#matthias Saint John

[noahhawthorneauthor]

Ok I'm two chapters in, this is gonna hurt like hell.

Oh I wonder who is who.

[orbynit]

art contest entry for the upcoming short story from The Tarot Sequence by KD Edwards! i don't care if it's not necessarily canon, i will always give max the lil ear points because he's my son and he deserves them

[ars-matron]

The Last Sun: Chapters 2

Chapter 2: Half House

We open with a little backstory on the attack of the Sun Throne.

Rune tells us that no one had ever been convicted of the unsanctioned raid, murders, or rape that happened that night. Which leaves me thinking that not all the powers that be really cared enough to look too far. Knowing what I know of the Tower now I will say that I'm sure he looked into it. But anyone else? An unsanctioned raid might "weaken all of Atlantis" but if Rune's father was at odds with any of the other Arcanum I can see them not caring much.

He goes on to say that not only did people not seem to care that it happened, they loved that he not only survived, but survived damaged. He was photographed and talked about, and now, two decades later, he still couldn't escape it.

Rune wakes up to yelling and remembers that he accidentally adopted a teenager the night before. The weather was described as being a very cold winter and spring, and a rather cool start of summer, though Rune sleeps with his AC blasting. Queenie comes up to talk to him about said teenager.

We don't get anything about her though. She's lurking on stairs, she called Max Rune's seventeen year old.

Rune takes a percocet because his back and shoulder hurt, puts on a pair of pants that are now a little tight because he spent the freezing winter and spring hidden in large sweaters (understandable) and goes down to the second landing to find Brand holding Matthias Saint Valentine's head in the toilet.

Since he will be known as Max soon and it's easier to write, I'll just call him Max.

Max was being a little shit to Queenie, who was just trying to be nice and unpack his stuff (go through his things?) and when Brand found out he lost his cool.

""Allow me to explain," Brand said. "Apparently, our Queenie tried to unpack Little Lord Scion's suitcase while was in the shower. Not her job, of course, but she's just that kind of person, isn't she?---In the midst of her friendly efforts, Little Lord Douchebag comes trotting out of the bathroom, takes one look, and asks our Queenie whether she'd be able to it right or whether he'd need to do it himself.""

I find this interesting because later we learn he doesn't have much of anything. I fully assume she had it all spread out over a bed or something to riffle through it. I'm also intrigued that it's 'our Queenie', because Brand doesn't really get possessive over anyone who isn't Rune.

Rune is also quite upset that Max was being a jerk to their housekeeper, and shoves Max into the shower and turns on the cold water. Max, instead of fighting, just kinda gives up immediately.

I do not enjoy how they handled this, but I suppose I can give them some slack for not knowing how to handle a kid who's just being an ass, and that they do try harder later.

Queenie intervenes after a while.

"Must be tough? Losing everything? I wonder is he even knows who survived last night, or which of his family is still alive. Do you think...Well, do you think maybe he just finds it easier to act high and mighty-maybe it's, I don't know, his armor? How was it with you, Rune, the day after you lost everything?"

Very good point. Probably also the truth (at least the part about acting tough as armor in a situation he doesn't know what to expect from) It also takes the heat off the situation where Queenie was going through his stuff. We still don't have a visual on her. There is no description here at all about how she looks, how her voice sounds, she is probably not even in the room, just lurking in the doorway.

Brand apologizes, saying it was Rune's anger issues at work, so Rune punches him very hard in the leg for his troubles. Situation diffused Rune goes to his sanctum to inspect his new sigil.

Sigils and their power storing abilities are explained, as well as the fact that they are not the only way scions can access magic. Sigils are usually shaped like jewelry, but we see some here and there that are objects too. They are also crazy expensive, Rune equates the ring Elena gave him as being worth nearly one hundred thousand dollars.

"The one time I'd suggested selling one of my meagre sigils to pay our cable bill, Brand had put a knife through the television set, ironically ending the discussion."

Yeah that wasn't irony, honey. He did that to make the suggestion moot.

Brand come into the sanctum after sending Queenie off to buy Max some toiletries and "a fucking clue", and though he is in running clothes he is covered in weapons, this is his normal. He has silver garrotes as shoelaces. He tells Rune that he has done research on Max, his is Lady Lover's grandson, his father and mother are alive-or they had been before the raid-even so his uncle had custody of him, he has no siblings and he is nearly a full-blooded fea. Who may be capable of shape shifting.

He also has no public appearances to his name. The only records of him are his birth certificate and the guardianship papers.

"Why him? Why did Elena save him?"

That's a very good question Rune.

Brand just wants to know if they have to let the kid live there. Rune thinks they might, since made a vow and going back on a vow can have terrible repercussions to one's magic, be he says that he will ask the Tower what he thinks when he meets with him in the afternoon. This is evidently an odd occurrence, as it appears the Tower usually wires them their payments but has asked to see Rune personally.

Rune hopes it's another job, now that they have a kid to feed.

And that is the end of chapter 2.

I would be more disappointed in myself for not paying attention to Queenie at the start, but really no one is described very well. At this point all we know is that Max has white blonde hair, and Rune does not. I don't think we've had a description of what Rune or Brand really look like either, and if I'm remembering correctly, we don't really get one for Rune (until the second book and then that's not very definitive). And I know it can be clunky to give a description of your POV character in first person stories, so I'm not nitpicking too much here. I'll be keeping a look out for any description for Queenie, because again, I don't think we get anything on her at all.

[bcisaidso]

I have TTS fever! Editing is a lot more harder than I thought. I could not add Corrine and Mayan in this😮‍💨. Also, could not find a picture of Queenie, so The Empress.

