#saint romanus

[drachenwiki]

Today, October 23rd, is the feast day of Saint Romanus of Rouen.

When the water dragon Gargouille (not to be confused with architectural gargoyles) threatened to drown the town of Rouen, Romanus made the sign of the cross to tame it. According to other versions, he had help from a criminal sentenced to death. In any case, he lead the dragon to Rouen, where it was burned to death.

[briefbestiary]

Rumoured to be the origin of gargoyles, the powerful gargouille. When not out causing devastation, the dragon had made its home in the swamps off the left bank of the Seine.

[chicalepidopterareblogs]

The fact that tumblr's version of the first tweet has a thousand notes not only agreeing but also convinced that Marius was the painter says a lot about the state of critical thinking within the Marius hating side of the fandom. The painting is as close as they could get to Assad's likeness, nothing more. Sorry to ruin your misery trip! :/

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (February 28)

St. Romanus, at the age of thirty-five, left his family and entered a monastery at Lyons.

Here, he remained a short time before taking with him the constitutions and conferences of the celebrated monastic author, Cassian, to retire to a spot in the solitude of Mont Jura.

His occupation consisted in prayer, reading and manual labor.

His brother Lupicinus and others joined him afterwards.

These were followed by such a large number that it became necessary to erect two monasteries as well as one for women.

The two brothers governed their monasteries in great harmony.

The abstinence they prescribed for their monks was milder than that observed by the Orientals and by the monks of Lerins.

The principal reason for this was that the physical constitution of the Gauls required more nourishment.

However, they always abstained from every kind of meat, and only used milk and eggs in time of sickness.

St. Romanus died in 463 on his return from a pilgrimage.

[lord-here-i-am]

[lady-phasma]

Martyrdom

The Vampire Armand x gn!reader

Warnings: not that many really, tragically over-dramatic comfort, implied canon trauma if you know a little about Armand’s history (book or series)

Summary: 1k words of 🥺 and comforting our beautiful monster.

a/n: so yeah, I had to work out some stuff between 2.07 and 2.08 because Armand needs some comfort. This is the most melodramatic thing I have ever written. This was going to be fem!reader but then it really wasn’t important to the comfort so it became gn!reader.

Armand didn’t stir as you walked in. His head was bowed, iPad balanced in one hand, tapping at the screen with the other. His dark curls framed his face. You knew he heard you, of course he did, but whatever was happening on his tablet was engrossing. You walked behind the sofa and rested your head on his shoulder. A glance at the screen showed you an online art auction. You smiled as you leaned down to kiss his neck, ear, and cheek. His singular focus wasn’t unusual but when you looked back at his iPad you saw the thumbnail and item description.

The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian - Marius de Romanus

You straightened up and let your hand linger on his shoulder for a moment. He wouldn’t move from that spot until he owned the painting.

When the bidding was closed he found you in the bedroom on your own iPad. You looked up as he walked in. The blank expression he wore was a familiar sight. He didn’t look sad or dejected as others might. Sometimes he simply didn’t emote. But his eyes would betray him. He didn’t make eye contact with you right away. However, he wouldn’t have come to you if he wanted to be alone.

He thought often, spoke less, about broken things, people he had loved. He rarely spoke of those who had broken him. Sometimes you caught a glimpse of him when he felt unobserved and the vacancy in his eyes would be filled with regret and remorse.

“You own a new painting?” You asked with no inflection. You closed the iPad’s cover and set it on the night stand as he sat on his side of the bed. His back was to you, shoulders stiff.

“Yes.”

“When will it arrive?” You didn’t really need to know, but wanted him to know you understood the significance.

“Approximately 4-6 weeks,” his tone was flat. “Possibly sooner.”

“When was the last time you saw it?”

“500 years ago, give or take.”

“‘Give or take?’” He couldn’t see your raised brows.

“492, I believe.” His shoulders slumped slightly.

“What’s the provenance?” You didn’t expect him to answer.

“Venice, Milan, Prague, a few years unaccounted for, then Berlin,” his tone had changed. Rather, there was now tone to his words. The mildest hint of pain colored the city names. It had changed so many hands. It wasn’t rare for a painting to have been sold before the fire. It was the nature of the painting and who you could assume may have commissioned it, that concerned you. Possibly it was for the Church, but more likely for a private patron. Even so, had it been in a church, a museum? Hundreds of eyes moved by the martyrdom of a real boy who they would never think about. Did they even think of the model for Sebastian at all or only of the saint and his ecstasy? If Armand had wanted you to know that a public institution had once held it he would have said. You didn’t press.

