#Death of Lucano

[mysterious-secret-garden]

José Garnelo y Alda - Death of Lucano, 1887.

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

José Garnelo y Alda (Spanish, 1866-1944) La muerte de Lucano, 1887 Museo Nacional del Prado

The work is based on the speech that Emilio Castelar dedicated in 1857 to the great Roman poet Lucano (Córdoba, 39-Rome, 65). It represents his suicide, induced by Nero like that of his uncle Seneca (see the painting by Manuel Domínguez, P004688, which inspired its composition). The presence of his wife, Pola Argentaria, and her friends conveys the emotion of the scene, as do the cut roses, chains, and the poet's manuscripts.

[blackghostm2o]

Man… I fucking love Petronius.

So today we did and exam on Petronius’s Satyricon (basically translating Latin to Italian and answering some questions regarding the grammar of the text, probably fucked it up because I suck at it) and that story was hilarious.

The text was one of the 5 stories with a second grade narrator: the narrator here was a Liberto (a man who once was a slave and now is free) who probably was wasted on wine; in the story he and someone he knew (who was a solider) where outside late at night and there was a full moon. The two then went on a cemetery and the solider started pissing on some gravestones while the narrator was sitting and singing, then the solider went crazy and started undressing himself, pissing on his own clothes and then became a fucking wolf and run away. The narrator was so scared that returned home while swinging his sword and there all the sheep were killed by said wolf, which was hit in the neck. The next day the narrator went to the house of said solider and saw him getting medicated on his neck so got the fuck out and stopped meeting him.

The way this is narrated makes it much better also the fact that you usually don’t expect to study stuff like that at school makes this better.

Also the episode in which Trimalchio, while they are talking about death, brings out a whole ass skeleton made of silver and with working joints and throws it on the table where they where eating is great, lmfao.

Also the story of the protagonist who is in love with another man and then another dude comes out who loves the second dude and then also another one comes, all this chaos is so freaking funny, pure chaos and parody of your usual ancient novel (a FAITHFUL etero love story)

I really enjoyed those snippets of the Satyricon, maybe I’ll read all of it, but I need to find a good translation.

I also love how his death is described (not by him obviously). If you studied a lil bit of Roman history you know that Nero wasn’t a really good fella, after finding out of a plan to take his power he obliged some people to kill themselves (like Seneca and Lucano). Nero did the same with Petronius, but Petronius didn’t just hill himself: he slit his wrists and then opened and closed his veins whenever he liked it while talking with some friends about erotic stuff and then, when he wanted to, let himself die. He didn’t even do this to show courage, he just wanted to fuck with Nero and I love this soooo much. Maybe it’s not true, but I really like this story.

Sorry for the long post

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (October 16)

On October 16, we celebrate the feast of St. Gerard Majella.

St. Gerard was born on 6 April 1726 as the son of a tailor. He grew up about fifty miles south of Naples in Muro Lucano, Italy, in a large, poor family.

When Gerard was only 12, his father Dominic Majella entered eternal rest. Upon the death of his father, his mother, beholden to poverty, sent Gerard away to live with his uncle.

Gerard thereafter became an apprentice to a tailor. This tailor treated him well; however, the foreman treated him poorly.

After serving as a sewing apprentice for a couple years, he instead became a servant in the household of the bishop of Lacedonia, who was a cantankerous master.

Upon the death of the bishop in 1745, he returned home. At the age of 21, he became a journeyman.

He split his earnings for his mother and the poor, and made offerings for the holy souls in purgatory. Afterwards, he opened his own tailor shop.

At a young age, Gerard tried to join the local Capuchins, but he was turned down twice due to his youth and poor health.

He also tried to become a hermit but that too was not God's will for him.

He then entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 1749 and professed of perpetual vows under the Redemptorist's founder, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, in 1751.

He served as tailor and infirmarian. He became known for his extraordinary supernatural gifts of bilocation, prophecy, ecstasies, visions, and infused knowledge.

