#Indian Orthodox Church

[seekingtheosis]

Christian Perseverance through Faith - Advent Meditation on St. Luke 1:1-25

The post reflects on the annunciation to Zechariah, providing insights into the faith and struggle of Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. Despite their childlessness and societal ridicule, they stayed true to their faith. The post underscores the transforma

A reflection on the Annunciation to Zechariah In the name of God the Father, Christ Jesus His only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus The Christians around the world are gearing up for one their most important festivals which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ in the manger in Bethlehem. The weeks prior to the Feast of the Nativity…

[nando161mando]

[mapsontheweb]

Christians in the Middle East

Christians in the Middle East, one of the oldest religious communities in the region, face significant challenges today.

Once thriving across countries like Iraq, Syria, and Egypt, their numbers have sharply declined due to conflict, persecution, and displacement. The rise of extremist groups has further endangered their communities, particularly in areas controlled few years ago by ISIS and other militant factions.

The largest Christian communities in the Middle East are found in countries like Egypt, where the Coptic Orthodox Church represents a significant portion of the population. Lebanon also has a substantial Christian presence, particularly among Maronites, while Syria and Iraq have historically housed large Assyrian and Chaldean communities, though their numbers have dwindled due to recent wars.

A different case is the one of Qatar, it’s  Christian community is a diverse mix of European, North and South American, Asian, Middle Eastern and African expatriates. In 2022, they formed around 14% of the total population. Most of them are European, Indian and Filipino.

Despite all these challenges, Christian groups continue to play a vital role in the cultural and religious fabric of the region, striving to maintain their traditions and protect their rights amid ongoing instability.

by the.world.in.maps/instagram

[gemsofgreece]

With all these events that are happening i can't help but wonder about the cycle of rise and fall of civilizations especially for us Greeks

Did the ancient Greeks think it was hopeless when society as they knew it changed and collapsed in front of them? Did the Byzantines thought about the end of times when the Ottomans invaded?

How are many Greeks nostalgic about the past but don't want to make modern Greece better and the cycle repeats.

To be honest, I don't think this way a lot. I think the "fall of a civilization" applies only to people whose culture and identity both faded forever (i.e Hittites, Babylonians, Inca). Other than that, a civilization may diminish or adapt to its times in order to survive. The historian Roderick Beaton says Greeks were at a constant process of reinventing themselves and thus surviving and I find myself agreeing with this perspective. If the Greek civilization had fallen, then there would be nothing for us to hold on to or build our identity on, no language surviving, no Greek Orthodoxy practiced, no extant folklore and legends (modern groups of people who suddenly build up a lore to connect themselves with old civilizations on the basis of fabricated data obviously don't count). Admittedly, to the outside eye those nuances may be hard to spot, I mean, what makes one culture an adaptable survivor or fallen and replaced by a similar yet disconnected one or downright fabricated but either way I don't think the Greek civilization has ever fallen. I think similarly about the Iranians (Persians), the Indians, the Chinese, the Japanese etc None of these cultures are exactly what they were like but they are adapting, evolving and surviving... our era is not an era cultivating cultures after all. Despite their positives, technology and globalisation have caused the dramatic decrease of independent thought and expression.

Anyway, I don't think Ancient Greeks ever thought of a fall of their civilization or an end of an era. Perhaps they feared that during the Persian invasions, however ancient people were far more adaptable and pragmatic than nostalgic - it's no coincidence that the small city states did not oppose much to the Persian forces. It was only a few powerful city states like Athens and Sparta that could "afford" being romantic and organize a defense. But against all odds the defense proved strong and the Persian danger was dealt with.

When Greeks were conquered by the Romans, there wasn't a "change and collapse of the society as they knew it". Of course, it's rarely mentioned by all the Greco-Roman fans but initially Romans caused countless casualties and destroyed many great Greek cities. However, they rebuilt a lot of them and established a lifestyle very similar to the one Greeks already had and the Greeks were free to act exactly as they used to and prosper, so there ultimately wasn't a collapse of the Greek civilization or the society there as they knew it either.

The rise of Christianity would have only been viewed as the collapse of the society as they knew it to those who adhered very persistently to the old religion. But many Greeks also adopted the religion very eagerly. People keep on talking about the persecutions of pagans by Christians, which definitely happened, but they don't talk about why the Orthodox and the Catholic churches are full of proto-Christian martyr saints, aka Christian people who were persecuted, tortured and killed by pagans. A great number of them were Greeks who had eagerly adopted the new religion. The New Testament is proof of the Greeks' genuine interest in Christianity - not only it is written in Greek but a lot of it is the epistles of Paul to various Greek Christian groups i.e Thessalonians, Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians. Besides, nowadays we tend to perceive these things as one-time shocking changes. But this is not how things happened in reality; changes were slow, gradual, curiosity hand in hand with hesitation, periods of peace switching with ones of persecution from either side. So I don't think there was a certain point in time were Greeks would altogether think of the "fall of their civilization". Again, many of the Greeks wanted these changes to take place anyway.

The one time in early antiquity that could be perceived as a fall was the Dark Ages / the Homeric Age, about which too little historical evidence has been found. And yet I am a little sceptical about this too. The reason of my confusion is that after this 400 years long era of supposed nothingness and regression and civilization collapse the very first thing we get is BOOM! Homeric Epics! How is this even possible? Imagine this in pseudo - evolutionary terms; something happens to a horse and it immediately downgrades to a frog and then BOOM inexplicably it evolves to a chimpanzee! Something's not right there. I think even the Dark Ages were not as dark as historians believe and most of these speculations are caused due to a lack of archaeological evidence (whatever happened to it) than due to the factual fall of the civilization. However, something definitely happened there because there is a sense of nostalgia and admiration amongst the Archaic Greeks for the heroes of old... My personal speculation is that the Mycenaean Civilization was indeed pressed by the change of times, wars, social class revolutions, maybe natural disasters but it did go into a phase of incubation, adapting and reinventing itself, gradually morphing into the culture of Archaic Greece. It did not fall because if it had indeed fallen, then it would be impossible for the first thing to be produced after a civilization's fall to be epic poetry of the highest literary form of the very language the fallen civilization had! Oh, and the Olympic Games too! I don't think that's how civilization collapses work. I don't know why there is a lack of archaeological evidence but I think this very lack is skewing our perception of the Dark Ages, which I thus much prefer to call with its alternative name "Homeric Age". (It's also called "Geometric period" but that's not dramatic enough XD.)

