The feast of the Apostle St Philip is traditionally kept on this day, together with St James the Younger, a custom which derives from the presence of their relics in the Roman basilica of the Twelve Apostles, which was originally dedicated only to the two of them. In the Synoptic Gospels, he is not mentioned apart from the list of the twelve disciples whom Jesus called his Apostles (Matthew 10 ..read more

In yesterday’s post about Saints Catherine of Siena and Francis of Assisi being made the patron Saints of Italy, I explained a bit about the state of cold war that existed between the Papacy and the kingdom of Italy in the period of the so-called Risorgimento, and how the Popes from 1870 until 1929 were confined to the Vatican. A friend then brought to my attention this video from the ..read more

Once again, we are very grateful to all those who contributed to this series, which is close to ending. Don’t forget that next week we have the Rogations and the Ascension, and we will be glad to include photos of both of those celebrations in our Pentecost photopost series, so you can send yours in to photopost@newliturgicalmovement.org. Keep up the good work of evangelizing through beauty ..read more

When an American pilgrim visits the ancient cities of Italy today, he may easily fail to realize that his own country is older than the modern state of Italy by nearly a century. From the fall of the Roman Empire until the mid-19th century, the Italian peninsula was divided into many countries, of varying size and importance, and the Pope himself ruled a fairly large one, with Rome as its capital ..read more

For the feast of St Peter Martyr, here are some pictures of a particularly elaborate altarpiece dedicated to him. This was originally painted for the church of St Dominic in the Italian city of Modena by the workshop of the brothers Agnolo and Bartolomeo degli Erri, the third generation of painters in their family. They also did altarpieces for the same church dedicated to Ss Dominic, Thomas ..read more

Having come in faith to the well, the Samaritan woman beheld Thee, the water of wisdom, and having drunk abundantly thereof, she the renowned one inherited the kingdom that is above forever. (The Kontakion for today in the Byzantine Rite, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, on which is read the Gospel of the Samaritan woman, John 4, 5-42.)Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, depicted in a 16th fresco in the ..read more

“Aquae Sanctae Terrae”: The Spiritual Signification of the Waters of the Holy Land A Seminarian from the Midwest Conclusion: The Devil and the Dead Sea (Part 1 may be read here, Part 2 here.) Aerial view of Dead Sea shore (source)The Dead Sea Now there is only one more lake in the Holy Land to discuss — the Dead Sea. Its name betrays where it represents on the spiritual map. The Dead Sea ..read more

Marcellinus ruled the Roman Church for nine years and four months (really 296-304). By the order of Diocletian and Maximian (during the last and greatest Roman persecution, 303-6), he was seized and brought to sacrifice, and when he did not agree, and for this had to undergo torments of various kinds, out of fear of suffering he offered two grains of incense in sacrifice. This was a cause of ..read more

St Mark, whose feast is kept today, is the only evangelist who records that when the soldiers came to arrest Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, “a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and they laid hold on him. But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked.” (14, 51-52) In keeping with the common ancient practice of authorial anonymity, it ..read more

Joshua passing the River Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant, 1800, by Benjamin West, (source).“Aquae Sanctae Terrae”: The Spiritual Signification of the Waters of the Holy Land A Seminarian from the Midwest Part 2: The Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River (Part 1 may be read here.) The Sea of Galilee The Jordan’s next stop is at the Sea of Galilee, which lies ten miles south of Lake Hula and sits ..read more