Notre Dame de Rouen. The façade of the Gothic Church in France. Photographer: Hippo1947. Licence: SHUTTERSTOCK.

Tuesday 30 June 2015

"Pope Francis Has Kept His Promises To Us. He Sees Us As Catholic". SSPX Superior-General, After Vatican Visits Their Seminaries.


The Text in this Article, unless otherwise stated,
is taken from RORATE CAELI




On Saturday, June 27, the French Conservative Daily Evening Newspaper Présent published an interview with the Superior-General of The Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX), Bishop Bernard Fellay, on the surprisingly positive developments for The Society under Pope Francis, and what they mean for the future.

On the occasion of The Blessing of The Bells, for the Chapel of Saint-Michel de La Martinerie School, in Chateauroux, France, Bishop Fellay gave Présent an update on the situation of The Society of Saint Pius X, of which he is the Superior-General.





In an interview with Fideliter, in 2001, you mentioned the "movement of profound sympathy from the young Clergy for the Society." Has this movement grown, especially with the motu proprio in 2007 ?

"Without a doubt ! The motu proprio gave this movement a new impetus. And it is important to insist upon Pope Benedict XVI's interest for the Liturgy, in general. He truly wished to put the entire Traditional Liturgy, not only The Mass, at the disposition of the Priests and The Faithful; this did not happen, because there was too much opposition. But the young Priests identify with this Liturgy, precisely because it is timeless. The Church lives in eternity. The Liturgy does also, too, which is why it is always young. Close to God, it is outside of time. So it is no surprise that the Baptismal character makes this harmony resound even in Souls that have never known the Liturgy. And the way the young Priests react when they discover this Liturgy is moving: They have the impression a treasure has been hidden from them."

The Society was officially recognised as Catholic by the State of Argentina, with the help of Cardinal Bergoglio, who has since become Pope Francis. Does this have a purely administrative importance or is it more revealing ?

"First of all, it has a juridical and administrative effect, with no implications as far as The Society's general relations with - to put it simply - the Official Church, are concerned. But the secondary effects are not easy to evaluate correctly. There is no doubt that Pope Francis, then Cardinal Bergoglio, had promised to help The Society obtain the Argentinian State's recognition of our Society as Catholic and that he kept his promise. So, we have no choice but to think that he does consider us Catholic."




Along the same lines, you were made a "Judge of First Instance", by The Vatican, for the trial of a Society Priest. Can that be seen as a sign of good will ?

"That is nothing new; it has been the case for over ten years. It is indeed a sign of good will and of common sense. It is something that can be observed in The Roman Church throughout her whole history: Her realism, her capacity to go beyond Canonical and juridical problems, in order to find solutions to very real problems."

In your "Letter to Friends and Benefactors", you mentioned "contradictory messages" coming from Rome. What do you mean by that ?

"I was thinking of the way in which a Society that was becoming closer to Tradition was treated - or, rather, mistreated: The Franciscans of The Immaculate. And of the different ways we are treated by the different Roman authorities: The Congregation for Religious, for example, still considers us Schismatic (in 2011, they declared a Priest, who joined our Society, Excommunicated), but that is not the case with other Congregations, or the Pope himself, as we just said."




"Pessimistic", "closed to others", "thinking that only The Faithful of The Society will be saved": You are sometimes referred to in these terms. How would you respond ? What is the missionary spirit in your eyes ?

"I do not recognise myself in these quips. Firmness in Doctrine is indeed necessary, for The Faith is not up for negotiation. The Faith is, as a whole, given by God, and we have no right to pick and choose among the Revealed Truths. Today, reminders of these requirements are unwelcome, as has always been more or less the case. The expression 'The Fight of The Faith' is part of the history of The Church. The Missionary has to make The Voice of The Faith heard outside, and, at the same time, seek to strengthen those who already have it. We cannot speak only to The Faithful of The Society. The torch lights up the World, the light of The Faith shines with warmth. The Faith must be borne by Charity: That is how I see the Missionary."

A few weeks ago, The Society's Seminaries were visited by Cardinal Brandmuller and Bishop Schneider. These visits are a public connection with the "Official Church". Isn't that vital ?

"The link with The Church is vital. The manifestations of this connection can vary. The dates and places for these visits were left up to me: The Vatican chose the names. I chose the Seminaries, because they seemed to me to be the most eloquent and representative for the Bishops."




What were the first reactions of these Bishops ?

"They were very satisfied. 'You are normal people,' they told us . . . which goes to show the reputation we have ! They congratulated us on the quality of our Seminarians. There is no doubt that their conclusion, after this first closer contact, was that we are a work of The Church."

