This is a story that deserves a wider hearing.
According to the reporter:
There are few places on earth where Christianity is as old as it is in Iraq. Christians there trace their history to the first century apostles. But today, their existence has been threatened by the terrorist group that calls itself Islamic State. More than 125,000 Christians — men, women and children — have been forced from their homes over the last 10 months.
Read more here: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraq-christians-persecuted-by-isis-60-minutes/
One part I found especially sad is the cultural losses:
Archbishop Nicodemus Sharaf: “I think they burn all the books. And we have books from the first century of the Christianity.”
Lara Logan: “You had from the first century..”
Archbishop Nicodemus Sharaf: “Yes, of the Christianity. When I remember this, I cannot …”(crying) “from the beginning the Christianity, this is the first time we cannot pray in our churches.”
You just can’t get back centuries old manuscripts that are burned. Some things are irreplaceable.
La résurrection du Christ, 1700, by Noel Coyper, 1628-1707.
In honor of Holy Week:
This beautiful piece was composed by Gregorio Allegri (1582-1652), for performance in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week. For a time, according to the oft-told mythical story, the song was the well guarded secret of the Vatican, which forbade its publication, until a 14 year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart visited on Good Friday 1770 and later transcribed the entire piece from memory. This is probably not true, but makes a great story (for a full debunking, read Ben Byram-Wigfield’s 1996 essay, “MISERERE MEI, DEUS, GREGORIO ALLEGRI: A Quest for the Holy Grail?”, pg 16, online here). There was certainly a mystique about the music that led such as person as Mary Shelley to gush:
But a thousand times over I would go to listen to the Miserere in the Sistine Chapel ; that spot made sacred by the most sublime works of Michael Angelo … The music, not only of the Miserere, but of the Lamentations, is solemn, pathetic, religious – the soul is rapt – carried away into another state of being. Strange that grief, and laments, and the humble petition of repentance, should fill us with delight – a delight that wakens these very emotions in the heart – and calls tears into the eyes, and yet is dearer than any pleasure.
(From Mary Shelley: Rambles in Germany and Italy in 1840, 1842 and 1843. Vol 2. London, Edward Moxon, 1844), Vol 2, 230–31; as cited in Graham Kelly’s essay for the University of York Dept of Music, “A unique singers’ manuscript from the 19th century: Domenico Mustafa’s version of the Miserere of Tommaso Bai and Gregorio Allegri”, which can be found online here.)
The version heard commonly today is not likely what a guest to the vatican would have heard in Mozart’s time. The “top C” version we all know and love turns out to have been the happy result of an error. For you musicologists out there, the Wigfield essay mentioned above explains this in detail: The received version, as it is widely held today, is a mix of Burney’s first choir with a bizarre second choir, congealed into life in the first edition of Grove’s Dictionary of Music & Musicians in 1880. As an illustrated example, W.S. Rockstro showed the first half of the four-part verse as indicated by Alfieri, but then sticks Mendelssohn’s 1831 record of the first half —up a fourth— on the second half of the verse. Ivor Atkins, for his edition of 1951, took Burney’s first choir and final verse, adding this second choir from Grove’s. The problem is that the Mendelssohn abbellimenti is also a record of the first half, apparently sung a fourth higher than written at the time of his visit. It is this that causes musicologists to squirm with the bass jumping from an F# up to a C, followed by the swift gear change into C minor. This error has been repeated in two subsequent editions, produced by respected academics. The result is strangely beautiful, and probably here to stay. It is, after all, one of the most popular pieces of sacred music. However, it is neither a representation of the performance practice of the Sistine Chapel choir, nor a true reflection of how the piece was ever sung there.
A theological point can be made here, and perhaps I’ll embellish it down the road: Sometimes God uses our mistakes to His greater glory.
“Ecce Homo” is from the Latinized version of the Passion narrative in the Gospel of John. “Behold the man” cries Pilate to the crowd, as Jesus is on trial for his life. As most know, he was crucified very soon afterward. This scripture is often said or sung as part of the liturgical celebration of Good Friday. Of course God has the last laugh, so to speak, as Jesus comes back from the dead on the third day.
