tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64360416251736014722024-03-25T09:58:06.611-04:00The Catholic CollectorWelcome to the blog of my Etsy shop, Rosa Mystica Religious Medals. This is where I discuss my love of patron saints, show beautiful antique-style Catholic medals and share new finds that I'm offering in my shop.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-85195141365748263842017-12-11T17:34:00.000-05:002017-12-11T17:34:57.337-05:00Our Lady of La Salette - Marian Aparition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The vision of Our Lady of La Salette occurred to two children, Melanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, while they were tending cattle at La Salette-Fallavaux, France, in 1846. They saw a bright light, then a lady with her head in her hands. When she stood up, the children saw that she had been crying. She told them not to be afraid, that "She had come here to tell them great news". She spoke to the children in their local dialect about the importance of being reconciled to God, repsecting the Sabbath, and praying the Rosary. She encouraged them to tell everyone to do penance for their sins and pray regularly, then entrusted each child with a secret. When she was through speaking, the lady rose into the air and vanished. The children siffered greatly from teasing and persecution and were accused of lying when they told their story, but they never deviated from it. After intense scrutiny, the local bishop recognized the apparition at La Salette as the Virgin Mary.<br />
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Antique medals showing Our Lady of La Salette still can be found today, mainly in France. They typically show a woman with a tiara-type headdress. She has her head in her hands and may be showing speaking to two young children, or sometimes rising in the air as the children look on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPX0ppnzXs1_4ygiFjd_D5S0jXj0HIAWydlJD1elNNQ_5L2oimH9AxCWMU526wYxnSISNloHcVtbns7tl6B6jzQxamO5YhWoKnaHfIEX3C1ZFMfoJKUMcwIGa_BCE39ykZEJ2242Ofexe1/s1600/La+Salette+a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="193" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPX0ppnzXs1_4ygiFjd_D5S0jXj0HIAWydlJD1elNNQ_5L2oimH9AxCWMU526wYxnSISNloHcVtbns7tl6B6jzQxamO5YhWoKnaHfIEX3C1ZFMfoJKUMcwIGa_BCE39ykZEJ2242Ofexe1/s320/La+Salette+a.JPG" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79n315GoT8RfiPo_YKbuiSD3FUWk_dul61Q7bXbP66dfqEaoD9nrctky2-JbhOhzcOfrJMYxXlYN5uNc-yKd-NlFRcEU9GoQx5c0iiMc4YVTsbIg7uM21DKtxPie0fXQaGkd5C0-s3N4O/s1600/La+Salette+b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="178" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79n315GoT8RfiPo_YKbuiSD3FUWk_dul61Q7bXbP66dfqEaoD9nrctky2-JbhOhzcOfrJMYxXlYN5uNc-yKd-NlFRcEU9GoQx5c0iiMc4YVTsbIg7uM21DKtxPie0fXQaGkd5C0-s3N4O/s320/La+Salette+b.JPG" width="284" /></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-33679556958476673582015-04-28T19:19:00.001-04:002015-04-28T20:08:06.732-04:00St Anne vs St Monica - Patron Saint of Mothers Smackdown!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, I've been working a little in my online shop (<a href="http://www.rosamystica.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Rosa Mystica Religious Medals</a>) (shameless product placement!) and rearranging my medals and I'm wondering - who is thought of more as the patron saint of mothers: St Monica or St Anne? When it comes to antique religious medals, St Anne medals are much easier to find that St Monica medals. In all my years of searching for medals, I've only found one antique St Monica, but quite a few St Annes. As for being patrons of mothers, I know that really they BOTH are patrons of moms, just for the sake of argument let take a look at both of them.<br />
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Here's the<br />
Cliff Notes version of their lives:<br />
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/224702379/st-anne-medal-patron-of-mothers-and?ref=shop_home_feat_2"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTniYhZ7uDLhLOX6KkO876MsS44aq_gR9ijxH5f-m_bDpngD_qhAp081aB7DZbqQJwB6ckP-xN61kP8dr785G08tQR1JQ6AI-tXh8H0UnNZR8qV6kTXRqBrq7BGl_V8wJJTbQO_Vq-kI0a/s1600/Anne+small+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTniYhZ7uDLhLOX6KkO876MsS44aq_gR9ijxH5f-m_bDpngD_qhAp081aB7DZbqQJwB6ckP-xN61kP8dr785G08tQR1JQ6AI-tXh8H0UnNZR8qV6kTXRqBrq7BGl_V8wJJTbQO_Vq-kI0a/s1600/Anne+small+1.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a><br />