Though not ordained to the holy order of priest, his spiritual direction and advice were sought by many among the clergy and communities of nuns, to which he also gave conferences.

He was most successful in converting sinners. He was also widely known for his sanctity and charity.

In 1754, he was calumniated and accused of lechery by a woman named Neria Caggiano.

Caggiano later admitted her charge was a lie. Even before she admitted to her falsehood, Gerard did not deny her charges.

As these charges were still up in the air, his superiors became suspicious, so they put him under surveillance and excluded him from communion for months until the girl admitted that she had lied.

When asked by Saint Alphonsus why he had kept silent in such circumstances, Gerard replied that he thought such patience was required in the face of unjust accusations.

As he bore this calumny with such humility and patience, Saint Alphonsus said, "Brother Gerard is a saint."

Gerard was sent to Naples soon after, but when the house was inundated by visitors wanting to see him, he was sent to Caposele a few months later.

He served as the porter there and ministered to the poor of the town. He spent the last few months of his life raising funds for new buildings at Caposele.

Just prior to his death, he visited his friends, the Pirofalo family. One of the daughters ran and called after him as he left the home, as he dropped his handkerchief.

Speaking through the gift of prophecy, he replied, "Keep it. It will be useful to you someday."

Years down the road, when this young woman was in danger of childbirth, she recalled these words of St. Gerard and requested the handkerchief.

The handkerchief was applied to her, thus a miracle: her pain immediately ceased and she gave birth to a healthy child.

St. Gerard died of tuberculosis on 16 October 1755 at the age of 29 in Caposele.

He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 29 January 1893. He was canonized by Pope Saint Pius X on 11 December 1904.

He is the patron saint of mothers, motherhood, expectant mothers, childbirth, children, pregnant women, unborn children, the pro-life movement, the falsely accused, good confessions, and lay brothers.

[rightsinexile]

News on Countries of Asylum

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Eric Kaufmann: A proposal of closed permanent refugee camps on Western soil

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Africa

BOTSWANA: High court ruling decriminalising same sex practices is promising

KENYA:

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UGANDA:

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Americas

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USA:

USCIS director tells asylum officers to stop allowing people in at initial border screening

Increasing numbers of Cubans trying to enter US through Mexico

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Asia

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Europe

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BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: Local authorities relocate refugees to areas where landmines remain

FRANCE:

Imam jailed for selling dinghies for migrants to cross the Channel

Record refugee convictions near Calais aiming to halt Channel crossings

GERMANY: German politicians stand up for refugees who receive death threats

GREECE:

At least seven people drowned after boat goes down on the Greek coast

Refugee integration in Greece against the backdrop of a weak economy.

Why the Greek reception system failed to provide sustainable solutions

HUNGARY: New police department takes over asylum and immigration related tasks

IRELAND: Ireland’s strange and cruel reception system for asylum seekers

ITALY:

Domenico Lucano, former mayor of pro-migrant Riace, stands trial

Italian government passes law to fine those who rescue refugees at sea

How the Italian mafia makes millions by exploiting migrant workers

SPAIN: Spanish rescue service saves 292 lives in the Strait of Gibraltar 

UNITED KINGDOM:

Campaigners call for the UK to accept 10,000 child refugees

Discredited language test used on two in five Syrian asylum seekers in the UK

Middle East

LEBANON:

More than half of refugee girls in Beirut risk sexual violence, says report

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Lebanese government denies forcing Syrian refugees back home

Thousands of Syrian refugees could be sent back, says Lebanese minister Bassil

Syrian refugees forced to evacuate camp after tensions

[anastpaul]

Another Saint of the Day – 16 October – St Gerard Majella C.Ss.R. (1726-1755) Religious Lay Brother of the Congregation of the Redeemer, better known as the Redemptorists, Apostle of the Holy Eucharist, Apostle of Charity, known as a Thaumaturge, a Saint who works miracles not just occasionally but as a matter of course.    Born on 23 April 1725 at Muro, Italy as Gerardo Maiella and died on 16 October 1755 at Caposele, Provincia di Avellino, Campania, Italy of tuberculosis, aged just 29.   Patronages – children (and unborn children in particular); childbirth; mothers (and expectant mothers in particular); motherhood; falsely accused people; good confessions; lay brothers; tennis ball football, head boys and Muro Lucano, Italy. 