Have you been in contact with any Bishops who support you discreetly ?

"Of course ! When we see that Priests are coming closer to us today and entering into contact with us, we can easily conclude that the same is true on the higher level . . ."

In the 2001 interview that we already mentioned, you declared: "If there is any chance at all that our contacts with Rome could bring back a little more Tradition in The Church, I think we should seize the opportunity." Is that still your position ?

"That remains our position, even if we cannot say it is easy, especially because of the open dissensions within The Vatican itself. These relations are delicate, but our point of view remains valid, as is confirmed by the facts. It is a discreet work, being accomplished in the midst of strong opposition. Some are working in one direction, others in the opposite direction."




Is The Society's role as a counterweight within The Church important ?

"This role is nothing new. Archbishop Lefebvre started it, and we are continuing it. It is easy to see in the irritation of the Modernists at the steps taken by Benedict XVI."

Where is The Society today ? What are its strong points and its weak points ? What future do you foresee for it ?

"I see a peaceful future. It is a work that has been entrusted to The Sacred Heart of Jesus and The Immaculate Heart of Mary; all we have to do is remain faithful to Their Will. This Church is the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who remains her head and will not allow her to be destroyed."

"The Society's weaknesses ? The risk of separation is serious. Look at the caricature of Tradition that calls itself the "Resistance", for example; it is a non-Catholic spirit that is almost sectarian. We wish to have nothing to do with it; it is a movement that is withdrawn into itself, with people who think that they are the only Good and Just men on Earth. That is not Catholic. It is an objective, but relative danger. Most of The Society is healthy and will not fall into these illusions. This encourages us to rely upon Supernatural means. God will show us what He wants of us. He will speak through circumstances."

"The strong points ? The living fidelity that bears fruit and shows the World today that The Catholic Life, even with all its requirements, is possible. But - another weak point - we are men of our times, and it would be a dream to pretend that we are immunised against the influence of the modern World. To be more precise, we must avoid the caricature of wishing for a Church without wrinkles or stains, here below: That is not what The Good Lord promised us on this Earth. That is not what The 'Holy Church' means; it means that she is capable of Sanctifying, using the means given by Our Lord: The Sacraments, The Faith, Discipline, Religious Life, The Life of Prayer."




What do you think of Cardinal Sarah's suggestion of introducing The Traditional Offertory into The New Mass ?

"It is not a new idea; it has been around in Rome for ten years. I am glad it has been taken up again. Some criticise the idea, saying it is a way of mixing the profane with The Sacred. On the contrary, in the perspective of bringing health back to The Church, I think it would be a great step forward, because The Offertory is a summary of The Catholic principles of The Mass, of The Expiatory Sacrifice offered to The Blessed Trinity, offered by the Priest to God, in reparation for sins, and accompanied by The Faithful. And that would gradually bring The Faithful back to The Traditional Mass they have lost."

How would you like to conclude, your Excellency ?

"In my opinion, we are on the eve of important events that we cannot yet define very well. I would like to call for Prayers, and end with a gaze towards God, which allows us to always have hope."

Interview realised by Anne le Pape.

[Translation courtesy of the US District of the SSPX.]


The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia.


Présent is a French Daily Evening Newspaper, close to Catholic Traditionalists, often described
as Extreme Right, but declaring National and Catholic inspiration. Founded in January 1982
at the initiative of the Centre Henri-and-André-Charlier and Christianity-Solidarité, it intends to be in opposition to the political, cultural and social current.
Its motto is "God, Family, Country",
from its official Web-Site.

This Little Boy Cried His Heart Out Because He Couldn't Make His First Communion, As His Brother Had Just Done.



Illustration:



His Eminence Cardinal Burke consoles a heartbroken Louis Martin.




BUT

NOW



Little Louis Martin receives his First Holy Communion
from His Eminence Cardinal Burke.




Read the story of
The Kindness of a Shepherd at


Also read the story on

Commemoration Of Saint Paul. Apostle. Today, 30 June.



Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

Commemoration of Saint Paul.
Apostle.

Greater-Double.

Red Vestments.





Saint Paul.
Artist: Bartolomeo Montagna (1450–1523).
Date: 1482.
Current location: Museo Poldi Pezzoli,
Milan, Italy.
Author: Bartolomeo Montagna (1450–1523).
(Wikimedia Commons)


"The Tiber, on entering Rome," writes an ancient poet, "salutes the Basilica of Saint Peter and, on leaving it, that of Saint Paul. The Heavenly Door-Keeper has built his Sacred abode at the Gates of The Eternal City, which is an image of Heaven. On the opposite side, the ramparts of the City are protected by Paul's Portico: Rome is between the two."

