Pope from 514-523, successor to St. Symmachus, and father of Pope St. Silverius Born in Frosinone, Campagna di Roma, Italy, he was an Italian, although he had a Persian name. Married and … continue reading
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Arts, Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged All rights reserved, Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Florence, Italy, Op.52, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, robert schumann, ROBERT SCHUMANN - Ouverture, scherzo, Scherzo und Finale
By Marta Jimenez
Rome, Italy, May 7, 2015 / 06:05 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pilgrims and tourists strolling down the streets of Rome in the coming months may come across an unexpected treat – a special “Jubilee of Mercy Ice Cream,” created in honor of the upcoming Holy Year.
Pope Francis has proclaimed the special Holy Year of Mercy, which is to last from Dec. 8, 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, to Nov. 20, 2016, the Solemnity of Christ the King.
The special Jubilee ice cream can be sampled at the Hedera ice cream shop, situated on the legendary Borgo Pio, one of the streets most traveled by Rome’s tourists.
Hedera stands out from among the other restaurants and souvenir shops because of the sprawling ivy vines that completely cover the building and the adjacent old drinking fountain with a papal crest that slakes the thirst of passersby.
The sweet treat created for the Jubilee features the colors of the Vatican flag – yellow and white. It is made of milk, cream and limoncello, a lemon liqueur popular in Italy.
“We have tradition and innovation in our DNA. The idea came to us thinking about a product inspired by the Jubilee, something very significant,” said business owner Francesco Ceravolo.
“We didn’t want to make a product just to advertise, but an excellent product. We used the best milk available in the area, the best cream and limoncello, he explained, adding, “We lowered the alcohol in it so everyone could have it: children, adults, the elderly.”
Ceravolo is a big admirer of Pope Francis and a descendant of master ice cream makers. He said that the idea was to create a unique flavor that would represent penance. The lemon liqueur was therefore chosen to symbolize purification.
Hedera prides itself on high-quality products, all sourced from Italy and without preservatives.
The “Jubilee ice cream” is just one example of how the people of Rome are preparing to welcome the thousands of pilgrims that will visit the city for the Jubilee of Mercy that the Pope has declared.
Mercy is a theme that is dear to Pope Francis, and is the central topic of his episcopal motto “miserando atque eligendo,” which he chose when ordained a bishop in 1992.
In speaking about the upcoming Holy Year of Mercy, the Pope has emphasized that mercy is inseparable from the life and mission of the Church, as well as the role of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Upon making the public proclamation of the Holy Year, Pope Francis explained that he had declared this Jubilee of mercy because we are living at a “time of great historical change” which calls the Church “to offer more evident signs of God’s presence and closeness.”
This period in history is a time where the faithful “need to be vigilant and to reawaken in ourselves the capacity to see what is essential,” he said.
“This is the time for mercy.”
The aim of Jubilee Year of Mercy is to encourage the faithful to “welcome the numerous signs of the tenderness which God offers to the whole world,” the Pope stressed.
Tags: Holy Year of Mercy
emblem of the Papacy: Triple tiara and keys Français : emblème pontifical Italiano: emblema del Papato Português: Emblema papal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, News, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, QUOTATION, Special Interest, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged 500px, Airport terminal, Alitalia, Bakhdida, Catholic News Agency, Gabriele Amorth, Italy, Mediterranean Sea, Rome, Satan
Statue of Fr Junipero Serra, Mission San Juan Bautista California. Credit: Ramon Lomeli via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
By Elise Harris
Rome, Italy, May 3, 2015 / 05:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Experts in California history, archeology and the life of Bl. Junipero Serra have praised him as a passionate missionary with a vision that extended far beyond his own generation.
“I think that’s a characteristic of great people. They’re not bound up by the restrictions of their generation, they see ahead,” Mons. Francis J. Weber told CNA April 30, in reference to the life of Bl. Junipero Serra.
He compared Serra to former president of the United States Abraham Lincoln, who despite being heavily criticized during his life for working to abolish slavery, “was one of the greatest presidents we’ve ever had. But he was generations ahead of his time.”
“I think you could say that most great people are ahead of their own generation. I would probably say that they see things the way they should be done, but not as they are,” the priest said.
Mons. Weber is the author of more than 100 books, many of which focus on California’s Catholic history, and the former archivist of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
A pupil of the well-known Catholic Church historian John Tracy Ellis, Mons. Weber also taught history at Queen of Angels Seminary in Los Angeles and served as president of the Association of Catholic Diocesan Archivists.
He was one of four panelists present in Rome for an April 30 discussion on the life and legacy of Bl. Junipero Serra, who will be canonized by Pope Francis during his visit to the U.S. in September.
Fr. Serra was born in 1713 on the Spanish island of Majorca in the Mediterranean. He left his position as a university professor to become a missionary to the New World, helping to convert many of the native community to Christianity and teaching them new technologies. The Franciscan priest founded several of the missions that would go on to become the centers of major California cities.
The priest’s mission work often took place despite a painful ulcerated leg which is said to have been caused either by cancer or a spider bite soon after his arrival in Mexico. He died in 1784 at Mission San Carlos Borroméo del Carmelo in what is now the state of California.
St. John Paul II beatified Fr. Serra in 1988. In January, Pope Francis praised the missionary as “the evangelizer of the West” when he announced his intention to canonize him.
In the panel discussion, specific attention was given to Serra’s zeal to be a missionary. Mons. Weber said this can be seen in the priest’s decision to leave his home in Spain despite the fact that he wasn’t young anymore, and knowing that he likely wouldn’t see his aged parents again.
While praising Serra’s visionary perspective and the good that came out of the missions, panelists also addressed criticisms surrounding Serra and the missions in a conversation with journalists after the panel.
Controversy over the canonization has stemmed from claims that Serra’s missions enacted forced labor and conversions as well as corporal punishment. Scholarship on the issue is divided, and Serra supporters contend that many of the accusations against Serra are rife with misinterpretations and factual errors.
Robert Senkewicz, a history professor at Santa Clara University in California and co-author of a newly released 500 page biography on Junipero Serra, was also present at Thursday’s press conference.
He said he’s not surprised that there is contention over Serra’s canonization, and noted that much of the dissatisfaction likely surrounds a history of poor policies the U.S. had toward native Americans in the past.
Inevitably native populations will interpret their past to be a “prison” of previous U.S. policies toward Indians, because “it wasn’t nice,” he said.
