#Parish of Saint Michael

[northameicanblog]

Bridgetown, Barbados: Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael. Bridgetown is sometimes locally referred to as "The City", but the most common reference is simply "Town". Wikipedia

[stairnaheireann]

St Kevin's Church, Wicklow Gap, Co Wicklow

St Kevin’s life is not well documented, as no contemporaneous material exists. His Latin vita maintains that he was descended from a royal line and was related to the Dál Messin Corb. He was given the name Cóemgen, which means “gentle one”, was baptised by Cronan, and educated by St Petroc during that saint’s sojourn in Ireland. He lived in solitude at Disert-Cóemgen for seven years, sleeping on…

[hotchfiles]

↪ QUIS UT DEUS? ─ chapter one.

AN IN NOMINE PATRIS, ET FILII, ET SPIRITUS SANCTI INSTALLMENT

pairing: hotch x fem!consultant!reader. summary: murders committed using catholic symbology gets emily to convince hotch it's time to ask for an expert. luckily for you, you're the expert. content warnings: canon typical violence. religious themes. spoilers to season 4. mature themes. word count: 1.5K

    In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti…

    “Amen.” If you weren’t paying attention and side eyeing him at that exact moment, you might’ve lost the way his lips moved following the ritual, no word actually leaving his mouth. 

    The black haired man didn’t look too comfortable, but didn’t look out of place either, he knew the cues, he spoke the words on automatic it seemed. It amused you to observe people’s behavior on holy grounds, that was part of the reason you asked to meet in silver spring.

    “Catholic, Mr. Hotchner?” Your question is met with a low scoff, the type only those with a bad bad history with the church gave you. “That much, huh?”

    “My parents were.” The answer is simple and you think it might stop at that, but he shakes his head and scoffs again. “I was an altar boy for years before I left for boarding school.” You nod. 

    “Ah. I've met some of you in my research.” Some of you. Church babies, altar boys. Spoon fed the bible from birth while watching everyone around sin. Sin becoming a term to reflect on what they hated. 

    “And you? Catholic?” 

    “Oh no. Never been.” You don’t explain much, aware Emily probably told him of your time in Rome, where the two of you met. “Your UnSub is though. Either devoted to Saint Michael or knows enough about his roles to look like one.” You note, being reminded of the pictures Emily sent you, big stab wounds, a small scale tipped to one side, the words Hebrews 9:22 written in blood. 

    Hotchner doesn’t reply, making a mental reminder of the new information, he looks around the place as you both leave the church and it hits him, Silver Spring’s St. Michael the Archangel parish, the church you chose as a meeting place. 

    He wouldn’t usually accept consultation for cases, especially from outsiders. And to be fair, the BAU doesn’t usually need any, Reid alone has more knowledge than anyone Hotch has ever met, and despite the humbleness he tends to show, Hotch himself can take care of the general book knowledge if Reid doesn’t step up to it. But he trusted Emily, and Emily spoke more highly of you than of anyone. Honestly, he was also trying to make amends after not having her back during the Matthew case they had not long before. 

    “She's in town giving lectures, it’s an asset we have easy access to, so why not use it?” Were her final and most convincing words before Hotch nodded in agreement, watching Emily make the call that led to the meeting. 

    He thinks now, as he’s driving both of you to Quantico, that maybe Emily should’ve been the one here, his attempts to strike conversation falling flat as you don’t even remember the last time you had to make small talk with someone, it felt awkward all of a sudden, as if you were on a date. 

    “I'm so sorry, I'm not too good with… People.” You blurt out after a long minute of silence, your neck suddenly warm from embarrassment. 

    Hotch side eyes you, brows lifted in confusion. You seemed much less confident in the car now than what you showed him of you minutes before back at the church. He figures you felt confident talking about your area of expertise and that he could relate to easily. “Did you notice anything else by the pictures Emily sent you?” 

    The switch of topic makes you sigh loudly in relief and you mentally thank him for brushing your silliness off. “He’s using different pieces of catholic dogma and putting it together, but most of the symbology eludes to Michael, the stabbing looks like a sword, the tipped scale indicates judgment, the verse he chose doesn’t cite Michael but talks about sins being forgiven by the shedding of blood… He’s the judge and executioner of his victims.” You try not to sound excited as you ramble on, it’s a terrible thing to witness, the pictures were grotesque and would’ve made you sick on a normal day, but the cherry picking of symbols the murderer seemed to make fascinated you. 

    “So you believe it’s a man?” 

    “Oh! I–I don’t know? I just assumed… Is that misogynistic?” You mumble the last part more to yourself, but it’s loud enough to make him chuckle and you look at him quickly to make sure it’s not mean spirited. 

    It’s definitely not. But it is amusing from a profiler perspective, he’s so used to defining serials’ genders by their crimes he hasn’t thought about misogyny being a factor to those assumptions in a long time. 

    “Brutality suggests male. But posing looks remorseful, theatrical…” His grip on the wheel tightens, two victims by now, feet crossed, arms wide open. 

    “If there were more allusions to the crucifixion, yeah, but I–” You take your phone out to look at the pictures once more, an attempt to seem less abstract in what you’re about to say. “No crown, no nails, this isn’t about Christ, it’s about punishment–I mean, I think.” You’re not usually self conscious about your knowledge but inferring characteristics and desires to someone by looking at a crime scene was not your specialty. 

