#pius v

[portraitsofsaints]

Pope Saint Pius  V1504-1572 Feast Day: April 30 (New), May 5 (Trad) Patronage: Bosco Marengo, Italy Pope from 1566-1572

Saint Pope Pius V, a Dominican, was a leader of the Catholic Reformation, especially by implementing the Council of Trent reforms. He established a Catechism, a missal, a seminary system, used a Tridentine approach to learning and preaching, had a residency requirement for Bishops and reformed women’s religious life. This formed the foundation of the Catholic Church for the next 500 years. In 1571, St. Pius V was instrumental in gathering a coalition of nations and petitioning prayers of Our Blessed Mother to save Europe from the Islamic Ottoman Turks at the Battle of Lepanto. He declared Mary as Our Lady of Victory because of this decisive battle. He died of natural causes. Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[apenitentialprayer]

St. Joseph is traditionally viewed as a saint of the Counter Reformation [...] However, as is seldom pointed out, the acts of the Council of Trent (1545-63) are in fact silent on the cult of St. Joseph, and his name disappears from the Roman breviary after the reforms of Pope Pius V (1568-70). Renewed papal interest in St. Joseph's cult is directly apparent, on the other hand, by the late 1590s under Clement VIII, and the next public milestone is the year 1621, when Gregory XV ordered that the feast of St. Joseph be observed as a holy day of obligation throughout the Universal Church.

- Carolyn C. Wilson (St. Joseph in Italian Renaissance Society and Art: New Directions and Interpretations, pages 1, 8)

[pladoskif]

OKAY HEAR ME OUT FOR A SECOND

I’ve just come up with a parallel improbable and, at the same time quite fitting…y’all are gonna hate this.

Just imagine them as Dido and Aeneas…

“Oh, I don’t

know what

this feeling is…”

“Is it God

or is it me?” “It’s God,

isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (April 30)

St. Pius V was born Michele Ghislieri on 17 January 1504 to poor parents of noble lineage in Bosco, near Alexandria, Lombardy.

He worked as a shepherd until the age of 14 when he encountered two Dominicans who recognized his intelligence and virtue. He joined the Dominicans and was ordained a priest at 24.

He taught philosophy and theology for 16 years during which he was elected prior of many houses.

He was known for his austere penances, his long hours of prayer and fasting, and the holiness of his speech.

He was elected Bishop of Sutri in 1556. He served as an inquisitor in Milan and Lombardi, then as inquisitor general of the Church and a cardinal in 1557.

He was known in this capacity as an able yet unflinching man who rigorously fought heresy and corruption wherever he encountered it.

He was elected pope on 7 January 1566, with the influential backing of his friend St. Charles Borromeo and took the name Pius V. 

He immediately put into action his vast program of reform by getting rid of many of the extravagant luxuries then prevalent in his court.

He gave the money usually invested in these luxuries to the poor whom he personally cared for, washing their feet, consoling those near death, and tending to lepers and the very sick.

He spent long hours before the Blessed Sacrament despite his heavy workload.

His pontificate was dedicated to applying the reforms of the Council of Trent, raising the standard of morality and reforming the clergy, and strongly supporting foreign missions.

The Catechism of the Council of Trent was completed during his reign. He revised the Roman Breviary and Missal, which remained in use until the reforms of Vatican II.

His six year pontificate saw him constantly at war with two massive enemy forces -- the Protestant heretics and the spread of their doctrines in the West, and the Turkish armies who were advancing from the East.

He encouraged efforts to battle Protestantism by education and preaching, and giving strong support to the newly formed Society of Jesus, founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

He excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I and supported Catholics who were oppressed and intimidated by Protestant princes, especially in Germany.

He worked hard to unite the Christian armies against the Turks. The most famous success of his papacy was the miraculous victory of the Christian fleet in the Battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571.

The island of Malta was attacked by the Turkish fleet and nearly every man defending the fortress was killed in battle.

The Pope sent out a fleet to meet the enemy, requesting that each man on board pray the Rosary and receive communion.

Meanwhile, he called on all of Europe to recite the Rosary and ordered a 40 hour devotion in Rome during which time the battle took place.

The Christian fleet, vastly outnumbered by the Turks, inflicted an impossible defeat on the Turkish navy, demolishing the entire fleet.

In memory of the triumph, he declared the day the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary because of her intercession in answering the mass recitation of the Rosary and obtaining the victory.