St Gerard was born in Muro Lucano, Basilicata, the youngest of five children.   He wanted very much to receive Holy Communion at the age of seven and went to the Communion railing one day with the others but the priest, seeing his age, passed him up; and he went back to his place in tears.   The following night, Saint Michael the Archangel brought him the Communion he so much desired.   His tailor father died when Gerard was twelve, leaving the family in poverty.   His mother then sent him to her brother so that he could teach Gerard to sew and follow in his father’s footsteps.   However, the foreman was abusive.   The boy kept silent but his uncle soon found out and the man who taught him resigned from the job.   After four years of apprenticeship, he took a job as a servant to work for the local Bishop of Lacedonia.   Upon the bishop’s death, Gerard returned to his trade, working first as a journeyman and then on his own account.   He divided his earnings between his mother and the poor and in offerings for the souls in Purgatory.

He tried to join the Capuchin Order but his health prevented it.   He had acquired a reputation of sanctity and finally, when he was 23 years old, he obtained the aid of some missionaries to second his request and was admitted as a Coadjutor of the newly founded Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, known as Redemptorists, in 1749.  The order was founded in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787 Doctor of the Church) at Scala, near Naples.   The essentially missionary order is dedicated to “preaching the word of God to the poor.”   Its apostolate is principally in giving of missions and retreats.

During his life, he was very close to the peasants and other outsiders who lived in the Neapolitan countryside.   In his work with the Redemptorist community, he was variously gardener, sacristan, tailor, porter, cook, carpenter and clerk of works on the new buildings at Caposele.

At 27, the good-looking Majella became the subject of a malicious rumour.   An acquaintance, Neria, accused him of having had relations with a young woman.   When confronted by St Alphonsus Liguori, the founder, on the accusations, the young lay brother remained silent.   The girl later recanted and cleared his name.

Some of Majella’s reported miracles include restoring life to a boy who had fallen from a high cliff, blessing the scanty supply of wheat belonging to a poor family and making it last until the next harvest and several times multiplying the bread that he was distributing to the poor.   One day, he walked across the water to lead a boatload of fishermen through stormy waves to the safety of the shore.   He was reputed to have had the gift of bilocation and the ability to read souls.

Once he conducted a group of students on a nine-day pilgrimage to Mount Gargano, where the Archangel Michael had appeared.   They had very little money for the tri, and when they arrived at the site, there was none left.   Gerard went before the Tabernacle and told Our Lord that it was His responsibility to take care of the little group.   He had been observed in the church by a religious, who invited the Saint and his companions to lodge in his residence.   When the party was ready to start home again, Gerard prayed once more, and immediately someone appeared and gave him a roll of bills.

His last will was a small note on the door of his cell:   “Here the will of God is done, as God wills and as long as God wills.”   He died at 29 of tuberculosis.

One miracle in particular explains how Majella became known as the special patron of mothers.   A few months before his death, he visited the Pirofalo family and accidentally dropped his handkerchief.    One of the Pirofalo girls spotted the handkerchief moments after he had left the house and she ran after Gerard to return it.  “Keep it,” he said to her. “You may need it some day.”   Years later when the girl, now a married woman, was on the verge of losing her life in childbirth, she remembered the words of the saintly lay brother.   She asked for the handkerchief to be brought to her.   Almost immediately, the pain disappeared and she gave birth to a healthy child.   That was no small feat in an era when only one out of three pregnancies resulted in a live birth and word of the miracle spread quickly.

