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Andrea del Verrocchio. Christ and Doubting Thomas. 1467–1483. Florence.The hymns available for the traditional mass wed text, theology, and music exquisitely. I live in an english speaking community. English is an accumulative language. Ecclesiastical latin accumulated greek vocabulary, and hebraic theology. A song can refer to the sacrifice of the mass, the communion of believers, and the salvation of God's people now, and from Moses―or anytime from Adam to the last day.
Saint Stephen has had a latin schola for a year, it has finished an annual cycle, but some songs are being done for the first time, since the ordinary had to be learned first, and some members have joined during the year. One of the members studied for a doctorate in classical languages at the University of Pennsylvania, and can give spontaneous translation of the text. This with a little discussion amongst the members, in asides and questions becomes a mini symposium (without the drinking). Ablatives, gerunds and the importance of the fourth declension are mentioned in passing.
To-day has many names. I must mention, to-day fulfills the octave of Easter, and is also, then fittingly, Divine Mercy Sunday. Perhaps, most anciently, to-day is Dominica in albis depositis, the sunday of laying away the white (garment of baptism) is one which is reflected in an ambrosian hymn, which is not served well by the usual Neale translation.
[each verse should span only the column]
1. AD cenam Agni providi, stolis salutis candidi, post transitum maris Rubri Christo canamus principi.
--At the supper the Lamb provides,
--------------------------clothes of health(salvation) of gleaming white,
---------------------------------------------after the passage through the Red Sea
------------------------------------------------------- we sing to Christ the prince.
--At the mass
--Ad regias Agni dapes [beginning of alternate hymn]
-----------------------banquet
2. Cuius corpus sanctissimum in ara crucis torridum, sed et cruorem roseum gustando, Dei vivimus.
------j*-------------------------------------------------------------------------rosy gore
3. Protecti paschæ vespero a devastante angelo, de Pharaonis aspero sumus erept(i)§ imperio.
--------------------χ†‡---------------------------------------------Φ†
-----------paschal eve a devastating angel (unnamed, conjecture -- Uriel?)
4. Iam pascha nostrum Christus est, agnus occisus innocens; sinceritatis azyma qui carnem suam obtulit.
---J* ------ χ -------------- χ-innocent (in = negation, nocens = harmful, a criminal)
-unleavened (a = negation, greek)
5. O vera, digna hostia, per quam franguntur tartara, captiva plebs redimitur, redduntur vitæ præmia!
---------------------------------netherworld (greek, latin is inferno, english hell),
-------------------------------------------------------------, the captive proletariat ----------------------------------redeemed/ransomed/atoned,
6. Consurgit Christus tumulo, victor redit de barat(h)ro, tyrannum trudens vinculo et paradisum reserans.
----------------------------------------------------------depths† ------------------------------------- unbolted
7. Esto perenne mentibus paschale, Iesu, gaudium et nos renatos gratiæ tuis triumphis aggrega.
----------------------------------------------- J*
8. Iesu, tibi sit gloria, qui morte victa prænites, cum Patr(e)§ et almo Spiritu, in sempiterna sæcula. Amen.
--J*
Another song for today is, O fillii et filiæ. It deals greatly with T(h)omas’ doubt. Quando Thomas vidit Christum, pedes, manus, latus suum, dixit: Tu es Deus meus, alleluia. The uncertain Thomas shrinks at the staid Christ as he inspects his wounds.____________________________________
*(i) when palatised becomes (j)
†(h) in words borrowed from greek are unaspirated (silent); (Φ) is written ph in latin, (Φ) in cyrillic is (f), sounded (f) in latin, russian, english, (χ) = ch‡ Pasch is the passover and the resurrection holiday, hebrew→greek→latin§ silent or slurred in song not in speech
For the byzantines, and others using the gregorian calendar, to-day is Lazarus Saturday. To-morrow is Palm Sunday, some german churches wheel in a palmesel figure, a statue of Christ on an ass. The poles have a lamentation service, Gorzkie zale, throughout lent, similar to the way of the cross and to tenebræ. The spaniards have parades.
I have been busy with latin, tenebræ, singing practice. It will, probably, be the first time since 1955, that, at Saint Stephen, Cleveland*, tenebræ in the original form will be done. I would like to know, how many times it has been done in the entire diocese in this form since.
