fWcEMxdantettJgmNOnti-6YwyKo8nmgwctdGXHcvm2-9oCf_J2dn9soqrqyGhkyULAADBIK-0O9hm5bjVMjiTZSFOyUHokJob0iKT6rPlvMs=w640-h598" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The house was gifted to Henrietta Maria in 1629 by King Charles I, unfortunately much of it was damaged during the Civil War in 1642. Charles I was a great art collector and works commissioned for the house include an <i>Allegory of Peace and the Arts</i> by Orazio Gentileschi, now at Marlborough House, as well as a <i>Finding of Moses</i> at the National Gallery in London and a <i>Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife</i> still in the Royal Collection. Queen Elizabeth I was born in the Palace of Placentia which preceded this house and her wonderful <i>Armada Portrait</i> hangs in the gallery. The latest addition to the house came in 1807 when two flanking wings with colonnades were added. Wren’s Royal Observatory can be seen atop the hill.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhLce4xcP8CHFAw-kRvs3up5HgsvJjcvAOkw42YSyDTTnntqXGsCqc0L8hnvyw7Lac_2J9Ydei5YwEY8S3L_8N85QCreABE_QfiPTyZqSBsxXgSi-H6ixYWktirEcbBINWToNA-U7tGpVl0td_GNpCQ0cBB-4YVfB0Mlih3e64vst_4Wq4qEP-SZNj"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhLce4xcP8CHFAw-kRvs3up5HgsvJjcvAOkw42YSyDTTnntqXGsCqc0L8hnvyw7Lac_2J9Ydei5YwEY8S3L_8N85QCreABE_QfiPTyZqSBsxXgSi-H6ixYWktirEcbBINWToNA-U7tGpVl0td_GNpCQ0cBB-4YVfB0Mlih3e64vst_4Wq4qEP-SZNj"><img height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhLce4xcP8CHFAw-kRvs3up5HgsvJjcvAOkw42YSyDTTnntqXGsCqc0L8hnvyw7Lac_2J9Ydei5YwEY8S3L_8N85QCreABE_QfiPTyZqSBsxXgSi-H6ixYWktirEcbBINWToNA-U7tGpVl0td_GNpCQ0cBB-4YVfB0Mlih3e64vst_4Wq4qEP-SZNj=w640-h398" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A visit to this wonderful complex must end with a tour of the National Maritime Museum which celebrates Britain’s naval might. Nearby is also the beautiful Victorian clipper Cutty Sark which is worth a visit, as well as the lovely St. Alfege’s church by Hawksmoor. The monumental twin-domed buildings on the Thames remain a testament to the great taste of the time, the masterful skills of Sir Christopher Wren, and of Britain’s noble sea-history!</div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-34764205354949807992022-11-15T18:39:00.007+01:002022-11-16T12:16:07.863+01:00The Anglican choral tradition: a treasure which must be preserved<p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">In the past, I wrote extensively about the patrimony we have the fortune to share as Anglicans. It has now been a few months since we have finally been able to escape those dreadful lockdown days and our choirs are back in full strength, after all, music is what defines us as Anglicans.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF8kQ5ASP0cwXbnFdciVWhtUzJHqIMRP62cDmHuOzk95YUokoU9AKlbqSfE0bVSDRzPLMGPhdUt-iGn3SnzZwhWzTxe6Qs9is_gbnmv0PGth8yd46MjdqwDLKKql3xJ2r-DUknkviZgLlCvqnCzbR2YXh8eJu7Eu8IzJi5skAEI16zYzlE-T-7_Joy"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF8kQ5ASP0cwXbnFdciVWhtUzJHqIMRP62cDmHuOzk95YUokoU9AKlbqSfE0bVSDRzPLMGPhdUt-iGn3SnzZwhWzTxe6Qs9is_gbnmv0PGth8yd46MjdqwDLKKql3xJ2r-DUknkviZgLlCvqnCzbR2YXh8eJu7Eu8IzJi5skAEI16zYzlE-T-7_Joy"><img height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF8kQ5ASP0cwXbnFdciVWhtUzJHqIMRP62cDmHuOzk95YUokoU9AKlbqSfE0bVSDRzPLMGPhdUt-iGn3SnzZwhWzTxe6Qs9is_gbnmv0PGth8yd46MjdqwDLKKql3xJ2r-DUknkviZgLlCvqnCzbR2YXh8eJu7Eu8IzJi5skAEI16zYzlE-T-7_Joy=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">I have written this again and again. My faith came back to me in the autumn of 2010, when I was a high school student who had just lost his mother. I remember being very, very angry with God at her funeral. After a few months, that anger towards this "entity" that I took for granted, but never really focused on, turned into deep interest. Within a few months here I was with a prayer book and a bible in my hand, listening to the soothing words of the Coverdale psalms. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The psalms went through the whole range of human emotion: when I was angry they empowered me, calmed me down, brought me to tears - when I was happy, I would listen to the canticles and sing hymns, and it was often a very powerful experience. I was moved, the Easter message of resurrection became real. I could feel God's loving embrace and I was moved by it - it was the most intense feeling of care and love. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">This love pushed me to attend church and this very love pushed me to become an active member of Anglican Rome. It was my mother that took me to visit the shrine of my patron saint in London: Saint Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey. A few years later, I was back for Evensong. The organ and choir thundered the words of one of my favorite psalms: <i>the Lord is King and hath put on glorious apparel; the Lord hath put on his glorious apparel and girded himself with strength... </i></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">I recognized the stunning MacFarren chant for Psalm 93 and it seemed like heaven had burst open and the whole angelic host was leading me in the worship and praise of God. I was not alone, others had tears on their eyes. The following year I watched a documentary and a chorister from the abbey itself said that people do cry all the time. I am not surprised. I felt that was the closest I ever got to heaven; I also visited Jerusalem and was born in Rome, I know what I am talking about, Anglican music tops it all. Music does what it does as Saint Augustine said <i>singing is praying twice</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKkkiGg2FR5q1D_5JmrCS6bFJD0BVMmoZ0BcLwTejcY6MBy-elutjdM4y06iQTPap2KkTl8SanCiDEZJDSmbRHVjZmBhLvNZj8m4tjSGBpsBcRKFJonb2ubeUmvlE8PzIAgwrMiv2TDlQTzYp9f5WB5sv9uQgnFJJ69y7PuUITSHJa24o5fF-dPuJM"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKkkiGg2FR5q1D_5JmrCS6bFJD0BVMmoZ0BcLwTejcY6MBy-elutjdM4y06iQTPap2KkTl8SanCiDEZJDSmbRHVjZmBhLvNZj8m4tjSGBpsBcRKFJonb2ubeUmvlE8PzIAgwrMiv2TDlQTzYp9f5WB5sv9uQgnFJJ69y7PuUITSHJa24o5fF-dPuJM"><img height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKkkiGg2FR5q1D_5JmrCS6bFJD0BVMmoZ0BcLwTejcY6MBy-elutjdM4y06iQTPap2KkTl8SanCiDEZJDSmbRHVjZmBhLvNZj8m4tjSGBpsBcRKFJonb2ubeUmvlE8PzIAgwrMiv2TDlQTzYp9f5WB5sv9uQgnFJJ69y7PuUITSHJa24o5fF-dPuJM=w400-h267" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since then, I have felt called to the priesthood within the Church of England, even though I have tried to send that thought away, it comes back all the time and biting at that. Since then, I have felt the same embracing love during worship again and again. I have felt it at evensong in London, at the successful Lessons and Carols service here at my church of All Saints' in Rome, I have felt it at Easter services, singing the words of my favorite resurrection hymns or that time at Durham Cathedral when I was on a pilgrimage. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXrCei3rvQFU-eTQYhMYL9inOi5D8i3H0Dim5MCdwS1GBDTdmFU9d9vD38YuEayKmAwDTyt3HRkES7jq2c7ANDYQwCQ4AyUv--GVApWLQrSzcGvWyJofbCKGTL1OkJ_bVgMBYTBfs9F922FtUNMQIW2LHhEhPQgdlruW1KsDdlUQ4mPCn1CStAA47l"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXrCei3rvQFU-eTQYhMYL9inOi5D8i3H0Dim5MCdwS1GBDTdmFU9d9vD38YuEayKmAwDTyt3HRkES7jq2c7ANDYQwCQ4AyUv--GVApWLQrSzcGvWyJofbCKGTL1OkJ_bVgMBYTBfs9F922FtUNMQIW2LHhEhPQgdlruW1KsDdlUQ4mPCn1CStAA47l"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXrCei3rvQFU-eTQYhMYL9inOi5D8i3H0Dim5MCdwS1GBDTdmFU9d9vD38YuEayKmAwDTyt3HRkES7jq2c7ANDYQwCQ4AyUv--GVApWLQrSzcGvWyJofbCKGTL1OkJ_bVgMBYTBfs9F922FtUNMQIW2LHhEhPQgdlruW1KsDdlUQ4mPCn1CStAA47l=w400-h342" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was raining outside and I went in for evensong, it turned out to be a <i>a cappella </i>service led by the cathedral choir in the stunning Galilee Chapel. All of a sudden, the sun shone through the stained glass windows, glowing over the ancient yellow stone of that Romanesque chapel, at the words of the Magnificat set to beautiful English polyphony (by Byrd, if I remember correctly): <i>My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour</i>. Once again, I felt as if God and his angels had come to say hi.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I already wrote on this <a href="http://romananglican.blogspot.com/2019/12/is-beauty-future-of-anglicanism.html">before</a>, even if I were trying to make a slightly different point then. Now, the reason why I am writing this article is that we have to realize how lucky we are to share, to own, and to claim this wonderful patrimony. We are perhaps that one part of the global Church with the most beloved musical tradition, even our tv is full of references to Anglican music, from Handel's Hallelujah to the odd Christmas carol. </p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">As the good capitalist that I am, I always believe that when you have a good product, you should focus on that and make profit out of it instead of doing something else. Over the years, even our media has been coming up with articles on how successful our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/27/britain-churches-cathedrals-anglican?fbclid=IwAR19_RoT2ON2odKEEaMEBmBFoT6I9sJq2zfK6dqtadrLnyNXbtj6IP-3ZuQ">cathedrals</a> or <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/12176998/Looking-for-Britains-future-leaders-Try-evensong.html">Oxbridge chapels</a> have been, because of our excellent musical tradition which brings thousands to God. A few days, ago the Church of England proudly posted on social media of a certain <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/stories-blogs-and-features/oxford-college-sees-highest-number-baptisms-recent-memory">Oxbridge chapel</a> having broken the records of newly baptised members it collected within the year.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS6cdZume-u9ddFmN0IG7xCH2Mxo7Lf8YK0I5x7e68gpVw5zCX7ZbwVVp2CFZS7VRbTjMc9UEHeRlH8JH1EumKU3--V4_H3GT5HR1mblQxiQVteVxkzO94X821wy_jD5Wa9yRIcpS5qBAFKvdfUoWDaJrVlTU0rppUB_4wLHtZQCpvUIjsu73Kti0y"><img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS6cdZume-u9ddFmN0IG7xCH2Mxo7Lf8YK0I5x7e68gpVw5zCX7ZbwVVp2CFZS7VRbTjMc9UEHeRlH8JH1EumKU3--V4_H3GT5HR1mblQxiQVteVxkzO94X821wy_jD5Wa9yRIcpS5qBAFKvdfUoWDaJrVlTU0rppUB_4wLHtZQCpvUIjsu73Kti0y=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Why is that? Our beautiful Anglican choral tradition is not just a splendid treasure that belongs to a museum, but an everliving gift that we can use to evangelize our neighbor in a softer way through the beauty of holiness. Our cathedrals, churches and chapels attract hundreds of youths because even the non-believer or non-Christian can feel welcome there, appreciating the music. Whether it's evensong or a carols' service, one can then perhaps leave with something more under their belt, by being carried through the timeless and ethereal flow of the liturgy and the heavenly music to another place, even if for a short time.</div></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Why is it that the most successful churches in London are the ones with a great choir, not only St. Paul's cathedral or Westminster Abbey, but Saint Bartholomew the Great, the Temple church and others. The same goes for other cities, even outside the United Kingdom, New York or Boston are notable examples. The best Anglicanism has to offer is its transcendental and timeless music, there are plenty of churches offering guitars or big speakers. The Anglican tradition is not even that very Rome-oriented music that is sometimes introduced to this side of the Tiber, whether it's tedious plainchant or some form of repetitive Taizè. Not making use of our beautiful tradition can be an insult. Much like it would be to have a horrid piece of art in the middle of the Uffizi.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0_m3w_QKUCfM-VSAWk3qGz_IZ0sVaJZWqPccNi9_VtCrg0glpCCHYg21zKV90jUg7F7ShHRFr6K_xi4B9AwWqA1cZwIayO-28rZpr_sVlMlHYf5nu1-E0wk77VPq2-wLu4IN2nvXpi1scQI8U5CMaUFb8FrP865NckeRmLDgKsFfXvTOnlYHw2VO4"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0_m3w_QKUCfM-VSAWk3qGz_IZ0sVaJZWqPccNi9_VtCrg0glpCCHYg21zKV90jUg7F7ShHRFr6K_xi4B9AwWqA1cZwIayO-28rZpr_sVlMlHYf5nu1-E0wk77VPq2-wLu4IN2nvXpi1scQI8U5CMaUFb8FrP865NckeRmLDgKsFfXvTOnlYHw2VO4"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0_m3w_QKUCfM-VSAWk3qGz_IZ0sVaJZWqPccNi9_VtCrg0glpCCHYg21zKV90jUg7F7ShHRFr6K_xi4B9AwWqA1cZwIayO-28rZpr_sVlMlHYf5nu1-E0wk77VPq2-wLu4IN2nvXpi1scQI8U5CMaUFb8FrP865NckeRmLDgKsFfXvTOnlYHw2VO4=w258-h400" width="258" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Our success is in our timeless music, the beauty of the prose of the Book of Common Prayer and the Authorized Version - perfectly understandable to someone whose first language is another, like me. I never liked dumbing a language down. Let's talk about the celebration of ignorance in another article. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our best offer is a tradition and a music that is timeless and brings people in another, ethereal place even for a little time; whether it'd be Mattins, Evensong, Holy Communion (the Eucharist, the Mass...) or the annual Lessons and Carols' service. This is the best we can offer, and it's clearly what brings thousands to us. Church politics have nothing to do with it. The best attended services of the year at my church in Rome are the Lessons and Carols' service and the Remembrance Service. People come when they get the product they are craving for.</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">I do not want to sound unrealistic, not every church has the means. However, every time I see a church doing dumbed down music it pains me, every church has means within its own congregation - you don't need a paid choir. You don't need a paid choir to sing the canticles, psalms and hymns to Anglican chant, which is pretty much what every parish church used to do up until a few decades ago. Not every church can do Stanford, most of the Anglican music repertoire was made for small and untrained congregations, whether it'd be chanting or hymn singing. We do not need to import new, banal material when we have such a strong tradition of our own. It would be a little bit as if all the <i>trattorie </i>in Rome would start cooking Mexican or Swedish food!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimgt9iHQaKNqtbYnFULYEiecDW83Xcwbfii8SYFoSaOAxP44IcWHyVbFeINQrUAqFnlD1dqawGk16woHy8xQyRZ07ip1tnulzf9d8xbRl2hYy24Mm-uFy_4ih5bVdTtlE_JuIgW9sVR1lZtRmr35FkJob40YFjU_8QD9WYoh5VRUjYqTgtAtXI5Xop"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimgt9iHQaKNqtbYnFULYEiecDW83Xcwbfii8SYFoSaOAxP44IcWHyVbFeINQrUAqFnlD1dqawGk16woHy8xQyRZ07ip1tnulzf9d8xbRl2hYy24Mm-uFy_4ih5bVdTtlE_JuIgW9sVR1lZtRmr35FkJob40YFjU_8QD9WYoh5VRUjYqTgtAtXI5Xop"><img height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimgt9iHQaKNqtbYnFULYEiecDW83Xcwbfii8SYFoSaOAxP44IcWHyVbFeINQrUAqFnlD1dqawGk16woHy8xQyRZ07ip1tnulzf9d8xbRl2hYy24Mm-uFy_4ih5bVdTtlE_JuIgW9sVR1lZtRmr35FkJob40YFjU_8QD9WYoh5VRUjYqTgtAtXI5Xop=w400-h267" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2016/22-april/news/uk/book-of-common-prayer-is-a-winner-in-chelsea">Chelsea Old church</a> is a wonderful example of that and their success is in their love for the prayer book and the KJV. Of course, when a parish does have the means it is wonderful to be part of a tradition which includes the greatest church choirs in the world, and the greatest musicians of all time who wrote music for them, whether it's Renaissance, Baroque or Victorian music; the men & boys choirs of England are a national treasure and so is their music.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">In this day and age, people do need the comfort that proper Anglican worship has to offer; the beauty of that Elizabethan language of Cranmer, those Mattins or Evensong psalms and canticles, those transcendental hymns and readings, the real Christmas or Easter magic through the greatness of our musical patrimony that shaped the very basis of the English language.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_SLFudF_L8uHKqnVjgZsBHjo6lLK2tE393DE4ybqPQwZmPDNSnAajTfLWS3jkkZG3r3y8ytK8b-eppp6blA2HjE6JDMDA4OWD8m_tmEwlM0S8-m4xL6u5pV4RE7lotr8XN_oq92wR-d69rypCcwpXgIJj5SlHpEXmnPDEhPKTwHjmi0Ueaso70skd"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_SLFudF_L8uHKqnVjgZsBHjo6lLK2tE393DE4ybqPQwZmPDNSnAajTfLWS3jkkZG3r3y8ytK8b-eppp6blA2HjE6JDMDA4OWD8m_tmEwlM0S8-m4xL6u5pV4RE7lotr8XN_oq92wR-d69rypCcwpXgIJj5SlHpEXmnPDEhPKTwHjmi0Ueaso70skd"><img height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_SLFudF_L8uHKqnVjgZsBHjo6lLK2tE393DE4ybqPQwZmPDNSnAajTfLWS3jkkZG3r3y8ytK8b-eppp6blA2HjE6JDMDA4OWD8m_tmEwlM0S8-m4xL6u5pV4RE7lotr8XN_oq92wR-d69rypCcwpXgIJj5SlHpEXmnPDEhPKTwHjmi0Ueaso70skd=w400-h282" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">The Anglican choral tradition is the most valued treasure we Anglicans have and should be preserved at all costs, much like the local council protects Roman marbles and Renaissance frescoes here in Rome. It goes hand in hand with the prayer book and the authorized version. It should be our pride. The most successful churches are the ones where this tradition is respected. We see that every year with abbey services being televised beyond Britain and Commonwealth, Oxbridge and cathedral numbers going up, and the annual Lessons and Carols services bringing thousands to our churches, most recently with the funerals of The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">While Italy had its own artistic movements, Britain has always boasted a great musical tradition in which the sacred plays an important role. That is Britain's art and its great gift to the world. Whether it is the Renaissance Byrd, Tallis or Gibbons, the Baroque Purcell or Handel or even the Victorian Stanford... or that old fashioned and yet incredibly varied and unique way of singing psalms and canticles known as Anglican chant. The beautiful music, rendered even more gloriously by an excellent choir and a good organist who knows how to accompany certain texts or make some passages more dramatic - this all brings worship to a whole new level of beauty and drama that sometimes our soul craves for. I am sorry but a tambourine or some boring Gregorian antiphon cannot compare.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_mqYiP5lXpAUu3Hqf2ZCx2fJ4A4AQ2kyquEmuxjk65ytLFIS2iGnYtjCQZWMtnNpyH2RqrQneWeWbzzUITEr19PjGlWQbTJwAL2Vg_5kXRY0uJjOB467YUvJnyEKGOwk6nMkC-1xjmyBidriE9PxRaMryGo_-VPagJnvZO6KUBvWZ93Vh1L_HyPRy"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_mqYiP5lXpAUu3Hqf2ZCx2fJ4A4AQ2kyquEmuxjk65ytLFIS2iGnYtjCQZWMtnNpyH2RqrQneWeWbzzUITEr19PjGlWQbTJwAL2Vg_5kXRY0uJjOB467YUvJnyEKGOwk6nMkC-1xjmyBidriE9PxRaMryGo_-VPagJnvZO6KUBvWZ93Vh1L_HyPRy"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_mqYiP5lXpAUu3Hqf2ZCx2fJ4A4AQ2kyquEmuxjk65ytLFIS2iGnYtjCQZWMtnNpyH2RqrQneWeWbzzUITEr19PjGlWQbTJwAL2Vg_5kXRY0uJjOB467YUvJnyEKGOwk6nMkC-1xjmyBidriE9PxRaMryGo_-VPagJnvZO6KUBvWZ93Vh1L_HyPRy=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To dumb something down or to not execute it properly is a great offense to the great luck we have in our beautiful tradition. I understand the need for variety and the modern needs of worship but how can we not keep this beautiful tradition alive? It's difficult to build back once something is demolished, however slowly. Indeed, not all hope is lost, we see that in the hundreds of successful churches that take pride in keeping this tradition alive, perhaps one day, more will get to see why they are so successful. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whether it's the cradle Anglicans or Episcopalians or the newly arrived to our Church who have no time for our choral tradition, it is perhaps the case they only have to find out about it... or at least they should try and respect it, without imposing something else in its place, whatever it is. Sometimes, I come across some people who come to our churches and who want to recreate another Church within our own and have no interest for our patrimony, or those who are tired of their own (Anglican) church and want something more exotic - it's wonderful that our <i>via media </i>can accommodate that, I am the first to promote it, but we shouldn't let go of our treasure and let it go missing. That is how culture is eradicated and that's nasty, we don't like that sort of thing nowadays.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFfJMpo8IZCUu8JeviLeL-9MorOonO0goshO4kUNXE65gxktdnPfRYKXxd6r-uNPe9a8aq9elDGZUdKDMOHetP2aJ_NZ2CxVzwyI9Yysk0V9AV2_mUYOodJhwbpfwxBN11y3ROawbqStsn4Gr_U2m5Q-tOMZytIKTHDY-vCkflPCUiqAt5PxHv2avE"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFfJMpo8IZCUu8JeviLeL-9MorOonO0goshO4kUNXE65gxktdnPfRYKXxd6r-uNPe9a8aq9elDGZUdKDMOHetP2aJ_NZ2CxVzwyI9Yysk0V9AV2_mUYOodJhwbpfwxBN11y3ROawbqStsn4Gr_U2m5Q-tOMZytIKTHDY-vCkflPCUiqAt5PxHv2avE"><img height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFfJMpo8IZCUu8JeviLeL-9MorOonO0goshO4kUNXE65gxktdnPfRYKXxd6r-uNPe9a8aq9elDGZUdKDMOHetP2aJ_NZ2CxVzwyI9Yysk0V9AV2_mUYOodJhwbpfwxBN11y3ROawbqStsn4Gr_U2m5Q-tOMZytIKTHDY-vCkflPCUiqAt5PxHv2avE=w400-h253" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the smaller churches should be inspired by the larger cathedrals and chapels and see why they're successful and try and do their part in preserving our heritage within their own means. Why are King's carols or the abbey's services so popular? People want to see something different, they don't want the contemporary to colonize the timeless. That's just some odd obsession some church people have and it bears a hint of selfishness or narcissism sometimes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">I spent the best part of my school years in catholic education in Rome, witnessing a style of worship of a Church that did not seem interested in recreating an earthly heaven but rather that just wanted to get done with it. Sometimes, with the beauty of our Anglican worship it is extremely easy to find God and feel that loving embrace, that is why I love Anglicanism and that is why I find the respect we give to the beauty of holiness so important. I am very thankful of that - I would not want to lose that tradition. Do not take for granted what must be protected.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"As somebody who was brought up on that prayer book - day after day, year after year, Sunday after Sunday, school worship after school worship, evening prayer, communion, everything - those words do sink into your soul in some extraordinary way,"</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">King Charles III</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjARMo03DkLvAnhDphuOKjcT8VvqkRXXZ5CrmGtKTz7Dr81pVmMrpN4mrABt2mLXwc-qOtVfnMrSgy2T3WL8UwB_l1Retw1FcqCfSERMz58s7o6DIOMsmBFLNi93KXLoBKZOtxv9ijUKI_poOXb7SKIOds4idXcV0mG3Zbtx3Th0lz1CC_r2aSM4U88"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjARMo03DkLvAnhDphuOKjcT8VvqkRXXZ5CrmGtKTz7Dr81pVmMrpN4mrABt2mLXwc-qOtVfnMrSgy2T3WL8UwB_l1Retw1FcqCfSERMz58s7o6DIOMsmBFLNi93KXLoBKZOtxv9ijUKI_poOXb7SKIOds4idXcV0mG3Zbtx3Th0lz1CC_r2aSM4U88"><img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjARMo03DkLvAnhDphuOKjcT8VvqkRXXZ5CrmGtKTz7Dr81pVmMrpN4mrABt2mLXwc-qOtVfnMrSgy2T3WL8UwB_l1Retw1FcqCfSERMz58s7o6DIOMsmBFLNi93KXLoBKZOtxv9ijUKI_poOXb7SKIOds4idXcV0mG3Zbtx3Th0lz1CC_r2aSM4U88=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div></div></div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-81541954154349791462022-11-12T16:16:00.007+01:002022-11-12T16:25:16.190+01:00Neo-Classical Splendor: Chiswick House<div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of my favorite spots in London is the beautiful Chiswick House, to me this beautiful Neo-Palladian villa set in a gorgeous array of gardens and fountains is the epitome of my favorite architectural style; the English Neo-Classical one. A triumph of understated good taste, order, and elegance.. Indeed, some of the greatest architects from late-Baroque and Georgian Britain worked on it, making it one of the most ethereal, ascetic, and bucolic places in London - walking through it is like taking a visual journey through the likes of Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUbkpAtCicTH4uyOj9wH8sgrWqiHxbFZEbY1iIFFsg9KjjF8OhMiuxyDl4o9xwfIvIHFIE9M4tURI1r1pAQ5IibZIeb8JpclbBWRlP8JilsIyI1TPELxsyzAHw8BuQ8jShCH5XrwZCOjooYkpr9bdHc4Y7Mo3ofvSpZnJh1WgP1HLMXCdFeLDIJFDd"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUbkpAtCicTH4uyOj9wH8sgrWqiHxbFZEbY1iIFFsg9KjjF8OhMiuxyDl4o9xwfIvIHFIE9M4tURI1r1pAQ5IibZIeb8JpclbBWRlP8JilsIyI1TPELxsyzAHw8BuQ8jShCH5XrwZCOjooYkpr9bdHc4Y7Mo3ofvSpZnJh1WgP1HLMXCdFeLDIJFDd"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUbkpAtCicTH4uyOj9wH8sgrWqiHxbFZEbY1iIFFsg9KjjF8OhMiuxyDl4o9xwfIvIHFIE9M4tURI1r1pAQ5IibZIeb8JpclbBWRlP8JilsIyI1TPELxsyzAHw8BuQ8jShCH5XrwZCOjooYkpr9bdHc4Y7Mo3ofvSpZnJh1WgP1HLMXCdFeLDIJFDd=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As previously mentioned, Chiswick House is a fine Neo-Palladian villa built by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, and completed in 1729. It is set in a beautiful landscape garden designed by William Kent and it is probably the earliest example of an English landscape garden. After the death of the 3rd Earl of Burlington in 1753, of his last surviving daughter in 1754, and of his widow in 1758; the property passed on to William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, after his death in 1764, his son’s wife, Georgiana Spencer, one of the most controversial figures of Georgian Britain, used the house as a retreat and Whig political center. During the 19th century, the house fell into disrepair and the family rented it out. It was used as a mental hospital from 1892 until 1929 when the 9th Duke of Devonshire sold it to the Middlesex County Council which turned it into a fire station. The villa suffered damage in 1944 when a German rocket damaged one of the wings. Today, the house is a Grade I building.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtBNw--5DM-NAuuKyXuIhFFY6sJja6U8x2Q-UXn90cNs0Lh6xbw-aJ66ibVp2rBHngO8UjkDKjVK2DirA1X7FjSNCpkZdWb3SYWieSkwX8lGvoJBavSx2ewfNVcq3HRExCaWzJ-78-oPADNO0NJ1PtPnGC0ZBLOWOI6uQNafAYo1qeshKS1ZaKQAgm"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtBNw--5DM-NAuuKyXuIhFFY6sJja6U8x2Q-UXn90cNs0Lh6xbw-aJ66ibVp2rBHngO8UjkDKjVK2DirA1X7FjSNCpkZdWb3SYWieSkwX8lGvoJBavSx2ewfNVcq3HRExCaWzJ-78-oPADNO0NJ1PtPnGC0ZBLOWOI6uQNafAYo1qeshKS1ZaKQAgm=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Originally, the first building on the site was a large Jacobean house built around 1610 and owned by Sir Edward Wardour, possibly built by his father with four sides and an open courtyard. In 1624, the house was sold to Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset. During the First English Civil War, the house was at the south end of the royalist line during the Battle of Turnham Green in 1641. The house was purchased by Charles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Durgarvan in 1682. The house was used as the family summer retreat from Burlington House, their London home. In 1725, a large fire damaged a large portion of the house; Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, chose to rebuild the house to the west of the former mansion. During his Italian Grand Tour in 1791, the earl had acquired a taste for Palladian architecture and collected some of his drawings owned by the great English architect Inigo Jones and his pupil John Webb. Burlington’s mission was that of reinstating the Classical canons of Vitruvian Rome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYG_gG4PGQwpdCMHr9F1utkec9NV03L9KJvHKHu-XA4w1nGYWNCjCczO_bV2yPIhwT7M88ItWo3wEcwscmwfzl-CtTSkqn_S3vm1UwisSSae62tYvbIMPuE27_0VmY5H_P6k7aheFVtf9B-n-d7OmpxnX2sZL2I4sOQBr_Irf03zJqbkq0VsM-Z2W3"><img height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYG_gG4PGQwpdCMHr9F1utkec9NV03L9KJvHKHu-XA4w1nGYWNCjCczO_bV2yPIhwT7M88ItWo3wEcwscmwfzl-CtTSkqn_S3vm1UwisSSae62tYvbIMPuE27_0VmY5H_P6k7aheFVtf9B-n-d7OmpxnX2sZL2I4sOQBr_Irf03zJqbkq0VsM-Z2W3=w640-h454" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lord Burlington himself was a talented architect and was named “Apollo of the Arts” by Horace Walpole - he designed the new villa with the aid of William Kent who also helped designing the new gardens. The new building was spacious enough to house the earl’s very fine art collection and his furniture; of which some pieces were collected during the Grand Tour. Construction of the new villa took place between 1726 and 1729. The house was inherited by William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire who married Lord Burlington’s daughter, Charlotte.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZjowaCwizt6ZQkXhaht-fR67OiKJgPzEHwVcvRp5W9XeM5xtRJxmfsztSNgxmcdoNJaY7VLeiZIHXCFpxPjdM7GaMeV6THWHRXc1-h_YDtCdpncNOfC1NQOC38QT60LLOPXltIEZbKIW9H-DUYezT0hEtYU-8a_Lv2GBqlTe-E2QJUZdfcWZB7e2a"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZjowaCwizt6ZQkXhaht-fR67OiKJgPzEHwVcvRp5W9XeM5xtRJxmfsztSNgxmcdoNJaY7VLeiZIHXCFpxPjdM7GaMeV6THWHRXc1-h_YDtCdpncNOfC1NQOC38QT60LLOPXltIEZbKIW9H-DUYezT0hEtYU-8a_Lv2GBqlTe-E2QJUZdfcWZB7e2a"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZjowaCwizt6ZQkXhaht-fR67OiKJgPzEHwVcvRp5W9XeM5xtRJxmfsztSNgxmcdoNJaY7VLeiZIHXCFpxPjdM7GaMeV6THWHRXc1-h_YDtCdpncNOfC1NQOC38QT60LLOPXltIEZbKIW9H-DUYezT0hEtYU-8a_Lv2GBqlTe-E2QJUZdfcWZB7e2a=w396-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The duke himself died in 1764, leaving his property to his son William, the 5th Duke of Devonshire. In 1774, William married Lady Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, who enjoyed Chiswick House which she described as her “earthly paradise” which she used as a base for parties and political meetings. In 1788, the Jacobean House was demolished and a certain John White was commissioned with the construction of two new wings to increase the accommodation capabilities of the house. In 1774, the duchess commissioned the Classical Bridge to the renowned Georgian architect James Wyatt. She died in 1806. In 1813, a conservatory was built by Samuel Ware and it housed exotic fruit and flowers while gardener Lewis Kennedy built an Italian garden around it. In 1844, a great garden party was thrown by the 6th Duke for Tsar Nicholas of Russia. Between 1862 and 1892, the house was rented to the Duchess of Sutherland, then the Prince of Wales in the 1870s, the Marquess of Bute, patron of the architect William Borges. Between 1892 and 1928, the house was used as a mental asylum, in 1897 the two sphinxes on the main gate were removed to Green Park during the celebrations of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee but were never returned!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7xe2m5gP1dEzrY_6O7dz7uQWaNH5ewr8SOyeRTpGwHpvIMOrffdFOLKmmbGn2KMbw6wefi_XeR2g5A6jSFqjmMsV5sOLjN0m7loINFKWjWfsUzk0DhCJGw5m_jVe6NDtMssNKQ5mExnvEZakfPlYwDZ_iJN-Gv-HE-6gIyvqWXqyDgVYKLdgO59t7"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7xe2m5gP1dEzrY_6O7dz7uQWaNH5ewr8SOyeRTpGwHpvIMOrffdFOLKmmbGn2KMbw6wefi_XeR2g5A6jSFqjmMsV5sOLjN0m7loINFKWjWfsUzk0DhCJGw5m_jVe6NDtMssNKQ5mExnvEZakfPlYwDZ_iJN-Gv-HE-6gIyvqWXqyDgVYKLdgO59t7"><img height="527" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7xe2m5gP1dEzrY_6O7dz7uQWaNH5ewr8SOyeRTpGwHpvIMOrffdFOLKmmbGn2KMbw6wefi_XeR2g5A6jSFqjmMsV5sOLjN0m7loINFKWjWfsUzk0DhCJGw5m_jVe6NDtMssNKQ5mExnvEZakfPlYwDZ_iJN-Gv-HE-6gIyvqWXqyDgVYKLdgO59t7=w640-h527" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 9th Duke of Devonshire sold Chiswick House to Middlesex County Council in 1929, the price being met by contributions from public subscribers, including King George V. The house suffered damage during WWII and subsequently the damaged wings were demolished in 1956. In 1948, the Georgian Group prevented the house from being demolished and it came under the patronage of English Heritage.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQSuJmV6ZsXvOyLz7YT9J9sIHxOVRryuXADWK4NnoPY6JD6nZiMHY0B_XiNJmskF0HHFb8pNm34DLIYCCv7WZW4k00Aw2rDPFyD6mgJi_h5Ok4aAOi8ENYRWEWqwutieOQ4rPtawfFqUox6kSeiRXHbymLh162zNclvwbLiQ91OY-mLx3ZJgKNuC1W"><img height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQSuJmV6ZsXvOyLz7YT9J9sIHxOVRryuXADWK4NnoPY6JD6nZiMHY0B_XiNJmskF0HHFb8pNm34DLIYCCv7WZW4k00Aw2rDPFyD6mgJi_h5Ok4aAOi8ENYRWEWqwutieOQ4rPtawfFqUox6kSeiRXHbymLh162zNclvwbLiQ91OY-mLx3ZJgKNuC1W=w640-h544" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through the villa’s long history, many faces of history became guests; notably Voltaire, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Russian Tsars Nicholas I and Alexander I, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, as well as Sir Walter Scott or the likes of William Ewart Gladstone and Robert Walpole.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3_n5t9itfDWEpaFR2fagVMpd55eifrnLnQCkofqmuPRZGL2-Wdx9I6mml-ZeCho916Sr9YaABUDGSthtcuMUteWU9gOx51GB-lO3pM9cvA6gc5K3wUnjDbk97_c39-h_HQNyWpCmFkmZFumQ3wSKXXV63Z1sI5j8FEe9pNnMixYikMQoZ6YhyWbvD"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3_n5t9itfDWEpaFR2fagVMpd55eifrnLnQCkofqmuPRZGL2-Wdx9I6mml-ZeCho916Sr9YaABUDGSthtcuMUteWU9gOx51GB-lO3pM9cvA6gc5K3wUnjDbk97_c39-h_HQNyWpCmFkmZFumQ3wSKXXV63Z1sI5j8FEe9pNnMixYikMQoZ6YhyWbvD=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chiswick House was effectively Lord Burlington’s attempt to recreate a Roman villa, situated in a Roman garden. Chiswick Villa is indeed inspired by the work of perhaps the “purest” of Renaissance architects, Andrea Palladio. The interior of the building, especially the central room were inspired by the Baths of Diocletian in Rome. The architect was also inspired by other great minds of the Renaissance, such as Leon Battista Alberti. The villa is originally made out of simple brick covered in beautiful Portland stone, with a certain amount of decorative stucco. The fine Corinthian columns, carved by John Boson, are inspired by the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome. The main door is inspired by the base of Trajan’s Column. The exterior decoration is once again remindful of Inigo Jones and Palladio, and especially his San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. The decorative cornice at Chiswick is inspired by James Gibbs’ one at St-Martin-in-the-Fields. On the portico is a bust of Emperor Augustus who was regarded by Georgian aristocracy as the greatest leader of antiquity, indeed the early Hanoverian era was known as the Augustan Age. This link with Augustus was strengthened by the decoration of the “temple” with Egyptianazing elements such as sphinxes, obelisks, and stone lions - after the emperor’s capture of Egypt and how he brought so many trophies back to Rome. The influence of Rome at Chiswick is rather strong, that includes the display of the statuary which includes copies of the Borghese Gladiator, the Venus de’Medici, the Roman she-wolf, and others. Inside the villa are many visual references to figures such as Aeneas. Horace Walpole called the villa “the beautiful model”.