#first martyrs of the church of rome
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James Bertrand
Christians removing the Bodies of Martyrs from the Tiber
Oil on cnvas, 97.2 x 147.3 cm, 19th century
#james bertrand#saint#martyr#first martyrs of the church of rome#19th century#nazarene movement#pre-raphaelites#pre-raphaelite brother
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SAINTS OF THE DAY (June 30)
These "proto-martyrs of Rome" were the first Christians persecuted en masse by the Emperor Nero in the year 64, before the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul.
Nero was widely believed to have caused the fire that burned down much of Rome in the same year.
He blamed the fire on the Christians and put them to death, many by crucifixion, being feeding to the wild animals in his circus, or by being tied to posts and lit up as human torches.
Today, the site of Nero's Circus, also the location of St. Peter's martyrdom, is marked by the Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani (Square of the Roman Protomartyrs) in the Vatican next to St. Peter's basilica.
These martyrs were called the “Disciples of the Apostles” and their firmness in the face of their gruesome deaths were a powerful testimony that led to many conversions in the early Roman Church.
#Saints of the Day#First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church#Disciples of the Apostles#Proto-Martyrs of Rome
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This is making me lose my mind, I need to dig into it. Forgive me if I’m not spot on with this, I’m no biblical scholar, I’m not even religious. I’m just autistic and had a hyperfixation on the Bible. So gather around, we’re having Bible study (CHNT spoilers… sort of).
I’m sure I don’t need to explain the significance of Jesus as a character in the Bible. Son of god, saviour of man, a martyr. What I’m interested in here is Elijah as Peter, and Jedidiah as Judas.
Elijah as Peter… has many implications of what may be to come? If we are to assume this metaphorical connection follows through the rest of the series. Because Peter in the Bible… he was one of the 12 apostles, he was also leader of the first Christian church. But before that, his story was… well, he betrayed Jesus. When Jesus was being arrested by the Romans, accused of being a traitor… Peter disowned Jesus. He said he did not know the traitor (“How could you!? You—you traitor! The ceremony, the congregants… how… I…”). He affirmed that three times. Upon the third time, he looked at Jesus and saw the hurt in his eyes- also a rooster crowed, which was prophesied to mark this betrayal. The look in Jesus’s eyes broke Peter’s heart, he realized what he’d done, ran away, and cried. Bitterly. Remorse and regret and realization of what he did. After the resurrection, he repented, and earned Jesus’s full forgiveness. He went on to lead the first church, and that became his life. His death came in the form of an upside-down crucifiction. His church was blamed for a fire which broke out in Rome, and he was executed- he insisted on being crucified upside down, as he felt unworthy of resembling Jesus in death. Remember this character is ELIJAH VOLKOV in this metaphor. Assuming the betrayal might be… the pyre? Then what comes next? Remorse arc, forgiveness arc? Ohshdhdhgs WHAT DO I MAKE OF THIS???
AND THEN JEDIDIAH AS JUDAS. MY FFFFUCKING GODDDDDD. Judas is another apostle, but he’s mostly known for his betrayal of Jesus- which ultimately lead to Jesus’s death. Judas disclosed his whereabouts to the people who would later crucify him (ordered by Pontius Pilate, at the time Roman governor) for 30 pieces of silver. He identified Jesus and sealed both their fates with a kiss. After the crucifixion- again, realizing what he’d done- Judas was overcome with so much remorse and regret that he hung himself. Thing is, all of this was prophesied/ predestined to be. There are varying opinions on what degree of choice Judas had- if all of this was fate, if it was all predestined, if he was a necessary part of this larger divine plan. The betrayal… I mean I think it’s obvious what that is in this Jedidiah metaphor. But what comes afterwards… ohhhh. Ohhh. My god. I have so many questions. ALSO IN ANOTHER STATEMENT MAYFIELD SAID JEDIDIAH IS MORESO GOD IN A WAY??? AND SYDNEYS STILL JESUS???? I thought Lucille would for sure parallel Pontius Pilate but then HE SAID MOTHER MARY and I’m. What
Adam as Satan requires little analysis… unless. I mean Lucifer was the most beautiful angel in God’s eyes… before he fell from grace.. Something something “Adam looks like Jedidiah but only sometimes” something something “once the most beautiful angel” something something.
Anyways. Thus concludes today’s episode of me rambling I have no clue what to make of any of this. I usually have more concluding thoughts, this time I’m just staring and shaking uncontrolably.
#camp here and there#chnt#camp here & there#ch&t#sydney sargent#sydney o sargent#elijah volkov#jedidiah a a martin#jedidiah martin#tem chnt
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Leon Battista Alberti
Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472 CE) was an Italian scholar, architect, mathematician, and advocate of Renaissance humanism. Alberti famously wrote the treatise On Architecture where he outlines the key elements of classical architecture and how these might be reused in contemporary buildings. Even more influential were his writings on painting and sculpture, which transformed the theoretical practices of Renaissance artists. Alberti put his ideas into practice and designed many churches in various Italian cities, perhaps the most influential being the San Andrea of Mantua (1470 CE), the first monumental classicizing building of the Renaissance.
