I have great shots today, which I feel compelled to post. There were sent by The World’s Best Sacristan™ at The Parish™.
Each year, the confreres of the Archconfraternity at Santissma Trinità in Rome give a wreath for Our Lady’s column at the Piazza di Spagna, set up in honor of the infallible declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception (celebrated today, even though it is the 2nd Sunday of Advent). The confreres make sure that their wreath is front and center for the eyes of which ever Supreme Pontiff will show up.
Let’s follow the wreath from parish to column. The lovely facade. newly restored, in an artful shot.
We start at Mary’s altar in church.
The wreath is in the center still, but someone shoved it over.
Here’s some proof of the report that Francis has a massive bruise on his chin. From the live stream, I think.
Did anyone watch the live stream of the reopening of Notre Dame in Paris? I did, for part of it.
The church is splendidly bright. The vestments and new altar etc., and the organ music, were ugly, contradictory. The build proclaims ORDER! FAITH! which the accoutrement screams CHAOS! INSTABILITY!
He wore an Uno reverse card to show that Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is so back. pic.twitter.com/q6Y2XJZNNP
— Locutus of Borgia ? (@OstensiblyChris) December 8, 2024
GAH!
Check out this disc of Christmas music from the seminary of the FSSP! A great stocking stuffer!
By FSSP seminarians
In chessy news… HERE
White to play and mate in 4.
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White to play and mate in 4.
[NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.]
I’m sad. I’m pulling for Ding Liren. But Ding blundered in Game 11 and now Gukesh 6-5 is ahead at a critical point in the match. I’m looking forward to a recap, but for now I’m sad. I read that Ding spent a whole hour on the first 5 moves. But Gukesh also burned an hour later. It brings slight consolation, however, that the greatest players in the world will still from time to time blunder.
Chess.com has a summary and the game. HERE
I’m a chess.com affiliate. If you sign up, I’ll get credit.
Nf6+, Kh8
Nxf7+, Rxf7
Qc8+, Rf8
Qxf8#
At one point I considered the organ was doing an improvisation using the vestments as its theme. From what I heard, it sounded pretty terrible. I did consider that perhaps it might have sounded a bit better in person due to mic and speaker limitations compared to what the human ear can hear and experience.
It’s an all-season cope?
1. Nf6+ Kh8
2. Nxf7+ RxN
3. Qc8+ Rf8
4. QxR mate
As to the bruise on the pope’s chin, first seen on the morning of Dec 7, I wonder if St Nicholas visited on the night of his feast day and gave the pope the Arius punch.
Cope and dalmatics are horribly clownesque. Not quite as bad as the tie dyed horrors inflicted on Benedict XVI in Mariazell (something I wish I hadn’t seen, but cannot unsee), but not far behind. The mitre seems not too bad.