“It was a policy of removal and extermination…so I’m not surprised that there’s a lot of dissatisfaction against the canonization Fr. Serra, because Californian Indians are American Indians, and American Indians interpret their past through the most catastrophic parts of it, which were the U.S. policies.”
Ruben Mendoza, an archeology professor at California State University, Monterey Bay, also spoke on the panel from a cultural perspective, being of both Mexican and Indian descent.
With extensive experience in the field of archeology as well as working in the California missions of San Juan Bautista, San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, Nuestra Senora de la Soledad and the Royal Presidio of Monterey, Mendoza was initially hostile to Serra, but changed his view after studying about the blessed and working in the missions himself.
Mendoza pointed out that despite Serra’s critics, “many of us carry currencies in our pockets that contain the images of individuals who we see as heroes, they were the founders of our country, and yet if we judge them from the perspective of our histories then they were human traffickers.”
These people, he said, “were a whole host of things that today we would not even begin to dream of if we consider ourselves as patriots.”
Mendoza also referred to how some have argued that Serra had sought to be a martyr at one point in his life, saying that if we look at this life, the reality is that “if he had sought martyrdom he would have been mortified.”
Serra, he said, “would have realized that the very people that he loved, that he devoted his life to, would now see him as the culprit in their disintegration.”
“I believe that in the end, by virtue of the very attacks that those descendants bring to the table, they have martyred Junipero Serra and turned him into a saint.”
Tags: Bl Junipero Serra
A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.
Today in History
May 5
| 1494 | Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Jamaica, which he names Santa Gloria. | |
| 1814 | British attack the American forces at Ft. Ontario, Oswego, New York. | |
| 1821 | Napoleon Bonaparte dies in exile on the island of St. Helena. | |
| 1834 | The first mainland railway line opens in Belgium. | |
| 1862 | Union and Confederate forces clash at the Battle of Williamsburg, part of the Peninsula Campaign. | |
| 1862 | Mexican forces loyal to Benito Juarez defeat troops sent by Napoleon III in the Battle of Puebla. | |
| 1865 | The 13th Amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery. | |
| 1886 | A bomb explodes on the fourth day of a workers’ strike in Chicago. | |
| 1912 | Soviet Communist Party newspaper Pravda begins publishing. | |
| 1916 | U.S. Marines invade the Dominican Republic. | |
| 1917 | Eugene Jacques Bullard becomes the first African-American aviator when he earns a flying certificate with the French Air Service. | |
| 1920 | Anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are arrested for murder. | |
| 1935 | American Jesse Owens sets the long jump record. | |
| 1942 | General Joseph Stilwell learns that the Japanese have cut his railway out of China and is forced to lead his troops into India. | |
| 1945 | Holland and Denmark are liberated from Nazi control. | |
| 1961 | Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space. | |
| 1965 | 173rd Airborne Brigade arrives in Bien Hoa-Vung, Vietnam, the first regular U.S. Army unit deployed to that country. | |
| 1968 | U.S. Air Force planes hit Nhi Ha, South Vietnam in support of attacking infantrymen. | |
| 1969 | Pulitzer Prize awarded to Norman Mailer for his ‘nonfiction novel’ Armies of the Night, an account of the 1967 anti-Vietnam War march on the Pentagon. | |
| 1987 | Congress opens Iran-Contra hearings. | |
| 2000 | The Sun, Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn align – Earth’s moon is also almost in this alignment – leading to Doomsday predictions of massive natural disasters, although such a ‘grand confluence’ occurs about once in every century. | |
| Born on May 5 | ||
| 1813 | Soren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher. | |
| 1818 | Karl Marx, German philosopher (The Communist Manifesto, Das Kapital). | |
| 1830 | John B. Stetson, American hat maker. | |
| 1861 | Peter Cooper Hewitt, electrical engineer, inventor of the mercury-vapor lamp. | |
| 1883 | Charles Albert “Chief” Bender, baseball player. | |
| 1890 | Christopher Morley, writer (Kitty Foyle). | |
| 1899 | Freeman F. Gosden, radio comedy writer and performer (Amos ‘n’ Andy). | |
| 1909 | Carlos Baker, biographer. | |
| 1943 | Michael Palin, actor and screenwriter (Monty Python’s Flying Circus). | |
– See more at: http://www.historynet.com/today-in-history#sthash.6DhlyMv5.dpuf
High-profile Rome exorcist: ‘ISIS is Satan’ Crucifix. Credit: Bluekdesign via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
In a recent Facebook post, well-known Roman exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth said the Islamic State (ISIS) “is Satan,” and he also questioned the lack of response from Western nations.
“ISIS is Satan. Things first happen in the spiritual realms, then they are made concrete on this earth,” he said in an April 8 post on the social media website.
Father Amorth continued, “there are only two spiritual realms: The Holy Spirit and the demonic spirit.”
He said the demonic enters in “because evil is disguised in various ways: political, religious, cultural, and it has one source of inspiration: the devil. As a Christian I fight the beast spiritually.”
“The political world, which today seems to lack a response in face of the massacre of Christians, will also have to fight ISIS and it will do it in a different way. If it advances as it seems to be doing, we ask ourselves what has the West done over the course of the last decades.”
The priest, who founded the International Association of Exorcists, explained that Satan “keeps saying that the world is in his power, and what he says is true. Biblically speaking we are in the last days and the beast is working furiously.”
ISIS took control of the largest Christian city in Iraq, Qaraqosh, in August last year, causing tens of thousands of people to flee.
The terrorist group has persecuted and murdered Christians and other religious minorities in parts of Syria and Iraq.
Fr. Amorth, age 90, has performed over 70,000 exorcisms during the past 29 years. The number is so high because carrying out an exorcism can require multiple sessions and each time the rite is administered it is counted as one instance.
Fr. Amorth has previously spoken about the danger posed by people no longer believing in the devil, as well as a shortage of exorcists.
Pompeii was a Roman city near modern Naples, Italy, that was destroyed during the catastrophic 79 ACE volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. As a result of the eruption, the city was buried under many feet of ash for 1,600 years before it was accidentally rediscovered. Its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. During the first excavation in 1860, voids discovered in the ash-layer were found to be spaces left by what? More… Discuss
A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.