He has also been called ‘Pope of the Rosary’ for this reason.

Pope Pius V died seven months later on 1 May 1572 of a painful disease, uttering "O Lord, increase my sufferings and my patience!"

He is enshrined at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

He was beatified by Pope Clement X on 1 May 1672 and was canonized by Pope Clement XI on 22 May 1712.

[2dkapsddr]

November 27th, 2024 - Arcaea, vivid/stasis, PIU Phoenix

O.K., today's the grand new day!!! still had a long time to waste until the train passed by, so i accepted my mom's offer to go eat breakfast somewhere before i left for the arcade. over there, i finished my food a bit early and got to work on some Arcaea PM grinding again, and i was SO DAMN CLOSE to getting another FTR PM on Infinite Strife, [FTR-9+], but i ended up choking it with a Lost in the middle and losing the PM just like that... ah well, the shiny acc wasn't all that good anyways . i can live with this loss.

went back home a while after this (got dragged along somewhere else by my mom, was honestly getting sick of it but we ball) and Tried doing some homework to continue today on a clean slate, but i ended up getting NOTHING done except playing a bit of vivid/stasis to procrastinate (hey, at least i got a VS on CITY RIDE IN THE JUNGLE [MID 10]!!!) and finishing a post that i really should've done yesterday if anything (the maimai/gc/ez2ac gamecenter post) and missing the earliest train possible thanks to it .

but regardless!! -- i finished the aforementioned post earlier than i was expecting and used the extra time to get myself a meal before jumping into Pump It Up Action . transportation there was way too convoluted and took forever, but after an hour, i arrived and was ready to warm up game on such a beautiful half-price pump it up day!!!

...only, something felt off about the side of the pad i was playing on . the first two songs went by as smooth as they could've gone, but i started suffering some weird input drops towards the end of Death moon . these blended into the next song, where i started having input drops across the entire song that led to me failing it entirely . i wasn't sure which panels were dropping my inputs, but it was during the next set that i figured out the main culprit -- the center panel was getting stuck repeatedly and not responding to inputs properly unless one stepped on the pads in the right spot to get it unstuck . only, i can't do that in the middle of a single player song!!! and so, i was starting to feel really disappointed about playing today .

my friend -- with whom i was meeting up with that day -- tried playing doubles while i sat on the side in contemplation, and even then i could see the same panel getting stuck and unstuck as she moved across pads and stepped on the right spots . i guess it didn't look that bad from the side, but it still seemed unbearable to play on . still, i hadn't come all this way to Not play PIU, so i took my losses and gave the game a shot on doubles... and i guess it wasn't so bad? still pretty impossible to get any good scores on this, until i playd Pumptris Quattro D20 and proved myself wrong with an insane AAA on the chart despite the broken panel!!! and then i followed it up with an insane AAA+ on Stardream -Eurobeat Remix- D20 where i only barely felt any significant pad issues somehow!!!

somehow, the panel had magically fixed itself in between my set... which means i could pick up right off where i left off and continue with progress towards my coveted Advanced Lv.3 clear!!! i hopped back onto doubles after my friend and got an absolutely INSANE SSS on Storm D19, first try of the day, up from my prior S-rank from Round 1... and then the all-new 20 clears just kept rolling in!!! Discord D20 AAA, Keep On! D20 AAA+ (INSANE score btw, been trying to clear this one since XX but just couldn't for some reason...)

then, after my friend and i went to go get some boba and relaxed for a bit, we hopped on together and played some Singles charts together, where i got an AAA on Giselle S20 and an upscore to AAA+ on CRUSH S20!!! after both of those, however, she had to leave, so it was all up to me to finish what i came for and get that beautiful title!!! started off my doubles marathon before i had to go for the day with an S+ on Point Zero 2 D20, a wonky just-barely AA+ clear on Moonlight D20, an S on BSPower Explosion D20 (sick!!!), and then an S on Le Grand Bleu D20 to hopefully finish things off... but alas, whereas i thought the threshold for Advanced Lv.3 was 36,000 rating in the 20's folder, it was actually 39,000 rating, which meant i still had 4 more Lv.20 charts left to go until i could reach the rank. but alas, i had to go after this set, so i guess i'll just come back here or to Round 1 some other time to finish it off... but given i still had another song to play, i wanted to go out with a bang. picking it on a whim and not expecting much, i chose X-Rave D21 as my last song to close out the session... and miraculously, i lived with enough stamina to clear with an AA+ and get it knocked out as D21 clear #3!!!! what a satisfying set overall, really happy with my progress despite the hiccup with the panel in the beginning!!!