The one time Greeks (or now Romans, but obviously not the Latin speaking Ancient Romans originating from where modern day Italy is, which is why it is so much more convenient to say Byzantines when speaking to foreigners that need to understand you're not talking about Latin speaking Ancient Romans) must have thought the end of an era was coming was indeed during the last years of the Eastern Roman Empire. Not just due to the Ottomans though, but also due to the Latins (Franks, Venetians, Crusaders) who were the ones who actually destroyed the empire and then the Ottomans just found shards to sit on. The last years of the Byzantine era is probably the first time we see true panic and despair and grief in all their majesty in the historical documents. Furthermore, after living in one single state for so long, Greeks had finally developed a communal sense of existing, a nationhood. Based on late Byzantine documents, it seems the Greeks now feared the end of Ancient Greek legacy and Roman / Romaic (medieval Christian Greek) culture was imminent with the emergence of the Ottoman Turks.

This is the one time the Greek civilization came close to fall for good. But it is true that the Ottoman Turks allowed subjects to practice their religion (obviously not in an equally free, safe and unapologetic way as the Muslims could but still) and speak their tongue (obviously not supporting it to be taught in schools - I mean, there weren't schools apart from religion focused very basic privately paid schools here and there, especially in the Greek mainland - but still) and with great difficulties and low odds working in its favour the Greek civilisation persists. Of course it's not the same as it was in 1500 BC or in 450 BC or in 1100 AD but that's not because it has fallen 50 times, it is because all surviving old cultures survived exactly because they were able to adjust according to their times, the changes and the dangers they confronted by adopting what they needed to adopt and preserving what they needed to preserve.

I agree about the Modern Greeks though. The Modern Greeks have indeed lost their focus but I don't think it's going to be forever. The main problem of the Modern Greeks is how they are stuck on reminiscing a past long gone, a past they have not even experienced first hand or even studied thoroughly enough, instead of looking to the future and seing what they can do for it as the independent grown people that they are. They waste time and motivation at always comparing themselves unfavourably to what ancient ancestors would have done, which is an incredibly stupid way to evaluate challenges anyway, because ancestors were a product of their own times and we can not in any way predict how they would act or be like in our times.

By the way, I read a very interesting article about 1821 that I intend to translate in English and post here at some point, and I was thinking, people talk and talk about Greece having fallen, about Greece not being what it was, about Greece having a financial crisis and being weak, and I am just thinking... people have no idea about what kind of leaps Greece has done the last 200 years...

[mask131]

While I'm at it, because I just had a little beef with a fanatical Christian who couldn't believe I was born in a Christian setting because I had a pentagram as an icon (you see the kind of person)... [Edit: For more details they were a clearly antisemitic Orthodox person who, after refusing to believe I was anything else than Jew, atheist or a devil-worshiper, starting lashing out at me when I said I had a Catholic upbringing saying I was the cause of the crusades and the reason Hitler was alive, yada yada, you know the kind of crazy religious person]

So I decided to have a brief Christianity talk. Not much but just this:

If you ask me, yes, there is a Christian mythology, even though people do not like this term - because there is a bunch of Christian legends and Christian myths that form a Christian folklore and a set of Christian tales with distant, weak or inexistant links to ACTUAL Christian teachings, rites and the actual Christian religion.

And I do believe that folk-Christianity is a fascinating thing that deserves to exist alongside official, actual Christianity. Santa Muerte, and the local saint celebrations, and strange Christmas and Epiphany beliefs, and this story about God and Saint Peter getting drunk at a farmer's house, and the fairytale about Jesus and the Virgin Mary throwing the devil and his wife in an oven to save the girls they wanted to eat... Anyway, no matter how much one can try to destroy folk-Christianity it will always survive because it was centuries and centuries of rites and beliefs spread across several continents, and you can't destroy that easily.

The thing that many people do not get is that a lot of what is Christianity today was completely made up. There's not a lot of Christianity today that was originally in the Bible. There's a lot of Christianity as practiced by the first Christians that was lost. The dates and meanings of celebrations like Easter, All Hallows Day or Christmas kept changing all year long. Lots of saints were completely invented. Don't even get me started on the apocryphal Gospels!

This is why studying and understanding the history and evolution of a religion always allow one to be more understanding of what the religion currently is and what is actually an "option" in it. Religions never stayed the same thanks to times changing, scholarly debates, schisms dividing it into various branches, political and economical forces being at play, translations from one country to the next - and that's not just true for Christianity, but also for all other religions. Islam, Judaism, Buddhism... They all had their own evolution, they all are today very different from what they started as, and to better understand them one needs to learn of their past, what they were, what they still are, what they're not anymore. Heck, today there are talks in India of kicking out and banishing all Buddhists when the religion started there! But now, Buddhism's main nations are China and Japan, and its Indian roots almost entirely forgotten...

Fanatics usually fail to do this study of their own religion's history and evolution, because they imagine that the past was just always a carbon-copy of the present, and that their beliefs stayed unmovable monolith coming straight from God (or whatever principle they follow) instead of something that went through centuries of men and women and governments.

Just look at why and how Protestantism came to be. People realized the Church had added a lot of stuff that wasn't there when Christians first appeared, and decided to return to the "original" Christianity, rejecting all the added, invented stuff. Like the celibacy of priests: Christians priests married and had children in the first centuries following the Christ's death. And the only reason Catholic priests took a vow of celibacy and virginity was because of economic concerns with inheritance matters. Jesus never asked those that followed him to never have children or never marry or never have sex.

Or take the existence of Purgatory! Completely invented by the Church around the Middle-Ages, never spoke about by the Christ or part of the original Christian religion, then quickly removed a few centuries later as a non-existent, borderline heretical superstition, and that yet survived in folk-Christianity, and then in popular culture.

In conclusion, I would have to say that there is one book that made me realize a lot of things about religion as a whole, and that convinced me to go from Catholic-Christian to simply deist. Terry Pratchett's book "Small Gods", which exactly put into words my feelings about the world: there is a difference between religion and organized religion. There is a difference between belief and the organizations built around this belief, between faith and the hierarchy created around this faith. The Church is like a shell that was built around the turtle that is the faith/belief/god - and sometimes, when the shell becomes too big and too heavy or too unfit for the creature it hosts, it smothers, hurts and kills the faith/belief/god, until there is only the shell. And people stop referring to the turtle, and only speak and interact with the shell.