    “To further point they were judged and executed…” Hotch nods, understanding where your line of thought is going and completing it immediately, not leaving you much time to doubt yourself. 

    “A very shameful execution.” 

    You both spend the short ride from Silver Springs to Quantico going over the symbology present, you tried to help here and there with the associations of what you saw to who could’ve done it, even though that was not what you were called in for. Strangely enough—for him at least, Hotch didn’t seem to mind your guesses, they were educated ones.

    And it was interesting to hear someone speak with such passion about religious aspects without any of the fundamentalism. It was definitely something he wasn’t used to.

    “Mi amore!” Are the first words you hear as you enter the famous bullpen from Emily’s texts, her arms surrounding you in a tight warm hug you haven’t felt in years—it hits you then how long has it been. You weren’t able to come and mourn Matthew with her, his parents weren’t fond of you either (Lord almighty, you didn’t even go to church with them!) and you were busy with your lectures.

    “Hey troublemaker, how’s it going?” Your question is muffled in the hug, your hands clasping together behind her back.

    The reunion doesn’t last long, curious eyes set on you two and a rather impatient Hotch leading the way to what you learned was the conference room.

    The briefing room. The round table. Emily told you about it when she first got into the BAU.

    You end up sitting between Emily and who you would bet was Spencer—there’s this sweet kid working with us, he’s super smart, annoyingly smart, but so sweet, he reminds of Matty when we were teens—the lanky boy was the only one with what seemed like naivety enough in his eyes to be the one Emily mentioned back then. 

    Aaron sat in front of you almost, serious, stern, very different from the few chuckles you got from him in the car. This was unit chief Hotchner, the subtle difference was fascinating.

    “Alright, as we know, DC is in trouble, second murder in three weeks.” blonde and gorgeous, you believed that was JJ, there had been no time for introductions, all you could do was try to remember the e-mails and few phone calls you shared with Emily the past years. “Richard Beckett, married, no kids, 27. He works for his father's car dealership.” 

    Pictures show up on the screen, showing the man when he was alive. It’s a punch to your gut, just minutes before you were fascinated by the way this real person was murdered. You’re glad you had a light breakfast by the way your stomach turns.

    “Monica Dawson, divorced, no kids, 53. She’s a counselor at a local school.” The woman continues speaking, with more pictures on the screen. And then pictures of their deaths, side by side. The fascination is completely extinguished then. “Both were stabbed countless times with a large blade. Left in abandoned warehouses posed in a cross position, a tipped scale on their side. Both naked. Both were heavily drugged.”

    “They didn’t have kids, is that a coincidence?” You hear Emily speak up and suddenly you can see all their brains working.

    “Could that be the linking between them? The victimology is all over the place.” Derek. Oh. You’ve heard of Derek. You’ve seen pictures of Derek. He needs no introduction. 

    “Reid, Morgan, go talk to the first victim’s widow. Rossi, JJ, Ms. Dawson’s ex-husband can give us insight on her life. Emily and us—” He gives you a look and you understand he means you, nodding in reply. “Will head to the DC police precinct.” The way Hotch gives orders is effortless, not only his job but his vocation. 

    Everyone listens and agrees quickly, moving and leaving the table, even Emily is fast on her feet, even though she won’t leave without you and him. You stay still, stiff, eyes glued to the screen.

    “Are you alright?” His voice is soft, laced with worry, genuine worry. You didn’t even notice he had stayed behind, but you nod again at Hotch, a question burning at the tip of your tongue.

    “Do you still believe in God, Mr. Hotchner?”

[orthopunkfox]

The Restoration of Slavic Orthodoxy in the Foothills of Appalachia

Belle Valley is a small village nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains on the Eastern boarder of Ohio. The village with a current population of 201 (as of 2020), was originally settled in 1875 as a railroad and mining town. The laborers and their families who carved their living in steel and coal came from Eastern Europe, from Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Romania, and other slavic nations. The mountains of Appalachia would've been comforting to them, reminding them of the Carpathian and Balkan mountains that wound their way through these settlers' homelands.

It is recorded that those first immigrants worshipped in whatever buildings were available to them, calling a Russian Orthodox priest from the nearby settlement of Robins, Ohio. In January of 1914, construction on a permanent parish began and in 1915, Elevation of the Holy Cross Russian Orthodox Church was consecrated.

Although under the authority of the Patriarch of Moscow, it seems that the Orthodox Christians of the Appalachian foothills in Ohio found a home there no matter what their country of origin. This is especially interesting considering the vast amount of political and social turmoil that wracked the Russian Orthodox Church throughout the 20th century. Yet, by the grace of Almighty God, slavs from Serbia, Russia, Yugoslavia, Romania, Ukraine, Slovania (Yugoslavia), and Latvia were all able to gather together in peace and worship together. With the mining and railroad work dwindling and population moving from small villages to urban centers, the faithful of the parish dwindled and the church was closed in 1967. I found rumors that a Greek Catholic funeral service was held in the parish in the early 1990s but have found no evidence to support this. Either way, weekly divine liturgies ceased and the building fell into acute disrepair.

