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A Celebration of God's Grace
Mathematics and music: Both used abstract symbols. Emotion without meaning, music used timed intervals to transcend time; meaning without emotion, mathematics used mind to transcend not just time but matter and space.
--Tom Petsinis
The French Mathematician
Why should you be anxious about a world that is not yours?
--The Sassover Rabbi
The world is new to us every morning--that is God's gift, and a man (sic) should believe he is reborn each day.
--Baal Shem Tov
Like apples of gold in a setting of carved silver is a word that is aptly spoken.
--Proverts 25:11
The man (sic) who asks mercy for another while both are in peril will be answered first.
--Talmud
Baba Kamma
Care to our coffin adds a nail, no doubt,
And every grin so merry draws one out.
--Peter Pindar
Expostulatory Odes
The great eventful Present hides the Past; but through the din
Of its loud life hints and echoes from the life behind steal in.
--John Greenleaf Whittier
The Garrison of Cape Ann
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
--John Wesley's Rule
Saints and Seasons A page for spiritual and liturgical meditation |
| Advent (begins November 28, 2010)  Annunciation - Oil on canvas (1570) by El Greco |
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| November 29 | Musical Anniversaries today: Jean Baptiste Lully (composer), b. 1632; Claudio Monteverdi (composer), d. 1643; Gaetano Donizetti (composer), b. 1797; Gustave Reese (musicologist), b. 1899; Harold C. Schonberg (critic), b. 1915; Giacomo Puccini (composer), d. 1924. |
Martyrdom of St. Andrew - 15th-century manuscript miniature by Jean Colombe?  |
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| November 30 | Feast of St. Andrew the ApostleLutheran and Episcopal essay; Franciscan audio essay; Greek Orthodox icon; another iconIt is significant that on the only three occasions that Andrew, the brother of Peter, is mentioned individually in the Gospels, he is instrumental in bringing others to Christ for some purpose. Thus he is sometimes seen as the patron of personal evangelism. Due to patterns of evangelization in the ancient world, he is also remembered as the patron saint of Scotland, Byzantium and Russia. His symbol is the cross in the shape of an “X” because legend has it that he was crucified in that manner. This icon portrays him with an intense face, and somewhat unruly hair perhaps because of the frenetic activity of his evangelizing efforts. St. Andrew the Apostle - Oil on canvas (1610-1614) by El GrecoSt. Andrew - Oil on canvas (1630-32) by Jusepe de Ribera The Martyrdom of St. Andrew - Oil on canvas (c. 1612) by Juan de las RoelasSt. Andrew - Marble sculpture by Camille Rusconi (1708-09) St. Andrew – Tempera on wood (c. 1326) by Simone MartiniSaint Andrew – Tempera on wood (early 14th c.) by the Workshop of Simone Martini Franciscan audio essay commemorating Servant of God John of Monte Corvino, 1328  Educated as a judge and doctor before becoming a Friar, John went to China as a missionary just about the time Marco Polo was returning, about the time of Kubla Khan’s death. He is remembered for converting some Nestorian Christians to Orthodoxy and for translating the Psalms and the New Testament into the Tatar language. One short generation after John’s death, Christians were expelled from China for the duration of the Ming dynasty. Musical Anniversaries today: Karl Loewe (composer), b. 1796; Ernst Eulenburg (editor), b. 1847. |
| Annunciation - Oil on wood (1528) by Andrea del Sarto |
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| December 1 | Episcopal commemoration of Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon, 1637  Nicholas Ferrar founded a Church of England religious community in which members lived a life of voluntary poverty and daily prayer. They wrote spiritual books, taught neighborhood children and gave to the poor. After twenty years, the community was ended forcibly by Cromwell’s Puritan army. He is remembered as an inspiration for later similar communities. Greek Orthodox icon commemoration of Philaret the Merciful of Amenia, 789  Philaret’s life mirrors Job’s: he and his family prospered, became destitute due to thefts, and prospered again. At all times, he gave generous alms to the poor. He is remembered for his faith throughout difficult times and his unflagging generosity. The icon portrays him in wealthy robes with a scroll, presumably of the book of Job. He stands on the pedestal of an example for others against a plain background of gold. Greek Orthodox commoration of Nahum the Prophet For a brief Roman Catholic commentary on the book, click here. Nahum, a minor prophet only in the sense that his book is short, is a 6th-century B.C.E. prophet of whom we know almost nothing. His name means “consoler,” or “comforter.” After describing God’s jealousy and vengeance toward those who are disobedient of the revealed law, he then assures the faithful of God’s loving-kindness toward them that reaches its apex in the destruction of their enemies (Ninevah) and a new era of glory for God’s people. Musical Anniversaries today: C.F. Peters (music publishers) founded, 1800; Nathan Broder (musicologist), b. 1905; first issue of Notes (quarterly journal of the Music Library Association), 1943. |