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitRp4UgQvoRSvZpNDJ8EAq022fmpHfiJtkXpFg9MLssu-CMm-Qn0XkN3xhxh8odf-c_U04WNkdvFKSqgC-mRQAvgAmFedZ2ikz9nmhSGw874qfq96H4EVwGx0k91K3pfK3t3oMBwzj5kdCHjshwU_T6bSTS_YeUVX9qvOdJsmmyyx2-pJuXIAxgT5C"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitRp4UgQvoRSvZpNDJ8EAq022fmpHfiJtkXpFg9MLssu-CMm-Qn0XkN3xhxh8odf-c_U04WNkdvFKSqgC-mRQAvgAmFedZ2ikz9nmhSGw874qfq96H4EVwGx0k91K3pfK3t3oMBwzj5kdCHjshwU_T6bSTS_YeUVX9qvOdJsmmyyx2-pJuXIAxgT5C"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitRp4UgQvoRSvZpNDJ8EAq022fmpHfiJtkXpFg9MLssu-CMm-Qn0XkN3xhxh8odf-c_U04WNkdvFKSqgC-mRQAvgAmFedZ2ikz9nmhSGw874qfq96H4EVwGx0k91K3pfK3t3oMBwzj5kdCHjshwU_T6bSTS_YeUVX9qvOdJsmmyyx2-pJuXIAxgT5C=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Much like the house itself, the gardens at Chiswick were an attempt at recreating an ancient Roman garden, following the example of great Roman gardens such as that at Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, from which three of the statues surrounding the <i>exedra</i> are supposed to have come, according to Daniel Defoe. The original gardens were of standard Jacobean design, but by the 1720s came a constant fase of continuous change. Lord Burlington and William Kent experimented with what would become the features of any Neo-Classical garden; mock fortifications, Egyptian objects, classical <i>fabriques</i>, statues, groves, cascades and all manner of water features. The great authors of antiquity, including Horace and Pliny, were major influences for Georgian thinkers with their descriptions of gardens, with alleys shaded by trees and fountains. The first architect for the gardens seems to have been the King’s gardener, Charles Bridgeman, who likely worked with Lord Burlington around 1720, and subsequently with William Kent on his return from his second Grand Tour in 1719. The great poet, Alexander Pope, who had his own villa nearby, was involved in this recreation of a Greco-Roman garden, ruled by nature under God - this was proven thanks to his translation of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, which gave wonderful descriptions of Greek gardens, proving the successive naturalistic appearance of Roman gardens. William Kent proceeded to add more theatrical elements common at the time. The gardens were filled with Egyptian, Greek, and Roman or even Renaissance architecture, such as the various temples, and mock ruins. This architectural capriccio set in the wildest nature would be the basis of what became known as the English Landscape Garden. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvcWsWTJALk-y_nBs9JIcQSwmefyIls6u5iY-Rcji9FiutBVP2r9Fz2ZkK_diLwugp5A_FFG79wu-yFqNCH_15vpq_d1AGO0mte3ots5y5Vmk84feJjzOul5AKR6GUnvzyU82U0Iwv2XJFR7W8J1I0Qx3EVUM2b6vsIvpWADLnmjzsVbjYJS1IrdYo"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvcWsWTJALk-y_nBs9JIcQSwmefyIls6u5iY-Rcji9FiutBVP2r9Fz2ZkK_diLwugp5A_FFG79wu-yFqNCH_15vpq_d1AGO0mte3ots5y5Vmk84feJjzOul5AKR6GUnvzyU82U0Iwv2XJFR7W8J1I0Qx3EVUM2b6vsIvpWADLnmjzsVbjYJS1IrdYo=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">A theater of hedges, known as the <i>exedra</i> was designed by William Kent to display statues of unknown Roman gentlemen, identified by Daniel Defoe as Caesar, Pompey, and Cicero - later, it was discovered that the statues represented Horace, Homer, and Virgil. William Kent also added a <i>grotto</i> which featured a cascade inspired by the <i>ninfeo</i> at the Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati. Kent’s garden also featured a flower garden, an orchard, an aviary and a symmetrical arrangement of trees. By the grove, three avenues terminate with buildings which include the <i>Casino</i> and later the Pagan Temple and the Rustic House, designed in 1716 by James Gives and Lord Burlington respectively.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEKrQ8iLytp_bW3iZd2Lr0nb1VWcZI6K7J15a7kZPaXK2Ln2lopA1xtEu8HkC4l2Ut7ynpeLlGfoOBfnT4k-zIUkSaKnMfBx3Ie7esgzByeEOI54X0MC1zq0m3X4CHynAueMgi6lceqTdZy-eAFu4jGGK4MbzoRM5YcyLBbIIGyebfaWXzXgJtc3R5"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEKrQ8iLytp_bW3iZd2Lr0nb1VWcZI6K7J15a7kZPaXK2Ln2lopA1xtEu8HkC4l2Ut7ynpeLlGfoOBfnT4k-zIUkSaKnMfBx3Ie7esgzByeEOI54X0MC1zq0m3X4CHynAueMgi6lceqTdZy-eAFu4jGGK4MbzoRM5YcyLBbIIGyebfaWXzXgJtc3R5"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEKrQ8iLytp_bW3iZd2Lr0nb1VWcZI6K7J15a7kZPaXK2Ln2lopA1xtEu8HkC4l2Ut7ynpeLlGfoOBfnT4k-zIUkSaKnMfBx3Ie7esgzByeEOI54X0MC1zq0m3X4CHynAueMgi6lceqTdZy-eAFu4jGGK4MbzoRM5YcyLBbIIGyebfaWXzXgJtc3R5=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On one end of the Ha-Ha is the Deer House, designed by Lord Burlington, its Vitruvian doors are inspired by Palladio’s <i>I Quattro Libri dell’Architettura</i> from 1570. Beyond this is the Orangery, next to the Deer House is a Doric column supporting the statue of the Venus de’Medici - the ancient goddess was seen as the protector of gardens and gardeners. Other statues made by Lord Burlington include a wolf, a boar, a goat, a lion, and a lioness; as well as statues of Mercury, Hercules, Cain and Abel, and a gladiator.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSGCbRGyMMFj13SnQ_Dv1j0nNMKNZPKkNaD8R05BkDIaJmeorj02rHvmI-C3XNCLA6AS88-gCAQSznnLUPamClHmfobqHK5QpDFBfnoDUmNC74UCZguP6Wc-AFirXwho0xAkKpMDrNH1k13GXxvYlp7jI-EBBkv1W_L7KNd2jUj65Y4Hx2X0buCeri"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSGCbRGyMMFj13SnQ_Dv1j0nNMKNZPKkNaD8R05BkDIaJmeorj02rHvmI-C3XNCLA6AS88-gCAQSznnLUPamClHmfobqHK5QpDFBfnoDUmNC74UCZguP6Wc-AFirXwho0xAkKpMDrNH1k13GXxvYlp7jI-EBBkv1W_L7KNd2jUj65Y4Hx2X0buCeri=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beyond the <i>exedra</i> is what is known as the “Orange Tree Garden” in which is located the iconic Ionic Temple, a circular building, possibly derived from the Pantheon or the Temple of Romulus in Rome. The portico is inspired by the Temple of Portunus which William Kent illustrated in one of the rooms of the villa. The temple faces onto a circular pool of water with a small obelisk positioned at its center. Another obelisk is located beyond a cascade to the west of the villa.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVlMpiG0U50-gHWZVAEYu1H6NhnqkRufu-l1MCC3CbxCnDv_hnfcNQLtvw52EZoiojVKYfuu-Nfaub_ajs21TPGoJGJyLCvzWgKTRYuHms_Pgp4WcsjSNvhO_xD-DqqY2bkLnQx2_BW26Mr26Wzu8a-8LJJPbF3GdI6fkme2ZfMXQ5ywKfx5tIM9tB"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVlMpiG0U50-gHWZVAEYu1H6NhnqkRufu-l1MCC3CbxCnDv_hnfcNQLtvw52EZoiojVKYfuu-Nfaub_ajs21TPGoJGJyLCvzWgKTRYuHms_Pgp4WcsjSNvhO_xD-DqqY2bkLnQx2_BW26Mr26Wzu8a-8LJJPbF3GdI6fkme2ZfMXQ5ywKfx5tIM9tB"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVlMpiG0U50-gHWZVAEYu1H6NhnqkRufu-l1MCC3CbxCnDv_hnfcNQLtvw52EZoiojVKYfuu-Nfaub_ajs21TPGoJGJyLCvzWgKTRYuHms_Pgp4WcsjSNvhO_xD-DqqY2bkLnQx2_BW26Mr26Wzu8a-8LJJPbF3GdI6fkme2ZfMXQ5ywKfx5tIM9tB=w640-h426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The beautiful lawn at the rear of the house was created in 1745 and planted with Cedar of Lebanon trees which alternate with stunning funerary urns designed by William Kent himself, between the urns and the trees are three more sphinxes facing the direction of the sun.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju3I5kkIxJXfis9BtD0A0ZwvCugBIZG-P3V0_YzcQ9MStP9hNC4oPMhYCqeCBoOUhdAyohW2Toc73SrnJDu19_rC6z0Dmq2aeyX6nNpeVeAMnnL3ZkZYMXV1IEkJobWatJJLLkF71hMSJnqo61efbBPBmAY65i7mySzXXmiFW3UABGsOE--ZRXjoX8"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju3I5kkIxJXfis9BtD0A0ZwvCugBIZG-P3V0_YzcQ9MStP9hNC4oPMhYCqeCBoOUhdAyohW2Toc73SrnJDu19_rC6z0Dmq2aeyX6nNpeVeAMnnL3ZkZYMXV1IEkJobWatJJLLkF71hMSJnqo61efbBPBmAY65i7mySzXXmiFW3UABGsOE--ZRXjoX8"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju3I5kkIxJXfis9BtD0A0ZwvCugBIZG-P3V0_YzcQ9MStP9hNC4oPMhYCqeCBoOUhdAyohW2Toc73SrnJDu19_rC6z0Dmq2aeyX6nNpeVeAMnnL3ZkZYMXV1IEkJobWatJJLLkF71hMSJnqo61efbBPBmAY65i7mySzXXmiFW3UABGsOE--ZRXjoX8=w640-h426" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">A lake was added around 1727 by widening the Bollo Brooks, the excess soil was then used to produce an elevated walkaway for people behind the cascade to admire the gardens and a view of the river Thames. A stunning gateway designed by Inigo Jones in 1621 for Beaufort House inn Chelsea was brought to the gardens in 1738. Lord Burlington’s gardens have no oriental elements, despite Chinese art being en vogue at the time, nor do they have the slightest tribute to English architecture, unlike other gardens of the time, this is because Lord Burlington, found the English Gothic style as barbaric and backward.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEmpn6FNXbAjf0V5GL9DDiY6ZPaw9SUQY02mkMsYRNnm1cTgOzIlKyl7v9jLfXiiUjrScf_f-GT3JR05rVk0Uk-X-VY8d2T3SHhwRDE6kMcyct0ANL_menoNlCIsVYkWyNfJ9wyEnlS4g5e2l0HKj_DIXG2fmjeW2gqkyTsjDbRlAOS34wwoSRC0UM"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEmpn6FNXbAjf0V5GL9DDiY6ZPaw9SUQY02mkMsYRNnm1cTgOzIlKyl7v9jLfXiiUjrScf_f-GT3JR05rVk0Uk-X-VY8d2T3SHhwRDE6kMcyct0ANL_menoNlCIsVYkWyNfJ9wyEnlS4g5e2l0HKj_DIXG2fmjeW2gqkyTsjDbRlAOS34wwoSRC0UM"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEmpn6FNXbAjf0V5GL9DDiY6ZPaw9SUQY02mkMsYRNnm1cTgOzIlKyl7v9jLfXiiUjrScf_f-GT3JR05rVk0Uk-X-VY8d2T3SHhwRDE6kMcyct0ANL_menoNlCIsVYkWyNfJ9wyEnlS4g5e2l0HKj_DIXG2fmjeW2gqkyTsjDbRlAOS34wwoSRC0UM=w640-h426" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Classic Bridge located beyond the Orange Tree Garden was built for Georgiana Spencer, it was designed by James Wyatt and built in 1774. Between 1778 and 1784, the 5th Duke of Devonshire had the Casina and the Gibbs Pagan Temple demolished due to a change in taste. In the first decade of the 19th century, the garden acquired its current looks with the latest addition and modifications.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN0u9mFWzor1FqaAkRSL8bwWDqdxgnhXV2iQCIsrxGu5Jla6VHujmFxaPXXcO1V1NkfkGT3JIK-Z-fSRO9GPRX40yYAHDfcw9mhqHbluyUX54J9srz67EViljPajr42utbGl6SC7VmMFw4_ed7in2C3_gHw0OTTR8AKFWuQyFbYXCZD6jw5wC64acb"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN0u9mFWzor1FqaAkRSL8bwWDqdxgnhXV2iQCIsrxGu5Jla6VHujmFxaPXXcO1V1NkfkGT3JIK-Z-fSRO9GPRX40yYAHDfcw9mhqHbluyUX54J9srz67EViljPajr42utbGl6SC7VmMFw4_ed7in2C3_gHw0OTTR8AKFWuQyFbYXCZD6jw5wC64acb"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN0u9mFWzor1FqaAkRSL8bwWDqdxgnhXV2iQCIsrxGu5Jla6VHujmFxaPXXcO1V1NkfkGT3JIK-Z-fSRO9GPRX40yYAHDfcw9mhqHbluyUX54J9srz67EViljPajr42utbGl6SC7VmMFw4_ed7in2C3_gHw0OTTR8AKFWuQyFbYXCZD6jw5wC64acb=w640-h440" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chiswick House remains a Georgian haven of peace and tranquillity in London, as well as a testament to an era of great taste. It truly is Neo-Classical splendor.</div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-34885845377709442192022-11-05T14:04:00.002+01:002022-11-05T14:08:28.647+01:00Gunpowder Treason<div style="text-align: justify;">Today, we remember the Gunpowder Treason of 1605, on this occasion we mark the terrible attempt to assassinate King James I by a group of English Roman Catholics led by Robert Catesby who sought to restore the popish monarchy in England.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdj5eMLOGTNJ25_W58YHqSRTVu-5KkVDbSlKc62P8RubdQ8RQt_JkFtWwiUby1jLbhcpE-1GB0ZruluijU1BGNPbjryKA6wlAwnMezKOr-tQCFdQFg_42MWoULw8ev868PznZPiYF4KcKIeuUcr7iBzsd_NUVb1aVpMwM90czKnK29atsLvB-J1Qv3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="771" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdj5eMLOGTNJ25_W58YHqSRTVu-5KkVDbSlKc62P8RubdQ8RQt_JkFtWwiUby1jLbhcpE-1GB0ZruluijU1BGNPbjryKA6wlAwnMezKOr-tQCFdQFg_42MWoULw8ev868PznZPiYF4KcKIeuUcr7iBzsd_NUVb1aVpMwM90czKnK29atsLvB-J1Qv3=w243-h400" width="243" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The plan was that of blowing up the House of Lords at Westminster during the State Opening of Parliament on 5 November 1605, therefore committing regicide against James I while murdering his closest family members, high ranking clergy from the Church of England, and many loyalist members of the House of Lords. This was meant to be a prelude to a popular revolt in the Midlands against the King’s, in which his 9 year-old- daughter, Elizabeth, would have been installed as the popish head of state. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiimHJveSOwAC3Fi6lNPwxIe_OMOhWFO7yJ_aErUD7hjZD9C8its2R6mDHCryRXsrSy9tue1hbcDe1fmdTkaOsdh-0RwTlj52FAWrGDTKS7Jj8Xso57H89PPzbH6i76cK3Xx2WIRepdMKESeKGHxNf2y7TwU0sGfUfnVPowBVMLE-iicjQNOIiqBbXk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1302" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiimHJveSOwAC3Fi6lNPwxIe_OMOhWFO7yJ_aErUD7hjZD9C8its2R6mDHCryRXsrSy9tue1hbcDe1fmdTkaOsdh-0RwTlj52FAWrGDTKS7Jj8Xso57H89PPzbH6i76cK3Xx2WIRepdMKESeKGHxNf2y7TwU0sGfUfnVPowBVMLE-iicjQNOIiqBbXk=w260-h400" width="260" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Catesby’s fellow contributors were John and Cristopher Wright, Robert and Thomas Wintour, Thomas Percy, Guy Fawkes, Robert Keyes, Thomas Bates, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood, Sir Everard Digby, and Francis Tresham. Fawkes, who had a long military experience fighting in the Spanish Netherlands against the Dutch, was given charge of the explosives. They swore an oath of secrecy on a prayer book. Pope Clemens VIII was aware of the plot and had voiced disagreement, fearing for the safety of those remaining English Roman Catholics. Support for such an act of treason against the King was not supported by Rome.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQVhBEDx6daKMMqrKdfoHrpSwkzGaIMBXlZfdnymuLJBqnBiGOuGJA9yo6igfskCA-Fc1O4ES2leVttGSPsx4hlBvbUiVWmjjQE0uwax4FgNAcEAtU_t6X0JDVAYHFpB8z4quKTokPtt5gsy-eQ-4tJ139VLsvXZhh-8Eeo9q5lnN3MXndorpWPMiD"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQVhBEDx6daKMMqrKdfoHrpSwkzGaIMBXlZfdnymuLJBqnBiGOuGJA9yo6igfskCA-Fc1O4ES2leVttGSPsx4hlBvbUiVWmjjQE0uwax4FgNAcEAtU_t6X0JDVAYHFpB8z4quKTokPtt5gsy-eQ-4tJ139VLsvXZhh-8Eeo9q5lnN3MXndorpWPMiD"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQVhBEDx6daKMMqrKdfoHrpSwkzGaIMBXlZfdnymuLJBqnBiGOuGJA9yo6igfskCA-Fc1O4ES2leVttGSPsx4hlBvbUiVWmjjQE0uwax4FgNAcEAtU_t6X0JDVAYHFpB8z4quKTokPtt5gsy-eQ-4tJ139VLsvXZhh-8Eeo9q5lnN3MXndorpWPMiD=w400-h357" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The plot was revealed to the authorities in an anonymous letter sent to William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, on 26 October 1605. During a search in the House of Lords in the evening on 4 November 1605, Fawkes was discovered guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder, in the filthy basement of the former royal palace of Westminster, a space which took quite a bit of planning to secure; that is also where he was arrested. Most of the other conspirators fled from London as they learnt of the discovery, where they formed a small resistance at Holbeche House. Their trial took place on 27 January 1606, eight of the survivors, including Guy Fawkes, were convicted and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGFSdOaS-hw8spFYr2wPiIs1N8aOTzxU5O7rZ_P8xYg_yXANlkjeITP1NXnRbM_BB7vEnCmlIpTLjtMX0MNYJ41dHfi7TxxxR5vm-Jy7kEeUzyOmH65qwo-492CbtHEAf4vIuGZSSON2AtVoxfpOPWN1vqp3tuaH2yiA8a_1tQ2sE7Wm9mcixwUZRk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="471" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGFSdOaS-hw8spFYr2wPiIs1N8aOTzxU5O7rZ_P8xYg_yXANlkjeITP1NXnRbM_BB7vEnCmlIpTLjtMX0MNYJ41dHfi7TxxxR5vm-Jy7kEeUzyOmH65qwo-492CbtHEAf4vIuGZSSON2AtVoxfpOPWN1vqp3tuaH2yiA8a_1tQ2sE7Wm9mcixwUZRk=w235-h400" width="235" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Details of the assassination attempt were known by the principal Jesuit of England, Father Henry Garnet, who was later sentenced to death. Despite anti-popish legislation at the time, many important and loyal Roman Catholics retained high office during the reign of James I.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBu2fJLt4pLJoj7GlR-NGTiabSycPt2tOIxdmRwkiRrtziIHmIKsqHK7iNssTv0sfX0jaxQh1753zlbIKAL8R2JaxUNJf9GGNlV5VvDYr2n_tEtGGE3wFiNueBwDKXH8F_iwIYb8ol4ieZPH3CipWnRrgnwB1Fkj5aFQgrpR0h9PpvZAeeWgxgCP4C"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBu2fJLt4pLJoj7GlR-NGTiabSycPt2tOIxdmRwkiRrtziIHmIKsqHK7iNssTv0sfX0jaxQh1753zlbIKAL8R2JaxUNJf9GGNlV5VvDYr2n_tEtGGE3wFiNueBwDKXH8F_iwIYb8ol4ieZPH3CipWnRrgnwB1Fkj5aFQgrpR0h9PpvZAeeWgxgCP4C"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBu2fJLt4pLJoj7GlR-NGTiabSycPt2tOIxdmRwkiRrtziIHmIKsqHK7iNssTv0sfX0jaxQh1753zlbIKAL8R2JaxUNJf9GGNlV5VvDYr2n_tEtGGE3wFiNueBwDKXH8F_iwIYb8ol4ieZPH3CipWnRrgnwB1Fkj5aFQgrpR0h9PpvZAeeWgxgCP4C=w400-h366" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The thwarting of the Gunpowder Treason was commemorated for many years with special services from the Book of Common Prayer itself, and public events since then, eventually evolving into the contemporary Bonfire Night of today - Gunpowder celebrations were at their peak in the 18th century, especially in the American colonies, where “Pope Night” became a very popular feast day. Today, London’s oldest church, Saint Bartholomew the Great, still holds a service of Mattins which follows the Book of Common Prayer’s liturgy for this special occasion. A famous nursery rhyme recalls today’s events: <i>Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot; for I see no reason, why gunpowder treason, should ever be forgot</i>!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A collect for Gunpowder Treason from the Book of Common Prayer</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ALMIGHTY God, who ha</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ſt </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">in all ages </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">hewed thy power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of thy Church, and in the protect</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ion of righteous and religious Kings and </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ſt</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ates, profe</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ss</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ing thy holy and eternal truth, from the wicked con</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">piracies, and malicious practices of all the enemies thereof; We yield thee our unfeigned thanks and prai</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">e for the wonderful and mighty deliverance of our gracious Sovereign King </span><span style="font-family: "JohnBaskerville,Italic"; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">James </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">the Fir</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ſt</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">, the Queen, the Prince, and all the Royal Branches, with the Nobility, Clergy and Commons of </span><span style="font-family: "JohnBaskerville,Italic"; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">England</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">, then a</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ss</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">embled in Parliament, by Popi</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">h treachery appointed as </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">heep to the </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">laughter, in a mo</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ſt </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">barbarous and </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">avage manner, beyond the examples of former ages. From this unnatural Con</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">piracy, not our merit, but thy mercy; not our fore</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ight, but thy providence delivered us: And therefore not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto they Name be a</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">cribed all honour and glory, in all Churches of the Saints, from generation to generation, through Je</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">s</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">us Chri</span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">ſt </span><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">our Lord. </span><span style="font-family: "JohnBaskerville,Italic"; font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;">Amen</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: JohnBaskerville;">.</span></span></i></div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-24949715199368591222022-10-27T19:34:00.004+02:002022-10-27T19:40:45.075+02:00The Filippo Strozzi Chapel.<div style="text-align: justify;">It has been a while since I dedicated some time to one of my favorite subjects which really started this blog out: Renaissance art. For years, I have been willing to write about one of my favorite Renaissance chapels decorated by one of my favorite artists: son of the great master (and friar) Filippo Lippi as well as Sandro Botticelli's favorite pupil: Filippino Lippi. We already covered his great masterpiece in Rome, the <a href="http://romananglican.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-carafa-chapel.html">Carafa Chapel</a> at Santa Maria soprano Minerva, which is in my opinion the most defining Renaissance work in Rome outside of the Vatican. This time we will go to another Dominican church, this time in Florence, we will explore the glory of Filippo Strozzi's chapel at Santa Maria Novella.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The chapel of Saint John the Evangelist is located in the eastern transept of the basilica church, to the side of the high altar, Ghirlandaio's <a href="http://romananglican.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-tornabuoni-chapel-santa-maria.html">Tornabuoni Chapel</a>. Florentine master Filippino Lippi, known for his extravagant style, worked on it between 1487 and 1502. The reason why it took him so long is that halfway through the work, he was asked to work at the other chapel in Rome.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXpfeRkdhBOjhEBRfzpifA1OUME-396n_-9GibOty2e8gwbgszyri__cvU00jrgWul-pjsbbutasG813lv_J3MifpFyfX9OR-SaMRq2sjcVuU1murKXCR6fzO_sHg5hB5b37KKmrc0E5DS0ZuIaBcRNqbGfUHbfG_Cw22qd-BZ3HYOhNBUBraDqxII"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXpfeRkdhBOjhEBRfzpifA1OUME-396n_-9GibOty2e8gwbgszyri__cvU00jrgWul-pjsbbutasG813lv_J3MifpFyfX9OR-SaMRq2sjcVuU1murKXCR6fzO_sHg5hB5b37KKmrc0E5DS0ZuIaBcRNqbGfUHbfG_Cw22qd-BZ3HYOhNBUBraDqxII"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXpfeRkdhBOjhEBRfzpifA1OUME-396n_-9GibOty2e8gwbgszyri__cvU00jrgWul-pjsbbutasG813lv_J3MifpFyfX9OR-SaMRq2sjcVuU1murKXCR6fzO_sHg5hB5b37KKmrc0E5DS0ZuIaBcRNqbGfUHbfG_Cw22qd-BZ3HYOhNBUBraDqxII=w500-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The decoration of the chapel was commissioned by Filippo Strozzi the Elder in 1486, about twenty years after his Neapolitan exile as he was trying to re-establish the good name of his family in the city of Firenze. It was at this time that the new family palazzo was being erected which remains to this day one of Florence's most important as well as one of the most renowned examples of Renaissance architecture. That same year, the Florentine banker purchased the chapel's patronage from the Boni family. On April 21, 1487 they signed a contract with Filippino Lippi for an amount of 340 gold florins - the artist came up with his program within the following year. Filippo Strozzi died in 1491 and was therefore not able to follow up works in the chapel which should have been completed by 1490. As it was already mentioned, Filippino Lippi was interrupted halfway through his work by his Roman commission between 1488 and 1493. Although Lippi had been completely paid off by 1498 by Filippo's son Alfonso; his heirs were happy with the artist taking as much time as he liked - which he did, as the chapel was only finished in the year 1502, fifteen years after the contract had been signed! Alfonso is a man we do like as he was one of the greatest opponents of Girolamo Savonarola; the Dominican friar opposed to anything remotely beautiful. Filippino's style was deeply influenced by his Roman stay as so much of the scenes are set in a classical setting, remindful of the monuments he will have seen in Rome. His style is also unique as it takes Botticelli's energy, movement, and frenzy to an apotheosis - some say this is the beginning of Florentine Mannerism, I disagree - it's just very fun and the best quality of High Renaissance art.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The frescoes in the chapel show the stories from the lives of Saint Philip and Saint John the Evangelist, the first being Strozzi's namesake, the other being the chapel's patron saint. The two echoing walls show, as per the contract, a scene of resurrection at the bottom and one of martyrdom on top.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz9oCgB_FsnQFhBRYYlEHcADqcayH53Mh_beTtis5PT5tUu6h3ajkp2Rl3S817xcFhS8-EUzuMYzXNl18y_M4x2bLRmvKGqjEo57FA-ksTLbVA12wlKFPRVLeeWWk0CMFxzrhZU7IK07JwlXPlrjMdy9NGPyojZdMv4j6njiH_4l5fGtVAWTtGwmXH"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz9oCgB_FsnQFhBRYYlEHcADqcayH53Mh_beTtis5PT5tUu6h3ajkp2Rl3S817xcFhS8-EUzuMYzXNl18y_M4x2bLRmvKGqjEo57FA-ksTLbVA12wlKFPRVLeeWWk0CMFxzrhZU7IK07JwlXPlrjMdy9NGPyojZdMv4j6njiH_4l5fGtVAWTtGwmXH=w501-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ceiling shows four patriarchs of the Old Testament: Adam, with Seth and Lilith with the Tree of Knowledge; Noah with the Horn of Abundance, the dove, and the olive tree - sitting on what looks like an ancient river god, such as those representing the Nile or Tiber holding a horn of plenty; Abraham, with the knife from Isaac's sacrifice; and Job, held by angels, holding the inscription: HEC EST DOMUS DEI ET PORTA CŒLI; <i>this is none other than the house of God and the very gate of heaven</i>. Each of them is on a cloud held by monochrome cherubim holding plaques with the names of the patriarchs. The rib vaulting is decorated with grotesques representing the Strozzi arms; in the palm trees and crescents.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQpwtyDFmC-uX5-TT-9I6JRFo4wQ5uF3E7OjD_Gwkam5mLAKJOhwC4ZVFXu2_RZ8DvxAZBw09O28VLhMI3-CHb2iSC4dd55SBkF0HJUIo4xEb6r_PJMSNymOjOTuRZ6yCFsYDHhq3bBjXRpVYkeWbj42o-xRyRm3D9dxWq9cIlPGJTkGIpgdoI2uvQ"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQpwtyDFmC-uX5-TT-9I6JRFo4wQ5uF3E7OjD_Gwkam5mLAKJOhwC4ZVFXu2_RZ8DvxAZBw09O28VLhMI3-CHb2iSC4dd55SBkF0HJUIo4xEb6r_PJMSNymOjOTuRZ6yCFsYDHhq3bBjXRpVYkeWbj42o-xRyRm3D9dxWq9cIlPGJTkGIpgdoI2uvQ"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQpwtyDFmC-uX5-TT-9I6JRFo4wQ5uF3E7OjD_Gwkam5mLAKJOhwC4ZVFXu2_RZ8DvxAZBw09O28VLhMI3-CHb2iSC4dd55SBkF0HJUIo4xEb6r_PJMSNymOjOTuRZ6yCFsYDHhq3bBjXRpVYkeWbj42o-xRyRm3D9dxWq9cIlPGJTkGIpgdoI2uvQ=w640-h458" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the right wall are the stories from the life of Saint Philip; in the lower section is the saint expelling the dragon from Hierapolis', in the lunette is the Crucifixion of Saint Philip. According to the Golden Legend, Saint Philip is in Scythia, where he is forced by the Pagans to offer a sacrifice to Mars; whose statue is in takes a central position in the scene, together with symbolic animals such as the shewolf and the woodpecker. What is happening in the scene is that while the priest is preparing the fire for the sacrifice, a dragon bursts out of the statue's pedestal and kills the priest's son with his pestilential breath. The dragon's hole is so realistic that Vasari reminds us of an anecdote in which one of Filippino's young aids thought it was real and therefore tried to hide something in it without any success. The saint then banishes the dragon back into its den and brings the boy back to life with a Christian benediction. On the upper part of the fresco are (painted sic.) statues of angels holding a banner that reads: EX H[OC] TRI[UMPHO] M[AXIMO] VICT[ORIA]; <i>this triumph brings victory to God Almighty</i>. It represents Christianity's triumph over Paganism. The shape of the altar is that of an actual example still kept in the Vatican Museums. Although, Mars is only a statue in the scene, he can also be seen throwing his lightnings to the Christian saint who's petting his shewolf and woodpecker, his saintly attributes. Below is a triumph of an extremely realistic series of classical sculpture inspired by Trajan's Column in Rome. The blackamoor on the right is wearing exotic clothing and a turban, he probably was a servant to Filippo, whom he chose to set free before passing away. The man to his left has been thought to be Filippino Lippi himself. There is also another eastern man with a turban, probably inspired by a merchant the artist saw in Venice in 1489. Another figure is holding the Menorah, probably inspired by the scene of the Sack of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans as represented in the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum. The theme is once again the clash between Christianity and Paganism. This was also a political theme as at about this time the Strozzi were fighting against the theocratic dictatorship of Girolamo Savonarola. In the upper lunette is the scene of Saint Philip's martyrdom - when he is finally crucified, amidst the ruins of that temple he finally had ordered to be demolished - this scene renders very well Filippino's chaos and frenzy and eeriness. The two scenes are set in a riot of classical ruins, statues, trophies, grotesques, etc. - once again the fruit of his Roman stay. Between the two scenes are two <i>puttis</i> holding torches and the <i>Veronica</i>, as well as a chalice and paten, in remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuNnI18YHZKDHDLCL3OGTbdbYfJiy6rvoa0xId2V60dcKeZWbAnd5C4R7tyKkVaNfqw2if8jy74IkVeP-w5zfaEh8Ej3Pjicxl-tSH4Wwp4kuygd9flTG6VSAIfbp_tFyu_Nad5GseoYV4lqZ3xZdERpcHsbP2VP_plfaOz09RU6a_FYKd3Bu61V1u"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuNnI18YHZKDHDLCL3OGTbdbYfJiy6rvoa0xId2V60dcKeZWbAnd5C4R7tyKkVaNfqw2if8jy74IkVeP-w5zfaEh8Ej3Pjicxl-tSH4Wwp4kuygd9flTG6VSAIfbp_tFyu_Nad5GseoYV4lqZ3xZdERpcHsbP2VP_plfaOz09RU6a_FYKd3Bu61V1u"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuNnI18YHZKDHDLCL3OGTbdbYfJiy6rvoa0xId2V60dcKeZWbAnd5C4R7tyKkVaNfqw2if8jy74IkVeP-w5zfaEh8Ej3Pjicxl-tSH4Wwp4kuygd9flTG6VSAIfbp_tFyu_Nad5GseoYV4lqZ3xZdERpcHsbP2VP_plfaOz09RU6a_FYKd3Bu61V1u=w628-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story of the resurrection of Drusiana is also taken from the Golden Legend and it tells of Saint John the Evangelist having returned from Ephesus after Domitian's death. The scene is once again set in a beautiful classical setting with a round temple and a triumphal arch, all made the more frenetic by Filippino's unique rendition. He jumped into Drusiana's funeral, the woman who had manifested to her family her desire to get to know the saint; something she had been waiting for very long without success. The artist chooses the moment in which the saint brings her back to life in order to grant her wishes, causing great panic among the crowds. On the building to the right an inscription reads: A.S. MCCCCCII and: PHILIPPINUS DE LIPPIS FACIEBAT, the date and signature. On the columns of the round temple is an inscription reading: ORGIA, an allusion to the Pagans (not a good one). On the right is a group of women from the Strozzi family, including Filippo's widow Selvaggia Gianfligliazzi and his daughters: Alessandra, Lucrezia, and Caterina. Between the two scenes is an open book which reads: IN HOC SIGNO VINCES, <i>in this sign you win</i>, after Constantine's vision of the True Cross at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. The lunette on top shows the torturing of Saint John the Evangelist. To the right, is the emperor giving the order, a similar gesture to that of the <a href="http://romananglican.blogspot.com/2014/11/cappella-brancacci-florence.html">Dispute of Simon Magus in the Brancacci Chapel</a>, also by Filippino Lippi. In the center is the saint half submerged in a pot of boiling oil, that will somehow leave him miraculously unharmed. There is no drama in this scene, the saint is an example of stoicism while enduring torture, even though the executioner is keeping away from the thick smoke behind a soldier's shield who's trying to get the fire going. Once again, this fresco also goes back to the classical world; with the trophies, the honorary column, the SPQR banner and the fasces.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM6UNGTd-GECydm8_B_UhXRVTCV2kbOPTsIp_RRNZuka7fBo0ll0im4RzuNzWl5wroTqVjM9yY5eegAFfVSagJzezdLSVt9vhd6rYChQ4ugLQ9ejjI5wtKNoMRFjVYFh-QqS7xBVQq1DFeJGCIGIMSK0_VHgIZ07jL1WXXFtpS9Cy7XEiNflZj2ACX"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM6UNGTd-GECydm8_B_UhXRVTCV2kbOPTsIp_RRNZuka7fBo0ll0im4RzuNzWl5wroTqVjM9yY5eegAFfVSagJzezdLSVt9vhd6rYChQ4ugLQ9ejjI5wtKNoMRFjVYFh-QqS7xBVQq1DFeJGCIGIMSK0_VHgIZ07jL1WXXFtpS9Cy7XEiNflZj2ACX"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM6UNGTd-GECydm8_B_UhXRVTCV2kbOPTsIp_RRNZuka7fBo0ll0im4RzuNzWl5wroTqVjM9yY5eegAFfVSagJzezdLSVt9vhd6rYChQ4ugLQ9ejjI5wtKNoMRFjVYFh-QqS7xBVQq1DFeJGCIGIMSK0_VHgIZ07jL1WXXFtpS9Cy7XEiNflZj2ACX=w640-h637" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rarely enough for Renaissance Italy, the central wall has a stained glass window. The frescoes surrounding it are an early example of tromp-l'œil and they create a refined illusion that surrounds the beautiful Benedetto da Maiano's sepulchre for Filippo Strozzi, inspired by the <a href="http://romananglican.