Anyways...I wanted to do something relating to Black History Month before February ran out. Now, I don't know if you guys are aware of this...but I went to several Catholic schools in my high school days. Before you jump to any conclusions, I am a devout atheist (and always will be) but my experiences with Catholics and the Catholic religion left a lasting impression on me. Some good. Some bad. But no regrets. I think it made me a more well-rounded person while reaffirming my secular position.
Just lovely, don't you think? Such intricate design and craftsmanship... I would love to have every window in my house look just like that! And I'm an atheist! (and a cannibal...so I'm probably going to hell for blasphemy or sacrilege...or...I dunno, lol!)
I especially love medals. My favorite saint is Martin de Porres--the first "black" person in the Americas to be canonized. Now I realize he's probably only there for tokenism. I mean, he was born in the 1500s, beautified in the 1800s, but was canonized in 1962 for fuck's sake...! (Hmm...right around the time the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing...perhaps the Vatican had an "epiphany" or a savvy PR agent) But I always liked the idea of a black saint. And like me, he is a vegetarian! I looked high and low for a medal, and finally found one a few weeks ago online. I'm very proud of my medal. It's a rare find. The first photo shows the back side. It says: "Pray for us."
This next photo is the front. It has Martin there with his iconic broom and the animals sharing the bowl of milk on the floor. It's a very relaxing image. I like it a great deal. He's the patron saint for harmonious race relations but hardly anyone acknowledges him...so I wanted to give a shout-out on my blog. For those of you who are interested in where I got my medal, check out this LINK. :)
6 comments:
Ah, we share a similar interest again! I am not catholic myself, but also enjoy the beautiful cathedrals and stained glass. Another thing, you have your first black saint, and I have my blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, "Lily of the Mohawks". Interesting!
I enjoyed reading up on Kateri Tekakwitha--fascinating story! I can't believe she was canonized in the 2000s!
Hazzah for St. Martin de Porres!!
lol i still remember school mass. i'm actually pretty sure i'm going to hell for letting you eat the communion bread when you're not catholic. oops...
anyway, i prefer the gothic look too, but the new parish i go to more of a Mexican Mission design with stain-glass windows, and every month they change the saint statue by the alter. its pretty cool.
Hehe! Good times, Michan. See, that's why you're my best friend. You'll risk damnation just to sneak me a piece of communion bread at mass, hahaha! I was so disappointed when I finally got a taste of it. For some reason, I was expecting it to taste like garlic bread or something, lol!
*HUGS*
:D
Hmm, that's interesting. I went to Catholic school K-8, and during that time I found the gothic architecture kind of scary and foreboding. I've always been an atheist, though. Never got that 'belief' gene, I guess. ;)
Thanks for commenting on my blog, Justin! :D
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