However in 2020, descendants of the original Belle Valley immigrants (now part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church) formed the Belle Valley Historical Preservation Society for the express purpose of restoring the church. Tired of commuting to various Orthodox churches in the surrounding area, the Orthodox citizens of Belle Valley have registered the parish on the National Historic Register as Holy Cross Ukrainian Orthodox Church and begun the restoration process. As of 2024, they have repaired foundational issues (the parish was sinking and beginning to slide down the steep hill), fixed the onion dome (which will also stop water damage in the interior), replaced the entryway doors, and restored several Orthodox gravestones in the accompanying Saint Michael's cemetery.

The Belle Valley Orthodox community has a priest who visits them to celebrate a monthly Divine Liturgy (held at the community center) and hopes to celebrate the first Divine Liturgy in the partially restored building for Pascha 2025. The Historic Preservation Society will continue restoration projects as funds become available. Their tenacity and indomitability reveal the heart of the Appalachian people and their love of the tradition of their ancestors is a central characteristic of Appalachian culture.

Photos: The no-longer abandoned Holy Cross Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Founded as Elevation of the Holy Cross Russian Orthodox Church in 1914/15, the decedents of the original faithful are working to restore this gem of the Appalachia foothills to its former glory

[roundearthsociety]

This is going to be a tad personal but how do you manage to be trans and catholic? Some of the biggest anti trans voices like Matt Walsh, Michael Knowles and Desantis base their views off that religion. Many trans people on here, Reddit and IRL have nothing but disdain for Catholicism because of the Vatican’s statements and how they’ve been treated. Likewise, a lot of Catholics I’ve seen on tumblr, Reddit and various forums view it as a sin, mental illness or pedophilia and oppose affirming care as well as IVF.

I’m an American exvangelical, who does have some conservative Catholic family members, and I’m trying to broaden my perspective a bit rather than writing Catholicism off as an irredeemable, hateful colonizer ideology and viewing paganism and Reform Judaism as the only valid religions like most Tumblr users do. How do you put up with it when many refuse to affirm it, including the pope who’s still very conservative? I’m not asking to attack your beliefs but are simply curious whether there’s more nuance than people will claim.

This is something that's a bit hard to answer, as someone who's not that good a theologian nor that good at theory. Plus, I'm not side A, so I wouldn't be all that good at discussing Catholicism While Queer with you I suspect. Anyway I will be assuming you, the reader, have got some level of legitimate Christian faith. Because otherwise I'm not sure how to like. Give you that.

So let me preface all of this by recommending you look into queer Catholic organizations such as New Ways Ministry, or especially DignityUSA which I've heard good things about. There are also some Tumblr bloggers on the more affirming side of things, most of them aren't really doing all that much advocacy work either but you might find it interesting to scroll through, idk, and-her-saints or shoutsofmybones's blogs for example, and take a look.

Also: you don't have to give up on Christianity entirely if you can't / would rather not be Catholic! Even if the specific ritual and community aspect is especially important to you, the Episcopal Church is probably decently well implanted where you live and is worth looking into, especially since it doesn't have the embedded political elements that the US Catholic Church tends to have.

As for my own personal answer below - please don't bother to get mad at me for this, it's like 4AM and I'm not too interested in writing a thesis here.

Gender-wise it's honestly pretty straightforward. I know I function better being generally recognized as another sex than I was assigned at birth, with characteristics to match; everything else in terms of gender roles names etc is really just getting a lil silly with it ngl. This is neither especially uncommon nor especially new, and the generally recognized way to deal with this has long been to just let people do their thing. While there are issues with the way that's being done (hey! you should freeze your gametes if that's available to you! don't count on never wanting kids, especially if you're a teenager! trust me on this one.), a lot of the modern discourse around it boils down to "this is disgusting to me so it must be morally wrong". And like, I'm a biologist, I can't really find it in myself to be grossed out by this stuff anymore.

Anyway the Church is far from a monolith. Even at the institutional level there's plenty of tolerance; my home diocese is based in a large and ancient Mediterranean city so God knows it's had ages to get used to the weird shit, not counting the handful of trad strongholds. My understanding of the situation in the US is that it's Kind Of Really Not That though, so I'd strongly recommend heavily looking into your local Catholic diocese and parishes before making any moves, because Catholic faith and practice are a very community-bound thing and it's not really something you can do at a distance. Thankfully though, once you start avoiding the political activists trying to use faith as a means to an end (as is the case for most of the people you cite in your ask), you'll find that it's relatively more chill than you'd think. Let me elaborate.

My own case is complicated enough that I can't reasonably apply any of the details to this, but ultimately what's important to note here is that Christianity is functionally about how everyone is flawed, and everyone fucks up, and sure you'll be forgiven but you've got to own up to it first. The members of the Church, even the Pope, even (most of) the Saints in their earthly lives, are no exception. They can be misguided, fearful, or just plain hateful; in such circumstances, it's on them to do better, not on you to adapt to their flaws, and they know this if they're honest to themselves. This, in turn, must apply just as much to you and me; as a Christian, you (generic) have everything you need to do better, and to know anything that prevents you from loving other people is probably not the way to go.

But anyway yeah. I'm trans and Catholic because both of those are just kinda who I am, and I don't intend to stop being either because I'm not interested in replacing myself with the cop in my head. So the Church can have fun with that.