| Portico de la Gloria (detail showing Peter, Paul, James and John), Cathedral, Santiago de Compostela – Stone sculpture (1161-1217) by Master Mateo |
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| December 2 | Episcopal commemoration of Channing Moore Williams, Missionary Bishop in China and Japan, 1910 Virginia Episcopalian Williams was sent to China as a missionary, where he was consecrated as bishop of China and Japan. However, in the mid-nineteenth century Japan was more open to the West, so he consecrated his efforts there. Greek Orthodox Commemoration of Habakkuk the Prophet Click for a Jewish perspective on the prophet. A minor prophet only because of the length of his book, Habakkuk lived just before the destruction of the first Temple of Jerusalem, about 2400 years ago. His prophecy was largely negative, that Israel would be conquered by other nations, that God’s retribution for sin would be swift and devastating. However, there is also a note of hope that, in the end, God would vindicate the righteous. Habakkuk and the Angel - Terra cotta sculpture (1655) by Gian Lorenzo BerniniThe Prophet Habakkuk - Marble sculpture (1427-36) by Donatello Musical Anniversaries today: Robert Kajanus (composer & conductor), b. 1856; Rudolf Friml (composer), b. 1879; Sir John Barbirolli (conductor), b. 1899. |
| Annunciation - Tempera on wood (c. 1450) by Juan de Burgos |
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| December 3 | Lutheran and Roman Catholic commemoration of Francis Xavier, missionary to Asia, 1552 A good friend of Ignatius of Loyola, the one who converted Francis to Christ, Francis joined the newly formed Society of Jesus, vowing poverty, chastity and apostolic service. In fulfilling the latter vow, he spent his life evangelizing in India and southeast Asia, and finally Japan. He is remembered for living among the poorest people throughout the long years of his ministry, and for ministering to them and to the sick. The Vision of St. Francis Xavier - Oil on canvas (c. 1675) by Baciccio St. Francis Xavier - Oil on canvas (1701) by Andrea PozzoGreek Orthodox commemoration of Zephaniah the Prophet Click for Jewish, or Roman Catholic, perspectives on the prophet. Zephaniah (Sophonias) seems to be descended from King Hezekiah, and probably lived in Jerusalem during the reign of Josiah. His book pictures the corruption and approaching enemy that preceded the reforms instituted by Josiah. He is remembered as a prophet that denounced false religion and religious apathy, threatened a “Day of the Lord” when unrighteousness would be punished, and promised salvation for all nations. Musical Anniversaries today: Nicolo Amati (violin maker), b. 1596; Anton von Webern (composer), b. 1883; Halsey Stevens (composer), b. 1908; Irving Fine (composer), b. 1914; Maria Callas (singer), b. 1923. |
| Annunciation - Tempera on wood (1475) by Pedro de Cordoba |
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| December 4 | Feast of St. John of Damascus, c. 760Episcopal essay; Greek Orthodox icon; Roman Catholic audio essay.John is remembered on three counts, for his defense of the use of icons, for his epochal summary of the thought of the Greek fathers, and for his hymns. Regarding the latter, we still use “Come, ye faithful, raise the strain” and “The Day of Resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad!” The iconoclasts based their position on the 2nd Commandment, “Thou shalt make no graven image….” John took the position that Christ, by God’s incarnation in him and its implied blessing of matter, changed everything, and made possible the use of images. With few exceptions, both East and West accepted John’s position. This link includes a useful discussion of the potential abuse of images. The icon portrays John as a scholar indicating the great influence of his writings. Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Barbara the Great Martyr, 290 Barbara was the daughter of a pagan Phoenician in the 3rd century. When she proclaimed her Christian faith to her father, he tortured and killed her. The icon portrays her in the red cloak of martyrdom holding a cross to which she figuratively clung throughout her witness. Musical Anniversaries today: Walter E. Buszin (editor), b. 1899 |