Early Life
Alberti was born in Genoa on 14 February 1404 CE. He was an illegitimate member of a wealthy merchant-banker family, which had been exiled from Florence in 1387 CE. The family moved from Genoa to Venice and, thanks to his father Lorenzo, Alberti enjoyed a school and university education in Padua followed by a stint at the University of Bologna. Alberti's education included mathematics, Greek, Latin, classical literature, and, finally, a doctorate in canon law from Bologna in 1428 CE.
Alberti moved to Rome where he worked as a papal secretary from 1432 CE. One task at the Papal Chancery was to write a new version of the lives of the saints and martyrs. The young scholar took holy orders and this brought with it several benefices that improved his income significantly. However, his position in the church seems not to have had any influence at all on his humanist writings or his treatises on art and architecture. When the Medici family took power in the early 1430s CE, Alberti was finally able to return to his ancestral home. Florence was then the capital of Renaissance art and architecture where men like Donatello (c. 1386-1466 CE) and Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446 CE) were reviving the ideals of classical antiquity. Alberti would later write that his contacts in Florence inspired him to participate in this revival himself.
Alberti continued in his role as a papal secretary but also acted as a sort of artistic consultant to rulers in various Italian cities such as Florence, Ferrara, Mantua, Urbino, and Rimini. Moving around Italy gave Alberti a great insight into the many Greco-Roman remains still visible and perhaps inspired him to make plans for a survey of ancient Roman buildings in Rome. Alberti's study of ancient architecture resulted in him noting that there were actually five and not four classical orders as previously thought. This fifth one, subsequently called the Composite order, was a mix of elements from the Ionic and Corinthian orders. Also interested in architectural theory, Alberti was a keen student of On Architecture by the Roman architect Vitruvius (c. 90 - c. 20 BCE). Accordingly, when Alberti moved into this new field in more practical terms, he wanted his buildings to both imitate the austere grandeur of ancient Greece and Rome's finest buildings and reproduce their classical ratios of height and length. Another important consideration was that buildings should display a harmonious balance between function and decoration.
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May 11, 2023
Earlier today, Pope Francis declared that 21 Coptic Orthodox Christians, who were beheaded by Islamic militants in Libya in 2015, would be added to the Roman Martyrology. Francis made the announcement during an audience with Pope Tawadros II, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. The “21 Coptic New Martyrs of Libya,” as they are called, were martyred on February 15, 2015. Less than a week later, they were declared saints in the Coptic Orthodox Church by Pope Tawadros. The Copts celebrate their feast on the anniversary of their death, February 15, and it appears that this will also be their feast day on the Roman calendar.
The world was shocked in February 2015, when a 5-minute video was uploaded to the internet by ISIS militants. The video showed the 21 kidnapped men in orange jumpsuits being beheaded on a beach near the Libyan city of Sirte. 20 of these martyrs were Egyptian Copts who had gone to Libya to do construction work. The last member of the group, Matthew Ayariga, was a fellow worker from Ghana. It is said that he told the executioners, “Their God is my God. I will go with them.” There has been some question over whether he was already Christian or whether the witness of his 20 coworkers led to his conversion, but nevertheless, his Christian witness and solidarity are inspiring. It was reported that as they died, they chanted hymns and prayed aloud.
The deaths of these men as Christian martyrs is undeniable. The extraordinary photos of Blessed Miguel Pro, a Catholic priest who was executed by the Mexican government in 1927 during the Cristero War — taken just moments before the he was shot by the firing squad — are perhaps the only other photographic images recording a Christian martyrdom as it happened. And yet the recognition of the 21 martyrs as Catholic saints is unprecedented for several reasons.
The primary reason, of course, is that the Coptic Orthodox Church is not in full communion with Rome. The Copts are Oriental Orthodox (as opposed to Eastern Orthodox), because they split from the other Christian churches in the year 451 at the Council of Chalcedon due to differences over the nature of Christ. They are also referred to as “Non-Chalcedonian Orthodox Churches.” This means that they recognize the first three ecumenical councils, whereas the Eastern Orthodox recognize seven, and the Catholic Church recognizes 21 ecumenical councils.
After more than 15 centuries, our hope of reunion may seem remote. After all these years, the two Churches have independently developed their own traditions, theologies, forms of worship, and prayers. Yet some things have remained the same. Both Churches have maintained apostolic succession and the sacraments: Pope Francis is the successor of St. Peter and Pope Tawadros is the successor of St. Mark. In recent decades, the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church has become closer. For example, in 2017, Popes Francis and Tawadros made a joint statement indicating mutual acceptance of the validity of baptism in both Churches.
Pope Francis has praised the Martyrs of Libya many times, and today he recalled our shared baptism, as well as the blood of martyrs that enriches the Church. He said, “These martyrs were baptized not only in the water and Spirit, but also in blood, a blood that is the seed of unity for all of Christ’s followers.” In the past, the pope has discussed how we must realize that we, the baptized, have much more in common than what divides us. This shared recognition of sainthood between the two Churches is a significant step towards Christian unity.