[fictionadventurer]

Top 5 tropes, top 5 dog breeds, top 5 saints

Tropes

I have forgotten every single trope, and can't decide exactly what counts as a trope, so I'm just going to list five story elements that usually capture my interest.

The tension between idealism and practicality

Morally upright heroes

Trickster heroes who use their powers for good

Time travel (specifically when time travel is explored as a story element, rather than just as a means to get to another time)

Arranged marriage romances

Dog Breeds

Mostly listing types of dogs I've known personally and had good experiences with

Collie

Black lab

Golden retriever

German shepherd

Basset hound

Saints

Since I've made this list a few times before, I'm going to list some saints who have captured my attention lately.

St. Thomas Aquinas: Mentions of him kept popping up in my life, and Chesterton's bio of him made me love him as a person. Plus, some prayers by him have become important parts of my prayer routine lately.

St. Frances de Sales: I read only the first part of his very first book of apologetics before it went back to the library, but since then, I think about it at least on a weekly, if not a daily basis.

St. Michael: He's always been a presence in my family's devotions (several family members have him as a patron, and he's patron of a local parish), but looking up Michaelmas traditions this week drew me to him in a much more personal way.

St. Mary Magdalene: I've always liked her, but lately I've been drawn to her in a more unique way

St. Theresa of Calcutta: I saw a documentary about her that felt very relevant to my life and work, so I've felt a new closeness to her since then.

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Me miserable! Which way shall I fly Infinite wrath and infinite despair? Which way I fly is hell; myself am hell; And in the lowest deep a lower deep, Still threat'ning to devour me, opens wide, To which the hell I suffer seems a heaven.

- John Milton, Paradise Lost (1667)

Fall of the Angels sits at the high altar of Saint Michael’s Church, Vienna. The high altar was designed in 1782 by Jean-Baptiste d’Avrange. But the monumental stucco alabaster Rococo sculpture Fall of the Angels was created by sculptor Karl Georg Merville. It was the last major Baroque work completed in Vienna in 1782.

It represents a cloudburst of angels and cherubs, falling from the ceiling towards the ground. In the centre the archangel Michael raises a flaming dart against the angelic rebels. Revelation 12:7 calls their leader "the dragon," but here all the fallen angels are represented anthropomorphically.

Saint Michael's Church is one of the oldest churches in Vienna, Austria, and also one of its few remaining Romanesque buildings. Dedicated to the Archangel Michael, St. Michael's Church is located at Michaelerplatz across from St. Michael's Gate at the Hofburg Palace. St. Michael's used to be the parish church of the Imperial Court, when it was called Zum Heiligen Michael.

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Saturday, April 13, 2024

march 31_april 13

SAINT INNOCENT OF MOSCOW, ENLIGHTNER OF ALASKA ANS SIBERIA (1879)

Icon written by hieroscemamonk Ephrem.

Our father among the saints Innocent of Alaska, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of North America (1797-1879), was a Russian Orthodox priest, bishop, archbishop, and Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia. He is known for his missionary work, scholarship, and leadership in Alaska and the Russian Far East during the 1800s. He is known for his great zeal for his work as well as his great abilities as a scholar, linguist, and administrator. He was a missionary, later a bishop and archbishop in Alaska and the Russian Far East. He learned several native languages and was the author of many of the earliest scholarly works about the natives and their languages, as well as dictionaries and religious works in these languages. He also translated parts of the Bible into several native languages.

St. Innocent, né Ivan (John) Evseyevich Popov-Veniaminov, was born on August 26, 1797, into the family of a church server in the village of Anginskoye, Verkholensk District, Irkutsk province, in Russia. His father died when John was six.

In 1807, John entered the Irkutsk Theological Seminary. In 1817 he married, and on May 18, 1817 he was ordained deacon of the Church of the Annunciation in Irkutsk. He completed his studies in 1818. He was appointed a teacher in a parish school, and on May 18, 1821 he was ordained priest to serve in the Church of the Annunciation.

At the beginning of 1823, Bishop Michael of Irkutsk received instructions to send a priest to the island of Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Father John Veniaminov volunteered to go, and on May 7, 1823, he departed from Irkutsk, accompanied by his aging mother, his wife, his infant son Innocent, and his brother Stefan. After a difficult one-year journey, they arrived at Unalaska on July 29, 1824.

After John and his family built and moved into an earthen hut, he undertook the construction of a church on the island and set about studying the local languages and dialects. He trained some of his parishioners in construction techniques and with them undertook the construction of a church, which was finished the following July.

Father John's parish included the island of Unalaska and the neighboring Fox Islands and Pribilof Islands, whose inhabitants had been converted to Christianity before his arrival, but retained many of their pagan ways and customs. Father John often traveled between the islands in a canoe, battling the stormy Gulf of Alaska.

His travels over the islands greatly enhanced Father John Veniaminov's familiarity with the local dialects. In a short time he mastered six of the dialects. He devised an alphabet of Cyrillic letters for the most widespread dialect, the Unagan dialect of Aleut and, in 1828, translated the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew and other church materials into that dialect, which were eventually published in 1840 with the blessing of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1829, he journeyed to the Bering Sea coast of the Alaskan mainland and preached to the people there. In 1836, his travels even extended to the south, to the Ross Colony north of San Francisco and to the Spanish missions of northern California. At Ross Colony he conducted services at its small, wooden chapel.