St Anne was the mother of the Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Jesus. Although they are not mentioned in the Bible, Catholic tradition states that Anne and her husband Joaquim had a difficult time conceiving a child. Like several old testament mothers, Anne was visited by an angel who told her that they would have a baby. She then promised to dedicate her child to God. In fulfillment of that vow, her daughter, Mary, was dedicated to the Lord in the temple in Jerusalem at age 3. Images of St Anne traditionally show her teaching Mary since there is a tradition that Mary was an educated young woman<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7uDuSkDGDLlhGZvLF1e_6FOJ3qcPc5aWC219GKyM07QSSpCojAuAvWmkZt1fDnoGsSgaDFcDwjATEwP1Z8Ua_Tgw5ERsHgbYqHWBwsVcety4mOHB9gRIritUeERb0uBohx9WHHFh_HgN/s1600/Monica+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7uDuSkDGDLlhGZvLF1e_6FOJ3qcPc5aWC219GKyM07QSSpCojAuAvWmkZt1fDnoGsSgaDFcDwjATEwP1Z8Ua_Tgw5ERsHgbYqHWBwsVcety4mOHB9gRIritUeERb0uBohx9WHHFh_HgN/s1600/Monica+1.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a>St Monica was born in 330. Although she was a Christian, she was married to Patricius, an older pagan man with a violent temper. Their oldest child, Augustine, caused her a great deal of heartache with his wild living. He joined a strange religious sect, lived with a wo<br />
man out of wedlock, had a child with her, and led an immoral life. Monica prayed for his conversion for 17 years, although she thought it was hopeless. A priest eventually told her "It is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish." Augustine did convert and was baptized in 387. Monica died later that year. Augustine went on to become a great saint and doctor of the church.<br />
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Personally, I relate more to St Monica because after raising three teenagers, I know what it feels like to pray and pray and pray for a child and feel like the situation is hopeless. Monica had to deal with a lot of problems that we still see in the modern world - her child making poor decisions that have serious consequences. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHpa4T-RKYyXSpB5CZMuyl1nucYFa2STM64BHa39z96eTa_KJHUox0G1Ca2WpcNIVorxwndcDwGnQko6GIIEyAB5pa9pEw9F6yEHH73vmFO6EyGPXUZ01-gNJegZ7w1fKm0jHoRzqTbQv/s1600/Anne+large+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHpa4T-RKYyXSpB5CZMuyl1nucYFa2STM64BHa39z96eTa_KJHUox0G1Ca2WpcNIVorxwndcDwGnQko6GIIEyAB5pa9pEw9F6yEHH73vmFO6EyGPXUZ01-gNJegZ7w1fKm0jHoRzqTbQv/s1600/Anne+large+1.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a><br />
When I think of Anne, to be honest, I think "How hard could it have been to raise the Virgin Mary?" S<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRpbC8C9teJ7CCtP-L_4UbKf0fdI6fowu3E4hjJznrAcrgCtTQQAWXDupsZktv0Hc0UORyIyBPczLeMD2KtTRcV_nLU-xeskAtpmUSuFS2MrYRFwM-8qvgniHAyQCszhHsRvh6yM5Kf50/s1600/Anne+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRpbC8C9teJ7CCtP-L_4UbKf0fdI6fowu3E4hjJznrAcrgCtTQQAWXDupsZktv0Hc0UORyIyBPczLeMD2KtTRcV_nLU-xeskAtpmUSuFS2MrYRFwM-8qvgniHAyQCszhHsRvh6yM5Kf50/s1600/Anne+1.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a>eriously! What I think was hard for Anne was the fact that she had to face the difficulty of not being able to get pregnant for years and then the heartache of giving her little girl over to the temple at age three. She can relate to any mother who had trouble getting pregnant or who is separated from her child by death or distance. <br />
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So, being a mom definitely comes with heartache. Monica had to deal with the heartache of presence - raising a child, setting an example, trying to do it all right only to see you child choose to do it all wrong. Anne had to deal with the heartache of absence - giving her child over to God's plan and allowing Mary to live a life that was out of Anne's control. But both must have had amazing trust in God in their difficulties. And I'm sure both prayed for the best for their children - and ultimately that's what happened - the best thing that could have, which is always the fulfillment of God's plan in God's time. (Now if I could just get past wanting my plan done in my own time....)</div><script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8832368.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8832368/">Who is your favorite patron saint for mothers?</a></noscript><div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-36986629705676936002015-04-15T18:07:00.000-04:002015-04-15T18:16:23.738-04:00St Expedite - The Patron Saint of Procrastinators<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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April 19th is the feast day of St Expedite (or Expeditus), the patron saint of procrastinators. No, I did not make that up! There's a long tradition of praying to St Expedite for help in getting things done in a hurry simply because of his name. Here's the definition from Websters: Expedite - To make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly. He was a natural to be picked for those who "put off until tomorrow what can be done today."