#la = may god withdraw his mercy

[tamamita]

Hey there! I'm doing some research on Harun al-Rashid and I'm aware that Shi'a Muslims don't see him in a good light due to him killing the 7th Imam. I'm wondering if you could shed more light on how unfavorable the man was in the eyes of the Shi'a Muslims.

Harun al-Rashid and his father Al-Mahdi, may God withdraw His mercy from both of them, are among the greatest enemies of the Prophet's family, because of their role in the persecution and killing of Imam Musa al-Kadhim (a) as well as their continuous oppression of the partisans of Ali (a). Heck, even the Barmakids, their greatest supporters to the Abbasids weren't spared. In fact, even Christians and Jewish people fared much better in the caliphate as opposed to the Shi'as.

The difference between the Abassids and the Umayyads were that the Abassids acknowledged the right of the Prophet's family through al-Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet, while the Umayyads were known to have been the staunchest opponents of the Prophet and his family despite their conversion to Islam. When the Umayyads were overthrown, the Abassids had one great adversary in their mind, the partisans of Ali (a) (=The Shi'as). Despite what the Abbasids claimed, their position were inherently wrong on the basis of upholding the despotic caliphate; the caliphate was a right granted to Ali (a) a claim attested by both Sunni and Shi'a sources. The Abassids viewed the Shi'as as their competitors, and Harun (a) was born into a period of social unrest as he had to deal with several Shi'a revolts. The life of Imam Musa al-Kadhim (a) was a harsh one as he was imprisoned several times on the grounds of being a responsible for these revolts. The first one to have imprisoned him was al-Mahdi (la), who later released him, provided he wouldn't rebel against the caliphate.

According to Shi'i scholars during the period of the caliph Harun al-Rashid's (la) tenure, Harun (la) was a man of paranoia, a man of worry and guilt, he worried that an uprising against him might happen at any moment, and still held the Shi'as to be a force to be reckon with, and with an Imam leading the group, a single word would be enough for them to overthrow the Abbasids, so Harun al-Rashid (la) had made his journey to the Prophet's mosque and apologized personally to the Prophet (pbuh&hf) for the crimes he was about to commit towards his family, believing he would gain respite from the hellfire. And so, he decided to move the Imam (a) from Medina to Baghdad were they were either persecuted or held in captivity. While in captivity, Harun al-Rashid (la) had attempted to assassinate the Imam, but it was all in vain as the assassins were either swayed or hindered. As the Imam's (a) reputation spread, his merits and achievements were a topic of great discussion in the city of Baghdad. Naturally, this would cause Harun al-Rashid (la) great fear, since Iraq was a known hotbed for Shi'i rebellion, and thus ruled out that the 7th Imam (a) had to be executed lest there'd be an uprising. But to avoid having any involvement in his murder and quell any opposition, Harun al-Rashid (la) brought his must trusted associates to cover up the following crimes that took place. Harun ordered that the Imam be poisoned, and had his body exhibited on the bridge of Baghdad for the public view so that people would believe he had died naturally.

Following the martyrdom of the 7th Imam (a), his son, the 8th Imam, Ali al-Rida (a) would succeed the imamate.

Despite stories, praises and glorifications in medieval Europe, and subsequent appearances in popular manuscripts, Harun al-Rashid (la) was an evil despotic man, and the fires of Hell will swallow him whole.

[ladyartemesia]

▨ FIC • PREVIEW ▨

The Mark of Yun-Ki

Pairing: Min Yoongi x Reader

Genre: Hybrid AU  • Royalty AU • Fantasy AU • Daechwita AU

Summary: For a thousand years the tiger god Yun-Ki has marked the heirs of the Min Empire and thus only a marked heir can inherit the throne. When the beautiful daughter of the Min Emperor’s loyal warlord rescues a mysterious tiger hybrid from the imperial prison, she unleashes a secret that the throne would kill to protect. The young emperor claims to be the chosen heir... but who really bears the Mark of Yun-Ki?

Word Count: (preview) 2280 (final word count approx. 7K)

Rating and Warnings: Preview is rated M(ature) but final fic will be E(xplicit) for heat sex among other thing. Warnings for the preview include sexual innuendo and mature themes.

Author’s Note: One of the reasons I wrote this was in response to a prompt given to me by @mindays​ like MONTHS ago (I have included the original prompt at the bottom of the preview) • I really hope you like it! Sorry I took so long.

“Why is he blindfolded?”

The guard beside you shifted uncomfortably. 

“The Emperor ordered that his eyes be covered at all times.”

Your gaze traveled covertly over your surroundings, assessing the dimly lit chamber with practiced disdain. 

“Leave us.” 

“My lady, I cannot-”

“Do you know who I am, soldier?”

Your voice slashed through the air like an icy whip. 

“Y-yes, my la-”

“Then you know it is unwise to displease my family.” One jeweled hand came to rest dramatically on your chest. “Your daughter is not yet 15...such a pity to orphan one so young.”

The soldier bowed almost too quickly. 

“I will be outside, my lady-” he bowed again and again as he backed toward the door, “I meant no disrespect-”

Then you were alone… save for the notorious prisoner bound and blindfolded in the cell before you. 

He was clearly aware of your presence, but made no move or sound of acknowledgement, not even when your footsteps brought you to the very edge of his enclosure. 

“Prisoner AG-D2... name unknown... crime unknown...” your hand travelled up to your hair to withdraw a long silver pin, “no date of birth, no date of arrest...”

The prisoner jerked suddenly when the sound of your pin tripping the cell’s iron lock reached his unnaturally sensitive ears. 

His nostrils flared as an almost familiar scent - buried beneath a decade of fury and fear - curled through him. 

“Who are you?” 

The words were more of a growl than a question, but the only answer he received was the sound of his cell door creaking open. 

“Why are you here?” he tried again. 

“I am here to tell you a story...”

The prisoner barked out an empty laugh at your strange reply.

“I love a good story,” he whispered bitterly. The corner of your mouth twitched a bit at his spirit. 

Wrists bound together, eyes covered… but still every inch the proud warrior. His clothes were worn, but well cared for and the body beneath them was sleek and strong. This was not a man accustomed to being bound. 

“You were not raised like the rest of our people... the tales of our customs and our gods were - deliberately - never taught to you...but it is past time that you knew of them.”

He grinned, granting you a wicked flash of razor sharp fangs.

“Are all of the Emperor’s captives tortured with fairytales?”

“Charming,” you snorted, dragging a small stool from the corner of his cell. The prisoner’s ears flicked curiously at the sound.

“Aren’t you afraid of me, storyteller? What if I’ve been imprisoned for devouring beautiful women like yourself?”

You shook your head in amusement as you settled onto the stool.

“Have you devoured many beautiful women then?”

“Oh absolutely-” his grin took on a decidedly sinful slant, “but I doubt that’s why I’m here.”

A strange fluttering stirred in your chest at his words, though you did not fully understand the cause. You could not afford to waste time dwelling on such things, however.

“So... why are you here?” 

The prisoner was silent for several moments as he weighed the risk of being honest with you. 

“I don’t know,” he whispered finally, “I was told the Emperor himself ordered my arrest… but I was never told why.”

Your fingernails dug painfully into the palm of your hand, but you offered no other outward reaction to his words.

“What do you know of the current Min Emperor?”