In 1834, Father John was transferred to Sitka Island, to the town of Novoarkhangelsk, later called Sitka. He devoted himself the Tlingit people and studied their language and customs. His studies there produced the scholarly works Notes on the Kolushchan and Kodiak Tongues and Other Dialects of the Russo-American Territories, with a Russian-Kolushchan Glossary.

In 1838, Father John journeyed to St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, and Kiev, Ukraine, to report on his activities and request an expansion of the Church's activities in Russian America. While he was there, he received notice that his wife had died. He requested permission to return to Sitka. Instead, it was suggested that he take vows as a monk. Father John at first ignored these suggestions, but, on November 29, 1840, made his vows. He chose the name Innocent in honor of Bishop Innocent of Irkutsk.

On December 15, 1840, Archimandrite Innocent Veniaminov was consecrated Bishop of Kamchatka and Kuril Islands in Russia and the Aleutian Islands in Russian America. His see was located in Novoarkhangelsk, which he returned to in September 1841. He spent the next nine years in the administration of his see as well as on several long missionary journeys to its remote areas. On April 21, 1850, Bishop lnnocent was elevated to Archbishop. In 1852, the Yakut area was admitted to the Kamchatka Diocese, and in September 1853, Archbishop Innocent took up permanent residence in the town of Yakutsk. Innocent took frequent trips throughout his enlarged diocese. He devoted much energy to the translation of the scriptures and service books into the Yakut (Sakha) language.

In April 1865, Archbishop Innocent was appointed a member of the Holy Governing Synod of the Church.

On November 19, 1867, he was appointed the Metropolitan of Moscow, replacing his friend and mentor, Filaret, who had died. While there, he undertook revisions of many Church texts that contained errors, raised funds to improve the living conditions of priests and established a retirement home for priests.

Innocent died on March 31, 1879. He was buried on April 5, 1879, at Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra.

Source: St Innocent Church

VENERABLE HYPATIUS, MONK HEALER OF THE KIEV CAVE (14th.c.)

Saint Hypatius the Healer of the Caves, attained glory through his severe fasting and prayerful vigilance. By night he stood at prayer, slept very little, and ate only bread and water.

Saint Hypatius devoted himself entirely to the service of the sick, and received from God the gift of healing. Those sick with various illnesses often hastened to his prayerful intercession.

The memory of Saint Hypatius is celebrated also on August 28, on the Synaxis of the Saints of the Far Caves.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:47-57

47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."55 O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

MARK 7:31-37

31 Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

[ishparpuaqib]

Mihael Oljanov [Michael Olianoff] gathered some of the blood from the [exhumed corpse] with the sponge attached to the iron spike, for it was known among the local folk that those sick “anointed” with the blood of the dead returned to health; and so did Luka Zuvanov [Luke Zuvanoff], who soaked the end of his handkerchief in the dead blood.

[On] April 1602, they opened nine graves next to the parish church of Saint Michael in Dol and stabbed the corpses contained within them, taking with them in jars the corpses’ “black, putrefying blood”, as to heal the sick with the blood. However, all those to whom they fed the blood died.

Prompted by these cases (and certainly other, presently unknown ones), the vicar general of the Hvar diocese — dr. Ivan Andrija [John Andrew] Nembri — gave an address on the 11th day of May, 1602, mentioning how some persons within the diocese, beckoned by the “great mortality of the local population” and believing, due to the Devil’s coaxing, that some corpses walk at night and “throttle” the sick, threw away their fear of God and desecrated the untouchability of churches, […] stabbing dead bodies, taking their blood and feeding it to the sick, believing that those so stabbed “will no longer walk about, and there will be no more sickness or dying” […]  

17th century Croats in rural Hvar apparently believed the blood of vampires has the ability to heal the sick—a belief, as it happens, completely compatible with Vampire: The Masquerade lore, where vampiric blood has the ability to heal all mortal illnesses when fed to a living human (at the cost of turning them into the vampire's thrall). how prescient!

[missr3n3]

Cdta Royalty AU (Locations) [Ask to add if you find it necessary/wish to know!]

Sevens' Moors : Moorland where the Princes rule over their respective territories, sometimes called Moors Kingdom. Used to house a single large kingdom called Alterius, but it was invaded, taken over and split

Alterius : Luce's domain (kingdom Michael was the Archbishop/royal advisor in) St. Michael's Church -> St. Michael's Palace (Seat of power in Alterius)

Nightmare Sand Pit -> "The Cage" (The giant basement of the palace where prisoners are locked up in)

Nox County -> Barony of Nox : A small but independent slice of land, not subservient to a monarch, but rather governed by its Baroness and General. The population used to be quite large, due to many peasant families and merchants fleeing their previous homes to live there, in search of a less suffocating lifestyle, as Nox was and still is known for its low taxes and its military service being optional, but the current population is quite small. Nox suffered an unexpected invasion from Alterius, which resulted in the kidnapping of many young people, including the Baroness's husband and two members of the General's family, leaving many children without one or both parents, and causing many to flee. There had been rumors of a tall cloaked figure wandering around and being particularly conversational with young women, and strangely, many such of those young women or their partners were part of the kidnapped people.