This sets a new precedent. In 1964, when the Ugandan Martyrs were canonized by Pope Paul VI, St. Charles Lwanga and the other 21 Catholics among his companions were declared saints. The 23 Anglicans who were martyred alongside them were mentioned briefly in the pope’s homily, when he said, “And we do not wish to forget, the others who, belonging to the Anglican confession, met death for the name of Christ.”
Another reason why today’s announcement is unique was that Pope Francis did this by an official act. The Roman Martyrology is the official list of saints officially recognized by the Latin Church. Many Eastern Catholic Churches have their own processes for canonizing saints according to their traditions. Historically, when groups of Eastern Catholics have come into full communion with Rome, they will bring along their saints and prayers and traditions. Many of these saints aren’t officially canonized by Rome, and they are usually only venerated in their own tradition. By inscribing the names of these martyrs in the Roman Martyrology, Pope Francis has made it clear that these martyrs are to be venerated by Roman Catholics as saints.
Finally, in declaring them saints today, Pope Francis sidestepped the typical canonization process. They are saints, without having passed through the usual stages of Servant of God, Venerable, and Blessed. This “skipping” of steps is commonly referred to as “equipollent canonization.” Essentially, when a pope declares someone a saint by an official act, that person is recognized as a saint in the Church. This is not the first time Francis has moved a case along in this way. For example, when he canonized Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in 2014, he waived the requirement of a second miracle for John XXIII so that the two popes would be canonized on the same day. In 2013, he elevated the Jesuit Peter Faber, whose status had lingered at “Blessed” since 1872.
Perhaps the most interesting case is that of St. Gregory of Narek, an Armenian monk venerated as a saint in the Armenian Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Unexpectedly, Pope Francis named him the 36th Doctor of the Church in 2015. Living from in the mid-10th century through the early 11th, St. Gregory lived at a time when the Armenian Church was not in communion with Rome. After several failed attempts at reunion, the Armenian Catholic Church was officially recognized as an Eastern Catholic Church in 1742. Interestingly, the Armenian Catholic eparchy of Buenos Aires (established in 1989 by Pope John Paul II) is called the Eparchy of Saint Gregory of Narek. Perhaps this is how Pope Francis became familiar with the saint.
We Christians are blessed with a wide variety of saints from all sorts of backgrounds. They help make up the beautiful tapestry of the people of God — praying for us, interceding for us, and inspiring us. This is something worth celebrating.
21 Coptic New Martyrs of Libya, Pray for Us!
Mike Lewis. Bolded emphases added.
#Catholicism#Oriental Orthodox Christianity#Christianity#saints#martyrs#Libyan Martyrs#My Pope#Pope Tawadros II#Ugandan Martyrs#Miguel Pro
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I saw you finished Shadow! Thoughts? Opinions? Feelings?
Oh my god, an incredible amount of emotions and thoughts.
So, from the first episode I could tell things weren’t gonna end well for Brother Anurak simply from the fact that the school is using Saint Lawrence of Rome as their patron saint. But the plot twist! It was in plain sight and I didn’t even notice nor fathom to question why he favored his right arm.
I think right now most of my thoughts center around the spectrophilia scenes with Dan and the idea of Catholic guilt. The thing about Catholic guilt is that even when you find yourself not truly a believer in the religion, the teachings are still instilled in you. Meaning, even as a nonbeliever, feelings of remorse and shame are not uncommon when going against the grain of the moral teachings that you’re surrounded with. So I can’t help but wonder whether Dan’s encounters with the Shadow is supposed to imply the suppression of his desires and fantasies? Is he struggling with his sexuality as well? Are his encounters with the Shadow supposed to demonstrate his eagerness to find an outlet for his forbidden desires? Even though Singto played Dan pretty straight-laced, I can’t help but wonder if the spectrophilic encounters are meant to blur the lines between the sacred and profane. Giving in and enjoying the shadow seems to dive in the direction that Dan is indulging in forbidden desires, which gay relationships have been categorized as such under the Roman Catholic Church. I mean even though Dan stated that he had been interested in Cha-aim, the suggestive drawings with Shadow seem to show his internal desire for the prohibited. Does this mean that the shadow taking Dan’s life becomes the ultimate consequence of repressing himself? I’m not sure.
Also, it’s pretty interesting that both Dan and Brother Anurak martyred themselves for no true change to occur, which parallels Saint Lawrence’s story.
I really liked the Catholicism vs Buddhism approach that was framed. Maybe it’s because I grew up with Catholicism that integrated and embraced pre-Hispanic traditions and faced push back for utilizing ‘witchcraft’, but there’s something so satisfactory over the Venerable Monk always the composed one of the two religious heads.
After that reveal in episode 14, I want a second season. I want further exploration of the forest spirit and whether Nai ever realizes the truth.
Also Nai was really badass targeting Anan like that. I also wanted more of the backstory from that angle. Prior to the confession, I could have sworn he had been interested as well, but then Anan did a whole 180 for the worst. Is it internalized homophobia? Did his dad beat him? Crazy to think that the charmer that Nai first met became a cold-blooded murderer…
I really want that second season.
There’s a lot more I can discuss, but it’s 2:30 a.m. and my brain is malfunctioning.