February 2
| 962 | Otto I invades Italy and is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. | |
| 1032 | Conrad II claims the throne of France. | |
| 1494 | Columbus begins the practice using Indians as slaves. | |
| 1571 | All eight members of a Jesuit mission in Virginia are murdered by Indians who pretended to be their friends. | |
| 1626 | Charles I is crowned King of England. Fierce internal struggles between the monarchy and Parliament characterized 17th century English politics. | |
| 1848 | The Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo formally ends the Mexican War. | |
| 1865 | Confederate raider William Quantrill and his bushwackers rob citizens, burn a railroad depot and steal horses from Midway, Kentucky. | |
| 1870 | The press agencies Havas, Reuter and Wolff sign an agreement whereby between them they can cover the whole world. | |
| 1876 | The National Baseball League is founded with eight teams. | |
| 1900 | Six cities, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis agree to form baseball’s American League. | |
| 1901 | Mexican government troops are badly beaten by Yaqui Indians. | |
| 1916 | U.S. Senate votes independence for Philippines, effective in 1921. | |
| 1921 | Airmail service opens between New York and San Francisco. Airmail’s First Day. | |
| 1934 | Alfred Rosenberg is made philosophical chief of the Nazi Party. | |
| 1939 | Hungary breaks relations with the Soviet Union. | |
| 1943 | Last of the German strongholds at Stalingrad surrender to the Red army. | |
| 1944 | The Germans stop an Allied attack at Anzio, Italy. | |
| 1945 | Some 1,200 Royal Air Force planes blast Wiesbaden and Karlsruhe. | |
| 1948 | The United States and Italy sign a pact of friendship, commerce and navigation. | |
| 1959 | Arlington and Norfolk, Va., peacefully desegregate public schools. | |
| 1960 | The U.S. Senate approves 23rd Amendment calling for a ban on the poll tax. | |
| 1972 | The Winter Olympics begin in Sapporo, Japan. | |
| 1978 | U.S. Jewish leaders bar a meeting with Egypt’s Anwar Sadat. | |
| 1987 | Largest steel strike in American history, in progress since August, ends. | |
| Born on February 2 | ||
| 1754 | Charles Maurice de Tallyrand-Perigord, minister of foreign affairs for Napoleon I, who represented France brilliantly at the Congress of Vienna. | |
| 1882 | James Joyce, Irish novelist and poet (Ulysses, Portrait of a Young Man). | |
| 1890 | Charles Correl, radio performer. | |
| 1895 | George Halas, National Football League co-founder. | |
– See more at: http://www.historynet.com/today-in-history#sthash.IrmCKXD6.dpuf
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 1985 Chicago Bears season, Chicago, Chicago Bears, Federal government of the United States, George Halas, Head coach, Italy, John Fox (American football), Marc Trestman, National Baseball League, National Football League, This Day In History, Today In History, United States, William Quantrill, Yaqui Indians
If you haven’t, you definitely should! And in the meantime, you can take a virtual peak at the splendid galleries with #StreetView at: http://goo.gl/d9p0Iq
Enjoy the tour! #museweb #art #museum #Uffizi
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Arts, Arts, Virtual Museums tour., Educational, Gougle+, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Social Media, Special Interest, Uncategorized
Tagged Alexander Sokurov, An Óige, art galleries, Art museum, Florence, Florence Italy, Gabriel's Inferno, Galleria Borghese, Google, google art project, Italy, Michelangelo, New York City, Rome, Uffizi, Uffizi Gallery
Feastday: January 14
Death: 552
Bishop of Milan, Italy, probably from 530, exiled by the Arian Ostrogoths. When Milan was attacked by the Goths, General Belisarius of Constantinople, failed to aid the city. It is believed that Datius was taken prisoner for a time but was freed by his friend Cassiodorus. He went to Constantinople to support Pope Vigilius against Emperor Justinian in the Three Chapter Controversy of 545 . He probably died there.
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged 72 BC, ancient rome, Arian Ostrogoths, Bishop of Milan, Cesare Beccaria, Constantinople, Corpus Juris Civilis, David Kohan, Emperor Justinian, General Belisarius, Italy, Jews, Justinian I, Nicholas II of Russia, Pope Vigilius, United States, Will & Grace
A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.
Today in History
January 7
| 1327 | King Edward II of England is deposed. | |
| 1558 | The French, under the Duke of Guise, finally take the port of Calais from the English. | |
| 1785 | Frenchman Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American Dr. John Jeffries make the first crossing of the English Channel in a hydrogen balloon. | |
| 1807 | Responding to Napoleon Bonaparte’s attempted blockade of the British Isles, the British blockade Continental Europe. | |
| 1865 | Cheyenne and Sioux warriors attack Julesburg, Colo., in retaliation for the Sand Creek Massacre. | |
| 1901 | New York stock exchange trading exceeds two million shares for the first time in history. | |
| 1902 | Imperial Court of China returns to Peking. The Empress Dowager resumes her reign. | |
| 1918 | The Germans move 75,000 troops from the Eastern Front to the Western Front. | |
| 1934 | Six thousand pastors in Berlin defy the Nazis insisting that they will not be silenced. | |
| 1944 | The U.S. Air Force announces the production of the first jet-fighter, Bell P-59 Airacomet. | |
| 1945 | U.S. air ace Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. is killed in the Pacific. | |
| 1952 | French forces in Indochina launch Operation Violette in an effort to push Viet Minh forces away from the town of Ba Vi. | |
| 1955 | Marian Anderson becomes the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera House. | |
| 1975 | Vietnamese troops take Phuoc Binh in new full-scale offensive. | |
| 1979 | Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge are overthrown when Vietnamese troops seize the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. | |
| 1980 | US President Jimmy Carter signs legislation providing $1.5 billion in loans to salvage Chrysler Corporation. | |
| 1985 | Vietnam seizes the Khmer National Liberation Front headquarters near the Thai border. | |
| 1985 | Japan launches its first interplanetary spacecraft, Sakigake, the first deep space probe launched by any nation other than the US or the USSR. | |
| 1989 | Prince Akihito sworn in as Emperor of Japan, following the death of his father, Hirohito. | |
| 1990 | Safety concerns over structural problems force the Leaning Tower of Pisa to be closed to the public. | |
| 1993 | The Bosnian Army carries out a surprise attack on the village of Kravica in Srebrenica during the Bosnian War. | |
| 1999 | The impeachment trial of US President Bill Clinton opens in the US Senate. | |
| Born on January 7 | ||
| 1718 | Israel Putnam, American Revolutionary War hero. | |
| 1745 | Etienne Montgolfier, French inventor who, with his brother, launched the first successful hot-air balloon. | |
| 1800 | Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States. | |
| 1845 | Louis III, last King of Bavaria. | |
| 1911 | Butterfly McQueen (Thelma McQueen), actress best known for her role as Scarlett O’Hara’s maid Prissy in Gone with the Wind (1939); won Daytime Emmy portraying Aunt Thelma, a fairy godmother in “The Seven Wishes of Joanna Peabody,” an ABC Afterschool Special. | |
| 1912 | Charles Addams, cartoonist, creator of the Addams Family. | |
| 1922 | Jean-Pierre Rampal, flautist. | |
| 1930 | Jack Greene, country singer, musician; won Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year for “There Goes My Everything” (1967). | |
| 1939 | Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark. | |
| 1948 | Kenny Loggins, singer, songwriter; half of Loggins and Messina duo. | |
| 1957 | Katie Couric, journalist, author; has hosted news and talk shows on all three major TV networks. | |
– See more at: http://www.historynet.com/today-in-history#sthash.bInOmWCg.dpuf
Posted in PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY
Tagged American Broadcasting Company, Angle, Jr., Bell tower, Bermuda, Big cat, British Isles, Dr. John Jeffries, Europe, Italy, Jean-Pierre Blanchard, King Edward II of England, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Major Thomas B. McGuire, napoleon bonaparte, Pisa, This Day In History
The Leaning Tower is the freestanding bell tower of a cathedral in Pisa, Italy. Though designed to stand upright, Pisa’s most famous landmark began leaning soon after construction began in 1173. In 1964, Italy’s government enlisted the aid of a multinational task force to prevent the tower from toppling, but the tilt remained so severe that the tower was closed to the public in 1990. After another decade of stabilization efforts, it was reopened in 2001. What first caused it to lean? More… Discuss
Pope Francis greets pilgrims during the General Audience held Jan. 8, 2014. Credit: Kyle Burkhart/CNA
.- In an address on Sunday to Italy’s National Numerous Family Association, Pope Francis thanked the members of large families for their cultivation of virtues that benefit society at large, as well as themselves.