I was led to the following fascinating story. In the village of Borja, Spain, in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church is a fresco entitled “Ecce homo”. It was painted in 1930 by a local artist and by 2012 was in a serious state of decay. Cecilia Giménez, an 80-year-old amateur artist living locally, painted over the fresco in an attempt to restore it. Critics hooted at the result: BBC Europe correspondent Christian Fraser says the delicate brush strokes of Elias Garcia Martinez have been buried under a haphazard splattering of paint.
“The once-dignified portrait now resembles a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic, he says.” You can read more at BBC News. “She had good intentions” stated the city councilor patronizingly as he prepared to meet to discuss the future of the fresco.
Well, it appears that God honors good intentions, and had the last laugh in this situation. The fresco became an Internet sensation and pop icon. The fame garnered by the painting allowed the church to charge admission for the opportunity to view it, and the church has raised 50,000 pounds for charitable causes. See article at The Guardian.
On a small scale, God took the foolishness of a “botched” painting to accomplish great things, just as on Good Friday 2 centuries ago God used the “foolishness” of the cross to perform a great work of atonement and our redemption.
(Full disclosure here: I don’t especially like the new version of the fresco).
In case you missed it, 21 mostly Coptic Christians from Egypt, who were working in Libya, were kidnapped, tortured, and killed by Islamic Extremists. They were offered the chance to recant their faith but refused to do so. They died praising the name of Jesus.
Now they are being essentially canonized by the Coptic Church. You can read about this in Christianity Today:
The deaths of 21 Christians to ISIS will not be in vain as they will be declared martyrs by the Coptic Orthodox Church, the equivalent of canonisation in the Catholic Church.
In a statement, Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church affirmed that the martyrdom of the 21 will be commemorated every 8th Amshir of the Coptic Calendar, the feast day of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.
…Despite their impending death, the Christian men could be heard continuously chanting the words “Lord Jesus Christ”, while some even screamed the name of Yeshua in their final moments.
While the intention of ISIS was to sow fear among those who do not share their beliefs, the courage of the Christians has inspired many to further profess their faith.
Beshir Kamel, whose brothers Bishoy and Samuel were among the martyrs slain by the group, said that his siblings’ martyrdom serves as a “badge of honour to Christianity.”
“ISIS gave us more than we asked when they didn’t edit out the part where they declared their faith and called upon Jesus Christ. ISIS helped us strengthen our faith,” he said in an interview with SAT-7 Arabic.
A new icon has been created by a Coptic American artist, Tony Rezk, and appears on the webpage of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii.
You can find more about this work here: here. Mr. Rezk gave an interview to the National Review:
“My ultimate purpose was to honor them and the sacrifice that they made. Tertullian, a Christian apologist from the third century, before he joined a non-Orthodox Christian sect, said, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.” We believe that their martyrdom will help the Church grow stronger. My other purpose was to take out my frustrations on something, as I find that the process of making any kind of art is a relaxing experience.”
Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/414400/what-martyrdom-looks-interview
I have discovered a website that offers an intellectual discipline for those interested in early church writings. They have put together a plan of readings, which they describe as follows:
By reading seven pages a day for seven years, you can study a vast library of theology, history, liturgy, apologetics, biblical commentary, and devotion written in the first seven centuries of the Christian church. We provide a schedule of readings, the texts in English translation, and—most important—a community to discuss what you’re learning. Laypeople, clergy, seminarians, students, and Christians of all denominations will benefit from joining our community to read the church fathers.
They are in year 3 of this project, and have covered works written by such luminaries as Origen, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus, and Justin Martyr.
You can find more at http://readthefathers.org/
The Lorica of Saint Patrick
The “lorica of St Patrick” is a prayer or incantation for divine protection (“lorica” meant “breastplate”). These verses have been attributed to Saint Patrick, the 5th century evangelist who is now the patron saint of Ireland, and whose feast is celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike. It is also now a hymn, which is commonly sung on Trinity Sunday (for obvious reasons).