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Born in Cheapside, London, on December 21, 1119 or 1120 (December 21, being the feast day of Saint Thomas the Apostle), Thomas Becket (also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London, and later Thomas à Becket), was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170.
Venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, he engaged in conflict with King Henry II of England over the rights and privileges of the Church, and was murdered by followers of the King in Canterbury Cathedral; soon after, to be canonised by Pope Alexander III.
At the age of 10, Becket was sent as a student to Merton Priory, and later attended a grammar school, thought to have been the one at St Paul’s Cathedral, in London.
Following financial reverses suffered by his father, Gilbert Becket, Thomas was forced to earn a living as a clerk. Though he eventually acquired a position in the household of Theobald of Bec (then Archbishop of Canterbury), who entrusted him with several important missions to Rome and also sent him to Bologna and Auxerre to study canon law. Theobald also named Becket Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1154, and he held other ecclesiastical offices, including prebends at Lincoln Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Becket’s efficiency led Theobald to recommend him to King Henry II for the vacant post of Lord Chancellor; to which Becket was appointed in January, 1155.
Becket was nominated as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, and his election was confirmed on May 23, 1162, by a royal council of bishops and noblemen.
The King may have hoped Becket would continue to put the royal government first, rather than the church; though Henry had not counted on the famous transformation of Becket into an ascetic.
A rift grew between Henry and Becket as the new archbishop resigned his chancellorship and sought to recover and extend the rights of the archbishopric. This led to a series of conflicts with the King, including that over the jurisdiction of secular courts over English clergymen, which accelerated antipathy between Becket and the King.
Attempts by Henry to influence the other bishops against Becket began in Westminster in the October of 1163, where the King sought approval of the traditional rights of the royal government in regard to the church. This led to Becket being asked to agree to the King’s rights, or face political repercussions.
Becket finally expressed his willingness to agree to the substance of the so-termed, Constitutions of Clarendon, but still refused to formally sign the document. Whereupon he was summoned to appear before a great council at Northampton Castle on October 8, 1164, to answer allegations of contempt of royal authority and malfeasance in the Chancellor’s office.
Convicted on the charges, Becket stormed out of the trial and fled to the Continent, but was pursued with a series of edicts, targeting Becket as well as all his friends and supporters.
Becket fought back, threatening excommunication and interdict against the King and bishops and the kingdom.
In June, 1170, Roger de Pont L'Évêque (Archbishop of York), was chosen to crown the heir apparent, Henry the Young King. This was a breach of Canterbury’s privilege of coronation, leading Becket to excommunicate the archbishop of York (along with Gilbert Foliot, the Bishop of London, and Josceline de Bohon, the Bishop of Salisbury).
Upon hearing reports of Becket’s actions, Henry II (The Young King’s Father), is said to have uttered words that were interpreted by his men as wishing Becket killed. The King’s exact words are in doubt and several versions have been reported. The most commonly quoted, being: ‘Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?’
Whatever Henry said, it was interpreted as a royal command, and four knights (Reginald FitzUrse, Hugh de Morville, William de Tracy and Richard le Breton), set out to confront the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Following Becket’s murder at the hands of the King’s knights, the faithful throughout Europe began venerating Becket as a martyr, and on February 21, 1173, little more than two years after his death, he was canonised by Pope Alexander III in St Peter’s Church in Segni.
The coat of arms of Canterbury (officially registered in 1619 but dating back to at least 1380), is based on the arms supposed to have been those of Thomas Becket: Argent three Cornish choughs proper two and one, accompanied by a chief in red with a gold lion from the Royal Arms of England.
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THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST HOLY MARTYRS OF THE HOLY ROMAN CHURCH
Feast Day: June 30
In the words of Tertullian: 'The Christian, even when he is condemned, gives thanks.'
The First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church, are those who suffered martyrdom under the persecution of Emperor Nero in 64 A.D. The event is recorded by both Tacitus and Pope Clement I.
That year, a terrible fire, which raged for nine days, devastated two-thirds of Rome. On the third day of the fire, Nero was seen on the top of the Tower of Maecenas reciting Priam's lament over the burning of Troy.
His savage delight in watching the flames gave rise to the belief that he was the incendiary. To shift the blame, he accused the Christians and began persecuting them.
The martyrs were exposed to the scorn of the people and put to death at a nocturnal feast in Nero's gardens. Many were sewn up in the skins of wild beasts and delivered to the hungry dogs.
Some of them were crucified. Others were smeared over with oil, impaled with sharp stakes, and ignited as human torches. The cruelty of these tortures aroused the horror and the pity of the Romans, and because of the testimony of these martyrs, many came to believe in the name of Jesus Christ.
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Babylon, The Seat of Satan, and Rome
Revelation 2:12-13 KJV
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
Babel, or Babylon, was built by Nimrod. Gen. 10:8-10. It was the seat of the first great Apostasy. Here the "Babylonian Cult" was invented. A system claiming to possess the highest wisdom and to reveal the divinest secrets. Before a member could be initiated he had to "confess" to the Priest. The Priest then had him in his power. This is the secret of the power of the Priests of the Roman Catholic Church today.