“The fact of having brothers and sisters is good for you,” he said Dec. 28 to the children among the some 7,000 members of large families from across Italy at the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall.
“The sons and daughters of large families are more inclined to fraternal communion from early childhood. In a world that is frequently marred by selfishness, a large family is a school of solidarity and sharing; and these attitudes are of benefit to all society.”
The audience was on the occasion of the association’s tenth anniversary, and marked the feast of the Holy Family.
“You have come here with the most beautiful fruits of your love,” he said to the parents of the families. “Maternity and paternity are gifts from God, but your task is to receive this gift, to be amazed by its beauty and to let it shine in society. Each of your children is a unique creation that will never be repeated in the history of humanity. When we understand this, that each person is willed by God, we are astonished by the great miracle that is a child! A child changes your life!”
We have all seen, he reminded them, men and women who have profoundly changed “when a child arrives,” adding that a child is “the unique fruit of love,” coming from and growing in love.
“You, children and young people, are the fruit of the tree that is the family: you are good fruit when the tree has good roots – grandparents – and a good trunk – the parents,” Pope Francis said. “The great human family is like a forest, in which the trees bear solidarity, communion, fidelity, support, security, happy moderation, friendship. The presence of large families is a hope for society.”
This, he said, “is why the presence of grandparents is very important: a valuable presence both in terms of practical assistance, but above all for their contribution to education. Grandparents conserve the values of a people, of a family, and they help parents transmit them to their children. Throughout the last century, in many countries in Europe, it was the grandparents who transmitted the faith.”
“Dear parents, thank you for your example of love for life that you protect from conception to its natural end, in spite of all the difficulties and burdens of life, that unfortunately public institutions do not always help you to bear.”
He lamented that while the Italian constitution calls for particular regard for large families, this is only “words” and is “not adequately reflected in the facts.”
Considering Italy’s low birth rate, he voiced hope that it’s politicians and public administrators would give large families “all due support.”
“Every family is a cell of society, but the large family is a richer, more vital cell, and the state has much to gain by investing in it.”
In light of this, he affirmed the National Numerous Family Association, and groups like it, for advocating for large families in the European nations, and for being “present and visible in society and in politics.”
He concluded by praying in particular “for those families most affected by the economic crisis, those in which the mother or father have lost their jobs and in which the young are unable to find work, and those families in which the closest relationships are marked by suffering and who are tempted to give in to loneliness and separation.”
Posted in Educational, Environmental Health Causes, Health and Environment, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, News, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Asia, Brussels, Cattle, Europe, European Medicines Agency, European Union, Francis, Italy, National Numerous Family Association, Pope Francis, solidarity, United Kingdom
St. Mary Di RosaSaint Mary (Paula) Di Rosa December 15 The pounding on the barricaded door of the military hospital sent every heart thudding in terror. In the middle of the war in Brescia (Italy) in 1848, the … continue reading
More Saints of the Day
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, News, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged 1st century, Adige, Bradford, Brescia, Capitoline Temple, Capitoline Triad, Credit rating agency, Di Rosa December 15, Discover (magazine), Europe, Italy, Saint of the Day, St. Mary Di Rosa Saint Mary, St. Paul of Latros St. Urbitius St. Valerian of Abbenza St. Virginia Centurione
Foundress of the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy. She was born at Albisola Marina, Liguria, Italy, in 1811, and was baptized Benedetta. At sixteen she became a Franciscan tertiary, and in 1837, she … continue reading
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Civil defense, Davesco-Soragno, Emilia-Romagna, Genoa, Italian language, Italy, Laveno-Mombello, Liguria, Regions of Italy, Saint of the Day, St. Maria Giuseppe Rossello Foundress, Switzerland, Theodore St. Servus St. Victor
Saint John Damascene has the double honor of being the last but one of the fathers of the Eastern Church, and the greatest of her poets. It is surprising, however, how little that is authentic is … continue reading
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Adam and Eve, Advent Conspiracy, Associated Press, Bologna, Bologna St. Francis Galvez St. Giovanni Calabria Bl, Clement of Alexandria, Italy, Jerome de Angelis St. Maruthas St. Meletius St. Osmund, Jesus, Joey Saputo, John of Damascus St. Abba Isa St. Ada St. Anno St. Bernard, Montreal Impact, New York, saint john, Saint of the Day
Antonin Dvorak – Rusalka – Song To The Moon
Rusalka (pronounced[ruˈsalka] (
)), Op. 114, is an opera (‘lyric fairy tale’) by Antonín Dvořák. The Czechlibretto was written by the poet Jaroslav Kvapil[1] (1868–1950) based on the fairy tales of Karel Jaromír Erben and Božena Němcová. Rusalka is one of the most successful Czech operas, and represents a cornerstone of the repertoire of Czech opera houses.[1] A Rusalka is a water sprite from Slavic mythology, usually inhabiting a lake or river.Dvořák had played viola for many years in pit orchestras in Prague (Estates Theatre from 1857 until 1859 while a student, then from 1862 until 1871 at the Provisional Theatre). He thus had direct experience of a wide range of operas by Mozart, Weber, Rossini, Lortzing, Verdi, Wagner and Smetana. Rusalka was the ninth opera Dvořák composed.[2]For many years unfamiliarity with Dvořák’s operas outside Czechoslovakia helped reinforce a perception that composition of operas was a marginal activity, and that despite the beauty of its melodies and orchestral timbres Rusalka was not a central part of his output or of international lyric theatre. In recent years it has been performed more regularly by major opera companies.[2] In the five seasons from 2008 to 2013 it was performed by opera companies worldwide far more than all of Dvořák’s other operas combined.[3]The most popular excerpt from Rusalka is the “Song to the Moon” (“Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém“) from act 1 which is often performed in concert and recorded separately. It has also been arranged for violin and used on film sound tracks.