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-sassetti-chapel-in-santa-trinita.html">Sassetti tombs at Santa Trinita</a>. The background is once again classically Roman with columns and all the details from antiquity, yet it somehow is unique because Filippino is always adding his exuberance to it. Over the arcosolium, two angels are holding a skull and face a false compartment with more bones where an inscription reads: NI HANC DESPEXERIS VIVES; <i>if you shall not reject this skull, you shall live</i>. By the angels are two tall ornate columns, on top of them are personifications of Charity and Faith. Above this scene are more allegories with Pagan and Christian muses, the first with an inscription reading: SACRIS SUPERIS INITIATI CANUNT; <i>the ignited sing to the celestial gods</i>. The latter have an inscription reading: D[EO] M[AXIMO QONDAM NUHC CANIMUS; <i>we shall now sing of you, Almighty God</i>. The pagan muse is treading on a mask, a symbol of earthly things concluding with death; the Christian use is holding a mask in her hands, a symbol of the dead removing their mask in the hope of the resurrection. Once again, the chapel offers a theology of triumph of Christianity over Paganism, while using its own very language and partly claiming its heritage as Italian children of Humanism. The stained glass window is very fine and was designed by the same artist in 1497 and completed in 1503. It represents Our Lady with two angels; the Strozzi coat of arms; and the two patron saints of the chapel: Philip and John the Evangelist. The child Jesus is seemingly blessing Saint Philip, after whom Filippo Strozzi was named. In the top part of the window is a lamb, from the family heraldry, an inscription reads: MITIS ESTO: <i>be gentle</i>. Plenty other details reflect the resurrection message of the chapel such as the little shields reading: GLO/VI/S, standing for <i>si volge</i>, it turns - such as good or bad luck or such as our earthly life here on earth. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgNRfxv7bUVRIEeOWVJeSa0Ucp-dHeQmL5k16rfpd6AsRRNrN52jAw6tMgtdMo6L3bw5MXd2vY8b-bnyL7fZGVLQgmxpdy6trL0N77t8VZOY_QN1cvIPmWFMfFkZB6GYrC9Y4_LdLiDZSH9WiuZoSINeoum2aruLj_yaAWYNavfnkCJYdpta4bNVoG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgNRfxv7bUVRIEeOWVJeSa0Ucp-dHeQmL5k16rfpd6AsRRNrN52jAw6tMgtdMo6L3bw5MXd2vY8b-bnyL7fZGVLQgmxpdy6trL0N77t8VZOY_QN1cvIPmWFMfFkZB6GYrC9Y4_LdLiDZSH9WiuZoSINeoum2aruLj_yaAWYNavfnkCJYdpta4bNVoG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgNRfxv7bUVRIEeOWVJeSa0Ucp-dHeQmL5k16rfpd6AsRRNrN52jAw6tMgtdMo6L3bw5MXd2vY8b-bnyL7fZGVLQgmxpdy6trL0N77t8VZOY_QN1cvIPmWFMfFkZB6GYrC9Y4_LdLiDZSH9WiuZoSINeoum2aruLj_yaAWYNavfnkCJYdpta4bNVoG=w640-h497" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the painted trabeation are two couples of colored angels, in symbolic poses representing the Triumph of Fame, with the Strozzi shields, on Judgement Day. It is a humanistic theme derived from Petrarch, one of Filippo Lippi's favorite writers, and probably at the time considered much greater than Dante. The meaning being that fame beats death, over the angels are two <i>clipei </i>bearing an inscription that reads: SI SCIRES / DONUME DEI which alludes to the water of life and that immortality promised to the Samaritan woman by Jesus at the well (John 4:10). Here are also Filippo's heraldic symbols once again: the lamb, the falcon, and the motto: EXPECTO, <i>I am waiting for you </i>- referring to patience in the time of adversity. Finally, the crescent, the most important symbol of this great apotheosis of the Strozzi.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitxu30r9-Wkc1nKlrCxOZuz5D5Rm4YHe4qlJBUorHLGc8gjQ6YzqUV-S6v_bj4XT_tBfIMvXOqm4Nyr2uLLj4CuJ4s9RU4F9lZjxWdEjpkq6OrMp5-E0r8XG62mWVd2mMeTMC3vOhq_u2HHbjhjC0Zjjrd3Pbgpkst9rIea917EECf7TaeH80cxURz"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitxu30r9-Wkc1nKlrCxOZuz5D5Rm4YHe4qlJBUorHLGc8gjQ6YzqUV-S6v_bj4XT_tBfIMvXOqm4Nyr2uLLj4CuJ4s9RU4F9lZjxWdEjpkq6OrMp5-E0r8XG62mWVd2mMeTMC3vOhq_u2HHbjhjC0Zjjrd3Pbgpkst9rIea917EECf7TaeH80cxURz"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitxu30r9-Wkc1nKlrCxOZuz5D5Rm4YHe4qlJBUorHLGc8gjQ6YzqUV-S6v_bj4XT_tBfIMvXOqm4Nyr2uLLj4CuJ4s9RU4F9lZjxWdEjpkq6OrMp5-E0r8XG62mWVd2mMeTMC3vOhq_u2HHbjhjC0Zjjrd3Pbgpkst9rIea917EECf7TaeH80cxURz=w469-h640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Much like its Roman counterpart, this remains one of the most unique works of Renaissance Italy, it is indeed one of my favorites.</div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-91082954094561989782022-10-19T16:48:00.018+02:002022-10-20T09:35:27.680+02:00Hoping for Beauty<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVZGS8RlYBwsS7RmDYWrXFctofMYQLeh3f8aD4VuL3Zdg_IsIh-6BpAK_COAngLYN_cqVIsxfMdal65ZzMD6rI7V9Qt0OXKzeM-3BciFcohNI_ytRXBudxLwcwhaOzmUYZWUwkGAuW2OYwK3p6ByC9v71kZTdTl8DX_ijHsih4ykfRcC_p4e030c1z"><img height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVZGS8RlYBwsS7RmDYWrXFctofMYQLeh3f8aD4VuL3Zdg_IsIh-6BpAK_COAngLYN_cqVIsxfMdal65ZzMD6rI7V9Qt0OXKzeM-3BciFcohNI_ytRXBudxLwcwhaOzmUYZWUwkGAuW2OYwK3p6ByC9v71kZTdTl8DX_ijHsih4ykfRcC_p4e030c1z=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sometimes, as Anglicans in America, Britain or Europe we are very much centered on our Churches here. Thinking about this reminded me of how very sad I was when the beautiful Victorian cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand, had been horribly mutilated by several earthquakes in 2011. The fine Sir George Gilbert Scott building was perhaps among the most valuable and significant in the whole country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0AEDcvn4gUfKyUwk5qII9AFle9HGpWRdqyV75ef2xpEJC8ab3BZuY2pwappo4njV0si7SVKf7ElTx_heUQlRCQ03hCNa71DVHIm1ZUdWjrw4AB06IEXKK3elXVCsZrzXs4divVwFX7C-Gq1y_-tg6LjtjFGW8M6tt4uRRdgwpgkwFypf29mvNl3HF"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0AEDcvn4gUfKyUwk5qII9AFle9HGpWRdqyV75ef2xpEJC8ab3BZuY2pwappo4njV0si7SVKf7ElTx_heUQlRCQ03hCNa71DVHIm1ZUdWjrw4AB06IEXKK3elXVCsZrzXs4divVwFX7C-Gq1y_-tg6LjtjFGW8M6tt4uRRdgwpgkwFypf29mvNl3HF=w303-h400" width="303" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As an Italian, I understand the importance of two things very well: history and earthquakes. The former bishop of Christchurch wanted to demolish the remnants of the old building and build a new, modern cathedral. I won't hide the fact that given New Zealand's brief history I thought that doing away with that little they had wasn't the best idea. There is very little point in rebuilding in a contemporary fashion in the historic centers of Europe but I believe that this way of thinking can be applied to lots of newer countries too... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRKJM6zKvLyTWoN9ClGRYjUQYlNNfqV9XTS5PDShsuCK0PcFovsqEitFMoA2CBWf3Gmy0Sg--dkmHl0NeyH26ou8xXj_Pdumjn0MqANjihkxJOHENXZeRdxOQeqY31XAI6ETnfkcAuJ627InCfyG0MvkGVtV6DZdu7f_nn5UAl2v84-J8Mf0NmpM_n"><img height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRKJM6zKvLyTWoN9ClGRYjUQYlNNfqV9XTS5PDShsuCK0PcFovsqEitFMoA2CBWf3Gmy0Sg--dkmHl0NeyH26ou8xXj_Pdumjn0MqANjihkxJOHENXZeRdxOQeqY31XAI6ETnfkcAuJ627InCfyG0MvkGVtV6DZdu7f_nn5UAl2v84-J8Mf0NmpM_n=w400-h305" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I believe that the reconstruction of the once fine chapel at Virginia Theological College is an example that shouldn't be replicated. The previous space, Immanuel Chapel dating back to 1881, was in an easily recognizable Anglican Neo-Gothic style, but after a fire in 2010, it was rebuilt in a rather underwhelming manner (which in my opinion makes little liturgical sense). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-1kFIGVKudS6VpevF-M4JRA4vZMkkWfFsD3NM0tihS4m9mNzSpL6yOddpARsioXBOW1ePcszIh3yl8YGaVBjrSMSOsWfUpb3qCpCBC9ZsGa3_mK9PnfrcYMqmR-qVC32eZ1pdxFqdK3C50DhgqR0n5woYVM6EJUpe4wUBThYidKuCO6rUnPta7EoW"><img height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-1kFIGVKudS6VpevF-M4JRA4vZMkkWfFsD3NM0tihS4m9mNzSpL6yOddpARsioXBOW1ePcszIh3yl8YGaVBjrSMSOsWfUpb3qCpCBC9ZsGa3_mK9PnfrcYMqmR-qVC32eZ1pdxFqdK3C50DhgqR0n5woYVM6EJUpe4wUBThYidKuCO6rUnPta7EoW=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is even more sad considering the college had more than enough funds to fully rebuild the chapel. Can America afford such departure from history given it has a very short one? I do not think so. How does the picture below reflect the Anglican heritage of the American Episcopal Church? Reforming the social views of a Church is one thing, I do not believe that church architecture, music or liturgy have anything to do with that or either it would be very diminishing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkoS_bKnpdSops18wD2AhC9t_jQEhIjyHOLsPC4EanjTlxrYYKGGUU_i66QZdwYE-HQf8ustKL_9AKn_6JgYBt9sN8Vqu2bNmx1QvG67FYs6MHbdb3a6LOvXG5FRwHtx3jL3R5hUTd7xZz7CurJaXqSaanncec4IgyryZYzT6SKc1Nh5rPoupfX84T"><img height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkoS_bKnpdSops18wD2AhC9t_jQEhIjyHOLsPC4EanjTlxrYYKGGUU_i66QZdwYE-HQf8ustKL_9AKn_6JgYBt9sN8Vqu2bNmx1QvG67FYs6MHbdb3a6LOvXG5FRwHtx3jL3R5hUTd7xZz7CurJaXqSaanncec4IgyryZYzT6SKc1Nh5rPoupfX84T=w400-h218" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then of course there are good ways of doing modern in a historic context well. I can think of the Diamond Jubilee Galleries at Westminster Abbey or the George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor which I believe truly respected the beauty and historical significance of their context and really merge perfectly with the Perpendicular Gothic of the two Royal Peculiars.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6cCUu9DvyykZ3kEz18MbVcwx2M3hYUNDaivDtvcpYrGzcLINLyshGo3lpso0SuZdRsbCc7u9baDREdhI9nsyrifFF1GPmYmr_B_i1ZLtbPXBmc1iEEAlDIjHNM4v4yi7M8UDcxkZLVhUEsPNAdxUFQyZrvofbKj5GDrvgFoiNPrnShaYeQZjvvI7F"><img height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6cCUu9DvyykZ3kEz18MbVcwx2M3hYUNDaivDtvcpYrGzcLINLyshGo3lpso0SuZdRsbCc7u9baDREdhI9nsyrifFF1GPmYmr_B_i1ZLtbPXBmc1iEEAlDIjHNM4v4yi7M8UDcxkZLVhUEsPNAdxUFQyZrvofbKj5GDrvgFoiNPrnShaYeQZjvvI7F=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I cannot in all honesty say the same about the new chapel at Ripon Cuddesdon College. The Bishop Edward King Chapel, dedicated in 2013 has little to do with the churchmanship or historicity of this theological institution and frankly, it doesn't make much sense liturgically. I cannot number many churches with a similar layout - how can future priests relate when the majority of Anglican churches retain a very traditional liturgical space surrounding the sanctuary.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNc3Cp6CrgZ2-RJwLMtVz670tILMktxiwEONVbtiLdZgznKwkPEv52mz9doNzxF58SknN1AHN1dbiJRiooPjXNePTp2eK19ejZeCGCmZasyRKhgd4KMK-Rfo1Ml1x9_WvAXRpNJZK4BxJuOjCcH5RALNZt1-fWotPal32hwcaMb9ibRja6SsyituDh"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNc3Cp6CrgZ2-RJwLMtVz670tILMktxiwEONVbtiLdZgznKwkPEv52mz9doNzxF58SknN1AHN1dbiJRiooPjXNePTp2eK19ejZeCGCmZasyRKhgd4KMK-Rfo1Ml1x9_WvAXRpNJZK4BxJuOjCcH5RALNZt1-fWotPal32hwcaMb9ibRja6SsyituDh=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I believe we can all concur that most people worship with us Anglicans because we render the beauty of holiness rather well, thanks to our musical and liturgical tradition, in beautiful and historic buildings, throughout the world. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9YhgRkD9bd-XzAjkwXqzBC8PaCCFP2Ywm7YRCsX5fVYSzDlWGNCUp39LXkkkMlQj0WB9fbfGT4NlMQ_ABM27w4vXA63CE3h2qaFj8N9WfZIJhZx9bDEoGPrtw8rRVbblSgKGKsUBvfQ2q4WfpAd2LQMYeSpcTRa9NErtHfYVk4div3SKVwGy61nIl"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9YhgRkD9bd-XzAjkwXqzBC8PaCCFP2Ywm7YRCsX5fVYSzDlWGNCUp39LXkkkMlQj0WB9fbfGT4NlMQ_ABM27w4vXA63CE3h2qaFj8N9WfZIJhZx9bDEoGPrtw8rRVbblSgKGKsUBvfQ2q4WfpAd2LQMYeSpcTRa9NErtHfYVk4div3SKVwGy61nIl=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In any case, today I felt the need to do some research and I am glad to find out that the cathedral is being rebuilt as it was, and so will be the churches and cathedrals destroyed by earthquakes in central Italy and by fire in Paris. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGnQKElIwz3IahhPBcNjn6sDUWkAME2xDf3QecsfGUwz4GmfgiIHz4UTMvRken4bxV_TGXpwsGmuEDwhe4ByPA3s_63wd4dyGQ_UvONY3cvEjS2hlpo_lvW5cX1lVxWaqOTncVJbImavRm1wcXVNUfmBnKReJrKmnKekioqVVqV9kyHZGGHGNwCF7G"><img height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGnQKElIwz3IahhPBcNjn6sDUWkAME2xDf3QecsfGUwz4GmfgiIHz4UTMvRken4bxV_TGXpwsGmuEDwhe4ByPA3s_63wd4dyGQ_UvONY3cvEjS2hlpo_lvW5cX1lVxWaqOTncVJbImavRm1wcXVNUfmBnKReJrKmnKekioqVVqV9kyHZGGHGNwCF7G=w400-h222" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As an art historian, I am sometimes glad when clergy are forbidden from taking drastic decisions regarding the fabric of a church building by more responsible people. An example of this not happening when necessary is the following. Trinity Wall Street is of great historic significance as the first church in the city of New York and yet its sanctuary has been modified more often than any of us can probably remember. In the picture below is the latest renovation - what point does that eucharistic iconography over the former altarpiece have now that pews, rails, and altars have been moved around? Shouldn't historic fabrics be maintained as they are? How would the donors that funded all this would feel like after the alterations? I believe continuity is one of the main reasons why lots of people go to church.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgSQznxLMl_inAG5w0B32OW_mMt--zpVmHr-B9A1Q3aeOeNJ0nCCoM4J34zSd8gjj_bWDT_sUI-M4eCHDZHyfV4wt1C9_2IK94A2h19b52b9phgl0n1CY30xg8R5RldlxYkmy3Ksy2enVvmounhF-QubTrH1iqKNzqVBiKQqdDT9iWXeziC9aTmvBZ"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgSQznxLMl_inAG5w0B32OW_mMt--zpVmHr-B9A1Q3aeOeNJ0nCCoM4J34zSd8gjj_bWDT_sUI-M4eCHDZHyfV4wt1C9_2IK94A2h19b52b9phgl0n1CY30xg8R5RldlxYkmy3Ksy2enVvmounhF-QubTrH1iqKNzqVBiKQqdDT9iWXeziC9aTmvBZ=w328-h400" width="328" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trinity Wall Street does a lot of good with the immense wealth upon which it sits; I am not sure this constant pestering with the church structure is such a good idea however. There are certainly other ways to accommodate multiple liturgical styles with temporary furniture that wouldn't alter the historic fabric of a church building. A church can do mission without altering its structure - or at least in a less invasive way. Hopefully, this is more of a generational transition that indeed seems to be ceasing as the younger generations are ordained. There is a real hunger for beauty at this moment. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZzSR4T6T1HRODrrWNDxK2xjNB1gxbg6oVwN2LHUbMOdEpkXPbyB9kr10X-YfKgFzm-HcfIu_LDlm6umqyuMSQrsLurPx6TV2xjHGk7rA6_wTVtp_tBc6WbXO84hT9qcoPOKVDPFX5omuSRSlx80p7aUMFxPwUSu38mVqIYwK2Y9jDWBkjdx9_0zSQ"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZzSR4T6T1HRODrrWNDxK2xjNB1gxbg6oVwN2LHUbMOdEpkXPbyB9kr10X-YfKgFzm-HcfIu_LDlm6umqyuMSQrsLurPx6TV2xjHGk7rA6_wTVtp_tBc6WbXO84hT9qcoPOKVDPFX5omuSRSlx80p7aUMFxPwUSu38mVqIYwK2Y9jDWBkjdx9_0zSQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am really hoping to worshipping in the restored Christchurch Cathedral one day. Beauty fills the soul as much as grain does. Without art and respect for our history, we would be like other animals. This is only my humble opinion. In a world in which Churches or governments change or update their beautiful arms with modern logos, I am happy when one King Charles III chooses a traditional cypher for his reign. It means that the world is still hungry for beauty. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi26aw8XkpvEHf26AYS5p4YZt0YTjF1PemG7CvO-3Htk8EtJkd_OYWpou3Vq1bsPgy-0O5lqbUdU6N-57twXbDqmSG7c41ZflYfpB4VC_tMzND_hhR63hS2fGZfn1PJ3DkEu4ekM_KnXF9ZoV--YIR5SxjxqLS7mk28jOWN2mHNk0W6kDwlNjONciHz"><img height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi26aw8XkpvEHf26AYS5p4YZt0YTjF1PemG7CvO-3Htk8EtJkd_OYWpou3Vq1bsPgy-0O5lqbUdU6N-57twXbDqmSG7c41ZflYfpB4VC_tMzND_hhR63hS2fGZfn1PJ3DkEu4ekM_KnXF9ZoV--YIR5SxjxqLS7mk28jOWN2mHNk0W6kDwlNjONciHz=w400-h334" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well done, New Zealand. I am glad that good sense, and love for one nation's heritage has triumphed over economic interests. It seems like the future is going to be run by people hungry for beauty and transcendental aesthetics which we all crave for when seeking encounter with God.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-78621040510324825762022-09-29T18:32:00.003+02:002022-10-20T09:31:52.124+02:00Celebrating the Royal Family in Rome<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7tDLfl2ate4PEK8H1u1LmhvZ_D_vL70uKvaxmzkLAX9btbEnzhYaEegD1bFeqp_dEunm9P6jhYTyAmNDtRyULw49RbB15vBtv5rNZV21DwlWkwTP6qp7ppujDgRMHLY5GohHMxdYXWLy1fMDA7igbqA0GIiqVHLz7FOyuvMvwF-md51uJFGq-2AA-"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7tDLfl2ate4PEK8H1u1LmhvZ_D_vL70uKvaxmzkLAX9btbEnzhYaEegD1bFeqp_dEunm9P6jhYTyAmNDtRyULw49RbB15vBtv5rNZV21DwlWkwTP6qp7ppujDgRMHLY5GohHMxdYXWLy1fMDA7igbqA0GIiqVHLz7FOyuvMvwF-md51uJFGq-2AA-=w299-h400" width="299" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Monday, we held a remembrance service for HM Queen Elizabeth II at All Saints' church in Rome. She worshipped with us in 1951 as Princess Elizabeth with Prince Philip. They would continue to visit our city another four times. This was only the last of many great services surrounding the most important events of the monarchy, since our foundation, like every Anglican church did at some point, being an expat church and an embassy chapel to HM the King, that still continues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIwbsTIIHRh6WseCUF8a_-lQV1hO2TYQb3_wzgo-9k7GuS5EjzxHmXKc_3GBKDYGBJ6Sg2QhquXn36vSM6l3XLDR6zYlfgryWp54C4L1neAVJtTeEWBe0W2OK9kwtBO9WHrFS8bdwiB2_MCXPPdbE_wVy3PstxNN7KqOlMDIRUr_562bZs1d_QkzUo"><img height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIwbsTIIHRh6WseCUF8a_-lQV1hO2TYQb3_wzgo-9k7GuS5EjzxHmXKc_3GBKDYGBJ6Sg2QhquXn36vSM6l3XLDR6zYlfgryWp54C4L1neAVJtTeEWBe0W2OK9kwtBO9WHrFS8bdwiB2_MCXPPdbE_wVy3PstxNN7KqOlMDIRUr_562bZs1d_QkzUo=w400-h301" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the turn of the last century, we had a grand service in memory of Queen Victoria, attended by the Garibaldi family; then another one for George V, attended by the then Italian King.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIW9d6AxoMf57J2MZsNnPNfVuhz_faVsOXFrk0heqQiprgGEQVoauvL3lYb65mFx1jpCNPbVUWisBum1IcS1rK2CDkwtC_tLtU13krd5U3sqE6pOuktW5W7ekpBA0YfeiFZqv1JRdpDIebNyBw0DzDkMaSJVI7s6lVQ3YWhK18Wsl_dR5uf4ItupKG"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIW9d6AxoMf57J2MZsNnPNfVuhz_faVsOXFrk0heqQiprgGEQVoauvL3lYb65mFx1jpCNPbVUWisBum1IcS1rK2CDkwtC_tLtU13krd5U3sqE6pOuktW5W7ekpBA0YfeiFZqv1JRdpDIebNyBw0DzDkMaSJVI7s6lVQ3YWhK18Wsl_dR5uf4ItupKG=w285-h400" width="285" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As well as services commemorating the coronations and deaths of George VI and his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG1-GO20HF6sLLADAr0DYodrstR7nwP70ouz8qirbGXnGSTlyUwoG7M0gSaG1AFIEDcMWkB1EPDE9y3WdOAskNZAeJw2bHYhHh-QKR1zLFMI4NiVaySvUUNI6MSSekWbhbqlaEUfqvAJRSpRmf_PczEtVqBlogHM1yLAzNEMpQEdX5opcFmi7jCGAU"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG1-GO20HF6sLLADAr0DYodrstR7nwP70ouz8qirbGXnGSTlyUwoG7M0gSaG1AFIEDcMWkB1EPDE9y3WdOAskNZAeJw2bHYhHh-QKR1zLFMI4NiVaySvUUNI6MSSekWbhbqlaEUfqvAJRSpRmf_PczEtVqBlogHM1yLAzNEMpQEdX5opcFmi7jCGAU=w280-h400" width="280" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzuQ3MbpZuuGgkvhhLK9YeK4LTUZxQ1El1U3XPU3PJlnVONT24xVT_pfvL5mGZ2r4R5xibr4CLiwLIq1lpZ26hdiYLoYGNWLVN3qFx6zFC0BK-9-Q8SGBQRgvKlG6qbe4K87ctNTNhcd0EYwwCeGLmxYFnOrEUBps4MZy5icd-CRHHuIaHIxs0o48L"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzuQ3MbpZuuGgkvhhLK9YeK4LTUZxQ1El1U3XPU3PJlnVONT24xVT_pfvL5mGZ2r4R5xibr4CLiwLIq1lpZ26hdiYLoYGNWLVN3qFx6zFC0BK-9-Q8SGBQRgvKlG6qbe4K87ctNTNhcd0EYwwCeGLmxYFnOrEUBps4MZy5icd-CRHHuIaHIxs0o48L=w275-h400" width="275" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Members of the Royal Family have worshipped with us since the days of the Granary Chapel at the Porta del Popolo. More recently Princess Margaret was a regular here during her Italian holidays. We now look forward to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXYCNqbUX7MlXWQDlUGQZ1YDMFL4axhzI9uF1TfvwQ5qtNZevCQ62IwTqU-ye0wETPlk1vJ4VJWhhCKdhnmSB6fl-dhv4Ue7PSNMplZRR78uJ7XFFEqlW9jFmTf5Hy7UgbuP57lQkGd9p7Ta2PTzBo4jThDzHhh0VV0nEQGTJblU5Oucg1kjRs8d_Z"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXYCNqbUX7MlXWQDlUGQZ1YDMFL4axhzI9uF1TfvwQ5qtNZevCQ62IwTqU-ye0wETPlk1vJ4VJWhhCKdhnmSB6fl-dhv4Ue7PSNMplZRR78uJ7XFFEqlW9jFmTf5Hy7UgbuP57lQkGd9p7Ta2PTzBo4jThDzHhh0VV0nEQGTJblU5Oucg1kjRs8d_Z=w259-h400" width="259" /></a></div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-69256532039681301562022-09-28T13:22:00.002+02:002022-10-20T09:30:14.366+02:00Westminster Abbey: Saint Edward the Confessor<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivg-1WWlILE9ecD4hPNTvr16mP-JRhOIvH7XH2IVqFflGTU26WGvsOJnEOPMf9f01142KX4ywQcXbjknH6q_6oDUgsiBESAC5G_mCF4F5jMaA31q4Bfid4rxnlByBlPeBxs3K1DJ0MfcTmAMSVhM0e5U0pJsTuEbN2zRfAC0xnVzS3GR7ztPmSAWfR"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivg-1WWlILE9ecD4hPNTvr16mP-JRhOIvH7XH2IVqFflGTU26WGvsOJnEOPMf9f01142KX4ywQcXbjknH6q_6oDUgsiBESAC5G_mCF4F5jMaA31q4Bfid4rxnlByBlPeBxs3K1DJ0MfcTmAMSVhM0e5U0pJsTuEbN2zRfAC0xnVzS3GR7ztPmSAWfR=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have always felt a strong connection to Westminster Abbey in London; I first visited it with my mother when I was a young boy. It is then that I found that my patron saint is buried there. I was named Edoardo after Edward the Confessor. I have ever since attended many times this magnificent house of worship dedicated to Peter, the patron saint of my own hometown, Rome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyjIEOvDjEbdBjqCZFwNuI3xNbC0tBE0PAVd6wEQFt-sA_K3TXWA9MW-k8srwi2arSiIPWMfi0_Dvy8GzaGl-U2HhFy6KmpHXrTSJKYxMQapBmESVqtL98lihJA59ULDuwzOaFvOZoHkuIALBPcwsedRo7q8rzDj9CaL0gkYieV2Num1hFVsxfQIKC"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyjIEOvDjEbdBjqCZFwNuI3xNbC0tBE0PAVd6wEQFt-sA_K3TXWA9MW-k8srwi2arSiIPWMfi0_Dvy8GzaGl-U2HhFy6KmpHXrTSJKYxMQapBmESVqtL98lihJA59ULDuwzOaFvOZoHkuIALBPcwsedRo7q8rzDj9CaL0gkYieV2Num1hFVsxfQIKC=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the heart of the Abbey is the shrine of Saint Edward the Confessor, the very reason of how this church became a royal peculiar in the first place, the church of the coronations, weddings, and funerals of Britain’s monarchs. Edward the Confessor, King lies in this architectural testament to British history and his crest still triumphs over the flag of Westminster to this day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh61md8lCVOrhKXDvIxXAnvZ7fVQwWqlVl3hBk0gZnOxaGrysInKQyDixQoepzvks6sFAKuPPN7w9EFEGMNqmL_JcbBmFdub88-B_pqKfxBcWw3HfnophYIlKupiiCxvmGZPQMYCODhF4PfyTnUbEwAo-r622uSYM4C91G6v_-dzZisW0Ca0inqGoYh"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh61md8lCVOrhKXDvIxXAnvZ7fVQwWqlVl3hBk0gZnOxaGrysInKQyDixQoepzvks6sFAKuPPN7w9EFEGMNqmL_JcbBmFdub88-B_pqKfxBcWw3HfnophYIlKupiiCxvmGZPQMYCODhF4PfyTnUbEwAo-r622uSYM4C91G6v_-dzZisW0Ca0inqGoYh=w454-h640" width="454" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Who was he? Edward, was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England and he was born in Islip, Oxfordshire between 1002 and 1005 AD. He was the eighth son of King Ethelred the Unready and Emma, he was driven into exile in Normandy by the Danes and vowed that if he would have ever returned to England, he would have made a pilgrimage to Rome in thanksgiving. After 28 years in France, he eventually returned to England, succeeding his half-brother Harthacnut, he was crowned at Winchester Cathedral in 1043.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, once on the throne, a busy Edward found it impossible to visit Rome and the Pope released him from his vow on the condition that he would dedicate a great monastery to Saint Peter. At the time, he head just established his new Palace of Westminster on the banks of the river Thames, it was there that the king would restore and enlarge a Benedictine monastery that already existed nearby, founded in 960 AD under the patronage of King Edgar and Saint Dunstan. The large church he built was dedicated to Saint Peter and it became known as Westminster, in opposition to the Eastminster which was St. Paul’s Cathedral, in the City of London.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUzVUG87Ys1ZRAcstcMh3B2Rb88RqohOGnDHv9FmcqSp4NRAWWIXsbYQ3pcnLuoVnyR6dXHhWLJ9fRt9MGm8dLnMERlJns02shChLXcX6wqzVnn89b8wUHUR6S51QHIfLTToSJLJ07afxBLKGjXxsy1eYszbQPKlTZ61DqQx_wLe6X7y0eCAz4yZse"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUzVUG87Ys1ZRAcstcMh3B2Rb88RqohOGnDHv9FmcqSp4NRAWWIXsbYQ3pcnLuoVnyR6dXHhWLJ9fRt9MGm8dLnMERlJns02shChLXcX6wqzVnn89b8wUHUR6S51QHIfLTToSJLJ07afxBLKGjXxsy1eYszbQPKlTZ61DqQx_wLe6X7y0eCAz4yZse=w640-h320" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new church was consecrated on Holy Innocents’ Day, 28th December 1065, the king died a few days later, on 5th January 1066. The burial procession from Westminster Hall to the Abbey, is shown in the renowned Bayeux Tapestry. The king was buried the following day on the Epiphany, before the High Altar in the church he erected and where he rested for almost a hundred years, until 13th October 1162, when his body was translated into a new shrine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4xaGNi1cGh6cfMuC6VTEQxwfCyp2KtTamWl-7nSQSdE1rXgXR9HzJkP5oGZ6H8T4LAM35vLUPz0T01bc5AN9J1yVCr-qlFpLZ_niLmg7Im74PEq8Z0JyKdJ-1MTX8IsnytzlqcWPYvoG3iPi1TWHDlO_Pl13uxh2xAvRZ-cuCizVOkRF3iKnwGQaK"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4xaGNi1cGh6cfMuC6VTEQxwfCyp2KtTamWl-7nSQSdE1rXgXR9HzJkP5oGZ6H8T4LAM35vLUPz0T01bc5AN9J1yVCr-qlFpLZ_niLmg7Im74PEq8Z0JyKdJ-1MTX8IsnytzlqcWPYvoG3iPi1TWHDlO_Pl13uxh2xAvRZ-cuCizVOkRF3iKnwGQaK=w432-h640" width="432" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The king’s piety had greatly endeared him to his people and he came to be regarded as a saint long before he was officially canonized as a Saint and Confessor by Pope Alexander III in 1161. He was associated with many legends, the most notable one is when he was riding by a church in Essex when an old man asked for alms, the king gave him his large ring - a few years later, two pilgrims in the Holy Land became stranded and were helped by an old man from England who said he was Saint John the Evangelist and asked them to return the ring to Edward, telling him that in six months he would have joined him in heaven. This is one of fourteen scenes from the king’s life found in the Medieval Abbey screen, together with the coronation, his birth, an apparition of Christ, and the dedication of the Abbey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4SJZQiUOLkewyKQs3CbBe7MZ-GjLPVpfbxFwHOaMKqNVPV25swef6NKfYM9LG_dzETh1iOlCxqEBTMeD3MUq7W-Uh7RRFCSJwpl4WLWIfS5b6Iu3oGi05cBGPu7NUBQpOz51m0Hgm5UBrCB3rP06CbofNYeUwXe-rWt77Reao_Tb3R0Q96wJh1LK7"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4SJZQiUOLkewyKQs3CbBe7MZ-GjLPVpfbxFwHOaMKqNVPV25swef6NKfYM9LG_dzETh1iOlCxqEBTMeD3MUq7W-Uh7RRFCSJwpl4WLWIfS5b6Iu3oGi05cBGPu7NUBQpOz51m0Hgm5UBrCB3rP06CbofNYeUwXe-rWt77Reao_Tb3R0Q96wJh1LK7=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Edward’s Romanesque monastery stood for some two hundred years until 1245, when King Henry III began to rebuild a much grander Abbey in honor of Saint Edward to whom he was especially devoted. The new church was consecrated on 13th October 1269, when Edward’s remains were moved to the current shrine behind the High Altar. King Henry, his brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall and his two sons, bore the coffin on their shoulders in a solemn procession. The new shrine was richly decorated with Italian Cosmetic mosaics, by Pietro di Oderisio.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrda5NC0N575eWABz3_3vDUKGbAsCiRwmI4lTp8Pm8ski_UQ5YySe1m5ZnrZAw_THKolgj7KEyrcyjzn_yKeTosoqSid7XIHNO_-q908jNqVdRAmESzh05d7_yv2ESll4dD2L2oOawOVIdeCn6TnPAcIp4ZOkaVAHf2x3Z7jEgNONJGmlWNLP6d35G"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrda5NC0N575eWABz3_3vDUKGbAsCiRwmI4lTp8Pm8ski_UQ5YySe1m5ZnrZAw_THKolgj7KEyrcyjzn_yKeTosoqSid7XIHNO_-q908jNqVdRAmESzh05d7_yv2ESll4dD2L2oOawOVIdeCn6TnPAcIp4ZOkaVAHf2x3Z7jEgNONJGmlWNLP6d35G=w421-h640" width="421" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The King was so devoted to Saint Edward, that following his death in 1272, he was buried in a Purbeck marble tomb in the Confessor’s chapel, where a further four kings and four queens were lated buried.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh88IhmGLro7QVhCX1XZdgX63f1AsDZnQQKdghzRy8EDSE9h8KoLukgl9ScG7NmX8XHg4vlgEf7ZNS8I5E5s92kzdaWmb8yasvU7d3Z5tNrciaK5pW-3tpIB24qs8g5H_RkUvCLAfz_5IvNugvOZAnvU5812lvQyqYft9a6LFxMs2sJqTJfnApWXTG3"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh88IhmGLro7QVhCX1XZdgX63f1AsDZnQQKdghzRy8EDSE9h8KoLukgl9ScG7NmX8XHg4vlgEf7ZNS8I5E5s92kzdaWmb8yasvU7d3Z5tNrciaK5pW-3tpIB24qs8g5H_RkUvCLAfz_5IvNugvOZAnvU5812lvQyqYft9a6LFxMs2sJqTJfnApWXTG3=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A cult of Saint Edward has grown up and he became England’s patron saint, until he was superseded by Saint George in the 14th century after the Crusades. The sick made pilgrimages to the shrine and knelt in the recess to pray for healing or loved ones, a tradition which continues to this day. It is incredibly touching to kneel on the very stone, carved by thousands of pilgrims in the thousand years before us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTPFGePGgxCQYhVtwtkUmAc-KkL4UA1Wh2OlEp78VUlHQF3TjB9MdTX2Av3OOHZ47fYmI6shyRePF9fmXuensr6vIevo6wm4eZ4EWXqlgG1XC5UVLIZuuPPrnBmdmH5fzElYBBnqwNlsUOJBprRysS8fC7KJXDoKVhQPSPMMyxFIe-j232VjVCL4cw"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTPFGePGgxCQYhVtwtkUmAc-KkL4UA1Wh2OlEp78VUlHQF3TjB9MdTX2Av3OOHZ47fYmI6shyRePF9fmXuensr6vIevo6wm4eZ4EWXqlgG1XC5UVLIZuuPPrnBmdmH5fzElYBBnqwNlsUOJBprRysS8fC7KJXDoKVhQPSPMMyxFIe-j232VjVCL4cw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Every year, the Octave of Saint Edward is celebrated in the Abbey between 13th - 18th October. A national pilgrimage to the shrine is held, with worshippers coming from across the United Kingdom and further afield. As someone named after this saint, visiting the shrine of Edward the Confessor has always been one of the most powerful faith experiences in my life.</div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-66813995567150804632022-09-26T13:33:00.004+02:002022-10-20T09:19:44.802+02:00Sermon preached at St. Andrew's Church of Scotland in Rome on September 25, 2022 in memory of HM Queen Elizabeth II<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGVVStsGUEXhmqRvgxecFS5BcU61ZxTNhMw9Grb5zbY_hLPsjtD81ZTKVMmwp_2-EteIKQnPjEev4DlwsNzs_wHvdD00FXqwHLVUxJxVuEG4vbr9lBXIuZBOhpvkIPiSBS9ZMLnMevln-6N6vmxNVH7dZ6Qzx1hL_t3KFZM9-QBkTXQCiuno0FNhgd=w640-h436" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two weeks ago, the world bid farewell to one of the greatest leaders of the 20th and 21st centuries. Queen Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years. She was crowned in a world ruled by men, she oversaw scientific and humanitarian achievements. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her first prime minister was Sir Winston Churchill, she helped disestablishing the British Empire and oversaw the formation of the Commonwealth of Nations; she helped to bring an end to apartheid in South Africa, she witnessed the first man on the moon, she flew on the supersonic Concorde, she even used social media. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She reigned without error for 70 years; years of service and dedication to her people. Queen Elizabeth II was a woman like no other. A true and strong leader who promised to serve her people until the end - which is exactly what she did.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The late Queen was also a strong believer. She was the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and when in Scotland, she upheld the Presbyterian faith of the Church of Scotland, and indeed, she died as one.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She was also a Christian servant, like many of us - when she was anointed Queen, she accepted a role of prominence, a role that gives immense responsibility - the orb she held was a cross of both power and servanthood. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To me, she was a great example of a devoted Christian; many will remember her Christmas messages, deeply rooted in the Gospel - lately, her Easter message too. She never failed to deliver Christ’s word of resurrection life. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two favorite quotes of the late Queen remind me of her strong faith: <i>Genuine human happiness and satisfaction lie more in giving than receiving; more in serving than in being served </i>and<i> We can surely be grateful that, two thousand years after the birth of Jesus, so many of us are able to draw inspiration from his life and message, and to find in him a source of strength and courage</i>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last week, over half of the world’s population watched her funeral either on tv or on some other form of media. It was a grand service, something whose grandeur we might not witness for the rest of our lives. The service reminded us that she belonged in history with the great women of ages past; Elizabeth I, Victoria. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, if one payed attention to the funeral itself, taking away the beauty of the music, architecture, pageantry - one would have noticed that the words of the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England did not refer to her as Queen, but as a mere woman, Elizabeth, perished like many others before her. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was made even more real when her crown, orb and sceptre were placed on the altar at the end of the last service at St. George's Windsor. What does that signify? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It signifies that even a great person such as her, anointed by God... was also a simple saint like many of us who walk on this earth, and that finally she joined the great company of heaven, together with our dear ones; the simplest and poorest, the smartest and richest. The late Queen was always aware of that and her faith remains a testimony of this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The funeral was marked by the colors purple and white, one representing royalty since time immemorial, the other representing the resurrection - this is how the rich man in today’s Gospel was dressed too. On the other hand, we have poor Lazarus, finding himself in the poorest state of human conditions. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the end both died, the poor Lazarus was taken up by angels, the other one ended up in Hades, begging for help from Lazarus. The moral of the story is that Luke warns us to not exceed in our lives without being considerate of our neighbor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">How are we considerate of our neighbor? There are many themes besides wealth that can apply to this. How can we feast or travel or enjoy our comfortable Western lives without being considerate of the environment for example. How do we respect our neighbor? Sometimes it is about making the right political choice, casting down the right vote - taking that decision that will enable our least unfortunate neighbor to benefit from our decision. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That can mean not doing business with a certain company, not buying their products, not electing a certain leader and of course not exploiting our planet earth and this very fragile ecosystem in which we all belong. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mistreating our planet means that someone else, somewhere else might lose their livelihoods. It’s difficult to try and be sensitive about these issues, and the late Queen certainly was, today King Charles III brings forth those ideas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We don’t have to be kings or queens in order to make a difference though, our help can come in our own personal ways. Each small brick helps building the collective mansion in which we all belong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am not intending to turn this into a memorial service, but I think it is important to remember the great events and people of history. Especially those that contributed to the common good and our collective faith in an important manner - and in this case, what I also admire is that in a way it is easier to relate to her than to other holier figures. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Realistically, she was a Christian we can all identify with - she was a mother, her children didn’t always behave, she didn’t profess her faith from the pulpit, but from the pew. I really appreciated this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why does half the world respect this wealthy elderly woman so much? Because she worked hard, cared about her neighbor and she never feasted lavishly - at least not in the way that our character in the Gospel did. Jesus wants to remind us to be good stewards of creation and of our more vulnerable sister or brother, he doesn’t want us to become puritans. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is one thing for certain, our time on earth here is very short. I am still young but I am more than a quarter of century old, I know time goes very quickly. I remember being a teenager like it was yesterday, when I felt powerful... but it all goes very quickly. We are not remembered for our bad deeds but for our good ones. We have to use our time on earth at our own advantage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If there is something not going right in our lives we should try and fix it. Why not make that phone call to that relative of friend who’s a bit aggressive, he probably suffered a lot. Why not make the most out of our planet without spoiling it? If we were all to make certain kind of changes collectively, the world would be a much better place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you think, well, what if I am nice and then my neighbour is rude in return? What if I stop using plastic and then my neighbor throws his trash in the street? What is my portion all for? Why should I vote if they’re all bad? It is this kind of mentality which doesn’t allow us to strive for the common good and find a good solution to many of our common problems. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We don’t have to be kings or queens, or presidents or senators, or astronauts, singers or artists to make a change. We are more powerful than that, ultimately. It is together that we are strong in Christ, it is together that Christ is in us, as the body; the Church. There is no time to fight earthly battles, because in the end we all become dust - crowns will be deposed, academic titles will be no more, money will be no more - queens and maids will be equal, as we have seen very well last week. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We witnessed history; Queen Elizabeth II joined Elizabeth I, Victoria and all the great women of history but ultimately what is it that happened? A woman joined her father, mother, sister and husband in a relatively common tomb.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the late Queen’s favorite hymns used during her Platinum Jubilee also happens to be one of my favorite hymns. It is a hymn that reminds us of our frailty and that we only have but a short time. It is in this short time that we should try and make a change. We are all servants of one another, we are all children of God - together, we are Christ’s body. Let us make this together happen so that we may see the final day. We will wither, but our home remains steady to welcome us in.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>To all life thou givest— </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>to both great and small;</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>In all life thou livest, the true life of all; </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And wither and perish—</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>but nought changeth thee.</i></div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-63338954706957108752022-09-08T20:31:00.026+02:002022-10-20T09:27:22.066+02:00Tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1HU-boy-aphna67fh9gH7MMPTfZdpKJ6kxwKdys74f3Jko_PKpG6EDHjmenmKfZKTcs9AS2PbtLjYNnIjdAl7Kvng0sASyCsSz5pAXSLpYRDuuZZdpxiT4_7NM0NZPeQuMXtk2eQM3OeD73OMSf2RgbswXK4qxSF8_bBf8zvUHR49MXDrMF2Vw-PL"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1HU-boy-aphna67fh9gH7MMPTfZdpKJ6kxwKdys74f3Jko_PKpG6EDHjmenmKfZKTcs9AS2PbtLjYNnIjdAl7Kvng0sASyCsSz5pAXSLpYRDuuZZdpxiT4_7NM0NZPeQuMXtk2eQM3OeD73OMSf2RgbswXK4qxSF8_bBf8zvUHR49MXDrMF2Vw-PL=w640-h480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, officially Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. The late Queen was born on 21st April 1926 on Bruton Street, Mayfair in London, the capital of what was then the British Empire. She was the elder daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York and of his wife, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. She was christened on May 29, 1926 at Buckingham Palace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqqsJy5595FB985uuNI8VPKJcdqiCPqVJEbnbp5pcbfeS_NO4KE_BByaPtsxIUti88rFkTGfATdFqAxpDduo8kCkJNU_FEOyD3j6av-g4ifHG1_lAuOYrRGBlcN7XXCtY4doBM98c5y2vyuwhMfZPmTbX61o9GhoAxgDIr_EbRB-TKZidg1Ljp9QlE"><img height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqqsJy5595FB985uuNI8VPKJcdqiCPqVJEbnbp5pcbfeS_NO4KE_BByaPtsxIUti88rFkTGfATdFqAxpDduo8kCkJNU_FEOyD3j6av-g4ifHG1_lAuOYrRGBlcN7XXCtY4doBM98c5y2vyuwhMfZPmTbX61o9GhoAxgDIr_EbRB-TKZidg1Ljp9QlE=w640-h492" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When she was born, it seemed very unlikely that she would become Queen, however this changed when her uncle, Edward VIII (later known as the Duke of Windsor), abdicated in her father’s favor on December 11, 1936 - her father became King George VI and Elizabeth became heir presumptive. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGpFxhsqsjB2kv-U4k_jLKS6Db5ohSNrnCTl6s5xHmKzw2-yz809O2GoLEx6j2ak8Bw_DXxm1GDckymPnxng75FgI8UBZF1EKyeZm3uXPlDZL125vaM3EFoj12SsfFy8WmcZP0kyexMoOr4XeswKpNSusxaGasbp60EJOXKNMetENbst4-qcPhoGb2"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGpFxhsqsjB2kv-U4k_jLKS6Db5ohSNrnCTl6s5xHmKzw2-yz809O2GoLEx6j2ak8Bw_DXxm1GDckymPnxng75FgI8UBZF1EKyeZm3uXPlDZL125vaM3EFoj12SsfFy8WmcZP0kyexMoOr4XeswKpNSusxaGasbp60EJOXKNMetENbst4-qcPhoGb2=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The young princess had a broad education in history, music, and languages. She even trained as a lifeguard. During World War II, the Queen and her sister, Princess Margaret Rose, spent their time away from London, in the safety of Balmoral Castle or at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Castle. In October 1940, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a driver and mechanic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSUi22sfA-MpbbPPtpsuMf3b7HXS8tpJtQ8A_zRe1-TuflQ867odu1KkkwmEO1bef4r8k1ESaB8-fKQsSqTxx8vQjLn-bgw_j0FiFGcV6HUxKAUU-UrKgI982qxfh7P9D13DbLfjYrjwD6MXry4tOkEvhps1VvWDEYpiYu7nCEqiynbikPpx2xNdra"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSUi22sfA-MpbbPPtpsuMf3b7HXS8tpJtQ8A_zRe1-TuflQ867odu1KkkwmEO1bef4r8k1ESaB8-fKQsSqTxx8vQjLn-bgw_j0FiFGcV6HUxKAUU-UrKgI982qxfh7P9D13DbLfjYrjwD6MXry4tOkEvhps1VvWDEYpiYu7nCEqiynbikPpx2xNdra=w640-h400" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Early in 1947, Princess Elizabeth went with the king and queen on a trip to South Africa, after her return, there was an announcement of her betrothal to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten of the Royal Navy, formerly Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. Their marriage took place on November 20, 1947 at Westminster Abbey. On the eve of the wedding, her father conferred upon the prince, the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich. They took residence at Clarence House in London. These were happy years for the couple, spent between Britain and Malta - where some of their best memories were formed. Their first child, Prince Charles (Charles Philip Arthur George, future King Charles III), who was born on November 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuhrFMbzfe7qDtk4y3Uwi-BNPOMgm5klFdhRJUBNKvOXq3aUgSNf0GGM40qAnvgUTtcjTVEF-arHQtZf46mIibxjdYnUxj8ZkZ9-QcHBUfeE0w3sroQ2Nx6weGxqzHEVKP2iWxvvS4ABDaV6COc2WhTpgsL2D0yt8i5bYT0H8wd_gs0-vnoukc0mA7"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuhrFMbzfe7qDtk4y3Uwi-BNPOMgm5klFdhRJUBNKvOXq3aUgSNf0GGM40qAnvgUTtcjTVEF-arHQtZf46mIibxjdYnUxj8ZkZ9-QcHBUfeE0w3sroQ2Nx6weGxqzHEVKP2iWxvvS4ABDaV6COc2WhTpgsL2D0yt8i5bYT0H8wd_gs0-vnoukc0mA7=w503-h640" width="503" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was the summer of 1951, when the health of King George VI started to enter into a serious decline, Princess Elizabeth represented him at the Trooping of the Colour and on various other state occasions. In early October, the couple went on a successful tour of Canada and the United States. After Christmas in the UK, the duke and princess once again set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand, but on en route to Sagana, Kenya - they received the news of the King’s death on February 6, 1952.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd15jE8ykcV-uStSvwAg-t1fX-UabbedFWSPfKX4kPyN7HSEqvtH94SFerCiLgQv-9UtkHMPKDKwtX0U6Zrek1eyLV6Zy51_6q7C7neXaPVgpYZwT1pHexockDy8kcymhbnzCYCFmaQFGXh4LT7T2QSI01pjAaJ0y_lmBIBO-b7mPOC3GNudx9YFqP"><img height="531" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd15jE8ykcV-uStSvwAg-t1fX-UabbedFWSPfKX4kPyN7HSEqvtH94SFerCiLgQv-9UtkHMPKDKwtX0U6Zrek1eyLV6Zy51_6q7C7neXaPVgpYZwT1pHexockDy8kcymhbnzCYCFmaQFGXh4LT7T2QSI01pjAaJ0y_lmBIBO-b7mPOC3GNudx9YFqP=w640-h531" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Queen Elizabeth II, immediately flew back to England. The first three months of her reign were a period of mourning for her father. In the summer, the Queen moved from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace, where she began to undertake official duties as monarch - she carried out her first state opening of Parliament on November 4, 1952. Her historic Coronation, the first to be televised, was held at Westminster Abbey, on June 2, 1953.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzV8-7KBTBQlTjZHGWR_34PLDO-0LFmo5F7fY9S2UhycDaUJYohure9jaCCRQd8QXBSnFXRUL-plfGcIRBMhH-riFvmqoO4OQbN_G48wb7jfvQANUdQ2CgRPpn0UrJvFwMOy64NLABiJvhdW0lUkOHpWTdNeGvEJ5q_6ZLgG5xQSjqOaKVKJ64frR0"><img height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzV8-7KBTBQlTjZHGWR_34PLDO-0LFmo5F7fY9S2UhycDaUJYohure9jaCCRQd8QXBSnFXRUL-plfGcIRBMhH-riFvmqoO4OQbN_G48wb7jfvQANUdQ2CgRPpn0UrJvFwMOy64NLABiJvhdW0lUkOHpWTdNeGvEJ5q_6ZLgG5xQSjqOaKVKJ64frR0=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Queen's first prime minister was Sir Winston Churchill. The man who led Britain into victory and with whom she always shared a special relationship. He was notoriously the only Prime Minister with whom she was on a first name basis.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5JK5z46GUMz-MkFz67STUWD5_1D_FZ58NsjLvOegi83j9h7nboAnvMXW_JOIM-wM7EfJVTHmabv99MeRwE03Xd5X89NFORHJSNVpaVv6MqwZa_tTxvsDLPwy6PfyejSu1PO3MtyYNGMGMKKfO86pakim25Z_52jkHXN5JYqY29Nu9ot-BmnM6508Z"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5JK5z46GUMz-MkFz67STUWD5_1D_FZ58NsjLvOegi83j9h7nboAnvMXW_JOIM-wM7EfJVTHmabv99MeRwE03Xd5X89NFORHJSNVpaVv6MqwZa_tTxvsDLPwy6PfyejSu1PO3MtyYNGMGMKKfO86pakim25Z_52jkHXN5JYqY29Nu9ot-BmnM6508Z=w640-h400" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beginning in November 1953, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh made a six-month round-the-world tour of the Commonwealth, which included the first visits of a reigning monarch to Australia and New Zealand. In 1957, after visiting various European nations, including Italy, the Queen and the Duke visited Canada and the United States once again. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuSq6L7EucF6VHrUWFS5XGyU9W5FN2r42tSMDfiXCzq21QZDQGDPLMAPjgVAzCufffEbvl1hyY3cJc3mOk2MaWDjVNx-g1uGNQ9AUN2FDQbxHoqiIT6P0EFqDrM32AdM1KjDGMjoi6RXT4vpBAWxKCOXNyyjS7Gqe4G71JTFzBJDbGF2-5B7wB6gND"><img height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuSq6L7EucF6VHrUWFS5XGyU9W5FN2r42tSMDfiXCzq21QZDQGDPLMAPjgVAzCufffEbvl1hyY3cJc3mOk2MaWDjVNx-g1uGNQ9AUN2FDQbxHoqiIT6P0EFqDrM32AdM1KjDGMjoi6RXT4vpBAWxKCOXNyyjS7Gqe4G71JTFzBJDbGF2-5B7wB6gND=w640-h384" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Queen was being taken around the world by her favorite HMY Britannia, which remained in service until 1997. In 1961, the couple made the first royal tour of India in 50 years, she was also the first reigning monarch to visit South America (in 1968) and the Persian Gulf (1979). In 1977, she celebrated her Silver Jubilee and once again travelled all over the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the whole Commonwealth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkl7oAvuuZlaw6aDtzW-2-WJUw7-8HwZWdYljN4xvfjkIgHSfIwdAfaUMDnz5-aTH8FsVsmgZIm3m-kgihdyrHvFuWv5aXlMakdC7dapKGfBjQnRBf2VVcMAdlhBHbqXZ-4HMvL6ZXJ8BwXdBScX17XutDttmvyuyn29U7gX5wgFEKMEk3dhzidGqp"><img height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkl7oAvuuZlaw6aDtzW-2-WJUw7-8HwZWdYljN4xvfjkIgHSfIwdAfaUMDnz5-aTH8FsVsmgZIm3m-kgihdyrHvFuWv5aXlMakdC7dapKGfBjQnRBf2VVcMAdlhBHbqXZ-4HMvL6ZXJ8BwXdBScX17XutDttmvyuyn29U7gX5wgFEKMEk3dhzidGqp=w640-h466" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the accession of Queen Elizabeth, her son, Prince Charles became heir apparent; he was named Prince of Wales on July 26, 1958, and was so invested in a ceremony on July 1, 1969. The Queen’s other children were Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, born August 15, 1950; Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, born February 19, 1960, and created Duke of York in 1986; and Prince Edward Anthony Richard Louis, born March 10, 1964, and created Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn in 1999. While all the children bore the surname of Windsor, in 1960, Queen Elizabeth decided to create the name Mountbatten-Windsor for other descendants not styled HRH. The Queen’s first grandchild, Princess Anne’s son, was born on November 15, 1977.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjV3-NxgEk_au4GbPp0iI6nw5k2Ylyz8HI_4m2Avy9TnloVLLEzefnq7ePZB_kP04Llr16W3JKofV4MF7ZuvTFtfg-IBNtD5BfJFSepGvsKfprR_XJ0yNECQOUoAZSnXrkRzSJHjt1LkS0sxyPw_TNwT_UH1bzQ5FuuwdF_ao8sy6jtBzRu6HmXuBGt"><img height="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjV3-NxgEk_au4GbPp0iI6nw5k2Ylyz8HI_4m2Avy9TnloVLLEzefnq7ePZB_kP04Llr16W3JKofV4MF7ZuvTFtfg-IBNtD5BfJFSepGvsKfprR_XJ0yNECQOUoAZSnXrkRzSJHjt1LkS0sxyPw_TNwT_UH1bzQ5FuuwdF_ao8sy6jtBzRu6HmXuBGt=w640-h477" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Increasingly, the Queen became aware of the modern role of the monarchy, allowing, for example the televising of the Royal Family’s domestic life in 1970 and condoning the formal dissolution of her sister’s marriage in 1978. In 1982, the Queen became yet another monarch to lead the country in victory after the Falklands War, following the Argentinian invasion. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKJvd73BpX5049I1ZFf8FlS1nUDRnTfp15eX_zl-9mwUOwb-bUC9s0QAFRhyc61WF24c27jOTSds4E8cYUjmkxFCP-y7ST5fGzm8TGBLA5L4xHbh1QGJWGDhXszTbqSI0OM73AR-QTbczgdJPFyGM5dbfs4-8s_zzq9Z6ogEbU6CoGujA45MtaIu-p"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKJvd73BpX5049I1ZFf8FlS1nUDRnTfp15eX_zl-9mwUOwb-bUC9s0QAFRhyc61WF24c27jOTSds4E8cYUjmkxFCP-y7ST5fGzm8TGBLA5L4xHbh1QGJWGDhXszTbqSI0OM73AR-QTbczgdJPFyGM5dbfs4-8s_zzq9Z6ogEbU6CoGujA45MtaIu-p=w640-h432" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1992, a year that the Queen referred to as annus horribilis, the Royal Family underwent various misfortunes; Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, separated - so did Prince Andrew and his wife, Sarah, Ducess of York. The Princess Royal divorced that same year. Moreover, a terrible fire gutted the royal residence of Windsor Castle. The country also struggled with recession, that same year the Queen agreed to pay taxes on her private income, despite the exemptions. The separation and divorce of the heir apparent in 1996, together with the support for media-worshipped Princess Diana eroded support for the Royal Family which began to be seen as superfluous. Such criticism intensified after the Princess of Wales’ death in 1997. Fortunately, eventually the public realized that each of the Queen’s actions was a result of putting bereaved great-grandchildren before the people, for once.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj20MeBhmglMynfhPBcUUtu_0z2KEq1-1bsXVdWJfAU3qNPeTEaqTfJQ5IuhNA2hvNhqOmJ7-DUfhSK0iRHfoStOybCoTgacyWUbubgiNtZhHof-0va96ApcsGR3zu5nWlh2RqNfI7Ijex0IiiUEz7Lg6RtKEvgqwIxEKygWTjhDdMBLSdlGfWD7X5m"><img height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj20MeBhmglMynfhPBcUUtu_0z2KEq1-1bsXVdWJfAU3qNPeTEaqTfJQ5IuhNA2hvNhqOmJ7-DUfhSK0iRHfoStOybCoTgacyWUbubgiNtZhHof-0va96ApcsGR3zu5nWlh2RqNfI7Ijex0IiiUEz7Lg6RtKEvgqwIxEKygWTjhDdMBLSdlGfWD7X5m=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the attacks of September 11th, 2001, the Queen changed protocol and had the Royal Band play the Star Spangled Banner outside Buckingham Palace to honor the American victims - on that occasion she spoke the famous words: “grief is the price we pay for love”. In 2002, Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 50th year on the throne, Golden Jubilee events were held throughout the Commonwealth, despite the deaths of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, earlier in the year. Public support for the Royal Family rebounded once again, and when Charles, Prince of Wales married Camilla Parker Bowles, future Queen consort, in 2005 - old wounds started to be healed. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm2Vxy_j7tT2nuE0b_Cv-QP6sfmAjrMqpgBPbZEZpy8648nTAc7vk-OqFWZgHyB_P49c285dGZ3HlE0BjiZUoH5GoyA08Pl4FnMYAJ1AsNKYEgaOZWuDTS_LLX-M_pKeBWPdTjQ3XgIF7gg-q-skxirDDz1tz6rQjII5X3Bd4kM1C2M7DKI9uFNYPd"><img height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm2Vxy_j7tT2nuE0b_Cv-QP6sfmAjrMqpgBPbZEZpy8648nTAc7vk-OqFWZgHyB_P49c285dGZ3HlE0BjiZUoH5GoyA08Pl4FnMYAJ1AsNKYEgaOZWuDTS_LLX-M_pKeBWPdTjQ3XgIF7gg-q-skxirDDz1tz6rQjII5X3Bd4kM1C2M7DKI9uFNYPd=w640-h450" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In April 2011, Queen Elizabeth II led the Royal Family in celebrating the wedding of Prince William of Wales, and of Catherine Middleton. The following month, she surpassed George III to become the second longest-reigning monarch in British history, behind Queen Victoria. In May, Queen Elizabeth II made a historic trip to Ireland, becoming the first British monarch to visit the Irish republic and to set foot on on Irish soil since 1911. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEih0411OeQeOCQECtyyofaedTpp1CVRXvKH6d_i0nddyagAAY_moARECiIs5by8srKvVdOt8_SE4jNhWoAsebJG2u2kbudfuWuulGrljkPxAeT1J1loNjyJF3AOv4P5JhLi91rQAhM9AdZ7MLV_J6Xr9q2J-9qhjV9iGkT28cYPUPzl7zfI6mZ1uQRs"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEih0411OeQeOCQECtyyofaedTpp1CVRXvKH6d_i0nddyagAAY_moARECiIs5by8srKvVdOt8_SE4jNhWoAsebJG2u2kbudfuWuulGrljkPxAeT1J1loNjyJF3AOv4P5JhLi91rQAhM9AdZ7MLV_J6Xr9q2J-9qhjV9iGkT28cYPUPzl7zfI6mZ1uQRs=w504-h640" width="504" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2012, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which coincided also with the London Olympics, was celebrated all over the Commonwealth. On September 9, 2015, she surpassed Queen Victoria’s record reign or 63 years and 216, becoming the world’s longest reigning monarch; a reign in which she met and hosted the world’s greatest events and people; popes, presidents, astronauts, actors, poets, and more. She was indeed the first non-Catholic monarch to not wear a black head-cover on her meeting with Pope Francis in 2015.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiykGRwLCeRdHCUSi2-GE53Hmfa0UpOiT5joTIHHSgY_fSdVt4VBHpc62p4ADC-826B_hu1YEZ6v_8WuZ9Nb7Z7iLJIacHdtKYSfaGPn1-sRe4DRRQSEIV1pipHD8uiXsEZuGy_Ar1P8OHZnG-t5qret3DJl4sd5YbnHGHsx6DKgBCxRKVxFKBmVx_c"><img height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiykGRwLCeRdHCUSi2-GE53Hmfa0UpOiT5joTIHHSgY_fSdVt4VBHpc62p4ADC-826B_hu1YEZ6v_8WuZ9Nb7Z7iLJIacHdtKYSfaGPn1-sRe4DRRQSEIV1pipHD8uiXsEZuGy_Ar1P8OHZnG-t5qret3DJl4sd5YbnHGHsx6DKgBCxRKVxFKBmVx_c=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In August 2017, Prince Philip officially retired from public life, while periodically appearing at official engagements. In the meantime, the Queen began to reduce her official engagements, passing some duties to Prince Charles and other members of the Royal Family. The Queen’s popularity was at an all-time high in the last years of her reign. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4Vd47eHmzRaqv-uMu5CAxj7-LMT2djwuHqg6xg1SG7tvPduI-oEae_pV5_IciWmPqIPBAu0tHa6wQ4lCxZl434r_CM8OOrobTapfj9rflrvaEbMK8E9OkJxS7YxhM3fVEhrGcVV-KoY2CHdaJFeQts6slIrb1UXLW4pOwySj8SVFHfk8sVIcijKj0"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4Vd47eHmzRaqv-uMu5CAxj7-LMT2djwuHqg6xg1SG7tvPduI-oEae_pV5_IciWmPqIPBAu0tHa6wQ4lCxZl434r_CM8OOrobTapfj9rflrvaEbMK8E9OkJxS7YxhM3fVEhrGcVV-KoY2CHdaJFeQts6slIrb1UXLW4pOwySj8SVFHfk8sVIcijKj0=w640-h426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Duke of Edinburgh died in April 2021, as she stated on their 50th anniversary in 1997: “he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years”. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Queen sat alone in a choir stall in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor - these images became emblematic of the dignity and courage she brought to her reign.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvCAarw6KdJLQanzHPiP2wy07qOiPg09nyH9R8dweF3mX5AWR2Tn8Rfzue21_yb5GZNBF5AglO7ydQhC8RpEPMLgu-0UkXxvftzDiRmLQZMlk-BItfi1KakZAcUCsqCfAjgQI-vDCdpDkBvslJlsG6Z7eExu9ERvMka5IneDB5gA4xHviqRZV1-BL5"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvCAarw6KdJLQanzHPiP2wy07qOiPg09nyH9R8dweF3mX5AWR2Tn8Rfzue21_yb5GZNBF5AglO7ydQhC8RpEPMLgu-0UkXxvftzDiRmLQZMlk-BItfi1KakZAcUCsqCfAjgQI-vDCdpDkBvslJlsG6Z7eExu9ERvMka5IneDB5gA4xHviqRZV1-BL5=w457-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last June, Britain celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne, with the Platinum Jubilee, all the stops were pulled out for this glorious goodbye to the woman who gave the world a new Elizabethan age. Concerns about the Queen’s health led to the appointment of the new Prime Minister Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle, rather than at Buckingham Palace, the Queen died two days later on September 8, 2022 - having kept her word: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM8hhB321gZ8W0V-XdyUoY3YUaTRg7bTz7anFgwY7aNO9O4XtBV7OTHJCfEsXnavRSwhTchxpJWf6n2y63Qvc4ij76f-QvZsfy6UqIHak0ibsfrJkBHuU9IlP0McxyEKXtPILEYTVAmEO12a4tyPZ63XJVSeHWIPnjQn--Xlsd-mBBTCH_-_BXfMmL"><img height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM8hhB321gZ8W0V-XdyUoY3YUaTRg7bTz7anFgwY7aNO9O4XtBV7OTHJCfEsXnavRSwhTchxpJWf6n2y63Qvc4ij76f-QvZsfy6UqIHak0ibsfrJkBHuU9IlP0McxyEKXtPILEYTVAmEO12a4tyPZ63XJVSeHWIPnjQn--Xlsd-mBBTCH_-_BXfMmL=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her Majesty was known to favour simplicity in her private life, she was known for having taken serious interest in government business, aside from her traditional and ceremonial duties. She was a hard-worker. She was also an avid horsewoman, she kept racehorses, frequently attended them. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCsQhGtd3Vv4wD0-476pfONCqL4g_bDRwi9f8aLPceGmwBuEbPJ7Zy42GlJvfZ_9avGHPeTXniWktlRlkj2lZmB4uvQW9s1z3CTuS3924Zc-nQ0UBsuQ5qcn3981IHkv4ytJ7h3HO2lfwC-51TkWSfmwYhqZW4BywSrwnCIsUgjGIypUtGQB2LqXqG"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCsQhGtd3Vv4wD0-476pfONCqL4g_bDRwi9f8aLPceGmwBuEbPJ7Zy42GlJvfZ_9avGHPeTXniWktlRlkj2lZmB4uvQW9s1z3CTuS3924Zc-nQ0UBsuQ5qcn3981IHkv4ytJ7h3HO2lfwC-51TkWSfmwYhqZW4BywSrwnCIsUgjGIypUtGQB2LqXqG=w627-h640" width="627" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She was also a devoted Christian, not just as a Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith but also as a simple servant of Christ. Since her Coronation in 1953, when she was anointed by the Holy Spirit through the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the ancient and historic manner dating back to the very legal establishment of Christianity by Constantine - she took an oath to "maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England”. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjH6mHKk-cCM3PAQSARckSIzYUCUGculK6Rlg6DnZ3K0SxCArXw2dnheY-lTgRFOl1WNiyO82Bapqds8tR8a-5aYvjp9NlAnV-IXL6P6Dww47rRPoD1KYxvtYHNP9Iq2KcjqfsHw19-Q2dSJnu9AP4xt5v98sdRWmMqvwVfiKPZ3YUvMCqrexMnVzDZ"><img height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjH6mHKk-cCM3PAQSARckSIzYUCUGculK6Rlg6DnZ3K0SxCArXw2dnheY-lTgRFOl1WNiyO82Bapqds8tR8a-5aYvjp9NlAnV-IXL6P6Dww47rRPoD1KYxvtYHNP9Iq2KcjqfsHw19-Q2dSJnu9AP4xt5v98sdRWmMqvwVfiKPZ3YUvMCqrexMnVzDZ=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She preached the Word innumerable times, notably during her Christmas speeches, not only did she preach, but she did also act, as when in 2005 she extended her time with Holocaust survivors. Among the words that resume her Christian faith, these are some favorite ones: "For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil_Mhl6Iz4IJv7yKo5agD6L54rRb5lAMXaxoXxD8h_PtQ960qUUDedVF3EOrdr4EQbKiheVVG9UgAoxR6jNhGTISh1DKJ-q5qdZj1gZzbZXgH2w6k2WkMoUnBKAoKRbx7KWwZPI7FosB0S_wrU0XY46JXC9G6ixV_QCwDQkVqkFScIr1GWg-vUaT5X"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil_Mhl6Iz4IJv7yKo5agD6L54rRb5lAMXaxoXxD8h_PtQ960qUUDedVF3EOrdr4EQbKiheVVG9UgAoxR6jNhGTISh1DKJ-q5qdZj1gZzbZXgH2w6k2WkMoUnBKAoKRbx7KWwZPI7FosB0S_wrU0XY46JXC9G6ixV_QCwDQkVqkFScIr1GWg-vUaT5X=w430-h640" width="430" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Genuine human happiness and satisfaction lie more in giving than receiving; more in serving than in being served’. "We can surely be grateful that, two thousand years after the birth of Jesus, so many of us are able to draw inspiration from his life and message, and to find in him a source of strength and courage.” He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ." These are the words of a true saint. She left this world to become Elizabeth the Confessor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG7vUc_LbNFMc57v__hLPAEdCu_vkFNuSRO12cgew_UjLLzJbvLUG_AYBngz8t2pADqYnqg37oM1fdBhNBantreKkftJ9a_6h--BEfzfPwrv2EKWWBD7OU4AtTlu7ae4JLtEnAeBbnwqqmV0jISdDw73WW2wVwtYQKCbERcazkwE3vpfP049-ibJFA"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG7vUc_LbNFMc57v__hLPAEdCu_vkFNuSRO12cgew_UjLLzJbvLUG_AYBngz8t2pADqYnqg37oM1fdBhNBantreKkftJ9a_6h--BEfzfPwrv2EKWWBD7OU4AtTlu7ae4JLtEnAeBbnwqqmV0jISdDw73WW2wVwtYQKCbERcazkwE3vpfP049-ibJFA=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is with great sadness that we learn of the peaceful passing of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle, this afternoon. In the next few days, she will lie in state at Westminster Hall where millions will pay their respects, her funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on September 19. After serving in the war in her youth - Her Majesty has not only been the head of state of several countries and territories, but the real face behind an age that will come to be known as a new Elizabethan era under her. We give thanks for the glorious reign of Elizabeth the Great.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSUOWyaZAJ_nHcmYaqIttvkORQwD45xPTFbDint6-H43SGxjkOZqnYqg5ZTlffaol2Z_TYDZD45gyyyHLkVTGCKsrP_yTZPThDS9pvl-rmmfuO61gN0SqVy4hxigZ-mXu425y4EQ5cJANwtyspGvk-u9q4N7cAuPsoTOgv8r1__7ttm4yF0ovjRjSc"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSUOWyaZAJ_nHcmYaqIttvkORQwD45xPTFbDint6-H43SGxjkOZqnYqg5ZTlffaol2Z_TYDZD45gyyyHLkVTGCKsrP_yTZPThDS9pvl-rmmfuO61gN0SqVy4hxigZ-mXu425y4EQ5cJANwtyspGvk-u9q4N7cAuPsoTOgv8r1__7ttm4yF0ovjRjSc=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was an era of both war and peace, of both financial crisis and prosperity, of scientific progress and other great achievements. She met the first men who walked on the Moon, she was the first monarch to be crowned on tv, as well as the first one to use social media, and even became the first monarch to travel faster than sound onboard British Airways' Concorde! It is during her reign that the Internet became widespread in all of its modern forms. The list goes on. When she became Queen, the world was still suffering from the consequences of WWII, 70 years later she was having online conferences. With her, dies the last great example of the greatest generation, those heroes that lived through WWII.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZg3_N6J4RQWNCQrJN-piWfp6Jwcuxig6Sfn8gKUJ6s9D5Xl7qane3200hX7DbZmB9ycoteUsBpvsI0LoonUgHO5pkDSh0qmlsB4IIVzo4Ng8bWu8ozOoBUbFMEQQ6eippLWSouQf1Ybo3byMMUGHH4jC3viKOGoTRRv4e8CvxZan157HkNDo2dN01"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZg3_N6J4RQWNCQrJN-piWfp6Jwcuxig6Sfn8gKUJ6s9D5Xl7qane3200hX7DbZmB9ycoteUsBpvsI0LoonUgHO5pkDSh0qmlsB4IIVzo4Ng8bWu8ozOoBUbFMEQQ6eippLWSouQf1Ybo3byMMUGHH4jC3viKOGoTRRv4e8CvxZan157HkNDo2dN01=w640-h427" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her commendable dedication to service throughout all these years until the very end as well as her steadfast faith as a Christian servant and as head of the Church in England will continue to inspire people for the generations to come. To be remembered is also her service as head of the armed forces and the countless times she attended events or services of Remembrance for the Fallen. She embodied Britannia in soul and body.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAeLVWRQ5tMpOfqQzJuV4tFwbu4cZKAtyTMgQQy4bvFNAa1HV6Zzs-9ROSuKwBSo0iOt3RzGm_QKcA-rWv6gPgGnJ77_1IjqwzoE152vpqcwqX230iWTqWsDoLx8jjR2JIYpAb3gi5FUhNBurhUxRwljCRktTWECXuxaTRY1vsdK05I4yo1lTaNjLC"><img height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAeLVWRQ5tMpOfqQzJuV4tFwbu4cZKAtyTMgQQy4bvFNAa1HV6Zzs-9ROSuKwBSo0iOt3RzGm_QKcA-rWv6gPgGnJ77_1IjqwzoE152vpqcwqX230iWTqWsDoLx8jjR2JIYpAb3gi5FUhNBurhUxRwljCRktTWECXuxaTRY1vsdK05I4yo1lTaNjLC=w640-h414" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She remained a spiritual guide and a rock of stability at a time when hers remained the only nation in the world of having the luck of having a similar figure. Britain and the Commonwealth prospered under her reign. She is loved by people in all the countries in which she reigned as well as millions of people throughout the world. The memorial services and events as well as the Westminster Abbey funeral itself will draw millions from around the world, including heads of state and religion, over a billion people will watch the service. Her Majesty leaves us a great legacy and becomes the history, she joins Elizabeth I, Mary II, Anne and Victoria as one of the great women that made Britain and the Commonwealth such.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcQ8ORjyR4Ot1oMzwHvDPtywvFwJThlIU0QJrIUM-8uvg54ywl_r4qtMhdKyJimbBShGymIB4msX6f4PIVYsMQ0UhNzXj_zwpEJYX6dRSvd5VcZJTl5BcQZjr3dy4lFjIKXlANNTC6WryNhCzclsTJe5Qu0nIitKnEe8ZrVKKdGjGMRjyFIiv75EYc"><img height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcQ8ORjyR4Ot1oMzwHvDPtywvFwJThlIU0QJrIUM-8uvg54ywl_r4qtMhdKyJimbBShGymIB4msX6f4PIVYsMQ0UhNzXj_zwpEJYX6dRSvd5VcZJTl5BcQZjr3dy4lFjIKXlANNTC6WryNhCzclsTJe5Qu0nIitKnEe8ZrVKKdGjGMRjyFIiv75EYc=w640-h445" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We commend her to Christ and we rejoice in her conjunction with her beloved husband. Rest eternal grant unto her, O Lord. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-F0wAdFsuwbiRT1cfjEP1sxXsbmLSW5lK6BRRrv0LRqsOgniZ85XlwoUP4hA24FiR5YAeqwDUFGdMt9VlkDTVVFTidVE7ClfpdCByrHH5S5t9ciEa8kqs2NN-HotikTmUCZJeZMSZRerH24LcCvujD-1xMVa56B0BGlY-3vXlsC0dWxi3s95C22-j"><img height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-F0wAdFsuwbiRT1cfjEP1sxXsbmLSW5lK6BRRrv0LRqsOgniZ85XlwoUP4hA24FiR5YAeqwDUFGdMt9VlkDTVVFTidVE7ClfpdCByrHH5S5t9ciEa8kqs2NN-HotikTmUCZJeZMSZRerH24LcCvujD-1xMVa56B0BGlY-3vXlsC0dWxi3s95C22-j=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiDxGu1WiUAFXHRp2N5jGihnWPt0MznzTRwH-7jjIP9aOKAjGdXqzjhjywQV4Gmc2bNrOH4ro-LpnerS3nM3ZWzUb9MRi2Bfoy2GJD0mrtcxOBR5TYEivIyUV-gJ11rdZTIeTCI848hhYjTMk6meMJWKFg7ZKzxs22sB-ez2qffSSwyQBhihhMe6-k"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiDxGu1WiUAFXHRp2N5jGihnWPt0MznzTRwH-7jjIP9aOKAjGdXqzjhjywQV4Gmc2bNrOH4ro-LpnerS3nM3ZWzUb9MRi2Bfoy2GJD0mrtcxOBR5TYEivIyUV-gJ11rdZTIeTCI848hhYjTMk6meMJWKFg7ZKzxs22sB-ez2qffSSwyQBhihhMe6-k=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4IYXBI8r7esY-EsrxoJvkpbXxMlZMlzorsKXDJa5JXccM9B1aisPZAhcuF6SQkSPIlkGbF3qJpbYbPJ35XVKk-AqSMGIo-Lss_hJZXMifHkvR5wMNtNOUjyFaW-5wqTxEC2w8qR12iorN_qDP_YPeWDb44RVKom2EK5klQEIs2AeNwEn_tBRMWr67"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4IYXBI8r7esY-EsrxoJvkpbXxMlZMlzorsKXDJa5JXccM9B1aisPZAhcuF6SQkSPIlkGbF3qJpbYbPJ35XVKk-AqSMGIo-Lss_hJZXMifHkvR5wMNtNOUjyFaW-5wqTxEC2w8qR12iorN_qDP_YPeWDb44RVKom2EK5klQEIs2AeNwEn_tBRMWr67=w473-h640" width="473" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>So be it, Lord; thy throne shall never, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>like earth’s proud empires, pass away; </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>thy kingdom stands, and grows for ever,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>till all thy creatures own thy sway.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgONBWUmuWI08w8_IZHXxCOxvRNxOKDGnA2xMW-AOa6GVkkvIp6TvpgXCKIycM0naS0U5BpE7EO6sHOijRO-6fsdV8bfXrj-gtLO2y35dxXCKYyKHbRQT0SbqzC17wgjx3qklK0J7Il02AnM0jIjZKP-5cPRsXvcLUQ59fKljHm_olJ9p-UuQdN8qEN"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgONBWUmuWI08w8_IZHXxCOxvRNxOKDGnA2xMW-AOa6GVkkvIp6TvpgXCKIycM0naS0U5BpE7EO6sHOijRO-6fsdV8bfXrj-gtLO2y35dxXCKYyKHbRQT0SbqzC17wgjx3qklK0J7Il02AnM0jIjZKP-5cPRsXvcLUQ59fKljHm_olJ9p-UuQdN8qEN=w518-h640" width="518" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ELIZABETH II REGINA</div><div style="text-align: center;">1926-2022</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNxcVNxdB-U3D3Fw-PY63to75BPiFQJd-1W82exP_ElMyZ9DeskAqkXvajWICyFHDH9r4VewF1iosst70bOoEBKTgQv4FK2QNQRu8WrFLx8jC2NsTx5VXs0MHkNbwTm59d0ob3f53NIFm3JGaCRwjHyGcy14utlQ57i9u109QPnBLP_TpETZ73fhPn"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNxcVNxdB-U3D3Fw-PY63to75BPiFQJd-1W82exP_ElMyZ9DeskAqkXvajWICyFHDH9r4VewF1iosst70bOoEBKTgQv4FK2QNQRu8WrFLx8jC2NsTx5VXs0MHkNbwTm59d0ob3f53NIFm3JGaCRwjHyGcy14utlQ57i9u109QPnBLP_TpETZ73fhPn=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_Ris73qZBTAkcAxL7KTr17da0I0LDQRhw7mFDzMT9l0pvENaJhsuXLaRUgCCra8QxcL70DQH1fpsp2JKGUSfETWyOiWYhEDuuouHTYD-HsWFpN-tUbw8T-3ww-mFAimEpEcWcq-kD6myzGjJ4RyU3nYOpR96sN40kLCdqZEgUrhWxIa3SPDRn8G2u"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_Ris73qZBTAkcAxL7KTr17da0I0LDQRhw7mFDzMT9l0pvENaJhsuXLaRUgCCra8QxcL70DQH1fpsp2JKGUSfETWyOiWYhEDuuouHTYD-HsWFpN-tUbw8T-3ww-mFAimEpEcWcq-kD6myzGjJ4RyU3nYOpR96sN40kLCdqZEgUrhWxIa3SPDRn8G2u=w483-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">May God give strength to her successor, King Charles III.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7LblO3CDjKdr4vUWlui3xl7xz3hbmbryFssP6DioBvO4zymnEyU-O8WbqUxgxQ6xaATM-YpF4SmogpAjmwWV0MFnR8bB80I4IkyCF0R0WVBqT2nXCFpBXNu4HUnRmfbCTrLnSPUB_BlKgXU73wAyuNrzv6ND7c3F0p0-GRXqLdqrvx9usOWOApPmN"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7LblO3CDjKdr4vUWlui3xl7xz3hbmbryFssP6DioBvO4zymnEyU-O8WbqUxgxQ6xaATM-YpF4SmogpAjmwWV0MFnR8bB80I4IkyCF0R0WVBqT2nXCFpBXNu4HUnRmfbCTrLnSPUB_BlKgXU73wAyuNrzv6ND7c3F0p0-GRXqLdqrvx9usOWOApPmN=w349-h400" width="349" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div>Edoardo Fanfanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199252715766273109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-1495872897854281172022-05-22T15:58:00.003+02:002022-05-22T15:58:46.830+02:00Sermon preached on the Sunday before the Ascension at St. Andrew's Church of Scotland, Rome.<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjusW63e200P8v6JUPcR8rJ1KHEBRGgpZyzVO4qh7K6hOQIj1Gji6ArTiMXeJ3YhNGNIEtk0ZvfUUVhuz906N0Eorym-dvLYBjFUAtIra6rp4a0UtMm9ftZrAhGJRohtlfYyJtMpDe6ekWm0J_Xkg3uQuE6ILHYgfym00QDAUJFqSKcOP7rC0Nb3FyM5Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjusW63e200P8v6JUPcR8rJ1KHEBRGgpZyzVO4qh7K6hOQIj1Gji6ArTiMXeJ3YhNGNIEtk0ZvfUUVhuz906N0Eorym-dvLYBjFUAtIra6rp4a0UtMm9ftZrAhGJRohtlfYyJtMpDe6ekWm0J_Xkg3uQuE6ILHYgfym00QDAUJFqSKcOP7rC0Nb3FyM5Q=w259-h320" width="259" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For those of us who worship or work in international settings in this Eternal City, we might have had to come to terms with not forming long-lasting relations with people here as they come and go. In the beginning, that might make us a bit upset, think of young people or students losing their friends or co-workers. That is the nature of a big international city. Back at my church down the hill, every couple of years we see an entirely different chore group of young adults. Having to say goodbye becomes sadly natural to us. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the course of a year or a few months, you get to know people who might become friends and lovers, perhaps these relationships are formed so quickly because one is aware of the fleeting nature of their time here. In a way, that reminds us of the intensity of Christ’s life while here on earth. Indeed, that’s what happens when your days are numbered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We all went through that. Only a couple of years ago, I met one of my best friends at church, and we bonded over lockdown, as he helped us with church services at All Saints’. It all seems like yesterday, and yet… he’s now been gone for two years and is in his final year of university in Scotland. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We are still friends though, we write to each other and we are also planning to meet again soon. Time goes on, but for sure, Rome prepares us for goodbyes very well. That doesn’t mean losing someone is easy, especially at the time of death. Only recently, came Easter, with its positive message of a brighter dawn, and every time we forget about it. This is normal, it is our human nature. We inevitably miss those who brought a sparkle of joy in our short lives. Distance, time or ultimately death, remain strong adversaries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You may have noticed from today’s hymns and readings that we are still very much in the Easter Season, the resurrection message is still very much strong. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The gates of hell have been burst open and death has no more dominion over us - Christ’s mission of salvation has been accomplished. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jesus has become incarnate in human form, he has died as a human and his human body was the first to come back from the dead. Now we are in this odd, surreal time during which Jesus is on earth for but a very short time. In a way, the Lenten expectation is less hard on us, because we know Jesus will inevitably come back in honor, glory and triumph, but now things are different - the readings are beginning to show us that Christ is going to ascend into heaven, into a more definite state of unknowing expectation, an expectation that lasts to this day and perhaps tomorrow. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Christ is also beginning to warn us that he is not going to leave us alone as he is rising to a higher state: <i>I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives</i>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He is leaving us, his people in the good hands of the unending and ever-loving power of the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He continues: <i>Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe</i>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next Thursday, the Church commemorates the Ascension of Christ, the day upon which, according to Scripture, our Lord and Savior went up to heaven to be reunited again with the Father and the Spirit, ever three and ever one. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jesus, knowing his disciples and the weakness of human nature deeply, did not forget to remind us all that he would be coming again. He not only reassured us that he would be with us again, but he also asked of us not to forget his message of love. It is by having faith that the Almighty God would be by our side. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is by belief that we can carry the resurrection message forward. The Ascension of Christ, after the forty days of Easter, allows us to relive that message and to carry it forth throughout the world. This is only one more occasion to do so. Jesus is telling us, his children, that we are good enough to walk on our legs and do good, much as he taught us during his time on earth. We have become his disciples and saints, and much like a young child, we can decide whether to follow our mentor’s steps and grow up, or to make mistakes, and wait for another Easter. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lord has gone up with a merry voice and the sound of a trump. The psalm appointed for today in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer for morning prayer is one of my favourites, Psalm 93: <i>The Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel : the Lord hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength. He hath made the round world so sure : that it cannot be moved. Ever since the world began hath thy seat been prepared : thou art from everlasting. Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very sure : holiness becometh thine house for ever</i>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We say that Christ has ascended into heaven, or as I like to say went back to his dwelling, not to become "more godly and less human", not to distance himself from us - but to be close to each and everyone of us, through prayer and faith. Something which would have been harder if he would have still been with us physically. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That doesn’t make goodbyes less difficult, or at least perceived goodbyes… every good Christian knows we will see our beloved ones back in heaven, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to say goodbye temporarily.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Being away from those we have loved for a long time is always painful. We need their warmth, that is why sometimes we might struggle with our faith. It is easy to give up when we think our Lord is far away or seemingly unreachable. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As when we lose a friend, companion or relative, in our race against time, we will inevitably mourn our losses. Sometimes, a letter, a message, a phone call or an old photograph can remind us of seemingly happier times - reliving the old times or a good memory is not the same but it can bring back some strong emotions through the lenses of nostalgia. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is all natural, but we mustn’t allow ourselves to treat our relationship with God in the same manner. While we wait to see our dear ones once again, we have to celebrate our relationship with an ever-living and ever-present God which is very much alive at all times. We meet God on a Sunday, and his Spirit is there, we meet God at the beach or in the woods, and his Spirit is there - Christ accompanies us through all the joys of struggles of our lives here, even when it does not seem so. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I preached before, we might just try and seek his presence. Even when we don’t feel that connection, we must remain assured that it is by faith in his mighty power and love that all our dreams and longings will come true; from the nostalgia of a particular person, place or time, to that unknown need we have for finally coming to know the awesome strength of the throne of grace with his infinite love and the joy everlasting. The Easter message carries on. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What I came to notice recently, is that our society is quick to find and describe what is “evil”, “ah, something bad happened, evil exists in the world” - but we are not as swift in saying, “ah, something good has happened, God is in that!”. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other day, I was walking down the Coliseum and there was a social experiment going on, someone dropped a wallet to see who would pick it up, while hordes of seemingly alright people passed by, it was one who seemed less wealthy, who returned it. Why can’t we associate good acts such as this with God? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">God is good, the fact that he is now with the Father and the Holy Spirit is not the end, but only the beginning of a long story of salvation that one day will see all his saints reunited with him and each other, in body and soul. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Christ has ascended into heaven to be with us, to guide us, to protect us, with the might of the Father, and the intercession of the ever-present wind of the Spirit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Do not fear, the gates of the tomb have already been burst open. Christ is born, Christ has ascended; God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is with us now and for ever, waiting for us all and all the saints at the pearly gates, we are never alone, time is but a fleeting sensation: <i>Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, Your sweetest notes employ, The Paschal victory to hymn, In strains of holy joy</i>.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-5937650772904438412022-02-24T10:57:00.044+01:002023-02-24T10:35:34.375+01:00We stand with Ukraine<div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHgv-NA_71yTInR_0uCo_w6FRbZrCH85-WJWZI6VY8VRlQ6Jo6Z5h2SNPiNQc5M1876fhZtaMBvDQ5dDGGDVwo5dgXK467ctjvMEnahvNpvfX6cv8AmnZcyXf0ceLyaGdLGfKixZI6sg7jSs427WSj-lXTA3ISpcPw8k9upTmw2q3DlC9HhVqnQy6TwA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHgv-NA_71yTInR_0uCo_w6FRbZrCH85-WJWZI6VY8VRlQ6Jo6Z5h2SNPiNQc5M1876fhZtaMBvDQ5dDGGDVwo5dgXK467ctjvMEnahvNpvfX6cv8AmnZcyXf0ceLyaGdLGfKixZI6sg7jSs427WSj-lXTA3ISpcPw8k9upTmw2q3DlC9HhVqnQy6TwA=w320-h180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Waking up to news announcing war so close to home is something most millennials would have never dreamt to see. For over 20 years, Putin tried to take over or to instigate conflicts in the satellite states of the former USSR. This morning, when we woke up, we found he went through with his evil plan which he had been building up for in the past few years. In the next few days, over 200,000 troops will be moved to Ukraine, arriving from Russia, Belarus and Russian occupied Transnistria (Moldova).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZrKWMPC8Fxb4MUU2dzj0gjKbDk8nTLn9YSvhIblYrDXIzj-EPaqycQ_Mbit6aFO7WHH59CZV9Hno7tNnrvCas3PKXCzsA99HNGN6KL5Oo332A6wOwBKf2B87dGUf7GoS2QzYvWXhL2RUUEJzh48eo3FeNEHn_QNRmw1SytEFSqDEfv-wuoKam2ipUAA"><img height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZrKWMPC8Fxb4MUU2dzj0gjKbDk8nTLn9YSvhIblYrDXIzj-EPaqycQ_Mbit6aFO7WHH59CZV9Hno7tNnrvCas3PKXCzsA99HNGN6KL5Oo332A6wOwBKf2B87dGUf7GoS2QzYvWXhL2RUUEJzh48eo3FeNEHn_QNRmw1SytEFSqDEfv-wuoKam2ipUAA=w320-h312" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have friends in Ukraine who found themselves in another world; phones are not working, pharmacies are closed, there are food shortages, air-raid sirens are going off. Putin instigated an aggressive war - on tv, the Ukrainian president urged the hospitals to save up on blood supplies, he didn't have time to put a tie on. People are escaping into Poland or wherever they can. Russia started an invasion of Ukraine, people have died, civilians have died - flats and private property have been destroyed, even hospitals, as of Thursday evening, and schools, as of Friday morning, in disregard to the Geneva Convention, once again. This goes on currently.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE9K0CXmt3zee1eIpOCNTmEZdg93C-ZyNEsWeN4JPqTb-grb2XHVzDUFkKJkhD1i5W5m0ynwqtBJpo55S2LVGng9lUc0GUuH0T3YO_-_He4frfz6Kb6efl81A2m2MNa2sCEbdA1CH-Vxs049rAJOjeS-J2H-q77g1BX4YFJbmZ2kTXshZD543HKaZJ1A"><img height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE9K0CXmt3zee1eIpOCNTmEZdg93C-ZyNEsWeN4JPqTb-grb2XHVzDUFkKJkhD1i5W5m0ynwqtBJpo55S2LVGng9lUc0GUuH0T3YO_-_He4frfz6Kb6efl81A2m2MNa2sCEbdA1CH-Vxs049rAJOjeS-J2H-q77g1BX4YFJbmZ2kTXshZD543HKaZJ1A=w320-h213" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putin has become the great war criminal of the 21st century, for years we have let this autocrat and bully do as he pleased, we made fun of him, some westerners supported him, in the meantime, he was attacking Georgia, funding North Korea, Belarus, etc. For over a decade he has been encircling Ukraine, from the east, from the south - he took Crimea, he set troops in Transnistria, watch out for this one.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgatVCMzkLRDAYtHtfE1OWL0XdrqliEjI0rXEnSBuMlSUbecegs0_3ZB_oycsqsg_FtZKDf9669xc5KuIRRqnbMTX_aoxgM6xXjK7XyyuLN82kO8drraQnZcb34AxERc08FK3V8FYu-7llnlRYOf6U23jCq5W-b0O62eGJoJ0WMJhNjAA4k7Csx4A--cQ"><img height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgatVCMzkLRDAYtHtfE1OWL0XdrqliEjI0rXEnSBuMlSUbecegs0_3ZB_oycsqsg_FtZKDf9669xc5KuIRRqnbMTX_aoxgM6xXjK7XyyuLN82kO8drraQnZcb34AxERc08FK3V8FYu-7llnlRYOf6U23jCq5W-b0O62eGJoJ0WMJhNjAA4k7Csx4A--cQ=w320-h180" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Europe is at war. It is time to put an end to this, we have seen war in Europe before. Whoever put oneself and a country's right of self-determination at jeopardy, has no respect for the wars the past world wars. It is appalling that a sovereign and independent democracy in Europe can be attacked and invaded by a foreign dictator without punishment, fear or repercussions. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTYIL8d0tsg62keMO141kEKGKrKAGCk0cS6zjgvLrfdd5cyC4h3_jpxN8sbUlAQ7QExkqh9tobY0lzkwM1sjZvQL9zI4pQBcLVAM6T9StKaiz8d5V-qtxNBW8v8_t2C1W13Mgx9yvNASZSjVvDwbQP8b35KL91Om2XfeYeFpSgPrQa7YgCnKGkybM14Q"><img height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTYIL8d0tsg62keMO141kEKGKrKAGCk0cS6zjgvLrfdd5cyC4h3_jpxN8sbUlAQ7QExkqh9tobY0lzkwM1sjZvQL9zI4pQBcLVAM6T9StKaiz8d5V-qtxNBW8v8_t2C1W13Mgx9yvNASZSjVvDwbQP8b35KL91Om2XfeYeFpSgPrQa7YgCnKGkybM14Q=w320-h178" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We don't want another war, we don't want another dictator to spoil many young lives with bright futures ahead, but it is our duty to stand with our oppressed neighbors in Ukraine, so that they might flourish. Conflict and the loss of life should be avoided at any cost. Humans never learn their lesson from history, and we join most of the world's leaders and peoples in condemning this brutal act of aggression.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjafFeh8VeTYCYCK6MhW6qR0LkXpEArQGa9Cl7icecCzlVuy7p-iQF1c-UPRAlevCP76g3ghD-NyQsz7DsctytdRVxe9Z1nLKVcAB2a_gkwdJJ4rmRmegTAH4A6qmib-tfG8GkGQC9TCPQXzOk1OGSBCj-f5gJ4-5nJVop90aeX0g8O1Zu2pcQTw8IA7A"><img height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjafFeh8VeTYCYCK6MhW6qR0LkXpEArQGa9Cl7icecCzlVuy7p-iQF1c-UPRAlevCP76g3ghD-NyQsz7DsctytdRVxe9Z1nLKVcAB2a_gkwdJJ4rmRmegTAH4A6qmib-tfG8GkGQC9TCPQXzOk1OGSBCj-f5gJ4-5nJVop90aeX0g8O1Zu2pcQTw8IA7A=w320-h214" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We pray for the citizens of Ukraine and that our NATO countries may find a peaceful solution to this horror or indeed help achieve peace. Peace shouldn't be someone else's loss. Putin will regret this. Let us stand against an unnecessary loss of innocent lives. We pray God to enlighten Putin's heart and mind. Our hearts and minds go to young Ukrainian soldiers and their families, we pray for strength and protection - we pray also for those who have died and their families. We pray also for those protesting against the war in Russia and the resistance, we pray for the poor, and for all those countries, often poor, which are taking thousands of refugees in, we give thanks for their courage and we condemn acts of violence or intimidation against them. We pray for peace. We beg for peace.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGo6T54byJwa9pqn3RXZ6yLYvBQnQ_lXCjrL3nvS03WuMBqEvB60sKs3525-xt12qkD4rpEHS0wNDN4ye_ilhlNixVhPOlRS3Zsk9VGgbnRAqkrA0lP2HY7S7SL0xedfFPK-hAVjbq-oW_H5HK7TPX2Fhz2iIFFKAwyhRMDnC42ldcpeSnfVyYH-hB3w"><img height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGo6T54byJwa9pqn3RXZ6yLYvBQnQ_lXCjrL3nvS03WuMBqEvB60sKs3525-xt12qkD4rpEHS0wNDN4ye_ilhlNixVhPOlRS3Zsk9VGgbnRAqkrA0lP2HY7S7SL0xedfFPK-hAVjbq-oW_H5HK7TPX2Fhz2iIFFKAwyhRMDnC42ldcpeSnfVyYH-hB3w=w320-h188" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Edit (a week later): As the situation continues to worsen, as Kyiv is becoming isolated, as more people are dying, especially the innocent, and as the Ukrainian resistance holds valiantly but losing many a lives, we keep sending our heartfelt sympathy with the poor people of Ukraine, that justice might once again be secured.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We pray for the orphans of Ukraine and we entrust the people of Ukraine and its sovereignty to the power of our Lord Jesus Christ through the tenderness and care of the Theotokos. Please also pray for our <a href="https://europe.anglican.org/main/latest-news/post/1778-prayers-for-peace-in-ukraine">Anglican</a> brothers and sisters in Ukraine, together with our bishops, +Robert and +David.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc1T9xsE5qchOufcS-CbgSeq-LLGC6yq0H_gW6yS_DyndO01AxtijgSm2FpIn5pVcmaA-IfL0ZLuEMAV7RiS7o79_J7BOyOKzPuB7PZagbQUkvtJRfcC6WtX8xYEMZFS3TP5jPuN0NUvlIhl94mx14oOJ_50JaxPdqEZTWrUL7NNmxO1YW5AweFczbsA"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc1T9xsE5qchOufcS-CbgSeq-LLGC6yq0H_gW6yS_DyndO01AxtijgSm2FpIn5pVcmaA-IfL0ZLuEMAV7RiS7o79_J7BOyOKzPuB7PZagbQUkvtJRfcC6WtX8xYEMZFS3TP5jPuN0NUvlIhl94mx14oOJ_50JaxPdqEZTWrUL7NNmxO1YW5AweFczbsA=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Below are the details from the charity effort of the Ukrainian church in Rome if you want to help.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh__IAnRK1fDF4WwwIqKIIlsY5eDSjZDHeIq17BieBWMVL0gKawF4J43uTVvi-dCvz1IzMVFcRFX5YC4HAeYM6DTeAE441K0QkcbAQHr5JPRSU5lOQqtSHdcNvOQPyQhe2mMy4GQ8Ng4WzadFMhiRhWxNtUFNngA1LE_Y9Lax9JRm_Wbzk7O58wXBfPnw=s3379"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh__IAnRK1fDF4WwwIqKIIlsY5eDSjZDHeIq17BieBWMVL0gKawF4J43uTVvi-dCvz1IzMVFcRFX5YC4HAeYM6DTeAE441K0QkcbAQHr5JPRSU5lOQqtSHdcNvOQPyQhe2mMy4GQ8Ng4WzadFMhiRhWxNtUFNngA1LE_Y9Lax9JRm_Wbzk7O58wXBfPnw=w442-h640" width="442" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT: As an empath I struggle to get through all the terrible news coming from Ukraine, it is physically painful, but ignoring those who suffer is actually a worse crime, Dante didn't think highly of those who didn't take sides. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">What can we normal folks do? Complaining about gas prices or that your pasta costs 20 cents more? (Even though that's private companies putting you in that situation for profit and neither Ukraine nor Russia). Russophobia is to be condemned, Ukrainians and Russians share a common heritage, that's why Putin didn't want a similar country with a democratic system so close in the first place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Feeling annoyed because your authoritarian country has put you in a bad situation? I feel sorry for the poor Russians and Belarusans who did not support Putin, we must condemn anti-Russian folks, but we must remind those who complain for the sanctions, that it's not the Holocaust, it's the only way war can be waged now without causing more death, and unfortunately their government is causing much harsher pain and destruction, not to mention death, to the poor people of a Ukraine that never hurt anyone. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Imagine what it's like to lose someone you love or to become a refugee seeing your cradle home destroyed... not acting (here) is the worse crime. If you act and protest in Russia, you are a hero, and my prayers go out to you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let us not leave those who suffer by themselves, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lybia. Every time a house, hospital or school collapses, every time a life, especially a young life is taken away a part of the collective body of Christ is cut in pieces and tossed in the fire. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">As individuals we must help and not sit still, we must condemn the horror, we must reject the extremist propaganda that some buy, even here, and help realistically. We must condemn war, the loss of life and livelihoods, hospitals, schools and war crimes, the use of chemical weapons, merciless battalions of mercenaries, the propaganda, and the lies. Remember that peace is not achieved by easing Putin's victory. Bullies must not achieve their goals. Our democracies cannot facilitate that. We must condemn the governments that don't allow all refugees in or make it complex for them to save themselves. Let's not make this a political war, let us not use those who suffer as a way to prove our point. Just help. Our leaders must step in when needed in the way in which we democratically elected them to act, by goodness and the collective good, not for greed or votes. For the Europeans that want to stay out of it, there is Europe outside the EU, Ukrainians want to join us, if we hadn't been saved by outside coalitions 80 years ago, we wouldn't be here today. It is everyone's duty to help others, even outside our borders.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT: As of 16th April, the war continues, Mariupol has been almost completely destroyed, war crimes have been committed in Sumy, Bucha, Kramatorsk and many other cities and towns, civilians have been raped, tortured and murdered in brutal ways while they were escaping or going on with their normal daily lives - over 360 Ukrainian children have been inured and 200 have perished. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">So far, by comparison, more sites have been bombed, more people have died or have been made refugees in this conflict than in any of the past wars of the last 40 years, including Syria.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="#"><img height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnS_TD9bR923GsNNc7aYj_31rW812lDh2SCT1PNFDPY4OLu4saEUBaoBrtzjUTmXnmKOgFlcT77-r3XdE1ZKHk58tErp1EDmgoDFkHYX4U4zyCLlOVNSU04FmPLqwusmk8gA3A8CzU8xsNSRX9REO5j8DtHRWXJLuqpb4iBi_ToB3205YBrm_JlGjm_A=w320-h182" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT: While more death is unfolding, more civilians are being tortured and murdered, more war crimes are being committed, more hospitals and schools are being bombed. Putin, whom many extremists claim to be a defender of Christianity has denied the possibility of a truce over the Orthodox Easter celebrations. Also, as I said from the first day of the 2022 phase of this conflict and despite the heavy Russian losses, it is finally clear that Russia wants to take over the whole of southern Ukraine creating a corridor to the breakaway region of Transnistria and indeed attacking part (or all?) of Moldova. The region has been controlled by the Russians for the past 30 years and they have a strong military presence there, this could be a second Eastern Ukraine.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT: Towards the end of April 2022, several attacks have been reported in Transnistria near government buildings - it seems these were staged by the Russian military to grow anti-Ukrainian sentiments in the region, is the war expanding? Would it expand if Russia wouldn't be struggling in Ukraine?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4LRX9JtUC6G27TZPBTfr65vDlbW5TFKRE7svItPnYnp4Rbe6A4zWxHjcBvM1wxRPIAMTasP647CB6XqchI3sxK2T7-NoWVDSNeCpTHQdLmWuS-giPmsnr0-r-URb0-aHVseYcI3Xv9kvt8yQT6ZuPA9qg7_Ijph6XfBOEjBQ8T2WflTVVw0FO0Id4eA"><img height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4LRX9JtUC6G27TZPBTfr65vDlbW5TFKRE7svItPnYnp4Rbe6A4zWxHjcBvM1wxRPIAMTasP647CB6XqchI3sxK2T7-NoWVDSNeCpTHQdLmWuS-giPmsnr0-r-URb0-aHVseYcI3Xv9kvt8yQT6ZuPA9qg7_Ijph6XfBOEjBQ8T2WflTVVw0FO0Id4eA=w320-h186" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT (19 June, 2022): Today is world's refugee day. One of the most brutal wars of the last 80 years is still ranging, the death toll is higher than that of any war of the past forty years. Human rights violations keep going unpunished. The war in Ukraine is still very much ongoing. At least 2.3K buildings have been destroyed. There have been: at least 47K deaths, of whom, at least, two are children that are killed every day. Then, over 13K non-fatal injuries, approximately 400 people have gone missing, at least 15 million have become refugees whom we see every day more and more often here in our European cities. Our brothers and sisters from another part of Europe are fleeing one of the most brutal wars of the century. I was touched to see Ukrainian flags flying from the poshest homes in central Rome to farmhouses in the middle of nowhere, Italian countryside. I have been touched to see Ukrainian children queuing behind me at McDonald's and playing in the streets, but these peaceful people should not suffer for the mere reason of their existence and independence. Many of them merely want their home and have lest their husbands, dads or grandads fighting for freedom back home - at a time when Putin's army is growing stronger. At a time when many are more concerned about the price of their gas than the blood of the innocent. As we have been helped in WW2, it is our duty to side with our brothers and sisters in another part of our European home. My ancestors came to America in the 1600s as refugees, lots of other Europeans did the same over many generations, especially the English, Germans, and Italians. Now it is our turn to help others. Let us help Ukrainian and all refugees who are truly seeking to save their lives.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT (26 June, 2022): Russian missiles hit civilian targets, such as apartments, in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. It is more and more clear that Putin wants all of Ukraine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT (10 October, 2022): Today Russia started the worst attack on Ukraine to this day, targeting the entire country. People in the West are getting tired of the war and of its economic consequences. As of October 2022, there have been about 30,000 deaths, over 54,000 have been injured, 14 million people have been displaced and 140,000 buildings have been destroyed. Torture and other crimes against humanity at the hands of the Russian army have worsened. Putin is ever more threatening Ukraine and the entirety of NATO with nuclear weapons, especially as the Ukrainian armed forces are capturing more and more of the territories that were annexed to Russia a few days ago. Some people blame Ukraine for the war, how can one possibly do that when Russia is invading them? How can one defend oneself against this kind of aggression? In the past few days, more towns have been destroyed, more innocent civilians have been killed, more have been tortured. They went as far as attacking parks and museums, the everyday life and the culture that defines a country. In the past few days, the Russians are attacking civilians and civilian targets all over the country - even outside the occupied areas. Should the world give in to a bully? Are your electric bills more important than people's lives?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT (10 February, 2023): as of the new year, almost 43,000 people have been killed - Russia keeps attacking Ukraine, even while trespassing neighboring air-spaces, it keeps targeting civilians and murdering them. Russia is encircled in Crimea and the eastern provinces but despite Western aid, there still seems to be no respite for Ukraine and no sight of the end of the conflict.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">EDIT (24 February, 2023): the war in Ukraine, people keep dying and the Ukrainians keep fighting with all their strength and courage; Russia will now win this war. A year in, all the free world stands with the proud people of this abused land.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Scroll down for a list of some of the main horrors committed by Russia in Ukraine.