Once admitted into this order men were no longer Babylonians, Assyrians, or Egyptians, but members of a Mystical Brotherhood, over whom was placed a Pontiff or "High Priest," whose word was law. The city of Babylon continued to be the seat of Satan until the fall of the Babylonian and Medo-Persian Empires, when he shifted his Capital to Pergamos in Asia Minor, where it was in John's day. Rev. 2:12,13.
When Attains, the Pontiff and King of Pergamos, died in B. C. 133, he bequeathed the Headship of the "Babylonian Priesthood" to Rome. When the Etruscans came to Italy from Lydia (the region of Pergamos), they brought with them the Babylonian religion and rites. They set up a Pontiff who was head of the Priesthood. Later the Romans accepted this Pontiff as their civil ruler. Julius Caesar was made Pontiff of the Etruscan Order in B. C. 74. In B. C. 63 he was made "Supreme Pontiff" of the "Babylonian Order," thus becoming heir to the rights and titles of Attalus, Pontiff of Pergamos, who had made Rome his heir by will. Thus the first Roman Emperor became the Head of the "Babylonian Priesthood," and Rome the successor of Babylon. The Emperors of Rome continued to exercise the office of "Supreme Pontiff" until A. D. 376, when the Emperor Gratian, for Christian reasons, refused it. The Bishop of the Church at Rome, Damasus, was elected to the position. He had been Bishop 12 years, having been made Bishop in A. D. 366, through the influence of the monks of Mt. Carmel, a college of Babylonian religion originally founded by the priests of Jezebel. So in A. D. 378 the Head of the "Babylonian Order" became the Ruler of the "Roman Church." Thus Satan united Rome and Babylon In One Religious System.
Soon after Damasus was made "supreme Pontiff" the "rites" of Babylon began to come to the front. The worship of the Virgin Mary was set up in A. D. 381.
The Book Of Revelation Commentary by Clarence Larkin (1919 pgs. 151-152)
Larkin goes on to say on page 152...
All the outstanding festivals of the Roman Catholic Church are of Babylonian origin. Easter is not a Christian name. It means "Ishtar," one of the titles of the Baby- Ionian Queen of Heaven, whose worship by the Children of Israel was such an abomination in the sight of God. The decree for the observance of Easter and Lent was given in A. D. 519. The "Rosary" is of Pagan origin. There is no warrant in the Word of God for the use of the "Sign of the Cross." It had its origin in the mystic "Tau" of the Chaldeans and Egyptians. It came from the letter "T," the initial name of "Tammuz," and was used in the "Babylonian Mysteries" for the sarnie magic purposes as the Romish church now employs it. Celibacy, the Tonsure, and the Order of Monks and Nuns, have no warrant or authority from Scripture. The Nuns are nothing more than an imitation of the "Vestal Virgins" of Pagan Rome.
...and there is a lot more said but I want to go back to Damasus real quick. Not only was he the Pope from 366-384, and did all the above mentioned. He is also was the first to declare that Rome was started by Peter, thereby claiming Peter as the “founder” of the church (which is a complete lie and twist of scripture), and was the one that commissioned Jerome to “revise” the Latin translation of the Bible which became known as the Vulgate. To this day, NO ONE has seen the text that one man (Jerome) used to create the Vulgate.
Revelation 18:4-5
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
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Justification for the Crusades
Justification for the Crusades
“Exo 6:2 And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am Jehovah:
Exo 6:3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them.
Exo 6:4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojourning’s, wherein they sojourned.”
I believe I needed to start here. God, Yahweh reveals himself to Moses in a different manner than Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. He reminds Moses of the covenant he made with them, and he reveals for the first time His Lordship and the Authority of His name. Christians now know the power in the name of Jesus. God is setting the stage to deliver His people out of slavery, and into this “Promised Land.”
Soon after God delivered them out of slavery Amalek attacked them in the wilderness. Exodus 17:8-16 gives us the account of this pivotal event because that ends with the LORD swearing to have War with Amalek from generation to generation.
If we back up to Exodus 15 we read about “The Song of Moses” where Israel sings the words “The Lord (Yahweh) is a man of War: the Lord (Yahweh) is his name” The Old Testament, from this point forward is full of great battles, from Jericho to Gideon's campaign, to The siege of Jebus, which essentially was David leading the Israelites to take Jerusalem. We know, without a doubt that Israel is called to war by God, the question then is, are Christians under the new covenant called to War?
When people say that Christians are just as violent as Islam, and then use the Crusades as the main example, they make a great point. I am sure the Crusaders were ruthless and savage, nothing even resembling our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but anyone who has been in war will tell you “War is Hell”
So where does the Christian Justification come in? The Kingdom of Heaven is not exclusive to Jerusalem. “We know we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but principalities and dark forces” (Eph 6:12) We know that defending our families and loved ones with our lives is justified, but should Christians be “Militarized” if so, for what? This is the real question. Islam organized a military after centuries of battling the Roman Empire, eventually becoming the Eastern Holy Roman Empire.