| Antonín Dvořák |
|---|
|
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MY TAKE ON THINGS, News, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged Antonín Dvořák, Antonin Dvorak - Rusalka, Antonin Dvorak - Rusalka - Song To The Moon, Bachelor's degree, Bratislava, Carlos Kleiber, Eivind, EUZICASA, Frederica von Stade, Georg Solti, Giuseppe Verdi, Herbert von Karajan, Ignazio Marino, Italy, Julietta, Kiri Te Kanawa, Kurt Moll, london philharmonic orchestra, Lucia Popp, Make Music Part of Your Life Series, Opera, riccardo Muti, Rome, Rusalka (opera), Song to the Moon, Stefan Soltesz Rusalka, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Trade union
An Italian flag reads “Eternit: Justice” in a picture posted on Italian author Roberto Saviano‘s Twitter account
Text by Benjamin DODMAN
Latest update : 2014-11-20
Victims of asbestos poisoning are well accustomed to the gruelling twists and turns of Italy’s judicial process. But even the most battle-hardened were ill-prepared for the latest, bitter turn in a landmark case that has dragged on for decades.
Late on Wednesday, Italy’s top court overturned an 18-year prison sentence for Swiss billionaire Stephan Schmidheiny, the former owner of construction giant Eternit.
Schmidheiny, 67, was found guilty in 2012 of causing 3,000 deaths linked to the use of asbestos in his factories – in the biggest ever trial on asbestos-related deaths.
He was jailed in absentia and ordered to pay tens of millions of euros in compensation to local authorities and families of the victims, who included factory workers and residents who lived near Eternit factories in northern, central and southern Italy.
Posted in Asbestos toxicity, Educational, Hazardous Materials Exposure, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, News, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, Uncategorized
Tagged Associated Press, Construction, Court of Cassation (France), Eternit, Italy, Matteo Renzi, Rome, Statute of limitations, Stephan Schmidheiny, Switzerland
The Roman leader Flaminius is thought to have instituted the Plebeian Games in 220 BCE. They originally may have been held in the Circus Flaminius, which he built. Later, they may have moved to the Circus Maximus, a huge open arena between the Palatine and Aventine hills. The Games were dedicated to Jupiter, one of whose feast days was November 13, and included horse and chariot races and contests that involved running, boxing, and wrestling. The festival lasted from November 4-17, and its first nine days were devoted to theatrical performances. More… Discuss
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
American troops who helped fight Ebola in West Africa are under “controlled monitoring” in Italy
The Italian government expressed concern about the troops when they returned to Italy from Liberia
CNN spoke with Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams via a military video conferencing system
Washington (CNN) — They’re just back from the Ebola hot zone, they can’t have any physical contact with family or loved ones and their plastic forks are being burned after each use.
But American troops quarantined in Italy have good morale and are proud of their work against the “silent enemy” of Ebola, according to Major General Darryl Williams, who is being isolated alongside his men at the Army base in Vicenza.
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, News, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Uncategorized
Tagged CNN, Darryl Williams, ebola, Italy, Liberia, Vicenza, Washington, West Africa
Ochi Day is a national holiday in Greece, commemorating the day during World War II when Greeks said “ochi” (“no”) to an attempted incursion ordered by Italy‘s fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini. On October 28, 1940, the Italian ambassador to Greece called on General Ioannis Metaxas, the prime minister, to demand that Italian troops be allowed to occupy areas in Greece. Metaxas curtly responded, “Ochi.” The Italians invaded, but were routed by the Greeks. Ochi Day is observed in Greece with military and school parades; it is also a public holiday celebrated in Cyprus with parades. More… Discuss
St. John was born at Capistrano, Italy in 1385, the son of a former German knight in that city. He studied law at the University of Perugia and practiced as a lawyer in the courts of Naples. King … continue reading
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Arnold Reche St. Benedict, Capistrano, God, Holy Spirit, Italy, Jesus, John of Capistrano, John of Capistrano St. Allucio St. Amo Bl, Romanus of Rouen, St. John, St. John of Capistrano St. John, University of Perugia
Before Julius Caesar was made dictator for life, he engaged in a civil war with his rival Pompey. Caesar started the war by crossing the Rubicon River into Italy, reportedly uttering the words Iacta alea est—”the die is cast.” Pompey fled and was eventually killed after Caesar pursued him to Egypt. From Egypt, Caesar went to Syria and Pontus, where in 47 BCE he defeated Pharnaces II with such ease that he reported his victory with the words Veni, vidi, vici—meaning what? More… Discuss
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, QUOTATION, Uncategorized
Tagged Caesar, Egypt, EUZICASA, Italy, Julius Caesar, Pompey, Pontus, Syria, Veni Vidi Vici
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged Concerto, eugene ormandy, felix mendelssohn, Great Compositions/Performances, Italy, Mendelssohn, Mendelssohn-Piano Concerto No. 1 in g minor Op. 25, Molto allegro con fuoco, Munich, Piano concerto, Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, rudolf serkin, Rudolf Serkin piano-Philadelphia Orchestra, wikipedia
St. Gerard Majella, religious, is the patron of expectant mothers. He was born at Muro, Italy, in 1726 and joined the Redemptorists at the age of 23, becoming a professed lay brother in 1752. He … continue reading
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged Fashion design, Italian language, Italy, Pope, Pope Francis, Pope Francis General Audience, Portable Document Format, Rome, SlideShare
Promising results from several babies born with HIV and treated with antiretroviral drugs within hours of birth had led to hopes that such early interventions could prevent the virus establishing reservoirs in the body and offer a cure for the disease, but one by one the virus reemerged in these patients once they were weaned from their medications. Most recently, doctors in Italy reported on a child who had been placed on an antiretroviral regimen within hours of birth and had long had no detectable viral load in his bloodstream. At the age of three, he was taken off the medication, and within two weeks showed signs of the virus again. More… Discuss
The three connected movements use several relatively new formal techniques in their brief span — for example, the piano enters very soon after the opening of the first movement, with little of an orchestral tutti to contrast with.[1] The concerto quickly obtained popularity, and contains many sections of improvisation, one of Mendelssohn’s specialities; it is scored for strings, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, and timpani.