In this format, it is the combined matins and lauds for Holy Thursday. Matins chant the psalms 68 to 76, the beginning of Jeremias’ Lamentations, responses and antiphons; in addition: Augustine on part of psalm 54, and a selection of Paul to the Corinthians is read. Lauds has four psalms, and the canticles of Moses and Zacharias (the Benedictus), and antiphons. In other forms, it is truncated, and other readings may be used, but the Miserere (ps.50) of David, and Jeremias’ cry over Jerusalem are generally retained.
The tenebræ hearse is a triangular candelabrum used for this service since, at least, the seventh century. It is triangular with fifteen prickets. This hearse was also used during the funeral mass, and placed by the casket, and now the wagon, that carries the casket, is called the hearse. At the end of each psalm a candle (unbleached wax taper, preferably) is snuffed, until the last candle, remaining lit, is taken away; this candle represents Christ and returns after the strepitus. There are six candles on the altar, that are snuffed, consecutively, at the last six verses of the Benedictus. The antiphon, that begins Christus Factus est, has the last candle leave.
The strepitus, latin for din, or loud noise, or crash, is the theatrical climax. The church is in darkness total and silent, and then an unexpected, isolated sound terrifies those, whom, do not know about it. This can be the most, memorable moment of any tenebræ service. I vaguely remember a rain storm, occurring one night, to help the dramatics. The theatre for the strepitus has possibilities. The simplest is to drop a phonebook from the choir loft. There is a musical instrument sheet of bronze or brass, a tonitruone, that can be used; a thunder sheet, or piece of sheet metal used for ventilation ducts could be shook, one can strike wood with a heavy, hand hammer, or lay both forearms across an organ keyboard. Sixteen foot pipes would make a great sound.
There is much symbolism, and much interpretation. The strepitus is the tomb closing, the tomb opening, the destruction of the first temple, the third temple, the earthquake of the crucifixion. The Christ candle is joined by the eleven apostles and the three Maries.
While going over the practice singing, I was hit with the eloquence of Saint Jerome’s latin. He was a ciceronian. The joy of the hebrews over the destruction of faro’s army is also evident.
―Tu confregísti cápita dracónis ; dedísti eum escam pópulis Æthíopum. (Ps. 73. v.14)
Thou hast smashed the heads of the dragon [faro’s army]; and given it as meal to the ethiopians.
―vox tonítrui tui in rota. Illuxérunt coruscatió nes tuæ orbi terræ ; commóta est, et contrémuit terra. (Ps. 76. v.19)
the voice of thy thunder in a wheel. Thy lightnings enlightened the world: the earth shook and trembled.―DRC
―equum et ascensórem dejécit in mare. (Exodus xv. 1b)
horse and his ascendant [usually trans. rider] He has thrown [poured, deposed] into the sea.
―currus Pharaónis et exércitum ejus projécit in mare : elécti príncipes ejus submérsi sunt in mari Rubro. (Exodus xv. 4)
Pharao's chariots and his army he hath cast into the sea: his chosen captains are drowned in the Red Sea. ―DRC
_____________________________
*6.30 p.m. Wednesday, 8 April 2009.
postscriptum: in this tenebræ, there was a very muted strepitus, it consisted of rapping the missals, but there was an addition, the throwing of thirty silver coins onto the marble steps.
I am a constitutionalist, and we know constitutions are not respected much in the US, these days. Besides, the revealed Law of God, the church has a body of canon law. In canon law, it is very difficult to suppress, or to make extinct a parish. The episcopacy in the US has made it too easy. The bishop's advisers, by canon law, are his college of priests (presbyteral council). There is no official rôle for a cluster committee. Canonically, it is equivalent of three parishioners chatting over coffee. It was an ad hoc creation. Once its task is done, it goes out of existence.
A parish is a juridic person, when once created, is meant to be perpetual. The term "juridic person" is similar in concept to a "corporation" being a public person in US law. A parish, by nature, as recognised, in canon law is meant to continue.