With Peter, the new Moses, leader of the new Israel, is associated Paul, the new Aaron, more eloquent than the first, chosen in his mother's womb to announce to the Gentiles the riches of the Grace of Christ (Collect, Gradual, Epistle).

Commemoration of Saint Peter.
Commemoration of Saint John the Baptist.





English: Conversion of Saul on the way to Damascus.
Polski: Nawrócenie w drodze do Damaszku.
Artist: Caravaggio (1571–1610).
Date: Circa 1600.
Current location: Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome, Italy.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Monday 29 June 2015

The Holy Apostles Saint Peter And Saint Paul. Feast Day 29 June.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
Feast Day 29 June.

Double of The First-Class
   with an Octave.

Red Vestments.



Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
Artist: El Greco (1541–1614).
Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Current location: Hermitage Museum,
Source/Photographer; Hermitage Torrent.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Today, the whole Church rejoices, for "God has Consecrated this day by the Martyrdom of The Apostles Peter and Paul" (Collect). In both the Grand Basilicas erected at Rome over the tombs "of these two Princes, who, by The Cross and The Sword, have obtained their seat in The Eternal Senate," [Hymn at Vespers] this double Martyrdom was Celebrated.

Later, on account of the distance which separates the two Churches, the Festival was divided, Saint Peter being more specially honoured on 29 June and Saint Paul on 30 June.

Saint Peter, Bishop of Rome, is the Vicar, that is to say the visible representative of Christ. As is shown in the Preface, Alleluia, Gospel, Offertory and Communion, the Jews had rejected Jesus. They also rejected His successor (Epistle). Displacing the religious centre of the World, Saint Peter then left Jerusalem for Rome, which became The Eternal City and The Seat of The Popes.



Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
“Copyright Brunelmar/Ghent/Belgium”.
Used with Permission.


Saint Peter, the first Pope, speaks in the name of Christ, Who has communicated to him His Doctrine of Infallibility. He is not guided by flesh and blood, but by the Heavenly Father, Who does not permit the Gates of Hell to prevail against The Church of which he is the foundation (Gospel).

Saint Peter, on receiving The Keys, is placed at the head of the "Kingdom of Heaven" upon Earth, that is to say The Church, and he reigns in the name of Christ, Who has invested him with His Power and Supreme Authority (Gospel).

The names of Saint Peter and Saint Paul head head the names of The Apostles in The Canon of The Mass (First List).

With "The Church, which did not cease Praying to God for Saint Peter" (Epistle), let us Pray for his successor "the Servant of God, our Holy Father the Pope" (Canon of The Mass).

Every Parish Priest Celebrates Mass for the people of his Parish.

Russian Golden Chalice. Commissioned By Catherine The Great In 1791.



This most magnificent piece is a Gold Chalice that Catherine The Great commissioned, as part of a Communion Set, in 1791. It was made in Saint Petersburg, by Iver Windfeldt Buch, of gold, diamonds, chalcedony, bloodstone, nephrite, carnelian, and cast glass.
Illustration: THE DAILY GLEAN

Sunday 28 June 2015

The Vigil. Feast Of Saint Peter And Saint Paul.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

The Vigil of The Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

Simple.

Violet Vestments.



Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
Artist: El Greco (1541–1614).
Current location: Hermitage Museum,
Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Source/Photographer: Hermitage Torrent.
(Wikimedia Commons)


The Church celebrates, tomorrow, The Feast of the two Apostles who are the two foundations on which she is solidly established (Collect).

"The rigour to which a people subjects itself by certain days of preparation," writes Dom Guéranger, "is a mark of the Faith which it has preserved, showing that it understands  the greatness of the object proposed by The Holy Liturgy for its Worship." ["The Liturgical Year: Vigil of The Holy Apostles".]

Peter raised to his Cross (Introit, Gospel), like Christ rises above the World. He seals in his blood, his confession of Faith (Gospel of tomorrow) and love (Gospel) in Jesus, and henceforth it will be in His Name (Ibid.) and as His Vicar that he will be King of Souls.

Paul, by sharing his labours and Martyrdom, shares his Kingship and his Triumph.

Saint Irenaeus. Bishop And Martyr. Feast Day 28 June.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

Saint Irenaeus.
Bishop and Martyr.
Feast Day 28 June.

Double.

Red Vestments.




An engraving of Saint Irenaeus (circa 130 A.D. - 202 A.D.).
Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul (now Lyons, France).
(Wikipedia)



Towards the end of the Second Century A.D., when Gnostic Sects endeavoured to undermine the basis of The Christian Religion, God raised up Saint Irenaeus to oppose them. "He granted him the Grace to destroy the Heresies by the Truth of his doctrine" (Collect).