“Not much. I’ve heard he is young... Stories say he has the temper of a demon, but his people endure it because he is the favorite of an ancient god.”

Your jaw clenched.

“That is correct. Our citizens are privileged to serve and obey the Emperor because the great tiger god, Yun-Ki has chosen the House of Min as his sacred bloodline. It is believed that the Mins are descended from Yun-Ki himself...”

“How ironic,” the prisoner scoffed, “considering that the Mins despise hybrids. They claim we are the unnatural children of the spirit realm and the earth. Surely they would be ashamed to be the product of such… blasphemy.”

Feminine laughter filled the air. It had been so long since the bound man had heard anything so beautiful. The ache it stirred in him was nearly as foreign as the sound itself. 

“Yes it does seem rather hypocritical... especially in light of the events which bring me here.”

Your scent was stronger now. It tugged at the edges of his mind in broken pictures and flashes of sunshine. He knew it...

But he could not recognize it. 

Nor could he explain the heat it began to stir in him. 

“Yun-Ki’s chosen heir bears his sacred mark .... Every child of the emperor’s seed is checked for it the moment they are born. And no concubine or wife of the emperor is ever so exalted as the one who produces a marked heir... except of course, the mother of our current emperor.”

The prisoner leaned forward, fascinated in spite of the strange circumstances.

“The dowager empress is widely revered. I may not know your fairytales, but a hybrid’s ears are better than most. My guards speak of her often.”.

You nodded

“The dowager is indeed very highly regarded… but she is not the emperor’s true mother.”

“Lady…” the prisoner shook his head irritably. “What nonsense is this? And how could it possibly affect me?”

You chuckled softly and the small hairs on the back of his arms rose up in response. 

“Patience, prisoner, the truth I offer you is worth more than both our lives.”

“The fine jewelry I hear clinking around your neck is worth more than my life, lady,” he hissed. “Speak your peace and spare me these cryptic declarations.”

It took every ounce of self-control you possess not to flick him right in his arrogant nose. 

“As you wish,” you replied with heavily affected sweetness. “The story begins with our current emperor’s father. The old emperor was a man of warfare and his spies discovered that the Prince of neighboring PyonKang planned invade our territory, he marched his armies in and occupied the small kingdom without mercy…” (you paused here significantly) “He even took the Prince’s sister as his war prize...”

The prisoner snorted. 

“Did he know what she was?” He smiled coldly. “The royals of PyongKang do not share your nation’s distaste for hybrids or the pleasures of mating with one-”

There was a sharp spike in your scent when he spoke the words; a darker - richer essence than the one he detected earlier, but this time he had no trouble identifying it. 

Arousal. 

Blood churned chaotically beneath his skin, rushing to answer your body’s unspoken request. His mind clouded suddenly and for a moment...he could almost taste you. 

This is dangerous. 

The fabric of your gown rustled as you shifted uncomfortably in your seat - driven to relieve some of the unexpected pressure in your core. 

“He did not know. The lady bore no hybrid indicators. So the emperor assumed - quite incorrectly - that she was not a hybrid.” 

“I’ve heard of such things…” he sighed, sifting through his memory till he found what he was looking for. “A physician I met in Eastern Wei discovered that some hybrids manifest internally. They retain the outer shell of a human, but their inner parts reveal the truth.” His head tilted as he recalled the old doctor’s exact words. “The face of man could hide the heart of a snake.”

You drew your lip between your teeth and nibbled it nervously. 

“You are correct. Except, in the case of the emperor’s war prize concubine, the face of a beautiful woman hid the heart of a tiger.”

The man before you scrambled to his feet in a move so sudden and unexpected, you nearly cried out. 

“You mean to tell me that the current Min Emperor is a tiger hybrid? Surely I would have heard of it. The world would have heard of it.”

You drew a deep breath - almost as if to brace yourself for the words you planned to speak.

The prisoner’s eyes were covered, but he could still make out shapes and shadows through the rough cloth. Your shadow seemed unnaturally still. When you spoke again, your tone was softer and the sound of it resonated deep within him like the bells of the old temple near his childhood home. 

“The princess of PyongKang became pregnant, and gave birth to twin boys. The younger was strong and pale, gifted with the strange golden hair so many of the Min bloodline seem to possess. But his elder brother...”

Your hands opened and closed reflexively in your lap as you worked to calm your pounding pulse. 

“... The elder brother’s hybrid heritage was quite evident.”

You moved then, stepping slowly and carefully until you stood before the prisoner face to face. Your scent swelled erotically with every step until it wrapped around him like a velvet vice. The urge to lean into it - into you - was nearly unbearable. 

“One of the twins bore the tiger god’s mark... but not the one who sits on the throne now.”

Your hand stretched slowly toward the edge of the prisoner’s blindfold. 

“The emperor executed his hybrid concubine immediately, yet even he was not bold enough to kill Yun-Ki’s chosen heir...”

Your fingers hovered a hairsbreadth from his skin. Once you touched him, everything would change. The truth you chased for eleven years would be within your grasp. 

“He sent the child to a poor family of fox hybrids who worked and lived on the estate of his most loyal warlord. The boy was never to know what he was… who he was...”

You could almost feel the moment he grasped the implication of your words. The subtle bond that always hummed strangely between you remained strong despite the years of separation. 

“The warlord had a daughter who loved to ride her horse near the lake.” Your voice trembled ever so slightly as you continued. “One day the horse was startled by a snake and it threw her into the water...”

A single tear wet his blindfold as the alluring tendrils of your scent merged chaotically with the treasured echoes in his mind. 

“Tiger hybrids hate the water,” you whispered, gently drawing the cloth up over his head, “but you dove in to save me anyways.”

Your lungs and throat burned from coughing out the water you swallowed, yet the pain was far preferable to the finality of drowning. The heavy fabric of your gown weighed you down as soon as your body crashed into the lake. 

Death reached for you, but the strange boy cradling you tightly to his chest had pulled you back before you were lost to its embrace.

“Little one, can you hear me?”

His eyes scanned frantically over your small drenched form for signs of serious injury, but you were completely distracted from your almost untimely end by the two feline ears twitching conspicuously amid the boy’s sodden curls. 

“You’re… You’re a cat!”

The boy’s jaw dropped open indignantly. 

“I’m tiger hybrid! Not a cat.” He shook his head irritably. “Have you never seen a hybrid before?”

“I’ve only heard of hybrids. I’ve never really seen one-”

Your fingers itched to touch the soft fur of his ears and you stretched forward almost absently to do so till he lashed out and snatched your wandering hand. 

“What are you doing?!” 

“Oh… I was going to...pet you?” you murmured sheepishly, prompting an irritable growl from the boy. 

“Little One, you do not pet tigers.”

He stood to his feet abruptly, dumping you into a soggy heap in the process. It took considerable effort for you to pull yourself upright while wearing 4 layers of thoroughly soaked cloth, but you eventually managed to regain your bearings and scramble after him. 

“Wait! Come back please I EEP-” 

The water dripping off your dress made the grass rather slippery… Both legs flew out from under you and, for the second time in less than a minute, you found yourself flat on your back. 

After a few moments of gazing miserably into the sky, a familiar face hovered over yours. 

“What a strange girl you are, Little One.”

You grinned.

“What is your name, tiger?”

He sighed deeply and held his hand out to pull you up. 

“I’m Yoongi.”