You may posit a cluster committee as an organ to engage the parishes in decision, or you may posit it as a public relations vehicle to defuse a feeling of helplessness. Each parish has a personality, as do people, and a collection of either will have a social dynamic. It is politics. In that particular grouping, where the vote was reported in a Cleveland Plain Dealer article, the chances of Saint Stephen* emerging as one of the three to survive, was zero. In the discussions, Saint Stephen's position was not heard. There was a fait accompli, a priori, ab initio.
I believe Saint Colman's should remain open, but the vote of a biased, and non-binding committee should not be its justification. The first thing that was "agreed on" was, that, two parishes were untouchable, Our Lady of Mount Carmel (West) and La Sagrada Familia. There, that, was the game unfolding. Then the next part of the agenda was to push, that, the remaining rationale to be: social outreach as the criterion for the third slot. My contention is that it was fixed.
A parish fulfills many functions, but by definition, a parish is an aggregate of believers. Its primary function is to celebrate its common faith in the sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ. God so loved the world, that he sent His Son, not a committee. Now, there was some favorable press coverage, concerning Saint Stephen, before the official announcements. Saint Stephen's should stay open. The bishop's decision was for the two parishes to merge at the site of Stephen's.
Now, there is seems to be a campaign of: say yes to us, and no to them. All parishes should want to continue, no parish should wish another not to. A charitable response would have had no hint of animus. Reliance on a committee with private agendas, or self-defining whom is the fittest, or most worthy vis-à-vis another, should not go unchallenged. Such arguments are manipulatively self-serving, and are meant to disguise a turf war. Saint Colman, seems to be, the only irish parish effected in the diocese, and Stephen's is the only remaining, nationality german parish. Some have wrongly suggested, that, Colman's was discriminated against, on the account of being an irish parish. Have they overlooked, nearby, Saint Malachi? and Saint Patrick (Bridge Ave.)? and other parishes in the diocese?
The 1300 figure (cited in the article) comes on Saint Patrick's Day alone. The mass celebrated on that day at Colman's was more akin to a rally. Before the mass began, the pastor continued his campaign. He is a lawyer, and shewed he can construct an argument. Now, that being so, St. Colman's is the irish cathedral in the diocese; and beyond that a functioning parish of christian concerns. And so is Saint Procop's, that also had no chance.
Addendum: This evil game was to get to be one of the three of the five. Who chose the rules? Richard Lennon.
All these parishes should remain open. The bishop, Richard Lennon, so engendered this horrid process so as to have people at each other's throats. This death lottery was his evil tool. He is not a man with original thoughts, or inspiration. Where did he learn of this idea?
____________________
*postscriptum: It may also have been, that the delegation from Saint Stephen's badly reflected on the parish.
I take fotos with a moderate, or less, digital camera that can fit in my shirt or coat pocket. I had taken pictures in the garden and my house. Then, after beginning these little essays, I started to take pictures at church. At Saint Stephen, at the reintroduction of the latin mass, I took a picture of the main altar, and there appeared translucent spheres. In some other photos there, other such spheres have appeared. I took two photos at the croatian parish, Saint Paul, in one photo these spheres were clearly visible. I went to Saint Sava, Parma, on the evening of the orthodox celebration, on the first Sunday of Lent, the Triumph of Orthodoxy, and in this photo, supra, of the entrance door, the most such spheres yet. I have not doctored the image, it had been a damp afternoon. The other photos, where they have appeared, were taken within the churches.Now, I had read and heard of such images before. They are now referred to as ‘orbs’. Some people argue for a supernatural explanation, others for physical phenomena. I will not venture to identify them further, to safeguard myself from the accusations of either being a fool, or a charlatan. I am not very active or proficient with the camera, but these ‘orbs’ have appeared in these locations.
Jesus calms the tempest, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cleveland, O.
In part, this window was symbolic, in the early part of the last century, in announcing the end of discord between two, neighboring, polish parishes, IHM and Saint Stanislaus.The letters of decision came from Bishop Lennon, saturday afternoon. The diocese will be reduced by 52[or so] parishes. Ethnically, the slavonic parishes were hit the hardest, perhaps the poles most so by number. Before the official paper, some expected parishes were not amenable. IHM was spared, nearby Sacred Heart of Jesus was not; three Sacred Heart parishes were suppressed (Akron, Cleve., Elyria).To-day is traditionally, the ides of March, it is also the day the buzzards return to Hinckley, Ohio. The news received from other birds is being ruminated about, and will not be fully digested for quite some time.