Because of the miracles that God worked through Gerard’s prayers with mothers, the mothers of Italy took Gerard to their hearts and made him their patron.   At the process of his beatification, one witness testified that he was known as “il santo dei felice parti,” “the saint of happy childbirths.”   It is a well-known patronage and many miracles still occur.    The St Gerard Majella Annual Novena takes place every year in St Josephs Church, Dundalk, Ireland.   This annual nine-day novena is the biggest festival of faith in Ireland.   St Joseph’s sponsors the St Gerard’s Family League, an International Association of Christians united in prayer for their own and other families, to preserve Christian values in their home and family life.   Since his death in 1775, countless favours and miracles have been granted and worked through his intercession. As well as the patron of a good confession, he has been invoked as a constant source of help and inspiration to parents.

St Gerard was Beatified in Rome on 29 January 1893, by Pope Leo XIII. He was Canonised less than twelve years later on 11 December 1904, by St Pope Pius X.

[amnesiacarts]

HG/ Italia - Russia 6-6

A cura di Massimo Lovisco e Vito Pace

Amnesiac Arts Home Gallery - Potenza 1- 23 ottobre 2005

Artisti :

ITALIA: Michele Santarsiere, Mutaforma, Maurizio Salconi, Silvio Giordano, Elisa Laraia, Antonello Faretta;

RUSSIA: Sergey Krivechikov e Tania Kornilaeva, Vladimir Logutov, Andrei Siaylev, Oksana Stogova, Roman Korzhov, Sergey Balandin

Amnesiac Arts apre la stagione con una rassegna video di respiro internazionale. Per l’occasione le due sale della Home Gallery si sono trasformate in ‘spogliatoi’ e, in ciascuna di esse, tra borsoni da palestra, scarpette e palloni da calcio, gli schermi proiettano i video di sei giovani artisti dell’underground post-sovietico e quelli di altrettanti giovani italiani, per lo più lucani.

I giovani russi, selezionati dal curatore Vito Pace in occasione della Biennale of contemporary art in Shiryaevo, nella provincia di Samara, dimostrano quella vivacità creativa che sta catalizzando l’interesse di critici e galleristi verso la Russia artistica odierna. Anche la selezione italiana, curata da Massimo Lovisco, mostra un altro trend dell’arte contemporanea: la vitalità della provincia nel fare e promuovere arte.

L’ironico stratagemma dello scontro sportivo mette efficacemente in evidenza le differenze in stile e contenuto delle due formazioni. L’arte russa attuale, come sostiene Victor Misiano, riflette continuità piuttosto che distacco con il suo passato: il forte ruolo sociale dell’arte che era delle avanguardie russe come del realismo socialista, la cultura intesa come un’alternativa all’ideologia imperante, che prima era l’ideologia politica e ora quella del mercato. Ciò che è diventato un dato dell’esperienza solo dagli anni ’90, il kitch mass-mediatico e il glamour pubblicitario, viene filtrato dallo spiccato senso critico dell’intellettuale russo. Il video di Vladimir Logutov The Open Workshop è strutturato come un reality show ambientato in un grande magazzino, tempio del consumismo, in cui l’artista mostra in tempo reale il processo creativo.

