Showing posts with label bethlehem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bethlehem. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
And There's a White [Eastern] Christmas in the Forecast for Bethlehem
As Orthodox Christmas Eve celebrations were getting under way in Bethlehem tonight, Israel and the Palestinian Authority were bracing for a winter storm that has already battered Turkey and Lebanon. A white Christmas is pretty rare in Bethlehem, but it appears to be on the way, though most of the religious ceremonies are tonight.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
A Better Turnout in Bethlehem?
For those readers who celebrate Christmas on the Western or Latin date, Merry Christmas! Since most of the Middle East's Christians celebrate on the Orthodox date, Christmas-related posts will continue into January, but for those of you on the Gregorian calendar, Christmas greetings.
A number of reports suggest a larger Christmas Eve turnout for Bethlehem than in some recent years, which is good news for the town. Since the bulk of the pilgrims come from Jerusalem they, plus the Latin Patriarch and his procession, have to pass through a checkpoint in the Israeli separation wall, leading to lots of dramatic pictures, since the barrier between Jerusalem and the Bethlehem and Bait Jala areas is marked by some of the most formidable parts of the wall and watchtowers, leading to plenty of commentaries along these lines:
As Robert Frost put it, "Something there is that Doesn't Love a Wall ..."; but while I find the barrier deeply disturbing, I should note that Bethlehem is not actually walled in, just walled off from Jerusalem and Israeli settlements nearby:
On the other hand, the separation barrier has some strange routing, such as running down both sides of a road and then enclosing Rachel's Tomb, a Jewish holy site on the northern edge of Bethlehem, as shown in this Google Earth shot from a few years ago:
A number of reports suggest a larger Christmas Eve turnout for Bethlehem than in some recent years, which is good news for the town. Since the bulk of the pilgrims come from Jerusalem they, plus the Latin Patriarch and his procession, have to pass through a checkpoint in the Israeli separation wall, leading to lots of dramatic pictures, since the barrier between Jerusalem and the Bethlehem and Bait Jala areas is marked by some of the most formidable parts of the wall and watchtowers, leading to plenty of commentaries along these lines:
As Robert Frost put it, "Something there is that Doesn't Love a Wall ..."; but while I find the barrier deeply disturbing, I should note that Bethlehem is not actually walled in, just walled off from Jerusalem and Israeli settlements nearby:
On the other hand, the separation barrier has some strange routing, such as running down both sides of a road and then enclosing Rachel's Tomb, a Jewish holy site on the northern edge of Bethlehem, as shown in this Google Earth shot from a few years ago:
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
North African and Middle Eastern Popes, Part II: The Past
In yesterday's discussion of the (remote, at least this year) chances the Catholic College of Cardinals might elect a Middle Eastern Pope, I noted that it has happened in the past, mostly the very distant past. In this Part II of my post, I thought I'd review the Syrian, Palestinian, and North African Popes of the past. (There were also a number of Greek Popes, including Greeks from Anatolia, but I'm leaving them out.)
Catholics hold Saint Peter to have been the first Pope, installed by Jesus himself, and consider every Bishop of Rome after Peter to be a Pope, though of course the modern institution did not emerge until after the end of the Roman persecutions and the legalization of Christianity. Peter himself, of course, was a Middle Easterner himself, a Galilean fisherman; archaeologists in Capharnaum have excavated an ancient church built over what tradition says was his house. So the earliest Middle Eastern Pope., in Catholic tradition, is Saint Peter himself.
We're hearing talk about the possibility of an African Pope. That's happened before. As the prominence of Saint Augustine and other early North African theologians in Church history remind us, North African Christianity had close ties with Rome and often provided intellectuals, theologians, and on a few occasions, Popes, to the Roman Church. Though some claim these men were black African, it is generally assumed that these early Popes were ethnically Berber/Amazigh, though some may have been Punic, also arguably the case with Saint Augustine, who understood some Punic. (But that's another post.)
In the traditional order, and after Peter, here are the Middle Eastern and North African Popes. (Most data based on The Catholic Encyclopedia online and Wikipedia.)
Pope Saint Evaristus, the fifth Pope, is said to have come from a family of Hellenized Jews and to have been born in Bethlehem. He reigned about 99-107 AD during the reign of the Emperors Domitian and Trajan.
Pope Saint Anicetus. The 11th Pope; reigned either 150-167 or 153-168. He was born in Emesa (modern Homs) in Syria.
Pope Saint Victor I (189?-199?): The 14th Pope, still in the period of pagan rule. was Victor I. He is described as African and he may have been born at Leptis Magna in what is now Libya. His dates are often given as 189-199 AD, though some start his reign in 186 or extend it to 201.
Pope Saint Miltiades (or Melchiades) (311-314). The 32nd Pope. Though there is even some doubt about this Pope's exact name, he was Pope at the time of the Edict of Milan in 313, when Constantine legalized Christianity. He is said to be from Africa; the Roman province of Africa included Tunisia, parts of eastern Algeria and western Libya.
Pope Saint Gelasius I (492-496). The 49th Pope. A prolific writer and defender of Orthodoxy during the so called Acacian Schism. Also said to be North African, and the last of the African Popes.
The remaining Syrian Popes served in a period known as the "Byzantine Papacy," when, after the reconquest of the Italian Peninsula by the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian, the Eastern Emperors had the power to choose or at least approve the choice of Pope (later delegated to the exarch of Ravenna, the Imperial seat in Italy). Most in this period were Greek,Syrian or Sicilian (Greek-speaking at the time).
Pope John V, the 82nd Pope, reigned 695-686. Said to have been a Syrian and the son of one Cyriacus.
Pope Sergius I. the 84th Pope, 687-701, was born in Antioch but raised in Sicily; he struggled over doctrine with the Byzantine Emperor.
Pope Sisinnius, the 87th Pope, reigned for only 20 days in January-February 708. His date of birth 8s uncertain; if after the 630s he may have been born in Syria after the Islamic conquest.