Rome never conquered the peninsula of Arabia. They seized enough land in modern Kuwait to establish trade routes, but the regions hosting Mecca and modern-day Riyadh were never conquered.
When Muhammed began his teachings in 613 A.D. it was not in a region conquered by the Roman Empire. It was 300 years after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Though Rome had footholds, it had never truly conquered the lands and its people.
The Arabian Peninsula was also home to the descendants of the tribes and nations fighting against Israel for well over millennia. Jericho was conquered in 1400 B.C. which would indicate two full MILLENIA'S before Muhammed. The roots of animosity and justification had to run so deep.
I have not studied the Quran so I do not know Muhammed's justification for Islam to lay siege to Jerusalem (636-637), nor do I know what the catalyst for their conquest of North Africa and eventually into Europe was. One thing was made clear...Islam had declared war on not just the descendants of Moses, and not just the Byzantine Empire, but on all of Christianity.
Once Christianity brought the Crusades the pride in the hearts of man had justified their means. Nobody was innocent anymore, nobody was right.
Even though I acknowledge any Christian excuse for War as hypocritical, I do believe that war is inevitable in the preparation of the Bride. Christians have been tasked with spreading the good news, the Apostles died as Martyrs for this Good news, the early church was persecuted for this good news and Christianity thrived.
Is this what it means? For us to all be Martyrs? To not be lovers of violence? That if we live by the sword, we will die by the sword? Are followers of Christ destined to be slaughtered as the Lamb himself? Is this the depths of laying down one's life? Did Christ die that we might die, or that we may have Life? Is Life worth fighting for?
Christ does not want His Men to be weak, nor allow crimes perpetrated upon their families! To allow our mothers and daughters to be conquered and raped? Enslaved? Jesus would never stand by and allow this.
Since I do believe that violence is to be met with violence, to defend against violence perpetrated upon my family, I believe one must Establish boundaries and borders. Borders that infer "This is where I draw the line" “This is mine, and I will defend this to my last breath to protect it.”
If you do not, dark forces will try to stamp you out. Hitler tried very very hard to exterminate all that was Jewish. The world will always create an enemy of God's people. Socialism, Communism, Nazism, Islam, Satanism, Witchcraft. The enemy has even turned Christianity against Christianity. From the great schism to the protestant reformation. Protestant Americans in southern U.S. states killed Jewish students from the northern states because they hated them. Northern and Southern Ireland had a Civil War with Protestants backing the Queen's rule in the North and Catholics fighting for independence in the South.
As I establish My boundaries in life, perhaps I seek out others to collectively protect our beliefs and families. To keep them safe from wolves, and roaring lions that look around seeking to devour. Perhaps this fellowship of creating borders, and boundaries causes us to form a community, or perhaps a tribe. Perhaps we reach out to other tribes to collectively further our boundaries because of strength in numbers, perhaps we create a nation or Kingdom. If the American media has taught us anything in the last four years, it's that not having borders will allow chaos and enemies inside your homes.
Now, applying this reasoning to our Christian morality, we will eventually come full circle to "Where" exactly we believe we should establish our boundaries. Is Christianity exclusive to Europe and The U.S.A.? Is Catholicism exclusive only to Italy? Is the Orthodox church exclusive only to Russia? Are all the different denominations simply trying to establish their foothold in regions? If so, then so is Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
Do I believe in Israel or Christianity maintaining the boundary and authority over Jerusalem?
Yes...
I unapologetically confirm that I stand with Israel, especially since I was raised by a long line of American veterans to never forget the past. I was shown the footage of Auschwitz, and Dachau. I remember the black-and-white footage of Jews standing in lines being marched into showers, and ovens. I will never stand before my God and say I did nothing to prevent that from happening...again.
“God hates a Coward.” "Rak Chazak Amats"
Israel's God is my Lord and savior's Father, but I believe in the Trinity, so their God is my God even if they look down on us for believing that Jesus is the Christ. Even if they are not saved due to their denial of Jesus, I will support them.
I believe the Crusades are justified... because I believe Israel should always have a home.
Mat 10:34 “Think not that I have come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword”.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
Until Christ comes again, I believe we are stuck in this age of Warfare. The only way to world peace is in Christ.
#bible#god#jesus#healing#us politics#donald trump#ai art#jesus christ#christ is king#easter#catholic#christianity#good friday
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Today in Christian History
Today is Monday, January 1st, 2024. It is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; Because it is a leap year, 365 days remain until the end of the year.
404: Last known gladiator fight in Rome. Sometime earlier, Telemachus, a monk from the eastern Roman empire, had been killed by spectators in the Roman Coliseum for attempting to separate gladiatorial combatants. According to church historian Theodoret, when Emperor Honorius learned of this, he declared Telemachus a martyr and abolished the games.
1519: The Swiss Reformation begins when Huldrych Zwingli (pictured above) assumes his duties as priest of Zurich and begins preaching through the Bible.
1622: The Gregorian Calendar, so called because it was promulgated by Pope Gregory XIII, makes January 1st the first day of the year in Catholic countries. Under the Roman calendar, March 25th had been the first day of the year.