“Hello, Yoongi.” You tried to manage a proper bow, but only ended up losing your balance again. Yoongi grabbed your sleeve just in time to prevent you from crashing face first at his feet. 

“You’re completely hopeless,” he chuckled, endeared in spite of himself. 

Then you smiled. 

It was a fierce, blinding thing and Yoongi became aware of a subtle yet profound shift deep within the recess of his soul; something his primal half recognized immediately, but his human mind could not begin to comprehend. 

“No one’s ever said that to me before, even though I know they all think it.”

“And why is that?”

You shrugged. 

“They are probably afraid of my father.”

Yoongi’s eyebrows raised in alarm. 

“You’re the warlord’s daughter?!”

“Yes,” you replied with all the haughtiness a ten-year old could muster, “and I’m quite used to getting what I want.”

Yoongi felt a grin tug at the corner of his mouth. You were such an adorable little brat. 

“And what is it you’re wanting now, Little One?”

You nibbled your lip for a moment, suddenly shy before the handsome hybrid boy whose beautiful feline eyes danced with unconcealed mirth. 

“I want you to be my friend.”

Thirteen years later, those same golden eyes locked with yours as a strangled sob bubbled up from the back of his throat. 

“Little One?” his face lit suddenly with pure joy “...is it you?”

Please let me know in the comments if you would like to be added to the taglist!

I would love to know any thoughts or theories you have! Thank you for reading! This story will be published on or around 7/31!

This is the original prompt which inspired this story...

[tatyana-dreaming]

Potenza irresistibile: Leonora is Unstoppable

aka an empowered reading of (yet another) tragic opera heroine

aka my thoughts on Il Trovatore pt 3

(title from Manrico’s line in Act 2: Potenza irresistibile hanno de' fiumi l'onde! - The waves of the rivers have an irresistible force!)

with pictures because I have provided you ample walls of text as it is

Quick aside before we get into the libretto: in part 2 I concluded that both Azucena and Leonora are the only ones who really get what they want in this opera, and I think it’s pretty clear with Azucena... “Sei vendicata, o madre!” (even if we are unclear if she intentionally organized Manrico’s death and/or was conflicted by it or not).

Leonora. “I just came out to have a good time and honestly I’m feeling so attacked right now.” @ Ines, @ di Luna, even @ Manrico at the end

Because, out of everyone in this opera, Leonora is... happy? (I mean, yeah, she’s kind of set 100% of her hopes and dreams on this guy, and when she thinks he’s dead, she’s ready to head to the convent to pray to God until she can be reunited with him in death, saying “un riso, una speranza, un fior la terra non ha per me!”  - earth no longer has for me laughter, hope, or flowers! But look at her circumstances and context, and it’s still a choice she’s making, herself, about how she wants to live. Respect.)

[sociological examination about religious/cultural factors influencing WHY she would make that particular choice: coming to a bookstore near you in 2022]

“I swear go God, Ines (literally, I just did) can you just support me for once and trust me on this” (jk I love Ines she’s just doing her best too)

Okay, but to get back to the point... Leonora just has this sparkle. She’s filled with life and joy and happiness in the beginning (and - while yeah, my 21st century feminist me is like *facepalms* don’t make it dependent on another person, especially not a guy, especially not a guy who isn’t really even that focused on you as a person, but more as a possession he has to jealously protect from Rivals - her joy is revived when Marico returns and honestly thank gosh he does, since otherwise di Luna was gonna wreck those convent plans.) ANYWAYS  - di Luna clearly sees and wants to possess this sparkle, clearly having none of it himself.

Some exerpts from the libretto of this sparkly joy none of the characters ever get....(di Luna tries, haha...“la gioia che m'aspetta, gioia mortal, non è!“ but learns that maybe trying to seize someone against their will isn’t the best way to Spark Joy)

We’ve got Act 1 - “Gioia provai che agl'angeli solo è provar concesso! ...Di tale amor che dirsi mal può dalla parola...”  Joy only the angels can feel...such love that cannot be described by words! - Act 2, upon rescue by/reunion with her beloved - “Non regge a tanto giubilo rapito il cor, sorpreso!”  My surprised heart cannot bear such joy! - and finally, Act 4, once she is certain of saving Manrico - “ Vivrà! Contende il giubilo i detti a me!” He’ll live - my joy strips me of words!

Gosh, for such a tragic opera (if you take it seriously), Leonora is just this bundle of joy. Even in Act 4. It’s impressive.

She just has this energy, and I think it’s some sort of radiance from self-awareness and knowing exactly what she wants. You also may notice Leonora doens’t leave a body count the way di Luna, Manrico, and Azucena do. Well, unless you count herself :( but my point is she’s not about hurting people to get what she wants. And Leonora makes it explicitly clear from Act I: “ S'io non vivrò per esso, per esso morirò” - if I cannot life for him, I will die for him.

Leonora knows what she wants and nothing, NOTHING, and NOBODY is going to get in her way! And HOO BOY does di Luna try! So the convent kidnapping shit he tried to pull with the “not even God can claim [Leonora]” attitude didn’t pan out... but it also proved to Leonora that God wouldn’t necessarily save her (convent-style at least) so she leveled up and remembered OH YEAH PLANTS! *cue Juliet line*:

“ I'll to the friar, to know his remedy: If all else fail, myself have power to die.“

And honestly, she’s badass about it, too. From Act 1, she’s pretty fearless, from the moment Ines expresses fear and doubt about her infatuation with Manrico -

INES: Quanto narrasti di turbamento m'ha piena l'alma! Io temo...   What you say disturbs my soul, I fear [for you!] LEONORA: Invano! [You fear] in vain! (or: don’t fear!)

Leonora’s not afraid. She’s simply on a mission. Once Shit Gets Real and di Luna promises to kill Manrico, maintaining strict alignment with Mission “S'io non vivrò per esso, per esso morirò,”  asking di Luna to “Piombi, piombi il tuo furoresulla rea che t'oltraggiò, vibra il ferro in questo core che te amar non vuol né può”- Let your fury fall on the evil girl who offended you; plunge your sword into this heart that cannot, will not love you!

[again, not condoning Leonora’s choices, such as throwing herself under the ‘di Luna is going to blame Leonora for all his psycho actions’ Bus, but I respect her making her choices and fighting back]

Of course, di Luna is like “YOU CRAZY!” and literally tells Leonora her blood wouldn’t be enough to quell his rage. “l tuo sangue, o sciagurato, ad estinguerlo fia poco!” - Your blood, wretch, would hardly be enough! ~really playing the romance here~ :)

Leonora doesn’t get the point, since in Act 4, she repeats her pleas to exchange her live for Manrico’s - still not getting the Blood is Not Enough memo, apparently - “Svenami, ti bevi il sangue mio!” - Take me out**, drink my blood!

**no, di Luna, she isn’t asking you out on a date (sorry it’s so hard not to just 100% shitpost this opera) - but I couldn’t find a better translation. You don’t really say “faint me” in English and I don’t think the direct translation is “kill” but “take me out” seemed like an acceptable euphemism.

Of course, Leonora ultimately ends up accomplishing her Mission. [Like I said in part 1, my initial reaction to her self-sacrificial death was just anger and disappointment. But in context, she’s pulling a valid Juliet move... her circumstances are awful and suffocating and there are very few ways out for her in the world she lives in... but she ends up exiting the game on her terms.