Pope Constantine I. the 88th Pope, reigned 708-715; succeeded Sisinnius; like him, he is described as a Syrian with a father named John, and may have been Sisinnius' brother. Fought with several Byzantine Emperors over doctrinal issues.
Pope Saint Gregory III, 90th Pope, reigned 731-741. A Syrian, birth date unknown but perhaps born after the Islamic conquest; chosen by acclamation but approved by the Imperial Exarch at Ravenna, he struggled with the Emperor Leo III over the Iconoclastic controversy. His last years were spent in warrs with the Lombards.
Gregory III was the last of the Syrian Popes; his successor, Pope Saint Zachary, a Greek from Calabria, was the last of the "Byzantine" Popes. Syria and North Africa were now under Islam, and Italy was passing out of Byzantine control with the Lombard conquests.
Catholics hold Saint Peter to have been the first Pope, installed by Jesus himself, and consider every Bishop of Rome after Peter to be a Pope, though of course the modern institution did not emerge until after the end of the Roman persecutions and the legalization of Christianity. Peter himself, of course, was a Middle Easterner himself, a Galilean fisherman; archaeologists in Capharnaum have excavated an ancient church built over what tradition says was his house. So the earliest Middle Eastern Pope., in Catholic tradition, is Saint Peter himself.
We're hearing talk about the possibility of an African Pope. That's happened before. As the prominence of Saint Augustine and other early North African theologians in Church history remind us, North African Christianity had close ties with Rome and often provided intellectuals, theologians, and on a few occasions, Popes, to the Roman Church. Though some claim these men were black African, it is generally assumed that these early Popes were ethnically Berber/Amazigh, though some may have been Punic, also arguably the case with Saint Augustine, who understood some Punic. (But that's another post.)
In the traditional order, and after Peter, here are the Middle Eastern and North African Popes. (Most data based on The Catholic Encyclopedia online and Wikipedia.)
Pope Saint Evaristus, the fifth Pope, is said to have come from a family of Hellenized Jews and to have been born in Bethlehem. He reigned about 99-107 AD during the reign of the Emperors Domitian and Trajan.
Pope Saint Anicetus. The 11th Pope; reigned either 150-167 or 153-168. He was born in Emesa (modern Homs) in Syria.
Pope Saint Victor I (189?-199?): The 14th Pope, still in the period of pagan rule. was Victor I. He is described as African and he may have been born at Leptis Magna in what is now Libya. His dates are often given as 189-199 AD, though some start his reign in 186 or extend it to 201.
Pope Saint Miltiades (or Melchiades) (311-314). The 32nd Pope. Though there is even some doubt about this Pope's exact name, he was Pope at the time of the Edict of Milan in 313, when Constantine legalized Christianity. He is said to be from Africa; the Roman province of Africa included Tunisia, parts of eastern Algeria and western Libya.
Pope Saint Gelasius I (492-496). The 49th Pope. A prolific writer and defender of Orthodoxy during the so called Acacian Schism. Also said to be North African, and the last of the African Popes.
The remaining Syrian Popes served in a period known as the "Byzantine Papacy," when, after the reconquest of the Italian Peninsula by the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian, the Eastern Emperors had the power to choose or at least approve the choice of Pope (later delegated to the exarch of Ravenna, the Imperial seat in Italy). Most in this period were Greek,Syrian or Sicilian (Greek-speaking at the time).
Pope John V, the 82nd Pope, reigned 695-686. Said to have been a Syrian and the son of one Cyriacus.
Pope Sergius I. the 84th Pope, 687-701, was born in Antioch but raised in Sicily; he struggled over doctrine with the Byzantine Emperor.
Pope Sisinnius, the 87th Pope, reigned for only 20 days in January-February 708. His date of birth 8s uncertain; if after the 630s he may have been born in Syria after the Islamic conquest.
Pope Constantine I. the 88th Pope, reigned 708-715; succeeded Sisinnius; like him, he is described as a Syrian with a father named John, and may have been Sisinnius' brother. Fought with several Byzantine Emperors over doctrinal issues.
Pope Saint Gregory III, 90th Pope, reigned 731-741. A Syrian, birth date unknown but perhaps born after the Islamic conquest; chosen by acclamation but approved by the Imperial Exarch at Ravenna, he struggled with the Emperor Leo III over the Iconoclastic controversy. His last years were spent in warrs with the Lombards.
Gregory III was the last of the Syrian Popes; his successor, Pope Saint Zachary, a Greek from Calabria, was the last of the "Byzantine" Popes. Syria and North Africa were now under Islam, and Italy was passing out of Byzantine control with the Lombard conquests.
The
Syrian popes were: Evaristus (107), Anicetus (168), John V (687),
Serguis I (701), Sisinnius (708), Constantine I (715), and Gregory III
(732). I shall give brief biographical sketches of the Eastern popes
among these who distinguished themselves in the government of the
universal Church.
St. Anicetus (155-166) was an inhabitant of Hims, Syria and most likely was martyred under Marcus Aurelius. He is particularly noted for his efforts against the heresies of Valentine and Marcion. It was during his pontificate that St. Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome in connection with the controversy about the date of Easter. His relics are kept now in the chapel of the Pontifical Spanish Institute and are venerated publicly with great ceremony on his annual feast day, April 17th.
John V (685-686), before his election, was the representative of the pope at Constantinople. He was a peacemaker and obtained tax exemption for the Roman domains of Sicily and Calabria from the Emperor of Constantinople.
Sergius I (687-701) came from a Syrian family, which had settled at Palermo, Sicily. Leo II appointed him the titular priest of the Church of St. Suzanna (he was responsible for its restoration). He championed the prerogatives of St. Peter against the Byzantine emperor Justinian II. As pope, he encouraged missionary work in France, England and Ireland. (He baptized the King of Wessex— Caedwalla.) He introduced into the Latin Liturgy, the prayer "Agnus Dei" at the moment of the breaking of the bread; he also solemnized the celebration of the four principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin: The Nativity, the Purification, the Annunciation, and the Dormition.
John VII (705-707) was a patron of the arts, responsible for the early mosaics of St. Peter's Basilica and the frescoes at St. Mary Antiqua, the finest extant examples of the art of his time.