1802: In reply to the Danbury Baptist Accociation (of Connecticut), which is concerned that Baptists could be forced to belong to an established church, Thomas Jefferson declares there is “a wall of separation between Church and State,” a phrase which never appears enshrined in the US Constitution, but will later be wrested out of context to deny public expression of religious belief on governmental property.
1824: Over breakfast, David Naismith organizes The Glasgow Young Men’s Society for Religious Improvement. One object spelled out in its constitution is “to establish and promote throughout the city and suburbs associations of Young Men for Mutual Religious Improvement.”
1871: An act to disestablish the Church of Ireland goes into effect, meaning it will no longer be the government-run church of that country.
1927: Kawai Shinsui publicly announces that he is establishing the Christ Heart Church, a Japanese denomination independent of the west.
1937: Death of J. Gresham Machen, a gifted Presbyterian scholar and defender of the Christian faith in the United States. Concerned with a rising tide of liberalism among Presbyterians, he had helped found the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
1945: Death of Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah, first native-born Anglican bishop of India. He had relinquished leadership in two mission agencies to work in Dornakal, one of the poorest regions of India. Upon his arrival in Dornakal, Christians had numbered 8,000 with six Indian ministers and one hundred and seventy-two lay-workers. By his death the diocese had one hundred and fifty ministers and about three hundred thousand converts despite the opposition of Mahatma Gandhi.
1979: Beginning of the Third General Council of the Latin American Episcopate, held in Puebla, Mexico. It will emphasize popular piety and place special emphasis on the poor.
2011: Muslims in Alexandria, Egypt, bomb the crowded Two Saints Coptic Church, killing more than twenty Christian and wounding scores of others.
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Saint Hippolytus of Rome
The hieromartyr Hippolytus of Rome was a priest and an ecclesiastical writer of the third century. He is considered to have been antipope of the Church of Rome from about 217 to 235. He was among the most important Christian theologians of the third century, and a saint. His feast day is January 30.
T
Life
The early life of Hippolytus is unknown. He was born about the year 170 and lived in Rome when young. Greek was his native tongue. He is believed to have been a disciple of Irenaeus of Lyons and to have met Origen. From the details of his work, Philosophoumena Hippolytus apparently was in Rome during the time Victor was the bishop of Rome. At the beginning of the third century he was a priest noted for his learning, eloquence, zeal, and moral earnestness. He was also noted to be a bishop of an unspecified city by Eusebius of Caesarea and Jerome and by the poet Prudentius as bishop of Portus, a port for Rome.
The Philosophoumena, that is a part of his larger work "Refutation of All Heresies", shows that he dissented from the compassionate views of Bps. Zephyrinus, whom he considered to be a weak man "unskilled the church's rule", and Callistus I of Rome concerning the reception of backsliders and heretics who had repented. In the "Refutation of All Heresies" Hippolytus set out to refute the doctrines of the Gnostics and condemn heretics by showing that their views were taken from pagan philosophy and oriental theosophy.
Hippolytus also came into conflict with the opinions of the bishops of Rome on christological issues of the day to such an extant that came to allow himself to be elected a rival bishop of Rome, the first antipope
Under the persecutions of emperor Maximinus Thrax Hippolytus was exiled to Sardinia in 235 where he died, reportedly a martyr. His body was returned to Rome and interred in a cemetery on the Via Tiburtina. By about 255, he was considered a martyred priest by the Church, indicating that he had been reconciled with the Church and not considered a schismatic.
Taken from Orthodox Wiki
#eastern orthodox#orthodox#byzantine#orthodoxy#eastern catholic#christianity#icon#iconography#byzantine icon#christian iconography#Hippolytus Of Rome#St. Hippolytus of Rome#Saint Hippolytus of Rome#Catholic Saint#Orthodox Saint#Greek Orthodox#Russian Orthodox#Roman Catholic#Catholic Icon#Church Father#Eastern Orthodox Church#Russian orthodox icon#great saint#Orthodox Church#early church#patristic#Hippolytus#Orthodox iconography#Eastern orthodox icon#Eastern Orthodox iconography
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The Solemnity of All Saints is celebrated on the first of November.
It was instituted to honour all of the saints, both known and unknown, and, according to Pope Urban IV, to supply any deficiencies in the faithful's celebration of saints' feasts during the year.
In the early days of the Church, the Christians were accustomed to solemnize the anniversary of a martyr's death for Christ at the place of martyrdom.
In the fourth century, neighbouring dioceses began to interchange feasts, to transfer relics, to divide them, and to join in a common feast; as is shown by the invitation of Saint Basil of Caesarea (397) to the bishops of the province of Pontus.
Frequently, groups of martyrs suffered on the same day, which naturally led to a joint commemoration.
In the persecution of Diocletian, the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each, but the Church, feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common day for all.
The first trace of this we find is in Antioch on the Sunday after Pentecost.
We also find mention of a common day in a sermon of Saint Ephrem the Syrian (373) and in the 74th homily of Saint John Chrysostom (407).
At first, only martyrs and Saint John the Baptist were honoured by a special day in the Liturgical Calendar.
Other saints were added gradually and increased in number when a regular process of canonization was established.