This is the perfect explanation of how Jesus only preached peace and love and friendship and forgiveness, and its priests later invented the Inquisition and caused the witch-hunts.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 11.13

Holidays

Actor’s Day

Advocacy Action Day

Blame Someone Else Day

Brassiere Day

Canterbury Day (New Zealand)

Caregiver Appreciation Day

Day of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops (Russia)

Geographic Information Systems Day

International Day of Huntington’s Disease

International Schinzel-Giedion Syndrome Awareness Day

Lhabab Duechen (Bhutan)

Madder Day (French Republic)

Mister Rogers Cardigan Day

National Community Education Day

National Dream Destination Day

National Hug a Musician Day

National Japanese Culture Day

National Mom’s and Dad’s Day

National Reread Old Letters and Magazines Day

National Saddle Hunting Day

National Sunflower Day (South Africa)

Njegos Day (Montenegro)

Odd Couple Day

Odd Socks Day (UK)

Quasihomosexual Pride Day

Sadie Hawkins Day [also 11.15 & 1st Saturday]

Start a Rumor Day

Swiftie Day

Symphonic Metal Day

Tree Festival Day (Tunisia)

Tree Day (Macedonia)

World Kindness Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Frankfurter Day

Indian Pudding Day

National Bread Pudding Day

National Chicken Nugget Day

National Roast Dinner Day (UK)

National Sea Salt Caramel Day

World Mediterranean Diet Day

Independence & Related Days

Politzania Independence Day (Klaatu)

2nd Wednesday in November

Blue Wednesday [2nd Wednesday]

Buß- und Bettag (Day of Repentance and Prayer; Bavaria, Saxony) [2nd Wednesday before 1st Sunday in Advent]

Hump Day [Every Wednesday]

International Pathology Day [2nd Wednesday]

National CTEPH Awareness Day [2nd Wednesday]

Wacky Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Watermelon Wednesday [2nd Wednesday of Each Month]

Website Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Workout Wednesday [2nd Wednesday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning November 13 (2nd Full Week of November)

Geography Awareness Week (thru 11.17)

World Kindness Week (thru 11.19) [Week Starting 11.13]

Festivals Beginning November 13, 2024

Cairo International Film Festival (Cairo, Egypt) [thru 11.22]

Country Living Christmas Fair (London, United Kingdom) [thru 11.16]

Rock the Bells Cruise (Miami, Florida) [thru 11.17]

Feast Days

Abbo of Fleury (Christian; Saint)

Agostina Livia Pietrantoni (Christian; Saint)

Arcadius and His Companions (Christian; Martyrs)

Barneveldt (Positivist; Saint)

Benny Andrews (Artology)

Bertel Thorvaldsen (Artology)

Brice of Tours (Christian; Saint)

Charles Simeon (Church of England)

Chillen (a.k.a. Killian; Christian; Saint)

Chuang Tzu’s Day

Constant (Christian; Saint)

Cranberry Sparkle Cake Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

The Dangerous Dragon (Muppetism)

Death-Watch (Celtic Book of Days)

Didacus (Diego) of Alcalá (Christian; Saint) [Cooks]

Epulum Iovis (Festival of Feronia, Juno, Minerva and Jupiter; Ancient Rome)

Eugenius II of Toledo (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Feronia (a.k.a. Epulum Iovis; Old Etruscan and Roman Fertility Goddess)

Feast of Hundred Thousand Martyrs of Tbilisi (Georgia)

Feast of the Saints of the Premonstratensian Order (Roman Catholic)

Festival of Feronia (Ancient Roman Goddess of Wildlife, Fertility, Health & Abundance)

Festival of Jupiter (Ancient Rome)

Fontinalia (Festival to Fons, Spirit of Springs; Pagan)

Fortuna Primigenia (Fortune of the Firstborn; Ancient Rome)

Frances Xavier Cabrini (Christian; Saint)

George V. Higgins (Writerism)

Homobonus (Christian; Saint)

The Hundred Thousand Martyrs of Tbilisi (Georgian Orthodox Church)

Ides of November (Ancient Rome)

John Chrysostom (Eastern Orthodox, Repose)

Kilian (Christian; Saint)

Leandro (Christian; Saint) [Spain]

Maxellendis (Christian; Virgin & Martyr)

Mitrius (Christian; Saint)

Nicholas I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Otis Campbell Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Quintian of Rodez (Christian; Saint)

Rivkah (Artology)

Robert Louis Stevenson (Writerism)

Saints of the Benedictine family (Christian; Saints)

Saints of the Premonstratensian Order (Christian; Saints)

Stanislaus Kostka (Christian; Saint)

Stephen Baxter (Writerism)

Talk to Birds Day (Pastafarian)

Tooth Collection Days begin (Fairies; Shamanism)

William Gibson (Writerism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Day of Darkness, Evil & Misfortune (Medieval Europe) [13th Day after Halloween)

Prime Number Day: 317 [66 of 72]

Premieres

Aladdin (Animated Disney Film; 1992)

An Arrow Escape (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1936)

Beauty Shoppe (Ub Iwerks Cartoon; 1940)

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Film; 1992)

The Bush Pusher or Beri Beri Who’s Got the Berry? (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 178; 1962)

Caroline Lamb (Writerism)

Double Danger (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #9; 1964)

Downhearted Duckling (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1954)

Enough Stupidity in Every Wise Man, by Aleksandr Ostrovsky (Play; 1868)

Fantasia (Animated Disney Film; 1940)

Fantastic Mr. Fox (Stop Motion Film; 2009)

The Forty Thieves (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1932)

Hairied and Hurried (WB MM Cartoon; 1965)

Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad (Novel; 1902)

Laundry Service, by Shakira (Album; 2001)

Laura, by Vera Caspary (Novel; 1942)

The Lightning Bugs or Nuts and Volts (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 177; 1962)

The Line, The Cross & The Curve, by Kate Bush (Short Film; 1993)

Lionheart, by Kate Bush (Album; 1978)

Lose Yourself, by Eminem (Song; 2002)

Mountain Mover or Boris Sneaks a Peak (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 72; 1960)

An Old-Fashioned Love Song, by Three Dog Night (Song; 1971)

1, by The Beatles (Compilation Album; 2000)

Out of the Past (Film; 1947)

Out of This Whirl (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1959)

Porky’s Double Trouble (WB LT Cartoon; 1937)

Rocky and the Rock or Braver and Boulder (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 71; 1960)

The Saint in Pursuit, by Fleming Lee (Short Stories; 1970) [Saint #43]

Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Movie; 1988)

A Short History of Decay, by Emil M. Cioran (Science Book; 1949)

Silent Night, recorded by Bing Crosby (Song; 1935)

Ski for Two (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1944)

2012 (Film; 2009)

War and Remembrance (TV Mini-Series; 1988)

Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak (Children’s Book; 1963)

Whistler’s Father, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S2, Eps. 33 & 34; 1965)

Yellow Submarine (Animated Film; 1968)

Today’s Name Days

Eugen, Livia, Stanislaus (Austria)

Brcko, Brickije, Didak, Dobroslav, Homobonus, Ivan, Mitar, Stanislav, Stanko (Croatia)

Tibor (Czech Republic)

Arcadius (Denmark)

Krister, Kristjan, Kristo, Risto (Estonia)

Ano, Kristian (Finland)

Brice (France)

Eugen, Livia, Stanislaus, Rene (Germany)

Chrysostomos, Damaskinos, Hrysostomos (Greece)

Szilvia (Hungary)

Brizio, Diego, Omobono, Paterniano (Italy)

Eižens, Jevgēņija, Jevgēņijs, Taida (Latvia)

Arkadijus, Eirima, Norvydas (Lithuania)

Kirsten, Kirsti (Norway)

Arkadiusz, Arkady, Brykcjusz, Eugeniusz, Jan, Mikołaj, Stanisław, Walentyn (Poland)

Ioan (România)

Stanislav (Slovakia)

Diego, Leandro (Spain)

Krister, Kristian (Sweden)

Brice, Bruce, Bryce, Bryson, Stan, Stanford, Stanley (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 318 of 2024; 48 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of Week 46 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Hagal (Hailstone) [Day 18 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Yi-Hai), Day 13 (Xin-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 12 Heshvan 5785

Islamic: 11 Jumada I 1446

J Cal: 18 Wood; Threesday [18 of 30]

Julian: 31 October 2024

Moon: 93%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 10 Frederic (12th Month) [Gustavus Adolphus]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 7 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 52 of 90)

Week: 2nd Full Week of November

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 21 of 30)

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Today in Christian History

Today is Friday, February 23rd, 2024. It is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; Because it is a leap year, 312 days remain until the end of the year.

1680: Death of Thomas Goodwin (pictured above), a notable English Congregational Nonconformist preacher. He had been a member of the Westminster Assembly of 1650, and author of many biblical and theological works. His last words were: “Ah, is this dying? How I have dreaded as an enemy this smiling friend.���

1719: Death in Tranquebar, India, of thirty-six-year-old Bartholomew Ziegenbalg, missionary to India, who has established a seminary, translated the New Testament into Tamil, converted and baptized over two hundred Indians, and constructed a church building. At one point he had been imprisoned by the Dutch who feared his preaching would antagonize the Hindus they administered.

1758: Jonathan Edwards receives a smallpox vaccination from which he contracts the disease. He will die in March.

1819: A new church at Friedensthal on St. Croix Island is consecrated to the worship of the living God by Moravians and their converts. The congregation is so numerous not a third part can get inside the doors.

1846: Following the outrage raised by his publication of “Remarks on Certain Passages in the Thirty-Nine Articles,” in which he has tried to reconcile Church of England teaching with Roman positions, and his migration to the Roman Catholic church, John Henry Newman leaves Oxford for good.

1855: John Bright, a Quaker-born Christian parliamentarian in England, makes an eloquent speech against the Crimean War. Its most famous line is, the “Angel of Death has Been Abroad.”

1918: The body of the Orthodox priest George Porgachevsky is found about a mile and a quarter from the village of Ivanovskoye, Amur region. His head is crushed and he has two bayonet wounds in his stomach. The Soviets had arrested him thirteen days earlier.

1925: Death in Alexandria, Virginia, of Kate Waller Barrett, an American physician, who, as a single mother and member of the Episcopal Church, co-founded the National Florence Crittenton Mission financed by wealthy Charles Nelson Crittenton. She had secured for the mission the first-ever federal charter for a charitable organization.

1929: Lindel Tsen is consecrated as Assistant Bishop of Honan, the first Chinese bishop in an established Anglican diocese. He will become the principal leader of Chinese Anglicanism in the mid-20th century and suffer persecution at the hands of the government.

1934: Death in Baltimore, Maryland, of Peter Ainslie, a Disciples of Christ minister, ecumenical leader, and author of The Scandal of Christianity, a sharp rebuke of divisions among Christians.

1951: Death of Zhang Boling (Chang Po-ling), a prominent Chinese Protestant layman and educator. He had been affiliated with the YMCA, founded Nankai University, accepted women for education, and promoted athletic activities. Because of the school’s patriotism the Japanese had bombed and burned it and succeeding political changes made him unwelcome.

[necroticdelay]

Odd question.

Just curious.

Do you have any Sly Cooper OCs?

I have a few. They are all Cooper ancestors.

1. Chandrakupar. An Indian Buddhist monk (formerly) and scholar. Regarded as the kindest of all the Cooper ancestors. Translated the Thievius Raccoonus into Sanskrit and Tibetan. Was more concerned with spiritual matters and helping people in other ways than he was with thievery.

2. Mor Adai Gabriel Kuparon. Assyrian ancestor. Translated the Thievius Raccoonus into Syriac. He was buried in Midyat and he was accidentally (key word) canonised by the Syriac Catholic and Orthodox Churches 200 years after his death.

3. Garen Kooparian. Armenian ancestor. Carpet maker and merchant. Translated the Thievius Raccoonus into Armenian.

That’s all I’ve got.

What do you think?

Do you have any?

omg im so sorry ive been hibernating lol

i have three, none of them are fully fleshed out lol

the first one is the one ive had the longest and is just my self insert pretty much lol (and is the one in my icon)

the second one is Rori Cooper, all ive got figured out for her is that she is albino, and lives in the country of georgia

(messy sketch i apologize :3)

and the third one is one of rori's gang members. (i havent given her a name yet yikesss) but shes more of a spy and has like. tons and tons of disguises (shes a cockatiel because i thought it would be fun to make characters based off of my bestfriends favorite animals :) also its a bit of a challenge too)

[alatismeni-theitsa]

I find it really hard to word this properly but does anyone else feel some kind of sense of dread or loss over the parts of our tradition and culture that we lost to westernisation?