having some time to kill when i got home, i grinded out some world mode to get rid of the stamina i still had after my mini-grind during our boba break!!! in the quest to unlock both Don't Fight The Music [ETR-10+] + And Revive The Melody, i got a sightread PM on LiftOff (FTR-8, MAX-18) as FTR PM #219!!! lucky, but the acc was really bad and unsatisfying to me. so despite my super sleepy state and wanting to go to bed already, i gave it another few shots until i could PM it again... and PM it again i did, only with an INSANE MAX-3 score on the chart!!! how? i don't know!!! but until i have to come back around and MAX PM it someday, i'm really happy leaving the chart behind with this score!!! (ohyeah, and i did unlock Don't Fight The Music [ETR-10+] during that session, only to fail it thanks to Saya's skill and my choke at the very end (lol)

[ghostsandgod]

Contemplation is the soul's clear and free dwelling upon the object of its gaze, meditation is the survey of the mind while occupied in searching for the truth, and cogitation is the mind's glance which is prone to wander.

-Richard of St Victor

[reitsportportal]

Kevin Staut siegreich im PRIX DES COMMUNES GENEVOISES beim CHI de Geneve 2023

[cheritzteam]

[The Ssum] “Teo” Ending Update Complete! Don’t Miss out on the Commemorative Event Too♡ v.2.1.11 App Update

Hello, dear lab participant.

You can now download the new version of <The Ssum: Love From Today>.

Google Play Store (Android) - linkApple App Store (iOS) - link

This update includes server maintenance, so you will receive 10 Aurora Batteries as Study Support upon accessing the game.

Make sure you access the Lab by 21-DEC-2024 (KST) to get your compensation! *You must collect your reward within 3 days.

The following are the details of the update we have received from the Lab.

< ⓛ The First Ssumone, “Teo’s” Ending Update! >

"Teo's" full story has been updated!

What awaits the lab participant in the final chapter?

Please join the story of true love that Teo discovers together with you, lab participant💘

If you're currently matched with a different ssumone, press the Profile Button on the main menu. You can match with another ssumone by pressing the heart button next to the current ssumone's profile picture.​

*Your story with your currently matched ssumone will not be deleted, and you can continue from where you left off when reconnecting. When reconnecting, please pay attention to the last chat time to avoid missing any chats/calls. *When matching with a new ssumone, to proceed with all Day 1 chats, you must change ssumones during your wake-up time period.

< ② Ending Update Celebration Repost Event!>

December 18th, 💜Teo’s💜 Ending Update Complete!💥

…To celebrate it, Cheritz is currently running a repost event on X(Twitter)!

***

💌 How to Participate 1) Login to X(Twitter)🔑 2) Repost the event post(link) from @Cheritz_DL🔁

📆 Event Period December 18th,2024 (Thurs) ~ December 24th, 2024 (Tues) KST

🎁 Event Prize - 50 Aurora Batteries + Random Merch (10 participants)

📢 Winner Announcement January 9th, 2025 (Thurs) KST

※Notice※ Private accounts cannot participate. If there is no DM response within 10 days after the winner announcement, your prize will be cancelled.

< ③ Sunshine Shelter ver.2 Powered by Your Ssumone's Energy!>

The emotion energy gathered from the meetings between you and your ssumone🌈 have brought changes to the Sunshine Shelter☀️!

Check out the upgraded Sunshine Shelter's interior, space creatures, and dialogue

and enjoy finding the new content🥰

Q&A Q. How do I go to the Sunshine Shelter? A. If you go to the Main Menu and check all the menu icons, the “Forbidden Lab” will open on the left. Press the Sunshine Shelter Button in the bottom left to enter the shelter!

< ③ PIU-PIU’s Love Bundle Limited Time Big Sale!>

To celebrate Teo's ending update, PIU-PIU’s Love Bundle is now 50% off! This bundle has a Romantic Diary, PIU-PIU Planet Broadcasting Antenna Chip, THE SSUM ADDITIONAL CONTENTS FOR FANS, his photo, 2 PIU-PIU stickers, Teo's letter, and 2 types of posters❤️ Get this premium package🎁 now

For more details about the bundle you can check the Cheritz Market link below

Cheritz Market: https://tinyurl.com/2p7brbf6

< ③ New Subscriber Promotional Event!>

Have you been eyeing a particular ssumone? We're running a new subscription promotional event for lab participants who have never purchased a subscription at the Aurora LAB!

