Arts
In The Bleak Midwinter
This is a poem written by Christina Rossetti, set to music first by Gustav Holst in 1906 and then by Harold Darke in 1911. This is by Darke : RIP Caroline Catherine McNicholas 2nd [more…]
Christianity
Arts
Les Fogueres De Sant Joan De Alicante
The history of burning offerings before the summer solstice can be traced back to prehistoric times. It is part cleansing and part preparation for the coming harvest. At some time in recent history it became [more…]
Authoritarianism
Burning heretics
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” We live in very strange times indeed. The United Kingdom applies some of the most draconian libel laws in the Western world, while [more…]
15th Century
The Amazing Life (And Death) of Xpoual (Es-po-al) De Colon
There is no definitive date for the birth of Xpoual de Colon. It is believed he was born between August 26th and October 31st in 1451 in Genoa, although there are also claims that he [more…]
Arts
Towers And Lovers
The train from Cartagena is eleven minutes late arriving into Alicante and almost twenty minutes behind schedule by the time it leaves for Zaragoza. Not that anyone minds, it is the way of the things [more…]
Christianity
The Lord’s Prayer
My Own Interpretation The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our [more…]
Arts
Set in Stone
This tale begins, as so many tales do, on a dismal winter’s day. This particular day, a miserably chilly and grey February one, was a decidedly rubbish day. Not only had Mr S and I [more…]
Christianity
The great delusion
It is abundantly clear, to those that have eyes to see at least, that the average man or woman has been shaken to their very core by the events that have occurred over the past [more…]
Christianity
You cannot have goodness, without God (ii)
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our [more…]