You watched him as he slipped off his shoes and turned to sit more comfortably. His long fingers toyed with the crease of his pant leg. He stared off, looking at nothing, for a moment. Then he turned to you. Your heart ached for him. It did from time to time when he would casually mention something from his past, but this was different. You had only seen an expression like this a couple times before. You looked at him, unsmiling, but with a soft gaze, no judgement. For a moment he looked as if he would speak then he closed his mouth, his lips forming a tight line.

Armand wanted to tell you about the nausea he felt, a peculiar feeling, increasingly rare at his age, when the alert had appeared on his phone. He wanted to tell you that he even had an alert for Marius’s name, but he couldn’t. He had never told you everything, there was far too much to tell. But he had told you the broad strokes. He felt he might never tell anyone all of the details, those he could remember, except in the rare moments of weakness when he was jealous of Louis’s and Lestat’s ability to reveal everything.

You sat up straighter and moved toward him. You gently touched his face. He leaned into your hand as you cupped his cheek. His brow furrowed slightly and he closed his eyes. You stroked his cheek with your thumb. You let your hand slide down to his neck. He sighed quietly and when he opened his eyes to look at you, he became every bit the ancient creature trapped in a young man’s body. Every wrong done, every hurt inflicted, every lie told, by him and to him, turbulent beneath his ageless façade. Over 500 years of mistakes, violence, atonement, none of it truly forgotten.

Your fingers gently caressed the back of his neck as you held his gaze. You couldn’t conceal the expression on your face, the compassion and disconsolation. Slowly you moved your hand to his shoulder and guided him toward you. Armand gave in. He rested his head in your lap, his body folded up alongside your outstretched legs. You leaned back against the pillows and headboard. One hand automatically began stroking his hair, smoothing it back from his face. The other lay against his back, making small circles with your fingers against his shoulder blade.

He felt his shoulders relax first, then the tightness in his chest began to fade. He hadn’t realized tears had started to well in his eyes until he closed them. None came, but he was unsure how long they would stay away this time. He sighed heavily and let himself soften against you. Your steady, consistent movements were a balm to the raging of conflicting emotions inside him. He would think of them another day, perhaps when the painting arrived. Now, in this moment, he could rest.

Note about the painting: The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, Marco Basaiti (active 1496-1530 in Venice), located in Santa Maria della Salute, Venice

Masterlist

[nonvaleantredeo]

Duplicate post, because of translation

Marius de Romanus Appreciation Week, day 3

Prompt: The Spring (S. Botticelli)

Spring is always a reincarnation but also the time when we tend to notice beauty around us more then ever. This is a little ode that (I believe) would born in Amadeo’s soul when he saw the world with his new vision that being gifted by his Master. The city of art, youth and especially for him, city of new hope, he’s in love with Marius and Venice.

The lover, demiurg, the crowned by centuries city,

Urania's heavenly spell and blood of saints church.

More beautiful then love is only one that we can't knew as mortal,

The God and Devil of the land of wonders discover her for me.

The past is gone, the dream, the sleep of soul now is stopped,

Prodigious Eden light was pouring in my eyes.

By Master's hands was resurrected to the life, forever.

Enamored in God and love itself, o, Serenissima!

[nightcolorz]

Can't stop thinking about art and the Romanus family

I picture Marius, Armand and Daniel all in some sort of gallery, exposing their respective art, talking to some art curator or critic to explain what they made and why

Armand: these are my icons, I painted them with my own blood, they represent the people I put in a pedestal as a way to cope with my childhood trauma and my complicated relationship with religion, I am a saint in the making who can't find a God worthy of my martyrdom, I poured my soul into these so I can look at them and know I still have one

Daniel: these are my model towns, made with various recycled materials, every room in every house in every building represents a part of myself, the streets are the paths my memory takes and sometimes they lead to nowhere, the alleys with no exit are where my fears reside but also my desires and sometimes I can get lost in them, some parts of it are made to last and some are meant to rot, everything I have used and where I put it is meaningful in its own way, it's nowhere in particular and all the places I've ever been to at the same time, it's me, it's my past, it's my sanity

