Pope Saint Sylvester

Sylvester died and was buried on 31 December 335, after being pope for over twenty years. During his pontificate two important events in the history of the Church occurred. The first, was the legalisation and official toleration.

His death came by natural means, this was still novel. Up till this time, not only, was the election, to the papacy, bishophric of Rome, a lifetime appointment, it was a death sentence. But, Constantine saw the cross, before the battle of Milvian bridge in 312, “In hoc signo vinces”, in the sky. Things had changed. Constantine defeated Maxentius. He and Licinius granted the Edict of Toleration at Milan, the next year. Constantine favored the formerly reviled religion, meddled in its affairs, but he awaited a death bed conversion in 337. Churches and worship became public and building projects began.

Little documentation has survived. Speculation does not end. Rubbish spouting a constantinian church replacing the Christian Church continues. The Church was catholic before, and catholic now. It was a new age for the church. In the next generation, Julian the Apostate, became emperor and the church was not favored. The relation between church and state has still not been permanently resolved.

The second was, the Council of Nicaea, which, took place in 325, in Asia Minor. Sylvester sent three delegates (Osius, Vitus and Vincentius) there, and certainly discussions were made afore time. Arianism was the chief and powerful heresy of the day. In these early centuries Rome was generally free from heresy, but the greek-speaking and african provinces were often rife.

In much of Europe, the last day of the year is known as Saint Sylvester’s. Traditionally in France, this night’s celebration is le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre, pop the champagne! In several countries a long foot race is held, the most celebrated one is São Paulo, Brasil’s, Corrida Internacional de São Silvestre. It began in 1925 and is the premier long distance race in latin america; in the US, of similar importance would be the longer Boston Marathon. There are other such races in Madrid, Barcelona and Angola.

I once worked with a Joseph Wolff, if I remember right, he was born on Saint Sylvester’s. Well, in Ohio, your car registration expires on your birthday. Joe drove a hell of a junker, a chevrolet land yacht of some kind. The sticker, on the bottom right of the car plate, was a 12. A cop stops him on the 30th, solely to ask, for his registration. He had Joe in his sights, he was severely disappointed that Joe was a Sylvester child. Cop had an attitude, but he could not issue the ticket, just vented some lip.

I’ve planted tulips on this day before, I think, the year before that, after being nagged and ridiculed for my tarrying. Recently, I have planted on Saint Sylvester’s day, itself; as long as the ground can be worked, the soil will accept. Flowers bloomed fine. In some cultures, unmarried girls think of a future husband on this latest of days. There is time.

Holy Family and Holy Innocents

To-day is both, the Feast of the Holy Family and the day of the Massacre of the Holy Innocents. Jesus, Mary and Joseph first in Bethlehem, and then the flight to Egypt, and then Nazareth; but before a normal, happy settled family life, they had to escape Herod; the male infants and toddlers did not. It is well, for us, to remember all those whom have died, and continue to die, as the military propagandists would christen as ‘collateral damage’, those casually destroyed, either as unintended objects, whom are impediments or anonymous bystanders, or just unimportant trivialities to some greater end.

Currently both, National Geographic and Biblical Archaeology Review, had stories on Herod.* His tomb was found in the spring of 2007. Herod the ruler, builder, tyrant and child killer. He will be always be remembered for his extra-ordinary wickedness. In theatrical acting, it is in portraying extremes of character, that the temptation to an over abundance of exuberance may fall in play; this does not always make for a good performance. Shakespeare has Hamlet coach actors not to overdo a part to excess, it causes ridiculousness.

...I would have such
a fellow whipped for o’erdoing Termagant. It out-Herods
Herod. Pray you, avoid it.

Now, Shakespeare was a recusant, some of his relatives were more public. He was born at a time, when the old religion was in eclipse, but not without hope and prospects of full return. All the old customs were not, yet, extinguished in the whole of England. As a child, he still was able to see some of the mediæval, mystery plays performed in cathedral and market towns. He would have seen an overzealous Herod perform.