Edited- Okay! The amazing @cysgod found the original artists of almost all the arts used in the video, along with the art links! 🙌🙌 (I just had to copy paste it here😬😬)

Artists are @oblivionsdream @ace-artemis-fanartist @xaviercollette , @glasspunkart, and @krittaart

Would be great if someone could help me track down the artist of the Lord Fool's art

https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com

https://ace-artemis-fanartist.tumblr.com

https://www.xaviercollette.com/

https://glasspunkart.tumblr.com

https://www.tumblr.com/krittaart

1. Rune (https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com/post/663393407187795968/rune-saint-john-from-the-tarot-sequence-by-kd)

2. Ciaran (https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com/post/679437684358479872/ciaran-from-the-tarot-sequence-by-kd-edwards-the)

3. Layne (https://ace-artemis-fanartist.tumblr.com/post/621105772376506369/happy-pride-month-book-the-tarot)

4. The Hanged Man (https://www.bragelonne.fr/auteurs/xavier-collette/)

5. Anna (https://ace-artemis-fanartist.tumblr.com/post/190915606772/its-not-that-they-forgot-its-that-theyd-rather)

6. Lady Death (https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com/post/677448098543550465/lady-death-from-the-tarot-sequence-by-kd)

7. Addam (https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com/post/663577408223494144/addam-saint-nicholas-from-the-tarot-sequence-by)

8. Quinn (https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com/post/670320789764079616/update-a-new-version-of-quinns-card)

9. Lady Time (https://www.bragelonne.fr/auteurs/xavier-collette/)

10. Lord Tower (https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com/post/664392853265481728/lord-tower-from-the-tarot-sequence-by-kd-edwards)

11. The Empress (https://glasspunkart.tumblr.com/post/634854789656854528/a-character-design-commission-for-kd-edwards-of)

12. Corbie (sadly no direct link to artwork https://www.tumblr.com/krittaart)

13. Brand (https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com/post/666333865274671105/brand-saint-john-from-the-tarot-sequence-by-kd)

14. Max (https://oblivionsdream.tumblr.com/post/673914066533810176/max-saint-valentinesaint-john-from-the-tarot)

15. Lord Fool (source not found – maybe someone else can help?)

[ironwingedhawk]

Another Tarot Sequence fancast

Edvin Ryding as Max

[abs0luteb4stard]

W A T C H I N G

[mx-myth]

My contribution to this fandom

[authorandartist13]

"Do you think Max needs new shoes?"

Brand doesn't look up from his oatmeal. "Good morning to you, too. Why would Max need new shoes?"

Or: Max is in desperate need of a sense of belonging. Together, the Sun Court create one, and grow closer in the process.

[lookwhatyoumademedohaha]

The One Where Kaz Brekker Considers His Life Choices

Summary: Kaz Brekker is a deadly Barrel Boss who has the most dangerous task at hand... To deal with the chaotic shenanigans that you pull with the Crows.

Pairing: Kaz Brekker X Reader, Six of Crows X Platonic! Reader.

Warnings: Lots of humour, fluff, chaotic energy of our Crows.

A/N: So I'm down with a terrible cold and fever and in my delirium, I came up with this story inspired by John Oliver and B99. I hope you like it. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Happy reading!

"Dammit." muttered Kaz under his breath as he searched for your face through the Crow Club because he was a hundred percent certain that you were responsible for his present headache as he controlled himself "No, I love Y/N, she's my friend, she's my friend who is good at her job..."

Kaz was fairly certain he looked like a lunatic but finally he spotted you at the Crows private table laughing with your friends.

He marched up to you with his stony expression as he overheard Jesper announcing his plans "I think I might customize my revolvers."

Wylan immediately interjected "What? How are you going to do that?"

"I was thinking really bright colours like purple,pink and orange to match my outfits and maybe engrave my name." said Jesper thoughtfully while all of them rolled their eyes and laughed "I mean, it's going to be so much fun!"

"Oh yes! So fun! Absolutely fun!" you mocked Jesper in a high pitched tone as you smirked at him "Or when you commit murderer, a grave oversight on your part. Good news Chief, we found Fahey's revolvers at the murder scene."

Jesper stuck out his tongue at you childishly while you replied sarcastically "We do not know what motivated him to go on a killing spree but he had a lot of fun with it."

Kaz stood behind you "Y/L/N"

"Ah Kaz, you're looking very happy today." said Nina brightly as she greeted him infuriatingly "Let us guess what happened based on your facial expression. You got offered a job with a lot of Kruge and high stakes?"

Inej joined in the fun "Pekka Rollins finally died?"

Maththias' smirked "He found a life of charity and prayer."

Everyone nodded in agreement and Wylan grinned "He's about to reveal that he's actually Nikolai Lantsov!"

"Saints! Wylan, he's about to reveal that he's secretly married to me and has secretly raised my baby!" cried Jesper dramatically as Kaz thought of resignation from this life.

"All of these options is probable. But I know the Captain. He's having a meltdown." you announced dramatically exasperating Kaz who hadn't got one word in since this conversation started.

Matthias looked at you pointedly and then at Kaz "What are you talking about? The demjin looks the same as he always does."

"To you perhaps. But I have mastered the art of reading his emotions. His lips are tightly sealed, he's gripping onto his cane as if he's trying to control himself and he's blinking at his three second intervals as opposed to his nine." you observed Kaz closely with a knowing smile surprising Kaz who was tongue tied and speechless that you could easily read him "Therefore, he's having a meltdown!"

Wylan intervened as he shook his head at you fondly "That seems excessive."

You grinned "No, I'm impressive."

Nina knew that you were telling the truth based on Kaz' heartbeat she heard as she queried sweetly "So Waffles, is everything okay?"