Whether it's the 1-month package or 3-month package! First-time subscribers get 20% off the Aurora Evolution Package🎉

A golden opportunity to enjoy the Aurora Evolution Package benefits with the Rainbow Evolution Package! Visit the Aurora LAB now♡ *This event is only shown to eligible lab participants and can only be used once per account.

📆Promotional Event Period ~January 8th, 2025 (Wed)

🎉Promotional Event Details Aurora Evolution Package(1 month/3 months) 20% off

​

Q&A Q. What are the special benefits that only the Aurora Evolution Package has? A. That’s a great question! If you get a subscription for the Aurora Evolution Package, you can get the following exclusive benefits.

More Secondary Batteries!

104 secondary batteries are provided every day! You can also get a maximum of 18 more after each chat thanks to eco-friendly charging!

Even More Chats and Calls with your Ssumone!

During the subscription period, you can use 5 types of ringtones and text tones in your Ssumone’s voice!

A More Pleasant Experience with the Infinite Universe!

Not only do you get The Premium AidBot rental, but you can also experience the Emotion Incubator at its greatest potential!

PIU-PIU’s Belly storage gets increased and can hold 120 items for extra comfort♪

The Bigger and Better Sunshine Shelter!

The Shelter gets an Aurora Renovation which lets you take in more Creatures. We bet you can get more presents from this upgrade!

Here are the update details received from the lab.

[New Updates] > Christmas and New Year, The time you want to be with your special someone!  Christmas and New Year event data has been added. Please check the upcoming event announcement for details!

[Feature Added] >  Lab participant, look out for the Sunshine Shelter's new appearance! The Sunshine Shelter has completed its new makeover! You can now experience the Sunshine Shelter powered by your ssumone's energy!

[Other Updates] - Parts of the UI have been improved. - Minor bugs have been fixed.

We appreciate your reports and your activities as a part of the Lab.

Thank you.

-Cheritz-

[pharmaciacatholica]

Creation Theology Resources

Here are some resources that I think are good reads for those interested in the topic; I will likely add stuff as I come across more in the future. Like everyone else, I am always learning more.

Fathers:

Saint Theophilus of Antioch, Letter to Autolycus (A.D. 183)

Book II chapters 10-33

Book III chapter 24

Saint Ephraim the Syrian, Commentary on Genesis (A.D 306-373)

Saint Basil the Great, Hexaemeron (A.D 330-379)

Saint Gregory of Nyssa, On the Making of Man (A.D. 335-395)

Saint Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on Genesis (A.D. 339-397)

Specifically, Book I chapter 2 and 3

Saint John Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis (A.D. 347-407)

Saint Augustine (A.D. 354-430)

The Confessions; Book XI, Book XII, and Book XIII

On the Literal Interpretation of Genesis

City of God; Books XI-XVI

Doctors:

Venerable Bede, The Reckoning of Time (A.D. 708)

Specifically, chapter 66

Saint John Damascene, On the Orthodox Faith (A.D. 673-735)

Specifically, Book II chapter 1 and 2

Saint Bonaventure, Breviloquium (A.D. 1221-1274)

Specifically, Parts II and III

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae (A.D. 1225-1274)

Prima Pars; Questions 44-46, 65-74, 90-92, 102

Councils:

Council of Trent (A.D. 1545-1563)

Session IV, Decree Concerning the Edition and the Use of the Sacred Books

Session V, Decree Concerning Original Sin

Catechism of Trent, Production of Man (page 42)

Second Vatican Council (A.D 1965)

Dei Verbum

Roman Pontiffs

Pope Leo XIII

Arcanum Divinae; specifically, paragraph 5

Providentissimus Deus

Pope Pius XII

Divino Afflante Spiritu

Humani Generis *the crown jewel, in my opinion*

Pope Saint John Paul II

Evangelium Vitae; specifically, chapter 2 parts 39-43

Pope Francis

Laudato Si; specifically, chapter 2

Pontifical Biblical Commission

Miscellaneous Articles

The Four Senses of Scripture

Creation and Divine Freedom

The Theological Importance of Creation

Is Genesis 1-11 Intended to be Historical

The Mathematical Impossibility of Evolution

The Metaphysical Impossibility of Human Evolution

Against Polygenism

Should Catholics Believe in Evolution

Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi

The Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Crisis of Faith

[charminglyantiquated]

The City Loves You 🌹♥️

transcriptions/translations below cut

Florence I

What is the urban prophecy? / Tomorrow could be worse / love is in the air... / Life needs color. / Just kiss him.