{At the subjective level, at least. Objectively, her only choices are a vampire who will suck her life dry [di Luna] - in which life might be merciless - or choosing to withdraw from life with Help from Plants [poison] - in which death is merciful. Again, sociological exploration of Leonora’s CHOICE ARCHITECTURE coming to booksellers near you. Might even include Alternate Ending: running away into the mountains with the gypsies instead, but we all know that isn’t part of Mission “S'io non vivrò per esso, per esso morirò.” Plus I think we are all familiar with the concept that as humans we are more likely to stick with the evil we know rather than strike out into the great unknown. Heck, somebody stop me, these asides will be the death by boredom or exasperation of us all. Wait, are you reading this!??! WOW and bless you!! Thanks and I’m sorry}

Unfortunately, Manrico has to be a little turdball and start cursing Leonora, being the jealous self-centered guy that he ultimately is, before he realizes what she’s done to save him. “Manrico I’m literally dying FOR YOU and this is how you repay me?”

In Act 1, she begs di Luna to see reason through his jealous rage, but by Act 4 it’s her own beloved, the person she’s organized her Life Goal around, who is displaying the same jealous, blinding rage, refusing to listen to her. “Oh come l'ira ti rende cieco! Oh quanto ingiusto, crudel, crudel!” Oh how rage blinds you, how injust, how cruel you are [Manrico]!

Oh, the sweet and cruel irony Leonora getting her unconditional, immense, “eternal” love dismissed because Manrico doesn’t get it the way he wanted it [i.e. uh oh are we going to circle back to possessiveness/jealousy? Is Leonora the only one - and granted, she is a little psycho/obsessed/infatuated à la di Luna, but without trying to POSSESS her object of affection -- who can love in a semi-healthy way in this opera?? apparently]. My poor girl. At least Manrico Comes to his Senses before she dies (just in time for him join Leonora’s fate himself). *sad cheering*

Let me end by emphasizing that Leonora did not die JUST to “save Manrico.” Yes, the libretto says “Prima che d'altri vivere, io volli tua morir! “ - Rather than live as another’s, I wanted to die yours. But to me, it’s pretty clear she’s dying for herself - dying as her own self, as hers (I mean, technically she never became Manrico’s “legal property” anyways if we want to get into the morbid lack of womens’ rights, so she wasn’t even “his” in that way). And in the end, choice architecture aside, the point is that all the way, Leonora knew what she wanted, made her own decisions, stayed true to herself, and accomplished what she set her mind to. Nothing and nobody stopped her. Who’s to say what else she might have wanted if she had had different opportunities, choices, knowledge, or most importantly had been born in a different context.

(*faceplams* had been born?!! She’s a fictional character god Karo go to bed already) (*peels hands off face* it’s okay you are processing outrage over the Female Experience and Leonora represents a lot of real women, living and dead)

I conclude. LEONORA IS UNSTOPPABLE. Let’s part with some lovely lines from our complex (if a bit compulsively devoted), tragic, yet joyful, empowered, and fearless heroine:

Tu vedrai che amore in terra mai del mio non fu più forte: vinse il fato in aspra guerra, vincerà la stessa morte. 

You will see that never on earth was there a stronger love than mine; it defeated Fate in violent strife, it will defeat death itself.

*              *              *              *              *               *              *             *        

Screencaps from IL Trovatore (Met 2011) ft. Sondra Radvanovsky, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Marcelo Álvarez

[mattchase82]

WHY EVERY CATHOLIC NEEDS TO JOIN THE CONFRATERNITY OF THE HOLY ROSARY

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During This Time Of Diabolical Disorientation And Mass Confusion Of The Faith, It Is More Important Now Than Any Other Time For Catholics To Put On The Full Armor Of God And Join The Confraternity. Satan Will Try To Stop You Don't Let Him.

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The Immaculate alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan.

(Saint Maximilian Kolbe)

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Mary was made Mother of God to obtain salvation for many who, on account of their wicked lives, could not be saved according to the rigor of Divine justice, but might be saved with the help of her sweet mercy and powerful intercession.

(St. John Chrysostom)

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http://www.dominicansavrille.us/signup-form-for-the-rosary-confraternity/

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BENEFITS OF JOINING THE CONFRATERNITY

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1. The special protection of the Mother of God.

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2. A share in the prayer of countless Millions of members the world over, and this even after death.

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3. A share in the prayers, Masses and apostolic works of the entire Dominican Order.

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4. The intercession of the entire Heavenly Court.

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5. Various plenary and partial indulgences.

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The Rosary Confraternity is a spiritual association, the members of which pray the entire rosary during the course of a week. They form a union of the faithful in heaven and one earth who, along with their own intentions, include the intentions and needs of all its members.

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"If anyone has the happiness of being in the Confraternity of the Rosary, he has in all corners of the world brothers and sisters who pray for him." -St. John Vianney

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"Whenever a person fulfills his obligation of reciting the Rosary according to the rule of the Confraternity, he includes in his intentions all its members, and they in turn render him the same service many times over." -Pope Leo XIII

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Saint Louis de Montfort tells the story of a young girl of noble station named Alexandra, who had been miraculously converted and enrolled by St. Dominic in the Confraternity of the Rosary.

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After her death, she appeared to him and said she had been condemned to seven hundred years in purgatory because of her own sins and those she had caused others to commit by her worldly ways. So she implored him to ease her pains by his prayers and to ask the Confraternity members to pray for the same end. St. Dominic did as she had asked.

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Two weeks later she appeared to him, more radiant than the sun, having been quickly delivered from purgatory by the prayers of the Confraternity members. She also told St. Dominic that she had come on behalf of the souls in purgatory to beg him to go on preaching the Rosary and to ask their relations to offer their Rosaries for them, and that they would reward them abundantly when they entered into glory.

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The Fifteen Promises of Mary Granted to those who Recite the Rosary Daily

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The Blessed Virgin Mary Promised to Saint Dominic and to all who follow that "Whatever you ask in the Rosary will be granted." She left for all Christians Fifteen Promises to those who recite the Holy Rosary.

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Imparted to Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche

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1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.

.

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

.

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

.

4.The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

.

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.

.

6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.

.

7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

.

8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenititude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.

.

9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

.

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.

.

11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.

.

12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

.

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.

.

14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ.

.

15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

.

.

7 Reasons to Pray the Rosary, from the “Secret of the Rosary” by St. Louis de Montfort

.

Here are his 7 reasons:

.

1) It gradually gives us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ

.

2) It purifies our souls, washing away sin

.

3) It gives us victory over all our enemies

.

4) It makes it easy for us to practice virtue

.

5) It sets us on fire with love of Our Blessed Lord

.

6) It enriches us with graces and merits

.

7) It supplies us with what is needed to pay all our debts to God and to our fellow men, and finally, it obtains all kinds of graces for us from Almighty God

.

.

A GIRL IN MORTAL GIVES HER LAST CONFESSION TWO DAY'S AFTER HER DEATH

.