Marius: I copied this, it's art in its purest form because it is completely devoid of meaning or self expression of any kind, it represents only the reality around me and not myself, stop asking me why I chosen to copy this in particular, that doesn't matter

OMGGGG OBSESSED WITH THIS!!! This is incredibly accurate lol. I love Art as a metaphor for internal conflict. (Side note, u calling them the de Romanus family makes me imagine a family therapy session with Marius and his fledglings. Omg could u imagine lol)

[smuttyandabsurd]

3x Book!Armand-centric fics

Shameless plug for the Vampire Chronicles fics written in my youth that are surprisingly Not Terrible TM. Book canon-verse, of course, but I hope they can be enjoyed by both book and show-only fans of Armand.

Blood Kiss [AO3] (Armand/Marius de Romanus) He lies in intoxicated sleep, a Fallen Angel. Why must I love his beauty, his insubordination? Marius consummates his love for Amadeo.

Simmering Poison [AO3] (Armand/Daniel Molloy) The things I touch, I see, I hear, smell, taste! – they serve to remind me of my mortality, the fragility of my human existence, that one day all around me would cease to be. And it maddens me to know that it need not be so! Daniel anguishes over his mortality.

The Saint Unmasked [AO3] (Armand/David Talbot) Beautiful and eternally young, the face of a Boticelli angel. Refined cheekbones betray his Slavic heritage, and those smouldering eyes hint at his calculated cunning. The Vampire Armand, dangerously seductive, a hunter and a blood drinker most capable of cruelty, in the deceptive form of a 17-year-old innocent. David Talbot admires Armand in all his beauty. Set to take place at the very end of The Vampire Armand.

If you enjoyed reading, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[thebotticelli-angel]

OPEN STARTER| Armand &

Sistine Chapel, painted by the mortal Michelangelo, a contemporary to Armand’s maker, Marius de Romanus, and yet still so spectacular. He had needed grounding, fleeing from Dubai to collect his thoughts, why turn Daniel? Was it vengeance? Jealousy? Spite? All of Armand’s actions had always been thoroughly thought out, planned, Daniel had been there on the spot, staying long enough to watch him turn like a demented audience. Maybe Marius had been right, he was too passionate, too much passion in a tiny body just looking for his next messiah, in his maker, in Satan’s Children, in that damnedable creature Lestat, in Louis, Louis who he had manipulated into staying with him the fear of loneliness in his life. Why did he feel he needed to manipulate people to stay with him?

“Is it my nature?” He asked the billowing clouds of the Sistine Chapel, the figures of God and Adam, the saints, angels and such familiar figures of his mortality that were intricately painted on the ceilings of the chamber, dark but easily seen by Armand’s preternatural eyes. It had been closed for the night, but easily accessed by one who was not contained by mortal men. He lain in the floor of the chapel of the Apostolic Palace , tile floor almost as old as he, still covered in plaster and dust from the Dubai apartment, and more over the few months, looking almost the lost leader of the Paris Coven once more.

He sensed a presence before they even entered the space, unmoving from his place on the tiles, arms at his side, but heard their footsteps before they settled beside him, “they wished to throw Michelangelo from the scaffolding if he didn’t finish this in time, then defiled his art by covering the nudes in 1565,” he spoke softly, amber eyes exploring the ceiling. “What do you want? I’ve already fallen from my scaffolding many times,”

[orthodoxydaily]

SAINTS&READING: THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2025

Fourth Week of the Great Lent: Adoration of Cross. By Monastic Charter: Food without Oil

SAINT BENEDICT OF NURSIA, ABBOT (543) 

Saint Benedict, founder of Western monasticism, was born in the Italian city of Nursia in the year 480. When he was fourteen years of age, the saint’s parents sent him to Rome to study. Unsettled by the immorality around him, he decided to devote himself to a different sort of life.

At first Saint Benedict settled near the church of the holy Apostle Peter in the village of Effedum, but news of his ascetic life compelled him to go farther into the mountains. There he encountered the hermit Romanus, who tonsured him into monasticism and directed him to live in a remote cave at Subiaco. From time to time, the hermit would bring him food.

For three years the saint waged a harsh struggle with temptations and conquered them. People soon began to gather to him, thirsting to live under his guidance. The number of disciples grew so much, that the saint divided them into twelve communities. Each community was comprised of twelve monks and was a separate skete. The saint gave each skete an igumen from among his experienced disciples, and only the novice monks remained with Saint Benedict for instruction.