Rome I

fear is a liar/ fall in love/ be good in life / remember me / in love with Rome / ... / Wish you were here.

Portland, Maine I

Rules to success: / You can't sleep over / Be kind to someone tonight / Love yourself better than anyone else! / Act as if you are one step ahead of the Devil himself / For all the ones who've left there are a few who stayed / I love you!

Breakup letter from Sevilla

You ruined my life / hoe <3

Prague I

Be brave and go see the world. / See art in all you see / till Shiva stops dancing. / I will be sad to leave, it's been a privilege. / Still go.

Florence II

Love is in the air... no wonder we have / smog / I'm dying

Rome II

Ciao fragolina! / Di chi ti ricordi per sorridere? Di te mi ricordo! /Non esiste al mondo un’altra donna che ti può sostituire. / Ogni giorno di piu ti amo. / Forse sei tu la volta che non sbaglio più. [Hi little strawberry! / Who do you remember to make you smile? I remember you! / There’s no other woman in the world who can replace you. / I love you more every day. / Maybe you’re the one time I’m not wrong.]

Rome III

Pensa poetico / ti amo / ti amo / ti amo [Think poetic / I love you / I love you / I love you]

Rome IV

Voglio torna / Aprite tutte le porte con puro amor / ovunque io sarò raggiungerò i tuoi passi / ancora / sempre. [I want to come back / Open the doors with pure love / wherever I will be I will rejoin your footsteps / again / forever]

Rome V

Non mi salverai / ma io voglio te / Non tornerò / ma io voglio ancora te [You won’t save me / but I want you / I won’t come back / but I still want you]

Florence III

Oh what we could be if we stopped carrying the remains of who we were / Who are you without your accomplishments? / Nothing / Look inside us; we are empty / 9am alone butt [sic] happy / In the dust we trust

Florence V

Ciao!! / Sai cosa voglio? Voglio scappare con te e andare dove vuoi, perche a me basti tu per essere felice / Sei il filo di Arianna nel labirinto della mia vita / la musica in testa / Ti amo [Hi!! / You know what I want? I want to run away with you and go wherever you want, because you are all I need to be happy / You are Ariadne’s thread in the labyrinth of my life / music in the head / I love you]

[teenagedirtstache]

Cardigan piu v-neck in cashmere panna solcato da coste-binario, Macpherson's stilista Laura Biagiotti; pantaloni neri, Gag Pants; t-shirt stile vecchia maglia, Surplus; coppola pied-de-poule, Rival

[jh-newman-opn]

What are the SSPX? I've been seeing the conversation around them but am unfamiliar with any of their beliefs or anything (tho them being called "modernist" definitely makes me think their heretics ofc)

It's a truth universally acknowledged that at every major council, a group splits off. At Nicaea it was the Arians, at Trent it was the Protestants, at Vatican I it was the Old Catholics, and at Vatican II it was the SSPX.

SSPX stands for Society of St Pius X, and they basically rejected a lot of the ecumenical and liturgical reforms, and then consecrated a bunch of priests and bishops in direct defiance of the Holy See. Lots of excommunications all round, bad time for everyone. Then a group split off from them for not being traddy enough, and they called themselves the SSPV (Society of St Pius V). Not wholly sure what they're doing now, but they're still around. The Palmarians (super weird cult with their own pope) are also an offshoot of this "Lefebvrist" movement (Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre being the founder of the SSPX).

Currently they're in a "canonically irregular" situation, where they officially denounce sedevacantism and call themselves Catholic, but in practice they don't submit to the Pope's authority, they don't accept the Ordinary Form of the Mass, and they have an entirely parallel structure of priests, bishops, and dioceses. Their sacraments are valid, but illicit (mostly-- they can do confession, baptism and marriage). Basically JPII, Benedict XVI, and Francis have made various moves to get them back in by lifting excommunications, changing rules around the EF, and allowing certain sacraments to be celebrated, but they're still firmly one foot out the door and refusing to budge, which for orthodox Catholics is already too many feet.