Still, as early as 411, there is in the Chaldean Calendar a "Commemoratio Confessorum" for the Friday after Easter.
In the west, Pope Boniface IV, on 13 May 609 or 610, consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs, ordering an anniversary.
Gregory III (731-741) consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of Saint Peter to all the saints and fixed the anniversary for November 1.
A basilica of the Apostles already existed in Rome. Its dedication was annually remembered on May 1.
Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration on November 1 to the entire Church.
The vigil seems to have been held as early as the feast itself. The octave was added by Sixtus IV (1471-84).
Francis Merseman (Catholic Encyclopedia), copyright 1907.
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Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs
An intriguing visual history of the veneration in European churches and monasteries of bejeweled and decorated skeletonsDeath has never looked so beautiful. The fully articulated skeleton of a female saint, dressed in an intricate costume of silk brocade and gold lace, withered fingers glittering with colorful rubies, emeralds, and pearls―this is only one of the specially photographed relics featured in Heavenly Bodies.
In 1578 news came of the discovery in Rome of a labyrinth of underground tombs, which were thought to hold the remains of thousands of early Christian martyrs. Skeletons of these supposed saints were subsequently sent to Catholic churches and religious houses in German-speaking Europe to replace holy relics that had been destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. The skeletons, known as “the catacomb saints,” were carefully reassembled, richly dressed in fantastic costumes, wigs, crowns, jewels, and armor, and posed in elaborate displays inside churches and shrines as reminders to the faithful of the heavenly treasures that awaited them after death.Paul Koudounaris gained unprecedented access to religious institutions to reveal these fascinating historical artifacts. Hidden for over a century as Western attitudes toward both the worship of holy relics and death itself changed, some of these ornamented skeletons appear in publication here for the first time.
105 illustrations, 90 in color
https://amzn.to/46NYoiz
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Little reminder for tomorrow's Valentine's Day, for all those who deny Israel's right to exist and still want to celebrate Valentine's Day on 14 February:
Valentine's Day, as it is celebrated in its current form in Western and Christian culture, goes back to a Christian saint and martyr or from the mixing of two Christian saints and named after him or both men. The two Christian saints are Saint Valentin of Terni and Saint Valentin of Rome. (It is also quite possible that both saints were one and the same person).
And we Christians are (Yeah, I know some of you baptised people out there would like to deny this reality, but sorry the New Testament is against you) a Jewish sect from Israel. Which only achieved the popularity and spread that made it today's world religion through the inclusion of Gentiles.
The first members of our early Christian church were Israelite Jews who saw in Jesus of Nazareth, an Israelite Jew too, the Messiah promised by God to his chosen people (the Israelites) and recognised him as such. And we Roman Catholics even trace our first pope back to an Israelite Jew — Saint Peter. (And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church […] (Matthäus 16,18 – ESV))
To summarise briefly for those who are confused:
→ Without Israel and Israeli Jews (including the Jewish faith), no Jewish sect, which later became the world religion called Christianity
→ Without Christianity, no Christian saints and martyrs, named Saint Valentin of Terni and St Valentin of Rome
→ Without a Saint Valentin, no Valentine's Day.
Get it? And if you're not hypocrites and enjoys in double standards, you should keep your hands off this holiday from now on. Or boycott it altogether, that's what you like to do. But of course you can still celebrate a festival of love and romance, I will gladly leave the Roman festival 'Lupercalia' to you.
But wait, if you don't believe in the Roman gods, wouldn't that be cultural appropriation of an ancient and extinct culture?
Sources
If you want to read more about the origin of Valentine's Day and Saint Valentin or want to check if I am telling nonsense, here are two English sources linked:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Valentines-Day
https://www.italyheritage.com/traditions/calendar/february/14-san-valentino.htm.
And otherwise, just search for 'Valentine's Day origin' or 'Saint Valentin' with your favourite search engine.
If you want to read more about the beginnings and origins of Christianity, please read the New Testament. (I highly recommend the Gospel according to Matthäus, who wrote for the “Jewish Christians” * and placed great emphasis on proving Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Israelites.)
But of course it is also worth looking at the other gospels (Markus, Lukas, and Johannes) or the Acts of the Apostles (Can be found in the ESV under 'Acts').
If you don't have a Bible at home, you can read the English Standard Version (ESV) online for free: https://www.esv.org/
* The term “Jewish Christians” is used in this case to distinguish them from the so-called “Gentile Christians”. “Gentile Christians” refers to all Christians who are not Jews or who were of the Jewish faith.
#Valentine's Day#Saint Valentine#St Valentine of Terni#Christianity#Israel#Zionism#pro israel#Judaism#Jesus was an Israelite Jew#Christianity comes from a Jewish sect from Israel#Antisemitism#Anti-Zionists#Antizinoism#I'm so tired of double standards and hypocrisy#gaza
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We can’t compromise with pagans just because they’re traditional in our fight against the modern world.
Not only because paganism violates the First Commandment, but also because the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome didn’t die just so our God can co-exist with their gods.
Once we re-establish Christendom in Europe and spread it in the entire world pagan gods will be the first one to be abolished.
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