As physical sites, Saint James is marvelously muralled, but has suffered great water damage, and has plastic buckets of several sizes under the proscenium arches of two altars. It is a magnificent church in the form of a norman cathedral in Sicily. St. Ignatius of Antioch has a wonderful campanile, that is, a beacon from the interstate. Saint Peter is the oldest, surviving parish building in the city, and has financial resources, and many programmes of service and education. A few years ago, a fellow, with some relationship with local CWRU, wrote a book on exciting congregations across the country. Two catholic congregations were profiled, one was Saint Peter’s. These three were suppressed, there are fine arguments for an appeal to Rome.
Saint Peter was in the same cluster with the cathedral, and with the Shrine Church of the Conversion of Saint Paul, which has a monastery of Poor Clares and a friary of Capuchins, and has a resident confessor, and each day has a line of penitents waiting to be heard. The shrine will not operate as a parish, but was previously promised to remain celebrating mass publicly.
St. Colman is to be merged with Saint Stephen. The “new” parish will be at the site of Saint Stephen. The political infighting, of the cluster committee, was very unpleasant. This group voted to close Saint Procop, and Saint Stephen. Saturday evening, the pastor of St. Colman posted a letter, on the internet, of uncharitable animus,* in regards to that merger decision, and it was available in church to-day. Saint Colman is a beautiful, italianate church blessed with white, sculpted marble. They have a well attended St. Patrick Day mass, and the sentiments may be rowdy that day.† Those are some of the unfortunate stories, there are more; many people are saddened and hurt.
During this process, some parishes have already been suppressed: St. Philip Neri, St. Jude (Warrensville Hts.), St. Wenceslas (Maple Hts.), and St. Andrew Svorad. St. Catherine, St. Henry were merged with Saint Timothy. Saint Andrew was demolished, very recently. The dust is still settling.
__________________
postscriptum: As of Mayday, a partial recension has occurred, the parishes of Sts. Colman, Ignatius and Stephen have been given a four year reprieve. Before the end of the month, the first of these redundant Cleveland parishes, Epiphany, has closed, with very, little public announcement, save for the radio station, WCPN. Prior to that, Holy Cross (Polish) in Elyria was suppressed.
*postscriptum: 29 July 2009, I have found out, that, I need to apologise to Saint Colman's parish. I was not in the cluster meetings, but have learned that perhaps two of St. Stephen's cohort had made themselves obnoxious, perhaps unto odiousness, especially one. That may be part of the reason of Colman's hostility.
† and it was, Father Begin can be a very spirited and dauntless cheerleader.
Last Monday, 16 February, there was broadcast, on the local public television channel, a programme on the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist as a parish church. The arguments the bishop of Cleveland, Richard Lennon, voiced for the cathedral parish could be made for every parish in the diocese. On the same day, Saint Andrew parish church was demolished, the parish recently suppressed (closed).The irony is that soon, 7 March, an announcement of further suppressed parishes will be made. In the diocese “cluster meetings” were held. Many of the participants were under the impression, that, the cluster process was to share resources, and promote mutual support of new groupings, groupings independent of subdeanery groupings of the past. Groupings were made, almost, entirely by geography. Urban and first ring suburban parishes were targeted as redundant. In a group of five parishes, two were directed to be made go; this was repeated: 3 of 6, 4 of 7, 2 of 4, and so on. Saint Stephen, Cleveland, parish had been recommended for suppression. This scenario was repeated for other churches. Some acquiesced, some did not. To-day there will be a veneration of relics of Saint Stephen Protomartyr, and an Eucharistic procession and Benediction, with choirs singing at Saint Stephen parish. All this for the purpose, and supplication for the continuation of the parish church.