Vengono fuori provocatori banner pubblicitari con modelle in underwear trasformate in ragazze tumefatte, anoressiche o sanguinanti, in forte contrasto con le immagini glamour di partenza. Nel progetto Twilight Logutov invita lo spettatore ad una percezione visiva meno passiva, più attenta ad interpretare i tanti stimoli visivi del mondo contemporaneo: i tre video con monotone viste di città nascondono particolari incongrui e stranianti, metafore di un mondo solo apparentemente regolato razionalmente. Come non notare il contrasto con il video italiano Speed Mutation (dei Mutaforma) che, mutuando le forme e i tempi delle clip musicali o pubblicitarie, mima ed esalta la velocità di trasformazione del mondo contemporaneo? Significativo anche il confronto tra Samara Video Guide, in cui Andrey Siaylev, con una tecnica quasi documentaristica, ci guida nei quartieri più desolati e malfamati della città, e Fragile di Silvio Giordano in cui l’autore, abbinando disegno e tecniche digitali, crea mondi incantati e fiabeschi in cui potersi rifugiare, pago della sua onirica immaginazione. Ad una videoarte russa, impegnata socialmente, corale (Tanja Kornilaeva e Sergey Krivechikov, Coming back), che non si avvale volutamente di tecniche elaborate (vedi le scene di vita quotidiana in un anonimo appartamento dell’era Khrušcëv di Oksana Stogova), che a volte indaga il rapporto con il corpo come identità in cui sdoppiarsi in un gioco erotico-ironico (Sergey Balandin, Oh Mother, Son) o come autorappresentazione dell’artista (Roman Korzhov) si contrappone, da parte italiana, un’arte più concentrata sulla ricerca interiore (il continuo riaffiorare del ricordo nel Film immaginario di Maurizio Salconi) e sulla ricerca della propria identità. Elisa Laraia ad esempio nel video Private Conversation, che associa alle immagini un linguaggio evocativo, esplora il mondo dei suoi affetti più intimi, il rapporto di fusione/identificazione con la madre e il distacco da lei.

Il talento visionario di Michele Santarsiere(Dull Clouds’ Revolt) parte da dettagli per creare un microcosmo formale autonomo, bizzarro ed enigmatico, tra espressionismo e surrealismo con graffiate umoristico-grottesche. La poesia visuale del giovane cineasta Antonello Faretta illumina per intuizioni, immagini (i paesaggi Giorno rivive il momento della morte del poeta come un’eccezionale esperienza ascetica sullo sfondo di un paese fantasma dell’entroterra lucano.interiori di Venti), per volti e parole: in The Death of William Burroughs uno straordinario John Giornorivive il momento della morte del poeta come un’eccezionale esperienza ascetica sullo sfondo di un paese fantasma dell’entroterra lucano. Barbara Improta

[mythologer]

Poppea Sabina (30-65).

Poppea gave Nero a daughter, Claudia Augusta, who died when she was only four months old for natural causes, leaving her parents in total discomfort.

The personal and political situation of the royal couple worsened day by day: Rome was almost completely devastated by a fire, the plague conspiracy came to light, followed by the terrible punishment that led to the death of Petronio, Seneca and Lucano,

During a subsequent pregnancy, Nerone, in anger access, kicked her in the abdomen, causing her to die. The cause of such anger was the comment of Poppea himself about the fact that Nero had come back late from a racing carriage.

According to Tacito, Poppea, awaiting Nerone's second son, died in Rome or in his villa in Oplontis, on the slopes of Vesuvius, due to a pregnancy accident, and not because of a spherical kick from his husband, as is common opinion, irritated for a comment made by his wife on a comedy recited by Nero himself.

The body, after being embalmed and scented with odorific essences, was laid in the mausoleum of the Giulia family in Campo Marzio.

Poppea Sabina Youth Portrait Olimpia Museum

[pope-francis-quotes]

20th February >> (@ZenitEnglish By Virginia Forrester) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis at General Audience on ‘Our Father, Who Art in Heaven’ (Full Text): ‘If even all our earthly loves crumbled and we had nothing left other than dust, there is always for all of us, burning, the unique and faithful love of God’

This morning’s General Audience was held in two stages. At 9:10 the Holy Father Francis received, in the Vatican Basilica, the participants in the pilgrimage of the Archdiocese of Benevento.

At 9:45 the Pope met in Paul VI Hall with a group of pilgrims and faithful from Italy and from all over the world.

Continuing with the series of catecheses on the “Our Father,” in his address in Italian the Pope focused his meditation on the theme: “Father who art in Heaven” (Biblical passage: Isaiah 49:14-16).

After summarizing his catechesis in several languages, the Holy Father expressed special greetings to groups of faithful present.

The General Audience ended with the singing of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.

* * *

The Holy Father’s Catechesis

Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning!

Today’s Audience is unfolding in two stages. Earlier I met with faithful of Benevento, who were in Saint Peter’s, and now with you. And this is due to the delicacy of the Prefecture of the Papal Household that did not want you to catch cold. We thank them who did this. Thank you.

