David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


27 February 2019

regarding : The Holy See



Theatre of the Actors of Regard
 Seal of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See 
to the United Nations
  

Theatre of the Actors of Regard
Cardinal George Pell and the Coat of Arms of the Holy See


FIAPCE  

Dream of 18/19 January 1989 : Sacred Sight

I am in Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome, at the entrance to
a small side altar where a Mass is always being celebrated.
This area is curtained and only the Faithful (No Tourists)
are permitted to enter, to pray and to partake in the Mass.

I am permitted to enter and go to a pew at the front,
on the right hand side.

Here, I watch the priest very closely.
He is not doing this out of habit or duty.
He is thoughtful, deliberate and very precise
in his saying of this Mass.

I empathise with his conviction, his intensity. 
Then I understand that he is saying his First Mass
and that every part of his being
- his past, his present and his future - 
is concentrated on his proper movement through 
every moment of it.

I become aware - did he announce it?
did I simply realise it?
that he is offering his first Sacrifice of the Mass
in praise and thanks for the Gift of Sight.


              detail
              A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
              someone looks at something... 
         
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