In honor of Saint Patrick’s feast day I offer this prayer. You may find this and prayers of other famous Christians at our website: http://www.theundergroundchurch.net/prayer/famousprayers.html
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation
(St. Patrick, 387-461; This particular version is popular on the internet though I am not sure of the original translator; it is found in Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica, Lindisfarne Press, 1992, p 78. There is a truncated version posted at Beliefnet).
(The photo above is © Copyright Chris Eilbeck and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence).
An inspirational story came out in January about a Detroit man named James Robertson, who trudged miles to get to work every day:
Getting to and from his factory job 23 miles away in Rochester Hills, he’ll take a bus partway there and partway home. And he’ll also walk an astounding 21 miles. Five days a week. Monday through Friday. It’s the life Robertson has led for the last decade, ever since his 1988 Honda Accord quit on him.
The article highlighted that despite his difficulties, he sets the standard for attendance at his workplace, according to his supervisors.
…So, what gets him past dangerous streets, and through the cold and gloom of night and winter winds? “One word — faith,” Robertson says. “I’m not saying I’m a member of some church. But just before I get home, every night, I say, ‘Lord, keep me safe.’ “
See the full article at Detroit Free Press.
This tenacity and drive got him national attention, including a feature as the ABC News “person of the week”. It is reported that a 19 year old college student named Evan Leedy saw his story and started an online fundraiser that eventually amassed $350,000 and a new Ford Taurus (See, for example, this follow up article from CBS news).
Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury who presided over the conversion of the English realm from Roman Catholicism to Protestantism, penned what is the first official English Language ceremony, the “Great Litany”, in 1544. He drew upon litanies in the old “Sarum Rite” as well as the litany of Martin Luther. The Litany is a collection of prayers and petitions, and is generally used in the penitential seasons of Lent and Advent.
The text of the litany is posted below. Here are two small portions of that Litany, sung in a beautiful setting by Thomas Tallis (1505-1585), who is considered by many the “father of Anglican music.” An organist at Waltham Abbey, he later became a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and was a teacher of William Byrd.
We will hear the Gentlemen of the Choir of Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, NYC. Here are the opening sentences, an invocation of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
Now I’ll move to the end. The sublime concluding phrases here remind me of the somber ending to Tallis’ great work “The Lamentations of Jeremiah.”
The entire Litany in its appropriate context within a communion service, is available online for a period of time at the website for this church.
The Text of the Litany (From the Book of Common Prayer, 1928). Responses from the congregation/choir are in italics.
O GOD the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us.
REMEMBER not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins: Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever.
Spare us, good Lord.
FROM all evil and mischief; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnation,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death,
Good Lord, deliver us.
From all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and Commandment,
Good Lord, deliver us.
By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision; by thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation,
Good Lord, deliver us.
By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord, deliver us.
In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,
Good Lord, deliver us.
WE sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church universal in the right way;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee so to rule the heart of thy servant, The President of the United States, that he may above all things seek thy honour and glory;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to bless and preserve all Christian Rulers and Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth, and show it accordingly;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to send forth labourers into thy harvest;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and fear thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to hear meekly thy Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort, all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to preserve all who travel by land, by water, or by air, all women in child-birth, all sick persons, and young children; and to show thy pity upon all prisoners and captives;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to defend, and provide for, the fatherless children, and widows, and all who are desolate and oppressed;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so that in due time we may enjoy them;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world;
Grant us thy peace.
O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
I am indebted to the folks at Wikipedia and the following website: http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Litany1544/Exhortation&Litany_1544.htm. Also, while refreshing my memory about Cranmer I ran across this blog post, which neatly summarized key aspects of his life and contributions: https://thepocketscroll.wordpress.com/2010/03/28/saint-of-the-week-thomas-cranmer/
In addition, my heartfelt gratitude goes to the folks at St. Thomas Church for publishing such beauty on their webcasts.