Herod, the king of the jews, was very jealous of his position, and very unconcerned with the lives of others. He killed even some of his own children. It could be perilous for any judaen subject, at any time. Now contrast this with the sweet and peaceful condition of the Holy Family. In this world there is great variation from one extreme to another.
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* In 2002, the University of Maryland’s Clinical Pathologic Conference diagnosed the cause of death of a famous, but anonymous to the participants, historical individual. The symptoms led to a call of “chronic kidney disease complicated by Fournier’s gangrene ”. Now, this extremely, gruesome and repulsive condition was caused by venereal disease. The blood thirsty Herod was also a lecher.

John, the beloved apostle

Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος. Saint John. after 1603. Madrid.
Two days after ☧mas is Saint John the apostle and evangelist’s day is 27 December, at one time it was shared with his brother, James. Could it be, that, its proximity is due to his closeness to Jesus?

Jesus chose 12 men as His apostles, of these, three were closer still. The two sons of Zebedee and Simon Peter. There were some important moments of Christ’s ministry (e.g. the Transfiguration, the Agony in Gethsemani), that, these three were the sole witnesses. For some things only Peter and John. These two were sent to make preparation for the Last Supper, they very timidly watched some of the events after the arrest of Jesus, the Magdalene brought, these two, to the empty tomb.

Of the two, Peter loved Jesus the most, and Jesus loved John the most. Jesus gave the Church to Peter to foster and steward. On the cross, Jesus gave the care of his Mother to John.

John and Mary, after a time, went to Ephesus, where John was bishop and metropolitan. He wrote a Gospel, and three Epistles there. Under Domitian, he was exiled to the island Patmos, where he wrote an Apocalypse. After the death of Domitian, John returned to Ephesus. Of the Twelve, he alone died a natural death, though he had, miraculously, survived attempted execution and martyrdom. He was an aged man, who may have, seen the second century.

Now, El Greco, Domenikos Theotokopoulos, *1541,†1614, painted from 1603 on, at least five series of Apostolados, a group of thirteen portraits, of Jesus Christ and twelve apostles. Now, Jesus was the Messias, and these men brought the good news to the world. The Iscariot was not a subject, instead the Greek, always, painted Paul. A complete series is in Toledo’s Cathedral of Mary.

Of course, the faces (John, the youngest, is beardless) are of importance in the paintings, but also the hands. The paintings, of each subject, shared the same presentation of that subject. Now, why did El Greco do this? He began as an iconographer, and an iconographer paints the same subject, in the same manner. And, perhaps, the attention given to the hands, by El Greco, is that his hand painted. Domenikos Theotokopoulos was proud of his work, and of himself. When he did sign his work, he signed in greek, sometimes just initials ― ΔΘ.

Saint John is sometimes identified with an eagle, sometimes with a book, and sometimes with a chalice. A portrait of John, without such dark shadows about his eyes, is in the cathedral, but one with better hands, and not associated with a known series, is in Madrid’s Prado. There is a legend that a poisoned chalice of wine was given to John, and the poison left the chalice, in the form of a serpent or dragon.

Saint Stephen - Protomartyr

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

Michael Connell

Michael Connell died, while pilot of his small plane, in northeastern Ohio. The Akron Beacon Journal, on 21 December, wrote and described him as a family man, and a very, impressively, involved, catholic parishioner.

But, there is far more. He was a Republican party operative. His ability in computer information technology made him a rich man, but ominously is reminiscent of a character in The Great Gatsby, the man who fixed the 1919 Series. He owned and ran the computers that, are alleged to have, changed the election results for Ohio in 2004. If this is true, Michael Connell fixed the election for Rove and the Bushes, his frequent customers. From the bushcheney ’04 campaign, he is reported to have, received in the excess of $800,000. He had been involved in Republican campaigns for more than twenty years, including the first george bush, and Rove’s electronic mail system.