________________________
The service was covered by WEWS channel 5 and the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and they allowed a friendly, detailed and accurate article to be written and published, with many pertinent facts. The chancery will not like it.
many countries issued commemoratives in Mozart anniversary years 1956, 1991, 2006Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Theophilus(Amadeus) Mozart *27 January 1756,†5 December 1791“His music is by no means just entertainment; it contains the whole tragedy of human existence.” ― Joseph Ratzinger (1996)
Tom Lehrer, the musical professor of mathematics, used to have a line in his act, “when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for __ years”. Mozart was relatively a young death, he had not completed his 36th year. His Köchel number* was up to 626, which was his Requiem Mass in Dm†.Mozart was the rare child prodigy that became an adult genius. His music had a crisp clarity. He was an interesting fellow, and from time to time he still makes news: a previously, unknown autograph of music is found in some attic or abbey, a doctor diagnoses Tourette’s syndrome, autism, rheumatic fever ... ‡In current memory is the 1984 picture show, Amadeus, which won a slew of Oscars and many other film awards. It came from a Peter Shaffer play, which came from a Pushkin play, which also spawned a Rimsky-Korsakov opera. The fictive plot is that a musical rival, Antonio Salieri, poisoned Mozart in jealousy. Ron Hansen wrote an essay, in which, he has the two musicians as Cain and Abel. Salieri is supremely angry with God. He had travailed in His fields and produced fruit, and yet, God rains divine talent to this ridiculous child.Mozart had his marriage and funeral in Saint Stephen’s, Vienna (Wien). To-day(26 January 2009) and to-morrow, at Saint Stephen’s, Cleveland, there will be a programme of recorded music from 10 a.m. till 8 p.m.. The viennese church is the cathedral for its archbishopric, the local church is about the grandest in its diocese.______________*Ludwig von Köchel (c.1826) composed a detailed, chronological catalogue of Mozart’s opus.†finished by Franz Xaver Süssmayr‡e.g. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7845752.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7297012.stm
John Baptises Jesus. St. Stephen Church, Cleveland, O. Franz Mayer window 1907.
Saint Stephen was the first martyr of the risen Christ. He was one of seven deacons, that ministered to the greek speaking, jews of Jerusalem. He had been learned, and eloquent, and bested the authorities in debate. He was brought to the Sanhedrin and condemned. Saint Stephen is often portrayed holding rocks, for his death came by stoning. Saul of Tarsus held some of the cloaks of the stoners. Was his head bashed in or did a flurry of rock kill him? Well, the artistic portrayal would be grizzly, this is one reason, that, a graphic, iconic substitute is shown.For this early witness and proximity to Christ, he is placed on the day after ☧mas. In many countries his day is also a legal holiday. In some de-catholicised, anglophone lands the day is called Boxing Day, in which, gifts are given to some employees, and service workers, of daily contact.To-day, for the first time in many years, a solemn high mass in the tridentine rite, will be offered on this patronal feast, of the parish of Saint Stephen, Cleveland, Ohio. This particular parish is a beautiful, national landmark edifice; yet it is in peril of consolidation or suppression (closure), not on account of it sustaining nature, nor its viability, but as a victim of an episcopal mandated, negative, restructuring. The ways of american business have entered the Church, another scandal.
top photo: from Saint James, Lakewood, O.
middle photo: from Saint Stephen, Cleveland, O.
bottom photo: altar before mass
Tilman Riemenschneider. Saint Lawrence. c.1502. Cleveland. In the Cleveland Art Museum, in a time before its recent closure for renovation, there stood in the only room that had a door (a glass door), two, similar, painted and gilded lindenwood statues, that of Saint Lawrence with his grill, and Saint Stephen with rocks, both wearing a dalmatic. It is common in iconography of martyrs, to be portrayed with the implements of martyrdom. The room had 18th century french upholstery, and the stale, choking stench was terrible. In Saint Stephen’s Church, Cleveland, on one wall there are two windows of Stephen; on the opposite wall two of Lawrence. Also in Stephen’s church, there is a window of Nicodemus receiving secret instruction from Jesus. Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin (as was Gamaliel). He was scared. He did help to bury Jesus. It was the Sanhedrin, which martyred Stephen. The windows in a church, often, tell a combined and lengthier story, than, many would think. There stories are similar. Stephen and Lawrence were deacons and martyrs. Stephen in Jerusalem 35, Lawrence in Rome 258.