The strict monastic Rule Saint Benedict established for the monks was not accepted by everyone, and more than once he was criticized and abused by dissenters.

Finally he settled in Campagna and on Mount Cassino he founded the Monte Cassino monastery, which for a long time was a center of theological education for the Western Church. The monastery possessed a remarkable library. Saint Benedict wrote his Rule, based on the experience of life of the Eastern desert-dwellers and the precepts of Saint John Cassian the Roman (February 29).

The Rule of Saint Benedict dominated Western monasticism for centuries (by the year 1595 it had appeared in more than 100 editions). The Rule prescribed the renunciation of personal possessions, as well as unconditional obedience, and constant work. It was considered the duty of older monks to teach the younger and to copy ancient manuscripts. This helped to preserve many memorable writings from the first centuries of Christianity.

Every new monk was required to live as a novice for a year, to learn the monastic Rule and to become acclimated to monastic life. Every deed required a blessing. The head of this cenobitic monastery is the igumen. He discerns, teaches, and explains. The igumen solicits the advice of the older, experienced brethren, but he makes the final decisions. Keeping the monastic Rule was strictly binding for everyone and was regarded as an important step on the way to perfection.

Saint Benedict was granted by the Lord the gift of foresight and wonderworking. He healed many by his prayers. The monk foretold the day of his death in 547. The main source for his Life is the second Dialogue of Saint Gregory.

Saint Benedict’s sister, Saint Scholastica (February 10), also became famous for her strict ascetic life and was numbered among the saints.

SAINT ROSTILAV-MICHAEL PRINCE OF KIEV (1167)

Saint Rostislav-Michael, Great Prince of Kiev, was the son of the Kievan Great Prince Saint Mstislav the Great (June 14), and the brother of holy Prince Vsevolod-Gabriel (February 11, April 22, and November 27). He was one of the great civil and churchly figures of the mid-twelfth century.

His name is connected with the fortification and rise of Smolensk, and both the Smolensk principality and the Smolensk diocese.

Up until the twelfth century the Smolensk land was part of the Kievan realm. The beginning of its political separation took place in the year 1125, when holy Prince Mstislav the Great, gave Smolensk to his son Rostislav (in Baptism Michael) as an inheritance from his father, the Kievan Great Prince Vladimir Monomakh. Thanks to the work and efforts of Saint Rostislav, the Smolensk principality, which he ruled for more than forty years, expanded and was built up with cities and villages, adorned with churches and monasteries, and became influential in Russian affairs.

Saint Rostislav founded the cities of Rostislavl, Mstislavl, Krichev, Propoisk, and Vasiliev among others. He was the forefather of the Smolensk princely dynasty.

In 1136 Saint Rostislav succeeded in establishing a separate Smolensk diocese. Its first bishop was Manuel, installed between March-May of 1136 by Metropolitan Michael of Kiev. Prince Rostislav issued an edict in the city of Smolensk assuring Bishop Manuel that he would provide him with whatever he needed. On September 30, 1150 Saint Rostislav also ceded Cathedral Hill at Smolensk to the Smolensk diocese, where the Dormition cathedral and other diocesan buildings stood.

Contemporaries thought highly of the church construction of Prince Rostislav. Even the sources that are inclined to report nothing more about it note that “this prince built the church of the Theotokos at Smolensk.” The Dormition cathedral, originally built by his grandfather, Vladimir Monomakh, in the year 1101 was rebuilt and expanded under Prince Rostislav. The rebuilt cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Manuel on the Feast of the Dormition, August 15, 1150. Prince Rostislav was a “builder of the Church” in a far wider sense: he endowed the Smolensk Dormition church of the Mother of God, and transformed it from a city cathedral into the ecclesiastical center of the vast Smolensk diocese.

Holy Prince Rostislav was the builder of the Smolensk Kremlin, and of the Savior cathedral at the Smyadynsk Boris and Gleb monastery, founded on the place of the murder of holy Prince Gleb (September 5). Later his son David, possibly fulfilling the wishes of his father, transferred the old wooden coffins of Saints Boris and Gleb from Kievan Vyshgorod to Smyadyn.