Hemera County -> Barony of Hemera : Also an independent land, much like Nox, who offered resources and financial aid to the latter, and took in the many citizens who fled after the invasion. Due to them being distant cousins, the old Baron left his lands to Baroness Sharpe, who now rules over both territories.

Diane County -> Viscountcy of Diane : Unlike the two previous territories, Diane is a vassal to a higher power, in this case a Queen on the other side of the continent, serving as a sort of colony. Ruled over by Viscount Hawthorne, it has very fertile fields but an extremely demanding economy, so most resident families have lived there for generations rather than having moved in.

Rochester, New York -> Rockslake Parish, NewSkies city (location of St. Amir's Parochial Church)

BSA (Bureau of Solomonic Affairs) -> BSA (Brethren of Saint Amir) - military religious society [inspired by the Teutonic Knights and the Knights Templar]

Toronto, Ontario -> Tallverity city, Ollimason Domain

(Anyone can write for this au since it's technically open(?) but since I plan to write a bit more for it, I'll go by Pandora if that's not a problem)

yayyyy royal au is back!!!

cant help but imagine all these locations with like, either a french or otherwise vaguely mediterranean look to them

^ this type of vibe

would love to know more about the characters, should u feel up to sharing! if im reading this right, it sounds like isaac is some type of nobleman, and that sounds like a lot of fun lol

[fearsmagazine]

IMMACULATE - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: NEON

SYNOPSIS: Sister Cecilia experienced a life-altering event that led her to seek solace in religion—a near-drowning incident in an icy lake. Time passed, and the closure of her initial parish prompted Father Sal Tedeschi to extend an invitation for her to join a secluded convent nestled within the picturesque Italian countryside. This convent serves as a sanctuary for nuns nearing the end of their lives. However, as Cecilia spent more time in this idyllic setting, certain peculiarities in the convent's lifestyle began to unsettle her. A fellow nun named Gwen is a constant shadow, stalking her every move. To Cecilia's shock, a medical examination revealed the unthinkable—she was pregnant despite being a virgin and having never engaged in any physical relations with a man. The warm welcome she had initially received turned into a chilling nightmare as the horrifying truth emerged: the convent concealed a sinister secret, a place where unspeakable horrors took place.

REVIEW: The talented trio of director Michael Mohan, writer Andrew Lobel, and actress Sydney Sweeney collaborate on a captivating narrative that explores a “what if” scenario where Ira Levin and William Peter Blatty join forces to create a contemporary allegory, set against the backdrop of the Catholic church and helmed by the visionary Dario Argento. This film delves into themes that resonate with the zeitgeist, promising a thought-provoking and immersive cinematic experience.

Andrew Lobel has crafted a remarkable screenplay that initially presents itself as a conventional horror film, providing an entertaining experience on its own. However, upon closer examination and in the context of current events, the narrative transforms into an allegorical tale. A pivotal plot point is that Sister Cecilia is an American nun whose journey holds deeper significance. Considering that nuns adopt the names of saints, the reference to Saint Cecilia, a martyr sentenced to death for refusing to worship Roman gods, becomes intriguing when viewed in light of the film's brutal and horrifying climax. The film explores various themes, including women's rights, In vitro fertilization (IVF), abortion, evangelical beliefs about end times, and the patriarchy.

Cecilia's character arc is masterfully written, portraying her as a resilient fighter and survivor. As her faith is put to the test, she emerges as a force of nature, visually depicted through her own rebirth. The film presents a compelling saga that leaves an enduring impression.

The production design and cinematography in IMMACULATE recreate the visual and atmospheric style of great genre films from the late 60s and early 70s. The film evokes memories of classics like "Rosemary's Baby," "The Omen," "Don't Look Now," and "The Exorcist." The costumes are excellent, the locations are fantastic, and the special effects are just gory enough to create a truly unsettling atmosphere. The editing, framing, and lighting combine to create some genuinely scary moments. While the film's darkness can sometimes be excessive, it effectively builds tension without compromising the atmosphere. Composer Will Bates contributes a brilliant score that perfectly complements the visuals and enhances the viewing experience. There are particularly impressive moments where the orchestrations recall the iconic genre scores composed by Goblin. Bates's score for IMMACULATE will be a standout addition to my collection.

Actress Sydney Sweeney leads a magnificent ensemble cast. She creates this innocent Carrie White character that goes on an intense quest of faith and morality that evolves from victim to victor. In the film's climax, the audience is taken on a journey through a primal, gut-wrenching moment, which is enhanced by the powerful performance of the lead actress. The rest of the cast contributes to the creation of a mysterious and unsettling atmosphere, adding another layer to the sense of dread that permeates the convent. Their performances provide a compelling argument against blind faith and highlight the dire repercussions of one's actions. The performances elevate the material, giving it a greater impact and leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

Seldom does a horror film emerge that boldly challenges conventions and elevates the genre's standards. A distinguished genre film, much like great genre literature, seamlessly blends a captivating narrative with insightful social commentary. IMMACULATE masterfully combines an intricate storyline, artistic and stylized filmmaking, and a talented cast to create an unforgettable cinematic experience. Transcending the boundaries of the horror genre, IMMACULATE establishes itself as a timeless and significant cinematic masterpiece that will leave you questioning the supposed altruistic actions of organized religion and politics.