Kaz glared at Nina and then at you "No. I'm having a meltdown."

Wylan and Matthias gasped at you as if you were a Saint "Wow."

Kaz decided to speak before anyone could interfere "Who the hell is responsible for the mess?"

"You have to be more specific about which mess given out daily life experience." retorted Nina sassily.

Kaz eyebrows furrowed deeply "Alright. The slogan outside the Crow Club and the Slat? Who did it?"

There was silence as everyone pointed toward you who looked unremorseful as you smirked at Kaz who was fuming in rage as he turned his dangerous gaze upon you "As I suspected. Now you better have a goddamn good reason as to why you would do such a silly, stupid, idiotic act?"

You looked completely calm for a person who was about to feel Kaz Brekker's wrath "Clear communication and marketing to our customers."

Kaz couldn't quite comprehend what you said as he stuttered "Excuse me?"

"Well Kaz, to tell you the truth, people in Ketterdam weren't really clear on where we were coming from... you know our main objective as to why we steal,maim and kill so much." you explained nonchalantly and calmly that made Kaz feel as if he was the idiot in this conversation. "So we put up a slogan to educate everyone in Ketterdam, our objective in pursuing destruction and crime."

"It's rather a genius slogan, Y/N." praised Inej with a kind smile "The ones we came up with were sloppy and funny but Y/N understood the assignment."

Kaz realized that you had come up with the goddamn slogan yourself as he literally let out all his exasperation out "Yes but did the slogan of the Dregs have to be BECAUSE DEATH IS THE UNDENIABLE FUEL OF LIFE!'"

"I think it's very classy, professional and straightforward conveying the necessary message." commented Matthias with honest admiration for your work and grinned at how red the demjin was "People won't like it but at least they'll understand and respect where you come from."

All of them exchanged mischievous glances as they saw Kaz close to spontaneously combusting and had to hand it to you. This was the best prank they played on Kaz and honestly at this point, you should be appointed as the Prank master General of the Dregs.

"I can't believe you would do something so stupid!" burst out Kaz in despair and anger.

You remained completely unfazed while Nina, Matthias, Wylan, Jesper and Inej snickered in unison "Can't you?"

"Shut it! I know you lot encouraged her to do this." snapped Kaz in frustration as he pointed at the rest of his friends who grinned

Kaz looked at you once again as he took a deep breath "And why did you place this slogan in bright and glittering colours as bright as Jesper's irritating fashion sense?"

"Because people are more attracted to bright colours and like glitter. Like if I saw that message in black, I'd be afraid but since it's in pretty bold sparkling colours, everyone kind of digs it." you said smartly while the rest of the Crowd clapped proudly for you "They are not like afraid. They are more like... Oh my god Kaz Brekker is about to murder me. Go right ahead Kazzle Dazzle, just whack me -"

"Alright thank you, that's enough." interrupted Kaz hastily and briskly because he did not want to hear the end of the sentence.

Amidst the Crows loud laughter, Jesper hooted "They're like... I'd die for Kaz Brekker and honestly he'll let me. Brutal!"

"The way I consider murder illegal but if Kaz Brekker is doing it, make me the victim." replied Wylan with a teasing smirk.

"CHOKE ME TO DEATH DADDY BREKKER, HALLELUJAH!" you yelled loudly as you raised your glass while Kaz was completely red in the face, embarrassed by his friends drunk shenanigans and chaotic energies.

"Daddy... It's a kink isn't it? It's like a paternal thing?" explained Nina with a wink to Maththias' who had inquired about it.

"Alright Freud." retorted Kaz rolling his eyes at Nina who laughed as he hoped to shut down this conversation quickly "I don't understand why you chose that particular slogan. It sounds like an excerpt from a letter of a serial killer!"

You looked at Kaz with a deadpanned expression "How many killings does it take for a person to be a serial killer?"

Kaz was slightly taken aback but answered nevertheless "Er... Five?"

"Great. We're all serial killers." sighed Jesper dramatically as he looked pointedly at Kaz who obviously had the highest body count.

"Not me." stated Wylan with an innocent smile.

"Bitch please!" chorused everyone together in disbelief as they glared at Wylan who was hiding a grin and you added "You have the second highest body count and you're relatively new."

Jesper grinned as he placed a kiss on Wylan "Well that's my man! He's spectacular at everything he does!"

Kaz gave up. There was no point talking to you.

"Fine. Those slogans are to be taken down tonight -" began Kaz when Rotty came toward them

"Sorry to interrupt boss but there are more than eighteen people and some other gang members queued outside waiting to be initiated as part of the Dregs."

You smirked into your drink as you heard Kaz retort "What is the meaning of this?"

"Uh... The new slogan is real popular boss. People want to be part of the Dregs because we showed them out vision and they like it." said Rotty vibrating in excitement "Also, the customers are pouring in more boss! I think it's the glitter they like -"

"Thank you Rotty. I'll attend to it. Dismissed." said Kaz as he felt your infuriating and insufferable smirk burn a hole through his skull.

"Oh Captain... I believe it's time to say those very special words." you crooned sweetly as you watched Kaz' lips twitch once.

"Y/L/N... you're a genius." stated Kaz in a deadpanned expression and watched in amusement as you nearly choked on your drink while the rest of the Crows were checking their drinks for toxin trips.

You squealed in delight "OH MY GOD! YOU ACTUALLY SAID IT! IT'S REAL!"

"I heard you practicing it to yourself in your room last night." said Kaz calmly and deadpanned as he smirked at how your enthusiasm slightly faded but you were still grinning.

You nodded "That makes more sense. So are you like now going to give me a raise, or a -"

"You're an idiot, Y/N." said Kaz with a subtle exasperated and amused smile and walked away.

