Dusty Buildings

The Parthenon, built in the 5th century BC, is arguably the defining symbol of Western architecture and culture.

Built originally for the Greek pagan goddess Athena, it became a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary a thousand years after its construction. The name Parthenon means “maiden” or “Virgin” and the Church was thus a Church for the Parthénos Maria.

And a thousand years after this, it was conquered and converted into a mosque by the Ottoman Turks. Today, now badly damaged in the Ottoman period, it is a Greek cultural heritage site and one of the most visited places on earth.

Dusty Feasts

The Feast Day of Saint Pope Nicholas I, also known as Saint Nicholas the Great (13 November) celebrates the 9th century Pope and leader of the Papal States who is perhaps best well known as the person who instigated the Christian practice of not eating meat on Wednesdays and Fridays.

+ Included is a feast day recipe for Italian Vegetable Soup (Zuppa di Verdure)

Dusty Art

Venus Callipyge, is a first century BC Roman copy of a now lost 3rd or 4th century BC Greek Bronze original.

“Callipyge” refers to “beautiful buttocks” and that should give you a good clue about the sculpture’s focus.

The Hobbit (Book Review)

The Hobbit – by J.R.R. Tolkien

#BookReview

Something Told the Wild Geese

Something Told the Wild Geese by Rachel Field (poem analysis / reaction)

Dusty Feasts

The Feast Day of St. Martin of Tours, a/k/a Martinmas (11 November) celebrates a 4th century soldier, turned hermit, monk, and bishop, who is widely venerated across Europe. He is famous for a legend surrounding his decision to cut his own military cloak in half to share it with a beggar, whereafter legend says Christ appeared to him wearing the cloak.

The subsequent veneration of the cloak relic became the origin of the English words chapel and chaplain.

Martin is a patron saint of France, as well as the patron saint against poverty, against alcoholism, reformed alcoholics, beggars, vintners, wine growers, wine makers, soldiers, cavalry, horses, quartermasters, equestrians, riders, geese, innkeepers, and tailors.

There are numerous traditions and foods associated with Martinmas, but this post includes a recipe for the traditional “St. Martin’s Horseshoes” cookies.

Dusty Words

Dusty Words: callipygian

#WordoftheDay

Donal Óg

Donal Óg is an Irish folk song, anonymously written, and dating back to at least the 17th century.

It’s a beautiful and melancholy song of heartache and betrayal, from the perspective of a woman done wrong by a man named Donal.

Dusty Feasts

The Feast Day of Saint Pope Leo the I, also known as Leo the Great, commemorates the 5th century Bishop of Rome who contributed significantly to developing ideas of papal authority and is best known for meeting Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy.

He is also well-known for his role in the debates of the Council of Chalcedon, the fourth ecumenical council, during which he issued the famous Tome of Leo, which elucidated the hypostatic union of Christ’s two natures, divine and human, united in one person. For his theological contributions, he was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV with the title Doctor unitatis Ecclesiae (“Doctor of the Church’s Unity”). Additionally, he is the first of the three Popes listed in the Annuario Pontificio with the title “the Great,” alongside Gregory I and Nicholas I.

+ Includes a recipe for Lamb with Salted Wine Sauce

Dusty Quotations

by Mother Teresa

#Quotes #QOTD #QuoteoftheWeek