Pope Sixtus II was executed, and Lawrence was told to bring the riches of the church to the state, by the prefect of Rome. Three days later, he brought the poor, the crippled,the blind, the orphaned and the aged. The state was not amused.He was executed in the fashion of grilled meat. He had humor. He told them, to turn him over, for he was only being cooked on the one side. The effect of his martyrdom on Rome was dramatic, the city’s conversion was accelerating. He had the Holy Grail, the Chalice of the Cena sent to his native Spain, he had sold the other church property, to be distributed to the poor, before his last day.Now, August 3rd, is the Invention (the discovery) of Saint Stephen and Gamaliel, Abidon, the son of Gamaliel, and Nicodemus. Their relics (remains) were found in an abandoned tomb, and were brought to Jerusalem, then some to Constantinople, and then to Rome. Some of Stephen’s relics are in the tomb of Lawrence in Rome, in the Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside of the walls.__________________noto bene: The tears of Saint Lawrence, he cried when Sixtus was taken, and now on his day, the Perseid meteor showers are seen, and are also known by that name. Also, when he was martyred people must have noticed the streaks of the comet Swift-Tuttle.
To-day’s Lesson, in the extra-ordinary form, contains the passage: 1Corinthians xv. 8. novissime autem omnium tamquam abortivo* visus est et mihi — Saint Jerome’s Vulgate translation
And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time. — Gregory Martin’s Douay Rheims translation
Après eux tous, il m’est aussi apparu à moi, comme à l’avorton. — Augustin Crampon translation
L’abbé Crampon’s footnote is very informative:Avorton, fruit qui se détache avant d’être arrivé à maturité. Paul s’appelle ainsi, soit parce que sa conversion, sa régénération a eu lieu d’une manière violente et en dehors de la voie ordinaire, soit aussi parce qu’il a conscience de son indignité et de sa faiblesse.
Abortion, fruit which is detached before being become ripe. Paul is called thus, either because his conversion, his regeneration, took place in a violent way and apart from the ordinary way, or, also, because he is aware of his unworthiness, and his weakness.
The corresponding note in the Jerusalem Bible has:
“An allusion to the abnormal, sudden and surgical nature of Paul’s birth into the apostolic family.”
The french word ‘l’avorton’, besides meaning the usual miscarriage or premature baby, also can be applied, to an adult individual, in an insulting and demeaning manner. It can be translated as: insignificant, paltry, runt, wretched ... Now, this is the only instance in Scripture, where, this word appears. [There is a neat, greek term for this, for words only said once in a text, hapax legomenon] Paul, here, uses ‘l’avorton’ to apply to himself. Paul often self deprecates. Paul is making an account of the varied, separate witnesses, to the Resurrection, of Christ Jesus. The french is more intense, and descriptive, than the english or the latin; it would appear, that in the greek, it is more nebulous. At what point on the scale does the word most, truly weigh in? or that in different languages the shade of the hue, though practically equivalent, is more illuminative.
Gregory Martin employs the marvelous ‘one born out of due time’. Paul’s conversion and catechumate was dramatically instantaneous, this is not the due course of the conversion process, generally, one comes to Jesus slowly, and by degrees. In this Martin’s phrase is more apt, though ‘due time’ can be confusing, since ‘due time’ suggests proper time, and that suggests that there is an improper time, but, if it is understood, as ‘other than usual time’, then it is well.
The french has much more texture in, this, simple word to word translation, while Martin has a poetry of pleasant expression. But, the french had many centuries to add, and to fill out the term, that the greek did not. Sometimes, multiple readings [and versions] give us more depth and flavor.
Also at this mass, we had pilgrims. A group came up from Vienna, near Youngstown, O., that included a couple of habited sisters and women wearing the black mantillas as head scarves. We also had three bright, sweet and pleasant, collegian co-eds, whom were, traversing the continent.
They were with Crossroads. At the Franciscan University of Steubenville, there has developed a programme (since 1994), that, during the summer, collegians walk across the continent for the cause of life. They begin at three different sites on the Pacific coast and meet up at the District of Columbia. Our visitors travelled the northern route, beginning in Seattle. They were nine and visited three parishes in the diocese: St. Gregory the Great, St. Joan of Arc and St. Stephen (Cleveland). Each parish had three pilgrims, Bess Broussard from Sulphur, Louisiana; Nicole Hendershot from Billings, Montana; Justine Steenblok from Rochester, New York, visited Saint Stephen.They came to pray for the intentions of all, and as christians, we are also so required.
www.crossroadswalk.org
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*the greek word is: ἐκτρώματι.