In the decade of the fifties of the twelfth century, Saint Rostislav was drawn into a prolonged struggle for Kiev, which involved representatives of the two strongest princely lines: the Olgovichi and the Monomakhovichi.

On the Monomakhovichi side the major contender to be Great Prince was Rostislav’s uncle, Yurii Dolgoruky. Rostislav, as Prince of Smolensk, was one of the most powerful rulers of the Russian land and had a decisive voice in military and diplomatic negotiations.

For everyone involved in the dispute, Rostislav was both a dangerous opponent and a desired ally, and he was at the center of events. This had a providential significance, since Saint Rostislav distinguished himself by his wisdom regarding the civil realm, by his strict sense of justice and unconditional obedience to elders, and by his deep respect for the Church and its hierarchy. For several generations he was the bearer of the “Russkaya Pravda” (“Russian Truth”) and of Russian propriety.

After the death of his brother Izyaslav (November 13, 1154), Saint Rostislav became Great Prince of Kiev, but he ruled Kiev at the same time with his uncle Vyacheslav Vladimirovich. After the latter’s death, Rostislav returned to Smolensk, ceding the Kiev princedom to his other uncle, Yurii Dolgoruky, and he removed himself from the bloodshed of the princely disputes. He occupied Kiev a second time on April 12, 1159 and he then remained Great Prince until his death (+ 1167). More than once, he had to defend his paternal inheritance with sword in hand.

The years of Saint Rostislav’s rule occurred during one of the most complicated periods in the history of the Russian Church. The elder brother of Rostislav, Izyaslav Mstislavich, a proponent of the autocephaly of the Russian Church, favored the erudite Russian monk Clement Smolyatich for Metropolitan, and wanted him to be made Metropolitan by a council of Russian bishops, without seeking the usual approval from the Patriarch of Constantinople. This occurred in the year 1147.

The Russian hierarchy basically supported Metropolitan Clement and Prince Izyaslav in their struggle for ecclesiastical independence from Constantinople, but several bishops headed by Saint Niphon of Novgorod (April 8), did not recognize the autocephaly of the Russian metropolitanate and shunned communion with it, having transformed their dioceses into independent ecclesial districts, pending the resolution of this question. Bishop Manuel of Smolensk also followed this course. Saint Rostislav understood the danger which lay hidden beneath the idea of Russian autocephaly for these times, which threatened the break-up of Rus. The constant fighting over Kiev among the princes might also lead to a similar fight over the Kievan See among numerous contenders, put forth by one princely group or another.

The premonitions of Saint Rostislav were fully justified. Yurii Dolgoruky, who remained loyal to Constantinople, occupied Kiev in the year 1154. He immediately banished Metropolitan Clement and petitioned Constantinople for a new Metropolitan. This was to be Saint Constantine (June 5), but he arrived in Rus only in the year 1156, six months before the death of Yurii Dolgoruky (+ May 15, 1157). Six months later, when Saint Rostislav’s nephew Mstislav Izyaslavich entered the city on December 22, 1157, Saint Constanine was obliged to flee Kiev, while the deposed Clement Smolyatich returned as Metropolitan. Then a time of disorder began in Russia, for there were two Metropolitans.

All the hierarchy and the clergy came under interdict: the Greek Metropolitan suspended the Russian supporters of Clement, and Clement suspended all the supporters of Constantine. To halt the scandal, Saint Rostislav and Mstislav decided to remove both Metropolitans and petition the Patriarch of Constantinople to appoint a new archpastor for the Russian metropolitan See.

But this compromise did not end the matter. Arriving in Kiev in the autumn of 1161, Metropolitan Theodore died in spring of the following year. Following the example of Saint Andrew Bogoliubsky (July 4), who supported his own fellow ascetic Bishop Theodore to be Metropolitan, Saint Rostislav put forth his own candidate, who turned out to be the much-suffering Clement Smolyatich.

The fact that the Great Prince had changed his attitude toward Metropolitan Clement, shows the influence of the Kiev Caves monastery, and in particular of Archimandrite Polycarp. Archimandrite Polycarp, who followed the traditions of the Caves (in 1165 he became head of the monastery), was personally very close to Saint Rostislav.

Saint Rostislav had the pious custom of inviting the igumen and twelve monks to his own table on the Saturdays and Sundays of Great Lent, and he served them himself. The prince more than once expressed the wish to be tonsured a monk at the monastery of Saints Anthony and Theodosius, and he even gave orders to build a cell for him.