| The Virgin with St. Anna, Joachim and Zecharias – Stucco sculpture (1771-1773) by Károly Bebo |
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| December 5 | Episcopal Feast of St. Clement of Alexandria 215 An academic schooled in Greek science and philosophy, he understood those areas of thought as preparation for the Gospel. He spent his teaching career giving students a sound classical education and defending the Christian faith. He won the respect of other intellectuals of his day. The icon on this link shows him holding the parchment of a scholar. Virgin with Sts. Clement and Just - Panel (1450) by Master of the Costello NativityPope St. Clement Adoring the Trinity - Oil on canvas (1737-1738) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Roman Catholic audio essay Commemorating St. Sabas, 5th century Regarded as one of the founders of Eastern monasticism, Sabas lived a solitary life, only reluctantly allowing others to join him and later to be ordained so that he could serve them better. He also preached effectively, leading many to return to a life of faith. He is remembered for patient generosity when his greatest desire was to be in solitary prayer. Musical Anniversaries today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer), d. 1791; first performance of Berlioz' Sinfonie Fantastique, 1830; Helen A.S. Dickinson (educator), b. 1875. |
| Adoration of the Name of Jesus - Oil on canvas (1578-1580) by El Greco |
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| December 6 | Feast of St. Nicholas of Myra, 326Lutheran and Episcopal essay; Greek Orthodox icon; Roman Catholic audio essay.Nicholas was the real life embodiment of the mythological figure we call Santa Claus. The legends of his generosity are many, the most famous being the one about the three daughters who did not have a suitable dowry. That meant they could not marry, and would likely end up as prostitutes. On each of three nights Nicholas passed by and threw a bag of gold through the window of their father’s house (or, down the chimney, as it is told in colder lands). They married and lived happily. Those three bags of gold have become the pawnbroker’s symbol. He is remembered as patron of anonymous gift giving. The icons used in these links show a man with a kind face. Vision of St. Nicholas - Marble sculpture (1651-1655) by Alessandro AlgardiSt. Nicholas Resuscitates the Children - Oil on canvas (c. 1700) by Bol Boullogne St. Nicholas and Three Poor Maidens - Altar Piece (1425) by Gentile da FabrianoWheat Miracle of St. Nicholas of Myra - Tempera on wood (1427) by Tamás Kolozsvári Saint Nicholas Providing Dowries – Tempera and gold on wood (1433-1435) by Bicci di LorenzoMusical Anniversaries today: David Brubeck (jazzman), b. 1920; Henryk Mikolaj Górecki (composer), b. 1933. |
| Virgin of the Immaculate Conception & St. John - Oil on canvas (c. 1585) by El Greco |
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| December 7 | Feast of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, 397Episcopal essay; Franciscan audio essay; Greek Orthodox icon.Ambrose was governor of Northern Italy with his capital in Milan. When he appealed to a contentious meeting between Arians and Athanasians (Orthodox) for order and good will on both sides, he was surprisingly elected bishop. He gave away his wealth and began to live simply. By his preaching, he led most of his people to the Athanasian side. As a result he was in frequent confrontation with the Emperor. He is remembered for his hymns, for converting Augustine of Hippo (August 28), for his defense of orthodoxy in the Arian dispute, and perhaps for writing the Athanasian Creed. The icon portrays a man of wisdom, the Bible of orthodox scholarship in one hand and the other raised in episcopal blessing. St. Ambrose - Oil on canvas (early 17th century) by Mattias StromSt. Ambrose - Oil on oak panel (16th century) by Vicellio Tiziano Emperor Theodosius Forbidden by St. Ambrose to Enter Milan Cathedral - Oil on canvas (1619-20) by Sir Anthony Van Dyke Musical Anniversaries today: Adrian Willaert (composer), d. 1562; first concert by the NY Philharmonic, 1842; Carl Fischer (publisher), b. 1849; Pietro Mascagni (composer), b. 1863. |
| Meeting between Mary and Elizabeth – Tempera on wood (1500-1510) by M.S. Master |