If this is true he co-operated with great evil. This has not been reported by the american corporate media*. Independent individuals and internet journalist bloggers have: Velvet Revolution, Larisa Alexandrovna, ePluribus Media, RAW STORY, Brad Friedman, Clifford Arnebeck, Bob Fitrakis.

On the 22nd of September he was subpoenaed, on the 31st of  October he gave a deposition, in federal court concerning rigging the ’04 Ohio election. On the 19th of December he flew to Washington, on the 20th he was dead.

His great, deep and intense involvement with Republican party tactics, has been suggested, to have been, centered on his beliefs concerning abortion. Did he ever realise that the Republicans did not end abortion? Did he wonder about the subversion of government, popular sovereignty, democracy, law, and justice?
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*It is often easier to find, and read stories, concerning US political news in the english papers. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/3885913/George-Bush-aide-dies-in-plane-crash.html

God, man and hound

The hound has meaning in himself, and in relation to men and God. ‘Que me amat, amet et canem meum.’ This was a latin proverb, we know Saint Bernard of Clairvaux † 1153, the Cistercian used.* Saint Thomas More †1535, used it in english ― Whosoever loveth me loveth my hound.‡ The word ‘dog’ was a scandinavian import, hound was the anglo-saxon, it is the german word ‘Hund’. Now, this proverb implies a real friend will like, not just me, but in addition, that which is mine, is associated with me, and dear to me. Anyone who is not kind to my dog, is not my friend, and above all, this proverb says ― my dog is, my dog is my friend.

The Cynics were that school of greek philosophers, who, wanted to pursue the truth and held virtue as the highest good, and held them so tightly in their jaws, that, it could never be taken away. Kynikos = houndish, (canine), kyon is greek for dog. People often dismiss a person or comment with “that’s cynical”, or “you’re a cynic ”. They do not know what the word means, whence it came, they have relied on a misleading, and often false connotation. Other times they do know what they mean, they are annoyed with the truth, and prefer something else. Some people who were disappointed with people were cynics. They also were perceptive and right. They weighed man and dog, and the dog was superior. Diogenes was the Cynic carrying a lit lantern, in daytime, searching for an honest man.

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between a dog and a man. ― Mark Twain

The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs. ― Charles De Gaulle

The stereotypical name for a dog was ‘Fido’. Fido comes from fides, fides = faith, fidelis = faithful. Odysseus (Ulysses) was gone twenty years from Ithaca. He returned dressed as a beggar, and only his dog, Argos, recognised him, after seeing his master, he died. There are many good names for hounds, though I have difficulty with people, whom, give dogs christian names, and people whom name children with names, that are beneath, the names proper to dogs. The symbol for the Dominicans is a dog with a torch in his mouth, from The Golden Legend. The pun on the name of the Dominicans, ‘Domini canes’, is Domini = Lord (God), and canis = hound, therefore, the hounds of God. Francis Thompson has the poem, The Hound of Heaven, in which the hunted is you.

There has been several saints, who are associated with dogs. Saint Bernard of Menthon †1008, the Benedictine, had a breed named after him (indirectly, from St. Bernard Pass in the alps), and a huge friend they are, carrying a small cask of brandy for you. The ancient bloodhound, had been, called Saint Hubert’s hound, Hubert had been an hunter, whom found the Lord. Saint Francis of Assisi tamed the wolf of Gubbio, a great poem by Ruben Dario§ tells this, in addition to the Fioretti. Saint John Bosco had his great protector, Grigio. Saint Roch was trapped in a pit and a dog brought bread to him.

Roch is the Italian, Rocco. There is in the church of Saint Rocco, Cleveland, a statue of Rocco and his dog. Rocco is shown with his dog, the dog has bread in his mouth. Rocco carries a pilgrim staff, and points to his wounded leg. One of the funniest moments of my life, funny in a joyously poignant way, was in this church. Saint Rocco’s had several alcove rooms. In these rooms there were prie-Dieus, and candles along with the statues. Someone had put a dog biscuit there for Rocco’s friend, in the place where candles would be set.

