Photina

Photina
n., An issue of water from the earth; a spring; a fountain. v.intr., To rise to the surface, ready to flow; to rise or surge from an inner source. v.tr., To pour forth. adj., In a satisfactory condition; right or proper. interj., Used to introduce a remark, resume a narrative, or fill a pause during conversation; used to express surprise.dictionary.com

Saturday, January 25, 2003

This week has been crazy; I haven't had much time to blog. I'm hoping that this will change in the near future... I want to finish my story!

posted by Heidi | 25.1.03

Today is the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Again I've chosen a painting by Caravaggio as the image for today--and it's not even the only painting he did on the subject of Paul's conversion. I chose Conversion on the Way to Damascus, which shows him with arms outstretched at the feet of a curious horse, but Caravaggio also painted The Conversion of St. Paul, which shows St. Paul with his hands to his eyes below a tangle of horses and people.

posted by Heidi | 25.1.03

Friday, January 24, 2003

Today is the feast of St. Francis de Sales, bishop and Doctor of the Church. The image of him that I chose is a painting by Ola Okuniewska (Ola Wolpe).

posted by Heidi | 24.1.03

Thursday, January 23, 2003

Today's Gospel talked about Jesus teaching from a boat because of the crushing crowds. The image I chose to go with it is a painting titled Jesus Teaches from the Boat by Tanzanian artist Charles Ndege.

posted by Heidi | 23.1.03

Wednesday, January 22, 2003

Today is the feast of St. Vincent of Spain, not to be confused with St. Vincent de Paul or any of the several other St. Vincents. St. Vincent of Spain was a deacon and martyr of the fourth century, tortured to death. Prudentius wrote a hymn titled "The Passion of the Holy Martyr Vincent," which at this point is the source of most of our information about St. Vincent.

The image is a modern icon of St. Vincent.

posted by Heidi | 22.1.03

Tuesday, January 21, 2003

Today is the feast of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr, but it is also the 30th anniversary of the ruling on Roe vs. Wade, so I have chosen an image reflecting that instead. The image is a fetus at four months sucking its thumb. The picture was taken by Lennart Nilsson using an endoscope and fiber optics.

A very appropriate document for today is Pope John Paul II's encyclical Evangelium Vitae on the value and inviolability of human life. As he shows us the depths of the darkness that we live in, he also shows us the light--the message of hope:

It is from the blood of Christ that all draw the strength to commit themselves to promoting life. It is precisely this blood that is the most powerful source of hope, indeed it is the foundation of the absolute certitude that in God's plan life will be victorious. "And death shall be no more", exclaims the powerful voice which comes from the throne of God in the Heavenly Jerusalem (Rev 21:4). And Saint Paul assures us that the present victory over sin is a sign and anticipation of the definitive victory over death, when there "shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory'. 'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' " (1 Cor 15:54-55).

posted by Heidi | 21.1.03

Monday, January 20, 2003

So much to do, so little time. Wasn't able to get back to Road to Rome writing today... However, since 'tis now the Eve of St. Agnes', here's a link to Keats' poem of the same name...

Why was he writing a poem about this night? Here's one stanza giving a bit of a clue:

They told her how, upon St. Agnes' Eve,
Young virgins might have visions of delight,
And soft adorings from their loves receive
Upon the honey'd middle of the night,
If ceremonies due they did aright;
As, supperless to bed they must retire,
And couch supine their beauties, lily white;
Nor look behind, nor sideways, but require
Of Heaven with upward eyes for all that they desire.

posted by Heidi | 20.1.03

Today is the feast of Pope St. Fabian and the feast of St. Sebastian, both martyrs. The image I chose is an oil sketch by Anthony Van Dyck, a Flemish painter of the 17th century, titled "Saint Sebastian Tended by an Angel." Many more famous paintings of St. Sebastian exist, but I thought that this one captured his human suffering better than most.

posted by Heidi | 20.1.03