Where are the καράβια for christmas? Why are traditional clothes so incredibly hard to find? Why do we barely get taught the easier dances at school (πχ συρτό στα τρία) and that's it (unless of course you decide to pay to take lessons or your family teaches you)? Why has our cuisine changed so much? There are so many more examples, I've lost track at this point

I absolutely understand why many people, especially younger people, don't care since anyone that feels rejected by the culture will reject the culture back (especially if you grew up feeling abandoned by the state and ESPECIALLY if you are gay or any other type of minority in greece). I still hate it though

I know what you mean. We are basically a second little US compared to how our country would be if it were free of that heavy outside influence.

Modernization is good, buuut it's not without cons. I've heard a young Greek call the color combinations of traditional clothing "tacky" and I sense that's how many Greeks think given how our nationality aesthetic has been reshaped. The fact that we have to get used to the aesthetic our ancestors appreciated for generations....

That's just one example of how we have embraced modernity on the condition we completely reject everything traditional. Even when we "modernize the traditional" is 99% (mostly) USian standards and environment and 1% of Greek culture just to add enough palatable uniqueness. I wish we could have both.

On top of that, religion doesn't appeal to a growing number of Greeks for various reasons (which I don't condemn). Unfortunately, religion used to be the glue between any Greek community and now we can't bond over that. We have nothing to replace it with so far, leading us to further isolation.

(That's partly why I occasionally reblog things such normally more religious people would be interested in. The history of the Greek Orthodox church is also Greek history. It concerned the people of this land for thousands of years, and we cannot separate our past from the church completely.)

And, on another note, why the fuck do we have to get to specific events and lessons to dance our traditional dances? Why don't we wear traditional jewelry, for example? Why most of us don't know how our traditional clothing looks like? Many Greeks admire traditional dances and clothing from other cultures (Indian, Korean, Native American tribes, and more) but when you ask their opinion about traditional Greek clothing and dances they are suddenly disgusted. Their appreciation for culture stops in their own culture 🤦

[theseventhoffrostfall]

It’s like some Christians forget how their own religion works. If God loves you and sees you worshiping something in his name he isn’t going to curse you because an Indian man said some mean words about it. Worrying about it just validates Hindu magic

Noteworthy is that it's some offshoot syncretic Hinduism where the company are praying over the icons--legitimately heartfelt, well-intentioned prayers intended--with the wrong kind of ritual. That's as may be but the lolthodox are crying that the heart-ripping Kali worshippers are trying to inflict death magic upon them or something.

Of course if you feel really uncharitable you might mention that this whole scandal is arising because the catholics and orthodox--who routinely try and slam protestants for building simple churches (or, with more funding, building larger churches for more outreach rather than fancier palace-churches) and serving communion wafers and wine in sealed packaging (pretty much required by law for sanitation purposes when operating at that scale) and mock pagans for worshipping in simple natural locales-- have spent the last several years mail-ordering their precious holy relics from sweatshops in India

[seekingtheosis]

St. Luke the Evangelist - Healer, Historian, Iconographer

This blog post offers a comprehensive exploration of the life and significance of Saint Luke the Evangelist. It delves into his diverse roles as a healer, historian, and iconographer, shedding light on his contributions to early Christian literature and.

In the name of God the Father, Christ Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus IntroductionLife and MinistryNew Testament ReferencesGospel of LukeThe Universal SaviorParables of Mercy and ForgivenessThe Good SamaritanThe Ministry of HealingWomen in Luke’s GospelLuke – As a HistorianLuke – As an Artist Introduction On October 18, the…

[brookston]

Holidays 6.5

Holidays

Apple II Day

Arbor Day (New Zealand)

Atlantis Day

Barricade Day

Blackberry Prophecy Day (If it rains today, it means the blackberries will be small and full of seeds)

Breonna Taylor Day

Elderberry Day (French Republic)

Family Yahtzee Day

Father's Day (Denmark)

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Day

Festival of Popular Delusions

Flag Day (Turkey)

Global Jewish Unity Day

Grundlovsdag (Constitution Day; Denmark, Faroe Islands)

HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day

Hot Air Balloon Day

Indian Arrival Day (Suriname)

International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

Khordad Movement Day (Iran)

The King’s Birthday (New Zealand, Niue)

Liberation Day (Seychelles)

National Attitude Day

National Cancer Survivors Day

National Coworking Day (UK)

National Janet Day

National Jenny Day

National Joyce Day

National Lincoln Loud Day

National Report Stark Violations Day

National Shut Up Day

National Unity Day (Hungary)

National Women Chiropractors Day

One Plastic Free Day

Pansexual Day

President’s Day (Equatorial Guinea)

Reclamation Day (Azerbaijan)

605 Day

Walt Powell Memorial Day

Wiltshire Day (UK)

World Campaign for the Biosphere Day

World Day Against Speciesism

World Environment Day (UN)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Gingerbread Day

National Gingerbread Cookie Day

National Ketchup Day

National Love Island Day (UK) [1st Monday]

National Veggie Burger Day

Sausage Roll Day

1st Monday in June

Crop Over begins (Barbados) [1st Monday Until 1st Monday in August]

Jefferson Davis Day [1st Monday] (Alabama)

Meitheamh begins (Ireland) [1st Monday]

National Thank God It’s Monday Day [1st Monday; also 1st Monday in January]

Western Australia Day [1st Monday]

World Orthoptic Day [1st Monday]

Independence Days

Constitution Day (Denmark)

Feast Days

André Lhote (Artology)

The Bicycle and Helmet (Muppetism)

Boniface (Roman Catholic Church; Saint) [brewers, German brewers, innkeepers] *

St. Boniface (Positivist; Saint)

Dorotheus the Theban (Christian; Saint)

Dorotheus of Tyre (Christian; Saint)

Doughnut Day (Pastafarian)

Festival for Hercules Custos (Ancient Rome)

Genesius, Count of Clermont (Christian; Saint)

Illidius, Bishop of Auvergne (Christian; Saint)

Media Ver V (Pagan)

Meinwerk (Christian; Blessed)

Nones of June (Ancient Rome)

Whit Monday [50 days after Orthodox Easter] (Orthodox Christian) a.k.a. ... 