The piano enters after only a few bars of orchestral introduction. It was standard procedure in the classical-era concerto to precede the solo’s entrance by a tutti, for various reasons – the length and purpose of these introductions differed, some offering a hint of what was to follow and some giving out almost all the movement’s material, but none was so brief as this: in this sense, this was one of the first concertos of the Romantic age. (The obvious exceptions – Mozart’s Jeunehomme concerto and Beethoven’s fourth and fifth piano concertos – allowed the piano to enter very briefly just at the start, but then proceeded as usual, the soloist silent.) The rest of the movement is fairly typical of concertos in its use of a modified sonata form, with a second, contrasting lyrical theme first heard from the piano over repeated accompaniment, and later on wind. As the movement closes a transition takes the movement not to a full close, but instead, with a brass fanfare and a piano continuation of the same, to the border of the Andante.
This opens with a melody in the lower strings, in E major, soon taken up by the piano. This is drawn out with breadth, and a middle section in C provides contrast. The original melody, somewhat varied, returns to close the movement.
This opens with a fanfare in A minor (Presto). The piano joins in, at which point the mood lightens, and the closing rondo – Molto allegro e vivace – begins. This is regular in form, and the returns of the refrain are varied. Several themes from the first movement return towards the finale.
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, eugene ormandy, EUZICASA, Italy, Ludwig van Beethoven, Mendelssohn, New York City, philadelphia orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra-Eugene Ormandy, Piano concerto, Piano Concerto No. 1 (Brahms), Piano Concerto No. 9 (Mozart), rudolf serkin, Tempo, Violin concerto, wikipedia
Simon Rodia, Architect and sole builder of the Rodia Towers (Watts Towers)
e-mail cadwattsctr@earthlink.net
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Arts, Virtual Museums tour., Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged A MUST SEE, art, I Build the Tower, Italy, Los Angeles, official trailer, Simon Rodia, Watts, Watts Tower, Watts Towers, Watts Towers Art Center
Lucca, 21 Giugno 1997 nella Chiesa Monumentale di San Giovanni
baritono : Mauro Buda
Cappella Santa Cecilia della Cattedrale di Lucca
Orchestra Lirico-Sinfonica del Teatro del Giglio
Direttore : Gianfranco Cosmi
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged giacomo puccini, Google Glass, Italy, La bohème, Lucca, Madama Butterfly, Make Music Part of Your Life Series, Mottetto, Opera, Puccini, Tosca
today’s birthday: Sophia Loren (1934)
Sophia Loren is a famous film actress who grew up in poverty near Naples, Italy. With the help of Italian producer Carlo Ponti, whom she later married, she gained international fame, acting in both tragic dramas and boisterous comedies. She won the first Academy Award for a foreign-language performance for her role in the 1961 film Two Women, and she received a special Academy Award in 1991 for her body of work. Why did she serve more than two weeks in prison in 1982? More… Discuss
| Two Women | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Vittorio De Sica |
| Produced by | Carlo Ponti |
| Written by | Vittorio De Sica Cesare Zavattini Alberto Moravia (novel) |
| Starring | Sophia Loren Jean-Paul Belmondo Eleonora Brown Carlo Ninchi |
| Music by | Armando Trovajoli |
| Cinematography | Gábor Pogány |
| Distributed by | Titanus Distribuzione |
| Release dates |
|
| Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian German |
Two Women (Italian: La ciociara, roughly translated as “[The Woman] from Ciociaria“) is a 1960 Italian film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of a woman trying to protect her young daughter from the horrors of war. The film stars Sophia Loren, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Eleonora Brown, Carlo Ninchi and Andrea Checchi. The film was adapted by De Sica and Cesare Zavattini from the novel of the same name written by Alberto Moravia. The story is fictional, but based on actual events during what the Italians call Marocchinate [1].
More about Ciociaaria
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Educational, FILM, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged Academy Award, Carlo Ponti, Italy, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Naples, Sophia Loren, Two Women, Vittorio De Sica
Fresco representing the Campagne and Maritime Province, in Vatican Museums
Ciociara (woman from Ciociaria) by Enrique Simonet.
Ciociaria (Italian pronunciation: [tʃotʃaˈɾiːa]) is the name of a traditional region of Central Italy without a defined border nor historical identity.[1] The name was adopted by a fascist movement of Frosinone as an ethnical denomination for the province of Frosinone, when it was created in 1927.[2] In the Middle Ages, this region was referred to as Campagna. The local dialect, now known as ciociaro, was earlier referred to as campanino. In more recent times, the term Campagna Romana, or Roman Campagna, a favorite subject of countless painters from all over Europe, has referred to the adjoining region to the north of Ciociaria, but part of the Province of Rome.
The name appears to be derived from the ciocia (plural cioce), the traditional footwear still worn by a few sheep and cattle herders in the Central Apennines.
Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Arts, Virtual Museums tour., Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Campagne and Maritime Province, Ciociara, Ciociaria, Enrique Simonet, Frosinone, Italy, Middle Ages, Province of Frosinone, Province of Rome, Roman Campagna, the free encyclopedia, Vatican Museums, wikipedia
St. Januarius was born in Italy and was bishop of Benevento during the Emperor Diocletion persecution. Bishop Januarius went to visit two deacons and two laymen in prison. He was then also imprison … continue reading
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Alphonsus de Orozco St. Arnulf, Benevento, Bishop Januarius, Emilie de Rodat, Emily, Emperor Diocletion, Goeric of Metz, Italy, Januarius, Jesus, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benevento, Saint of the Day, St. Januarius
San Gennaro, or St. Januarius, 4th-century bishop of Benevento, is the patron saint of Naples, Italy. He is said to have survived a fiery furnace and a den of wild beasts before being beheaded during the reign of Diocletian. His body was brought to Naples, along with a vial containing some of his blood. The congealed blood, preserved since that time in the Cathedral of San Gennaro, is claimed to liquefy on the anniversary of his death each year—an event that has drawn crowds to Naples since 1389. More… Discuss
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Diocletian, Feast of San Gennaro, Feast of San Gennaro San Gennaro, fiery furnace, Italy, Januarius, Naples, Naples Cathedral, patron saint of Naples, Patron saints of Naples, San Gennaro, the Cathedral of San Gennaro
| Definition: | (adverb) In the fresh air. |
| Synonyms: | outdoors |
| Usage: | Dining alfresco is one of my great summer pleasures. Discuss. |
hezixiaoAntonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons Autumn (concerto for violin in F major) Op.8/3. Concucted and violin solo by Fabio Biondi.