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| December 8 | Feast of the Immaculate ConceptionRoman Catholic audio essay; Greek Orthodox icon.This feast arose from the piety of the faithful, not from the insights of theologians. In fact, many highly influential theologians have considered Mary the greatest and holiest of the saints, but could find a theological justification for believing her sinless. It arose in the Eastern Church during the 7th century and came to the West a century later as “The Conception of Mary.” The icon shows Anna holding the infant Mary who in turn holds a white flower symbolizing purity. The popularity of the feast is seen in the large number of art works and shrines portraying it. Immaculate Conception - Marble sculpture (c. 1665) by Pierre PugetImmaculate Conception - Oil on canvas (c. 1628) by Pieter Pauwel Rubens Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Patapios the Righteous of Thebes Patapios was a desert monk who performed miracles in the region of Thebes, Egypt. The icon portrays him in plain brown robes (for simplicity of life) holding a cross (on which his life centered). Musical Anniversaries today: Jean Sibelius (composer), b. 1865; Tullio Serafin (conductor), b. 1878; Bohuslav Martinu (composer), b. 1890. |
| Annunciation - Fresco (1440-1441) by Fra Angelico |
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| December 9 | Greek Orthodox icon for the Feast of the Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos See December 8th for comments. The icon is another version of the one described there. The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception - Oil on canvas (1605-10) by El GrecoVirgin of the Rocks - Oil on panel (1495-1508) by Leonardo da Vinci Franciscan audio essay commemorating St. Juan Diego, 1548 This saint was a poor Indian peasant from Mexico who had a vision of Mary. He is the first native American to be canonized. His piety is closely connected to Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12); he is the one to whom she appeared. Greek Orthodox commemoration of Hannah the Prophet Antiochian Orthodox Christian icon of Hannah the Prophet Links for Jewish or feminist perspectives on the prophet. In the ancient world, a woman was fulfilled only by bearing children. Hannah withstood taunts and ridicule for her barrenness, and when she prayed to God, a promise came to her that she would bear a son who would be a prophet (1 Samuel 1-2). This commemoration is in honor of the mother of Samuel, whose faith was so great that she dedicated her son to God before he was born. The icon is painted by Pennsylvania artist, Nicholas Papas; it shows her in a blue robe of purity with a pink scarf over her head for her sacrifice. The Prophet Hannah in the Temple - Oil on canvas (1650) by Rembrandt |
| Visitation - Oil on canvas (1792) by Franz Anton Maulbertsch |
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| December 10 | Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Menas, Hermogenes, and Eugraphos, Martrys, 235 Both Menas, an educated military officer and Eugraphus, his scribe, were Christians, having been raise in the faith by Christian parents. The Emperor sent Menas to Alexandria to settle contention among the citizens. He did that, and then began to nurture the Christians of that city. The Emperor sent Hermogenes to tempt Menas away from his faith, but instead Hermogenes was convinced by Menas’ eloquence and became a Christian, too. All three were martyred for their faith. Musical Anniversaries today: Giulio Caccini (composer), d. 1611; César Franck (composer), b. 1922; Olivier Messiaen (composer), b. 1908. |
| The Annunciation - Oil on wood (1465-1475) by the Workshop of Rogier van der Weyden |
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| December 11 | Lutheran commemoration of Lars Olsen Skrefsrud, missionary to India, 1910 As a youth, Skrefsrud suffered the frustrations of poverty. After a drinking bout, he and his companions robbed a bank for which he alone served prison time (he refused to name his fellow thieves). A girl he knew, whom he would later marry, visited him in prison and led him to begin to read religious books. Upon his release from prison, he trained with a Missionary Society, working, studying, fasting and praying. He and his wife spent the last 45 years of his life as missionaries in India. Franciscan audio essay commemorating St. Damascus I This pope was mentor to St. Jerome (September 30), while he was trying to deal with internal political struggles, doctrinal heresies, and uneasy relations with fellow bishops and Eastern Christians. His pontificate was marked by the Church becoming the official religion of the Empire, and by the adoption of Latin as its liturgical language. His encouragement of Jerome’s biblical studies eventually led to the Vulgate. He is remembered for his political sense of when to be progressive and when to entrench. Musical Anniversaries today: Carl Zelter (composer), b. 1758; Hector Berlioz (composer), b. 1803; Elliott Carter (composer), b. 1908. |
