The adventure continued yesterday with a visit to the now defunct Huntington Seminary of the Immaculate Conception. This was the once mighty seminary of the once mighty Diocese of Brooklyn. It had hundreds of seminarians. Then it had tens. Then it had none and was closed. Back in the 50’s, the Diocese of Rockville Centre (pretty much the entirety of Long Island) was sliced off from Brooklyn. The result was that Brooklyn was all urban and poorer by the year. The money was in Long Island. Rockville Centre got the seminary (and the landed gentry), Brooklyn’s dead bishops in crypt were translated, and eventually things petered out.
I took lots of photos (new phone… difference?) but here are a few just to provide a taste of what seminaries were, back in the day.
Look at this deeply deeply silly altar. The main altar was as wide as you can easily envisage. But, no. They had to follow the chimera, the non-existent lie-based propo after the Council, and put something barely wide enough to hold the corporal and bookstand in the nave. If there were any environment in which it is would be important to stress the concept of a sanctuary, it would be a seminary. So, that’s where they did the stupid stuff.
A small bright spot in the sacristy.
The other day I mentioned prayers to be said commanded by the local bishop. Here is an example at the bottom of the chart with vesting prayers framed on a cabinet over the vestment case.
Who would like to offer a precise and yet smooth translation of the Latin at the bottom?
This oratio imperata reveals the deep culture of prayer for benefactors. This is way, dear readers, I always mention that I pray for and say Mass for the intention of those who send donations, either monthly or ad hoc and who send wishlist items and also notes about their prayers for me. I, too, at the Mementos of the living and of the dead in the Roman Canon remember my benefactors. It is a duty and pleasure.
The bishop’s chapel in the level below the main chapel, below which there is the crypt. The chapel is decidedly eschatological and very well done. The mosaic of the reigning Christ is raised above the broken symbols of episcopal office, such as the crozier, and the human bones are a memento mori. Moreover, this is directly above the crypt the the bishop’s dead predecessors are entombed!
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The one wing from the back of the sprawling place.
We headed over the the house where President Theodore Roosevelt died. Alas, it was closed.
Nice people! Great service!
Supper: We stopped at a local butcher in what seemed like a shabby bodega in a not so appealing area. Great butcher! Friendly and helpful. Happy to talk about the cut, fat content, etc. High quality meats. Always chat with the butcher. My experience is that even in grocery stores they are often the most helpful, in fact eager to. It makes their day a lot more pleasant and they are, in general, happy to cut something special for you. These guys had various steaks cut, but we asked for something thicker. Here is a shot with a dry rub I often use. It’s about 1 3/4″.
In the pan with clarified butter.
Simple greens and tomato and garlic vinaigrette. A good, sturdy Zin.
Speaking of altars, this is fun. Note the image over this altar. It is a riff on a theme.
In the Two Trinities Chapel, there is a hi res print of Murillo’s The Heavenly and Earthly Trinities (National Gallery, London).
In chessy news, it looks like another chess movie may be coming out, this time based on the huge cheating controversy from the Sinquefield Cup a couple years ago. Magnus Carlson abruptly left the tournament levelling an accusation of cheating against the rather unlikeable Hans Neimann.
Frankly, I am amazed that more chess related movies and shows haven’t been produced lately, given the huge and growing popularity of chess around the world.
Also, The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has invited private bids for the 2024 World Championship. Get this: Minimum total budget $8,500,000, minimum total prize fund $2,500,000, FIDE fee $1,100,000. I dunno. Chess is growing. One of these days large sponsors will get involved, as they have in other sports.
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.
20:02 the sun will sink past the horizon.