Doua Zi de Rusalii (România)

Holy Spirit Monday

Kataklysmos (Cyprus)

Monday of the Holy Spirit

Pentecost Monday

Valeria (Christian; Saint)

Wild Man Fletcher Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [33 of 71]

Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [31 of 57]

Premieres

Arctic Antics (Disney Cartoon; 1930)

Away We Go (Film; 2009)

Be-Bop-a-Lula, by Gene Vincent (Song; 1956)

The Comeback (TV Series; 2005)

Come Blow Your Horn (Film; 1963)

For the Birds (Pixar Cartoon; 2000)

The Hangover (Film; 2009)

Harry and the Hendersons (Film; 1987)

Little Boy Boo (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Lovestoned, by Justin Timberlake (Song; 2007)

Lush Life, by Zara Larsson (Song; 2015)

Memory Almost Full, by Paul McCartney (Album; 2007)

Mulan (Animated Disney Film; 1998)

Patriot Games (Film; 1992)

Peter Grimes, by Benjamin Britten (Opera; 1945)

Pleading Guilty, by Scott Turow (Novel; 1993)

Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too (Black Mirror TV Episode; 2019)

Rififi (Film; 1956)

Rock of Ages (Film; 2012)

The Sea Wolves (Film; 1981)

Sixkill, by Robert B. Parker (Novel; 2011)

Spy (Film; 2015)

The Truman Show (film; 1998)

Uncle Tom’s Bungalow (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Novel; 1852)

The Untouchables (Film; 1987)

What's New Pussycat?, by Tom Jones (Song; 1965)

Yankee Doodle Dandy (Film; 1942)

You’ve Got a Friend, by James Taylor (Song; 1971)

Today’s Name Days

Erika, Winfried (Austria)

Bonifacije, Bono, Darinka, Valerija (Croatia)

Dobroslav (Czech Republic)

Bonifacius (Denmark)

Vilimo, Viljar, Viljer, Viljo, Vilju (Estonia)

Sulevi (Finland)

Igor (France)

Bonifatius, Erika, Winifried (Germany)

Apollon, Dorotheos, Kinthia, Nikandros, Ploutarhos, Selene (Greece)

Fatime (Hungary)

Bonifacio, Ferdinando, Igor, Irene (Italy)

Igors, Ingvars, Margods, Margots (Latvia)

Kantautas, Kantvydė, Marcė (Lithuania)

Torben, Torbjørg, Torbjørn (Norway)

Bończa, Bonifacy, Dobrociech, Dobromir, Dobrymir, Nikanor, Waleria, Walter (Poland)

Dorotei (România)

Laura (Slovakia)

Bonifacio (Spain)

Bo (Sweden)

Dora, Dorothea, Dorothy, Ihor (Ukraine)

Boniface, Sancho, Santino, Santos (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 156 of 2024; 209 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 23 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 22 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ding-Si), Day 18 (Jia-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 16 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 16 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 6 Sol; Sixday [6 of 30]

Julian: 23 May 2023

Moon: 97%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 16 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Boniface]

Runic Half Month: Odal (Home, Possession) [Day 11 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 77 of 90)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 15 of 32)

[queenofcandynsoda]

So all of the Omegas and Gammas wear head coverings like the bonnets in The Handmaid’s Tale?

Not all, only a portion of them would wear bonnets based on the region they live in.

In fact, unmarried Omegas and Gammas would not wear head coverings and in several districts, they won't wear it regardless if they're married or not.

While Sol Fertilis' state religion is mainly based on Ancient Roman religion, in its early days, including the days before it was officially created, the PNP worked with conservative religious groups in order to get their votes. This includes Orthodox, Protestants, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and Catholics.

Despite Sol Fertilis getting rid of those groups, their followers remain and it kinda stuck. As long they dissociate from the religions, they can wear their head coverings.

(Keep in mind, these are regions do not mandate head coverings, only certain districts within them do)

Southern Rural Range- Church crown/hat

Mediterranea- Various; Primarily hanging veils, beret, mantilla, shpitzel, netela, head tie, and shawl; Some do not wear any head coverings

Fertile Crescent- Head scarf, mitpaḥat, and shawl

Arab Oases- Shawl, gargush cap, hijab, and head scarf

Indian Peninsula- Dupatta

Hispania Coastal Plains- Mantilla

Southeast Islands- Mantilla and hijab

Midwest Grasslands- Bonnet

Slavic Meadows- Maramă and head scarf

Eastern States- Head scarf

Hispaniola- Head tie and mantilla

Northeast Valley- Church crown/hat and bonnet

(Example of an Omega hanging veil)

(Example of an Omega mantilla)

(Example of a Gamma Plus head tie)

(Example of a Gamma Plus church hat)

(Example of a Gamma Minus snood)

(Example of a Gamma Minus hijab)

[swarishjewels]

Exploring Cultural Significance of 925 Silver in Different Regions

925 silver, also known as sterling silver, has been cherished and utilized in various cultures around the world. Its unique blend of beauty, durability, and versatility has made it a popular material for jewelry and other decorative items. Let's explore the cultural significance of 925 silver in different regions.

1. Europe

Ancient Greece

Mythology and Symbolism: Silver was associated with the moon and the goddess Artemis. It was used to create intricate jewelry and amulets believed to have protective powers.

Currency and Status: Silver coins were a standard currency, symbolizing wealth and status.

Roman Empire

Ornamentation: Silver was widely used in rings, brooches, and necklaces. Roman soldiers often wore silver rings to signify rank.

Household Items: Wealthy Romans used silverware and other household items to display their prosperity.

Medieval Europe

Religious Artifacts: The Church used silver for crosses, chalices, and reliquaries, imbuing these objects with sacred significance.

Nobility: Silver jewelry was a mark of nobility and was often passed down as heirlooms.

2. Asia

India

Cultural Festivals: Silver jewelry is an integral part of traditional Indian attire, especially during festivals like Diwali and weddings.

Ayurvedic Beliefs: Silver is believed to have healing properties in Ayurvedic medicine and is often used in utensils and jewelry for its supposed health benefits.

China

Symbol of Purity: Silver symbolizes purity and is often used in traditional Chinese weddings.

Traditional Medicine: Like in India, silver is believed to have medicinal properties and is used in various traditional remedies.

Japan

Minimalism: Japanese silver jewelry often reflects the country’s minimalist aesthetic, focusing on simple, elegant designs.

Tea Ceremony: Silver utensils are sometimes used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, symbolizing purity and elegance.

3. Middle East

Ancient Persia

Royalty and Power: Silver was used to make jewelry and adornments for royalty and the elite.

Artistic Expression: Persian artisans created intricate silver pieces featuring detailed engravings and designs.

Islamic Tradition

Spiritual Significance: Silver is considered a blessed metal in Islamic culture. The Prophet Muhammad reportedly wore a silver ring, and silver is often used in religious artifacts and jewelry.