We continue the catechesis on the “Our Father.” The first step of every Christian prayer is the entrance in a mystery, that of God’s paternity. We can’t pray like parrots. Either you enter the mystery, in the awareness that God is your Father, or you don’t pray. If I want to pray to God my Father, I begin with the mystery. To understand in what measure God is our Father, we think of the figure of our parents; however, we must always in some measure “refine it,” purify it. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also states it, it says thus: “The purification of our hearts has to do with paternal or maternal images, stemming from our personal and cultural history, and influencing our relationship with God” (n. 2779).

None of us have had perfect parents, none, as we, in turn, will never be perfect parents or Pastors. We all have defects, all. We live our relationships of love always under the sign of our limitations and also of our egoism. Therefore, they are often sullied by desires of possession or of manipulation of the other. Therefore, sometimes declarations of love are changed into feelings of anger and hostility. But look, these two loved one another so much last week <and> today they hate each other to death. We see this every day! It’s because of this, because we all have bitter roots inside, which aren’t good and sometimes come out and do evil.

See why, when we speak of God as “Father,” while we think of the image of our parents, especially if they loved us, at the same time we should go beyond. Because the love of God is that of the Father “who is in Heaven,” according to the expression that Jesus invites us to use: it’s total love, which we in this life savour only imperfectly. Men and women are eternally beggars of love — we are beggars of love, we are in need of love — they seek a place where they will finally be loved, but they don’t find it. How many disappointed friendships and loves there are in our world — so many!

In mythology, the Greek god of love is absolutely the most tragic: one doesn’t understand if he is an angelic being or a demon. Mythology says that he is the son of Poros and of Penia, that is, of expediency and of poverty, destined to bear in himself a bit of the physiognomy of these parents. From here we can think of the ambivalent nature of human love, capable of flowering and of living arrogantly in an hour of the day, and immediately after wither and die; that which grips always flees away (Cf. Plato, Symposium, 203). There is an expression of the prophet Hosea that frames mercilessly the congenital weakness of our love: “Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away: (6:4). See what our love often is: a promise that is hard to keep, an attempt that soon parches and evaporates; it’s somewhat as when the sun comes out in the morning and the dew of the night goes away.

How many times we men have loved in this very weak and intermittent way. We all have the experience: we have loved but then that love fell or became weak. Desirous of loving, we then come up against our limitations, with the poverty of our strength, incapable of keeping a promise that in the days of grace seemed easy to realize. At bottom, the Apostle Peter had fear and had to flee. The Apostle Peter was not faithful to Jesus’ love. There is always this weakness that makes us fall. We are beggars who on the way risk not ever finding completely that treasure that we seek from the first day of our life: love.

However, another love exists, that of the Father “who is in Heaven.” No one should doubt of being the recipient of this love. He loves us. We can say, “He loves me.” If even our father and our mother did not love us — a historical hypothesis –, there is a God in Heaven who loves us like no one on this earth has done or can ever do. God’s love is constant. The prophet Isaiah says: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet will I not forget you. Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands” (49:15-16). Today tattoo is in fashion: “I have graven you on the palms of my hands.” I have made a tattoo of you on my hands. I am on God’s hands thus, and I can’t take it off. The love of God is like the love of a mother, who can never forget. And if a mother forgets? “I will never forget you,” says the Lord. This is God’s perfect love; this is how He loves us. If even all our earthly loves crumbled and we had nothing left other than dust, there is always for all of us, burning, the unique and faithful love of God.

In the hunger of love that we all feel, let us not look for something that doesn’t exist: it is, instead, an invitation to know God who is Father. Saint Augustine’s conversion, for instance, passed through this crest: the young and brilliant rector was simply seeking among creatures something that no creature could give, until one day he had the courage to look up. And on that day he knew God — God who loves.

The expression “in Heaven” does not intend to express distance, but a radical diversity of love, another dimension of love, a tireless love, a love that will always remain, rather, that is always at hand. Suffice it to say “Our Father who art in Heaven,” and that love comes.