Father Eusebius Nierembergh relates, that there lived in the city of Aragona, Sicily, a girl named Alexandra. Being both noble and very beautiful, Alexandra was greatly loved by two young men. Driven by jealousy, these young men fought one day and killed each other. Their enraged relatives, in return, killed the poor young girl as the cause of so much trouble. They cut off her head and threw her remains into a well. A few days later, Saint Dominic of Guzman was passing through that place and inspired by Our Lord, approached the well and said: “Alexandra, come forth.” Immediately the head of the deceased came forth, perched on the edge of the well, and asked the saint to hear her confession. Perhaps accustomed to bizarre phenomena, Saint Dominic heard its confession and also gave it communion, in the presence of a great concourse of curious persons who had assembled to witness the miracle. Then the saint asked her to tell why she had received such a grace. Alexandra answered that when she was beheaded, she was in a state of mortal sin and would have been damned to hell. But on account of the rosary which she was in the habit of reciting, Most Holy Mary appeared and preserved her soul from unending torments.

So it happened that for two days the head of Alexandra retained life and when summoned was set upon the edge of the well, in the presence of all, and then the soul went to purgatory. Fifteen days later, Alexandra’s soul appeared to Saint Dominic, beautiful and radiant as a star. She then told him that one of the principal sources of relief to the souls in purgatory is the rosary which is recited for them; and that, as soon as they arrive in paradise, they pray for those who apply to them these powerful prayers. Having said this, Saint Dominic saw that happy soul ascending in triumph to the kingdom of the blessed.

(St. Alphonsus Liguori)

.

.

Don't let anyone tell you that praying the Rosary is "meaningless repetition" (when we don't pray it, we don't know it, anyway, and how could we?). If you ever feel the temptation to stop, because it feels "tedious," that's when you keep going, if only because love is not a feeling, but an act of the will. Take your time; praying it effectively and loving it is gradually learned. And the appetite does come with the meal. Turn "tedium" into persistence.

.

The Rosary is the ‘weapon’ for these times.” -Saint Padre Pio

.

“Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.” – Blessed Pope Pius IX

.

“The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.” – Saint Francis de Sales

.

“Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.” -St. Padre Pio

.

“Go to the Madonna. Love her! Always say the Rosary. Say it well. Say it as often as you can! Be souls of prayer. Never tire of praying, it is what is essential. Prayer shakes the Heart of God, it obtains necessary graces!” -St. Padre Pio

.

The holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results.” -St. Josemaria Escriva

.

“Say the Holy Rosary. Blessed be that monotony of Hail Mary’s which purifies the monotony of your sins!” -St. Josemaria Escriva

.

“For those who use their intelligence and their study as a weapon, the Rosary is most effective. Because that apparently monotonous way of beseeching Our Lady as children do their Mother, can destroy every seed of vainglory and pride.” – St. Josemaria Escriva

.

“You always leave the Rosary for later, and you end up not saying it at all because you are sleepy. If there is no other time, say it in the street without letting anybody notice it. It will, moreover, help you to have presence of God.” – St. Josemaria Escriva

.

“The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.” – Pope Pius XI

.

“The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.” – Archbishop Fulton Sheen

.

““The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying.” Pope Leo XIII

.

“No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary: either they will give up sin or they will give up the Rosary” – Bishop Hugh Doyle

.

“The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families…that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” -Sister Lucia dos Santos of Fatima

.

“The Rosary is a long chain that links heaven and earth. One end of it is in our hands and the other end is in the hands of the Holy Virgin…The Rosary prayer rises like incense to the feet of the Almighty. Mary responds at once like a beneficial dew, bringing new life to human hearts.”

St. Therese of Lisieux

.

“When people love and recite the Rosary they find it makes them better.” -St. Anthony Mary Claret

.

The Rosary is the most beautiful and the most rich in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God…and if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.~Pope Saint Pius X

.

When you say your Rosary, the angels rejoice, the Blessed Trinity delights in it, my Son finds joy in it too, and I myself am happier than you can possibly guess. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is nothing in the Church that I love as much as the Rosary.~Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche

.

One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world.~Saint Dominic

.

Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul,IF YOU SAY THE HOLY ROSARY devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins-Saint Louis de Montfort

.

“When you say your Rosary, the angels rejoice, the Blessed Trinity delights in it, my Son finds joy in it too, and I myself am happier than you can possibly guess. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is nothing in the Church that I love as much as the Rosary.” - Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche

.

Even if You Pray the Rosary for Years and See No Improvement Spiritually, Do Not Give Up. Mary and Jesus Will Always Come to Your Aide.

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Imprimatur: Patrick J. Hayes, D.D. Archbishop of New YorkWhy All Catholic's Need To Join the Confraternity of the Rosary Immediately

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[tradcatholic]

WHEN YOU START PRAYING THE DAILY ROSARY, YOU CAN STOP FEARING DEATH...

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The Fifteen Promises of Mary Granted to those who Recite the Rosary Daily

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The Blessed Virgin Mary Promised to Saint Dominic and to all who follow that "Whatever you ask in the Rosary will be granted." She left for all Christians Fifteen Promises to those who recite the Holy Rosary.

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Imparted to Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche

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1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.

.

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

.

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

.

4.The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

.

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.

.

6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.

.

7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

.

8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenititude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.

.

9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

.

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.

.

11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.

.

12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

.

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.

.

14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ.

.

15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

.

.

Don't let anyone tell you that praying the Rosary is "meaningless repetition" (when we don't pray it, we don't know it, anyway, and how could we?). If you ever feel the temptation to stop, because it feels "tedious," that's when you keep going, if only because love is not a feeling, but an act of the will. Take your time; praying it effectively and loving it is gradually learned. And the appetite does come with the meal. Turn "tedium" into persistence.

.

The Rosary is the ‘weapon’ for these times.” -Padre Pio

.

“Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.” – Blessed Pope Pius IX

.

“The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.” – Saint Francis de Sales

.

“Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.” Padre Pio

.

“Go to the Madonna. Love her! Always say the Rosary. Say it well. Say it as often as you can! Be souls of prayer. Never tire of praying, it is what is essential. Prayer shakes the Heart of God, it obtains necessary graces!” -Padre Pio

“The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.” – Pope Pius XI

.

“The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying.” Pope Leo XIII

“The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families…that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” -Sister Lucia dos Santos of Fatima

.

“The Rosary is a long chain that links heaven and earth. One end of it is in our hands and the other end is in the hands of the Holy Virgin…The Rosary prayer rises like incense to the feet of the Almighty. Mary responds at once like a beneficial dew, bringing new life to human hearts.”

St. Therese of Lisieux

.

“When people love and recite the Rosary they find it makes them better.” -St. Anthony Mary Claret

.

The Rosary is the most beautiful and the most rich in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God…and if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.~Pope Saint Pius X

.

When you say your Rosary, the angels rejoice, the Blessed Trinity delights in it, my Son finds joy in it too, and I myself am happier than you can possibly guess. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is nothing in the Church that I love as much as the Rosary.~Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche

.

One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world.~Saint Dominic

.

Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul,IF YOU SAY THE HOLY ROSARY devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins-Saint Louis de Montfort

.

“When you say your Rosary, the angels rejoice, the Blessed Trinity delights in it, my Son finds joy in it too, and I myself am happier than you can possibly guess. After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is nothing in the Church that I love as much as the Rosary.” - Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche

.

Even if You Pray the Rosary for Years and See No Improvement Spiritually, Do Not Give Up. Mary and Jesus Will Always Come to Your Aide.

.

