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thomryng
Vombatus Sapiens

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Sleepless and Restless and Reading

30 Jun 2009 07:06
thomryng: (the world is quiet here)
Feast of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
On the Sounder Train, near Sumner, Washington

Dear and faithful reader,

I've been sleeping poorly, mostly due to continuing nightmares in which my son prominently features.

To take my mind from this troubled vale (and perhaps to entertain or excite you, my one faithful reader), I present some interesting links.

Jackson dies, almost takes Internet with him - best recent news headline

Carcosa intrudes: the astounding Amargosa Opera House of Marta Becket.

And speaking of Carcosa, here is an extremely interesting essay on Beauty and Desecration: explaining why "we must rescue art from the modern intoxication with ugliness". Just fascinating.

Yesterday being the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, I was reminded of a place I found beautiful: the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. Nowadays, you can tour part of it without ever going to Rome.

Those who enjoy maps, or history, or the shady edge of myth may enjoy the Atlas of True Names.

Just when you thought the world could not possibly be any more surreal, here come the superheroes.

Speaking of surreal, go read a few of Greg Homer's book reviews.

And then there's the physicist trying to build a time machine.

I think that should be enough for now.
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Our Lady of the Snows

5 Aug 2006 06:57
thomryng: (Default)
Today is the Feast of the Dedication of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful building I've ever been in.
This feast commemorates the miracle of the snowfall that occurred during the night of August 4-5 in the year 358 on the site where the basilica now stands. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to two faithful Roman Christians, the patrician John and his wife, as well as to Pope Liberius (352-366), asking that a church be built in her honor on the site where snow would fall on the night of August 4-5. Pope Liberius traced the outlines of the church in the snow and the first basilica was built on that site. (Source)
There's even a tiny little mosaic on the walls of the Pope with a snow shovel, if you know where to look.

So here's what it looks like if you decorate a church for fifteen hundred years without ceasing:

(click the images for larger pictures)

301 santa maria maggiore side chapel Santa Maria Maggiore side chapel

This is one of several side chapels at the fantabulous Santa Maria Maggiore
Santa Maria Maggiore high altar Santa Maria Maggiore high altar

This is the high altar. The canopy is roughly two stories tall. The apse mosaics date to the IVth or Vth century; the ones in front are half a millennium later.
303 A closer view of the altar.

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I Miss Rome

27 Apr 2006 16:18
thomryng: Frazzled Opus (Frazzled Opus)
Utterly exhausted at the moment. I've managed somehow to get all of the deadline items on my calendar finished, at least until next week, except for the school play. Right now I'm at 10 days work in a row, many of them 15 hours long or more. It will be 16 days by the time I'm through. After the Cinderella weekend, my days will be much shorter, and I'm off Friday the 5th to take [livejournal.com profile] jaynefury to Whidbey Island for a long weekend.
301 santa maria maggiore side chapel
I owe dinner to a fine band of Paladins, and an explanation of "Pod Parishes" to several snarky friends. Both will wait a bit longer, I'm afraid. At least a couple of days.
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Natalis Romæ

21 Apr 2006 11:41
thomryng: (Roma)
Happy birthday, Roma!

anno MMDCCLIX ab Urbe condita
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Roman Holiday, Part Three (special photo supplement)

15 Apr 2005 08:42
thomryng: (Roma)
You can find picures of the Roman crowds anywhere, but where else can you see a heffalump?

( Read more... )
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Roman Holiday, Part Three

15 Apr 2005 08:16
thomryng: (Roma)
Well, it turns out there are a few little bits from the previous episode that need to be cleaned up before we move on. So let's get started, shall we?

( The last little bits of Day Four. )

( A brief note about Roman embalming. )

( Moving on now to the Borghese. )

( Always a bridesmaid. )

( The Great Non-Vatican Adventure. )

( Agnes in Agony and Others. )

Tune in next time for Saint Paul, Shelley, and Keats!
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Roman Holiday, Part Two (Special Photo Supplement)

12 Apr 2005 05:36
thomryng: (Roma)

Roman Holiday, Part Two

12 Apr 2005 05:35
thomryng: (Roma)
Before we continue where we left off, let me be perfectly clear on one point.

The fact that the Pope died the day after we arrived in Italy is just a coincidence. I'm not sure I can stress this enough. A coincidence. He was already quite ill. Look it up.

( Sunday: a day of rest? )

( To Manziana and beyond! )

( How to get sunburned in the world's smallest country. )

( Something happened. )

( The sun set behind St. Peter's. )

Here's the story from the New York Daily News. The author pretty much hit it.

Edited to add: [personal profile] jaynefury once again adds her bits...
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Roman Holiday Part One (Special Photo Supplement)

10 Apr 2005 16:22
thomryng: (Roma)
( Read more... )

Edited to add: at Francine's request, now public!
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Roman Holiday, Part One

10 Apr 2005 15:40
thomryng: (Roma)
My. It's certainly been some week.

Once again, I've run afoul of my infallible sense of timing. It transpires we arrived in Rome just barely ahead of five million other people, including at least eight thousand people with large Polish flags on broomsticks.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

( Let's start with the flight... )

( No plan, however cunning, survives contact with Rome. )

( The Plan nearly recovers. )

( A note about the Roman Metro. )

( The Plan is utterly scrapped. )

Stay tuned for our next exciting episode: Days Three and Four! or How to Get Radiation Poisoning in Vatican City for Just Five Euros

Edited to add: [personal profile] jaynefury picks up a lot of the, shall we say, practical details I missed.
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Roamin' Around Like a Loon

30 Mar 2005 19:33
thomryng: (Roma)
Packed. Re-packed. Took some more stuff out of my bag.

One carry-on and one laptop bag or purse. Each.

And that's it for our luggage.

I'm not checking baggage for it to be lost somewhere between Philadelphia and Rome.

Quickly the last list items are being crossed off.

Got to be up at 4AM to catch a bus to the airport.

Mi dispiace, io non capisco l'Italiano.

Whee!
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