#maria cathedral

[postcard-from-the-past]

Main Gate of Our Lady Maria Cathedral in Ribe, southern Jutland, Denmark

Danish vintage postcard

[wgm-beautiful-world]

F I R E N Z E

[madeleineengland]

Most beautiful marble monument 🇮🇹

[hornyforpoetry]

...Bright and glorious is that revelation, / Written all over this great world of ours; / Making evident our own creation, / In these stars of earth, these golden flowers...

... Brilliant hopes, all woven in gorgeous tissues, / Flaunting gayly in the golden light; / Large desires, with most uncertain issues, / Tender wishes, blossoming at night!...

...Not alone in her vast dome of glory, / Not on graves of bird and beast alone, / But in old cathedrals, high and hoary, / On the tombs of heroes, carved in stone...

Maria della Vitta Cathedral // Bologna // Italy Flowers // Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

[dixt]

santa maria della vittoria in rome, italy ⋅ ph. samuelrufini

[operaqueen]

Julie Andrews

The Sound of Music - 1965

[latenightsushi]

Florence, October 2023

X

[biostatprof]

Igreja de Santa Maria de Belém

[autumnmobile12]

So I watched Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame last night and I had a thought.

Notre Dame being one of the most famous cathedrals in the world, I'm curious if Nocturne is going to adhere to the rule of vampires not being able to set foot on holy ground and if so, will Notre Dame Cathdral will be used as a point of sanctuary for our heroes at some point?

Castlevania vampires burn in sunlight and fear the Cross, but the animated series is pretty vague on whether or not consecrated ground or a house of worship is off limits. We see the Night Creatures are able to enter the Gresit Cathedral easily enough (among other chapel settings in multiple games,) but Alucard confirms they are unaffected by sunlight in Season 4, showing they don't have the same limitations as vampires. Trevor also makes a joke about catching fire since he's an excommunicate, so the idea of someone 'unholy' going up in flames within a church is not unheard of here.

In Season 2, the vampires all question whether or not running water will harm them. This is revisited in the final battle when the undead Bishop blesses the Danube. (Which...is that still holding up? Is the second longest river in Europe completely impassable to vampires?)

As far as I've personally seen, the anime Shiki is the only series I can think of that addresses the holy ground rule, so I think it would be interesting if Nocturne made use of that lore. Plus, it would be reminiscent of the games' save rooms, which are often small chapels or confessionals where the enemy can't follow the player.

That said, there's no real guarantee if Notre Dame or any other specific church or cathedral will make an appearance in the narrative. Actually, I'm almost positive the building the above gif is supposed to be the Palace of Versailles, home of the French court. Which seems to have been overrun by vampires, so...really wanting to know what happened there if that's the case.

Palace of Versailles

Aside from some of the windows...Versailles, maybe?

The original series used real locations present day Romania like Târgoviște, Brăila, Lindenfeld, Dănești, and Argeș, so I wouldn't be surprised if Nocturne followed that pattern with the Palace of Versailles, Paris, and maybe Notre Dame.

[shy-girl04]

Photographer - shy-girl04 : Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy, 2010

[godblockedval]

[theknitpotato]

The extraordinary 'Optical illusion' of the marble mosaic tiles of the 17th Century AD, Florence Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, Italy.

The mosaic optical illusion of the Cathedral, seen from above, this intricate geometry creates the illusion of a giant abyss into which people could stumble.

The red, white, black and green marble floor was a colossal job that took 160 years to complete. It was built by the grand Florentine craftsmen, led by the Renaissance sculptor Baccio d'Agnolo, and completed in 1660 AD.

The primary goal of the builders was to surpass the splendor of the Roman imperial floors, especially those of the Pantheon. The result forms a gigantic unit of fascinating geometric carpets, lined within the arches of the cathedral.

In various parts of the floor you can see the coat of arms of the Medici family, the family of bankers who left an indelible mark on all of Florence and who played a leading role in the completion of the cathedral.

[wgm-beautiful-world]

SANTA MARIA DEL FIORE

[36cathedrals]

NervousOtaku thrills and enchants with this barreling, careening short story that dares to pose the question: What if Karl Heisenberg came to Yharnam?

This piece follows the village lord as he gains unlikely allies and unravels the mysteries and horrors of the beast-ridden city and the lands beyond.

I highly recommend this story. Read your fill of this nine-chapter epic and send some love in NervousOtaku's direction!

[rabbitcruiser]

Ascension Day

We commemorate Jesus Christ’s ascension into heaven (as per Christian belief) by celebrating Ascension Day, which occurs on the Thursday, which is 40 (or 39) days after Easter. This year, it will take place on May 9. Known by multiple names — The Feast of the Ascension, The Ascension of Jesus, Ascension Thursday, Holy Thursday, or Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord — this is a Christian holiday that doubles as a public holiday in many countries like Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Switzerland and more.