4. Africa

Morocco

Berber Jewelry: The Berber people are known for their distinctive silver jewelry, which often includes intricate geometric patterns and symbols of protection.

Cultural Heritage: Silver jewelry is an important part of traditional Moroccan dress and is often worn during significant life events like weddings.

Ethiopia

Religious Symbolism: Ethiopian Orthodox Christians use silver crosses and other religious symbols in their jewelry.

Traditional Craftsmanship: Silver jewelry often features unique designs that reflect the country’s rich cultural heritage.

5. North and South America

Native American Tribes

Spiritual Significance: Many Native American tribes, such as the Navajo and Hopi, create silver jewelry with spiritual symbols and designs.

Artisan Craftsmanship: Silver jewelry is often handcrafted and features turquoise and other gemstones.

Mexico

Taxco Silver: The town of Taxco is famous for its high-quality silver jewelry, which often features traditional Mexican designs and motifs.

Cultural Celebrations: Silver jewelry is commonly worn during festivals and celebrations, symbolizing heritage and pride.

Modern Cultural Significance

Global Popularity

Fashion Statement: Silver jewelry has become a global fashion statement, with modern designs influenced by various cultural traditions.

Symbol of Affordability and Luxury: While more affordable than gold, high-quality silver jewelry still represents luxury and elegance.

Sustainability and Ethics

Recycled Silver: The use of recycled silver is gaining popularity as consumers become more environmentally conscious.

Ethical Sourcing: There is a growing demand for ethically sourced silver, ensuring fair wages and working conditions for miners and artisans.

Conclusion

925 silver jewelry holds significant cultural value across different regions, each with its unique traditions and symbolism. From ancient civilizations to modern societies, silver continues to be a cherished material that embodies beauty, tradition, and meaning. Understanding the cultural significance of silver can deepen our appreciation for this timeless metal and the diverse ways it enhances our lives.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 8.26

Holidays

Alice Doesn’t Day

Animal Farm Day

Battle of Manzikert Anniversary Day (Turkey)

Congressional Startup Day

826 Day

First Thnork of the Year (Fairy)

Herero Day (a.k.a. Red Flag Day; Namibia)

Heroes’ Day (Namibia)

Horseshoe Day

International Content Creators Day

International Cosplay Day

International Day Against Dengue

International Hausa Day

Jamaat-e-Islami Foundation Day

Jay Report Anniversary Day (UK)

Kantanka Day (Ghana)

Kneel in Protest Day

Liquorice Day (French Republic)

Make Your Own Luck Day

Musical Yoga Day

National Black Family Business Day

Namibia Day (a.k.a. Heroes’ Day; UN)

National Day of Solidarity (Argentina)

National Dog Day

National Got Checked Day

National Honey Bee Awareness Day

National Kelly Day

National Logan Day

National MINI Wave to Friends (WTF) Day

National Ranboo Day

National Toilet Paper Day

National WebMistress Day

Our Lady of Czestochowa (Poland)

Paul Anka Day (Ottawa, Canada)

Pieta Day

Repentance Day (Papua New Guinea)

Slash Day

Spark the World Day

StartUp Day

Toilet Paper Day

Tvimanuor (Double Month; Iceland)

Typewriter Day

Winter Heliotrope Day

Women's Equality Day

World Painted Dog Day

WTF (Wave to Friends) Day (Mini USA)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Cherry Popsicle Day

Eat Dessert First Day

424 Day (Oklahoma)

National McChicken Day

Independence & Related Days

!9th Amendment Certified (Giving Women the Right to Vote; US; 1920)

Official Recognition Day (Abkhazia)

4th & Last Monday in August

Araw ng mga Bayani (National Heroes’ Day; Philippines) [Last Monday]

August/Summer Bank Holiday (UK) [Last Monday]

International Day of Cyber Attack Ceasefire [Last Monday]

Liberation Day (Hong Kong) [Last Monday]

Meatless Monday [Last Monday of Each Month]

Meditation Monday [Every Monday]

Mellow Monday [4th Monday of Each Month]

Monday Musings [Every Monday]

Moody Monday [Last Monday of Each Month]

Motivation Monday [Every Monday]

Motorist Consideration Monday [Monday of Be Kind to Humankind Week]

Mushroom Monday [4th Monday of Each Month]

National Heroes’ Day (Philippines) [Last Monday]

Notting Hill Carnival (UK) [Last Monday & day before]

Ould Lammas Fair (Ireland) [Last Mondday]

Social Justice Day (Antarctica) [4th Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning August 26 (4th Full Week of August)

National Composites Week (thru 8.30)

National Safe at Home Week (thru 8.30)

Festivals Beginning August 26, 2024

Alaska’s Midnight Sun Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off (Palmer, Alaska)

Leeds West Indian Carnival (Leeds, United Kingdom)

Odense International Film Festival (Odense, Denmark) [thru 9.1]

US Open Tennis Championships (New York, United States) [thru 9.8]

Feast Days

Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Adrian of Nicomedia (Greek Feast Day) [brewers]

Alexander of Bergamo (Roman Catholic Church)

Bernardino Poccetti (Artology)

Brant Parker (Artology)

Ceferino Namuncurá (Christian; Saint)

Christopher Isherwood (Writerism)

David Lewis (Christian; Blessed)

Dichetul Do Chennaib (Celtic Book of Days)

Elizabeth Bichier des Ages (Christian; Saint & Virgin)

Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa (Poland)

The First Thnork of the Year (Shamanism)

Gelasinus (Christian; Saint)

Genesius of Arles (Christian; Saint)

Genesius the Comedian (Christian; Saint)

Guillaume Apollinaire (Writerism)

Ilmater (Finnish Goddess of the Water Mother)

Jeanne-Elisabeth Bichier des Ages (Christian; Saint)

John Buchan (Writerism)

Julio Cortázar (Writerism)

Kirby and Jeffy (Muppetism)

Krishna Rebirth Midnight Mass (Hindu; Everyday Wicca)

Lizzie Borden Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Mariam Baouardy (Melkite Greek Catholic Church)

Martha Darley Mutrie (Artology)

Melchizedek (Christian; Saint)

Ninian (Christian; Saint)

Our Lady of Częstochowa (Christian; Saint)

Robert Vickrey (Artology)

Rufino Tamayo (Artology)

Simplicius, Constantius and Victorinus (Christian; Saints)

