#and not LOCKED IN AN ATTIC 24/7. jesus christ

[llycaons]

honestly idrc about jane feeling sad or anything. like the racist ableist bitch? she didn't spare a single thought to a woman locked up for 15 years and described her as an animal when she'd been treated basically like one. like! all that compassion and kindness for her abusive guardian, all those virtues extolled. and she doesn't give a shit about this woman because she's 'mad'? calls her a hyena? she can go to hell man

[blacknedsoul-blog]

Okay, this is a reblog because I have a lot to say, and I'm going to try to be nice, even though if there's one thing that gets on my nerves a little, it's when people call an element of a play "low" or "weak" without really stopping to look at it. First of all, why does Lenore like Annabel in the first place? Because Annabel was the person who came into her life at her lowest moment to make her feel alive again, when everyone around her saw her as a burden (the maids) or completely forgot about her (her parents), Annabel offered her friendship. An offer that Lenore is perfectly free to refuse. When they say goodbye, Lenore loses her mind because Annabel's presence is the one thing that has kept her sane for six months. Annabel attacks her when Lenore asks her to visit again, and the thing is…that's not going to happen. In three months, Annabel will be engaged, either to someone new or to the guy who's waiting for her in London. Either way, visiting a crazy woman locked in the attic is off the table, and from Annabel's point of view, it's better for Lenore to be angry and chewing on resentment than to wait forever for him to return, so she tries to hurt her. Her only friend is ripped out of her life for the same reason Theo went looking for her during the storm: an arranged engagement that she definitely doesn't want. And there Lenore decides that she's had enough of all this crap, if the price she had to pay to save herself from it was being locked up like an animal, at least she'd try to save her only friend from the same fate. Otherwise, as long as Victorian engagements lasted, these two had anywhere from six months to two years plus the three months of the social season to fall in love beyond making eyes at each other. And that's something Lenore feels, even if she doesn't remember it. Just like Morella feels like something is missing from her neck until she puts the collar on, or Duke feels uncomfortable jumping into the water chained up in the thalassophobia test because, well, that's how he died. As for the other thing… Annabel doesn't ignore what Lenore has to say. What's more, she does her best to address her concerns…but the thing is, there's nothing more she can do or say. Why not tell Lenore how they died? Because she doesn't know. She wants to believe that what the Deans told her is a lie, but how could she explain that to Lenore? "Hey, they told me you killed me, but I don't believe it" would absolutely destroy Lenore and could alter her memories, the only hope for both of them to know how they really died.

Why tell Lenore not to get attached to anyone? Because Annabel felt that Lenore was someone important to her, and it took the Deans' 3 doritos to destroy her memory to show/make her believe that Lenore murdered her. Everything is being used against them, including the bonds they form here. And this is something that is more in line with the fact that there is only one life available: these people are doomed and Lenore will have to watch them die. Why not share her suspicions? Because, again, the Deans destroyed her memory to keep her away from Lenore. Who knows what they'll do when they see their plans aren't working, and if they're as powerful as they claim to be, they may be watching her 24/7 and Annabel doesn't know how. We readers know that these guys have no intention of doing anything more than eating popcorn while they see what's going on. Why not tell Lenore about Duke? Because Montresor is a danger, and logic tells her that the only way Lenore was likely to get herself killed was to run headlong after her friend. Assuming the plan was just to let him die. Does this mean that Lenore should forgive her and her actions should be without consequence? Jesus Christ Superstar, NO. But that's the tragedy: Annabel is trapped in a situation where no matter what she does, she will always lose because she has to pay the price for keeping up this charade (which is all she has because it's the only way she knows how to do things), while Lenore is caught in the middle of many conflicting feelings and situations that she can't even process before something else blows up in her face. The heart of the tragedy in Nevermore is how all these people are now trapped in a bullshit game they didn't choose and can't escape. And Annabel and Lenore embody that as the protagonists: not even death could save Annabel from wearing a mask and Lenore from being tossed around like a rag doll by the actions of others. This tragedy extends to their relationship, and to call it "weak" is to overlook how the conflict of Nevermore is embodied in them as characters and in their relationship.