"THANK YOU? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY THANK YOU CROWFATHER!" you yelled out loud in exasperation and amusement as everyone laughed.

Inej smiled "Honestly, I didn't expect the prank to turn into something profitable."

Jesper frowned slightly "Yeah it kind ruins it all, doesn't it?"

"Never fear my friends. Kaz is a prankster's delight." you replied with a delightful smile, mischief glinting in your eyes.

Before anyone could ask what you meant, Kaz Brekker's mad voice rumbled across the Crow Club "Y/N Y/L/N! WHAT ARE ALL THESE CONGRATULATORY LETTERS I'VE RECEIVED FROM DIGNITARIES ALL OVER THE WORLD ABOUT THE FACT THAT I AM TO BE MARRIED TO THAT STRUTTING PEACOCK ZOYA NAZALENZKY AT THE CHURCH OF BARTER IN KETTERDAM IN TWO DAYS?"

"What?" exclaimed Jesper in amazement

Nina, Wylan, Inej and you exchanged amused stares "Who's going to tell him Zoya is in on this and is actually coming here tonight?"

"You know what, never change, Y/N." said Matthias looking at you affectionately and then looked alarmed because he saw the demjin marching toward you "But you better run or you'll be in trouble with the demjin!"

"Trouble?" you laughed as you winked at your friends "You're only in trouble if you are caught!"

Kaz caught you before you could flee "Gotcha!"

"I'm in trouble." you mumbled and then grinned widely at Kaz Brekker who looked like a bull who had just been kicked as you bit him making him let go of you and you took off running "Congratulations on your nuptials, Captain! You're going to be a lovely bride!"

[jcs-study]

The "Gethsemane" paintings: what they are and who created them

It's widely regarded as one of the most artistically effective -- and emotionally affecting -- sequences in the 1973 film of Jesus Christ Superstar. Nearly every reviewer has cited it (one calling it nothing less than a "masterly cinematic stroke of genius"), Wikipedia devotes the caption of an illustration to it, and I've seen more than one production (and one 50th-anniversary music video featuring the film's star, Ted Neeley) imitate it. (In fairness, it's not like anyone has come up with a better idea.)

Every draft of the screenplay uses the same language to describe it, and since I couldn't phrase it nearly so well, I will, too:

258 to 280. CRUCIFIXION MONTAGE.

On the heavy brass instrumental bridge, we cut to a rapid montage of about 23 shock cuts of full figure and details from the most powerful masterpieces, painted and sculpted, on the theme of The Crucifixion. Cut for impact of expression, nailed hand, wounds, thorns; for these 26 seconds we see how Christ was to die - both then and ever since. This is the agony of the cross.

It certainly is... especially those uncomfortably fast zooms and abrupt close-ups.

Some call it "foreshadowing," but I don't think that's a strong enough word. Truthfully, I find this series of famous paintings more brutal than the actual crucifixion scene in the movie. Compared to the visions Christ might be having about his death, the execution itself is in, out, and done so quickly that it's hard for me to feel any kind of way about it. But this sequence is a horse of a different color.

Anyway, one of the most asked questions about this montage has been, "What paintings were featured in this sequence, and who painted them?" In all honesty, I never cared who did it. I assumed they came from the Italian and Northern Renaissance eras, possibly with some Baroque mixed in. But I was never an art history major, and knowing the sources and their creators wouldn't have enriched my experience. I know it nailed me in the gut when I was a kid and has (somewhat) freaked me out ever since, and I thought that was all I needed to know.

However, it mattered to other people, so I did some digging. It was kind of tough, partly because many of the shots zeroed in on specific details rather than revealing the entire painting. But with a little help from the film's production file (courtesy of the Norman Jewison collection at the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives), and researchers Ethan Clark and José Garay, we've managed to identify 12 paintings by 10 artists in the final montage, as well as uncovering a few of them that didn't make the cut.

To learn about the paintings and take a closer look, hit the jump!

The Montage

Here, in order of appearance, are the paintings that made the cut, as well as the artists behind them, and how many times they show up:

Crucifixion of Christ (Derick Baegert) -- once

Isenheim Altarpiece (Matthias Grünewald) -- six times (thrice sequentially after Baegert, twice sequentially after the second Grünewald, and once after Bosch)

Crucifixion (Tintoretto) -- once (and incidentally, it's horizontally inverted)

The Crucifixion of Christ (Matthias Grünewald) -- twice (once after Tintoretto, once after the Austrian School)

Christ on the Cross (Diego Velázquez) -- once

Crucifixion (Masaccio) -- once

Crucifixion (Andrea del Castagno) -- once

The Trinity with Christ Crucified (Austrian School) -- once (the angel on the right-hand side, horizontally inverted)

Saint Luke Painting the Crucifixion (Francisco de Zurbarán) -- twice (once before Bosch, once before van der Weyden)

Christ Carrying the Cross (a follower of Hieronymus Bosch) -- twice (sequentially)

The Crucified Christ Between the Mourning Mary and St. John, a/k/a Crucifixion of Scheut or Escorial Crucifixion (Rogier van der Weyden) -- twice (sequentially)

Christ Crucified (Francisco Goya) -- thrice (sequentially)

Of the above list, ten of them were included in a memo dated June 8, 1973, concerning the contents of the montage that appears in the production file. (Grünewald's name appears only once, with no attribution, so it's unclear whether one or both paintings were initially intended for inclusion.)

The Leftovers

Only three classic paintings from the previously mentioned memo didn't make it into the film.

First on the list, which categorized the paintings alphabetically by artist's surname (or, in some cases, name), is "Antonello." This clearly refers to the crucifixion painted by Antonello da Messina, which incidentally was also source material for the production designs for Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ. The only unclear thing is which one; Wikipedia lists three, all fairly similar-looking.