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCF0j_k2jAY8aZw8MBns-fmVAf6lfV2OZTgqMXWtXnKE-PIrY4RvJWDbpSZpgvJAjEaozKUfdfi8qfJowS-q6FoGOBNvqc06TIhw50WFMIRKPHrY4SRykje5fFZK1vk2mO16M2k3FybVI91TJuQbIIXJ2PSc11RUKQzWPRJM-Sm_uI5GE3Y47tpkI9"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCF0j_k2jAY8aZw8MBns-fmVAf6lfV2OZTgqMXWtXnKE-PIrY4RvJWDbpSZpgvJAjEaozKUfdfi8qfJowS-q6FoGOBNvqc06TIhw50WFMIRKPHrY4SRykje5fFZK1vk2mO16M2k3FybVI91TJuQbIIXJ2PSc11RUKQzWPRJM-Sm_uI5GE3Y47tpkI9=w512-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLu11IxaZeli9MnxDIY3x2yvXj508uExjIYfdemDu3aCx1IKHA3GOEdwQ6mZNKSQNRXaTbjh9VC23pX_AueZ4p00Ji_y9W_r3TlTi4xPq-Xh1BzUBHwMiPLXVgICcEp7SJnndY818UoZ1O2NkjG9GK-2lkvzYBiuLGs48neBH1rKplqvfGzwPsByw_"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLu11IxaZeli9MnxDIY3x2yvXj508uExjIYfdemDu3aCx1IKHA3GOEdwQ6mZNKSQNRXaTbjh9VC23pX_AueZ4p00Ji_y9W_r3TlTi4xPq-Xh1BzUBHwMiPLXVgICcEp7SJnndY818UoZ1O2NkjG9GK-2lkvzYBiuLGs48neBH1rKplqvfGzwPsByw_=w512-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRnMxA1jWKuf2zvojotICi1FUZl1kM-gnkfwmkuCiA2RfOoTLm4siJ3uSOynz2khZ40CSxdwirERNPK30Ie3sbyQAZvlKk33nl4F6WU0H7N0JbvMRtCYNyJ9Eys0jLgArzS-9HffTCzMBdqbcTNofFx6oadlIh8euzoQCIt0AibfAowyUP-NAuIHAu"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRnMxA1jWKuf2zvojotICi1FUZl1kM-gnkfwmkuCiA2RfOoTLm4siJ3uSOynz2khZ40CSxdwirERNPK30Ie3sbyQAZvlKk33nl4F6WU0H7N0JbvMRtCYNyJ9Eys0jLgArzS-9HffTCzMBdqbcTNofFx6oadlIh8euzoQCIt0AibfAowyUP-NAuIHAu=w509-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRnMxA1jWKuf2zvojotICi1FUZl1kM-gnkfwmkuCiA2RfOoTLm4siJ3uSOynz2khZ40CSxdwirERNPK30Ie3sbyQAZvlKk33nl4F6WU0H7N0JbvMRtCYNyJ9Eys0jLgArzS-9HffTCzMBdqbcTNofFx6oadlIh8euzoQCIt0AibfAowyUP-NAuIHAu"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6cxdjH2HMVdVb31nn_zpHlnKCzLNXbajfbVqn4ivd2zPQ3L2SJLDeA7t5VSvVX1G2hzU_GlSyfLPmm1jn98rv_qDvxi4KzQHZbVx-gnwpBJzM2Kxt4andVwgbDdu4LJh3GzLBxsqqX--UZM75ozf3ifsmaEI4ObRHgBeTh5jt3vjYCIVDvBO8Fc_2=w512-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRnMxA1jWKuf2zvojotICi1FUZl1kM-gnkfwmkuCiA2RfOoTLm4siJ3uSOynz2khZ40CSxdwirERNPK30Ie3sbyQAZvlKk33nl4F6WU0H7N0JbvMRtCYNyJ9Eys0jLgArzS-9HffTCzMBdqbcTNofFx6oadlIh8euzoQCIt0AibfAowyUP-NAuIHAu"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjGq61ubgZ9zV8c_350tNUKSDQz2auC8vLZOZx3pLl7MAsGqkXrLm-jOka7eSXKO0iKTnyY5J-epnXujiSP5ElEoHewXFoZi3s4BkqLCTp3i5RQJVj5-l7YgUVQdyIqrMCVhvnCgzon2CeYacGKQscRixe1Apy06OzwQASNdT6szM7yABIjY_l6_Sl=w512-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRnMxA1jWKuf2zvojotICi1FUZl1kM-gnkfwmkuCiA2RfOoTLm4siJ3uSOynz2khZ40CSxdwirERNPK30Ie3sbyQAZvlKk33nl4F6WU0H7N0JbvMRtCYNyJ9Eys0jLgArzS-9HffTCzMBdqbcTNofFx6oadlIh8euzoQCIt0AibfAowyUP-NAuIHAu"><img 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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRnMxA1jWKuf2zvojotICi1FUZl1kM-gnkfwmkuCiA2RfOoTLm4siJ3uSOynz2khZ40CSxdwirERNPK30Ie3sbyQAZvlKk33nl4F6WU0H7N0JbvMRtCYNyJ9Eys0jLgArzS-9HffTCzMBdqbcTNofFx6oadlIh8euzoQCIt0AibfAowyUP-NAuIHAu"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ6-_VaD8y-4hbHXidLTjvgpqvgL57pKYL6VPEzJtxhcSZidafrDBZxdvXZGePKzs_GoBy1ui70W_tp-gwr_Dko-jvxsBnjHEfR3NuV6p8k9meY5igWUS4M8IP-WgtXTLiFyn9gJDxygvWgmisJthfR3fTY4iFaFoAc2sTk_XglJpdJ8LlW_J4YScG=w512-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRnMxA1jWKuf2zvojotICi1FUZl1kM-gnkfwmkuCiA2RfOoTLm4siJ3uSOynz2khZ40CSxdwirERNPK30Ie3sbyQAZvlKk33nl4F6WU0H7N0JbvMRtCYNyJ9Eys0jLgArzS-9HffTCzMBdqbcTNofFx6oadlIh8euzoQCIt0AibfAowyUP-NAuIHAu"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfx2ji-TdqewKVLe5KOnA_8CJX-2f1WGChu1E-c06ryHy9Ra2cPG9g3nF7znGw9uXFr_7qmiZa9Enwdy3DLBSHpPrYQ2VtjX-KmSlO-2q4J_cgmKJSzi6W-yd8TqVgF7mZtHUNVa17plbx6riDv_FPIdiFHAGYl3gpoGAkYnEfoHzH9NNoRtL-koDi=w512-h640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lord have mercy on Ukraine.</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-24760495703407138222022-02-12T16:53:00.007+01:002022-03-01T13:50:47.107+01:00Renaissance Philanthropy<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNhJ_TQaD6L_8pRZku0lp4zHcrFDKxA5bLmDf1WKpXgwd0X0Ag3NidQkVb4vsBMTsL2M0eUkHg6SvB3sBd78-KsumfF2zczrM95h1wmD4XYflNGfwMmZd33v36qvxbmwrTmjMBPCUlwfsK1ZtVmmvhHBYwMa33-su83R6IaHI3-uwlsO3vPpd2gXuabg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="2048" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNhJ_TQaD6L_8pRZku0lp4zHcrFDKxA5bLmDf1WKpXgwd0X0Ag3NidQkVb4vsBMTsL2M0eUkHg6SvB3sBd78-KsumfF2zczrM95h1wmD4XYflNGfwMmZd33v36qvxbmwrTmjMBPCUlwfsK1ZtVmmvhHBYwMa33-su83R6IaHI3-uwlsO3vPpd2gXuabg=w400-h309" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A view of the Ponte Sisto on the Tiber in Rome.</i></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are many common misconceptions about the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the most common points you hear are how dark the Middle Ages really were and how careless were the rulers of Renaissance Italy. While certainly this is true when compared to our modern standards, it is also true that our knowledge of that time has been deeply poisoned by inaccurate tv dramas and sensationalistic reads. Church-funded science and research was a central part of the late Middle Ages, the popes funded a host of hospitals (which at the time were also hostels), without the thought and independent mindset of the late Middle Ages, there would have been no Renaissance. No, the Renaissance was not a godless time when the center of the universe became man and not God, (just look at the art of the time or who commissioned it) but certainly Humanism brought a renewed interest for the <i>res publica</i>, the public thing. In a previous <a href="http://romananglican.blogspot.com/2020/01/new-york-renaissance.html">article</a>, we discussed of the great American philanthropy of the Gilded Age. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3Azb9QY_P9agZUDFIpAodTJNjNjVIpqSAScg_X2DqE6rqnqxIJ9Ne6OJorPn0ILmxY7_V9dNczxsRAad5NmvLqs3YaFcKqb8VW4lbEOmHckNRguyGwKjAzoTs7mQTNUmRzIATtI68ZBsOsM0oz8af96VTQlWe9f2YAYhbqbdGhEm-qIPSmrJTlXD4Kw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3Azb9QY_P9agZUDFIpAodTJNjNjVIpqSAScg_X2DqE6rqnqxIJ9Ne6OJorPn0ILmxY7_V9dNczxsRAad5NmvLqs3YaFcKqb8VW4lbEOmHckNRguyGwKjAzoTs7mQTNUmRzIATtI68ZBsOsM0oz8af96VTQlWe9f2YAYhbqbdGhEm-qIPSmrJTlXD4Kw=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Brunelleschi's Spedale degli Innocenti in Florence.</i></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Renaissance was the time of the great rebirth of philanthropy, to an extent and a generosity that we haven't witnessed since the end of the 19th century. What were the reasons? Appeasement, politics, soft power, yes - Italy was not France or Spain, and the smaller Italian states mastered the use of soft power through the means of art and culture, and they became very good at it indeed. The cultural centers of the Renaissance were Florence and Rome. In the first, among a host of families that funded churches, chapel and public buildings were the Medici, they funded the <i>Spedale degli Innocenti</i>, designed by non other than Filippo Brunelleschi, it was Florence's main hospital, which functioned until the last century. They sponsored the construction of public galleries, such as the Uffizi, and libraries, such as the <i>Lauretiana </i>in San Marco. Both the lay and the clergy alike benefited from this, the imposing family chapels were a sign of imposing power, but everyone could have understood and appreciated the meaning of those beautiful frescoes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhURg-Ys3g6eVfJpvvbYk5DYk6Sys72-nPYAFr-lrUHs-f_jnpVi4KvYJVmiWnqz1-N5Fi5dBM69qDhb3O31e--8sKXlhtBX5fTo1AOPrsCYnqCtRokvGf6Y856SXJvEfsbxjpc2iBOlYgDPZxp4FSBiFxJS2oX08hy1FdQ_UGTIHD3XhNdZG8ARvEiEw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhURg-Ys3g6eVfJpvvbYk5DYk6Sys72-nPYAFr-lrUHs-f_jnpVi4KvYJVmiWnqz1-N5Fi5dBM69qDhb3O31e--8sKXlhtBX5fTo1AOPrsCYnqCtRokvGf6Y856SXJvEfsbxjpc2iBOlYgDPZxp4FSBiFxJS2oX08hy1FdQ_UGTIHD3XhNdZG8ARvEiEw" width="397" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The ancient hospital of Santo Spirito in Saxia, restored by Pope Sixtus IV.</i></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Rome, among a host of papal families that commissioned beauty, functional and not in the same way, was the example of Sixtus IV Della Rovere. He commissioned the Sistine Chapel and its decorations to the greatest masters of the time, but at the same time he funded the reconstruction of hospitals such as <i>Santo Spirito</i> and bridges, such as the <i>Ponte Sisto</i> - his nephew, Pope Julius II, a few years later, continued his work, both in the Church and in the very planimetry of the <i>Urbe</i>. Sixtus IV also founded the world's first museum, the <i>Capitolini</i> in 1471. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheZXfnLPbfCl2tJjhWa0g2ioOcU3qBqOwI5cMN-CjLGCMuC9Fl6n_3CuRAnMrpVql61qBFW7ZSrjLfrrZVe_ius_IyqHAz_bGQthioQfdSTfxx9bbDYG5N-d4_QYIGOKTkXVqiiPV3HvUZRtOda_8hlU90-_ckhL55oWDXtdsWoylLN1FOrKnPH-oVTA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1024" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheZXfnLPbfCl2tJjhWa0g2ioOcU3qBqOwI5cMN-CjLGCMuC9Fl6n_3CuRAnMrpVql61qBFW7ZSrjLfrrZVe_ius_IyqHAz_bGQthioQfdSTfxx9bbDYG5N-d4_QYIGOKTkXVqiiPV3HvUZRtOda_8hlU90-_ckhL55oWDXtdsWoylLN1FOrKnPH-oVTA=w400-h310" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A view of the Capitoline Hill in the 19th century.</i></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Think of the example of the huge <a href="http://romananglican.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-tornabuoni-chapel-santa-maria.html">Tornabuoni Chapel</a> in Santa Maria Novella, Florence - it was decorated between 1485 and 1490 by Domenico Ghirlandaio and a host of helpers, including a young Michelangelo. The Tornabuoni chapel were one of Florence's most powerful families, by commissioning this set of frescoes with stories from the life of Christ and the Virgin, they were making a power statement, "this is what we can afford, and we can afford it here" - their portraits would pop in between Maries and Josephs. They were also sending a message to their friends: "we are friends with the powerful Medici" - their portraits also appear between Maries and Josephs, and this is how learned people of the time saw these works, they could tell who was who, they could read into the intricate iconography - but how was this work democratic? These frescoes were also the main backdrop to the high altar, while a duke or a cardinal would have read more into it, a God-fearing peasant would have been able to read of the stories of the life of his deity. This is true of this case and a host of other works throughout Italy, the figure of the donor (see image below) is present in so many religious works, devotional or public. This is philanthropy at its best. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjREQHluBFFITRTCpUUKp0onhJV7BsOm80Ds3mb2JTi4shTo7vwHeLSUP_wReEnerKrk8Gkg5hrzNk0Gh0nS4ZI9lMOCwPljWZWZnXhVQ65jFvlnCXy-72mpNC1EoBsedvY8nlBMc8rBD9JE9TgoGJ2ra4DEDGgidr2zwD31fKBSnLY5nBDOaWqz6_fyg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjREQHluBFFITRTCpUUKp0onhJV7BsOm80Ds3mb2JTi4shTo7vwHeLSUP_wReEnerKrk8Gkg5hrzNk0Gh0nS4ZI9lMOCwPljWZWZnXhVQ65jFvlnCXy-72mpNC1EoBsedvY8nlBMc8rBD9JE9TgoGJ2ra4DEDGgidr2zwD31fKBSnLY5nBDOaWqz6_fyg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpkokjN5Dqy5tGGHm7MAy1ykUVKqK1BahS8K0hTjYO9W4tFcMvGuKIjkRvhnQ-ZH6BSxO3a_oLa0rnGdrcxXSAWu3AHlCgum6xooeFkl3dEMn3Za_Rig6udhoq75A-wFMSZtjFCb8oKkL2TTefc8OPF5f_3tV-pB0dDaiAdoixZ8ASH9YcT_denbKbYA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2690" data-original-width="4841" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpkokjN5Dqy5tGGHm7MAy1ykUVKqK1BahS8K0hTjYO9W4tFcMvGuKIjkRvhnQ-ZH6BSxO3a_oLa0rnGdrcxXSAWu3AHlCgum6xooeFkl3dEMn3Za_Rig6udhoq75A-wFMSZtjFCb8oKkL2TTefc8OPF5f_3tV-pB0dDaiAdoixZ8ASH9YcT_denbKbYA=w400-h223" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A detail of Ghirlandaio's Sassetti Chapel in Santa Trinita, Florence.</i></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While, the Renaissance was in no way a time of modern-day transparency, it was never as violent or unfair as it is depicted in some shows (or at least not as sadistic), and it was never as careless as it was thought. In both cities, the government paid for large celebrations on special days on which everybody would be fed and their thirst quenched. Care for the population and a love for sharing culture and beauty was very much alive at that time, it might have been political, but what's wrong with it. Now I ask myself the usual question, why can't we do the same nowadays?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGXC_jVmnj_2ka9eehzsv9bBYkoPFgYlVdbdQmqd0Ow4BgJcwzX4A1QPUBZu60ryScZJDoLhjWkFCsxSSuSCX26cotaTsgpvoTlsRxZW5j0P9vuPDJhILFtvXiWponWri-jpDYhAQvBTkAgMH5JGwqgmUY5FeCmqDEkwUp6qq5WOslB8VhJXrUfZTMTg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGXC_jVmnj_2ka9eehzsv9bBYkoPFgYlVdbdQmqd0Ow4BgJcwzX4A1QPUBZu60ryScZJDoLhjWkFCsxSSuSCX26cotaTsgpvoTlsRxZW5j0P9vuPDJhILFtvXiWponWri-jpDYhAQvBTkAgMH5JGwqgmUY5FeCmqDEkwUp6qq5WOslB8VhJXrUfZTMTg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Ghirlandaio's Birth of the Virgin in the Tornabuoni Chapel.</i></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-78152857442836622362022-02-12T16:20:00.005+01:002022-02-12T16:20:59.249+01:00The Domus Aurea, the Wonder of Antiquity in the Renaissance.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1lT7yOj505fosSjLTyBBFIZX_m1Edo9Nd4wS-d_lzU4b_2xYO3NSjhmbL-JJukqDxBv0ZI30g8mQQIcjdj5eQdmggHq6cHNqZxiHFCWnU2IHpJQFqY9rT3s2XC3xaSjYAhGgzqbMIy7mVVnYw1g5VZz6MirIpPjFBtiqHaoNWyP4ZlgaVDI7ErRk0WQ=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1lT7yOj505fosSjLTyBBFIZX_m1Edo9Nd4wS-d_lzU4b_2xYO3NSjhmbL-JJukqDxBv0ZI30g8mQQIcjdj5eQdmggHq6cHNqZxiHFCWnU2IHpJQFqY9rT3s2XC3xaSjYAhGgzqbMIy7mVVnYw1g5VZz6MirIpPjFBtiqHaoNWyP4ZlgaVDI7ErRk0WQ=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Grotesques in the Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On a beautiful Roman day such as today, you might want to take a stroll down the Oppian Hill, where you can get amazing views over the Colosseum and the Forum. One of the first things that you might notice is the incredible number of derelict ancient ruins of what used to be colossal structures. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTs-oqYXXfMxo6HbLxFqAOnTsN8zshVYSOWm1c0O6Q2CECPeocT2VE2c7F1wG-zI4Y9h-j_oU5Uwdf711FyfPG1N65VyVbn1zQsRcu-LS3pbmuk7rIn3bggoTljgz4paH0owDIS9yIE5iubA0BFrEpuT5F_M_WGTx-No1jKve7Y-PmOm9QK6O8UCe0TA=s1269" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1269" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTs-oqYXXfMxo6HbLxFqAOnTsN8zshVYSOWm1c0O6Q2CECPeocT2VE2c7F1wG-zI4Y9h-j_oU5Uwdf711FyfPG1N65VyVbn1zQsRcu-LS3pbmuk7rIn3bggoTljgz4paH0owDIS9yIE5iubA0BFrEpuT5F_M_WGTx-No1jKve7Y-PmOm9QK6O8UCe0TA=w400-h283" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>An interior view of the Domus Aurea.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On 18th July 64 A.D. started a terrible fire which destroyed most of the city, it went on for six days and six nights. According to legend, Emperor Nero witnessed the event from the top of the hill. It is here that he decided to have a giant palace built for him right there. The <i>Domus Aurea </i>as it became known, was a massive complex of marble-clad palaces, loggias and painted halls, enormous fountains and water games, immersed in over 200 hectares of luxurious gardens. It occupied most of the Oppian Hill and parts of the Palatine and Esquiline Hills. It was here that the emperor would hold his unending garden parties, among the marbles, vineyards, woods and fountains, decorated with hundreds of fine sculptures taken from Greece. He supervised its construction himself, Rome's citizens despised the palace, as everyone, in one way or another, contributed to its construction unwillingly. After his death, the <i>Domus Aurea </i>was gifted to the Roman citizens. Subsequently, demolition began under Vespasian. Following emperors turned the complex into baths, new residences, and finally in 104 what remained of it burnt down. Later, the remaining ruins were buried underneath a layer of sand which preserved it until its later rediscovery.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUj3fAaXxbhxdZnZCCYkiwCzfzXUUToDJ_E6ggp9iPuwOXsev70yjD-2vDeczEsmOxPDoxqhoLrQVY9apkaCdEjHHAM6oJbobR3A7GY8YgA7091cLu9ShZXyV-l7wH935PtcepmLsaCxYiHjV2Rz2GD2pA_KvBTU1jYbGHWTrjlSYNIk5EQ1cE2aWZxQ=s2560" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUj3fAaXxbhxdZnZCCYkiwCzfzXUUToDJ_E6ggp9iPuwOXsev70yjD-2vDeczEsmOxPDoxqhoLrQVY9apkaCdEjHHAM6oJbobR3A7GY8YgA7091cLu9ShZXyV-l7wH935PtcepmLsaCxYiHjV2Rz2GD2pA_KvBTU1jYbGHWTrjlSYNIk5EQ1cE2aWZxQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Grotesques in the Domus Aurea.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the end of the 15th century, the Oppian Hill was at the edge of the city of Rome, bordering the countryside. It was then that a young man accidentally stepped into a hole in the ground and found himself in a grotto that was completely decorated in frescoes. The Renaissance was a period of rediscovery of antiquity in all its forms; politics, philosophy, literature and indeed art. Renaissance art and its appreciation for the classical order was greatly inspired by Rome. Soon, young artists started to visit the ruins of the <i>Domus Aurea</i> in order to take inspiration for their own masterpieces, among them were Pintoricchio, Michelangelo and Raphael. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjgZJ10qc2voWVzIYhz5fm5VpZQfFP1XiLn4OkI_P0L3K9CBwAq6RNtZa-sy2ymxxLGj5IVAyyZs9r93tJNALz3gKtAGjaTNn7x-QA-F-16J5wVf4tokklw2-RN592cURc28QQjpBGE5YpRDyUwaZ4-VlVvg_dSjxiiasXAvOm92VdD2vAqqJgCvZGuA=s943" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="698" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjgZJ10qc2voWVzIYhz5fm5VpZQfFP1XiLn4OkI_P0L3K9CBwAq6RNtZa-sy2ymxxLGj5IVAyyZs9r93tJNALz3gKtAGjaTNn7x-QA-F-16J5wVf4tokklw2-RN592cURc28QQjpBGE5YpRDyUwaZ4-VlVvg_dSjxiiasXAvOm92VdD2vAqqJgCvZGuA=w296-h400" width="296" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Raphael's Grotesques in the Villa Madama, Rome.</i></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The beautiful frescoes in the <i>Domus Aurea </i>were in the style that became known as <i>Grotesques</i>, the extravagant motifs and figures that characterized ancient Roman pictorial art. These were soon adopted all over Rome and Florence, and can be found in any frame of a 15th or 16th century panel or fresco. Among the most notable examples are those by Raphael in Rome. They also became prevalent in the Roman Mannerist style thanks to the School of Raphael through masters such as Perin del Vaga, Giulio Romano, the Zuccari brothers. (Mannerism was an eclectic continuation of Renaissance art in the mid-16th century). If you happen to be in Florence, Rome or anywhere else in central/northern Italy, have a good hunt down in churches, palaces and galleries and be inspired by this gorgeous revival of eccentric figures.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUsMhHhZu5H7bdxTpzQX8l61LRowlRMBOEQHN_iKEz_jcbL_BSPI2Z_KUhA5DEvMDyW8ZkhQ4CIGTeDnl0-jV6MMwahY6qtEdE4fcnIiZX4MxI5fiVGQwaijU4T_MF9YDY2GlGtFDpqLb6aR-34QWWV1enevGKs7WFIqdqeT1GrXoKZVnyo8Ke_4F8Uw=s1100" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUsMhHhZu5H7bdxTpzQX8l61LRowlRMBOEQHN_iKEz_jcbL_BSPI2Z_KUhA5DEvMDyW8ZkhQ4CIGTeDnl0-jV6MMwahY6qtEdE4fcnIiZX4MxI5fiVGQwaijU4T_MF9YDY2GlGtFDpqLb6aR-34QWWV1enevGKs7WFIqdqeT1GrXoKZVnyo8Ke_4F8Uw=w310-h400" width="310" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mannerist Grotesques by Taddeo Zuccari.</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-88522450357316570882022-02-06T22:22:00.003+01:002022-02-12T16:53:40.027+01:00Unexpected Surprises<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLyGtAFYYro90o8mucpZijdaho1oKl-V46b9umg0jrreIrcI7_wFNL2IPvvn9fUJFStj5vshVIw8lr7xFBNvfOBchybgZDJlUGg9ZsSRCCrmAkqjw-foy2omvX9rSI9AdHc6tEo50so8MbFhqt4r2NkPFQWlVXJbPZ4wlg8JjZrByug2E5mrmQpoIF4Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1536" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLyGtAFYYro90o8mucpZijdaho1oKl-V46b9umg0jrreIrcI7_wFNL2IPvvn9fUJFStj5vshVIw8lr7xFBNvfOBchybgZDJlUGg9ZsSRCCrmAkqjw-foy2omvX9rSI9AdHc6tEo50so8MbFhqt4r2NkPFQWlVXJbPZ4wlg8JjZrByug2E5mrmQpoIF4Q=w320-h254" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Sometimes living in Italy and most especially in Rome can be a frustrating experience. The lack of efficiency, the complex ways of surfing the Byzantine bureaucracy, another set of standards of what it means to respect and value the public good. Surely, Italy is a modern country and like many other Western countries we have our fair share of things we can be proud of. We have a splendid landscape, beautiful cities, gorgeous mountains and a bucolic countryside, thanks to our national health service and a Mediterranean diet, we have one of the world's highest life expectancy standards, the highest in the West. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY4JywmzBAopUHqGldjr-NA1T_znyWHcUBE6HYNIpr4_ezIIp5mvK3tY2IhqyqcCsbpPAzB_px0AwMMZEESdbAA644f_RIJeKazYI_Km1NBSr-mvY6Wg2SLsklG115gueRdPWfg-xrPIJWZsh3h1-XaS08CCsrlkEwaezfd7TGBI8eQj2zTVQus7q-Wg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1536" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY4JywmzBAopUHqGldjr-NA1T_znyWHcUBE6HYNIpr4_ezIIp5mvK3tY2IhqyqcCsbpPAzB_px0AwMMZEESdbAA644f_RIJeKazYI_Km1NBSr-mvY6Wg2SLsklG115gueRdPWfg-xrPIJWZsh3h1-XaS08CCsrlkEwaezfd7TGBI8eQj2zTVQus7q-Wg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Spend a week traveling from north to south and you'll experience the tastiest cuisine in the whole world in all its splendor. Yes, lines might be longer, Rome is loud and chaotic, but when I needed to be taken care of, and for free. We fought through the pandemic, most of us are now boosted and safer, both in mind and body, than we were two years ago at this time. The economy is not as bad as we thought it might be - but poverty exists, people are angry. The general consensus is that people are not happy overall. Will this change? Will we adopt a love for rules like some other European countries? Doubt it and in a way, I am glad. I find waiting for a green light to cross the road in a small German village at midnight, when there is no one around just as infuriating as it is to wait in three hours to get the results of my PCR test at one of Rome's hospitals. However, each country has its problems, whether it's an obsession with rules or almost the complete lack thereof. We can be thankful and confident in what we are. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggEwP5j-S6kf-eHi1fqqYIUl3qpJ-LSNlu2XryBNifquUUtSXbv0PgPUlwNfb4MBw_96o8siiRl184s9Xg6ri-5eb4Ifyo5dG8gEI4vU2XpOyn3tUTUkn3YY1nkj-TEVu_R-AmOi04hgJkBp6jUUTag5H7hyYyv4VeRTypzGT0_SS5G7cFI9OvW8Z5Ww" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1536" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggEwP5j-S6kf-eHi1fqqYIUl3qpJ-LSNlu2XryBNifquUUtSXbv0PgPUlwNfb4MBw_96o8siiRl184s9Xg6ri-5eb4Ifyo5dG8gEI4vU2XpOyn3tUTUkn3YY1nkj-TEVu_R-AmOi04hgJkBp6jUUTag5H7hyYyv4VeRTypzGT0_SS5G7cFI9OvW8Z5Ww=w320-h234" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Rome is a funny place. Over the last couple of weeks, I have seen the new President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, sworn in and celebrate his re-election at the Piazza Venezia, where only 80 years or so earlier Benito Mussolini was declaring war to our former allies. The national aerobatic team, the Frecce Tricolori, flew over our heads, only a few months ago, the Patrouille de France joined them as Italy and France celebrated the new beginning of a stronger alliance. Our president is one of few good politicians whom the Italians have grown to love and respect. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-OfcxZjLPhnr_tuJFZgjlNmlBXGGT1GUljWXwUdMjIc5gLb44BN6-f06HPrU0PR0oatf-bE2TcE98qC5665Z00ogNuBgp1Tlc_MNlahJMHgwSs488EVN2YPTZ7FVyt0bGYbAkxO7rowVkTUL1OBaOn6eu__hOL6XQO3NUlo0vbXn7_7yemZbq7Qh8Uw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-OfcxZjLPhnr_tuJFZgjlNmlBXGGT1GUljWXwUdMjIc5gLb44BN6-f06HPrU0PR0oatf-bE2TcE98qC5665Z00ogNuBgp1Tlc_MNlahJMHgwSs488EVN2YPTZ7FVyt0bGYbAkxO7rowVkTUL1OBaOn6eu__hOL6XQO3NUlo0vbXn7_7yemZbq7Qh8Uw=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Then, I met the Pope at the Ecumenical Vespers that are held each year in January in the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls, it was once again a moving experience. I first met Pope Francis in my church of All Saints, here in Rome, when he came to visit our community in February 2017 - I led the procession and we shook hands. Since then, he's deteriorated, but my opinion of him has gotten higher and higher. He's a good and holy man. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCVEBoVU3zb7KvZ6c7PZy1yxwjGBKudNDiOFBtptL0Sul-mjrQKhi5yT5_AZ8-v7PD6Eds0g5kHsvWROQirw4wMqAMDGcxJquhJsP33sQCQ2dGjbqPnBCZnA6wiW_emRSGcD9LYmB9ELICz7edY7cc_Kx9pDKeycHDuCKpO3H-N7KV0Gkc7jzuggcuww" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1378" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCVEBoVU3zb7KvZ6c7PZy1yxwjGBKudNDiOFBtptL0Sul-mjrQKhi5yT5_AZ8-v7PD6Eds0g5kHsvWROQirw4wMqAMDGcxJquhJsP33sQCQ2dGjbqPnBCZnA6wiW_emRSGcD9LYmB9ELICz7edY7cc_Kx9pDKeycHDuCKpO3H-N7KV0Gkc7jzuggcuww" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">As it happens, I switched the tv on tonight - first, Italian news channels celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II. As an Italian Anglican, it was a moving moment to realize how your "Defender of the Faith", has managed to touch the hearts of so many around the world, beyond Britain and the Commonwealth, through years of utter dedication, hard work, and firm beliefs in her God that earned her the respect of so many. She came here many times, where she became known as <i>La Regina</i>, the one and only. She has shown the strength of a lion in proving her word true in her role of <i>Fidei Defensor </i>- a role that goes back to Constantine and passed through Byzantium, the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of France and the Russian Empire, and that she has been great enough to be able to carry it into this millenium and century. Her silent sense of dignity and humbleness has been a true gift that has often brought calm in a time of chaos and uncertainty. It is an honor to be part of this new Elizabethan Age. I give thanks for the beginning of this Platinum Jubilee year and pray that long may she reign.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5nAZulLt3c4v_QEeYOC6GF8RFx9OlRBo1fAYPDR-eZEv3JS72TGucx47TujXLvTxJKmZ_c_-Ncl9UlLNDv5usDzvvVXl2aS1ijvZ4yS00iGMVQAO0DZdw9E7aChCrSCei8kHi7XUDQABz1SW8_wrS8YQlylpDL1rnMw50E6VL2TjvCDzkfDDwjHgZzw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1233" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5nAZulLt3c4v_QEeYOC6GF8RFx9OlRBo1fAYPDR-eZEv3JS72TGucx47TujXLvTxJKmZ_c_-Ncl9UlLNDv5usDzvvVXl2aS1ijvZ4yS00iGMVQAO0DZdw9E7aChCrSCei8kHi7XUDQABz1SW8_wrS8YQlylpDL1rnMw50E6VL2TjvCDzkfDDwjHgZzw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Unexpectedly, today was also Pope Francis himself, being interviewed by the main national tv channel. He was asked why do children suffer. He said he doesn't know and cannot comprehend it. The answer is to be found in one's personal faith and in the relationship of the Father and the Son. What we can do is to accompany people in their struggle. That's such a dignified response to give. Sometimes pastors shouldn't try and respond with given answers to struggling parents when they cannot understand what they're going through. This time less is indeed more. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhD_hIWC3BvvFi2TJ3Bv8fEwvHB3-uYQ06GhoK-1znBPKInlhQ7ZoCdk36XFY3ZevHXo8QfLapAjTD8cfAP-z65MfHp80tmGREZx6_nqAQvOC6BSguKEWcktwi3bgr1cT_5E76LBS6gaOboDYS6KoHvJabmAJNSgLQ7LHYb3CBLYDJSLV-PQ69XWEh5Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1200" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhD_hIWC3BvvFi2TJ3Bv8fEwvHB3-uYQ06GhoK-1znBPKInlhQ7ZoCdk36XFY3ZevHXo8QfLapAjTD8cfAP-z65MfHp80tmGREZx6_nqAQvOC6BSguKEWcktwi3bgr1cT_5E76LBS6gaOboDYS6KoHvJabmAJNSgLQ7LHYb3CBLYDJSLV-PQ69XWEh5Q" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps, this succession of events should bring one (or at least me) to realize that we have to be thankful in what we have, and that surprises sometimes are around the corner but our hearts need to be open to it. People suffer, we can walk with them. Good people exist, they're just quiet about it sometimes. Sometimes, it is our Lord Jesus Christ who can help us find them if we dedicate some time to him. People make us upset, that is because differences exist, both between countries and between individuals - let us realize that this is what they are, let us accept one another and carry on.</div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-83260672258359325672021-12-20T00:35:00.004+01:002021-12-20T00:45:59.531+01:00Sermon preached at a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at St. Andrew's Church of Scotland, Rome<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-yKHBoCru_v9tl5BP8ZFX7Q3XeBOW4EqanwE8AC3C-GI_JiWPku-CfU_bvHJ3MNWOD9UxAKulMCp0a5MrKZ9hBVkEPNTnHjLKDerONQMBYb6_4sEZIb6Tsk8UHcHndBphIl8AlJSNj-3/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="1878" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-yKHBoCru_v9tl5BP8ZFX7Q3XeBOW4EqanwE8AC3C-GI_JiWPku-CfU_bvHJ3MNWOD9UxAKulMCp0a5MrKZ9hBVkEPNTnHjLKDerONQMBYb6_4sEZIb6Tsk8UHcHndBphIl8AlJSNj-3/w400-h266/267487949_3190312781188309_7941264563273512528_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be always acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once again we are approaching that magical time, Christmas is coming. Despite cases going up and a new Covid-variant popping up - after two years of pandemic disaster we are once again approaching the most long-awaited day of the year. Who doesn’t remember those Christmases past?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At Christmas, history repeats itself, things start anew - the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ brings to us a new year and new thoughts for a new and fresh beginning, but much like Scrooge in Dickens’ Christmas Carol, it is also a time to reflect on the past, some of us will miss being children, some of us will miss some long gone folks, and those treasured memories... this is a time to reflect on the present and take action - this is the one mission God gave us. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, it is a time to look ahead and make some good planning. The warmth and coziness of familiarity is what makes us comfortable at Christmas; the carols that we can finally sing again, the meals and fellowship, but what’s missing? What is it that can be changed? I am sure you will all say in unison “a lot can be changed”. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pW1SMFpmy3EPWKkO-0y3WPlwwIBY9_P3CwGG1vxGJphNnzcn75qzruBYoYUeF-rvpyYb_fdNN8ZZRi2H7ayHNc1PBA31eZbQiuZyqLqDqVyR3WgHWYjZDGNptPST7yyL7QPLkFy3LiVb/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1513" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pW1SMFpmy3EPWKkO-0y3WPlwwIBY9_P3CwGG1vxGJphNnzcn75qzruBYoYUeF-rvpyYb_fdNN8ZZRi2H7ayHNc1PBA31eZbQiuZyqLqDqVyR3WgHWYjZDGNptPST7yyL7QPLkFy3LiVb/w400-h256/image-asset.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1918, Eric Milner-White, then Dean of King’s College, Cambridge, drafted the first service of Nine Lessons and Carols, which has become to this day, perhaps the most renowned ever Christmas church service. The carols which were and are so closely linked to Christmas then as are now, were originally thought of as dancing songs. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Think of “Tomorrow shall be my dancing day” - if you listen to Renaissance madrigals they all have that “fa la la” which we now associate with Christmas carols. In that particular carol, Christ tells of his life as a dance. Early Christian thought echoes this idea. Greek theologians defined the communion of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in the Trinity as a round dance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At Christmas, these carols take us back to this idea of divine dancing that brings forth the good fruits of his grace. The meaning of this holy dance can be found in Luke’s story of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, in which this baby found in the muck and straw of a cave for cattle is being sung the praises by the angelic host; in Matthew’s account, the three gifts-bearing magi from the east are guided by a star. In John’s account, we hear of God made flesh and know of his divine glory.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJ6K_3RRGT6Ozl5vBAV9ILUQVuhskYGdV_dNM15TEgexLVdyFeB-5_5TgaeaL1a3w0qV1dEQiI-IQ15oiSz9uEMdZvMlq8oGqKpN1PCkS5-MuHNeeDHgGwea5x4lcIZBQfBki1T9NzGpL/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJ6K_3RRGT6Ozl5vBAV9ILUQVuhskYGdV_dNM15TEgexLVdyFeB-5_5TgaeaL1a3w0qV1dEQiI-IQ15oiSz9uEMdZvMlq8oGqKpN1PCkS5-MuHNeeDHgGwea5x4lcIZBQfBki1T9NzGpL/w400-h225/Trebles-Christmas-2020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />One of the first and certainly most impressive carol services I ever attended was at St. Thomas’ church in New York many years ago. I am biased, and please forgive me - nobody does Christmas like the New Yorkers. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This beautiful Gothic Revival Anglican/Episcopal church at the heart of Manhattan follows the Anglican choral tradition and has an English-trained world renowned choir of men and boys. That night, they offered a rendition of one of my favorite carols, and it was like being brought right into the heavenly courts with the angels and archangels all singing God’s praises.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“See amidst the winter’s snow” was written originally as “a hymn for Christmas Day” by the nineteenth-century minister, Edward Caswall. This moving piece that echoes in one’s heart and mind is set to its splendid tune by Sir John Goss, at the time organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tune is called “humility” which I think echoes the theme of the carol perfectly. One of its verses speaks of the wonder and mystery of a mighty God coming to us as a tender child in Bethlehem: <i>Sacred Infant all divine, What a tender love was thine, So to come from highest bliss Down to such a world as this</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our Christian faith is said to be a “religion of the incarnation”, yes we are an Easter people, but there would be no resurrection without the nativity. An old joke goes that Easter is a festival for the Orthodox, Good Friday for the Lutherans, but Christmas is definitely for the Anglicans. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoqlf02Q2X8wOT3eh3AMX4XIkKOySxaxLW4e8dDGG4kOV5YlKcARFqCXJu1ha39-9aaDeB4neIL47gKBuyeJOk-1XjDpM62dw0SfEjtOJi8cU7b3TBc-CH-CpDaZJuyN_ZTeWBclVxLKc/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1349" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoqlf02Q2X8wOT3eh3AMX4XIkKOySxaxLW4e8dDGG4kOV5YlKcARFqCXJu1ha39-9aaDeB4neIL47gKBuyeJOk-1XjDpM62dw0SfEjtOJi8cU7b3TBc-CH-CpDaZJuyN_ZTeWBclVxLKc/w400-h289/pinturicchio_nativity_popolo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Certainly, there has been a significant stress on the incarnation in much Anglican theology, and our carols are a popular expression of this. Yet, the reality of the incarnation goes beyond the tinsel, trimmings and yuletide greenery - it brings us back to a harsh reality.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you walk through many of Rome’s oldest churches, you will find many nativity scenes. In this lovely Roman tradition, the nativity scene finds itself in a setting that looks remarkably like one of Rome’s streets or piazzas at the time of our great-grandparents - this shows us how contemporary the incarnation can be. Often, one finds more than just the ox and ass, but a whole vibrant village with fishermen, shepherds, markets, fountains, and even trattorias! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What is interesting though is the presence of old Roman ruins that remind us of the triumph of Christ over paganism, that little child you see brought down a whole empire. That is the strength of faith. Christmas cribs go back to St. Francis and they used to offer a visual aid for the poor, illiterate Medieval Christians.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wQ5RiSQH6z3IitvJW5piEI66JPvTJSsiogCcytSjMj9xABIzQLXnGM4jKTZSqXrYPr-zocRyyv2DreWvltGlF5f7pcmmouPOYvN8oyDVpc9f2G-lIdhwC7QqS-s5F5pIHCW6PUWIItPF/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1600" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wQ5RiSQH6z3IitvJW5piEI66JPvTJSsiogCcytSjMj9xABIzQLXnGM4jKTZSqXrYPr-zocRyyv2DreWvltGlF5f7pcmmouPOYvN8oyDVpc9f2G-lIdhwC7QqS-s5F5pIHCW6PUWIItPF/w400-h305/IMG_9760.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The child of Bethlehem was born into a world of oppression and injustice. Matthew reminds us of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents at the hands of King Herod. The world then as the world today, was. a nasty, brutish and horrible reality. Amazing to think that the God that created the whole vastness of the universe now was standing in the cold, muck and the mess. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians reminds us of a Christ who did not think equality with God a thing to be held on to, but to be “emptied” on himself out of the love for all people. It is out of emptiness that we are filled, only the void can be made full.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Down to such a world as this” - the God whom we are going to meet at Christmas is a God who does not stand aside, but reaches out to us in the darkness of the world, even and especially in the end to the darkness at the hour of our death. He redeems the fallen by bringing out love. It is at Christmas that we are called once again to this mission which he entrusted to us. We feed on his life, as we are called to live that life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We become bearers of Christ into the world. Once, a great Anglican theologian, Henry Scott Holland, said: “you cannot believe in the incarnation and not be concerned about drains!” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It means that you cannot gather around your Christmas tree on Friday night, while not worrying about the hungry in the Horn of Africa, the victims of land-mines and casualties of war throughout the world, for those suffering from HIV/AIDS, or about the justice and right ordering of economic life in the world, about the environment, the deforestation in the Amazon, the melting of ice-caps, polluting industries, and all the terrible consequences of human selfishness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVR89NCtuEOSffKrOqjxPJya36zAlJZprgJYSdRBgYVeo2zn0-qmhFnap6QxOhKau09Zg-VLzhTK8K2YwugcgcoS63lPOOTe7_u6y0g_cs5XceMiNSQQEUKC6f5sTwh_Ynn1RYPtvfVbG2/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1858" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVR89NCtuEOSffKrOqjxPJya36zAlJZprgJYSdRBgYVeo2zn0-qmhFnap6QxOhKau09Zg-VLzhTK8K2YwugcgcoS63lPOOTe7_u6y0g_cs5XceMiNSQQEUKC6f5sTwh_Ynn1RYPtvfVbG2/" width="323" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The child of Bethlehem was not born in Disney World, the Christmas story is not a fairy-tale, but it is a story of true love and strife which comes down to the lowest part of our need - your need and mine, in this time, as in the time past and future for Christ is then, now, and for ever. It is the need of every man and woman whom we meet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">17th century Anglican divine, George Herbert, writes these beautiful words in his Christmas poem, I think they sum up Christ’s role in our lives and at this time of the year very well:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We sing one common Lord; wherefore he should</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Himself the candle hold.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I will go searching, till I find a sun</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Shall stay, till we have done;</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A willing shiner, that shall shine as gladly,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>As frost-nipped suns look sadly.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Then will we sing, and shine all our own day,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And one another pay:</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>His beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Till ev'n His beams sing, and my music shine.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The grace given to us is a life and love to be lived and shared - for Jesus gave us two commandments, the love of God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength... and the equal love for our neighbor. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is what human life is really about, and it is that grace which makes this possible as we are approaching the celebration of this Christmas festival, when we give thanks for the holy child born at Bethlehem brought to us by Mary; a simple, lowly maiden like many of her time and this. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this incarnation joy, let us celebrate our cherished memories, let us be thankful for the birth of our God and Messiah as we plan to start anew. Many at this time are not happy, think of Scrooge again - he hated Christmas, some of us still do, from everyday men and women to clergy, that is often because of bad memories of holidays past. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxiJwCss5Vx7Z2RYxFCHvcdwnXVlALE0_EJKrBY9jZjl_ga_GmQGQ66c_p5bs-_ikExC7nQGq_ZDdtIePwG68CxGvI340EGQfepiIfSpl-wCtWlMkRIX5PICEmk3_lZEbDBErz9fkrIEN/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="1143" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxiJwCss5Vx7Z2RYxFCHvcdwnXVlALE0_EJKrBY9jZjl_ga_GmQGQ66c_p5bs-_ikExC7nQGq_ZDdtIePwG68CxGvI340EGQfepiIfSpl-wCtWlMkRIX5PICEmk3_lZEbDBErz9fkrIEN/w311-h400/il_fullxfull.1051665136_bga3.jpg+copy.tiff" width="311" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then let us come together and do good for these people, give them a wonderful Christmas, Christmas is about giving - it is about sharing. For those who can see clearly, help others to see, for those who have heart, give heart to others - for where there is love and care, there is our Lord and Savior come again. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I still remember a Christmas service a few years ago at All Saints’, the organ was thundering its final notes of some beloved carol and then it came to a dramatic end as the service flowed into communion - in a moment of silence, during those words of institution, only a sound could be heard over that cold church on that very dark and silent night… a toddler bursted into a loud cry. Suddenly we were in Bethlehem, and to this day it is one of the most powerful spiritual experiences I have ever had. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be proactive, as we are approaching this holy tide of Christmas - let us carry God’s incarnation light to the world, let us make a change and share his good news, Christmas lasts twelve days, but the incarnation is everlasting, it is yesterday, today and tomorrow, and our God will follow us always. Give and it shall be given to you. Act, and his kingdom will descend on us more quickly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Christ is born, Christ is among us, go and bring his news into the world. Do as God did to us by giving us his only begotten Son. May all of you know the peace and the joy of this great feast of the incarnation. Glory to God in the Highest, and Peace to his People on Earth! Have a holy and blessed Christmas. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1QuPc8wjILtnxfwNQ6Ew2VhEy-T2ibvf_6lwJfqfkPwYoNc0r2F2SFVipKnSuDivJxssEj_NsE576Gvi3AcNaE5xkVPBJHvixvb2m4bLdsub4FrttqPyqvI7ocN0F59a5hKW8Klqozv0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1QuPc8wjILtnxfwNQ6Ew2VhEy-T2ibvf_6lwJfqfkPwYoNc0r2F2SFVipKnSuDivJxssEj_NsE576Gvi3AcNaE5xkVPBJHvixvb2m4bLdsub4FrttqPyqvI7ocN0F59a5hKW8Klqozv0/w400-h334/van-der-goes-adoration.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Hail, thou ever blessed morn, </i><i>Hail, redemption's happy dawn, </i><i>Sing through all Jerusalem, </i><i>Christ is born in Bethlehem.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amen.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-69786878256053172992021-11-26T23:25:00.005+01:002021-11-27T17:35:41.762+01:00Ethereal Beauty at the Borghese Gallery<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBhQtR0HAyyREg59CH49Ni9caIY5C17R8pifnUrx-Oy8W1cfUmRj1uP125GkTAoKmOa2X0VytjaAVVJmUhl9vVqmf7molzWFq64lO-BG_msBAXKmCK1baUH7LjDbefwxCenwGNcnXoLIo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="2048" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBhQtR0HAyyREg59CH49Ni9caIY5C17R8pifnUrx-Oy8W1cfUmRj1uP125GkTAoKmOa2X0VytjaAVVJmUhl9vVqmf7molzWFq64lO-BG_msBAXKmCK1baUH7LjDbefwxCenwGNcnXoLIo/w400-h285/IMG_9476.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the heart of Rome’s most central park, the lush Villa Borghese, is one Rome’s crown jewels as well as of the world’s most stunning art collections; the Borghese Gallery. This beautiful late Renaissance villa hosts a fine collection of paintings and sculptures among the most renowned around the world, bearing the names of masters of the likes of Bernini, Bronzino, Caravaggio, Raphael, Rubens and Titian, only to name a few.</div><span style="text-align: justify;">The Borghese family, like the Medici, Chigi, the Aldobrandini, Pamphilj and unlike the older Colonna, Orsini or Massimo are part of that nobility that did not originate in Rome but arrived to Rome sometimes during the Renaissance to expand their business as they often happened to be bankers or merchants of some sort. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Indeed, the Borghese were merchants who originated in Siena in the 14th century, the family soon created family links with the most important Sienese families, including the Benincasa, of which Saint Catherine of Siena was a notable member. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1541, Marcantonio I Borghese moved to Rome and from then on the family began a quick ascent towards power, it married into some of Rome’s greatest families; in 1605, his son Camillo became Pope Paul V. The Pope made his two brothers Francesco and Giambattista, respectively head of the armed forces and governor of the papal fortress of Castel Sant’Angelo. His sister Ortensia was given into marriage to Francesco Caffarelli, born into one of Rome’s oldest families which allegedly boasted a direct descendance from the <i>Gens Juvenalia</i>. The two had a son, Scipione, which he adopted and once made Pope, made his nephew a cardinal, il <i>cardinal nipote</i>. It is during this time that the family built their massive palazzo in the <i>Campo Marzio</i> off the Via Ripetta - it became known as the <i>Cembalo Borghese</i>, because of its harpsichord-like shape, and one of the four wonders of Baroque Rome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the end of the 16th century, the Borghese family acquired a plot of land north of Rome, outside the Pincian Gate, the <i>Porta del Popolo</i>, in order to create a massive park with a country house, as it was customary at the time. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO55v7jd6ZqxMQRWVoxJuThaCz-DFLVO9ihbIvpiiiAPx_kr_yCeUrDkRIfyD167L7kJjrBeNSMFuYRxJ7tM9BDa_ppLn4IysWHsEFmPA9uYZu-3FDIVXFLnZhGHYWHq7COpQK-RXeb0CP/w400-h300/IMG_9481.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1607, the family commissioned architect Flaminio Ponzio, who had already worked on their palazzo, to design a stately Renaissance country villa. Ponzio died in 1613 and was succeeded by Giovanni Vasanzio, while the gardens were designed by renowned architect Carlo Rainaldi, works were completed around 1620. While Pope Paul V had a special sensitivity to art, it was Scipione, the <i>cardinal nipote</i>, who proved to be the real manager of the estate and philanthropist. By 1613, he started moving his splendid collection into the villa. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadBp_3duU0ybikyZ656CUljuTnHgiTGGxiQvCCnkeSPfoPElv1FOd7NWs8efCHZfK13AmjfztoPSI48Z_akIWbZB-ahMLLV7RDvm27y7HDjDxqalD4_2QDDGFSTluTfY7aR77cqS6-yQ-/w400-h400/IMG_9504.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The architectural style of the villa is inspired by that of the Villa Farnesina and the Villa Medici with a portico that embraces the gardens. The exterior was then decorated in the style of the time with 144 bas-reliefs and 70 busts. The <i>casino</i> comes with many windows, the idea was that of procuring the right amount of natural light for each masterpiece. The interior was decorated with frescoes by Ludovico Cigoli, including the story of Love and Psyche. It was restored in its current, slightly more late-Baroque style by Antonio Asprucci in 1770, under commission by Marcantonio IV Borghese. The frescoes represent the history of the family and the accomplishments of <i>Marcus Furious Camillus</i>, a Roman soldier and statesman of the patrician class.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmM4uRn7vkZ5ZB_rwsxBg1rx4nSODkcAHNWTPGSkwbPztq7tIRHf8n3483z_bzvib_WDWtzpzbpHs-MWMltbwjjCHYmzWZASI52wF0MX-N1xRt6C9bHGpsXFewDeT5NKIbwhnPRQ2Wm93n/" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story of the gallery takes an abrupt change of course, when in 1803, the prince Camillo II Borghese marries with Paolina Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister. That turns out to be a bit of a problem for the family and for the collection. The emperor took back to Paris endless sculptures and paintings from the gallery, most of which were never returned, among them the stunning Borghese Gladiator and Borghese Hermaphroditus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTSfCLzTwoCT1521YrXmYOT18Rsc-5fpWQHCmegqEe3X81iYX5OynDn1xf5r2rNROnFZqbQpc49KgTnvSnAgyZ8etODUqR4g0FjykyVitT4r5_wFuVnCwnQ_x3B66drtR3gwIA8fesJRD/w300-h400/IMG_9515.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The gallery has a total of 20 rooms, the grand entrance opens with a collection of Roman busts, a mosaic showing gladiators fighting and a colossal statue of Bacchus. The first room hosts the famous Neo-Classical sculpture of Paolina Bonaparte by Antonio Canova, commissioned to celebrate the wedding of the couple in 1804 - the emperor’s sister is shown as a modern <i>matrona</i> - in her hand, she is holding an apple, as a reference to the judgement of Paris. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhIQv7Jb2BIR_lWBjHOwHozOFZr_WjssD0XbIAviPEcS3PqPRR5A4qiKQN-dGbKbqjxs3lDtaZNMHbt4AMGHuy0SHkssnkxMDudCIX0gR4UbyVJuu7G6J-jAkkjTiBEzwfsD3PXJ-DLXE/w300-h400/IMG_9514.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the following room is the Bernini’s David, a real departure and most dramatic change from the graceful sculptures of the same theme from the Renaissance, here is a strong, dynamic David showing all the drama of Baroque art. On the wall is a fine painting of Samson by Annibale Carracci, the first Baroque master. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7t2ej02jAdEkjjjn2VuhErh8T7pUTtlADZKHoPH-C2bWqu6PHNHSkkjZx5YW6uK3KRmkkKQ39Onvc0rQYjEAsl5fwG93zRc2uUxedTIk-KkxSppF9RSJH-UVIqmrSxoH0nV-6tQ98jdaZ/w300-h400/IMG_9519.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The third room is perhaps one of the most celebrated around the world, here is the breathtaking statue of Apollo and Daphne by Bernini. The statue was the last one to be commissioned to the artist by the cardinal. The story is taken from Ovid’s Metamorphosis: Cupid used to tease Apollo for never actually accomplishing any heroic deed, the god then went on to kill a serpent - Cupid became enraged and cursed an arrow. Apollo found love in Daphne, a nymph, but Cupid struck her with his arrow and she lost any interest, when Apollo tried to grab the nymph, she asked to be turned into a laurel tree, which then became forever sacred to the cursed god. Bernini’s way of representing the scene is truly dramatic and dynamic at the same time, Apollo is left in desperation as he realises he is losing his true love the moment he thought he finally found it - Daphne’s emotions range from terror to relief in that the metamorphosis has already started. The whole scene is moving very swiftly and it truly is filled with pathos, celebrating the genius of the art of the later Bernini.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKlueFmtC-Hh72itvF0bxW1hLikdgIF4AsLx9eP4Nr4gTgC4rWishwXbgx0E1H4qYi9qPBVLPqEWk_7xtVh8NAyslrGaCCT-MdL1x0PyPvr5iRTVg0ZlcQVpnexufBy7QDYTylHzHmxJg/w300-h400/IMG_9522.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following room hosts another dramatic sculpture by Bernini, the rape of Proserpina. This piece has an interesting story, it was commissioned by Scipione, then donated to Prince Ludovisi, and when the Italian state bought the villa at the turn of the 20th century, it was returned here. Bernini’s own son described the scene as an amazing contrast of tenderness and cruelty. In another room is an ancient copy of the original Borghese Hermaphroditus now at the Louvre, and in the next one are two more masterpieces: Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius and Truth Unveiled by Time both by Bernini. In the next room, is a fine Roman mosaic of the 2nd century.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrkUolKnGtOmNEpI3JVjj3RhpGN2zg2hJjdbhCCaeqiqbymgXiKlneoe6uwV8IpW_jlZoMTh_VVHkfqXpvQvxOo7KXRmZPNp1N4AC5VypIH24um8CrYLHk7-bCo1Q2KPQBpfrd5mW02-Q/" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From now on, starts the more pictorial side of the gallery. In the following room are six masterpieces by Caravaggio, there is a beautiful painting of Saint John the Baptist (which was given in exchange for pardon by the cardinal after the artist murdered a man and went into hiding), another of Saint Jerome, both with every single one of their iconographic attributes - there is also a dramatic painting of David holding the head of Goliah. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkA_aQQOzMO-rKepOS-oSf3Xb_IYiblQT59ewEtpPqHi2eA7KjJp3ymATM6aOGOFyFTP6V3kUomCR72UIfyiLzua9GaNYAZ4ptFR7dQx8Z9V4TbZAN32lqkbbmzFFX_ZWv3RixArIjUOq/w317-h400/IMG_9499.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps, the most interesting works by Caravaggio in this room are the <i>Madonna dei Palafrenieri </i>and the Young Sick Bacchus. The first painting dates from Caravaggio’s first years in Rome and it is a self-portrait, it shows the artist when he was ill in Milan, supposedly with anemia or a similar disease. It shows how good the artist was at rendering even the worst conditions a human body can be in in a realistic way. The Madonna painting instead has had a troubled history, it was commissioned by the church of Sant’Anna dei Palafrenieri in the Vatican City but it was deemed too heretical for its time, with an almost Lutheran vision of Mary. Cardinal Scipione loved the painting instead and got it for a bargain. The painting shows Mary holding baby Jesus who is trampling over a serpent representing the original sin, over the scene is Saint Anne, God’s gran, who is shown as an older woman in a true Caravaggio-esque, realistic manner. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQEMml9hLZkurB_ZZLb7tFNmm76ur_rbThulQn81LQsNEP31IN_nIu2FXYBdH_ZG7fwvsRfjWdBL-zwequhzjlEeB2rKxredDuGWxa4rkI-lIW2mtAK7ywTrJ2y3_Ptw5a3rMX_hBrOrf/w327-h400/IMG_9500.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The room of the Caravaggio paintings represents the highest levels art can achieve and it is a true treasure of the city of Rome, one must stand still here in silence and behold those sumptuous lines, those realistic renditions and those magic <i>chiaroscuros</i>. Among his most interesting works in the room are also two self-portraits, one of which showing the artist in his weakest state while he was suffering from anemia, the Young Sick Bacchus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUic3V28Bp1Z7wku1bd2Bh2wbt8KUvx-5tH7_ryvsbcmjaff5u3zTEuHDISUTviCZtD-ekSggtLnl4BdRMM2iUYACNbjJN4yxYYKQ7L10pHOhPIlHzYnBA4ijSauDhM0bjYng2Y1TASGEu/w400-h339/IMG_9498.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ninth room hosts masterpieces by some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, Botticelli and Pintoricchio, respectively a round panel with the Madonna and Child from his early phase and a classic Umbrian Crucifixion. There is also a portrait of a Young Woman with Unicorn by Raphael, thought to represent Giulia Farnese, Pope Alexander VI Borgia’s second lover and sister of Pope Paul III, made cardinal by her "intercession" with the Spanish pope. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLirb541HEqlkvzaEVnH2z-ezVH2pVGxUgtk1_bSL-p0JXKsU_NilcmNrlBZISy8l_zwA2pWPweS9a2lCchdYkj2EEGFrdVQsMzmnXRc8O2AUdKj0P-ZVxRmePwf2KwirkA72rxkPmfxG/w343-h400/IMG_9585.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The greatest masterpiece in this room is Raphael’s Deposition. This is one of Raphael’s earliest masterpiece from his Umbrian period - it shows the deposition of the body of Christ in a realistic and dramatic manner, the greenish, pale body of the Savior is being taken to his grave, the apostles struggle in a vigorous manner and in a movement that seems to never cease. The theme of this work is particularly important because the painting was commissioned in Perugia by Atalanta Baglioni, mother of Grifonetto, killed by the rival faction to the family, Raphael took this commission very seriously and it represents not only the strife our Lord went through, but also the distress of a stoic and yet human mother.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNxI44Je5OKiu-lBobPqinZeG_DIK_0ZLmzneNH5roVoy57K7ISnBUeBDIjwuoO8yoKOq1PfnoxaPspIL0hXCFEWTm_ci981YFwOWSui5Tyg6cWwcJonzEbSHGqdD6I6Vuf4WE8XynNQm/w300-h400/IMG_9593.HEIC" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The gallery continues with further rooms with works collected through the years by the cardinal and his descendants and created by some of the greatest artists of all time. Just to name a few; in the gallery are masterpieces by Piero di Cosimo, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Antonello da Messina for what concerns the Renaissance, Bronzino, Jacopo Zucchi, Giorgio Vasari, Marcello Venusti, Perin del Vaga and others from the School of Raphael for Mannerism, and the likes of Peter Paul Rubens, Guercino, Guido Reni and Pietro da Cortona for the Baroque. These are some of the names which made the history of the unending endeavour of the human race in the hope of imagining and achieving the reproduction of true beauty. A painting of Susanna and the Elders by Rubens brings us heathens, somewhat closer to that struggle. The last room hosts the beautiful Sacred and Profane Love by Titian. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQPaau-vVoe05YaR4E2LFmZJ5Co1POwXm-IGw6oXcBvgal3E5whahuY2P0RwJ95xjFEXBjKwSpV5xqkmicO_bTQJ6GGYy4wyzWgHVw_eyjWr7rP1SkPbtp00_vXRKqQx4E1EVUL4jE1KH/w386-h400/IMG_9601.HEIC" width="386" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is one of the greatest works by this artist, on one side is profane love, fully clothed, while on the other side is sacred love, in the middle is an ancient sarcophagus, at the center is an allegory of a young Cupid stirring the water in the sarcophagus - the scene is set in a bucolic background. Many have tried to find a meaning in this painting, some have suggested it might represents two faces of Venus, the earthly one and the celestial one. Indeed, both characters seem to be shaped around the same figure. Most scholars agree that this painting was made to celebrate a marriage and it is an allegory of the same. It remains one of the most stunning works ever made.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqBVz1jncSJVFv5njgqC8KWD0bx2VAPw9-YwkFaQ14varTw7kEcWVDyAa3iLI1937iDh-vSXgaVdFtwddlnLJbIL2FqqZPic34C6Pw_bRtz5xl4FEjJWohKGIFQCSckETMfgdU6WMLfWX/w640-h286/IMG_9566.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-12749420777269927662021-08-08T23:52:00.008+02:002021-09-07T01:38:28.120+02:00Sermon preached at Sung Mattins at All Saints' Rome on the 10th Sunday after Trinity<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEME12bBLEIMgaA7z1GXxZXBSRzEtFZYHUOSXbBCKCET7BlOBbhyJi0mAA1tSeBHPETVTlXRGnvE4ad2Pz8bLog7x-DZR-Gb5ogkvkBynadgwBimuNpge_J6O6e1UO8avgsu43Q1J960a4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEME12bBLEIMgaA7z1GXxZXBSRzEtFZYHUOSXbBCKCET7BlOBbhyJi0mAA1tSeBHPETVTlXRGnvE4ad2Pz8bLog7x-DZR-Gb5ogkvkBynadgwBimuNpge_J6O6e1UO8avgsu43Q1J960a4/" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the past year and a half, Rome has been the quietest it has ever been - at least for most of us born after the last world conflict. This has given us time to reflect and ponder on the beauty of this Eternal City.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I always loved exploring some known and unknown treasures of a city where beauty has become not an ideal but a defined form.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you take a stroll down the Piazza Navona and then venture towards the tiny streets and alleys beyond the huge Baroque church of Saint Agnes you will find the little church of Santa Maria della Pace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tiny church with its beautiful facade by Pietro da Cortona, has inspired many buildings in Italy and abroad, notably St. Mary-le-Strand in London. It sits in a little piazza which in normal times would serve as one of the hotspots for Rome’s frenetic nightlife.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Like many other churches in Rome it was founded after a supposed miracle in which Mary appeared, the early Renaissance commemorative fresco still sits as an altarpiece for the high altar.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not many would venture there - but even more so than other churches in Rome this is filled with stunning artworks, Renaissance and Baroque altars sit in every corner of the building, many of them by the great names of Italian art.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most notably, as one enters the church is the stunning depiction of the Sibyls by Raphael himself. Commissioned by rich banker and philanthropist Agostino Chigi in the early 16th century - it represents the four sibyls, ancient female oracles, that according to a later Roman tradition foretold the coming of Christ before the great biblical prophets. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is a great example of a confident Renaissance spirituality that was not more afraid of Rome’s pagan past but celebrated it in a true Humanistic spirit, that is to say the achievements of the human race were celebrated and not scorned. It was a spirituality that welcomed and made its the glorious past of its hometown, like many other spiritual traditions exist nowadays in many parts of the world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When nowadays people tell you, you know, Christmas was actually a Pagan festival once - you can respond and say, actually the Romans chose a big holiday and adapted it to the new religion. Quite clever, I would say. This is exactly what is going on here, adapting to change and making it one’s own - essentially improving it, and if you have a great history behind, why not glorify it?</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, why am I going on about Raphael’s sibyls, the beauty of Rome and its history or the importance of change?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This tiny church to me has always been one of Rome’s many secret escapes, I would take refuge here when in need of time alone, in need of a cool church to walk into... and sometimes even refreshments... either when studying or just in need of chill.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why? Because Santa Maria della Pace doesn’t cease to wonder. The church also happens to have a beautiful Renaissance cloister designed by Bramante, and there is a rather fancy cafe with a window that overlooks the beautiful frescoes by Raphael. It is very easy to take refuge there, with a nice coffee or drink, a book to read or an article to write.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6LtAqg2Zx23GdUO9IGoGYgwPGBu4EqndLt68U9IDZTgblo_VgNDbbO3OEpN6-1VD4x2s9CSkzhXQTVIcNoGUDvBhV_O62jDxgakQQreluIJMQGVIrRHwhUlpCcL47durCMEY1jbbtOYR/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6LtAqg2Zx23GdUO9IGoGYgwPGBu4EqndLt68U9IDZTgblo_VgNDbbO3OEpN6-1VD4x2s9CSkzhXQTVIcNoGUDvBhV_O62jDxgakQQreluIJMQGVIrRHwhUlpCcL47durCMEY1jbbtOYR/w300-h400/IMG_4870.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today’s passage from the gospel of John follows the renowned lines of Jesus: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sometimes we all have our needs, spiritual, physical or mental - some of you may have breakdowns, others might not be aware of what is going wrong - I am sure we can all identify what is wrong with us sometimes and when we are in need of a refreshing restart.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is what places like this tiny church are to me, a place where to escape thoughts and the business of everyday life.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sometimes we need to escape these thoughts that are buggering us in a spiritual manner - that is when we are in need of Christ. We might not feel like we need it, but Christ, our bread of life and cup of salvation is always there for us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not necessarily in a stable, fixed way - the beauty of God’s nature is that is unchangeable and yet adaptable. God became man, God was with us - and God comes to us in multiple ways. Even when we do not feel like praying - we are able to seek Christ and Christ is able to find us. Sometimes we just have to allow it to happen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been through a rough bunch of events in my life - not always have I been able to process them, sometimes it is important to seek God in all the way that he manifests himself to us. Sometimes one might need a therapist, Other times one could hurt oneself, and might need a doctor. This recent pandemic has shown us how important medicine is to us. That is one more way in which God finds us - in help and succour - just as he does when we are helping the least fortunate or are doing the right action. Other times one might make a mistake and might need a friend and God is there too.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;">Life is not easy - like we all do - I have often thought and prayed for those friends who need a doctor, of those friends who are suffering or those friends who are unable to diagnose their mental health and could do with a therapist or those friends who are afraid of getting a vaccine. Sometimes change is necessary, it is a benefit to us but it is even more a benefit to society, unless some third reasons prevent it - why not get help instead of trying to hurt those around you, either by word or by deed. This is how we help those who can’t be helped, those don't believe in therapy work, those who really can’t get vaccinated but who may die because of a disease or those who may die because of our actions and their consequences on countries that are already suffering because of the consequences of climate change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Change is important - that is how Christ becomes manifest to us in multiple ways. The greatness of that beauty of holiness is how Christ is able to enter our lives in one way or another. Most of us actively seek him in church but he really is everywhere, to me he is in nature, at a desolate beach or in a beautiful Roman church, with its beautiful and timeless frescoes that speak of a God that adapts itself to the changes and chances that society puts before us.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The rest of the work is for us to carry on - to get our act together and play our part for those or for those things who can’t do anything about it - being a good Christian is not an act of selfishness. All we have to do is to go and find refugee and Christ will find us - sometimes even trying that can be a challenge. The key to finding Christ is needing help - God is like that annoying mosquito that is biting you at night, you keep sending it away and there it comes back, you can’t see it but it is there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Christ tells us: “Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By coming here this morning, you’ve welcomed Christ into your lives once again, be sure that he will be there at the hour of need, and when the hour of need comes, be still and listen so that you may help others and bring his Word into the world.