| The Annunciation - Oil on wood (c. 1450) by un unknown French Master |
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| December 12 | Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Holy New Martyr Peter the Aleut, 1015 Peter was an Orthodox Aleut who, with his companions, were captured in California when it still belonged to Spain. He refused to renounce his Orthodoxy for Latin Catholicism, and was killed for his steadfast confession. The icon shows Christ in the center with Orthodox personages on one side and Catholic ones on the other. Peter is at the bottom, stripped and being torn between them. Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Spyridon the Wonderworker from Trymithous, c. 350 Spyridon was a simple pastor who became Bishop of Trymithous. Because of his office, he attended the First Ecumenical Council and defended the Orthodox faith against the Arians. The icon portrays a man with a kind face clad in liturgical robes and holding a Bible. Franciscan audio essay commemorating Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1531 This feast is of a vision seen on the way to Mass by a simple Indian peasant named Juan Diego (December 9). A chapel was built on the site where he saw the vision. In an age (16th century) of horrible treatment of the Indians by the Spaniards, the vision is a rebuke to the latter and a reminder that God’s love is for all people, especially the poor. |
| Zacharias and the Angel - Tempera and glue on canvas (early 19th c.) by William Blake |
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| December 13 | Roman Catholic audio essay commemorating St. Lucy, 304 The only thing known about the Lucy of history—lots of legends abound—is that a rejected suitor accused her of being a Christian and caused her to be executed in Sicily. Her hero, the one she followed to the death, an obscure itinerant preacher from a small, occupied nation centuries before, had himself been killed. She believed him to be resurrected from the dead as a divine seal upon what he taught. That scenario was as unlikely in the fourth century as it is today, but Christians testify to its truth every day. St. Lucy - Tempera and gold on wood (early 16th c.) by Francesco Zaganelli Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Herman, Wonderworker of Alaska, First Saint in America, 1837 Russian-born Herman was born near Saint Petersburg. While a member of Valaam Monastery he often went into the wilderness to pray for days at a time, so answering a call to preach to the Aleuts in Alaska signaled no climate change for him. He brought many people to Christ by his ascetic example as well as his kindness and holiness. The icon portrays this un-ordained missionary on an island overlooking an Alaskan waterway. |
| The Annunciation - Oil on wood (mid-15th c.) by an unknown South German Master |
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| December 14 | Feast of St. John of the Cross, 1591Lutheran essay; Roman Catholic audio essay.This Spanish Discalced (very strict) Carmelite was kidnapped, imprisoned and beaten often over a period of nine months for his emphasis on a life of prayer. During his imprisonment, he wrote one of his masterpieces of mystic poetry, Spiritual Canticle. After his escape, he became mentor to Teresa of Avila (October 15 & December 14). He is remembered for coining the phrase (in his book title) The Dark Night of the Soul, and for his work as a reformer and spiritual guide. The latter is still influential today in emphasizing the cost of discipleship and the path of union with God through abandonment and purification. Lutheran Commemoration of St. Teresa of Avila, 1582 Teresa’s young adulthood was inauspicious. She was hardly marriageable because her grandfather was a converted Jew, and because she had had an affair. She entered the Carmelite Convent but Ill health forced her to leave for medical treatment. Over time, the passionate love she had had toward men became focused on Christ, and at age forty, she had a series of visions with the eyes of her soul. They are her most famous legacy today, but she considered them inferior to the quiet calm of union with Christ. She was under suspicion by the Inquisition for her Jewish background as well as for her visions. She is remembered as a mystic, an ascetic, and for her work of reform in the Carmelite Order. Saint Teresa of Ávila Interceding for Souls in Purgatory – Oil on wood (early 17th c.) by Peter Paul Rubens. Musical Anniversaries today: Carl Philippe Emanuel Bach (composer), d. 1788; Joseph Jongen (composer), b. 1873; Charles Seeger (folk song collector), b. 1886. |