Movements:
****************************************
The fact that the painting actually depicts Antonio Vivaldi has been questioned by some sources (e.g. by Groves dictionary). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Four Seasons (Italian: Le quattro stagioni) is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Composed in 1725, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi’s best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces in the classical music repertoire. The texture of each concerto is varied, each resembling its respective season. For example, “Winter” is peppered with silvery pizzicato notes from the high strings, calling to mind icy rain, whereas “Summer” evokes a thunderstorm in its final movement, which is why the movement is often called “Storm” (as noted in the list of derivative works).
The concertos were first published in 1725 as part of a set of twelve concerti, Vivaldi’s Op. 8, entitled Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione (The Contest Between Harmony and Invention). Vivaldi dedicated their publication to a Bohemian patron, Count Václav Morzin (of Vrchlabí 1676–1737), and in so mentioned the count’s longstanding regard for these four, in particular (which had apparently been performed with the nobleman’s orchestra, in Prague’s Morzin Palace)—although his dedication may have been closely related to the completion of an Augustinian monastery that year,[1] where Vivaldi, a priest himself, refers to Morzin, the church’s dedicator, as “Chamberlain and Counsellor to His Majesty, the Catholic Emperor”—while (as Maestro di Musica in Italy) Vivaldi presents them anew, with sonnets or enhancements for clear interpretation.[2] The first four concertos are designated Le quattro stagioni, each being named after a season. Each one is in three movements, with a slow movement between two faster ones (and these movements likewise vary in tempo amid the seasons as a whole). At the time of writing The Four Seasons, the modern solo form of the concerto had not yet been defined (typically a solo instrument and accompanying orchestra)[citation needed]. Vivaldi’s original arrangement for solo violin with string quartet and basso continuo helped to define the form of the concerto[citation needed].
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest
Tagged Allegro, Allegro Adagio molto Allegro, Antonio Vivaldi, autumn, Classical music, Concerto No. 3, Fabio Biondi, Four Seasons, Italy, Make Music Part of Your Life Series, RV, Ryom-Verzeichnis, Tempo, Violin concerto, Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
San Marino, surrounded by Italy, is the world’s smallest republic and likely Europe’s oldest existing state. According to tradition, its founder, Marino—a Christian stonecutter from Dalmatia—took refuge on Mount Titano in the Apennines to escape religious persecution. By the mid-5th century, a community had formed. Its relatively inaccessible location has helped it to maintain its independence with only a few brief interruptions. Which US president was made an honorary citizen of San Marino? More… Discuss
Giotto di Bondone (1266/7 – January 8, 1337), known as Giotto (Italian: [ˈdʒɔtto]), was an Italian painter and
Statue representing Giotto, outside the Uffizi
|
|
| Born | Giotto di Bondone 1266/7 near Florence, Republic of Florence, in present-day Italian Republic |
|---|---|
| Died | January 8, 1337 (aged about 70) Florence, Republic of Florence, in present-day Italian Republic |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Known for | Painting, Fresco, Architecture |
| Notable work(s) | Scrovegni Chapel frescoes, Campanile |
| Movement | Late Gothic Proto-Renaissance |
architect from Florence in the late Middle Ages. He is generally considered the first in a line of great artists who contributed to the Italian Renaissance.Considered the father of European art, he turned from the formulaic, impersonal Byzantine style to a more natural representation of human expression and movement. Compared with the gracefulness of Byzantine forms, Giotto’s figures are monumental, even bulky, but imbued with a new compassion for the human being. His innovative style likely influenced Renaissance artists. His main works are cycles of frescoes inside churches in what Italian cities? More… Discuss
St. Peter Chrysologus
Feastday: July 30
Birth: 380
Death: 450
St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Feast-July 30) Born at Imola, Italy in 406, St. Peter was baptized, educated, and ordained a deacon by Cornelius, Bishop of Imola. St. Peter merited being called “Chrysologus” (golden-worded) from his exceptional oratorical eloquence. In 433, Pope Sixtus III consecrated him bishop of Ravenna. He practiced many corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and ruled his flock with utmost diligence and care. He extirpated the last vestiges of paganism and other abuses that had sprouted among his people, cautioning them especially against indecent dancing. “Anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil,” he remarked, “cannot rejoice with Christ.” He also counseled the heretic Eutyches (who had asked for his support) to avoid causing division but to learn from the other heretics who were crushed when they hurled themselves against the Rock of Peter. He died at Imola, Italy in 450 and in 1729 was made a Doctor of the Church, largely as a result of his simple, practical, and clear sermons which have come down to us, nearly all dealing with Gospel subjects.
When in 1729 he was declared a Doctor of the Church, his feast day, not already included in the Tridentine Calendar, was inserted in the General Roman Calendar for celebration on 4 December. In 1969 his feast was moved to 30 July, as close as possible to the day of his death, 31 July, the feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
A contemporary portrait of Saint Peter Chrysologus, found in the mosaics of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna, depicts him among the members of the eastern and western imperial family, showing his extraordinary influence.
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes—their origins, geographic distribution, and effects. Much of what we now know about the composition of the Earth and its internal structure comes from seismologic research. In recent years, seismologists have focused intense efforts on developing ways to predict earthquakes in hopes of minimizing casualties caused by seismic events. Unfortunately, a reliable method has yet to be developed. Why were six seismologists recently indicted in Italy? More… Discuss
Innocent was born at Albano, Italy. He became Pope, succeeding Pope St. Anastasius I, on December 22, 401. During Innocent’s pontificate, he emphasized papal supremacy, commending the bishops of Africa for referring the decrees of their councils at Carthage and Millevis in 416, condemning Pelagianism, to the Pope for confirmation. It was his confirmation of these decrees that caused Augustine to make a remark that was to echo through the centuries: “Roma locuta, causa finitas” (Rome has spoken, the matter is ended). Earlier Innocent had stressed to Bishop St. Victrius and the Spanish bishops that matters of great importance were to be referred to Rome for settlement. Innocent strongly favored clerical celibacy and fought the unjust removal of St. John Chrysostom. He vainly sought help from Emperor Honorius at Revenna when the Goths under Alaric captured and sacked Rome. Innocent died in Rome on March 12. His feast day is July 28th.