Constantine I (708-715) was a champion of papal rights against the tyranny of the Byzantine emperors and against the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there was only one will in Christ. He was the first to wear the Tiara of Eastern origin. Most likely the lozenge shaped Greek "Epigonation" was adopted at this time. The pope alone among Western bishops wears it.
Gregory III (731-741) was a Benedictine of Syrian origin. He was noted for his linguistic abilities and his subtle sense of humor. A great missionary pope, he organized the religious structure of Germany under St. Boniface as Metropolitan. In 732, he condemned the Iconoclastic heresy and proclaimed his veneration for the holy images and relics by building a beautiful oratory, dedicated to all the saints, at Rome. It was he who obtained the political sovereignty of Rome (with himself as temporal ruler) from Pepin the Short. This sovereignty existed until 1870.
Zacharias (741-752) was last but not least of the great Eastern popes. He was a mild, meek man of great diplomacy and administration. An accomplished linguist, he translated into Greek the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a peacemaker with the emperor and furthered the work of St. Boniface in the final conversion of Germany.
- See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=2741#sthash.TzcWDiKh.dpuf
St. Anicetus (155-166) was an inhabitant of Hims, Syria and most likely was martyred under Marcus Aurelius. He is particularly noted for his efforts against the heresies of Valentine and Marcion. It was during his pontificate that St. Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome in connection with the controversy about the date of Easter. His relics are kept now in the chapel of the Pontifical Spanish Institute and are venerated publicly with great ceremony on his annual feast day, April 17th.
John V (685-686), before his election, was the representative of the pope at Constantinople. He was a peacemaker and obtained tax exemption for the Roman domains of Sicily and Calabria from the Emperor of Constantinople.
Sergius I (687-701) came from a Syrian family, which had settled at Palermo, Sicily. Leo II appointed him the titular priest of the Church of St. Suzanna (he was responsible for its restoration). He championed the prerogatives of St. Peter against the Byzantine emperor Justinian II. As pope, he encouraged missionary work in France, England and Ireland. (He baptized the King of Wessex— Caedwalla.) He introduced into the Latin Liturgy, the prayer "Agnus Dei" at the moment of the breaking of the bread; he also solemnized the celebration of the four principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin: The Nativity, the Purification, the Annunciation, and the Dormition.
John VII (705-707) was a patron of the arts, responsible for the early mosaics of St. Peter's Basilica and the frescoes at St. Mary Antiqua, the finest extant examples of the art of his time.
Constantine I (708-715) was a champion of papal rights against the tyranny of the Byzantine emperors and against the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there was only one will in Christ. He was the first to wear the Tiara of Eastern origin. Most likely the lozenge shaped Greek "Epigonation" was adopted at this time. The pope alone among Western bishops wears it.
Gregory III (731-741) was a Benedictine of Syrian origin. He was noted for his linguistic abilities and his subtle sense of humor. A great missionary pope, he organized the religious structure of Germany under St. Boniface as Metropolitan. In 732, he condemned the Iconoclastic heresy and proclaimed his veneration for the holy images and relics by building a beautiful oratory, dedicated to all the saints, at Rome. It was he who obtained the political sovereignty of Rome (with himself as temporal ruler) from Pepin the Short. This sovereignty existed until 1870.
Zacharias (741-752) was last but not least of the great Eastern popes. He was a mild, meek man of great diplomacy and administration. An accomplished linguist, he translated into Greek the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a peacemaker with the emperor and furthered the work of St. Boniface in the final conversion of Germany.
- See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=2741#sthash.TzcWDiKh.dpuf
The
Syrian popes were: Evaristus (107), Anicetus (168), John V (687),
Serguis I (701), Sisinnius (708), Constantine I (715), and Gregory III
(732). I shall give brief biographical sketches of the Eastern popes
among these who distinguished themselves in the government of the
universal Church.
St. Anicetus (155-166) was an inhabitant of Hims, Syria and most likely was martyred under Marcus Aurelius. He is particularly noted for his efforts against the heresies of Valentine and Marcion. It was during his pontificate that St. Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome in connection with the controversy about the date of Easter. His relics are kept now in the chapel of the Pontifical Spanish Institute and are venerated publicly with great ceremony on his annual feast day, April 17th.
John V (685-686), before his election, was the representative of the pope at Constantinople. He was a peacemaker and obtained tax exemption for the Roman domains of Sicily and Calabria from the Emperor of Constantinople.
Sergius I (687-701) came from a Syrian family, which had settled at Palermo, Sicily. Leo II appointed him the titular priest of the Church of St. Suzanna (he was responsible for its restoration). He championed the prerogatives of St. Peter against the Byzantine emperor Justinian II. As pope, he encouraged missionary work in France, England and Ireland. (He baptized the King of Wessex— Caedwalla.) He introduced into the Latin Liturgy, the prayer "Agnus Dei" at the moment of the breaking of the bread; he also solemnized the celebration of the four principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin: The Nativity, the Purification, the Annunciation, and the Dormition.
John VII (705-707) was a patron of the arts, responsible for the early mosaics of St. Peter's Basilica and the frescoes at St. Mary Antiqua, the finest extant examples of the art of his time.
Constantine I (708-715) was a champion of papal rights against the tyranny of the Byzantine emperors and against the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there was only one will in Christ. He was the first to wear the Tiara of Eastern origin. Most likely the lozenge shaped Greek "Epigonation" was adopted at this time. The pope alone among Western bishops wears it.
Gregory III (731-741) was a Benedictine of Syrian origin. He was noted for his linguistic abilities and his subtle sense of humor. A great missionary pope, he organized the religious structure of Germany under St. Boniface as Metropolitan. In 732, he condemned the Iconoclastic heresy and proclaimed his veneration for the holy images and relics by building a beautiful oratory, dedicated to all the saints, at Rome. It was he who obtained the political sovereignty of Rome (with himself as temporal ruler) from Pepin the Short. This sovereignty existed until 1870.