History of Ascension Day

One of the earliest Christian festivals, Ascension Day marks the end of the Easter season. This event is celebrated primarily by Catholics and Anglican Christians; most Protestant churches do not follow this tradition anymore. The date, too, differs in different geographic locations. Western Churches prefer to use the Gregorian calendar for calculating this date, while many Eastern Orthodox Churches calculate this date according to the Julian calendar. As a result, their celebrations occur at a later date than the Western event.

As per the New Testament in the Bible, after Jesus Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday, he was resurrected from the dead in three days, on the day we know as Easter Sunday. For 40 days after this, he stayed with his Apostles (the primary disciples of Christ) to instruct them on how to carry out his teachings. As the Bible says, at the end of day 40, Jesus Christ and his disciples went to Mount Olivet (or the Mount of Olives), near Jerusalem. After asking them to stay, Christ then ascended to heaven to take his seat at the right hand of God, under the gaze of his disciples. To Christians, the ascension signifies that Christ completed his work on Earth and allowed him to prepare a place for his followers in heaven.

Initially a part of Easter celebrations, this day was later separated from Easter, along with Pentecost. Celebration of Pentecost ends the cycle of Easter-related events in the Christian calendar.

Ascension Day timeline

68 A.D. The Tradition Begins

Ascension Day begins to be observed, albeit with two other holidays — Easter Sunday and Pentecost.

300 A.D. Ascension Day Develops As A Separate Tradition

A decree declares this celebration now must be observed separately — it is moved to 40 days after Easter.

385 A.D. First Written Evidence Appears

We see the very first piece of written evidence that the Ascension Day Feast is celebrated.

5th century Ascension Day Starts Appearing In Art

Christian art showcases this holiday.

6th century Art Begins To Reflect Different Versions

Syria develops a different version of the Ascension, which is later adopted by Byzantine art.

18th century Germany Celebrates Father's Day

Ascension Day coincides with Father's Day in Germany — they celebrate Jesus returning to the Holy Father.

19th century Germany Celebrates With Colourful Parades

To replicate the way the Apostles walked with Jesus, Christians begin to host colorful parades as a commemoration.

How To Observe Ascension Day

Go to church

Attend church processions

Listen to hymns

Learn how your local church celebrates this day. Take some time to attend a Mass or Christian church service. Clarify the details before you go, as these services differ based on whether the church is Protestant or Catholic.

Tradition says this holiday is observed by a three-day procession, then the feast itself, which includes a procession of torches and banners to symbolize Christ’s journey to the Mount of Olives and entry into heaven. While your local church might not have such grand festivities, find out if they are still carrying out a procession.

Listening to hymns is a traditional part of Ascension Day celebrations. A medley of these religious songs can have you humming along for days. Even popular artists have been known to hum a hymn or two over the years. Check out Carrie Underwood’s ‘Something In The Water,’ or U2’s ‘Where The Streets Have No Name,’ or even John Legend’s ‘Preach.’

Facts About Ascension Day

In Sweden, people go on early morning walks

The British celebrated by 'beating the willow'

Welsh people don’t work on this day

Portugal celebrates by keeping wheat in their houses

Indonesia has a public holiday on Ascension Day

Many people go out into the woods at 3 AM or 4 AM to hear the birds at sunrise, believing that hearing a cuckoo from the east or west brings them good luck — this activity is called ‘gökotta.’

In the olden days, as young boys were driven along the parish boundaries, they were beaten with willow branches to drive away evil.

It is more than a holiday celebration in Wales — Welsh people believe that it is unlucky to do any work on Ascension Day.

Traditionally, rural Portuguese households keep wheat in their homes throughout the coming year — this day is associated with peace and prosperity and, to them, wheat symbolizes prosperity.

Despite Christianity being a minor religion in Indonesia, Ascension Day is designated as a public holiday.

Why Ascension Day Is Important

It is an opportunity for reflection and to gain inner peace

We learn about Christian traditions

It helps us expand our cultural horizons

Instances, where we can simply sit, reflect, and learn the true meaning of peace, are rare in our busy worlds. This is why we recommend holding onto such chances with both hands. Ascension Day church services center around this theme. If you are not a religious or church person, simply take a moment to sit by yourself and reflect on your journey so far and how you would like to continue. There’s no better way to celebrate this day than by centering yourself and your thoughts.

Expanding our knowledge is good for us. Plus, learning about Ascension Day not only helps us expand our store of general knowledge, but also inspires us to observe some of the traditions.

Such traditions have been prevalent for a long time, and have taken on varying degrees of importance around the world. Even festivities change as per the customs of a certain region. Learning more about these traditions changes our views of cultures and gives us extended knowledge of people from other nations.

Source

[hornyforpoetry]

Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore // Florence, Italy