Succeeding Saint Pothinus in the See of Lyons, in 177 A.D., Saint Irenaeus "Preached in Season and out of Season", as Saint Paul prescribes (Epistle) and constituted himself defender of Christ (Gospel) and of His Spouse.

"The Church", he declares, "disseminated throughout the World, to the extremities of the Earth, professes The Faith she has received from The Apostles, who themselves received it from The Son of God." This Church has its centre at Rome. "With her, every Church must be in agreement because of her primacy; for, through the succession of Roman Pontiffs, the Apostolic Tradition of The Church has come down to us."

An ardent apologist, Saint Irenaeus was also a profound Theologian. He has been called the Father of the Catholic Theology and the golden link binding the spirit of the Gospel to the Doctrine of The Fathers. With his ears still full of the last echoes of Apostolic Teaching (Alleluia), he was the first to write a reasoned summary of our Faith. His Treatise "False Doctrine Unmasked and Refuted", also called "Against Heresies", gave the death blow to the Gnostic Heresy.

Saint Jerome gives him the glorious title of Martyr. He died, as is believed, during the persecution of Emperor Septimus Severus in 202 A.D. Pope Benedict XV extended his Feast to the Universal Church.

Commemoration of The Octave of Saint John the Baptist.
Commemoration of The Vigil of The Apostles.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider Counsels Catholics On How To Resist Heterodoxy.


This Article is taken from CATHOLIC
the Newspaper of THE TRANSALPINE REDEMPTORISTS

Subscription only costs £5 per year and is
highly recommended for all Catholic families.
Subscribe HERE



"Catholic".
The Newspaper of


"Excerpts from the original interview with Bishop Schneider which first appeared on the Web-Site www.onepeterfive.com have been re-printed with the kind permission of the Editor.

"It is a sad truth that we are in a time of great crisis in The Church. God is with us, however. You have asked me what The Faithful can do to combat the errors spreading through The Church. I would like to answer with some suggestions:

"We must create groups of true Catholics, scholars, families, and Clergy, who will spread courageously the full Catholic truth, especially on The Church's teachings on the family, on nature, and the Commandments off God.




"As a means of this aim, we must make use of all the resources that the modern World offers to us. We are not confined to waiting for the Media to spread these messages. We do not have to wait for each individual Pastor to preach them from the Pulpit.

"We should embrace the new Media forms that allow us to spread the Gospel and the teachings of our Holy Mother, The Church.




"We should take our message to the Internet, publish it on Web-Sites, Blogs, and Social Media."

[Zephyrinus Editor: Bishop Fulton Sheen stated that, when The Church was under attack, she would be saved "not by the Bishops, nor by the Priests, but by the people of The Church, The Faithful".]

Exeter Cathedral's Fan-Vaulting.



Exeter Cathedral,
England.
Illustration: FLICKR.COM
Photo by MATT BIGWOOD

Saturday 27 June 2015

Within The Octave Of Saint John The Baptist.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.



Saint John the Baptist Preaching.
Artist: Mattia Preti (1613–1699).
Date: Circa 1665.
Credit line: Museum purchase, Roscoe and Margaret Oakes Income Fund
Source/Photographer: The AMICA Library.
Author: Mattia Preti (1613–1699).
(Wikimedia Commons)


The Church, honouring The Saints in proportion to the part they played in The Mystery of The Incarnation of The Word, gives to Saint John the Baptist a special place. [The Rubrics, which accompany the Bull Divino Afflatu of Pope Saint Pius X, establish the following order among the Feasts: "The Feasts of The Lord, of The Blessed Virgin Mary, of The Angels, of Saint John the Baptist, of Saint Joseph, of The Holy Apostles".]

Each day in The Mass, as well as at the Confiteor, at the Suscipe and at the Nobis quoque peccatoribus, the name of Saint John the Baptist precedes that of The Apostles. It is the same in The Litany of The Saints. His Feast immediately precedes that of The Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul. By ending the Mission of The Prophets and commencing that of The Apostles, he is the link between The Old Testament and The New Testament.

Let us, also, give to Saint John the Baptist the place of honour which is due to him in our Veneration of The Saints. The Veneration must, indeed, be hierarchically ordered, so that we may never forget that Jesus is The Principal Author of our Redemption, and that The Saints are more or less great, as they are more or less united to Him as secondary instruments.



John the Baptist.
Artist: Bartolomeo Veneto (1470–1531).
Date: 16th-Century.
Author: Bartolomeo Veneto (1470–1531).
(Wikimedia Commons)


The Feast of The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist falls in the Season when the Cycle shows us The Church, which, as this Saint foretold, was born in the Baptism of The Holy Ghost and of Fire at Pentecost, and goes on continually developing herself. It is, indeed, to The Holy Precursor that she owes it to have known Jesus, The Spouse that makes her the fruitful mother of many Souls.