ἔσχατον δὲ πάντων ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ἐκτρώματι ὤφθη κἀμοί.
Stained glass is an art form, and is primarily associated with churches; the grand, gallic, gothic cathedrals, foremostly: Rheims, Chartres, Paris. Some of this patrimony of brilliance was lost through the vandalism, of the protestant movement, that engulfed parts of northern and western Europe. The windows were both utilitarian and instructive. For people who could not read, they illustrated the faith, whereas, letters on a page could do nothing. Artisans were employed, and civilisation made progress, through this artistic facet.
There are studios that still create this art form. A certain, painterly style emerged in the 19th century in, Bavaria and Austria, a land of German Catholics. At this time, there was a romantic, neo-gothic revival in art and architecture. A toleration of catholicism came, to english speaking lands, at the same time. Many churches were being built in catholic and immigrant communities. There was work for stained glass artisans.
The Franz Mayer company created many windows, for Irish cathedrals and other churches, throughout the world. In Halifax, Nova Scotia on 6 December 1917 the largest man made explosion and mushroom cloud, to that time occurred, when a munitions explosion in the harbor killed 2,000, and caused a shock wave that broke windows ten miles away. The religious art of the stained glass was destroyed in several churches, one Saint Patrick’s included. Their windows were first ordered in 1898, 1899 and 1902, they were reordered in 1921 and 1926.
In a recent exchange of communiques, between Saint Patrick’s of Halifax and the Mayer company in Munich, a similar ironic exchange of details were shared. The canadian parish was looking for specifics about its windows. The german company explained, that most of their records were destroyed by bombs, and fires in 1944. They did find something on that canadian parish, and wondered why would they re-order the same windows. The Halifax explosion explained it.
There are many surviving Mayer windows. Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City has Mayer, locally Saint Stephen’s, in Cleveland O., has its windows. Here are portions of windows, whose details are telling and magnificent in description, and are telling in character, and specific and dramatic in the peak of detail:
Here is the first recorded miracle, of the ministry, of Jesus. The clear water turns to red wine as it is poured.
But when it was evening, he sat down with his twelve disciples. And whilst they were eating, he said: Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me.And they being very much troubled, began every one to say: Is it I, Lord?But he answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born.And Judas that betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it. And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body. And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins.— Matthew xxvi. 20-28.
Here is the moment where Judas decides to betray, as Jesus is about to give the first Eucharist at the Cena (the Last Supper). Wine will turn into Blood. Eleven apostles will eventually spread this to the world, one will not.
Here are the soldiers on guard, at the Sepulcher, during Easter morning. One is affright, and the other asleep.
And he found in the temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made, as it were, a scourge of little cords, he drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen, and the money of the changers he poured out, and the tables he overthrew. And to them that sold doves he said: Take these things hence, and make not the house of my Father a house of traffic.— John ii. 14-16.
Here Jesus cleanses the temple of commerce. The small whip (scourge) is held in the relaxed, right hand of Christ. You can see the look of resentment in the man, at the bottom right, as he gathers his treasure into a sack. The fellow in the centre, almost looks, as if he is stealing away with a television. At the bottom left, the heads, of two birds, poke out of a cage.
Here in a window, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, is Pope Sixtus II being arrested. Behind Saint Sixtus, is a man holding the fasces, a symbol of the power of the state.
Domenicos Theotocopoulos, El Greco. Christ Driving the Traders from the Temple. c.1600. London.