Zacharias (741-752) was last but not least of the great Eastern popes. He was a mild, meek man of great diplomacy and administration. An accomplished linguist, he translated into Greek the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a peacemaker with the emperor and furthered the work of St. Boniface in the final conversion of Germany.
- See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=2741#sthash.TzcWDiKh.dpuf
St. Anicetus (155-166) was an inhabitant of Hims, Syria and most likely was martyred under Marcus Aurelius. He is particularly noted for his efforts against the heresies of Valentine and Marcion. It was during his pontificate that St. Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome in connection with the controversy about the date of Easter. His relics are kept now in the chapel of the Pontifical Spanish Institute and are venerated publicly with great ceremony on his annual feast day, April 17th.
John V (685-686), before his election, was the representative of the pope at Constantinople. He was a peacemaker and obtained tax exemption for the Roman domains of Sicily and Calabria from the Emperor of Constantinople.
Sergius I (687-701) came from a Syrian family, which had settled at Palermo, Sicily. Leo II appointed him the titular priest of the Church of St. Suzanna (he was responsible for its restoration). He championed the prerogatives of St. Peter against the Byzantine emperor Justinian II. As pope, he encouraged missionary work in France, England and Ireland. (He baptized the King of Wessex— Caedwalla.) He introduced into the Latin Liturgy, the prayer "Agnus Dei" at the moment of the breaking of the bread; he also solemnized the celebration of the four principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin: The Nativity, the Purification, the Annunciation, and the Dormition.
John VII (705-707) was a patron of the arts, responsible for the early mosaics of St. Peter's Basilica and the frescoes at St. Mary Antiqua, the finest extant examples of the art of his time.
Constantine I (708-715) was a champion of papal rights against the tyranny of the Byzantine emperors and against the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there was only one will in Christ. He was the first to wear the Tiara of Eastern origin. Most likely the lozenge shaped Greek "Epigonation" was adopted at this time. The pope alone among Western bishops wears it.
Gregory III (731-741) was a Benedictine of Syrian origin. He was noted for his linguistic abilities and his subtle sense of humor. A great missionary pope, he organized the religious structure of Germany under St. Boniface as Metropolitan. In 732, he condemned the Iconoclastic heresy and proclaimed his veneration for the holy images and relics by building a beautiful oratory, dedicated to all the saints, at Rome. It was he who obtained the political sovereignty of Rome (with himself as temporal ruler) from Pepin the Short. This sovereignty existed until 1870.
Zacharias (741-752) was last but not least of the great Eastern popes. He was a mild, meek man of great diplomacy and administration. An accomplished linguist, he translated into Greek the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a peacemaker with the emperor and furthered the work of St. Boniface in the final conversion of Germany.
- See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=2741#sthash.TzcWDiKh.dpuf
The
Syrian popes were: Evaristus (107), Anicetus (168), John V (687),
Serguis I (701), Sisinnius (708), Constantine I (715), and Gregory III
(732). I shall give brief biographical sketches of the Eastern popes
among these who distinguished themselves in the government of the
universal Church.
St. Anicetus (155-166) was an inhabitant of Hims, Syria and most likely was martyred under Marcus Aurelius. He is particularly noted for his efforts against the heresies of Valentine and Marcion. It was during his pontificate that St. Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome in connection with the controversy about the date of Easter. His relics are kept now in the chapel of the Pontifical Spanish Institute and are venerated publicly with great ceremony on his annual feast day, April 17th.
John V (685-686), before his election, was the representative of the pope at Constantinople. He was a peacemaker and obtained tax exemption for the Roman domains of Sicily and Calabria from the Emperor of Constantinople.
Sergius I (687-701) came from a Syrian family, which had settled at Palermo, Sicily. Leo II appointed him the titular priest of the Church of St. Suzanna (he was responsible for its restoration). He championed the prerogatives of St. Peter against the Byzantine emperor Justinian II. As pope, he encouraged missionary work in France, England and Ireland. (He baptized the King of Wessex— Caedwalla.) He introduced into the Latin Liturgy, the prayer "Agnus Dei" at the moment of the breaking of the bread; he also solemnized the celebration of the four principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin: The Nativity, the Purification, the Annunciation, and the Dormition.
John VII (705-707) was a patron of the arts, responsible for the early mosaics of St. Peter's Basilica and the frescoes at St. Mary Antiqua, the finest extant examples of the art of his time.
Constantine I (708-715) was a champion of papal rights against the tyranny of the Byzantine emperors and against the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there was only one will in Christ. He was the first to wear the Tiara of Eastern origin. Most likely the lozenge shaped Greek "Epigonation" was adopted at this time. The pope alone among Western bishops wears it.
Gregory III (731-741) was a Benedictine of Syrian origin. He was noted for his linguistic abilities and his subtle sense of humor. A great missionary pope, he organized the religious structure of Germany under St. Boniface as Metropolitan. In 732, he condemned the Iconoclastic heresy and proclaimed his veneration for the holy images and relics by building a beautiful oratory, dedicated to all the saints, at Rome. It was he who obtained the political sovereignty of Rome (with himself as temporal ruler) from Pepin the Short. This sovereignty existed until 1870.
Zacharias (741-752) was last but not least of the great Eastern popes. He was a mild, meek man of great diplomacy and administration. An accomplished linguist, he translated into Greek the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a peacemaker with the emperor and furthered the work of St. Boniface in the final conversion of Germany.
- See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=2741#sthash.TzcWDiKh.dpuf
St. Anicetus (155-166) was an inhabitant of Hims, Syria and most likely was martyred under Marcus Aurelius. He is particularly noted for his efforts against the heresies of Valentine and Marcion. It was during his pontificate that St. Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome in connection with the controversy about the date of Easter. His relics are kept now in the chapel of the Pontifical Spanish Institute and are venerated publicly with great ceremony on his annual feast day, April 17th.
John V (685-686), before his election, was the representative of the pope at Constantinople. He was a peacemaker and obtained tax exemption for the Roman domains of Sicily and Calabria from the Emperor of Constantinople.