Second is an actual Hieronymus Bosch painting, Ecce Homo. Considering the Bosch-reminiscent image used in the final cut, I can only assume Jewison was either eying the crowd or confusing this painting with the more well-known descendant.

Last is an artist we have yet to identify. The memo lists them as "Guinewala," but Googling produces no artist by that name, and there is no helpful title to allow us to reverse-engineer who that actually is. (My assumption is that it's a phonetic spelling or a weird typo.) A friend who spends a lot of time at MOMA and the Brooklyn Museum of Art is wracking their brain. When they have an answer, we will!

Well... I'm glad I cleared that up for everyone. I hope this offers the art experts among us some insight into the construction of the scene. Maybe this will tell them something that we average folk don't know? Time will tell.

[noahhawthorneauthor]

[apocrypals]

Previously, on Apocrypals part 5: The Fifth One

As we begin our sixth (!) calendar year of Apocrypals, here is a list of the texts we have covered so far on the show in case you want to read along or catch up. They’re arranged in a way that appeases my systematic nature.  

Tanakh/Old Testament:

Genesis (episodes 16-20)

Exodus (episodes 33 and 35)

Leviticus (episode 59)

Numbers (episode 62)

Deuteronomy (episode 65)

Joshua (episode 73)

Judges (episode 80)

Ruth (episode 45)

1 Samuel (episode 89)

2 Samuel (episode 90-91)

1 Kings (episode 99)

2 Kings (episode 106)

Esther (episode 37)

Job (episode 101)

Ecclesiastes (episode 52)

Song of Songs (episode 34)

Isaiah (episode 4)

Jeremiah (episode 43-44)

Lamentations (episode 48)

Ezekiel (episode 55-56)

Daniel (episode 2)

Hosea (episode 108)

Jonah (episode 31)

Micah (episode 74)

Nahum (episode 74)

Deuterocanon/capital-A Apocrypha:

Tobit (episode 13)

Judith (episode 22)

Greek Additions to Esther (episode 37)

1 Maccabees (episode 27)

2 Maccabees (episode 28)

3 Maccabees (episode 53)

4 Maccabees (episode 78)

The Prayer of Azariah aka the Song of the Three Holy Children (episode 2)

Susanna (episode 2)

Bel and the Dragon (episode 2)

The Prayer of Manasseh (episode 6)

New Testament:

Matthew (episodes 8-9)

Mark (episode 7)

Luke (episode 10)

John (episode 11-12)

Acts of the Apostles (episode 1)

Romans (episode 5)

1 Corinthians (episode 25)

2 Corinthians (episode 42)

Galatians (episode 72)

Ephesians (episode 81)

Hebrews (episode 104)

1 John (episode 49)

2 John (episode 49)

3 John (episode 49)

Revelation (episode 50)

Pseudepigrapha (Jewish apocrypha):

The Testament of Solomon (episode 24)

The Story of Ahikar (episode 14)

The Ascension of Isaiah (episode 6)

1 Enoch (episode 39-40)

2 Enoch (episode 61)

3 Enoch (episode 86-87)

Jubilees (episodes 82 and 83)

The Letter of Aristeas (episode 70)

The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness (episode 71)

Joseph and Aseneth (episode 93)

New Testament apocrypha:

The Protevangelium aka Infancy Gospel of James (episode 29)

The Acts of Pilate/Gospel of Nicodemus (episode 23)

Mors Pilati/Death of Pilate (episode 23)

The Acts of Paul and Thecla (episode 22)

The Acts of Peter (episode 3)

The Acts of Peter and Paul (episode 3)

The Acts of Andrew and Matthias (episode 60)

The Acts of Thomas and His Wonderworking Skin (episode 66)

The Life of Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca (episode 57)

Questions of Bartholomew (episode 41)

Resurrection of Jesus Christ by Bartholomew (episode 41)

The Book of Bartholomew (episode 67)

Acts of John (episode 46)

The Acts of Andrew (episode 97)

Syriac Infancy Gospel (episode 47)

Infancy Gospel of Thomas (episode 54)

Infancy Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew (episode 79)

The Adoration of the Magi (2020 Christmas bonus episode)

The History of Joseph the Carpenter (episode 103)

The First Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Second Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Third Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Apocalypse of Peter (episode 75)

The Apocalypse of Paul (episode 95)

The Gospel of Philip (episode 92)

The Gospel of Mary (episode 92)

The Gospel of Jesus’s Wife (episode 92)

The Gospel of Judas (episode 100)

The Greater Questions of Mary (episode Secret 69)

The Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine:

The Life of Saint Nicholas (episode 26)

The Life of Saint Lucy (episode 26)

The Life of Saint Christopher (episode 15)

The Life of Saint Benedict (episode 15)

excerpts from The Passion of the Lord (episode 23)

The Life of Saint Sebastian (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Blaise (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Agatha (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Roch (episode 63)

The Life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (episode 77)

The Life of Saint Barbara (episode 77)

The Life of Saint Dunstan (episode 85)

The Life of Mary Magdalene (episode 94)

The Life of Saint Martha of Bethany (episode 102)

The Life of Saint Margaret of Antioch (episode 102)

Other:

Historia Trium Regum/The Legend of the Three Kings by John of Hildesheim (episode 30)

Muirchu’s Life of Saint Patrick (episode 36)

The Life of Saint Guinefort (episode 63)

The Life of Saint Mary of Egypt (episode 69)

The Life of Saint Pelagia (episode 69)

The Life of Saint Martin by Sulpicius Severus (episode 76)

The Life of Saint Columba (episode 84)

The Life of Saint Wilgefortis (episode 94)