Well, I can go on ..., but, I will diverge to this last path. Dogs are with us. They are social animals, and they have accepted us as their own. They are confused why we stand so much taller than they. Now, we are to treat them well, as we are to treat all creation, but there should be a warm, soft spot for the hound. The persian poet, Nizami †1203, tells us the tale|| that Christ found beauty in, even, a dead dog.
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*Sermo Primus
‡First Sermon on the Lord's Prayer
§Los motivos del lobo
||The Eye Of Charity
paintings by John Emms.*1843, †1912. The faith of Saint Bernard, and Saint Bernard rescue dogs.

O Antiphons

The opening words of the seven antiphons, of the Roman Breviary, to the Magnificat, for vespers, of the seven days preceding the vigil of Christmas are:

O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
O Adonai (O Adonai)
O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
O Clavis David (O Key of David)
O Oriens (O Morning Star)
O Rex Gentium (O King of the nations)
O Emmanuel (O Emmanuel)

Boëthius, fl.c. 500 a.D., makes a reference to the O antiphons. The Benedictines, are required to, sing or recite the breviary daily. These seven antiphons are sung at the end of the Advent season. From time to time and place to place, the antiphons were added to or substituted, but classically, the above are the seven.
The last antiphon complete is:

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.

O Emmanuel, our King and our Lawgiver, the Expected of the nations, and their Savior:
come to save us, O Lord, our God.

Now, the antiphons all refer back to Scripture. The last one to the 1st half of Jeremias x. 7:

Quis non timebit te, o Rex gentium ? tuum est enim decus :
Who shall fear thee, O king of nations? for thine is the glory:

There are several references, for each, to both Testaments, more from Isaias than any other book. Isaias is the prophet of Advent. Each are addressed to the Messias, by an equivalent title as a name. These antiphons congeal easily to an hymn, O Come, O Come, Immanuel (Veni, veni, Emmanuel). In the mid 19th century, John Mason Neale made an english translation.

These antiphons may have entered ☧ian usage through jewish ☧ians. To further speculate [bear with me and entertain me]: these seven antiphons may be related to a Hannukah service. Hannukah is celebrated over eight days, and its celebration moves about December, for it does not follow the solar calendar. The Hannukah story is found in the Old Testament books of the Maccabees, but is not canonical among the jews. It is possible, that, part of that celebration migrated from jewish to christian worship.

Now, for those who do not acknowledge, the canonicity of the books of the Maccabees, they refer to an intertestamentary period , wherein, those events occurred. The temples of Solomon, and the babylonian return [and later Herod] contained a menorah of seven branches. A miracle of the Maccabees was, that, a one day supply of lamp oil lasted eight. Now menorahs for Hannukah contain eight candles, plus one smaller lighting candle as a ninth branch.

O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justitiæ:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Dayspring, splendor of Light eternal, and Sun of Justice:
come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness, and the shadow of death.

We see Jesus as the Messias, the☧, the True Light. The light of the menorah symbolises this, as do the candles lit during the dark of vespers.
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Glossary: Antiphon = an anthem, verse sung responsively
Breviary = a book containing the divine office, the daily canonical hours of prayer
Magnificat = the canticle, song, of Mary in Luke i. 46-55.
Vespers = the 6th of 7 hours of prayer, the evening hour, or vespertina synaxis
Vigil = the night before a feast, a period of watch and prayerful preparation
Maccabees = a family of 2nd century b. C. Juda, Seven martyrs commemorated on 1 August, 2 books of the Old Testament
Hannukah = dedication, consecration; the festival commemorating the events of 165 b.C.:

And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation, and of praise. ― 1Maccabees iv. 56.
And Judas, and his brethren, and all the church of Israel decreed, that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, with joy and gladness. ― 1Maccabees ⅳ. 59.

Menorah = candelabrum used in jewish worship