As with the Jews, a friend was the intermediary between the bride and the spouse and prepared the wedding-feast, Saint John the Baptist is called in the Gospel the "friend of The Spouse". It is he whom God has chosen to prepare for The Lord, by his Preaching and Baptism of Penance, a perfect people. And, after having adorned the bride, he presents The Spouse to her. "John was the man sent as a witness, so that, through him, all should believe in Jesus" [Last Gospel].



English: The Holy Children with a Shell
(Infant Christ Offering a Drink of Water to Saint John).
Spanish: Los Niños de la concha.
Artist: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617–1682).
Date: Circa 1670.
Current location: 
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain.
Author: 
(Wikimedia Commons)


Jesus comes to him in the waters of The Jordan and, at this Divine Contact, the water acquired the Virtue which, in Baptism, causes our Souls to be born to Supernatural Life. As Saint John the Baptist baptises Christ in The Jordan, he hears The Voice of The Father proclaiming that Jesus is His Well-Beloved Son. He sees The Holy Ghost hovering over Him, in the form of a Dove, and he reveals that Jesus is "The Lamb of God".

Let us remember that, after having baptised The Master, the one who is called John the Baptiser has also presided over our own Christening, for all the Baptistries (particularly that of Saint John Lateran, in Rome) are Dedicated to him, and his image is to be used for the adornment of Baptismal Fonts. Having thus been brought by him to Jesus, let us also through Saint John the Baptist approach The Eucharist, reciting the words of the Agnus Dei, by which he indicated The Saviour.

Mass: As on The Feast-Day.

"This Blessed Plot. This Earth. This Realm. This England."



Bikes for District Nurses.
Illustration: TE ARA



The District Nurse.
Available on YouTube at



The English Village Green.
Illustration: VULCAN TO THE SKY TRUST



"When I Grow Too Old To Dream".
Sung by Very Lynn.
Available on YouTube at



Igtham Mote, Kent.



London-on-Sea: A mother and her two children enjoy a beach picnic on the River Thames, near Tower Bridge, London, in 1955. Photograph: John Drysdale/Getty Images.
Illustration: THE GUARDIAN



Terry's Confectionery Shop,
York, England.


This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, 
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, 

This other Eden, demi-paradise, 
This fortress built by Nature for herself 

Against infection and the hand of war, 
This happy breed of men, this little world, 

This precious stone set in the silver sea, 
Which serves it in the office of a wall 

Or as a moat defensive to a house, 
Against the envy of less happier lands,-- 

This blessed plot, this earth, this realm,
this England.

William Shakespeare, "King Richard II", Act 2 scene 1
Greatest English dramatist & poet (1564 - 1616).
Quote Details: THE QUOTATIONS PAGE



"Land of Hope and Glory".
Sung by Vera Lynn.
Available on YouTube at

Friday 26 June 2015

Saint John And Saint Paul. Martyrs. Feast Day 26 June.


Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

Saints John and Paul.
Martyrs.
Feast Day 26 June.

Double.

Red Vestments.


File:Basilique Santi Giovanni e Paolo de Rome.JPG

English: Basilica of the Church of The Holy Martyrs, John and Paul, 
on Mount Coelius, Rome.

The Lenten Station, for Friday after Ash Wednesday, is held at this Basilica.

Français: Vue d'ensemble de la Basilique Santi Giovanni e Paolo de Rome sur le Celio.
Photo: May 2009.
Source: Own work.
Author: LPLT.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Thee two brothers, John and Paul, were Romans and in the service of Constantia, daughter of Emperor Constantine. Julian the Apostate, having invited them to be among his familiar friends, they refused, so as to remain faithful to Jesus.

Ten days were allowed for them to deliberate, and they used them in distributing all they possessed to the Poor. They were then arrested and "without fearing those who can only kill the body, and beyond that can do nothing more" (Gospel), they became, in 362 A.D., brothers more than ever, by the same Faith and the same Martyrdom (Collect, Gradual, Alleluia).

The Church compares them "to the two olive-trees and to the two candle-sticks, mentioned in The Apocalypse, which shine before the Lord." [Response at Matins.]

"These Just Men," she adds, "have stood before The Lord and have not been separated from one another." [Antiphon at The Magnificat.] Wherefore, both their names, mentioned in The Canon of The Mass (First List), pass on from generation to generation, while their bodies rest in peace (Epistle) in the ancient Church erected in their honour on Mount Coelius at Rome. It is there that The Station is held on the Friday after Ash Wednesday.