| The Virgin Mary - Oil on canvas (1590s) by El Greco |
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| December 15 | Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Eleutherios the Holy Martyr, c. 126 Eleutherios was made bishop at a very young age due to his virtuous living and the fact that he had made many converts by his teaching. He and his mother were arrested, tortured and executed for their faith during Hadnan’s persecution. The icon shows a young man with an intense face. He is holding a Bible in one hand and giving a blessing with the other. Musical Anniversaries today: David Wendell Guion (composer), b. 1895. |
| Madonna with Music-making Angels - Wood (1460-1470) by Pere Garcia |
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| December 16 | Greek Orthodox commemoration of Haggai the Prophet. Click for an Evangelical perspective. Haggai may have been among the first returnees from Babylonia after the Exile making him the first prophet, just before Zechariah, in Jerusalem after the return. His four oracles are dated 520 B.C.E. by internal evidence. The one message at the center of his oracles: build the Temple. Here was one prophet who was completely successful in his homeland. This was the Temple that was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes, the time of the miracle of Hanukkah, restored to its purity, and housed the events of Jesus’ life. Haggai - marble bust (1285-95) by Giovanni PisanoMusical Anniversaries today: Ludwig van Beethoven (composer), b. 1770; Zoltán Kodály (composer; folk song collector), b. 1882; First performance of Dvorák’s New World Symphony, 1893. |
| Madonna with Angels Playing Music and Donor - Tempera on wood (1439) by an Unknown Spanish Master |
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| December 17 | Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Dionysios of Zakynthos, 1621 Dionysios, born to wealth and piety, donned the monastic habit at an early age. His later rule as archbishop of Aegina was long and filled with stories of mercy and effective ministry. The icon portrays a man of some years dressed in liturgical vestments. He holds a Bible in one hand and extends a blessing with the other. Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Daniel and the Three Young Men Daniel is remembered for several incidents and visions recorded in the book by his name, a number of which are celebrated musically (William Walton’s Balshazzar’s Feast, and several children’s musicals, come immediately to mind). This commemoration is of the fiery furnace that did not harm the prophet and his companions. Greek Orthodox Christians commemorate it on this Sunday because they view it as a prefigurement of Christ’s mission. The icon portrays the men in the furnace with Daniel holding the King’s command; all the while an angel protects them. The Prophet Daniel - Stone sculpture (1800-05) by Antonio Francisco LisboaBalshazzar's Feast - Oil on canvas (1635) by Rembrandt Roman Catholic audio essay commemorating Lazarus Lazarus is identified in the Gospels as a special friend of Jesus and the brother of Mary and Martha. Although the Gospel accounts are all we know of him, legends abound about his life after that time. He reminds us that we, too, can share meals with Jesus and hear his teaching, and we look forward to resurrection from the dead with him. Essay. Lazarus - Panel (1480-1500) by an unknown Spanish masterRaising of Lazarus - Panel (c. 1480) by Geertgen tot Sint Jans Raising of Lazarus - Fresco (1304-1306) by Giotto di BondoneThe Raising of Lazarus - Oil on panel (1540s) by Cecchino del Salviati Musical Anniversaries today: Domenico Cimarosa (composer), b. 1749; Arthur Fiedler (conductor), b. 1894. |
| Madonna - Oil on canvas (c. 1930) by C. Pál Molnár |
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| December 18 | Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Sebastian the Martyr and His Companions, 288 See January 20 for comments. St. Sebastian - Oil on canvas (1476-77) by Antonello da MessinaSt. Sebastian - Oil on canvas (1577-1578) by El Greco St. SebastianPanel (1474) by Sandro BotticelliSan Sebastian - Fresco (c. 1489) by Vincenzo Foppa St. Sebastian - Polychrome wood (1526-1532) by Alonso BerrugueteMusical Anniversaries today: Antonio Stradivari (violin maker), d. 1737; Edward MacDowell (composer), b. 1861. |
| In Orana Maria (Hail Mary) - Oil on canvas (1891) by Paul Gauguin |
