ROME 24/4– Day 35 (-6): adventures in symmetry

I take it in trust in the accuracy of the calendar that the sun rose today at 06:13 (it was cloudy) and that it will set at 20:04 (it may be raining).

The Ave Maria Bell? Still at 2015.

Today is the Feast Sts. Maria of Cleophas, who was at Calvary, and Salome, who went to the tomb.  With Mary Magdalen these are the “three Marys”.

It is the Feast of St Mary Elisabeth Hesselblad (+1957) who founded the Brigidines whose chapel and bell tower I can see from my window.

Today also St Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr (+1622).  Here is a relic:

Today, for the martyr, vestments were laid out for priests.

A small group of you readers were donors for these beautiful red vestments from the RED VESTMENT PROJECT (HERE).

The BLACK VESTMENT PROJECT is now underway.  I look forward to seeing them, first in photos and then in person next October.

I plan to return in October and into November.  I hope I can count on help with another fundraiser in a few months.   People here are asking me to stay longer, and I wish I could.  It hurts to leave, but I also have filial duties.   I ask ongoing prayers for my mother.  Things are stable now, which is great.

This morning, breakfast with TWBS™, whose special super power is to make all things symetrical.

He might have slightly erred this time.  Perhaps for more perfect symmetry, one of those pastries should have been rotated 180º.

This was unusual for me: pastry with apple and pistachio.  It was good, however.

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.

There was a funny moment in our symmetry discussion. I brought up that there is an element in the altar painting of St. Philip Neri …. BAM!… he jumped in with exactly the point I was going to make, very subtle, a slight wrinkle/fold in the altar cloth depicted in the painting.  I had to laugh aloud.  He nailed it.

From that same painting, I shot a photo of the cincture worn by the saint.  One of readers here makes fine “bespoke” cinctures for Mass vestments.   I placed an ad for her business on the side bar: Via Providence.   I wonder if she would be able to make cinctures like the one in the painting of San Filipo.

Nothing starts your day like the sight of a few crates of “mamelle”.

Black to move and mate in 4.

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

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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4 Comments

  1. From a reader: “What are in the frames between the vestments?”

    Those are the priest’s vesting prayers. I’ll show more about that tomorrow.

  2. Not says:

    Father, it was perfect symmetry for two people. One cup handle facing one way and the other the other way.

  3. Hmmm. Those kind of tassels have always reminded me of fancy curtain tiebacks so I have avoided making them but if St. Philip Neri can wear them perhaps I should reconsider.

  4. EAW says:

    If I recall correctly, this is called rotational symmetry.

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