Confession: I feel like lennabel is lowkey the weakest part of the comic. Yes its the selling point and the focus and everything but everything else like the misfits/lenores friendships, the spectres, all the side characters and backstories (especially lenores), the history of the school/where they are all way more interesting. And then oh heres another y/a "toxic but not actually because uhhh its hawt" ship. They have a secret conversation about the game or fodder or whatever. Or their "history" which is lenore forced to hang out with her and then being left with a bunch of insults? With lenore and her friends we see them grow and bond together but with lennbel they just hug or kiss or something. Why does lenore like annabel? Because...pretty? Because she gets all in lenores face? She always ignores what lenore has to say and literally tried to kill her friend without telling her. Like every other aspect of the comic is super neat and intriguing but The Ship is whatever. If lenore could just seriously break it off with her after what happened it wouldn't drag the story down anymore but it wont both cause spoilers and cause its what the whole marketing of the comic is.

I might get attacked for this, but I’m starting to ship Lennabel less and less as the comic progresses (Funny coming from a Mourn pfp), I prefer them as individual characters instead of a ship since it seems like things aren’t going to end well for them, given that this a gothic story and their views are too different from each others.

I would also like to know more about the other characters and the setting as a whole, especially the deans (I love eldritch horror).

I think it’s fair to say that the reason we probably aren’t seeing more is because we are approaching a climax. As a writer myself, I feel like we are approaching something big that will reveal a few questions we might have about the academy and such.

This comic was sold as a “gothic sapphic horror romance” so that’s why its ship focused, but I really would like to see Lenore’s relationship with the misfits get stronger, and for Annabel to hopefully make a friend outside of Lenore.

I think it’s safe to say to just wait and see what will happen.

What are all of your opinions on this?

[orthodoxydaily]

Icon,Saints&Reading:Tue.Sep.152020

Commemorated on September 2 ( OldJuian calendar

The Holy Martyr Mamant of Caesare (275)

     The Holy Martyr Mamant was born in Paphlagonia of pious and illustrious parents, the Christians Theodotos and Ruphina. For their open confession of their faith, the parents of the saint were arrested by the pagans and locked up in prison in Caesarea Cappadocia. Knowing his own bodily weaknesses, Theodotos prayed, that the Lord would take him before being martyred. The Lord heard his prayer and he died in prison. Saint Ruphina died also after him, having given birth to a premature son, whom she prayerfully entrusted to God, beseeching that He be the Protector and Defender of the orphaned infant. God hearkened to the death-bed prayer of Saint Ruphina: a rich Christian widow named Ammea reverently buried the bodies of Saints Theodotos and Ruphina, and she took the boy into her own home and surrounded him with motherly care. Saint Mamant grew up in the Christian faith. His foster mother concerned herself with the developing of his natural abilities and early on she sent him off to study his grammar. The boy learned easily and willingly. He was not of an age of mature judgement but distinguished himself by maturity of mind and of heart. By means of prudent conversations and personal example young Mamant converted many of his own peers to Christianity. There was a denunciation about this to the governor, named Democritus, and the youth was arrested and brought to trial. In deference to his illustrious parentage Democritus decided not to subject him to torture, but instead sent him off to the emperor Aurelian (270-275). The emperor tried at first kindly, but then with threats to turn Saint Mamant back to the pagan faith, but all in vain: the saint bravely confessed himself a Christian and pointed out the madness of the pagans in their worship of mindless idols. Infuriated, the emperor subjected the youth to cruel tortures. They eventually wanted to drown the saint, but an Angel of the Lord saved Saint Mamant and bid him live on an high mountain in the wilderness, located not far from Caesarea. Bowing to the will of God, the saint built there a small church and began to lead a life of strict temperance, in exploits of fasting and prayer.      Soon he received a remarkable power over the forces of nature: wild beasts inhabiting the surrounding wilderness gathered at his abode and listened to the reading of the Holy Gospel. Saint Mamant nourished himself on the milk of wild goats and deer.      The saint did not ignore the needs of his neighbours: preparing cheese from this milk, he gave it away freely to the poor. Soon the fame of Saint Mamant's life spread throughout all of Caesarea. The governor in concern sent a detachment of soldiers to arrest him. Coming across Saint Mamant on the mountain, the soldiers did not recognise him, and mistook him for a simple shepherd. The saint then invited them to his dwelling, gave them a drink of milk and then told them his name, knowing that a suffering death for Christ awaited him. In surrendering himself over into the hands of the torturers, Saint Mamant was brought to trial under a deputy governor named Alexander, who subjected him to intensive and prolonged tortures. But they did not break the Christian will of the saint. He was strengthened by the words addressed to him from above: "Be strong and take courage, Mamant". When they gave Saint Mamant over for devouring by wild beasts, these creatures would not touch him. Finally, one of the pagan-priests struck at him with a trident-spear. Mortally wounded, Saint Mamant went out beyond the city limits. There, in a small stone cave, he offered up his spirit to God, Who in the hearing of all summoned the holy Martyr Mamant into the habitation on high (+ 275). He was buried by believers at the place of his death.      Christians soon began to receive from him blessings of help in their afflictions and sorrows. Saint Basil the Great speaks thus about the holy Martyr Mamant in a sermon to the people: "Commemorate ye the holy martyr: those, who saw him in a vision, who from amongst the living here have him as an helper, those whom in calling on his name he hath helped in some matter, those whom he hath guided out of a prodigal life, those whom he hath healed of infirmity, those whose children already dead he hath restored to life, those whose life he hath prolonged – all of ye, gathered as one, praise ye the martyr".

© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.

Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God (1771)

The Appearance of the Kaluzhsk Icon of the Mother of God

Commemorated on September 2, October 12, July 18 and on the first Sunday of the Apostles' Fast.

     The Appearance of the Kaluzhsk Icon of the Mother of God occurred in 1748 in the village of Tinkova, near Kaluga, at the home of the landowner Vasilii Kondrat'evich Khitrov. Two servants of Khitrov were examining old things in the attic of his home. One of them, Evdokia, noted for her unconstrained temper, was given to rough and even indecorous language. Her companion began to admonish her and while arguing she discovered a large package covered in a grimy sackcloth. Undoing it, the girl saw the picture of a woman in dark garments with a book in her hands. Considering it to be the portrait of a woman monastic and wanting to bring Evdokia to her senses, she accused her of being disrespectful to the hegumeness. Evdokia answered the scolding words of her companion, and becoming increasingly angry, she spit at the picture. Immediately she became convulsed and fell down senseless. Her frightened companion reported about what had happened throughout the household. The next night, The Queen of Heaven appeared to Evdokia's parents and told them, that their daughter had jeered at Her blasphemously and She ordered them to make a molieben before the insulted icon, and to sprinkle the invalid with holy water at the molieben. After the molieben Evdokia recovered, and Khitrov took the wonderworking icon into his own home, where abundantly issued forth healings to those approaching it with faith. Afterwards they conveyed the icon to the parish temple in honour of the Nativity of the MostHoly Mother of God in the village of Kaluzhka. A copy of it was dispatched to Kaluga. At the present time it is situated in the cathedral church of Kaluga.      Through this icon the Mother of God has repeatedly manifest Her protection of the Russian Land during its difficult times. The celebration of the Kaluga Icon on 2 September was established in remembrance of the deliverance from an ulcerous plague in 1771. A second celebration was established 12 October, in memory of the saving of Kaluga from the French invasion of 1812. In 1898 there was established a celebration on 18 July in gratitude to the Mother of God for safe-guarding against cholera. Celebration is made likewise on the 1st Sunday of the Peter fast.

© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.

Galatians 2:21-3:7

21I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?2This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?3Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?4Have you suffered so many things in vain-if indeed it was in vain?5Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?-6just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."7Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

Galatians 2:11-16

11Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;12for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.13And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.14But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,16knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Mark 5:24-34

24So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.25Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years,26and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.27When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.28For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."29Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.30And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"31But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?' "32And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.33But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.34And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."