ROME 23/10 – Day 37: Spiritual treasures

When the sun rose over Rome on my penultimate full day it was 06:46.

It will set at 17:01

The Ave Maria bell ought to ring at 17:30.

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Tomorrow, big day for me.  I will be grateful for prayers today, tonight.

It is a dies non today, so the sacristan had already set out the black vestments for a Requiem Mass.  We are still in that window of time wherein you can gain a plenary indulgence each day.   Take advantage of these spiritual treasures.

I was glad to be able to use my new cassock for the first time today.  It had to be blessed, of course.   This is the text:

The text of the blessing indicates that the cassock is itself a spiritual treasure.  No wonder the cassock has been so hated by regimes such as those in England in the anti-Catholic terror reign of Elizabeth, in Mexico at the time of the Cristeros, in Spain in the civil war.  The cassock arouses strong passions.   Here in Rome my experience has run from violence, usually by those who really need to take their meds or who are maybe being messed around by demons, to instant happy recognition with cordial requests for blessings, prayers, just a greeting.  Oh yes… lots of beggars.   Lots.  You can’t imagine how many.  More and more, it seems.

Speaking of spiritual treasures and my mention of holy relics yesterday, I found a great quote:

“Those who say that the relics of the Saints are not worthy of veneration, that it is useless for the faithful to honor them, that it is vain to visit the memorials or monuments of the Saints in order to obtain their aid, are absolutely to be condemned”

– Council of Trent

So there.

I suppose some think that that pronouncement, being pre-Conciliar, is therefore in need of reinterpretation.  New version:  “Relics?  What’r relics?”

But not yet.

A somewhat Romantic view this morning.

Pray for us, Mother of Sorrows.  We have recourse to thee, especially now.

Meanwhile, white to move. Mate in TWO.

Fun.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

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In chessy news, Vidit Gujrathi won in FIDE Grand Swiss on the Isle of Man.  He now qualifies with Hikaru Nakamura (2nd) to be in the 2024 Candidates Tournament in Toronto.
In the Women’s event, Vaishali Rameshbabu won and therefore scored her own Women’s Candidates spot. Her brother Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa had already qualified for the men’s Candidates in the 2023 FIDE World Cup. So, for the first time a brother and sister duo will contend in the Open and Women’s Candidates.  I know you were dying to know the outcome.

Kitchen and food stuff.

Not much of interest, really.  I’ve been emptying the fridge and cupboard, just getting a couple fresh things.  Taking care of left overs.  I won’t be leaving much behind, for sure.  I had some lovely vegetable soup from a batch I made a few days ago, a couple pieces of toast with a schmear of soft bel paese.  Less is sometimes more and simple is just right.