Lives of cephalophoric saints (bonus episode cephalo4)

Stories of the Baal Shem Tov from The Golden Mountain (episode 96)

More stories of the Baal Shem Tov from The Golden Mountain (episode 107)

Solomon and Ashmedai (bonus episode double chai)

Listener questions (episode 32)

Bible trivia questions (episode 38)

Halloween-themed Chick tracts (episode 51)

Christmas-themed Chick tracts (episode 98)

Bible Adventures and the Wisdom Tree catalogue of video games (episode 64)

The Da Vinci Code, the movie (episode 88)

Guess the Bible character from Persona 5 (bonus episode Persona 5)

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (episode 105)

You can find links to all these episodes with show notes and more on the Apocrypals wiki

[aurianneor]

La violence contre les élus

60% des élus au niveau mondial ont été victimes de violences ou de harcèlement et dans de nombreux cas, cela a mené à la fin de leur carrière. Cela ne date pas d'hier. Ces élus sont presque tous des élus progressistes, qui par leur action on challengé la société traditionaliste. Une femme jeune qui dirige, un homme blanc qui veut donner des droits aux Noirs, le contenu de ce qui est enseigné à l'école, etc. Ces élus sont victimes de traditionalistes qui se sentent profondément menacés par les actions de ces leaders. Ils quittent leurs fonctions, ce qui est anti-démocratique. Plus de 600 emails de policiers ont été retrouvés dans les archives du FBI quand Obama était président d'officiers qui disaient ne pas vouloir obéir à un Noir. Obama a reculé pour les droits à l'avortement car il avait peur. Certains n'osent plus critiquer les thèmes de l'extrême-droite ou n'osent plus se présenter aux élections de peur de ces violences. Par exemple, en Finlande, après le harcèlement de Sanna Marin, les principaux leaders de la gauche n'ont pas osé se présenter.

Face aux progressistes, il y a une longue histoire de traditionalistes qui recourent à la violence. Que peut-on faire pour améliorer les choses? Pourquoi la police ne les protège pas plus? Pourquoi ce ne sont que des progressistes qui se font agresser? John Fitzgerald Kennedy s'est fait tuer à Dallas, état Républicain.

Dans les polices du monde entier, il y a un phénomène de corps. L'organisation perpétue des croyances et des traditions. Le corps policier décide de qui il protège et de qui il ne protège pas.

Dans l'empire romain, la garde prétorienne assurait la protection de l'Empereur. C'est eux qui décidaient qui était l'empereur. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Qui garde les gardiens?

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Wikipedia: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quis_custodiet_ipsos_custodes%3F

La police en fait le minimum quand elle protège un progressiste. La police a tardé avant de répondre à l'appel au secours du mari de Nancy Pelosi. Il s'est passé 4h avant que les policiers arrivent lors de l'attaque du Capitole du 6 janvier 2021. Il n'y a eu aucune preuve qu'un dirigeant avait donné un ordre pour ne pas intervenir. Il n'y a pas de garde nationale à Washington. Le corps policier décide ou non de protéger les élus. Cette violence s'applique contre les gens qui veulent changer la société: les élus, contre les LGBT+, contre les professeurs, contre les journalistes. La police traîne les pieds et ne les protège pas.

A quoi sert la police? - Les Idées Larges - Arte: https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/117234-001-A/a-quoi-sert-la-police/

Si on veut que la police soit en accord avec la diversité des idées de la société, il faut que le maintien de l'ordre soit effectué sur le modèle des gardes nationales américaines. Il faut donner du temps pour que les gens soient formés au maniement des armes et au maintien de l'ordre. Les policiers de carrière des gardiens de la paix sont sélectionnés, ils sont embrigadés par les anciens, ils peuvent être achetés. Les gardiens de la paix devraient être les citoyens du moment qu'ils sont en capacité physique de le faire. Cela formerait les citoyens à désescalader les conflits, à protéger leurs voisins, etc. Nous avons tous droit à la protection.

La police judiciaire demande des professionnels car c'est très technique, mais pas les gardiens de la paix.

Ce sont les policiers qui sont les faiseurs de roi. Ils devraient protéger la démocratie.

La liste des personnes politiques qui n'ont pas pu mener leur programme à bien à cause de violences est longue:

Matthias Ecke (candidat SPD aux élections Européennes)

Pedro Sanchez (premier ministre espagnol)

Léo Varadkar (premier ministre irlandais)

Yannick Morez (maire de Saint-Brévin-les-pins)

Jacinda Ardern (premier ministre de Nouvelle-Zélande)

Sanna Marin (premier ministre de Finlande)

Nancy Pelosi (président de la chambre des représentants des USA)

Robert Kennedy (ministre de la justice et candidat aux élections présidentielles américaines)

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (président des USA)

Léon Blum (premier ministre de la France)

Jean Jaurès (premier ministre de la France)

Abraham Lincoln (président des Etats-Unis)

etc.

Ukraine’s new military branch: Citizens protecting their neighborhood - Politico: https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-russia-military-citizen-reservist-defense/

Le nombre d’agressions d’élus marque une hausse - Le Monde: https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2023/03/15/l-inquietante-hausse-du-nombre-d-agressions-d-elus_6165642_823448.html

Violence against women active in politics in the EU - A serious obstacle to political participation: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2024/759600/EPRS_BRI(2024)759600_EN.pdf

A deluge of violent messages: How a surge in threats to public officials could disrupt American democracy - CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/07/politics/threats-us-public-officials-democracy-invs/index.html

Thousands turn out at rally for Spain's PM Pedro Sánchez - BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68914181

Gardien de la Paix - La Chanson du Dimanche S01E11: https://youtu.be/C-nViGKosyE?si=Z1-mFHrqrdy_jl9X

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Les autorités illégitimes: https://www.aurianneor.org/les-autorites-illegitimes/

Police et justice pour le peuple: https://www.aurianneor.org/police-et-justice-pour-le-peuple/

Police, Armée: https://www.aurianneor.org/police-armee-manif-des-policiers-je-suis-gilet/

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

14th May >> Fr. Martin's Reflections / Homilies (Inc. John 15:9-17) for the Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle: ‘Remain in my love’.