Let us enjoy today, with The Church, the double triumph of Saints John and Paul (Collect) and let us, like them, courageously confess Jesus before Men, so that He may recognise us for His own before His Angels (Gospel).

Mass: Multae tribulatiónes.
Commemoration of The Octave of Saint John the Baptist.


File:Roma-sangiovanniepaolo01.jpg

English: Basilica of The Holy Martyrs, John and Paul, Rome, Italy.
Italiano: SS. Giovanni e Paolo - Roma, Italia.
Photo: July 2006.
Source: Flickr
Author: Patrick Denker
Reviewer: Mac9
(Wikimedia Commons)


The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia.

John and Paul were Saints in the Roman Empire. They were Martyred at Rome on 26 June. They should not be confused with the famous Apostles of the same names (see Saint Paul; Saint John the Apostle). The year of their Martyrdom is uncertain according to their Acts; it occurred under Julian the Apostate (361 A.D. – 363 A.D.).

In the second half of the 4th-Century A.D., Byzantius, the Roman Senator, and Saint Pammachius, his son, fashioned their house on The Cælian Hill into a Christian Basilica. In the 5th-Century A.D., the Presbyteri Tituli Byzantii (Priests of The Church of Byzantius) are mentioned in an Inscription and among the signatures of The Roman Council of 499 A.D. The Church was also called the Titulus Pammachii, after Byzantius's son, the pious friend of Saint Jerome.

In the ancient apartments on the ground-floor of the house of Byzantius, which were still retained under the Basilica, the tomb of two Roman Martyrs, John and Paul, was the object of Veneration as early as the 5th-Century A.D.

The Sacramentarium Leonianum already indicates, in the Preface to The Feast of the Saints, that they rested within the City walls ("Sacr. Leon.", ed. Feltoe, Cambridge, 1896, 34), while, in one of the early itineraries to the tombs of the Roman Martyrs, their grave is assigned to the Church on the Cælian (De rossi, "Roma sotterrania", I, 138, 175).




(Basilica of Saints John and Paul).
Photo taken by Necrothesp, 14 May 2004.
Date: 1 July 2004 (original upload date).
Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons
Author: The original uploader was Necrothesp at English Wikipedia.
(Wikimedia Commons)



The Titulus Byzantii, or Pammachii, was consequently known at a very early date by the names of the two Martyrs (Titulus SS. Joannis et Pauli). That the two Saints are Martyrs of The Roman Church is historically certain; as to how and when their bodies found a resting-place in the house of Pammachius, under the Basilica, we only know that it certainly occurred in the 4th-Century A.D. The year and circumstances of their Martyrdom are likewise unknown.

According to their Acts, the Martyrs were eunuchs of Constantina, daughter of Constantine the Great, and became acquainted with a certain Gallicanus, who built a Church in Ostia. At the command of Julian the Apostate, they were beheaded secretly by Terentianus in their house on the Caelian Hill, where their Church was subsequently erected, and where they themselves were buried.

The rooms on the ground-floor, of the above-mentioned house of Pammachius, were rediscovered under the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Rome. They are decorated with important and interesting frescoes, while the original tomb (Confessio) of Saints John and Paul is covered with paintings, of which the Martyrs are the subject. The rooms and the tomb form one of the most important Early-Christian Memorials in Rome.




English: Frescoes in the original Roman house 
below the present-day Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Rome, Italy.
Italiano: Roma , casa romana sotto la basilica
dei santi Giovanni e Paolo al Celio - affreschi.
Photo: 3 October 2004.
Source: Own work.
Author: user:Lalupa.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Since the erection of the Basilica, the two Saints have been greatly Venerated, and their names have been inserted in The Canon of the Mass. Their Feast Day is kept on 26 June.

The Basilica of
Santi Giovanni e Paolo, in Rome, is Dedicated to them, as well as the Basilica di San Zanipolo in Venice ("Zanipolo" being Venetian for "John and Paul").

The Lueneberg Manuscript (circa 1440–1450) mentions "The Day of John and Paul" in an early German account of The Pied Piper of Hamelin.

A small village next to Caiazzo, in the Campania region of Italy, is named Santi Giovanni e Paolo, in honour of these Martyrs. Many residents of this village bear the family name "San Giovanni," as do the descendants of immigrants to the United States from this village (in particular, in Michigan, New York, and Florida).

All Saints Church, Margaret Street, London. Designed By William Butterfield, 1849.


Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.