CAST: Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Simona Tabasco, Benedetta Porcaroli, Giorgio Colangeli, Dora Romano, Giulia Heathfield Di Renzi, Giampiero Judica & Betti Pedrazzi. CREW: Director - Michael Mohan; Screenplay - Andrew Lobel; Producers - David Bernad, Sydney Sweeney, Jonathan Davino, Teddy Schwarzman, & Michael Heimler; Cinematographer - Elisha Christian; Score - Will Bates; Editor - Christian Masini; Production Designer - Adam Reamer; Costume Designer - Francesca Maria Brunori; Special Effects Supervisor - Paolo Galiano; Visual Effects Supervisor - Victor Perez. OFFICIAL: neonrated.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/neonrated TWITTER: twitter.com/neonrated TRAILER: https://youtu.be/RLxneCiRInw?si=UMDWy43JYJVghw1g RELEASE DATE: In theaters March 22nd, 2024

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[monasteryicons]

September is another month in which the Church calendar is filled with many Saints and also special Feast Days, including the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, Saint Francis of Assisi, and the Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. What better way to honor these special holy days than a sacred icon of the feast or the saint from the Monastery Icons collection. As a gift for a confirmation or baptism, for the saint’s day of a friend or your parish, or just to add to your own home shrine, it will be treasured forever.

See the icons of September now! https://www.monasteryicons.com/category/icons-of-this-months-saints-and-feasts

[hotchfiles]

coming soon — in nomine patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti.

hotch x consultant!reader. multi chapter. case fic.

in nomine patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti…

“amen.” if you weren’t paying attention and side eyeing him at that exact moment, you might’ve lost the way his lips moved following the ritual, no word actually leaving his mouth.

the black haired man didn’t look too comfortable, but didn’t look out of place either, he knew the cues, he spoke the words on automatic it seemed. it amused you to observe people’s behavior on holy grounds, that was part of the reason you asked to meet in silver spring.

“catholic, mr. hotchner?” your question is met with a low scoff, the type only those with a bad bad history with the church gave you. “that much, huh?”

“my parents were.” the answer is simple and you think it might stop at that, but he shakes his head and scoffs again. “was an altar boy for years before i left for boarding school.” you nod.

“ah. i’ve met some of you in my research.” some of you. church babies, altar boys. spoon fed the bible from birth while watching everyone around sin. sin becoming a term to reflect on what they hated.

“and you? catholic?”

“oh no. never been.” you don’t explain much, aware emily probably told him of your time in rome, where the two of you met. “your unsub is though. either devoted to saint michael or knows enough about his roles to look like one.” you note, being reminded of the pictures emily sent you, big stab wounds, a small scale tipped to one side, the words hebrews 9:22 written in blood.

hotchner doesn’t reply, making a mental reminder of the new information, he looks around the place as you both leave the church and it hits him, silver spring’s st. michael the archangel parish, the church you chose as a meeting place.

[weaversandspinners]

Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, a saint from the 7th century AD, with her distaff and her mice climbing up it to prevent her from spinning (1390 - 1400). Wooden sculpture originally in the parish of St. Michael in Spiringen, Switzerland, and now in the Swiss National Museum in Zürich.

[larryneilson37]

SAINT RAYMOND'S CHURCH

FIRST NAMED FOR SAINT BRIDGET WHEN IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1950 BY THE DIOCESE OF SAN DIEGO, THE PARISH AT AMBOY WAS RENAMED SAINT RAYMOND'S A YEAR LATER.