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

Gospel (Except USA) John 15:9-17 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you. A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more, because a servant does not know his master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. You did not choose me: no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name. What I command you is to love one another.’

Gospel (USA) John 15:9-17 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

Reflections (5)

(i) Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

It is likely that Matthias never expected to find himself as a member of the group of twelve that Jesus had formed around himself. The betrayal of Judas and his resulting death created an opening which needed to be filled. Jesus had chosen the twelve personally. How was a replacement for Judas going to be chosen, now that Jesus was no longer present in bodily form? It is clear from the first reading that the members of the early church believed that Jesus was indeed present, as risen Lord. That is why they turned in prayer to the Lord and asked him to show them which of two possible candidates, Matthias or Barsabbas, he wanted to replace Judas. The disciples understood that Judas’ replacement had to be the Lord’s choice. Just as he had chosen the original twelve, he would have to choose Judas’ replacement. At the same time, the disciples recognized that they had a role to play also. They narrowed the possible candidates down to two, and then they asked the Lord to show which of the two he had chosen. They used their own judgement, while recognizing that the final choice was the Lord’s. The disciples’ prayer, ‘Lord, show us which of these you have chosen’ is a prayer we all need to make in some shape or form. We always need to seek what the Lord wants, and not just what we want. We have to draw upon our own human resources in order to make a good decision, like the disciples who narrowed the field down to two candidates. Yet, we recognize that any good decision has to be the Lord’s decision. His choice has to prevail and only if our choice corresponds to his will it be of any value. The Lord’s choice is primary. As Jesus says in the gospel reading, ‘You did not choose me, no, I chose you’. Every day we seek to live in accordance with the Lord’s choice, the Lord’s desire for our lives. In that gospel reading, Jesus sums up his desire for our lives, very simply, ‘Love one another, as I have loved you’. All of our human choices need to be shaped by that desire of the Lord.

And/Or

(ii) Feast of Saint Matthias

After Judas had betrayed Jesus, the twelve apostles that Jesus chose had been reduced to eleven. It was important to preserve the number twelve because that number had great significance. There were twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve whom Jesus selected were the nucleus of the new Israel, the new people of God that would consist of Jews and non-Jews. Matthias was the one chosen to replace Judas and to maintain the integrity of the original twelve. Whereas Jesus chose the original twelve, it was up to the first disciples, the very early church, to choose a replacement for Judas. It is interesting to see how they went about it. They understood that this person would have to be someone who was a witness to the public ministry of Jesus from the time of his baptism until the time of the ascension. Having nominated two suitable people from among the larger body of disciples they prayed asking the Lord to show them which of the two he had chosen. There is an interesting mixture there of human judgement and prayer. Those early disciples had to use their own gifts of judgement and discernment but they also realized that they needed to pray, to ask the Lord for his enlightenment. In our own lives we also need both. We have to use whatever gifts and experience the Lord has given us to see the next step we have to take; more fundamentally we have to entrust ourselves to the Lord in prayer and ask him to enlighten our natural abilities. 

And/Or

(iii) Feast of St Matthias

When the first disciples were looking for a replacement for Judas, they had one primary criterion. It had to be someone who had been with Jesus and his first followers from the time when Jesus was baptizing until the day he was taken up into heaven. Presence to Jesus during the course of his public life was the necessary requirement. In the gospel reading this morning Jesus speaks as one who will soon be taken from his disciples by death. Yet, he reassures them that his going from them will not be the end of his presence to them or theirs to him. He invites them and, through them, all of us, to remain in his love. His love for them and for us remains; his loving presence to us remains; it endures. Our calling is to remain in that love, to stay in that love as Jesus stays with us in his love. Jesus makes the wonderful promise in that reading that if we remain in his love, as he remains with us, then his own joy will be in us and our joy will be complete. How do we remain in his love? We do so by loving one another as he has loved and continues to love us. That is what the calling to remain in his love amounts to, and that is the path to true joy and peace.

And/Or

(iv) Feast of Saint Matthias

On this feast of Saint Matthias, the two readings are linked by the use of the verb ‘to chose’. In the first reading, the early disciples gather to complete the number of the twelve apostles after the betrayal and death of Judas. Having nominated two candidates, Barsabbas and Matthias, they turn in prayer to the Lord and ask him, ‘show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this ministry and apostolate, which Judas abandoned’. They used their judgement to narrow the field down to two, but they needed the Lord’s guidance to make the final choice. They wanted their choice to be in harmony with the Lord’s choice. Their question was not just ‘Who should we choose?’ but ‘Who is the Lord choosing?’ In the gospel reading, Jesus says to his disciples, ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit’. Again the Lord’s choice of his disciples takes priority over their choice of him. What Jesus says to his disciples there, he says to all of us, ‘I chose you’. The Lord’s choice of us is prior to all else. Yes, we have to choose the Lord for ourselves, but our choice of the Lord is always in response to his choice of us. To express it in another way, the Lord is always seeking us out, and our seeking of him is a response to his seeking us. The Lord loves us first and our love of him is in response to his love of us. The Lord’s initiative towards us is there before our initiative towards him. In our dealings with each other, we may choose someone as a friend, but we cannot be sure that they will choose us. However, in our dealings with the Lord, we know that the Lord has already chosen us as a friend, ‘I call you friends’, he says to his disciples. He cannot be sure that we will choose him as he has chosen us, but he earnestly desires us to do so.