Therefore, don’t fear. None of us is alone. If by misfortune your earthly father had forgotten you and you resented him, you are not denied the fundamental experience of the Christian faith: that of knowing that you are the most beloved child of God, and there is nothing in life that can extinguish His passionate love for you.

[Original text: Italian] [ZENIT’s translation by Virginia M. Forrester]

In Italian

A warm welcome goes to the Italian-speaking pilgrims.

I’m happy to receive the Sisters of Mary Help of Christians and the parish groups, in particular, that of Sant’Arcangelo of Romagna.

I welcome the faithful from San Giorgio Lucano: I will gladly bless the effigy of Our Lady of the Angels that is venerated in the local Shrine.

I greet the Lazio Regional Committee of the Soccer Game Italian Federation-Amateur National League; the Group of the Personnel of the Police Headquarters of Campobasso; the Families of the Paediatric Oncology Department of the Salesi Hospital of Ancona; the Student s of the Anti-Corruption Master’s of the Tor Vergata University of Rome and the School Institutes.

And I would like to recall to you of Campobasso an historical curiosity, but it touches you. I’m from the South, close to the Antarctica. You know that the first chaplain who went to Antarctica was a fellow-citizen of yours, born in Campobasso. Congratulations for this honour!

A particular thought goes to young people, the elderly, the sick and newlyweds.

Next Friday we will celebrate the feast of the Chair of Apostle Saint Peter. Pray for me and for my ministry, also for Pope Benedict, so that I always and everywhere confirm brethren in the faith.

[Original text: Italian] [ZENIT’s translation by Virginia M. Forrester]

© Libreria Editrice Vatican

FEBRUARY 13, 2019 15:35GENERAL AUDIENCE

[actionbookz-blog]

Get 'Papal Audience' on OFFER for a Limited Time Only!

Here: https://www.bookzio.com/papal-audience-2/

A beloved Pope has been kidnapped. His ransom: the President of the United States. The world watches as Cadyn Tunn, the crucified Vicar of Christ, is paraded across the world stage by Islamist captors via Internet streaming video, setting in motion a series of earth-shattering events designed to force President Bryce McIntyre to make the ultimate decision – her life for that of the Pope’s.

The Vatican is shaken to the core. Disgraced Swiss Guard Captain Rodolphe Giger seeks to redeem his shattered reputation, and save his Pontiff, before it is too late, while malevolent Prince of the Church Lucano Cardinal Oddi prepares to commit the most mortal of sins. A continent away, a psychological duel to the death ensues between terrorist cell doyen Fatimah Saad and the tormented Tunn, himself a one-time Australian special ops agent. In Washington, D.C., Star News Network producer Madelyn Cacy receives a series of startling emails F.Y.E.O. – “For Your Eyes Only,” casting her into the center of the maelstrom, like it or not. Meanwhile, Fatimah’s mysterious inamorato holds a secret that will bring an unsuspecting shell-shocked audience the world over to its knees.

For the Vatican, the only end-game is to bring the Pope back alive. Or is it? In the windswept Sahara, Fatimah knows only life and death, and one matters not more than the other, as the Pontiff simultaneously holds her spellbound while stoking her rage. Secluded in Washington, the President has a chance – a final one – to right a lifetime of wrongs.

Each will be thrust into a cauldron that will test the very fiber of their souls. From a subterranean shelter beneath the White House to a holding cell in the shadows of Saint Peter’s Basilica, from the bedroom of a Cairo hotel to a lonely bunker in the vast wasteland of the Sahara, decisions large and small will determine if the keys of heaven can be protected from the powers of hell.

In Washington, D.C. and the Vatican, the clock is ticking.

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Italy ends beacon ′Riace model′ for migrant integration | News | DW

Italian authorities will begin transferring some 200 migrants on Monday from the small Calabrian town of Riace, according to Italy’s interior ministry.