Originally designed as a social gathering place for men in third-century Rome, the Baths of Caracalla became the unusual setting for open-air opera in 1937. Held every summer in July and August, the Bath Operas feature grand Italian operas, as well as ballet performances produced by local and international dance companies. The events take place in the evening on one of the world’s largest stages—100 feet long and 162 feet wide. While the acoustics are far from ideal, more than 10,000 spectators generally fill the bleachers to enjoy this one-of-a-kind musical extravaganza. More… Discuss
Our Lady of Carmel (the Madonna del Carmine) is the patroness of the city of Naples, Italy. Her festival is celebrated with dancing, singing, and magnificent fireworks displays. Brightly decorated wax replicas of human body parts used to be sold at booths near the church, and people suffering from various physical ailments appealed to the Madonna to restore their health by offering her these replicas of the diseased portions of their bodies. Her feast is also observed by Italian Americans in the United States. More… Discuss
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Carmel Our Lady of Carmel, Carmelite, city of Naples, Italian-American, Italy, Madonna, Mary, Mount Carmel Feast, Naples, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Madonna, the Madonna del Carmine, United States
St. Benedict, the Father of Western monasticism and brother of Scholastica, is considered the patron of speliologists (cave explorers). He was born in Nursia, Italy and educated in Rome. He was … continue reading
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Bergamo, Christian monasticism, Day St. Benedict of Nursia, Italy, Norcia, Nursia, Nursia Benedict, Pelagia St. John, Rome, Saint of the Day St. Benedict of Nursia, Scholastica, St. Benedict
Gedda is a famed Swedish tenor known for his vocal control. He has made some 200 recordings and is said to be the most recorded tenor in history. In 1952, he made his debut at the Royal Swedish Opera and went on to collaborate with conductor Herbert von Karajan. Gedda then went to Italy and gained international fame, performing all over the world at venues such as the Paris Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. How did Gedda go from being a bank teller to a world-famous tenor? More… Discuss
The Gioco del Ponte, or “Battle for the Bridge,” in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy, goes back to the 13th century. Following a medieval procession, two teams in full medieval costume take part in a traditional competition which involves a reversal of the usual tug-of-war: about 20 or 30 men from each team line up behind a mechanism on rails and push. The first team to make a “goal” on the opposing side wins; the winner is determined by the best of six matches, or a draw match if both teams win three. More… Discuss
William of Vercelli, Saint 1085-1142. founder, born in Vercelli Italy he was brought up as an orphan became a hermit on Monte Vergine, Italy after a pilgrimage to Compostella and attracted so many … continue reading
Posted in Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized
Tagged Compostella, God, Italy, Jesus, Monte Vergine, Saint of the Day St. William of Vercelli, Vercelli, Vercelli Italy, William of Montevergine, William of Vercelli, William of Vercelli St. Adalbert St. Dominic Henares St. Eurosia St. Gallicanus St. Gohardus St. Maximus
asia-america-europa-australia-antarctica
greenworld-bluewater-clearair-myworld
(Now my poem - on SoundCloud!) (click to access)
Bathtub Bulletin Access Here
Internet Archive: "Universal Access to All Knowledge"
Island of Loneliness - Rie Sinclair
Project Gutenberg Free eBook Project
KUSC.org - Classical FM 91.5 (click to access KUSC.org - Classical 91.5)
Planet Rock: Where Rock Lives (click to access Planet Rock)
Song Meaning - Find lyrics and meaning to millions of songs
GoogleArtProject (click to access the Art)
Click here to access and select a virtual museum tour
Poetry, Quotations, Song Lyrics, Writings (access it Here)
(press to access Wikiquote)
CATO Institute (Access Here)
JANGO (great online music)
ProPublica Access or follow HERE or from the sidebar widget
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (ACCESS HERE)
Widget: Constitution of the United States - access here
WebMD Access from here
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC_THE '80s: The Decade That Made US
National Geographic_ the '80s_ The Decade That Made Us (click to access)
Open Library is yours (ACCESS FROM HERE)
Center for Effective Government (Access the website here)
EFF: Access Here
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC -_- ACCESS HERE (CLICK TO ACCESS THE WEBSITE)
LEGENDS OF AMERICA - VISIT HERE -
FAMOUS POETS AND POEMS: ACCESS FROM HERE ANYTIME- ANYWHERE
kjazz 88.1 FM (California State University, Long Beach: ACCESS HERE
Public Catalogue Foundation (access from here)
Environmental Working Group (you're one click away)
http://www.change.org/ (Click to access Site)
HAIKU TOPICS (ACCESS HERE)
American Songwriter Widget
WEB GALLERY OF ARTS - ACCESS HERE
THE BRITISH LIBRARY (ACCESS HERE)
American Bone Health
WIDGET: The Aria Database (you are one click away)
AllMusic (one click away)
WIDGET_Classic Cat: The Free Classical Music Directory (one click away)
SHAKESPEARE NAVIGATOR A MUST HAVE WIDGET! (YOU ARE ONE CLICK AWAY!)
Towns of Yesteryears - Ghost Towns of Today (Access a ghost town here)
BIBLIOKLPT (One Click Away)
ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA Access Here
Widget: Public domain Images (Access Here)
News Manual - a professional resource for journalism and the media (click to access)
A la découverte de l'encyclopédie Larousse (access here)
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America - Online Chapel - Calendar (Click to access)
Today in History: click to Access Here
Judicial Watch: Access here
mp3.li: your music library access here (Always opens in a new page)
nourished kitchen-reviving traditional foods: (access/open in new window)
400000 IR - Photos - Metropolitan Museum of Art (Access from here)
KUNJI SAN-Martial Arts Supplies
Movie Sounds org
BibleHistoryOnline.com
THE HOLY ROSARY PORTAL: PRAY WITH US
The University of Sydney- Glycemic Index
Access The Public Cataloggue Foundation: Your Paintings
CIDSE - TOGETHER FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE (CHANGE FOR THE PLANET -CARE FOR THE PROPLE-ACCESS THIS NEW WEBSITE FROM EUZICASA)
euzicasa 
You must be logged in to post a comment.