Imprimatur: Patrick J. Hayes, D.D. Archbishop of New York

[bylagunabay]

Power of the HOLY ROSARY

A REFLECTION ON OUR LADY'S 15 PROMISES TO THOSE WHO PRAY HER ROSARY

(3 Min. Read + Jim Carrey’s Testimony )

The Holy Rosary is an enormous source of grace and spiritual protection, one of the most powerful sacramentals of the Catholic Church. Sister Lucia dos Santos, one of the children to whom Our Lady appeared at Fatima, once said,

"There is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families ... that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary."

After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Holy Rosary is the prayer most pleasing to Our Lady. 

Our Lady revealed the following promises to St. Dominic (the saint to whom the rosary was first given in the 12th century) and later to Blessed Alan de la Roche (who reignited devotion to the rosary in the 15th century).

Mary, in virtue of her perfect union with the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, now reigns in heaven as Queen next to her Son, Christ the King. She has been given the privilege to bestow God's graces to her spiritual children, for whom she earnestly intercedes as the Mother of all Christians.

Although there is much suffering in this world, these promises from Our Lady ensure her assistance in the cares and worries of this life, and in interceding for us to obtain a holy death, eternal salvation, and everlasting happiness with the angels and saints in heaven.

Our Lady’s 15 Promises to Those Who Pray Her Rosary:

1. Whosoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.

[A signal grace may be a simple sign in daily life that answers a question made in prayer or points towards God’s will. For example, seeing a rose after finishing a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux could be considered a signal grace. Signal graces are often subtle or seemingly coincidental.]

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies. 

4. It will cause good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for Eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means!  

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish. 

[In other words, anyone who faithfully prays the Rosary and asks for Mary’s intercession will be saved from hell.]

6. Whosoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of Eternal Life.

[An unprovided death means dying while not in a state of grace (that is, in dying with unconfessed mortal sin in the soul). The Blessed Mother promises that anyone who regularly prays the Rosary, and earnestly tries to live according to God's will, will be spiritually prepared when their time of death comes.]

7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.

[Our Lady ensures that the soul will receive sanctifying grace through the Sacraments prior to its departure from the body.]

8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the Light of God and the plenitude of His Graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the Merits of the Saints in Paradise. 

9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. 

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of Glory in Heaven. 

11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by recitation of the Rosary. 

12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. 

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death. 

14. All who recite the Rosary are my Sons, and brothers of my Only Son Jesus Christ. 

15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.[By this the Blessed Mother means that a devotion to the Rosary is a good indication that the devotee is on the path to Heaven.]

It is amazing to realize how much grace and heavenly help we can receive by an act so simple as praying the Rosary regularly. It only takes 15 minutes to pray! Set aside time alone, with your family, or with some friends to start the habit of reciting a daily Rosary. If you don't think you have time, try praying on the way to work in the morning. You will surely notice the grace it brings to your life, as promised by Our Lady!

~ Mary Thierfelder (getfed.com) JIM CARREY GETS A BIKE

When Jim Carrey was 9, he got a powerful lesson in faith from one of the nuns at his Catholic school. Her instruction was simple: Pray to the Virgin Mary, and you'll get whatever your heart desires.

“I had a substitute teacher from Ireland in the second grade that told my class during morning prayer that when she wants something — anything at all — she prays for it and promises something for it in return — and she always gets what she wants. Yeah. I’m sitting at the back of the classroom thinking: “Wow. My family can’t afford a bike.” So I went home and prayed for one, and I promised I would recite the rosary every night in exchange. Broke it. Broke that promise. But two weeks later, I got home from school to find a brand new mustang bike with a banana seat and easy rider handle bars. Yeah…. My family informed that I had won a raffle that a friend of mine had entered my name in without my knowledge whatsoever.” 

~ Jim Carrey (thebikecomesfirst.com)

[silentstep]

La Clemenza di Tito by Mozart on a libretto by Metastasio revised by Mazzolà

Dramatis Personae:

TITO, Emperor of Rome, in love with the Judean queen BERENICE

SESTO, friend of TITO, in love with VITELLIA

ANNIO, friend of SESTO, in love with SERVILIA

SERVILIA, sister of SESTO, in love with ANNIO

VITELLIA, daughter of the deposed emperor VITELLIUS, in love with TITO willing to settle for a political marriage to TITO if that’s what it’ll take to get her rightful throne back, in love with SESTO very definitely a cold-hearted seductress ruthlessly tricking SESTO into believing she has feelings for him, or, like, at all

PUBLIO, head of the Praetorian Guard, advisor to TITO

ACT I

“Ma chè? sempre l’istesso” – In light of Tito’s ongoing romance with Berenice and attendant failure to marry Vitellia and make her empress by marriage, she and Sesto discuss their plan to assassinate Tito and reinstate Vitellia to the throne in her right as her father’s heir, with Sesto as her own consort.  Sesto urges Vitellia to reconsider the whole thing.  Vitellia urges Sesto to stop stalling and implement it already.  They argue; Vitellia starts to leave.

“Come ti piace imponi” - Sesto calls her back, assuring her that he will obey her.  Vitellia again commands Tito’s overthrow and death.  Sesto asks for a kind glance first, in reward.  They duet about both being full of conflicting emotions and tormented souls.

“Amico, il passo affretta” - Annio enters and tells them that Tito is sending Berenice away.  Assuming that this is the first step in Tito asking her to marry him and become empress, Vitellia belays Sesto’s orders.  Sesto protests that he doesn’t want her to marry another man and leave him.

“Deh, se piacer mi vuoi” – Vitellia had NO SUCH THOUGHTS IN HER HEAD, how could you possibly think this of her, Sesto.

“Amico, ecco il momento” – Annio reminds Sesto of his promise to give his sister Servilia’s hand to Annio in marriage, and asks Sesto to obtain Tito’s permission for Annio to marry Servilia.  Sesto readily agrees.

“Deh prendi un dolce amplesso” – ANNIO AND SESTO ARE FRIENDS AND THEY LOVE EACH OTHER VERY MUCH.

“Serbate, oh Dei custodi” – “Huzzah for Rome!  Long live Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus!”

“Basta, basta” – Isn’t Tito such a good emperor everyone loves him he’s so humble and selfless omg

“Adesso, oh Sesto, parla per me” – Sesto actually is concerned for Tito’s happiness, poor lamb.  Tito, having been prevented from marrying for love due to public opinion being against the foreign barbarian Jewish queen, decides to marry for friendship and make Sesto emperor-consort of Rome by marrying Servilia.  Sesto is about to turn him down for Annio’s sake when Annio jumps in and accepts on his behalf.

“Del più sublime soglio” – In a prime example of the dramatic irony that’s going to plague Tito this entire opera, he sings an aria about how his only comfort in life is to make his friends happy.  His friends hastily attempt to conceal the profound misery his actions have plunged them into.

“Non ci pentiam” – Annio, entrusted with carrying the news to Servilia because Metastasio likes watching him suffer, tells himself again that he’s standing aside for Servilia’s sake and that to do otherwise would be selfish.  Servilia responds to the news with confusion and dismay.

“Ah perdona il primo affetto” – Annio and Servilia tell each other they love each other and I fuckin cry from the sheer beauty

“Che mi rechi in quel foglio?” – “Enlarge the man committed yesterday that rail'd against our person: we consider it was excess of wine that set him on, and on his more advice we pardon him.”