Interior of All Saints,
Margaret Street, London.
Photo: 11 June 2015.
Source: Own work.
Author: Diliff.
Attribution: Photo by DAVID ILIFF.
License: CC-BY-SA 3.0".
(Wikimedia Commons)



All Saints Church,
Margaret Street,
London.
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All Saints, Margaret Street, is a Grade I Listed Anglican Church in London. The Church was designed by the architect William Butterfield and built between 1850 and 1859. It has been hailed as Butterfield's masterpiece, and a pioneering building of The High Victorian Gothic Style that would characterise British architecture from around 1850 to 1870.

The Church is situated on the North Side of Margaret Street, in Fitzrovia, near Oxford Street, London, within a small Courtyard. Two other buildings face onto this Courtyard: One is the Vicarage and the other (formerly a Choir School) now houses the Parish Room and Flats for Assistant Priests.

All Saints is noted for its architecture, style of worship and musical tradition.



All Saints, Margaret Street,
just off Oxford Street, London.
Designed by William Butterfield.
Photo: 25 April 2008.
Source: Flickr: All Saints
Author: Steve Cadman.
(Wikimedia Commons)


All Saints had its origins in the Margaret Street Chapel, which had stood on the site since the 1760s. The Chapel had "proceeded upwards through the various gradations of Dissent and Low-Church-ism" until 1829, when the TractarianWilliam Dodsworth, became its incumbent. Dodsworth later converted to Roman Catholicism, as did one of his successors, Frederick Oakeley. Before his resignation from the Post, Oakeley, who was later to describe the Chapel as "a complete paragon of ugliness", had conceived the idea of rebuilding it in what he considered a correct Ecclesiastical Style, and had collected a sum of almost £30,000 for the purpose. He was succeeded at the Chapel by his assistant, William Upton Richards, who decided to carry on with the scheme.

In 1845, Alexander Beresford Hope realised that this scheme could be combined with the project of The Cambridge Camden Society to found a Model Church. His proposal met with the approval of Upton Richards, George Chandler, Rector of All Souls, and Charles Blomfield, the Bishop of London. It was decided that the architectural and Ecclesiological aspects of the project would be put entirely under the control of The Cambridge Camden Society, who appointed Sir Stephen Glynne and Beresford Hope to oversee the work. In the event, Glynne was unable to take an active part, and the other appointee, Beresford Hope, took sole charge.



The Chancel, All Saints Church, Margaret Street, London W1.
Photo: 7 August 2009.
Source: From geograph.org.uk
Author: Mike Quinn.
(Wikimedia Commons)


William Butterfield was selected as the architect, and the site, in Margaret Street, purchased for £14,500. The last Service at the old Chapel was held on Easter Monday, 1850, and the Foundation Stone of the new building was laid on All Saints' Day of that year by Edward Bouverie Pusey. Services were held in a Temporary Chapel in Titchfield Street for the next nine years, until the new Church was finally Consecrated on 28 May 1859. The total cost of the Church, including the site and endowments, was around £70,000; several large individual donations helped to fund it.

All Saints marked a new stage in the development of The Gothic Revival in English architecture. Simon Jenkins called All Saints "architecturally, England's most celebrated Victorian Church". In 2014, Simon Thurley, the Chief Executive of English Heritage, listed All Saints as one of the ten most important buildings in the Country.

The design of the Church showed Butterfield (in Sir John Betjeman's words) "going on from where The Middle Ages left off", as a neo-Gothic architect. Previous architecture of the 19th-Century Gothic Revival had copied Mediaeval buildings. But Butterfield departed considerably from Medieval Gothic practice, especially by using new materials, like brick.



The Lady Chapel, All Saints Church, Margaret Street, London W1.
The Lady Chapel (1911), situated at the East End of the North Aisle, was designed by
Sir Ninian Comper in Late-Gothic Style, and was enlarged in 1971 by Ian Grant as a Memorial
to Kenneth Ross (1908-1970), eighth Vicar of All Saints (1957-1969). The Reredos is of Caen stone and alabaster, and shows The Virgin and Child surrounded by Angels and Saints. It was restored by Peter Larkworthy in 1978-1980.
Photo: 7 August 2009.
Source: From geograph.org.uk; transferred by User:Kurpfalzbilder.de
Author: Mike Quinn
(Wikimedia Commons


Charles Locke Eastlake, the 19th-Century architect and writer, wrote that Butterfield's design was "a bold and magnificent endeavour to shake off the trammels of antiquarian precedent, which had long fettered the progress of The Revival, to create, not a new style, but a development of previous styles". The Victorian critic John Ruskin wrote, after seeing All Saints: "Having done this, we may do anything . . . and I believe it to be possible for us, not only to equal, but far to surpass, in some respects, any Gothic yet seen in Northern Countries."