Sergius I (687-701) came from a Syrian family, which had settled at Palermo, Sicily. Leo II appointed him the titular priest of the Church of St. Suzanna (he was responsible for its restoration). He championed the prerogatives of St. Peter against the Byzantine emperor Justinian II. As pope, he encouraged missionary work in France, England and Ireland. (He baptized the King of Wessex— Caedwalla.) He introduced into the Latin Liturgy, the prayer "Agnus Dei" at the moment of the breaking of the bread; he also solemnized the celebration of the four principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin: The Nativity, the Purification, the Annunciation, and the Dormition.
John VII (705-707) was a patron of the arts, responsible for the early mosaics of St. Peter's Basilica and the frescoes at St. Mary Antiqua, the finest extant examples of the art of his time.
Constantine I (708-715) was a champion of papal rights against the tyranny of the Byzantine emperors and against the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there was only one will in Christ. He was the first to wear the Tiara of Eastern origin. Most likely the lozenge shaped Greek "Epigonation" was adopted at this time. The pope alone among Western bishops wears it.
Gregory III (731-741) was a Benedictine of Syrian origin. He was noted for his linguistic abilities and his subtle sense of humor. A great missionary pope, he organized the religious structure of Germany under St. Boniface as Metropolitan. In 732, he condemned the Iconoclastic heresy and proclaimed his veneration for the holy images and relics by building a beautiful oratory, dedicated to all the saints, at Rome. It was he who obtained the political sovereignty of Rome (with himself as temporal ruler) from Pepin the Short. This sovereignty existed until 1870.
Zacharias (741-752) was last but not least of the great Eastern popes. He was a mild, meek man of great diplomacy and administration. An accomplished linguist, he translated into Greek the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a peacemaker with the emperor and furthered the work of St. Boniface in the final conversion of Germany.
- See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=2741#sthash.TzcWDiKh.dpuf
The
Syrian popes were: Evaristus (107), Anicetus (168), John V (687),
Serguis I (701), Sisinnius (708), Constantine I (715), and Gregory III
(732). I shall give brief biographical sketches of the Eastern popes
among these who distinguished themselves in the government of the
universal Church.
St. Anicetus (155-166) was an inhabitant of Hims, Syria and most likely was martyred under Marcus Aurelius. He is particularly noted for his efforts against the heresies of Valentine and Marcion. It was during his pontificate that St. Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome in connection with the controversy about the date of Easter. His relics are kept now in the chapel of the Pontifical Spanish Institute and are venerated publicly with great ceremony on his annual feast day, April 17th.
John V (685-686), before his election, was the representative of the pope at Constantinople. He was a peacemaker and obtained tax exemption for the Roman domains of Sicily and Calabria from the Emperor of Constantinople.
Sergius I (687-701) came from a Syrian family, which had settled at Palermo, Sicily. Leo II appointed him the titular priest of the Church of St. Suzanna (he was responsible for its restoration). He championed the prerogatives of St. Peter against the Byzantine emperor Justinian II. As pope, he encouraged missionary work in France, England and Ireland. (He baptized the King of Wessex— Caedwalla.) He introduced into the Latin Liturgy, the prayer "Agnus Dei" at the moment of the breaking of the bread; he also solemnized the celebration of the four principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin: The Nativity, the Purification, the Annunciation, and the Dormition.
John VII (705-707) was a patron of the arts, responsible for the early mosaics of St. Peter's Basilica and the frescoes at St. Mary Antiqua, the finest extant examples of the art of his time.
Constantine I (708-715) was a champion of papal rights against the tyranny of the Byzantine emperors and against the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there was only one will in Christ. He was the first to wear the Tiara of Eastern origin. Most likely the lozenge shaped Greek "Epigonation" was adopted at this time. The pope alone among Western bishops wears it.
Gregory III (731-741) was a Benedictine of Syrian origin. He was noted for his linguistic abilities and his subtle sense of humor. A great missionary pope, he organized the religious structure of Germany under St. Boniface as Metropolitan. In 732, he condemned the Iconoclastic heresy and proclaimed his veneration for the holy images and relics by building a beautiful oratory, dedicated to all the saints, at Rome. It was he who obtained the political sovereignty of Rome (with himself as temporal ruler) from Pepin the Short. This sovereignty existed until 1870.
Zacharias (741-752) was last but not least of the great Eastern popes. He was a mild, meek man of great diplomacy and administration. An accomplished linguist, he translated into Greek the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a peacemaker with the emperor and furthered the work of St. Boniface in the final conversion of Germany.
- See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=2741#sthash.TzcWDiKh.dpuf
St. Anicetus (155-166) was an inhabitant of Hims, Syria and most likely was martyred under Marcus Aurelius. He is particularly noted for his efforts against the heresies of Valentine and Marcion. It was during his pontificate that St. Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome in connection with the controversy about the date of Easter. His relics are kept now in the chapel of the Pontifical Spanish Institute and are venerated publicly with great ceremony on his annual feast day, April 17th.
John V (685-686), before his election, was the representative of the pope at Constantinople. He was a peacemaker and obtained tax exemption for the Roman domains of Sicily and Calabria from the Emperor of Constantinople.
Sergius I (687-701) came from a Syrian family, which had settled at Palermo, Sicily. Leo II appointed him the titular priest of the Church of St. Suzanna (he was responsible for its restoration). He championed the prerogatives of St. Peter against the Byzantine emperor Justinian II. As pope, he encouraged missionary work in France, England and Ireland. (He baptized the King of Wessex— Caedwalla.) He introduced into the Latin Liturgy, the prayer "Agnus Dei" at the moment of the breaking of the bread; he also solemnized the celebration of the four principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin: The Nativity, the Purification, the Annunciation, and the Dormition.
John VII (705-707) was a patron of the arts, responsible for the early mosaics of St. Peter's Basilica and the frescoes at St. Mary Antiqua, the finest extant examples of the art of his time.
Constantine I (708-715) was a champion of papal rights against the tyranny of the Byzantine emperors and against the Monothelite heresy, which taught that there was only one will in Christ. He was the first to wear the Tiara of Eastern origin. Most likely the lozenge shaped Greek "Epigonation" was adopted at this time. The pope alone among Western bishops wears it.