SSPX apologists will make all sorts of arguments to say that their rebelliousness is justified and that they're not in schism, but the long and the short of it is that a) every heretic group thinks they're in the right and b) the attitude of non-obedience is really spiritually dangerous anyway.

The "modernist" label is probably better explained by the great labeller, @paula-of-christ, but it's basically in reference to the fact that they think the Church ought to conform to their beliefs, rather than conforming their beliefs to the Church's teachings. It doesn't really matter whether your beliefs are uber traddy and your chasubles are really shiny-- if you're out of step with Rome, you are the problem.

[portraitsofsaints]

Pope Saint Pius X

1835-1914

F east day: August 21 (New), September 3 (Trad)

Patronage: First Communicants

Pope Pius X, born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pope Pius X is perhaps best remembered for his encouragement of the frequent reception of Holy Communion, especially for children. The second of 10 children in a poor Italian family, Joseph Sarto became Pius X at 68, one of the 20th century's greatest popes.

"Holy Communion is the shortest and fastest way to Heaven." - Pope Saint Pius X

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[jasminewalkerauthor]

Deep dives into folklore: Roman emperors

The history of Rome, marked by conquests, intrigues, and cultural achievements, unfolds through the lives and reigns of its emperors. This deep dive essay explores the evolution of Roman emperors, from the establishment of the Principate to the decline of the Western Roman Empire, examining their diverse personalities, accomplishments, and the enduring impact of their rule.

I. The Principate: Birth of Imperial Rule

The transition from the Roman Republic to the Principate marked a seismic shift in Roman governance. Augustus, the first Emperor, set the tone for the future by combining political acumen with military prowess. His reign witnessed the Pax Romana, a period of relative peace and stability, laying the foundation for the expansive Roman Empire. Augustus established a new political order, balancing the facade of Republican institutions with autocratic power, setting a precedent for future emperors.

II. The Julio-Claudian Dynasty: From Glory to Infamy

The emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, including Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, brought both grandeur and infamy to the Roman Empire. Tiberius, known for his reclusive rule, set the stage for the unpredictable reign of Caligula, whose excesses and cruelty earned him a notorious legacy. Claudius, often underestimated, contributed to imperial stability, while Nero's tyrannical rule marked a tumultuous end to the dynasty. The Julio-Claudians encapsulate the complexities of imperial rule, oscillating between enlightened governance and capricious tyranny.

III. The Five Good Emperors: Peak of Imperial Stability

The second century AD saw a period of relative stability and prosperity under the Five Good Emperors—Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. This era is characterized by wise and competent rulers who prioritized the well-being of the Empire. Trajan expanded Roman territory, Hadrian focused on fortifying borders, and Marcus Aurelius, a philosopher-king, grappled with the challenges of external threats and internal strife. This period exemplifies the potential of enlightened rule within the Roman Empire.

IV. Crisis and Decline: The Third Century Crisis

The third century witnessed a series of challenges, often referred to as the "Crisis of the Third Century," marked by economic decline, military upheavals, and a succession of short-lived emperors. The Severan dynasty, which included emperors like Septimius Severus and Caracalla, attempted to restore stability, but the challenges persisted. The fragmentation of the Empire and the rise of soldier-emperors exemplify a turbulent era, foreshadowing the decline of the Western Roman Empire.

V. Constantine the Great: A Shifting Capital and Christianization

The reign of Constantine the Great marks a pivotal moment in Roman history. His establishment of Constantinople as the new capital reflected the shifting power dynamics within the Empire. Additionally, Constantine's embrace of Christianity and the Edict of Milan in 313 AD marked a significant departure from traditional Roman religious practices, setting the stage for the Christianization of the Roman Empire.

VI. The Fall of the Western Roman Empire: End of an Era

The decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD marked the end of classical antiquity. A series of factors, including economic decline, military challenges, and external invasions, culminated in the deposition of the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer. The fall of the Western Roman Empire had profound and lasting consequences, shaping the course of European history.