Riace gained international fame in the wake of the migration crisis when Mayor Domenico Lucano welcomed migrants to the sparsely-populated town in a bid to boost local development.

However, Italian police arrested Lucano earlier this month on suspicion of mismanagement of public funds and facilitating sham marriages — allegations he has staunchly denied.

Politicians, celebrities and cultural figures, including anti-mafia author Robert Saviano, have lamented his arrest, saying it represent a politically-motivated action by far-right leader Matteo Salvini in his capacity as interior minister.

Protesters have slammed Italian authorities for arresting Mayor Domenico Lucano, known by many as “Mimmo.” The placard on the right says: “If he had stolen €49 million, he would be minister. Instead, he helps people and is arrested.”

‘Irregularities’

But Salvini has hit back at criticism of Lucano’s arrest, saying “those who make mistakes must pay” for their crimes.

“We cannot tolerate irregularities in the use of public funds, even if there is the excuse of spending it for immigrants,” Salvini said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Salvini has pushed a hard-line policy against irregular migrants, including economic migrants and refugees. As a front-line EU country, Italy has born the brunt of the migration crisis that erupted in 2015.

Read more: Italy: 100 days of a populist experiment

One of the ‘world’s greatest’

Lucano’s model for integrating migrants has been hailed across the globe as a way to revive depopulated villages. Many of the migrants living in Riace have learned local artisan crafts.

In 2016, Fortune magazine named Lucano as one of the “world’s greatest leaders” in its top 100 list.

Lucano, who is under house arrest, has decried the charges leveled against him, saying: “How it is possible to think of destroying the ‘Riace model,’ which has been described by innumerable people, politicians, intellectuals and artists, as an extraordinary experience?”

“They want to destroy us,” he added. “I am immensely bitter.”

Read more: 9 shootings in 50 days: Italy’s ugly face of racism

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW’s editors send out a selection of the day’s hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Fleeing war and poverty

In late 2014, with the war in Syria approaching its fourth year and Islamic State making gains in the north of the country, the exodus of Syrians intensified. At the same time, others were fleeing violence and poverty in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Niger and Kosovo.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Seeking refuge over the border

Vast numbers of Syrian refugees had been gathering in border-town camps in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan since 2011. By 2015, with the camps full to bursting and residents often unable to find work or educate their children, more and more people decided to seek asylum further afield.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

A long journey on foot

In 2015 an estimated 1.5 million people made their way on foot from Greece towards western Europe via the “Balkan route”. The Schengen Agreement, which allows passport-free travel within much of the EU, was called into question as refugees headed towards the wealthier European nations.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Desperate sea crossings

Tens of thousands of refugees were also attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean on overcrowded boats. In April 2015, 800 people of various nationalities drowned when a boat traveling from Libya capsized off the Italian coast. This was to be just one of many similar tragedies – by the end of the year, nearly 4,000 refugees were reported to have died attempting the crossing.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Pressure on the borders

Countries along the EU’s external border struggled to cope with the sheer number of arrivals. Fences were erected in Hungary, Slovenia, Macedonia and Austria. Asylum laws were tightened and several Schengen area countries introduced temporary border controls.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Closing the open door

Critics of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “open-door” refugee policy claimed it had made the situation worse by encouraging more people to embark on the dangerous journey to Europe. By September 2016, Germany had also introduced temporary checks on its border with Austria.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Striking a deal with Turkey

In early 2016, the EU and Turkey signed an agreement under which refugees arriving in Greece could be sent back to Turkey. The deal has been criticized by human rights groups and came under new strain following a vote by the European Parliament in November to freeze talks on Turkey’s potential accession to the EU.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

No end in sight

With anti-immigration sentiment in Europe growing, governments are still struggling to reach a consensus on how to handle the continuing refugee crisis. Attempts to introduce quotas for the distribution of refugees among EU member states have largely failed. Conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere show no signs coming to an end, and the death toll from refugee sea crossings is on the rise.

Author: Rachel Stewart

ls/ (AFP, dpa)

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