“Di Tito al piè” – Servilia, establishing her character as the only one who enacts positive outcomes in this whole opera, confesses to Tito that she loves Annio.  She explains that she will obey if Tito still wants her for a wife, but it will be no more than a political match, and her heart will remain with her lover.  Tito immediately withdraws his proposal, consents that Annio should marry Servilia, and thanks her for her honesty.

“Ah, se fosse intorno al trono” – Tito thanks Servilia for her honesty at some length, actually, and complains to everyone listening for a second time that being Emperor of Rome is the worst job and it’s miserable and it sucks and (here’s that dramatic irony again) everyone keeps lying to him and he can’t even tell.

“Felice me!” – Servilia, left alone, exclaims aloud with joy and relief.  Vitellia, overhearing this and already aware that Tito has proposed to Servilia (just how good is this woman’s spy network???) pops up out of nowhere like a goddamn ninja and offers passive-aggressively obsequious homage to her new empress whose beauty has ensnared Tito’s heart.  Servilia offers an unfortunately cryptic reply that perhaps the imperial hand is, in fact, reserved for Vitellia, and leaves.

“Ancora mi schernisce?” - Vitellia seethes.  She might have forgiven having been made to wait for the throne due to Tito’s folly for Berenice, but to be passed over entirely is beyond the pale.  When Sesto enters, she orders him to set the assassination plan in motion immediately.  Yesterday, preferably.

“Parto, parto” – He’s going he’s going but can he just like… get maybe a glance first?  Something?  Anything.  Give him something, here.  Something to take with him into the coming battle.  Just one look.  Please.  Gods, she’s so pretty.

“Vedrai, Tito, vedrai” – Sesto having left, Vitellia is crowing over her imminent victory when Publio and Annio enter, bringing Tito’s proposal of marriage to her.  They salute her as their empress and try to bring her to Tito.

“Vengo… aspettate… Sesto!” – Vitellia PANICS.  Sesto’s gone and it’s too late to intercept him.  She freezes up and screams internally and possibly externally while Annio and Publio exchange glances and go “wow, she’s so happy about this that she forgot to look happy!  Funny how that happens sometimes!”

“Oh Dei, che smania e questa” – meanwhile, Sesto is likewise angstpanicking as he tries and tries to make himself go through with the assassination.  He has just come to the conclusion that actually, no, he can’t do this, but when he decides to halt the proceedings, he sees that they’re far advanced enough that the Capitol is on fire.

“Deh, conservate, oh Dei” – concluding that it’s too late to stop it now and he’s already committed, Sesto runs off to kill Tito, leaving a just-entered Annio in confusion.  Servilia enters to Annio, bringing news of the fire and the mass panic; Publio enters, bringing news that the fire is the result of a conspiracy against Tito.  Vitellia enters, pleading with anyone for news of Sesto.  Sesto re-enters, bringing the news that Tito has been murdered by a man who’s just the most evil monster imaginable.  Vitellia stops him from confessing then and there, and amid the cries of horror from the rest of Rome, everyone sings of their sorrow at Tito’s death and the nefarious treason that led to it.

ACT II

“Sesto, come tu credi” – Annio enters to Sesto, bringing him the news that Tito is alive after all, and that whatever Sesto saw, he must have been mistaken.  Sesto confesses that he was the one who set the tumult in motion and stabbed the man he thought was Tito.  Annio is horrified, but Sesto refuses to explain and declares his intention to go into exile and wander the wilderness lamenting.  Annio stops him from leaving.

“Torna di Tito a lato” – Annio advises Sesto return to Tito’s side and say nothing of this, proving his loyalty and making up for his mistakes with whatever acts of devotion the opportunity affords.

“Partir deggio, o restar?” – “I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO MY WHOLE BRAIN IS CRYING”, Sesto muses as Annio leaves.  Vitellia enters and urges Sesto to flee Rome, protecting his life and the secret of her involvement.  Sesto assures her that he would die before betraying her, but Vitellia answers that Sesto clearly loves Tito too much to stay silent in the face of Tito’s mercy and understanding.

“Sesto! - Che chiedi?” – Publio enters and arrests Sesto for conspiracy to commit treason.  Turns out the man Sesto stabbed was actually Sesto’s fellow conspirator Lentulo, and that Lentulo survived the stabbing and, upon his own arrest, revealed Sesto.  OK PAUSE I just need to reiterate for everyone that that is some ludicrously egregious failure here on Sesto’s part.  Not only would Tito have survived if it had been Tito, but it was actually Tito’s enemy.  There is no way this wasn’t Sesto’s subconscious doing this on purpose.  There is no way.  You can’t fuck up that badly on accident.

“Se al volto mai ti senti” – Sesto tries to bid Vitellia a tender and despairing farewell.  Vitellia freezes up again in guilt and panic.  Publio keeps trying to drag Sesto off, but each time she rails at Publio with such anguish that he is moved and lets them have a few more moments together.  Sesto swears that he loves Vitellia and ever will, asks to be remembered, and finally begs to at least have her pity, to comfort him in his sorrow.  Vitellia, almost breaking down in grief and horror, is still bluescreening.  Sesto is finally led away to face the Senate.

“Ah grazie si rendano” – The people of Rome give thanks to the gods that Tito lives and the glory of the throne has been preserved.  Tito is comforted that they at least don’t want him dead.

“Andremo, Publio” – Publio tries to get Tito to go be visible in public to calm the anxious people, but Tito refuses to go anywhere until he has confirmation that the Senate is convinced of Sesto’s innocence.  “What if he’s… uh.  Not innocent?” Publio asks.  Tito bites his head off.

“Tardi s’avvede” – Publio warns Tito not to assume all men have hearts as loyal as Tito’s own.

“No, cosi scellerato” – Tito refuses to consider that Sesto could have betrayed him.  Annio enters, followed by the news of Sesto’s guilt and his condemnation by the Senate to death by lions, which Tito must now sign.

“Tu fosti tradito” – Annio begs Tito for Sesto’s life.

“Che orror! che tradimento!” – Left alone, Tito alternately rages and hesitates over whether to sign the death warrant.  He resolves to at least hear out Sesto in private before deciding, and summons him for an audience.

“Quello di Tito e il volto?” – Tito and Sesto see each other and both freeze.  Tito recovers first, and commands Sesto to approach; Sesto stays frozen for a while longer and then struggles to obey.  Publio, having observed their pain at this encounter, is sent out of the room, leaving them alone.

“E pur mi fa pietà” – Tito confronts Sesto.  Sesto begs for death.  Tito begs Sesto to tell him his reasons, to give Tito some excuse— any excuse— to pardon him.  Sesto refuses and continues to beg for death.  Tito finally furiously agrees.

“Deh per questo istante solo” – Sesto begs for one last kind look from Tito before he dies, just one, for the sake of their former love.  He declares that though he goes despairing to his death, the thought of death does not frighten him; it is the thought that he betrayed Tito that is torture.  He cries out in wonder that his heart can be in so much pain and yet not die.  IT HELLA.

“Ove s’intese mai più contumace infedeltà?” – Tito, alone again, fiercely debates with himself over whether to let Sesto live or die.  He signs the warrant— but finally tears it up, resolving to pardon Sesto despite his treason.  Publio returns, and Tito, pretending that he still intends to execute Sesto, orders the preparations to go forward.

“Se all’impero” – Tito announces to the gods that if a hard heart is necessary to rule, they must either take away his empire or give him a different heart.