Gregory III (731-741) was a Benedictine of Syrian origin. He was noted for his linguistic abilities and his subtle sense of humor. A great missionary pope, he organized the religious structure of Germany under St. Boniface as Metropolitan. In 732, he condemned the Iconoclastic heresy and proclaimed his veneration for the holy images and relics by building a beautiful oratory, dedicated to all the saints, at Rome. It was he who obtained the political sovereignty of Rome (with himself as temporal ruler) from Pepin the Short. This sovereignty existed until 1870.
Zacharias (741-752) was last but not least of the great Eastern popes. He was a mild, meek man of great diplomacy and administration. An accomplished linguist, he translated into Greek the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. He was also a peacemaker with the emperor and furthered the work of St. Boniface in the final conversion of Germany.
- See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=2741#sthash.TzcWDiKh.dpuf
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
And A Special Christmas Surprise for Bethlehem ...
Late on Monday night. as Christmas Eve was cranking up in Bethlehem, the Israeli Interior Ministry's Jerusalem Planning and Building Committee voted to approve 930 new housing units in the Gilo neighborhood, with options for 300 more.
For those of you unfamiliar with Jerusalem, Gilo is, as the Jerusalem Post notes, "over the Green Line," which means most of the world considers it an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. It lies on the other side of the Separation Wall from Beit Jala and Bethlehem. Another story here.
Excellent timing.
For those of you unfamiliar with Jerusalem, Gilo is, as the Jerusalem Post notes, "over the Green Line," which means most of the world considers it an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. It lies on the other side of the Separation Wall from Beit Jala and Bethlehem. Another story here.
Excellent timing.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Oh (Not So) Little Town of Bethlehem
Greetings for Latin Christmas to all who celebrate today; of course for much of the Middle East, Christmas is still in the future, and my discussion of Middle Eastern Christmas customs will continue. Last night the Latin Patriarch celebrated in Bethlehem and Manger Square was filled with pilgrims and tourists, as it will be again on January 6-7. But Bethlehem's once flourishing pilgrim trade is not what it once was, as least when it isn't Christmas..
Bethlehem's location just south of the "Green Line" and the proximity of the Israeli neighborhoods/settlements of Gilo and Har Gilo, as well as the presence on the edge of town of the shrine known as Rachel's Tomb, means that few parts of the West Bank feel the presence of Israel's Separation Wall as profoundly as Bethlehem. As the struggle to control the future of the Jerusalem region intensifies, Bethlehem remains caught in the middle.
Each year we see variations on these cartoons:
It's not my purpose here, today, to rehash the whole Israeli-Palestinian debate; we aren't going to solve it here. on Christmas. Merely to note the profound impact that conflict has had on a city we sing about but far too many never think about.
I still wish everyone Christmas greetings.
Bethlehem's location just south of the "Green Line" and the proximity of the Israeli neighborhoods/settlements of Gilo and Har Gilo, as well as the presence on the edge of town of the shrine known as Rachel's Tomb, means that few parts of the West Bank feel the presence of Israel's Separation Wall as profoundly as Bethlehem. As the struggle to control the future of the Jerusalem region intensifies, Bethlehem remains caught in the middle.
Each year we see variations on these cartoons:
It's not my purpose here, today, to rehash the whole Israeli-Palestinian debate; we aren't going to solve it here. on Christmas. Merely to note the profound impact that conflict has had on a city we sing about but far too many never think about.
I still wish everyone Christmas greetings.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Greek and Armenian Priests at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem Prepare for Eastern Christmas their Traditional Way: the Broom Brawl
As the Eastern date of Christmas approaches, the two faiths that share control of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Greek Orthodox and the Armenians, are ceremonially responsible for preparing the church by cleaning it. It's a rare year when there are no disputes: every inch, every candlestick, every window sill is claimed by one denomination or the other. (The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is more complex with more denominations, but less polarized; in Bethlehem the Romans have their own church next door and share the crypt below, but the Greeks and Armenians split the upper church, which dates from Justinian's day.) Now I, or perhaps you, would say that if the other fellow wants to sweep up on my side of the aisle, go right ahead. After all, who enjoys sweeping; besides, this is the traditional birthplace of the prince of peace. But priests and monks wielding brooms today got into it again in their traditional way. (The Armenians are in the pointy hoods. The guys in uniform breaking it up at the end are police.) Peace on earth, good will to men:
Adding the Al Jazeera English video:
Adding the Al Jazeera English video:
Monday, December 26, 2011
Latin Christmas in Bethlehem Videos
Al Jazeera English's coverage of Latin Christmas in Bethlehem:
Since most Middle Eastern Christians celebrate on the Eastern (Julian calendar) date, there'll be more posts on Christmas in the Middle East as that date approaches.
Since most Middle Eastern Christians celebrate on the Eastern (Julian calendar) date, there'll be more posts on Christmas in the Middle East as that date approaches.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
A Christmas Prediction
It's December 22. Any minute now, all the TV networks should be airing their once a year "Christmas in troubled Bethlehem" spots. At least it helps boost tourism, but Bethlehem's problems are there year round, as is the wall that separates it from Jerusalem.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Bethlehem's Christmas: A Good Turnout
Bethlehem seems to have ha a good Latin Christmas, making up for the dip last year. Reportedly a 60% increase in pilgrims. Here is a roundup of some videos and reports from last Friday and Saturday:
A video of good turnout in Bethlehem:
A Palestine News Network report on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem:
A BBC report on the usual quarrels over who gets to repair the roof of the Church of the Nativity; it seems the Palestinian Authority is stepping in to get things done. The video doesn't embed so you need to follow the link.
An Al Jazeera report and article:
Another Al Jazeera English report on Palestinian tour agencies taking tourists to different sites:
Another piece on Syrian Christians in Jerusalem:
A video of good turnout in Bethlehem:
A Palestine News Network report on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem:
A BBC report on the usual quarrels over who gets to repair the roof of the Church of the Nativity; it seems the Palestinian Authority is stepping in to get things done. The video doesn't embed so you need to follow the link.
