Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.

Colijn de Coter - Mary Magdalene

The sun shall not burn thee by day: nor the moon by night.

The Annunciation

Arthur Joseph Gaskin

1898

Tempera with gold leaf on raised and tooled gesso on panel

Helene Knoop ( Norway b 1979 ) Self Portrait as an Icon 2010

Good Omens in Italy

* Seeing a spider at night is a sure sign of monetary income.

* When you drop something, someone is thinking of you and their name starts with the first letter of the item dropped.

* When your nose itches, it’s either “pugni o baci” (punches or kisses).

* Finding a button on the ground: a new friendship is on the horizon.

* Dreaming of someone dying adds 10 years to their life.

* When a new moon appears, the minute you see it say the New Moon Incantation: “Benvenuta Luna che mi porti fortuna!” – “Welcome, moon and may you bring me good fortune!” This is to be repeated, bowing respectfully at the lunar sliver 13 times with a coin in each hand.

* Eating lentils on New Years Day will bring money in the new year.

Royal Palace of Caserta, Campania. Italy

Marpessa Hennick by Ferdinando Scianna for Dolce and Gabbana (1987)

A.Francois Louise Janmot

Saint Dorothy and the Infant Christ by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, about 1460

La cappella di Vitaleta (Tuscany, Italy) by stimmerman

Pacecco de Rosa St. Agatha

17th century

Mikhail Vasilyevich Nesterov  Saint Barbara

1924

La Señora Doña Teresa de Ugarte y Penarrieta, Condesa de Peñaflorida. Claudio Coello, late 17th century

Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us! 

San Gimignano (Tuscany, Italy) by giwrgos livydikos

There was in Magdalen a mixture of true and false shame. She was partly ashamed of her simple, pious, and plainly dressed sister who went around with Jesus’ followers so despised by her visitors and associates, and she was partly ashamed of herself before Martha. It was this feeling that prevented her taking the latter into the apartments that were the scenes of her follies and vices. Magdalen was somewhat broken in spirits, but she lacked the courage to disengage herself from her surroundings.

- Mary Magdalen in the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich

Saint Mary Magdalen

Christ on the Cross with the Virgin, Saint John, and Saint Mary Magdalene

Unknown Italian artist

c.1360 - 1380