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you ever pass by that beautiful church to admire Raphael’s fresco - think of how a deity of a people that murdered Christians later became a symbol that foretold the coming of Christ. God adapts himself in unimaginable ways - don’t ever lose hope. He is already sustaining you through your next hour of need. Christ comes to you in multiple ways - just let him in and help him helping you actively. Go find refuge and he shall find you - the doors of the kingdom of heaven are open before us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQ5gU5aj8DKcxFiTRMFEQruC4L4T697YkJe6NvA2I-n-ljo_fQA6KidAl_WTnIuhFdBWYyaZnQktHErUS0KJOSZemc5yZfZkOSyguQ7FYJr2LbSjiFqc6kEBMSct6MhknG_Y3e3H2fZvj/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQ5gU5aj8DKcxFiTRMFEQruC4L4T697YkJe6NvA2I-n-ljo_fQA6KidAl_WTnIuhFdBWYyaZnQktHErUS0KJOSZemc5yZfZkOSyguQ7FYJr2LbSjiFqc6kEBMSct6MhknG_Y3e3H2fZvj/w300-h400/IMG_4876.JPG" width="300" /></a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-38985740646444056582021-05-18T09:22:00.002+02:002021-05-25T21:08:46.061+02:00The Gilded Age in Rome: the Palazzo Brancaccio-Field<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LiLYpNI6u28VJ2xC0Acys_AD84m1_aswJrRfntMY0A7tHEmgIL4NEMFacPuBtJseUw92z8uUUkpqv36or8xriM9ZL5iugc43DYwXWajuanL8tG4lFTqyG-4PMtZraCVnZpLyIA_KUSC8/w400-h258/3662444902_286b62c55e_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By the end of the 19th century the classical marvels of Rome attracted tourists from all over the world, the numerous "English Colony" in Rome, based around the English Ghetto was soon joined by the mid-century by the American community which inspired by their original motherland came to Italy with a love for culture and a desire to build a new empire on the basis of Ancient Rome. The first Americans began to arrive at the turn of the 19th cntury and also settled in the Tridente - where they also had amenities and other services in their native language. The 19th century was also a time of cultural rediscovery and self-identification for the new American aristocracy, the oldest families of New England and New York realized that in order to affirm themselves, they had to follow the steps of the princely families of the Renaissance - they became great philanthropists, that is how families such as the Astors or Vandebilts became the new Medici by granting large donations to museums, churches and other social institutions, and by marrying into the continental nobility. Britain and Italy were the center of their attention. This was the Gilded Age, and Rome was a central destination. JP Morgan, the Astors, and all the great Americans of the time came to Rome, they had funded a large American church, St.Paul's within the Walls, established a massive American Academy and by marrying into the local aristocracy, they helped funding Rome's last princely palazzo: the Palazzo Brancaccio.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosJAsyTnPadmerUyjURRicVnunl4-aUL9psNXtNSBm95UQStb7kA-jfgd10GQpKUP9HcLRLYnrEZX8-y16Pu4RUDuZdY1x-B6AWwwf8jodu_hWriF1-BfIhWX8QHGt9xSF3vqQPUXtgNq/w400-h316/Princess+Elisabetta+Brancaccio+with+her+Childre%252C+Francesco+Gai%252C+1884.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">New York's high society heiress, Mary Elizabeth Broadhurst Field married Prince Salvatore Brancaccio on 3 March 1870, he belonged to an ancient patrician family of Naples whose history dated back to the 11th century. Soon into their marriage, the couple sought to build a new magnificent palazzo at the heart of the Eternal City - especially with the help of the one million dollars dowry she brought into the marriage - which also helped fund the fabric of the American parish on the via Nazionale, where her name is still recorded in a memorial.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Dnlad9oSUmFzi0JiXdZHdeBUNhRhGUhrzKdkTLi7c2Q6duAOLJf4Z3tPggcuuzON_3fOaCb7l2c81wXy4R0HhhlMSVdc1RkMGcE2N4Jqc6gt4HXdwd2zRT-2irBWGgg6CGacfbN_CX7x/w400-h295/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The site was found on the ancient via Merulana which connected the two papal basilicas of Saint John Lateran and Saint Mary Major, on top of what were once the Baths of Trajan. As for many areas around the Oppium and Esquiline hills, this site was also previously a garden, belonging until 1872 to a convent of the sisters of Santa Maria della Purificazione ai Monti which was then partly demolished and partly included in the palazzo. Legend has it the Tower of Maecenas was incorporated into the palazzo as well, Emperor Nero had wateched the city burn from there. After a short battle with the Comune who wanted the site to be used for popular housing, finally in 1879 construction began under Gaetano Koch, one of the most prominent architects of late 19th century. The last princely palazzo built in Rome would have been a real triumph but also a very conservative example that was to match with the style of other aristocratic mansions in Rome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PDhiCR-FxTUpGU6ct5uwFhWzcd2zWXLr_s_av3OUtAR5cUksywsKCnXhlsnKBdVoC_VXgfHqqU-l-Br2TKFwDyc190dPQo3fpX3eHskq_o2gaDhdjqjeteMW9lNdul8cLGgN0vJGpcLM/w400-h315/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Koch's project was that of a composed neo-Renaissance palazzo with a lavish but refined neo-Baroque interior. This was a perfect match of interest, a daughter of the American Gilded Age of New York and Newport who tried to emulate the great Roman palazzos for one of Italy's oldest families. The pictorial decoration of the interior was commissioned to an academic artist of the time, Francesco Gai, already chosen previously for the family portraits. His Triumph of the Brancaccio Family has echoes of Pietro da Cortona and Bernini. A good match between the princess' taste and that of the Roman nobility of the time was the idea of scattering some chinoiserie all over the palazzo, a sign of the love for exoticism of the time - another example were some of the French Rococo details, such as the mirrored halls and their bright stuccos and red velveted silks. The crowning jewel was the garden with its watergames in the stunning form of a Roman Ninfeo - towered by a gazebo (really, a coffee-house).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDEpH2DiRWnanDaRGDIP2AQ5-vnFy9Gxm0R3v5_3dxzVkjPZoP1tnQ2J7tQn9BMrXBASu0j_3lYijr-iFmKHJ7gnD-W_AsGBrTfY8weVqfBt_ZCio6JoMzf59spvsxrFCyFKROwCVSWBo/w400-h293/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Construction was mainly completed in 1886, and the final works were over by 1891, when the palazzo was inaugurated with a solemn ball in honor of the Royal Family. Elizabeth Field became a lady in waiting to Queen Margherita. Sadly, the fortunes of the Palazzo ended with the deaths of Princess Elizabeth Broadhurst in 1897 and of Principessa Brancaccio in 1909, when the palazzo became a house and not a home anymore, most of it being rented out for exhibitions or events to this day. The film Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn was partly shot in the palazzo. One can still admire this wonderful marriage of American and Roman opulence and it is very well worth it, the Palazzo Brancaccio-Field is a short 5 minutes walk from the basilica of Saint Mary Major.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnNFvlCaXH1J6xyNmEB5MUTwWBCSaexgWfpkt4Xq6y3hJUCNvmywzqtSNWXqWEkixkmrRh_aydLLq2HNNJhHCyJFcSCDt1sBUu9UCUvytF12Zrq99J2i7Z0KbSc8q2Kij-NAV3sTeCt1K/w400-h291/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-11742123176161370402021-05-17T00:55:00.005+02:002021-11-10T00:04:51.944+01:00Victorian Extravaganza in Rome: the Villa Mills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-ESqeG7skuSApvrwYQgsnQLCohaGkIDDe2LnHOmqWJ8HqtCYoEslOw_U47IP1nNAu5sOu_fKLB_lKP_4RKC32hyphenhyphentiQVRsxGRxOulFJ63GY0vcu9bxNDQXu1Y6ZtUb8BGCRuRifEe8p9d/s2048/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1403" data-original-width="2048" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-ESqeG7skuSApvrwYQgsnQLCohaGkIDDe2LnHOmqWJ8HqtCYoEslOw_U47IP1nNAu5sOu_fKLB_lKP_4RKC32hyphenhyphentiQVRsxGRxOulFJ63GY0vcu9bxNDQXu1Y6ZtUb8BGCRuRifEe8p9d/w400-h274/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Rome of the 19th century represented the completion of the Grand Tour. The English Colony based in the "English Ghetto" flourished towards the end of the century. The area surrounding the Spanish Steps was effectively a little Britain, not only there were all the amenities necessary to the life abroad of the well-to-do, such as grocers, chemists, doctors, libraries, telegraphs, hotels, newspapers, etc - but also tea houses and of course three Anglican churches, and a Scot one. Englishmen of all extractions soujourned in Rome, from members of the Royal Family and other aristocrats to artists, writers, composers and all manners of everyday people. By the 1840s the Americans began to enrich the colony. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbko0gCamcZ9gUeTEafyhcWg0VDnGRnAjo-Zx2mPIGRBsZlx1YXctiT8EzpgnhnQmeWJl1_W3cjkz-TaM_igkJSBhv_EM1evCLSNYiiBvcdJhwuJ2hksXbwq8Ndsbycv-kwHnV2-pNC12F/s1118/historic-bw-photos-of-rome-italy-in-the-19th-century-17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1118" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbko0gCamcZ9gUeTEafyhcWg0VDnGRnAjo-Zx2mPIGRBsZlx1YXctiT8EzpgnhnQmeWJl1_W3cjkz-TaM_igkJSBhv_EM1evCLSNYiiBvcdJhwuJ2hksXbwq8Ndsbycv-kwHnV2-pNC12F/w400-h278/historic-bw-photos-of-rome-italy-in-the-19th-century-17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amongst these Brits and Americans were, of course, many philanthropists and lovers of culture altogether. Before the temples of culture and the temples of religion, the academies and the churches - came that new architecture in the form of villas. A wonderful example of this is the Villa Mills on the Palatine Hill, which once was the foremost example of Victorian mansion at the heart of Rome, a triumph of imperial exoticism that would have been at home in Queen Victoria's Brighton or in the quietest corners of Kensington.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoaXtFtHFYtpwJXPHot0SvjIinTPpD2B5dr9GfDYcIAKN9oebQbzmYXm7s0lbKtoK-BNanC0ebC0fCi-53UrDazuTtiAc77BmBoTABHk2qLQ1IqN9Z04uS0dUy9Rw8znoBMW12khHEBOb/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="2048" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoaXtFtHFYtpwJXPHot0SvjIinTPpD2B5dr9GfDYcIAKN9oebQbzmYXm7s0lbKtoK-BNanC0ebC0fCi-53UrDazuTtiAc77BmBoTABHk2qLQ1IqN9Z04uS0dUy9Rw8znoBMW12khHEBOb/w400-h255/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Villa Mills was originally known as the Villa Mattei al Palatino, after one of Rome's main princely families. It was a mansion located in the Palatine Hill over the <i>Domus Augustana</i> and the <i>Domus Flavia</i>. The story of the villa begins in the 16th century, the Palatine Hill at the time was essentially made up of gardens and vineyards - Pope Paul III's <i>Horti Farnesiani</i>, Europe's first botanical gardens. There was a tiny country house built by the Stati family over the <i>Domus Augustana</i> with a small loggia decorated by the Renaissance artist and architect Baldassarre Peruzzi (including other masters of the School of Raphael), representing a recurring theme of the Roman High Renaissance, the Zodiac, the Roman Muses and other classical themes. In the following centuries the villa was owned by the main princely families of Rome, such as the Colonna, the Mattei, and the Spada.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PtivQIM1jAg5Oo8VfcUR1Abr5sEAy4DA3wd0w8XMxO_Uj4Qt0-Cetm-fuLx0I58qt1YYkN33OOSqrLSfeJsKMHAcMSezSpUdKSmTdnzo2RWi4qPRa6cmYxJA5IWmnVZgUbtudfaEBQvk/s1000/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="1000" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PtivQIM1jAg5Oo8VfcUR1Abr5sEAy4DA3wd0w8XMxO_Uj4Qt0-Cetm-fuLx0I58qt1YYkN33OOSqrLSfeJsKMHAcMSezSpUdKSmTdnzo2RWi4qPRa6cmYxJA5IWmnVZgUbtudfaEBQvk/w400-h217/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1818 the villa was purchased by Charles Andrew Mills (1770-1846) and archeologist William Gell (1777-1836), their first task was that of restoring the Renaissance loggia. Then followed the decoration of the exterior which was decorated with a motif of roses, thistles, and clovers in honor of the motherland. This was the first work of the kind since the decoration of Cardinal Wolsey's palazzo near the Pantheon in the 16th century, and the Villa Stuart the century before.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOCwcdvT4EZ0TPr0Om-3JIhH4P_T3MemU41TfaWMntFC2qjxa2mLVHOzsHdaj0qMsu7_-3zbEQV3fIlun6Iaw6-eqa5JSCGw2t3iym4SgMmw8_Q5LAJ9HTrGSA8IIqM69rZaYTNElfHF5/s940/Palatine_%2528Rome%252C_Italy%2529%252C_Villa_Mills_on_top_of_the_Domus_Augustana_%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOCwcdvT4EZ0TPr0Om-3JIhH4P_T3MemU41TfaWMntFC2qjxa2mLVHOzsHdaj0qMsu7_-3zbEQV3fIlun6Iaw6-eqa5JSCGw2t3iym4SgMmw8_Q5LAJ9HTrGSA8IIqM69rZaYTNElfHF5/w326-h400/Palatine_%2528Rome%252C_Italy%2529%252C_Villa_Mills_on_top_of_the_Domus_Augustana_%25282%2529.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mills was also accredited with the addition of spires, pinnacles, pointed arches, etc. to the mansion's exterior Gothic revival design, a rare example of pre-Arts&Crafts "Flamboyant Gothic", a style that became popular in the late 18th century in Georgian country manors in England and which opposed unnecessary decoration to the functionality of its Victorian successor. Whatever the reader's opinion might be, it remains a fantastic example of this in the continent, which continued to be emulated by local architects until the early 20th century. He also added the wonderful Chinese "pagoda" elements and the Indian (Indo-Saracenic) rotonda and octogonal turrets in the spirit and love for exoticism at the height of the influence of the British Empire, the force that shaped much of the London of the time, from its museums to the mansions, and even the tube stations. A unique addition to this was the Grand Tour element of its settings, the heart of antiquity and of classical decadence, the Roman Forum, and of course, the lovely Renaissance loggia - all surrounded by a luscious English garden. This must have been one of the foremost examples of 19th century English eclectism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAZclhOJzLebgK9L8pB-afYv-IsVmMUlo0OC3uMWc8h2G7Qg5CpAtW2reiO-04rz3d16QUPBDRw9F_vYk1ZPosXhXJFB2Rhyi_r-zsCqDvsjl9g2RVIaP4ytSnSQVgF5TU6wo_oKdX9yQ/s2048/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2048" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAZclhOJzLebgK9L8pB-afYv-IsVmMUlo0OC3uMWc8h2G7Qg5CpAtW2reiO-04rz3d16QUPBDRw9F_vYk1ZPosXhXJFB2Rhyi_r-zsCqDvsjl9g2RVIaP4ytSnSQVgF5TU6wo_oKdX9yQ/w400-h275/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1847, Robert Smith (1787-1873), a former officer of the East India Company, purchased Villa Mills after his marriage to French heiress, Julia Adelaide Vitton de Claude. Finally, in 1856 the property was sold to the Sisters of the Visitation and enlarged by architect Virginio Vespignani. Sadly the villa was demolished in the late 1920s at the hands of the Fascist quest for the impossible quest of rediscovering Italy's imperial past, and with it was gone a wonderful testimony to another time, fortunately the Renaissance loggia and its frescoes were spared.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG48d6l9XU7q74UQWmiApiPVnk2c_nisRR698OvIpyDPmshOUAG7H68f75gxgydtuhVkLlbVlikTqpi1hzFr6DIauh1uKZL4IuZRIzZCcVt1M4OABO19qAAYHxIcOJUhSz3Uo9Or3lpMyW/s1503/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1503" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG48d6l9XU7q74UQWmiApiPVnk2c_nisRR698OvIpyDPmshOUAG7H68f75gxgydtuhVkLlbVlikTqpi1hzFr6DIauh1uKZL4IuZRIzZCcVt1M4OABO19qAAYHxIcOJUhSz3Uo9Or3lpMyW/w400-h266/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-82758525198508252922021-04-24T02:34:00.009+02:002021-04-26T01:04:02.345+02:00A Tale of the Liberation of Rome<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoBrevwPHtrLAkuynPPamGpJdesQRNsjz7imD9j5F-zLTLZmDeQKvjKFoK2iYoP3Jw6SuzcGYdP7NaT6YhyphenhyphenaEkUT-puMZRv_sqtMNWuHmMf3lCPJ5K6HiRRolUXY0X3Xg93ilSkSnjJ8V/w400-h269/IMG_8572.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The WW2 Memorials at All Saints' church.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On 31st October 1922, with the entrance of Benito Mussolini’s Fascists into Rome, Italy began its nonstop journey into chaos, death, destruction and desolation that culminated into a rejection of its historical alliances, a dangerous love relationship with a new friend, and a war between families, culminating in shame and derision. A journey which began with resentment towards the undelivered promises from the Great War. What seemed like a bright future for a new Italian Renaissance, soon turned into violence, lack of freedom, both physical and verbal, statewide racial discrimination, political murder, and finally in 1940, a war fought by a people who always preferred to create beauty as opposed to creating death, and finally a civil war. The Resistance and the Fascists, traitors and friends, families divided, and overall death, death and death. Italy and its reputation became a mockery of itself. This all became reality when the war was clearly lost by 1943. The violence, the horror, the shame.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3pMVoKHrLE5ghx6TQgyZBTlH0B6RkkB2_GWfO95ut-5DwCYo2FeDLUjXfwOv8JDF-qDNzTkkSXbNqE0BMZJ4krR0dcIrqDKUKLhTn7d2reKd5okr-uMgnciSvnv4NH_m_1qRaBpNrU_7/w400-h267/Adolf+Hitler+%25281889-1945%2529+meets+with+Italian+Prime+Minister+Benito+Mussolini+%25281883-1945%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Benito Mussolini meeting with Adolf Hitler in 1943.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the 1920s and the 1930s, Rome was still a popular destination for the Brits, and the <i>Tridente</i>, around the Spanish Steps, was still very much Rome’s English Quarter. Our church of All Saints’ wasn’t yet too old in the 1930s, with its steeple having only been completed in 1937. Our chaplain was a distinguished Lonsdale Ragg, a lover of culture together with his wife. His assistant was a beloved American, Harry De Nancrede, who had been at All Saints’ since the days of the English Chapel, he was a great philanthropist - he gave us the lovely Venetian sanctuary lamps hanging over the high altar. We were faring quite well at the time. Undoubtedly, little was known about the disaster that was to unfold. It was an extremely hopeful time; Mussolini managed to charm everyone out enough to allow them not to see the slow death of a then almost newborn democracy. The 1920s had been roaring, the 1930s continued on that line - Mussolini came to All Saints’ to attend a memorial service for the death of King George V in 1936. The Diocesan Gazzette had various entries over how ridiculous the political drama of the time was, nothing would have come out of it. People were simply enjoying their lives, they were very much hopeful. Mussolini was much loved in Britain. The popular film <i>Tea with Mussolini</i> shows us just that, Lady Hester, portrayed by Dame Maggie Smith, is charmed by Mussolini and is led to believe he is a great and trustworthy new Roman emperor - the actual person who inspired her character has a memorial plaque in our church, Lady Sibyl Graham, wife of British Ambassador, Ronald William Graham. Canon Ragg’s ministry also saw the beginning of an extraordinary one-woman enterprise in aid of church funds (whose role was then passed to our own Jane Castrucci): the marmalade making of Mrs Pazzi-Axworthy. During those years she managed to produce over three tons of it. Those proceedings went entirely into the church’s fund.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuazJkGbj990t6oyj014Niphi5QCBXZpUS_rdBenBtcjPYXtNSrXAljh5mvqbM5I_Xyx6b4M_6_rK62vnVAOVLkxQ2AljO8puf_4ca37CxrV2J-sqMJdeZPuxCczxt6RVc5HySdpUR8yci/w399-h400/All+Saints%2527%252C+Erection+of+the+Spire+in+1937.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The erection of All Saints' spire in 1937.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The beginning of the Second World War threatened the very existence of All Saints’ church. The congregation had been left without sacraments or pastoral care in their mother language. The emergency took a while to bite, the final services were entered without any comment by the chaplain, the Rev Ariel Harkness, on 2nd June 1940, the Second Sunday after Trinity. 10 came to Holy Communion, and 21 to a later celebration, while Mattins was attended by 60.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9IJl5ykTMKYuDuUYs9g5bZ4jsUbQ3Jp1oxiwD9GopvDyGVmFJxfg3bcpgJaXj-muRFuwIZC7rKzaS1qZJ2IYE9H_j0h63PAFRI-w03xJT_yul-WOujsEftI41GX_oTL8d3jDoe7IX8WmE/w320-h400/All+Saints%2527+Seized.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>All Saints' eviction notice from the Italian Government.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following those services, a crowd is said to have formed up outside our church to sneer at the churchgoers, only to be confronted by three staunch British women, all over sixty years old, and married to Italians, among whom were Signore Pazzi-Axworthy and Fiorentino. They all proceeded to the door on the main street, and sang “God Save the King”, while making their way home in the surprised silence which followed. The following morning, the authorities would make a formal closure of the building, the church had already received a warning from the city council. After a baptism, they hid all the sanctuary lamps, ornaments and fittings inside the altar. When the officials did come, the same women cried at them in dismay, the church had been broken into during the night and everything had been stolen. Nothing of value had been spared, they also explained that the chaplain had left Rome and took with him the only key to the safe! During the four years of closure the church had been kept immaculate by the Italian sexton.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqp_TtCgKtbWnx7cYov1VPczAH6F6o56bN-jtFYkPZIHYrSSbMEUosLZ_FTVQVq-GsjI17K2m3RFCOEkwnVhEKExhB7U3FW_rc7dkOW-lQzfJEP9X4oHRpenWfYFlmWXa6VY6r7LUgAWF_/w400-h307/ec3113b89e5dc2982c9fc5455d635bd7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The English Quarter in 1940.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Italy was not ready, not willing and not ready to fight nor win a war. The people had been brainwashed by what looked like a bright new future in fancy dress - the illusion did not last and by the time everyone realised it was all too late. By 1943, the war was lost, the Nazis occupied Italy and what was left of the Fascist government moved up north in what became known as the <i>Repubblica di Salò</i>, a Nazi puppet state. Rome was declared an open city. However, things were beginning to change, between July and September 1943, the Allies conquered Southern Italy, the Nazis began retreating, while slaughtering entire villages, destroying countless artworks, and extending their antisemitic genocide to the Italian peninsula. Rome was their most priced asset, in Nazi Rome all the Jews that were found were sent to Auschwitz. Any German life was worth twelve Italian lives. The Roman Resistance, although numerous did not have it easy - hundreds were slaughtered in the Fosse Ardeatine massacre. The Allied liberation of Rome began on 11th May 1944, as Operation Diadem was launched - the British 8th Army (which included also forces from other dominions in the empire) and the American 5th Army broke the Gustav Line.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRHKR0Fiad8xhdT0w5udOGpkinuogtSU33tOl9y7uEPtV_s3iIj5NwZWUvUPiTEfBTSZsNA1jTT3pWG0Fgjek6TQ-OE1tW1O51AComI1NjED8fkYhLLWhyphenhyphenT8sBZPQQFj2T6R4sjy7Vr2_/w400-h274/cfc7a4aade93cd4f0982086be9e5cb4c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Allied Soldiers during the campaign for the Liberation of Italy.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a beautiful sunny and rather hot early summer day in Rome, that 4th June 1944, when the Allies finally marched into the Eternal City. President Roosevelt declared that <i>with the fall of Rome, the first of the Axis capitals is now in our hands</i>. The fear was over, at last. There, where people died, were now children and grandmothers enjoying their photoshoots with the long waited conquering heroes, while enjoying their American chocolate and chewing gums after years of hunger. My own grandmother lived through those years, she lived centrally but managed to never go hungry because they had a farm in southern Lazio - she remembers the Germans, the bombing raids, but especially those lovely Allied soldiers giving her candies. I would pay good money to live through what must have been one of the most exciting moments in history. An actual victory over evil - freedom at last. The smell of liberty must have been so sweet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUwBvk-Ex27ndqBKEbKtSR6CWUfixsp1ZuZxmHZNk9oY8LHYnChAmTSHOXBRTSokTCh5gu8pRqahb8Y2AyOssaejwZOiGDH8ddtScCkR9dArA_7Ln3dzoOlwrGmiVs0Nsz-Wlw7aRt6c-/w400-h263/Allied_Forces_in_Rome%252C_June_1944_TR1851.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Allied troops at the Piazza Venezia following the Liberation of Rome.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During those days, All Saints’ church reopened, almost four years after the closure, being unlocked on Friday 9th June 1944. A senior chaplain to the armed forces, the Revd D.H.P. Priest took charge for over a year, and All Saints’ became a Garrison church. The entry of the Allies into the Eternal City is recorded in one of the two major memorials in the back of the church - the wording mentions the service of thanksgiving offered for the liberation of Rome. The orders of service from those early Remembrance Services survive - the hymns sung included “O God Our Help of Ages Past” and the Psalm 46 was set to the known tune “Luther” in Anglican Chant. The Revd Priest played the organ and preached, the BBC recorded the service. For some time, the registers show how the church was used both by large congregations of infantry, parachutists and others, from the Commonwealth forces, and also by military chaplains meetings for Quiet Days and to celebrate weekday Holy Communion. It is moving to think that a church which gave a place of honor to an Axis dictator, now was celebrating the heroes that freed the country, that man who brought an entire nation into a war his people never wanted. <i>I nostri amici inglesi sono ritornati</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5No2aUjZ4UnzUNQxStVyvgQ4f02wkO1uEpX8xO0tC3VI22n9XJYQDoH0H2TEJX_pD-348G_pYIHAiKgNJzkc1Wcq0xNqc76XvG1RfpxftQSJdDbOFsof66hvoEjMA6TfXrKM7XOnUgW4/w272-h400/Wartime+Service+Leaflet+2+.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>One of the orders of service used at All Saints' at one of the many thanksgiving services following the war.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following year, on 25th April 1945, Liberation Day was declared. Three days earlier, dictator Benito Mussolini had been killed by the Resistance. The war was over. Life was normal again. Our grandparents never lost hope, may this Liberation Day during these Pandemic times remind us that we have been through a lot worse. All shall be well. Today is a day of remembrance, we give thanks for those allied soldiers and partisans who gave their life for a better future. Let us be thankful for our freedom and for the sacrifice of those who provided it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcseMYZC27RO2coIemakvF44E2MmuQljgpXHtic-Mgt5EqFwyCNaLdbT-ci1YhH1L5p170HclPqUbvwM6SvwI-6VtweVOAOHp2xlEBsYH6ZCQQNMU5jyI_WkfnBmeXAH8oPt2JV_szaiVf/w400-h266/IMG_8580.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Detail of the Liberation of Rome memorial at All Saints' Church.</i></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4984671428242717974.post-52333099755620824712021-04-10T18:52:00.004+02:002021-04-11T18:47:34.970+02:00Tribute to HRH, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_G886swiB8F2-Rfr-MFRaYxtrBLx6f164zoYbHlsGzEUGshZSyuYEIbZlx0Y9XRMdXvm2tTMq2Bnpn706Xxp10J7Z59COytJrLegABIqMMXEs63xoeEkJvB35jVKQ1DfzT7DerbC3F22/s2048/With+HM.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_G886swiB8F2-Rfr-MFRaYxtrBLx6f164zoYbHlsGzEUGshZSyuYEIbZlx0Y9XRMdXvm2tTMq2Bnpn706Xxp10J7Z59COytJrLegABIqMMXEs63xoeEkJvB35jVKQ1DfzT7DerbC3F22/w400-h266/With+HM.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">It was with great sorrow that yesterday we heard of the passing of one of the greatest men of the 20th century, Prince Philip. A man who discreetly supported the greatest leader of the last century, Her Majesty the Queen. Not only was he a war veteran, a husband, father, and grandfather - but also a generous man who chaired hundreds of charities, went on hundreds of royal tours, and especially supported his wife day by day for over seventy years - both in times of joy and of sorrow, he was a rock to his family for the good part of an entire century. This is a tribute to him.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKrpzJ3c_JJos9d93rOfAGBlHXICndJbUqaYAR1ELhWqdpwS0oO2NXSsz5Y0boO3krECeFZMe-XsYcpVY9j15w3TwV9-DqKgfMSnMuOWUyHPAVwOGQe-4D1c8nEAVDLnru8DjYbg8UEHe/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKrpzJ3c_JJos9d93rOfAGBlHXICndJbUqaYAR1ELhWqdpwS0oO2NXSsz5Y0boO3krECeFZMe-XsYcpVY9j15w3TwV9-DqKgfMSnMuOWUyHPAVwOGQe-4D1c8nEAVDLnru8DjYbg8UEHe/w400-h400/prince-philip-98th-birthday-then-vs-now-old-pics-young-pics2.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, born as Philip Mountbatten, Prince of Greece and Denmark, was born on the Greek island of Corfu on 10th June 1921. His father was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark (1882-1944), a younger son of King George I of the Hellenes, his mother was Princess Alice (1885-1969), who was the eldest daughter of Louis Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, and Princess Victoria of Hesse and the Rhine, granddaughter of Queen Victoria. A woman who lived through a difficult life, but not before becoming a righteous among nations after saving hundreds of Jewish refugees during WW2. The war was hard on his family and he was eventually exiled from Greece, finally finding refuge in Great Britain, with close relatives, who sponsored his education at Gardonstoun School, and at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. During the war he served in the navy, first in the Mediterranean campaign, against the Germans and the Italians, and then in the Pacific against the Japanese - scoring successful victories in the Battle of Crete, the Liberation of Italy, at the Battle of Okinawa, and others. At this time he began corresponding with a certain Princess Elizabeth. After the war he was stationed in Malta.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiy314_M990FXKyeYaUUM5JVG1JP9IHjPggw1g9OsPNDLGARKTYGHwleOcqqH6vc9RQe9HXW9OR6PwvUxUvU_r8-4en2Qd0-cYEBbRTwPCwQkYzC8xweGAf-8gX7dRUYFixEiUkukpf6C0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1672" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiy314_M990FXKyeYaUUM5JVG1JP9IHjPggw1g9OsPNDLGARKTYGHwleOcqqH6vc9RQe9HXW9OR6PwvUxUvU_r8-4en2Qd0-cYEBbRTwPCwQkYzC8xweGAf-8gX7dRUYFixEiUkukpf6C0/" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">On 28th February 1947, Philip became a British subject, renouncing his right to the Greek and Danish thrones and taking his mother's surname, Mountbatten. His grand marriage to Princess Elizabeth took place in Westminster Abbey on 20th November 1947. On the eve of his wedding, he was designated a royal highness and was created a Knight of the Garter, Baron Greenwich, Earl of Merioneth, and Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Charles, their first son was born in 1948, followed by Princess Anne in 1950. In 1952, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II. Charles and Anne were followed by Prince Andrew in 1960 and Prince Edward in 1964.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7priNCWVQ3qEWZprttrVSQ331ARuBEteO1CGcCdh5i9dWL5Yu08y8ztXw5bngwMfmJ52jXl0P0Iyg0jWb5vB8JL0GXqcUQO3vzQhVCzVw8qbVN6Wo4c84dNWYKLD6zNY6L4VyjDKXZXO/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1243" data-original-width="1800" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7priNCWVQ3qEWZprttrVSQ331ARuBEteO1CGcCdh5i9dWL5Yu08y8ztXw5bngwMfmJ52jXl0P0Iyg0jWb5vB8JL0GXqcUQO3vzQhVCzVw8qbVN6Wo4c84dNWYKLD6zNY6L4VyjDKXZXO/" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Philip continued on active service with the Royal Navy, commanding the frigate Magpie, until Elizabeth's accession on 6th February 1952, from which time he shared her official and public life. He attended an average of 350 official engagements a year on behalf of the royal houseold. In 1957, she conferred on him the dignity of Prince of the United Kingdom, and in 1960 his surname was combined with the name of her family, as Mountbatten-Windsor. Philip also engaged in a variety of philanthropic endeavours - he served as president of the World Wildlife Fund from 1981 to 1996, and his revolutionary International Award programme allowed more than six million young adults to engage in community service, leadership development, and physical and fitness activities. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-iu_Q1ANF_irYiaQAVZD55xP8zUMHDH9xgaDEjg9bXh9DSimPfyXarVCpCTxbEk6Qz4Wm0jIkiV_zG8PjbKRLEXPnTtJBspuQ8Tf9JZcGJJTg9ljBVyB2HEpyjvNPnXquqNqraRvc_i2/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="876" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-iu_Q1ANF_irYiaQAVZD55xP8zUMHDH9xgaDEjg9bXh9DSimPfyXarVCpCTxbEk6Qz4Wm0jIkiV_zG8PjbKRLEXPnTtJBspuQ8Tf9JZcGJJTg9ljBVyB2HEpyjvNPnXquqNqraRvc_i2/" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2011, to mark his 90th birthday, the Queen conferred on him the title and office of Lord High Admiral, the titular head of the Royal Navy. In May 2017, it was announced that the prince, who was one of the busiest royals, with more than 22,000 solo appearances, would stop carrying out public engagements. His last solo event took place on 2nd August 2017. His spent the last years of his life doing what he has always done with constancy and in a discreet manner. He supported his wife, the Queen, fought for world's freedom, and became an example not only to his family and nation, but to the whole world. On their Golden Wedding Anniversary, the Queen said during a speech: <i>He is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know. </i>The world mourns and pays tribute to this great man. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjut8VS5yjJyx7NzEO3YMCqbi1cVbhH3nz6_gkKLkWqnr1ymLoEsYomdKzBVvAL6qX60QxyUoFpvEaJnmPxd92H13HvIE9AfhNOZ4KUFpnA5VgVcQJyXOb6bBABqtp3wiRBx5MlMCytjFny/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1249" data-original-width="1873" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjut8VS5yjJyx7NzEO3YMCqbi1cVbhH3nz6_gkKLkWqnr1ymLoEsYomdKzBVvAL6qX60QxyUoFpvEaJnmPxd92H13HvIE9AfhNOZ4KUFpnA5VgVcQJyXOb6bBABqtp3wiRBx5MlMCytjFny/" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">O HEAVENLY Father, who by thy mighty power hast given us life, and in thy love hast given us new life in thy beloved Son: we entrust our brother, Philip, to thy merciful keeping, in the faith of the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who died and rose again to save us and now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever One God, world without end. Amen.</span></i></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0