An Al Jazeera report and article:
Another Al Jazeera English report on Palestinian tour agencies taking tourists to different sites:
Another piece on Syrian Christians in Jerusalem:
Friday, December 24, 2010
Christmas Eve in Bethlehem: a Better Year? And a Look at Last Year
Christmas Eve greetings; let's talk about Bethlehem and its problems today.
Bethlehem (Beth Lechem in Hebrew, "house of bread," and the cognate Bayt Lahm in Arabic, "house of meat," from a presumed Semitic root that meant something like "staple food": bread for an agricultural population, meat for a pastoral one) is a pretty town set in the Judean hills a dozen miles or so south of Jerusalem. It has some spectacular views out across the hills and desert towards the Dead Sea, and the "Little Town of Bethlehem" is a crowded city these days, where Muslims and Christians share the town; Muslims are in majority, but the Mayor is, under Palestinian Authority rules, always a Christian.
According to the Old Testament, Bethlehem was the home town of King David, and thus Messianic prophecies became associated with it. Tradition says that Jacob's wife Rachel is buried there, though there are conflicting traditions. But Bethlehem's real claim to fame is of course known to every Christmas caroler: the only two Gospels that describe Jesus' birth agree it was in Bethlehem, despite their many differences in details.
There are reports ahead of tonight's Big Night in Bethlehem that Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's efforts to increase tourism to the Palestinian Authority are making this a more optimistic year for the West Bank city, whose primary tourism season is, of course, Christmas. I hope they're right. It's been a rough period for Bethlehem, which is pretty much a one-industry town, or maybe two: pilgrimage and olive wood. If you're not interested in the olive wood manger scenes or crosses, the craftsmen can pull out olive wood crescents, stars of David, or even Menorahs, but religion and olive wood are about the whole economy.
Last year, and most recent years, have been more awkward. The Israeli separation barrier, the Wall, not only blocks the pilgrimage route between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, slowing down pilgrimages, but runs right down one side of the main street into town, or what used to be, due tothe Separation Wall dividing Bethlehem from Israeli-controlled Rachel's Tomb runs right down what was formerly the road; the satellite view in Google Earth shows just how bizarre the wall is in this part of its course. I haven't personally been there since the wall was built, and from the video and other views I've seen, I think I'm glad.
And Rachel's Tomb is one of Bethlehem's Holy Places. Being Jewish, it is separated by a wall from the Christian ones.
I don't intend to get into all the arguments about the wall here; I do believe with Robert Frost that "Something there is that doesn't love a wall," but I also understand why the Israelis built it. On the other hand, its impact on Bethlehem has been pretty devastating.
A Time video from last year:
And an AlJazeera English video, also on last year's Christmas, on the way the separation fence and other tensions have hurt tourism:
A Palestinian video showing celebrations, demonstrations, confrontations, and parties at home:
Mahmud ‘Abbas at the Church of the Nativity last Christmas:
And on the subject of the wall, there's this video and song I also posted last year, using as background a song by Canadian Christian singer Garth Hewitt:
There'll be one more Christmas post before the weekend, so stay tuned.
Bethlehem (Beth Lechem in Hebrew, "house of bread," and the cognate Bayt Lahm in Arabic, "house of meat," from a presumed Semitic root that meant something like "staple food": bread for an agricultural population, meat for a pastoral one) is a pretty town set in the Judean hills a dozen miles or so south of Jerusalem. It has some spectacular views out across the hills and desert towards the Dead Sea, and the "Little Town of Bethlehem" is a crowded city these days, where Muslims and Christians share the town; Muslims are in majority, but the Mayor is, under Palestinian Authority rules, always a Christian.
According to the Old Testament, Bethlehem was the home town of King David, and thus Messianic prophecies became associated with it. Tradition says that Jacob's wife Rachel is buried there, though there are conflicting traditions. But Bethlehem's real claim to fame is of course known to every Christmas caroler: the only two Gospels that describe Jesus' birth agree it was in Bethlehem, despite their many differences in details.
There are reports ahead of tonight's Big Night in Bethlehem that Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's efforts to increase tourism to the Palestinian Authority are making this a more optimistic year for the West Bank city, whose primary tourism season is, of course, Christmas. I hope they're right. It's been a rough period for Bethlehem, which is pretty much a one-industry town, or maybe two: pilgrimage and olive wood. If you're not interested in the olive wood manger scenes or crosses, the craftsmen can pull out olive wood crescents, stars of David, or even Menorahs, but religion and olive wood are about the whole economy.
Last year, and most recent years, have been more awkward. The Israeli separation barrier, the Wall, not only blocks the pilgrimage route between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, slowing down pilgrimages, but runs right down one side of the main street into town, or what used to be, due to
the Separation Wall dividing Bethlehem from Israeli-controlled Rachel's Tomb runs right down what was formerly the road; the satellite view in Google Earth shows just how bizarre the wall is in this part of its course. I haven't personally been there since the wall was built, and from the video and other views I've seen, I think I'm glad.And Rachel's Tomb is one of Bethlehem's Holy Places. Being Jewish, it is separated by a wall from the Christian ones.
I don't intend to get into all the arguments about the wall here; I do believe with Robert Frost that "Something there is that doesn't love a wall," but I also understand why the Israelis built it. On the other hand, its impact on Bethlehem has been pretty devastating.