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| December 19 | Musical Anniversaries today: Fritz Reiner (conductor), b. 1888. |
| The Virgin of the Nativity - Tempera and gold on wood (c. 1500) by the Workshop of Filippino Lippi |
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| December 20 | Greek Orthodox icon commemorating Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, 107 See October 17 for comments. Madonna and Child with Sts. Ignatius and Onophrius - Oil on wood (1508) by Lorenzo LottoRoman Catholic audio essay Commemorating St. Dominic of Silos, 1073 Not the founder of the Dominicans, but a Spanish Benedictine priest who prophesied to a woman that she would bear a son. That son was the founder of the Dominicans. In his day, the monastic house he founded was the most famous in Spain, from which many healings were reported. |
| Madonna with the Child - Madonna with the Child – oil on panel (c. 1570) by Luis de Morales |
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| December 21 | Lutheran & Episcopal Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle Remembered as “Doubting Thomas,” he was the one who earlier loyally said to the others when they were short of faith as he announced his intention to go to Jerusalem, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Legend has it that he spent his post-resurrection years preaching in India. See also July 3. St. Thomas the Apostle - Oil on canvas (1610-1614) by El GrecoThe Incredulity of St. Thomas - Oil on wood (1634) by Rembrandt The Incredulity of St. Thomas - Oil on wood (1613-1615) by Pieter Pauwel RubensChrist and Doubting Thomas - Bronze sculpture (1476-1483) by Andrea del Verrocchio Franciscan audio essay commemorating St. Peter Canasius, 1597 Study, reflection, prayer and writing were the disciplines Peter brought to the Catholic Reformation in 16th-century Germany. With a master’s degree at age 19, he became a Jesuit who practiced the above habits as well as the apostolic activities of visiting the sick and prisoners. As a writer, and for his teaching career, he edited and translated the works of the early fathers and wrote a catechism. He was a popular preacher and skilled at reconciling disputes. Musical Anniversaries today: David Randolph (conductor), b. 1914; Thomas Dunn (educator & conductor), b. 1925. |
| Madonna with the Child - Oil on wood (1570s) by Luis de Morales |
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| December 22 | Musical Anniversaries today: Giacomo Puccini (composer), b. 1858; Edgard Varése (composer), b. 1883; André Kostelanetz (pianist), b. 1901. |
| Madonna with Angels Playing Music - Panel (1390s) by Pere Serra |
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| December 23 | Roman Catholic audio essay commemorating St. John of Kanty, 1473 John was a Polish country boy who made good in the city of Kraków and in the university. He is remembered as a professor of theology and scripture who gave most of his earnings to the poor. The Christmas season is a good time to reject self-indulgence. Musical Anniversaries today: First performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, 1086; Ross Lee Finney (composer), b. 1906. |
| Milk Loaf Madonna - Terra cotta (1938) by Margit Kovács |
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| December 24 | Christmas EveLuke 2:1-20 (The Birth of Christ)Greek Orthodox icon Commemorating Eugenia the Righteous Nun - Martyr of Rome, late 2nd century Eugenia learned the Christian faith and was so inspired by Paul’s letters to follow Christ that she rejected the values of the pagan world, disguised herself as a man and took up the monastic life. Eventually she was slandered to the Prefect, who happened to be her own father. She convinced him of her innocence of the charges, and led him to faith in Christ for which he was beheaded. Eugenia and her two servants were then martyred. Franciscan audio essay Commemorating Christmas at Grecco (where St. Francis invented the creche), 1223 Francis was trying to recall his visit to Bethlehem when he created the manger in a cave at Greccio. His community celebrated Mass there for a crowd that had gathered as a recollection of the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, hardships of the savior who chose to become poor for our sakes. Nativity - Colored terra cotta (1780s) by Giuseppe SammartinoAdoration of the Shepherds - Tempera on wood (c. 1445) by Pietro di Giovanni D’Ambrogio Musical Anniversaries today: John Dunstable (composer), d. 1453; Peter Cornelius (composer), b. 1824; First performance of Verdi’s Aida, 1871; Alban Berg (composer), d. 1935 |