“Ah, Vitellia! - Ah, principessa!” – Annio and Servilia enter to Vitellia and beg for her help: if she, Tito’s new empress, asks Tito to pardon Sesto, he may grant it.  Vitellia, certain that she’s about to be arrested any minute, grimly answers that she’s not Empress yet.  Annio assures her that Tito has given instructions for the wedding— after having talked to Sesto.  Stunned that Sesto did not reveal her, Vitellia starts to go but then stops and asks that the other two go on ahead, promising to follow.  Annio and Servilia continue to plead with her to come immediately.  Vitellia, now openly weeping, again begs them to leave and not torment her.

“S’altro che lacrime” – Servilia calls Vitellia’s tears useless cruelty, as only action can possibly help Sesto.  She and Annio give up and leave.

“Ecco il punto, o Vitellia” – Vitellia, left alone, takes stock.  She can have everything she has wanted this entire time— marriage to Tito and the throne of Empress— and the only thing she has to do to get it is watch Sesto die.  Folding like a house of cards at the very thought, she resolves to confess everything to Tito in the the hopes that, while she will certainly be condemned to death, Sesto’s guilt may be lessened enough for his sentence to be commuted.

“Non più di fiori” – Vitellia takes a moment to mourn the death of her hopes and dreams and also of her life.  Knowing that she is soon to be despised by the world, she asks the audience, at least, seeing her pain and knowing the whole story, to take pity on her grief.

“Che del ciel, che degli Dei” – Gathered to watch the executions, the people of Rome once more praise Tito and thank the gods for saving him.

“Sesto, de’ tuoi delitti” – Tito, facing down Sesto, starts off the speech that’s going to end with the surprise pardon, but doesn’t get that far before he’s interrupted by Vitellia, confessing everything and taking all the blame for herself.

“Ma che giorno e mai questo?” – Tito’s turn to bluescreen momentarily, as it must certainly feel that people he trusts are just coming out of the woodwork to betray him, but he gets ahold of himself and pardons everyone involved.

“Tu, è ver, m’assolvi” – Sesto and Tito reconcile.  Vitellia, Annio, and Servilia sing Tito’s praises.  Tito asks the gods to kill him the day his thoughts are no longer turned to the good of Rome, and everyone joins the chorus for one final “Huzzah for Rome!  Long live Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus!”

FINE

[theleaderdotinfo-blog]

Archangel Michael......The Mighty Warrior Angel has been published at http://www.theleader.info/2017/09/26/archangel-michael-mighty-warrior-angel/

New Post has been published on http://www.theleader.info/2017/09/26/archangel-michael-mighty-warrior-angel/

Archangel Michael......The Mighty Warrior Angel

We often call Michael “”St Michael” especially since Pope Pius named him the official patron saint of police officers and soldiers.  No wonder…Michael is the defender of light and goodness and his chief role is to escort fallen people away so they cannot hurt other people. Michael and his assistant angels, known as the The Band of Mercy take negatively minded people (both living and deceased) to the light of God where their minds are healed.

Archangel Michael is the might warrior angel who protects the vulnerable and gives the strength and courage to those who need it.  He often appears as a deep blue light or as a huge being, carrying a sword and shield.

Many people have reported they have returned home and glimpsed him or angels standing by their front door on guard duty and they are inevitably filled with a wonderful feeling of safety. He is known as the protector and will look after your home, your car and your family.  Remember: when you ask him to watch over you, you must have faith that he is there. This means when you invoke him to protect your home while you away, you must let him do it.  If you keep worrying about it, it tells Archangel Michael that you do not trust him and he withdraws his energy.

Call upon Michael whenever you feel frightened by negative sources. If you are in a crowded place populated by upset people, for instance, ask Michael to cleanse away the negative energy. In the same vein, whenever you become burdened by worries and fears, ask Michael to cleanse your mind and heart. Angels can enter deep inside our bodies and thoughts and help us to see things from a more loving point of view.

Paintings of Michael often show him holding scales of justice in his hands as he is the overseer of truth and fairness. If you feel someone is treating you unfairly, ask Michael to intervene.  You´ll receive a miraculous solution, such as the other person suddenly calling with an apology or change of heart.

It´s a good idea to invite Michael´s presence into a room of your house or office that has a negative energy about it. For instance, if you lived in a home previously occupied by unhappy people, ask Michael to purify the environment. I always ask Michael to clear the energy in the room or venues that I give workshops as Michael´s angelic energy creates a relaxed, loving atmosphere for the participants and me.

Whenever you are upset, call upon Michael to restore harmony and peace. If you travel into areas that feel unsafe in any way, be sure to ask Michael to guide you and protect you. You can ask Him to intervene in contentious partnerships or marriages suffering from discord. Think of Michael as the protector of joy and you´ll always know when it is time to call for his help.

Those of you that are fire signs……Aries, Sagittarius and Leo are automatically aligned to his energy

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL ATTUNEMENTS

WOULD you like to be attuned to Archangel Michael´s energy? An attunement is an initiation when you are connected directly to his energy and can call on him at any time. You will feel an increase in your energy at once and experience a great peace. Angel energy is powerful and when you connect directly to Archangel Michael, his protection is felt immediately.

The attunement also means that you can work with him and make a difference to the world. The wonderful thing about the attunement is that you will then be able to attune people yourself so that wonderful energy can be spread gradually all over the world….just think about family and friends and anyone you may feel can spread this wonderful energy.

Archangel Michael attunement workshops are regularly held is being held by Christine Quinlan in La Marina. For more information contact her on 966 795  103…or email: bodyharmony44@gmail.com

[tamamita]

Sorry if it's a dumb question but did you go through a formal conversion process from Sunni to Shi'a or is it just something you did with yourself?

You don't exactly need to-- however, I felt it was necessary to formalize it, since I wanted to declare my allegience to the Prophet's Household (asj) and dissociate from their enemies (la) I had formerly praised.

[tamamita]

Hey! what does (la) mean? :o

La'anatullah Aleyhi/Aleyha = May God withdraw His mercy from him/her/them

[tamamita]

alongside putting (a) beside names of important figures, ive also seen you use (la) or something along those lines. does it carry a similar sentiment or does it mean something else entirely?

It's shortened for "May God withdraw His mercy from him/her/them" or Lanatullah aleyhi/aleyha/aleyhum

This supplication is normally used by Shi'a Muslims when uttering the name of a person who is considered an enemy towards Shi’as, the Prophet and his family. This terms is also applicable on tyrants. Regardless, this concept is referred to as Tabarra (=dissociation).

This invocation is especially controversial, because Shi'a Muslims use it to curse certain revered Sunni personalities.

[tamamita]

Keep in mind that the supplication La'anatullah Aleyhi (=May God withdraw His mercy from him/her/them) or "la" is exclusively used by Shi'as. The doctrine is known as tabarrah (=dissociation). Tabarrah refers to the obligation for a Shi'a Muslim to dissociate themselves from people who opposed/hate/caused harm to the Prophet and his family (pbuh&hf) and from those who are hostile to Islam or Muslims.

Many Shi'as apply the acronym (la) on certain Sunni personalities when their names are uttered.

[tamamita]

What does it mean when you put (a) or (la) after people’s names?

A = Peace be upon him/her/them

La = May God withdraw His mercy from him/her/them

[skippyv20]