A Time video from last year:
And an AlJazeera English video, also on last year's Christmas, on the way the separation fence and other tensions have hurt tourism:
A Palestinian video showing celebrations, demonstrations, confrontations, and parties at home:
Mahmud ‘Abbas at the Church of the Nativity last Christmas:
And on the subject of the wall, there's this video and song I also posted last year, using as background a song by Canadian Christian singer Garth Hewitt:
There'll be one more Christmas post before the weekend, so stay tuned.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Weekend Historical Videos: the Holy Land 1911 to the 1930s
For my weekly Weekend Historical Videos, I thought it might be seasonally appropriate to show some video of the Holy Land in early travelogues and films. General Allenby entered Jerusalem on December 11, 1917, on foot (because the Kaiser had ridden a white horse, and many commented that Jesus had been satisfied with a donkey). Allenby, whose arrival in Jerusalem is shown on some of the WWI videos I've previously posted, said the taking of Jerusalem from the Turks was "a Christmas present for the British people." Thirty years later the British would not be so thankful for the Mandate. But taking Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas, when the Western Front was still bogged down and Russia was leaving the war, was seen as symbolic. Allenby walking into Jerusalem is shown beginning at the 0:40 second mark on this clip:
Even earlier, this is alleged to be the first film of Palestine, made in 1911:
Most travelogues of the early Mandate era tended to emphasize Christian sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, so they're seasonally appropriate. The earliest ones are silent, of course. Many represent the classic travelogue view of the Holy Land (camels, donkeys, "just like in the Bible," unchanging people). I hope running these doesn't reinforce the stereotype; there are a few shots here which aren't as cliche-ridden.
Gethsemane and Bethlehem 1929 (also and inevitably, camels):
Hebron in the 1920s: Old pics of the Haram al-Khalil/Tombs of the Patriarchs, other sites, and of course lots of camels:
Jerusalem in the 20s: Jaffa Gate, Herod's Gate, old cars:
Damascus to Jerusalem, 1932:
Jerusalem 1930: Part Two; I couldn't find part one:
Another Jerusalem in the 1930s
And still stereotypical, Damascus and Jerusalem in 1938 (made for Western audiences, emphasis on camels, donkeys, and "time never changes" themes):
Just for contrast in narratives (and as a lesson in how to frame your message), here's a video presumably made in the Zionist Yishuv about Tel Aviv, an early color video, and clearly sending a completely different message:
Even earlier, this is alleged to be the first film of Palestine, made in 1911:
Most travelogues of the early Mandate era tended to emphasize Christian sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, so they're seasonally appropriate. The earliest ones are silent, of course. Many represent the classic travelogue view of the Holy Land (camels, donkeys, "just like in the Bible," unchanging people). I hope running these doesn't reinforce the stereotype; there are a few shots here which aren't as cliche-ridden.
Gethsemane and Bethlehem 1929 (also and inevitably, camels):
Hebron in the 1920s: Old pics of the Haram al-Khalil/Tombs of the Patriarchs, other sites, and of course lots of camels:
Jerusalem in the 20s: Jaffa Gate, Herod's Gate, old cars:
Damascus to Jerusalem, 1932:
Jerusalem 1930: Part Two; I couldn't find part one:
Another Jerusalem in the 1930s
And still stereotypical, Damascus and Jerusalem in 1938 (made for Western audiences, emphasis on camels, donkeys, and "time never changes" themes):
Just for contrast in narratives (and as a lesson in how to frame your message), here's a video presumably made in the Zionist Yishuv about Tel Aviv, an early color video, and clearly sending a completely different message:
Friday, December 25, 2009
A Merry Christmas, But Also a Reminder of Bethlehem's Wall
Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
This bird of dawning singeth all night long,
And then they say no spirit dare stir abroad,
The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,
So hallowed, and so gracious, is that time.
(Hamlet 1.1.158-64)
Fairuz doing four Christmas songs, a couple of which appeared in earlier videos:
Fairuz singing "Go Tell it on the Mountain" in Arabic:
And one those my age may remember, the first (and to date, only) Christmas message from lunar orbit, Christmas Eve, 1968:
On a more somber note, many will disagree with this rather country-ish song and the video that goes with it, but it reminds us that Bethlehem today is cut off from Jerusalem by the separation wall:
Merry Christmas. The Psalmist asked us long ago to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Still seems like a good idea.
Friday, December 18, 2009
And Now for Something Completely Different: Bagpipes in Bethlehem
My second seasonal posting:
In case it hasn't occurred to you to search YouTube for "Arab Orthodox Scout Troop — Bagpipes Band" and "Christmas Day Bethlehem", for our current Christmas season, here they are:
The Palestinian love of bagpipes is something I must blog about someday, if I can ever figure it out. (Why are bagpipes so big at weddings? Does anyone know? Did some Scotsman or Irishman do this, or is it the tradition of military pipers from the British days? Sometimes it occurs in Egyptian weddings, too.) Don't get me wrong: my Celtic DNA loves pipers, but it always seems a little, shall we say, out of context when you see it in the Arab world? Anybody that knows, please post comments. [UPDATE: Read the comments. We're learning more. Sadly Wikipedia says they're widespread in Europe and the Middle East but doesn't talk much about the Middle East.]
If you think I'm making this up (Palestinians and Jordanians won't for a moment), how about this bunch of Jordanian pipers (actually pipes and drums) walking in circles in a Roman amphitheatre in Jerash, Jordan, playing Yankee Doodle? (In case you also forgot to Google "Jordanian bagpipes" and "Yankee Doodle" together.)
In case it hasn't occurred to you to search YouTube for "Arab Orthodox Scout Troop — Bagpipes Band" and "Christmas Day Bethlehem", for our current Christmas season, here they are:
The Palestinian love of bagpipes is something I must blog about someday, if I can ever figure it out. (Why are bagpipes so big at weddings? Does anyone know? Did some Scotsman or Irishman do this, or is it the tradition of military pipers from the British days? Sometimes it occurs in Egyptian weddings, too.) Don't get me wrong: my Celtic DNA loves pipers, but it always seems a little, shall we say, out of context when you see it in the Arab world? Anybody that knows, please post comments. [UPDATE: Read the comments. We're learning more. Sadly Wikipedia says they're widespread in Europe and the Middle East but doesn't talk much about the Middle East.]
If you think I'm making this up (Palestinians and Jordanians won't for a moment), how about this bunch of Jordanian pipers (actually pipes and drums) walking in circles in a Roman amphitheatre in Jerash, Jordan, playing Yankee Doodle? (In case you also forgot to Google "Jordanian bagpipes" and "Yankee Doodle" together.)
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