This beautiful sunny yet cool Roman day started by the sun’s rising at 06:19 and it will end at 19:59.
The Ave Maria (which you know all about now) is at 20:15.
This is the 111st day of the year. On this day in 1303 Boniface VIII founded the Sapienza University, which still exists today.
In the Novus Ordo calendar it is the feast of Pope St. Anicetus (+c. 166). In the Vetus, he was commemorated on the 17th. According to St. Irenaeus, St. Polycarp of Smyrna (a disciple of St John the Evangelist), came to Rome to discuss the date of Easter with Anicetus. They didn’t conclude anything at that time. This eventually became a big controversy. It was a massively complicated matter, still disputed today. Anicetus opposed Gnostics and priests with long hair. Really. Tradition says that Anicetus was martyred during the reign of the Emperor Lucius Verus, who is the boy in the movie Gladiator. I understand that Gladiator II is in the works. There were originally some really stupid ideas for the film. Now, however, it is a little better grounded. It is slated for November.
Speaking of Popes, yesterday we celebrated another saintly pontiff, Leo IX (+19 April 1054). He militated against simony and decreed clerical celibacy to the rank of subdeacon. As Pope he travelled all over the place, attending “walking togethers” which dealt with concrete issues, rather than dreamy bloviating. During his time as Pope, relations broke down with Constantinople. He also had a hard time with the Normans in the south and led an army against them. He lost and was held captive until he recognized the Normans in Calabria and Apulia.
Why do I bring him up? Because yesterday was his feast day and because TAN recently published a work by him,
The Battle of the Virtues and Vices: Defending the Interior Castle of the Soul.
Just as Card. Richelieu’s book, which I used for this year’s LENTCAzTs, was quite practical, so is this. Here’s the table of contents. See if there isn’t a point in there for you. Or … maybe more than one? You can right click this for a bigger image in a new tab.
I said Holy Mass today for my monthly donors. Also, thank you to RE for shifting from “Continue” to Zelle.
Tomorrow, if nothing urgent comes up, I will say Mass for my dear “200!”s and “100!”s. These are people who signed up for a monthly donation when I was in a tough place. My otherwise cold, black heart always warms a little when a notice from one of these arrives.
Breakfast at the little Sicilian place today. The roll on the left is a maritozzo. Whose was the OJ, from those wonderful red oranges?
The façade of The Parish™ has finally been restored and illuminated. The next stage is a renewal of the interior of the church! Here are two cleaning tests in the San Carlo chapel, first (closest to the main doors) on the Gospel side.
As I understand it, three chapels will be done at once, then the scaffolding will be moved to another area. The sacristy will be included in the project. Very exciting, of course, though it will make the daily, especially morning, operations a little complicated.
But complications can often be softened by the presence of beautiful flowers. Here are more peonies.
A follow up to the “Ivy Report” (really Virginia Creeper, I was informed by a priestly writer in a comment). It does like to climb!
Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links. US HERE – UK HERE WHY? This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc.. At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.
White to move. Mate in 3. You had better do something and fast. Look at black’s deadly rooks.
1. Nxh7+ Kf7 2. Rd7+ Ke8 3. Nf6# (2… Ke6 3. Nf8# or 2… Kg8 3. Nf6#)
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.
Hostilities resume today in Toronto at the Candidates Tournament. As I write, Hikaru Nakamura and Gukesh are tied with Ian Nepomniachtchi in the lead. Fabiano Caruana is a half-point from the leaders. Prag v. Fabi and Nepo v. Naka should both be dynamic. I look forward to Gukesh beating Firouzja.
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I am so enjoying “our” time in Rome with you Fr Z. Thank you for the pics, videos and continuing education. I am always hungry after seeing so many fabulous meals ! You are always in my prayers
“This beautiful sunny yet cool Roman day started by the sun’s rising at 06:19 and it will end at 19:59.”
I take this to be correct (sun’s with and apostrophe before word’s ending in “ing,” gerund is it?). This is how I would write it as well, though I think most wouldn’t use the apostrophe (the sun rising), which has made me wonder if I am the one who is wrong. If Fr. Z uses the apostrophe here, I’m heartened. I wonder what others think on this point of grammar.
Just Some Guy: Perhaps others will get back to you before twilight’s last gleaming.