The Baptistry's Marble Tiling.
The designs that adorn the Walls and Pillars owe much to Ruskin, who, in "The Seven Lamps of Architecture" (1849), advocated the use of Chequers, Zig-Zags, Stripes and Geometrical Colour Mosaic. Matthew Digby Wyatt's "Specimans of Geometrical Mosaic of The Middle Ages" may also have influenced some of the detailing. However, both of these favoured stone and marble, rather than tile, making the Interior patterning of All Saints very much Butterfield's own work. Ruskin, in fact, did not 'altogether like the arrangements of colour in the brickwork'.
Date: 7 August 2009.
Source: From geograph.org.uk; transferred by User:Kurpfalzbilder.de using geograph_org2commons.
Author: Mike Quinn.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Butterfield's use of building materials was innovative. All Saints is built of Red Brick. By contrast, Gothic Revival Churches of the 1840s had typically been built of Grey Kentish Ragstone. Red Brick had previously been used to build cheap Churches. But, at All Saints, it was chosen specially by Butterfield, who felt a mission to "give dignity to brick", and the quality of the brick he chose made it more expensive than stone. The Red Brick of All Saints is banded and patterned with Black Brick, and the Spire is banded with stone. The decoration of the Exterior of All Saints consists, then, of the patterns made by the different colours of the bricks used in building the Church. Decoration is built into the structure. This made All Saints the first example of 'structural polychromy' in London.

All Saints is also notable for its Interior Decoration. The Interior is richly patterned, with inlays of marble and tile. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described the Interior as "dazzling, though in an eminently High Victorian ostentatiousness or obtrusiveness . . . No part of the walls is left undecorated. From everywhere, the praise of The Lord is drummed into you."



Interior of All Saints,
Margaret Street, London.
Photo: 18 March 2014.
Source: Own work.
Author: Diliff.
Attribution: Photo by DAVID ILIFF.
License: CC-BY-SA 3.0".
(Wikimedia Commons)


The East Wall of the Chancel is covered by a series of painting on Gilded Boards, the work of Ninian Comper and a restoration of earlier work by William Dyce. The Lady Chapel is also by Comper. The North Wall is dominated by a large Ceramic Tile Frieze, which was designed by Butterfield. It depicts a variety of figures from The Old Testament, a central Nativity Scene and depictions of Early Church Fathers, painted by Alexander Gibbs and fired by Henry Poole and Sons, in 1873.

The Stained-Glass Windows are limited in All Saints, due to the density of buildings around the Church, and are mostly located in the Upper Part of the building. The original windows were designed by Alfred Gerente, but his work was not held in high regard and was subsequently replaced. The large West Window, which was originally fitted with glass by Gerente in 1853–1858, was replaced in 1877 with a design by Alexander Gibbs, based on The Tree of Jesse Window in Wells Cathedral. The glass in the Clerestory dates from 1853 and is the work of Michael O'Connor, who also designed the East Window of the South Chancel Aisle, which depicts Christ in Majesty with Saint Edward and Saint Augustine.



Interior of All Saints, Margaret Street, London.
Date: 8 March 2007.
Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by
User:Oxyman using CommonsHelper.(Original text : Own work).
Author: Russ London. Original uploader was Russ London at en.wikipedia
(Wikimedia Commons)


The Baptistery, in the South-West Corner of the Church, is noted for its Marble Tiling, which features an image of The Pelican in her Piety in the Ceiling Tiles, a symbol of The Fall and Redemption of Man.

The Church's Style of Worship is Anglo-Catholic, "The Catholic Faith as taught by The Church of England", offering members and visitors a Traditional Style of Liturgy, as advocated by The Oxford Movement of the Mid-19th-Century, including Ritual, Choir and Organ Music, Vestments and Incense. Fr Cyril Tomkinson (Vicar, 1943–1951), rebuking a visiting Priest, who asked for the use of The Roman Missal, said "the Rule here is music by Mozart, choreography by Fortescue, decor by Comper, but Libretto by Cranmer". Masses are now, generally, according to the Liturgy of Common Worship (with The High Mass on Sunday according to Order 1 in Traditional Language), while The Office is still Prayed according to The 1662 Book of Common Prayer.



The Pulpit, All Saints, Margaret Street, London W1.
Photo: 3 November 2001.
Source: From geograph.org.uk; transferred by User:Kurpfalzbilder.de
Author: John Salmon
(Wikimedia Commons)



The Screen, All Saints, Margaret Street, London W1.
Photo: 3 November 2001.
Source: From geograph.org.uk; transferred by User:Kurpfalzbilder.de
Author: John Salmon
(Wikimedia Commons)

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