And/Or

(v) Feast of Saint Matthias

According to this morning’s first reading, after Judas’ betrayal of Jesus and his subsequent suicide, the early church wanted to find a replacement for Judas so as to restore the group of the twelve to its full complement. A certain amount of human effort was put into finding such a person. First of all, Peter addressed the community of faith about the need to choose a replacement for Judas. Then the community had to discern who might be the best candidates and two suitable candidates were put forward. However, they wanted to ensure that their final choice corresponded with the Lord’s choice. As a result, they brought the fruits of their human efforts to prayer, and they asked the Lord, ‘Lord, show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this ministry’. It was only after that prayerful search of the Lord’s choice that they felt ready to nominate Matthias to replace Judas. The early church recognized that the person to replace Judas had to be the Lord’s choice. In this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus says to his disciples, ‘You did not choose me; no, I chose you’. The question, ‘What is the Lord’s choice?’ What does the Lord want?’ remains an important one for us today. We can easily fire ahead in a certain direction without asking that question. Asking that question inevitably brings us to prayer. In prayer we ask the Lord to guide and direct us in our choosing; we invite him to show us his choice. Jesus himself prayed this kind of prayer when, in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayer, ‘Not my will but yours be done’. It is a type of prayer that he would encourage us all to enter into.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (December 14)

December 14 is the liturgical memorial of Saint John of the Cross, a 16th-century Carmelite priest best known for reforming his order together with Saint Teresa of Avila and for writing the classic spiritual treatise “The Dark Night of the Soul.”

Honored as a Doctor of the Church since 1926, he is sometimes called the “Mystical Doctor,” as a tribute to the depth of his teaching on the soul's union with God.

The youngest child of parents in the silk-weaving trade, John de Yepes was born on 24 June 1542 in Fontiveros near the Spanish city of Avila.

His father Gonzalo died at a relatively young age, and his mother Catalina struggled to provide for the family.

John found academic success from his early years but failed in his effort to learn a trade as an apprentice.

He instead spent several years working in a hospital for the poor and continuing his studies at a Jesuit college in the town of Medina del Campo.

After discerning a calling to monastic life, John entered the Carmlite Order in 1563.

He had been practicing severe physical asceticism even before joining the Carmelites and got permission to live according to their original rule of life — which stressed solitude, silence, poverty, work, and contemplative prayer.

John received ordination as a priest in 1567 after studying in Salamanca but considered transferring to the more austere Carthusian order rather than remaining with the Carmelites.

Before he could take such a step, however, he met the Carmelite nun later canonized as Saint Teresa of Avila.

Born on 28 March 1515, Teresa had joined the order in 1535, regarding consecrated religious life as the most secure road to salvation.

Since that time, she had made remarkable spiritual progress. During the 1560s, she began a movement to return the Carmelites to the strict observance of their original way of life.

She convinced John not to leave the order but to work for its reform.

Changing his religious name from “John of St. Matthias” to “John of the Cross,” the priest began this work in November 1568, accompanied by two other men of the order with whom he shared a small and austere house.

For a time, John was in charge of the new recruits to the “Discalced Carmelites” — the name adopted by the reformed group, since they wore sandals rather than ordinary shoes as sign of poverty.

He also spent five years as the confessor at a monastery in Avila led by St. Teresa.

Their reforming movement grew quickly but also met with severe opposition that jeopardized its future during the 1570s.

Early in December 1577, during a dispute over John's assignment within the order, opponents of the strict observance seized and imprisoned him in a tiny cell.

His ordeal lasted nine months and included regular public floggings along with other harsh punishments.

Yet it was during this very period that he composed the poetry that would serve as the basis for his spiritual writings.

John managed to escape from prison in August 1578, after which he resumed the work of founding and directing Discalced Carmelite communities.

Over the course of a decade, he set out his spiritual teachings in works such as “The Ascent of Mount Carmel,” “The Spiritual Canticle” and “The Living Flame of Love” as well as “The Dark Night of the Soul.”

But intrigue within the order eventually cost him his leadership position, and his last years were marked by illness along with further mistreatment.

John of the Cross died in the early hours of 14 December 1591, nine years after St. Teresa of Avila's death in October 1582.

Suspicion, mistreatment, and humiliation had characterized much of his time in religious life, but these trials are understood as having brought him closer to God by breaking his dependence on the things of this world.

Accordingly, his writings stress the need to love God above all things — being held back by nothing, and likewise holding nothing back.

Only near the end of his life had St. John's monastic superior recognized his wisdom and holiness.

Though his reputation had suffered unjustly for years, this situation reversed soon after his death.

He was beatified by Pope Clement X on 25 January 1675. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on 27 December 1726.

He was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in 1926.

In a letter marking the 400th anniversary of St. John's death, Pope John Paul II — who had written a doctoral thesis on the saint's writings — recommended the study of the Spanish mystic, whom he called a “master in the faith and witness to the living God.”

John of the Cross was a great saint who was a reformer, a mystic, and one of the great Spanish poets.

He has inspired many other holy men and women to pursue God into the mysterious heights and depths of divine love.

[puppy--jam]

What would you think if The Chosen ended on a similar note to the 2018 movie Paul Apostle of Christ? What if in the end, John dies of old age and is reunited in heaven with all the other apostles, including Matthias and even Judas?

Unfortunately, I haven't watched all of this movie yet. If The Chosen were to end with the death of Saint John, I would say it would be a classic but still good. I'm not sure about the reunion with Judas, but it's not my role to judge.