The lives and legacies of Roman emperors form a complex and multifaceted tapestry that spans centuries of political, military, and cultural developments. From the establishment of the Principate to the decline of the Western Roman Empire, the emperors played pivotal roles in shaping the destiny of Rome. Their stories, marked by triumphs and tribulations, continue to resonate as a testament to the enduring complexities of leadership and the rise and fall of great civilizations.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated annually on November 21st, commemorates the presentation of the Blessed Virgin as a child by her parents in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Before Mary's birth, her parents received a heavenly message that they would bear a child.

In thanksgiving for God's gift of Mary's birth, they brought her to the Temple to consecrate their only daughter to The Lord.

The celebration of the Feast is first documented in the 11th century within the Byzantine Catholic Church.

It was introduced into the Roman Catholic Church in the 15th century by Pope Gregory XI, then removed from the calendar by Pope Pius V in the mid 16th century.

Pope Sixtus V later reestablished the feast in 1585.

It is still celebrated today, commemorating the faith of her parents, Joachim and Anne, and the purity of Mary.

[2dkapsddr]

September 21st, 2024 - vivid/stasis, IIDX 31, GITADORA, SDVX EG, Arcaea, DDR World, SMX, PIU Phoenix, Music Diver

alas! tourney day ended yesterday, and -- while we did lose (ofc) -- we still got to try the finale and retry the encore for Synthesis., which was now released publicly with the tournament!!! i was still kinda traumatized from the experience that was the encore tourney sightread, so i instead went straight to play the somewhat easier finale... and i managed to take away a sweet MAX-11 AC from it!!! after that, i overcame my fears of the encore and tried it for a bit... yup, just as traumatizing as i remembered. but hey, i gave it a few more tries and managed to get an FC with 5 greats, i'll take it!!! (maybe i'll get the AC sometime later, but i'm not really feeling it rn...

no matter though, because since today was a work-free weekend day (as rare as a blue moon for me until i finish my stay)... i was free to go to round 1 and video game!!! so once i finished testing both my tripod and my headphones, i packed my tote bag and headed straight to gaming... which i Deeply Regretted because Oh My God there were so many people it was impossible to get any set in... eugh, but we managed! only got to play one set of iidx total, but i got two neat clears and an AA fail on Bahram Attack -猫又Master Remix- [SPA-10]!

following this, i saw a free/abandoned credit on the GITADORA Drummania cab... i'd kinda been eyeing the lately, but have only ever caught it when the area was full of DRS players or when it was e-amuse maintenance time . but now, i could play it without even inserting any credits!!! and so i did!!! got some insanely good scores too, as if i'd been improving hard at the game without even playing !!!

and now, a brief share of sdvx scores!!! unsurprisingly with such a busy arcade, the sdvx session was also extremely busy, so i kinda had to line up in a card line and wait my turn a few times... but once it was freed up, i hopped on and started gaming on a few 17s -- couldn't get the excessive clear on Death by Glamour (though i might be able to get it later...), but i got a VF upscore and AAA on the MXM-17!!! as well as a sightread EXC clear and AAA+ on Lost Emotion feat. nomico [MXM-17]!!!

a few arcaea shenanigans while waiting my turn between sdvx sets, including somewhat of a choke on BUCHiGiRE Berserker [FTR-10+] as well as a massive upscore on Bookmaker (2D Version) [BYD-10]!!! i hate that ending So Much i could so easily get a PM if it weren't for that stupid out of bounds pattern urghh

wanted to play some piu but it was (you guessed it) busy, so i instead played some SMX after some ddr friends who were playing it finished and offered the cab up!! i may kinda suck at it, but DMT is such a banger oh my god i need to try the Wild chart sometime (plus a 95k on Beautiful Man -The Eurobeat Remix- [FULL 22]

PIU cab freed itself up so i hopped straight on it, not really expecting much but just wanting to play some... my absolute Shock when i actually managed to get some neat scores like an AAA+ on MURDOCH D20, and a sightread AA+ clear on Hercules D20!!! feeling good about my skill now, i tried to play the Quree Set now that i was reinvigorated and actually cleared every song from the Fake D16 to the Fake D19!!! (it seems i used up all my stamina after those songs though, as i couldn't get any good clears afterwards...

lastly, while i don't have any scores (only a video), i played some music diver too!!! mostly just for mesmerizer, but i had a ton of fun sightreading the chart!!! i still have to cut the video and compress it so i can upload it to twitter, but i'll do so once i'm free...! for now, enjoy this tripod test video of me playing Synthesis. [ENC-14+] at home, where i actually kinda locked in and got only 3 crits in the intro