Teresa Jornet Ibars (Christian; Saint)

Teresa of Ávila (Christian; Saint)

Usuki Stone Buddhas Fire Festival (Japan)

Vancanson (Positivist; Saint)

Women’s Equality Day (Pastafarian)

Yoshida no Hi Matsuri (End of Mt. Fuji climbing season; Japan)

Zephyrinus, Pope (Christian; Martyr)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [47 of 71]

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Premieres

An American in Paris (Film; 1951)

Bodyguard (BBC TV Series; 2018)

The Bookworm and the Raven (MGM Cartoon; 1939)

Bosko’s Picture Show (WB LT Cartoon; 1933)

Boy in Darkness, by Mervyn Peake (Novella; 1956) [Gormenghast #5]

Colombiana (Film; 2011)

Crossing Delancey (Film; 1988)

Cup of Gold, by John Steinbeck (Novel; 1929)

Detouring America (WB MM Cartoon; 1939)

Dog Gone South (WB MM Cartoon; 1950)

Elijah, by Felix Mendelssohn (Oratorio; 1846)

Eragon, by Christopher Paolini (Novel; 2002)

Fire and Ice (Animated Film; 1983)

Flying Fists (MGM Cartoon; 1930)

Hey Jude, by The Beatles (Song; 1968)

Lamb in His Bosom, by Caroline Miller (Novel; 1933)

Leisure, by Blur (Album; 1991)

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (Film; 1983)

Natural Born Killers (Film; 1994)

The New Mutants (Film; 2020)

Our Idiot Brother (Film; 2011)

The Reckless Driver (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1946)

7th Heaven (TV Series; 1996)

Strange Brew (Film; 1983)

String Bean Jack (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1938)

Sunshine Superman, by Donovan (Album; 1966)

Tennis Racquet (Disney Cartoon; 1949)

Those Were the Days, by Mary Hopkin (Song; 1968)

Three Thousand Years of Longing (Film; 2022)

To Catch a Woodpecker (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1957)

We’re in the Money (WB MM Cartoon; 1933)

Your Name (Anime Film; 2016)

Today’s Name Days

Gregor, Margareta, Mirian, Teresa (Austria)

Adrian, Adriana, Adriyan, Adriyana, Natali, Nataliya (Bulgaria)

Aleksandar, Branimir, Melkisedek (Croatia)

Luděk (Czech Republic)

Ienæus (Denmark)

Hilma, Ilma, Ilmatar, Ilme, Ilmi (Estonia)

Ilma, Ilmatar, Ilmi (Finland)

Natacha (France)

Margarita, Miriam, Patricia, Teresa (Germany)

Adrianos, Natalia (Greece)

Izsó (Hungary)

Alessandro, Oronzo (Italy)

Broņislava, Broņislavs, Glauda, Natālija, Nate (Latvia)

Aleksandras, Algintė, Gailius, Zefirinas (Lithuania)

Eivind, Even, Øyvind (Norway)

Dobroniega, Joanna, Konstanty, Maksym, Maria, Wiktorian, Zefir, Zefiryn, Zefiryna (Poland)

Samuel (Slovakia)

Teresa (Spain)

Östen (Sweden)

Andrian, Andriana, Natalia (Ukraine)

Percival, Percy, Travis, Trevis, Trevon, Trevor (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 239 of 2024; 127 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of Week 35 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Coll (Hazel) [Day 24 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Ren-Shen), Day 23 (Ren-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 22 Av 5784

Islamic: 20 Safar 1446

J Cal: 29 Purple; Eighthday [29 of 30]

Julian: 13 August 2024

Moon: 50%: 3rd Quarter

Positivist: 14 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Vaucanson]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 68 of 94)

Week: 4th Full Week of August

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 5 of 32)

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Today in Christian History

Today is Tuesday, October 31st, 2023. It is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 61 days remain until the end of the year.

415: Co-emperors Honorius and Theodosius II issue penalties against Montanists and against any land-owner who permits them to assemble on his property. Montanist meeting places are to be turned over to orthodox churches.

1517: Martin Luther (pictured above) nails a challenge to a debate on the Wittenberg church door. It consists of ninety-five statements, or theses, against the practice of indulgences—theses which he is willing to defend. The theses will be widely distributed and precipitate the Reformation.

1731: Catholic archbishop Leopold von Firmian of Salzburg, Austria, issues an edict expelling all Lutherans from his territory. About twenty thousand people have to leave. Many have nowhere to go and freeze to death in the coming winter.

1754: Provost Acrelius writes to the Consistory of Upsala, requesting the suspension of Rev. John Lidenius from the Swedish ministerial office because he preaches in English.

1772: Thomas and Samuel Green of New Haven publish “A Sermon” by Indian preacher Samson Occum which he had given the month before at the hanging of an Indian man for murder. The sermon becomes wildly successful, going through ten editions in eight years.

1816: Robert Moffat sails for South Africa where he will establish a mission work. Mission leaders had been reluctant to send him, believing he was unqualified. He will become a world-famed mission leader.

1832: George Washington Doane is consecrated Episcopal bishop of a diocese in New Jersey. He will be remembered by Christians for his hymns, especially “Softly Now the Light of Day.”

1871: Vasilii Ivanov is baptized in Tbilisi, Georgia, in the Kura River, an event considered the starting point of the Baptist movement in Azerbaijan, because he will spread the Baptist faith throughout Baku province.

1877: Samuel Schereschewsky is consecrated Anglican Bishop of Shanghai. Developing Parkinson’s disease, he will resign his position, and spend the rest of his life completing a translation of the Bible into Wenli (a Chinese dialect), typing hundreds of pages with the one finger that he could still move.

1879: Death of Jacob Abbott, American Congregationalist author. He wrote many groundbreaking works of children’s fiction, including the instructional Rollo series and the warm Franconia novels.

1920: Baptism of Spetume Florence Njangali in Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Hoima, Uganda. She will become a leader in the effort to obtain theological education for women and their ordination as deaconesses in the Anglican church of Uganda.

1992: Pope John Paul II admits that the Roman Catholic church erred three hundred and sixty years earlier when it condemned Italian astronomer Galileo.

1999: Catholics and Lutherans issue a joint statement on justification in Augsburg, Germany, declaring that “a consensus in basic truths of the doctrine of justification exists between Lutherans and Catholics.”

2010: Islamic terrorists besiege Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Baghdad, massacring most of the 120 worshipers inside, including a three year old boy who pleaded with them to stop killing.