The monks of the Caves, a tremendous spiritual influence in ancient Rus, encouraged the prince to think about the independence of the Russian Church. Moreover, during those years in Rus, there was suspicion regarding the Orthodoxy of the bishops which came from among the Greeks, because of the notorious “Dispute about the Fasts” (the “Leontian Heresy”). Saint Rostislav’s pious intent to obtain the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople for Metropolitan Clement came to naught. The Greeks believed that appointing a Metropolitan to the Kiev cathedra was one of their most important prerogatives. This served not only the ecclesiastical, but also the political interests of the Byzantine Empire.

In 1165 a new Greek Metropolitan arrived at Kiev, John IV, and Saint Rostislav accepted him out of humility and churchly obedience. The new Metropolitan, like his predecessor, governed the Russian Church for less than a year (+ 1166). The See of Kiev was again left vacant, and the Great Prince was deprived of the fatherly counsel and spiritual wisdom of a Metropolitan. His sole spiritual solace was the igumen Polycarp and the holy Elders of the Kiev Caves monastery and the Theodorov monastery at Kiev, which had been founded under his father.

Returning from a campaign against Novgorod in the spring of 1167, Saint Rostislav fell ill. When he reached Smolensk, where his son Roman was prince, relatives urged him to remain at Smolensk. But the Great Prince gave orders to take him to Kiev. “If I die along the way,” he declared, “put me in my father’s monastery of Saint Theodore. If God should heal me, through the prayers of His All-Pure Mother and Saint Theodosius, I shall take vows at the monastery of the Caves.”

God did not fulfill Saint Rostislav’s last wish to end his life as a monk of the holy monastery. The holy prince died on the way to Kiev on March 14, 1167. (In other historical sources the year is given as 1168). His body, in accord with his last wishes, was brought to the Kiev Theodosiev monastery.

Source: Orthodox Church in America_OCA

Isaiah 28:14-22

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” 16 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. 17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place. 18 Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it. 19 As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report.” 20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it. 21 For the Lord will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon— That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act. 22 Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth.

Proverbs 13:19-14:6

19A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. 20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. 21 Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shall be repaid. 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. 23 Much food is in the fallow ground of the poor, And for lack of justice there is waste. 24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. 25 The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.

1 The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. 2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. 3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them. 4 Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox. 5 A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies. 6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands.

[shadowcaststudio]

Mythos Biologist, Fitzwilliam O'Reily, hanging out with Peter the gargoyle. Fitz from Legend Catcher

✨Check out the speed draw and more at my Ko-Fi! 🎨

Gargoyles are fascinating! The original story comes from France with the tale of Gargouille.

It was during the 7th century, during these early centuries tales of dragon slayers were popular, Christian saints/knights slaying pagan dragons. La Gargouille was a dragon the did not breath fire, but cascades of water, hence it's name meaning "throat". It lived in/near the Seine river and wreaking havoc with killing all kinds of folk. It was only when Saint Romain/Romanus came into the picture. He had recently spared a criminal a death sentence if he helped the saint defeat the dragon. Together they captured the beast and tied a rope around it's neck, leading it into town. It was when the villagers saw Gargouille that they attacked and set it on fire. Only it's head though, did not burn. Of course, they villagers placed it on the sides of the cathedrals as a macabre gutter spout.

From Gargouille came the term "gargoyles" for these beastial water spouts that added a fantastical flare to the effective water gutters. They started out as long necks with beastial heads, most times draconic, sometimes not so much.

Later the designs added crouched bodies, somrtimes with wings.

Gradually these stone creatures became more statues than water spouts, becoming more decorative than practical. These are technically called "grotesques" since they have no function other than looks. But we all still all love the name gargoyles for these iconic creatures. They have made their way from Dragon spouts to stone guardians.

Hope you enjoyed this lil Mythos-Dump and have yourselves a wonderful day!

[ub-designs]

Saint Charles Borromeo - Light and Dark

St. Charles Borromeo is the patron saint of bishops, catechists, cardinals, seminarians, and spiritual leaders. A fun fact about him is he had a speech impediment. He organized the third and last session of the Council of Trent, in 1562–63. He had a large share in the making of the Tridentine Catechism (Catechismus Romanus).