To-day in the old rite, is the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost. Jesus is angered and chases those who have defiled His Father’s house, out of it and subverts (overturns) their tables. This is in all the true and canonical gospels [Matthew xxi.12-13, Mark xi.15-18, Luke xix. 45-46, John ii.14-17]. The liturgy uses Luke, virtually every piece of the visual arts uses John (El Greco, Giotto, Rembrandt, Boulogne, Bloch, Bassano, Bernardi, van Hemessen, McKillop).And he found in the temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made, as it were, a scourge of little cords, he drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen, and the money of the changers he poured out, and the tables he overthrew. — John
et invenit in templo vendentes boves et oves et columbas et nummularios sedentes et cum fecisset quasi flagellum de funiculis omnes ejecit de templo oves quoque et boves et nummulariorum effudit æs et mensas subvertit
Jesus is righteously angry. He fashions a small whip, no place is it known to be said, that, he whipped them or struck them, but “the tables he overthrew.” The latin word is ‘subvertit’. This sort of subversion of commerce drove his religious and political enemies to do, as the last two verses of Luke’s 19th have it:And he was teaching daily in the temple. And the chief priests and the scribes and the rulers of the people sought to destroy him: And they found not what to do to him: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.
et erat docens cotidie in templo principes autem sacerdotum et scribæ et principes plebis quærebant illum perdere et non inveniebant quid facerent illi omnis enim populus suspensus erat audiens illum
A Franz Mayer window of a subdued Jesus. Saint Stephen, Cleveland, Ohio.
This is how Jesus dealt with the moneychangers and the sellers of animals of sacrifice. Last Sunday, cycle A was read, and the end of Matthew’s 11th chapter. Here, is what Our Lord and God said about labor. It is most sweet and warm.Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.
venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis et ego reficiam vos tollite jugum meum super vos et discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde et invenietis requiem animabus vestris jugum enim meum suave est et onus meum leve est
Our God loves the laboring man and is grandly displeased with the moneychangers. His message is clear.
There are four places in the Bible, describing four sins that cry to heaven for justice, one is cheating the workman. Here is beginning of the fifth chapter of James:Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you.Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are motheaten.Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days. Behold the hire of the labourers, who have reaped down your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, crieth: and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. You have feasted upon earth: and in riotousness you have nourished your hearts, in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the Just One, and he resisted you not.
In Luke, Jesus says, “for the labourer is worthy of his hire.” Jesus is with the working man, and he demands redress of their grievances, and just compensation for their labor. Jesus is an union activist and labor leader.
Trial of Saint Stephen before the Sanhedrin.Saint Stephen Church, Cleveland, O.
Many dioceses have been consolidating and closing parishes. One can almost hear the Libera me of the requiem sounding. Churches, such as St. Stephen, St.Stanislaus, St. Michael, Our Lady of Lourdes and ... in this city and others, represented the faith of nineteenth century peasants, no matter what nation of origin, who wanted to hold something of the old country to secure a foundation in an often unfriendly new world. They created urban villages and the church was their standard and monument. These parishioners were the church militant and now they are the church triumphant. These churches and parishes are part of their patrimony to us. Their grandeur is witness to the underlying unity of the faith, and that witness should not be dismissed. Sacred space respecting the divine presence is properly procured and established. Come and see. Beauty has its place. Truth, beauty and goodness correspond with each other, let them correspond with you. In the two decades before the civil war, the beginnings of significant catholic immigration caused a reaction amongst nativist protestants of ugly aggression and provocation. Riots and vandalism were not unusual. Catholic churches were targets. Moving closer to the first world war, the immigration continued and communities coalesced. In this period the nationality churches and neo-gothic architectural revival came to fruition. Territorial parishes were planned by the ordinary, but these nationality churches were the product of these communities and the ordinary has less authentic authority over them. Those who did not build, should be less keen for their demise. These units represented the spirit of the faith and the pride of culture that intertwined with that faith. They marked our arrival and our continuing presence and they surpassed those who did not want us here. Now they are in danger of marketing decisions as if they were gasoline stations and locations are to be determined by traffic volume and gross receipts. A good shepherd worries and tends all his sheep. These churches were built before motorized transport or when cars were a novelty and a luxury for the rich alone. Now many of the poor have cars as necessities. Commute from any place in the county and beyond is equivalent, in minutes, to the foot conveyance of people a century ago. People took the time necessary to come to mass and church before, and now current thought is to place the churches to maintain urban sprawl and to have them built in horrendous modern drabness. The faithful and their administrators would do more service to lead the flocks back to the old folds and pastures. Preservation is sensible, prudent and worthy. Continuity is a mark of catholicism.
Andrea del Verrocchio. Christ and Doubting Thomas. 1467–1483. Florence.