FOUNDING PASTOR FATHER PATRICK MALONE LEASED A HOUSE HERE IN AMBOY FOR USE AS A RECTORY AND TEMPORARY CHAPEL. DAILY MASSES WERE SAID, AND SUNDAY MASSES WERE AT SIX AND EIGHT IN THE MORNING. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE FATHER MALONE RECEIVED THE DONATION OF THIS PARCEL FROM ROY COWL, WHO OWNED MANY PROPERTIES IN AMBOY (INCLUDING ROY'S CAFÉ ACROSS THE HIGHWAY). IN MARCH OF 1950 BISHOP CHARLES BUDDY OF THE DIOCESE OF SAN DIEGO VISITED AMBOY, AND INFORMED FATHER MALONE THAT THE CATHOLIC EXTENSION SOCIETY IN CHICAGO WOULD PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CHURCH. CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH BEGAN UNDER THE WATCH OF THE SECOND PASTOR OF SAINT RAYMOND'S PARISH, FATHER JOSEPH STADLER. THE NEW CHURCH WAS TO BE BUILT OF CINDER BLOCK AND WOULD SEAT OVER 100 PEOPLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE ESTIMATED FORTY CATHOLIC FAMILIES IN THE PARISH. IT WAS THE THIRD PASTOR, FATHER LEO HANLEY, WHO COMPLETED THE CHURCH. COMING FROM CHICAGO, FATHER HANLEY WAS DISCOURAGED AT THE FIRST SIGHT OF HIS NEW PARISH AND CHURCH. HOWEVER, AFTER SAYING HIS FIRST MASS AT AMBOY HE REMARKED, "I SAW THOSE CHILDREN AND THEIR GREAT NEED. I DID NOT WANT TO RENEGE AND LET THEM DOWN." MRS. FRANCES STAPLE, THE CATHOLIC WIFE OF THE SUPERINTENDANT OF THE LOCAL SALT MINE, WAS A KEY LEADER IN THE PARISH WHO ASSISTED FATHER HANLEY. WITH THE HELP OF THE PARISHIONERS (MANY OF WHOM WORKED AT THE SALT MINE AND FOR THE RAILROAD) FATHER HANLEY COMPLETED THE CHURCH. THE HOUSE TO THE WEST OF THE CHURCH WAS THE RECTORY; THE ROCK GARDEN BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS HARBORED A STATUE OF THE MADONNA. ON MARCH 8, 1951 BISHOP BUDDY DEDICATED THE CHURCH AND CONFIRMED THE FIRST GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE. HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THE HELP OF BOTH PARISHIONERS AND NON-PARISHIONERS, LACK OF MONEY TO RUN THE PARISH WAS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM. FATHER HANLEY RETURNED TO CHICAGO DURING THE SUMMER TO RAISE MONEY FOR SAINT RAYMOND'S FROM AMONG HIS FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS. OVER THE NEXT FIFTEEN YEARS THERE WOULD BE NINE MORE PASTORS AT SAINT RAYMOND'S. THE PARISH ALSO OVERSAW SAINT MICHAEL'S MISSION AT LUDLOW FOR TEN YEARS. THE LAST PASTOR AT SAINT RAYMOND'S WAS FATHER ADALBERT KOWALSKI. DUE TO THE DECREASE IN POPULATION IN THE REGION, THE PARISH CLOSED ON AUGUST 3, 1970. THE PROPERTY ON WHICH THE CHURCH STANDS WAS RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER IN 1981.

PLAQUE DEDICATED JANUARY 15, 2022 (CLAMPYEAR 6027) BY THE SOCIETY OF VITUSCAN MISSIONARIES OF THE BILLY HOLCOMD CHAPTER OF THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ORDER OF E CLAMPUS VITUS IN COOPERATION WITH AMBOY AND THE OKURA FAMILY.

Billy

Holcomb ECV1069

[10siglosdehistoria]

"Saint Augustine and the Devil from the Fathers of the Church altarpiece" (1471/75). Michael Pacher, oil on panel. Alte Pinakothek, Munich.

"San Agustín y el Diablo del retablo de los Padres de la Iglesia" (1471/75). Michael Pacher, óleo sobre tabla. Alte Pinakothek, Múnich.

(English / Español / Italiano)

Michael Pacher (Falzes, c. 1435-Salzburg, August 1498) was an Austrian Gothic painter and sculptor active in the last quarter of the 15th century. The development of his career coincided with the shift from late Gothic to more dramatic models. At this time he came into contact with the Paduan school, showing an inclination for the work of Filippo Lippi and Mantegna.

His legacy includes the altar of The Coronation of the Virgin in the parish church of Gries, the altar of the Sanctuary of Sankt Wolfang and the altar of The Fathers of the Church for the abbey of Novacella. One of his most grandiose creations was the altarpiece for the Franciscan church in Salzburg, where he anticipated Renaissance forms with more serene images. In short, the fusion of the German medieval style with elements from the Renaissance schools of Padua and Venice are the two defining features of his oeuvre.

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Michael Pacher (Falzes, h. 1435-Salzburgo, agosto de 1498) fue un pintor y escultor austriaco del Gótico, activo en el último cuarto del siglo XV.  El desarrollo de su carrera coincide con el paso del gótico tardío a modelos dotados de mayor dramatismo. En este tiempo entra en contacto con la escuela de Padua, mostrando su inclinación por la obra de Filippo Lippi y Mantegna. 

De su legado hay que destacar el altar de La coronación de la Virgen en la iglesia parroquial de Gries, el altar del Santuario de Sankt Wolfang y el de Los Padres de la Iglesia para la abadía de Novacella. Una de sus creaciones más grandiosas fue el altar que realizó para la iglesia de los franciscanos en Salzburgo, donde se anticipa a las formas renacentistas con imágenes más serenas. En definitiva, la fusión del estilo medieval alemán con elementos propios de las escuelas renacentistas de Padua y Venecia constituyen los dos rasgos que definen su obra.

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Michael Pacher (Falzes, 1435 circa-Salisburgo, agosto 1498) è stato un pittore e scultore gotico austriaco attivo nell'ultimo quarto del XV secolo. Lo sviluppo della sua carriera coincise con il passaggio dal tardo gotico a modelli più drammatici. In questo periodo entra in contatto con la scuola padovana, mostrando un'inclinazione per l'opera di Filippo Lippi e Mantegna.

Il suo lascito comprende l'altare dell'Incoronazione della Vergine nella chiesa parrocchiale di Gries, l'altare del Santuario di Sankt Wolfang e l'altare dei Padri della Chiesa per l'abbazia di Novacella. Una delle sue creazioni più grandiose fu la pala d'altare per la chiesa francescana di Salisburgo, dove anticipò le forme rinascimentali con immagini più serene. In breve, la fusione dello stile medievale tedesco con elementi delle scuole rinascimentali di Padova e Venezia sono i due tratti distintivi della sua opera.

Source text: Artehistoria