Felix Dies Bissextum! Happy Leap Day!

Gregory XIII calendar reform

(This post is a repeat from previous Leap Days, for the benefit of those for whom this is new material.)

“What?” you’re thinking to yourself, “Leap Day isn’t until the 29th.”

Not according to the Kalendar, which follows the guidelines set forth by Julius Caesar. The ancient Romans had this odd procedure of numbering days . . . → Read More: Felix Dies Bissextum! Happy Leap Day!

Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences

Given that this year is the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s nailing of his (in)famous “Ninety-Five Theses” to the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg, we thought it would be appropriate to repost them here. (We originally posted them in 2011, along with the original Latin. (Luther actually posted them on . . . → Read More: Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences

Felix Dies Bissextum! Happy Leap Day!

Gregory XIII calendar reform

(This post is a repeat from four years ago, but we figure a lot of people might have missed it the first time around.)

“What?” you’re thinking to yourself, “Leap Day isn’t until the 29th.”

Not according to the Kalendar, which follows the guidelines set forth by Julius Caesar. The ancient Romans had this odd . . . → Read More: Felix Dies Bissextum! Happy Leap Day!

The Battle of Agincourt

english archers at agincourt

English archers at the Battle of Agincourt

Today is the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, one of the most notable battles in the Hundred Years’ War. Henry V’s small English army was able to defeat the numerically superior French forces of Charles VI. Henry V led his own forces into battle, . . . → Read More: The Battle of Agincourt

Recalling General Lee’s surrender

Lee Surrenders to Grant at Appomattox

The Ninth of April marks the sesquicentennial of the day on which General Robert E. Lee surrendered his 26,000 men, the remnant of the once invincible Army of Northern Virginia, to General Ulysses S. Grant of the United States Army in the parlour of the McLean House at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.

It occurred four . . . → Read More: Recalling General Lee’s surrender

The talented team that raised the cash

Altar at St Matthew's

The church as it appeared in 2001, before the enclosure of the front porch.

Looking back on it, it seems little short of miraculous that such a small congregation could have raised the money to build a million dollar-plus church—and that is a million-plus in 1990 dollars, not in today’s sadly devalued specie. . . . → Read More: The talented team that raised the cash

Felix Dies Bissextum! Happy Leap Day!

“What?” you’re thinking to yourself, “Leap Day isn’t until the 29th.”

Not according to the Kalendar, which follows the guidelines set forth by Julius Caesar. The ancient Romans had this odd procedure of numbering days by counting backwards from certain landmark days in the month, viz., the Kalends, the Ides, and the Nones.

The Kalends . . . → Read More: Felix Dies Bissextum! Happy Leap Day!

Remembrance Day

Most Americans probably think of November 11 as Veterans Day, but a number are old enough to remember it as “Armistice Day”, marking the conclusion of World War I, the “Great War”. But to residents of the Commonwealth nations, it is Remembrance Day.

As part of their Remembrance Day observance, residents of the Commonwealth . . . → Read More: Remembrance Day

Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences

So did you recognize the document in this post? These are the (in)famous “Ninety-Five Theses” of Martin Luther, which he nailed to the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg on October 31st, 1517. This is why our Lutheran brethren celebrate Reformation Sunday on the last Sunday in October (transferring the observance to . . . → Read More: Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences

Disputatio pro Declaratione Virtutis Indulgentiarum

A Hallowe’en challenge for you:

1. Dominus et magister noster Iesus Christus dicendo `Penitentiam agite &c.’ omnem vitam fidelium penitentiam esse voluit.

2. Quod verbum de penitentia sacramentali (id est confessionis et satisfactionis, que sacerdotum ministerio celebratur) non potest intelligi.

3. Non tamen solam intendit interiorem, immo interior nulla est, nisi foris operetur varias carnis . . . → Read More: Disputatio pro Declaratione Virtutis Indulgentiarum