His feast day is on November 4th, and in honor of that I have published this art on Redbubble, and will publish the art on his feast day on TeePublic so there will be a sale.

Redbubble Light Version Dark Version TeePublic Light Version Dark Version

-------------------------------

Support me by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram

[darkmaga-returns]

Rise Up Again

“…should we fall, we should not despair and so estrange ourselves from the Lord’s love. For if He so chooses, He can deal mercifully with our weakness. Only we should not cut ourselves off from Him or feel oppressed when constrained by His commandments, nor should we lose heart when we fall short of our goal…let us always be ready to make a new start. If you fall, rise up. If you fall again, rise up again. Only do not abandon your Physician, lest you be condemned as worse than a suicide because of your despair. Wait on Him, and He will be merciful, either reforming you, or sending you trials, or through some other provision of which you are ignorant.”

Saint Peter of Damascus

#god #love #hope

Thursday March 13, 2025 / February 28, 2025

Second Week of the Great Lent. Tone four. Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Food without Oil

Venerable Basil the Confessor (747), companion of St. Procopius at Decapolis. St. Arsenius (Matsievich), metropolitan of Rostov, confessor (1772). New Hieromartyr Sergius priest (1932). Blessed Nicholas of Pskov, fool-for-Christ (1576). Hieromartyr Proterius, patriarch of Alexandria, and six companions (457). Hieromartyr Nestor, bishop of Magydos in Pamphylia (250). Venerables Marana, Cyanna (Kyra), and Domnica (Domnina), nuns, of Syria (ca. 450). Apostles Nymphas and Eubulus. Venerable Romanus, desert-dweller of Condat in the Jura Mountains (460) (Gaul). New Virgin-martyr Kyranna of Thessalonica (1751) (Greek). Venerable Barsus of Damascus, bishop (Greek).   February 29th. Venerable John Cassian the Roman, abbot (435). Venerable John, called Barsanuphius, of Nitria in Egypt (5th c.). Martyr Theoctyrist [Theostyrictus] (8th C). “Devpeteruv” (1392) Icon of the Mother of God. The Monk Leo, Cappadocian Monastic. Venerable Cassian, recluse and faster of the Kiev Caves (12th c.). St. Oswald, archbishop of York (992) (Celtic & British). St. Germanus of Dacia Pontica (Dobrogea, Romania) (5th c.) (Romania). St. Theosterictus the Confessor, abbot of Pelecete Monastery near Prusa (826). St. Cassian of Mu Lake Hermitage, disciple of St. Alexander of Svir (16th c.). St. Meletius, archbishop of Kharkov (1840).

[anastpaul]

SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY, St Scholastica Novena – The FOURTH DAY, Nostra Signora del Fuoco / Our Lady of the Fire, Forli, Italy (1428), St Andrew Corsini and the Saints for 4 February

SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY: (Latin – Sexagesima, sixtieth) is the eighth Sunday before Easter and the second before Lent. The Ordo Romanus, St Alcuin and others, count the Sexagesima from this day to Wednesday after Easter. The name was already known to the Fourth Council of Orléans in 541. To the Latins it is also known as “Exsurge” from the beginning of the Introit. The station was at Saint Paul’s…

[rolloollor]

Sacerdos et Draco Ramblings

Just some thoughts. Spoilers for the fic, etc

When I read about Saint Romanus and Gargouille, I was like, "Wow, this is perfect." I wonder if Yana knew about that legend and it's why Malleus likes gargoyles so much.

I know it was a throw-away line, but Japanese nobles as far back as the Heian period enjoyed shaved ice so it's totally possible that a well-traveled Lilia would have brought the idea back for Malleus to enjoy.

It was kind of a late addition, but Valentin reaching out to Rollo at the end mirrors Jehan reaching out to him, right. Rollo rejects both because, ultimately, both would have hurt him. Jehan's burning grasp would have done him great physical harm. Acquiescing to Valentin's desire for him to stay in the village and for things to go back to normal would have done him great mental/emotional harm. Rollo doesn't, and can't, help either of them without hurting himself.

As for what happens in the Kingdom of Briar... It's probably about what you'd expect. The change would be difficult and there'd be serious culture shock, but it's a place where he doesn't have the constraints of religion or of responsibility and people can know he's with a dude without them thinking it's disgusting or blasphemous. It's not full freedom, since he can't come and go as he pleases, but it's probably better than where he was.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!