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUIUBZcfadLJrCR8gFgNKQQsMYKi7eNmqXUcckDhUmAqaMISkVOrpKHhc9rkaRa9c0Ca4tj8lu5jB779g9vRpSoekkWKh8FxoJ1UnEMbAbJsk9NENaOfy7gU4rx62Bn-ewFIeEC2uB5N6/s1600/Expedite+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUIUBZcfadLJrCR8gFgNKQQsMYKi7eNmqXUcckDhUmAqaMISkVOrpKHhc9rkaRa9c0Ca4tj8lu5jB779g9vRpSoekkWKh8FxoJ1UnEMbAbJsk9NENaOfy7gU4rx62Bn-ewFIeEC2uB5N6/s1600/Expedite+1.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a>It appears that his cult began in Europe, then spread to the US with the immigrant population. Tradition says that he was a Roman centurion who was killed for his Christian faith, but the truth is hard to pin down and he may have been legendary. He's typically portrayed as a young Roman soldier holding a cross with the word "HODIE" (Latin for "today"). Beneath his foot is a crow calling out "CRAS" (Latin for "tomorrow". Apparently Roman crows don't say "CAW".) When St Expedite decided to convert to Christianity, the devil came to him in the form of a crow, calling out "Cras! Cras! Cras!" urging him to put off his conversion until tomorrow. St Expedite crushed the crow under his foot and didn't delay his baptism. It's easy to see how this story would make him popular for procrastinators!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3DDsEgvsXC22H0jswbL_5a-4vaEv3RyNlczmgEH6brWwvCeEBK3AUvp_YOhNQ1mToPoDQHjoCZ0d95ZKVTv2cvzxOh-l8epfTqTNutzm7zjb1VmhbKDxZlfmxOlSJ1Q7bpcDD0pnSzKr/s1600/Fragile.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3DDsEgvsXC22H0jswbL_5a-4vaEv3RyNlczmgEH6brWwvCeEBK3AUvp_YOhNQ1mToPoDQHjoCZ0d95ZKVTv2cvzxOh-l8epfTqTNutzm7zjb1VmhbKDxZlfmxOlSJ1Q7bpcDD0pnSzKr/s1600/Fragile.gif" height="222" width="400" /></a>An alternate beginning for St Expedite came from my mother-in-law in New Orleans who told me that a church there ordered several saint's statues and one crate holding a likeness of a Roman soldier was only marked "EXPEDITE" on the exterior of the box. The priest at the church assumed this was the name of the saint and he was venerated accordingly. Sort of like the movie "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Story-Full-Screen-Peter-Billingsley/dp/B000VBIGCW/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1429136128&sr=1-1&keywords=A+Christmas+Story" target="_blank">A Christmas Story</a>" where Ralphie's dad gets a mysterious box labeled "FRAGILE". Dad assumes the box is from Italy - it's marked "FRA-JEE-LAY"after all! Ok, that's where the similarities end because a statue of St Expedite really isn't like a leg lamp, but I'm sure you get the picture.</div>
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If you're interested in a St Expedite medal to help you or your procrastinating friends out, please just click on this link to go to my Esty shop - <a href="http://www.rosamystica.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Rosa Mystica</a> - where I sell reproductions of antique religious medals. </div>
Don't put it off! Do it now! <br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-16516639748588214342015-04-10T17:06:00.002-04:002015-04-10T17:07:41.570-04:00My Obsession with St Joan of Arc<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/216868849/large-st-joan-of-arc-with-battle-flag?ref=shop_home_active_24" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_njBHs5-rVY8vJ55H2-diBHsFw1VYtROID8SgDl8zwhnvsX4Vcf4vS3QtfYf-fjKhjuR9JpYX1nUxrqf234oLY7jDqNxEVa5GOJLF5IfBRt86tTQcj414zpzPo1-IRWJKQMPDVyIC7-qK/s1600/Joan+of+Arc+Large+1.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a></div>
I admit that I just can't get enough of St Joan of Arc. She just seems to be such an awesome saint in so many ways! The medal on the left is one of my favorites of her - but only one - I really every one that I've collected. <br />
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Here are just a few of the things that I think make her so cool:<br />
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexB-DOoK-Ab-aOe-4a1jr8n2ZAepDqaKPQmCVowNMrKnipIBk8HVWqpXCEyQ9qlu4omc3w2-pjywHlMf-cEA49f2qkFxBms1yCddTCtQrakRDBY9smh-3tmCKKILtNzGM_1jJAerI7iMb/s1600/joan-of-arc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexB-DOoK-Ab-aOe-4a1jr8n2ZAepDqaKPQmCVowNMrKnipIBk8HVWqpXCEyQ9qlu4omc3w2-pjywHlMf-cEA49f2qkFxBms1yCddTCtQrakRDBY9smh-3tmCKKILtNzGM_1jJAerI7iMb/s1600/joan-of-arc.jpg" height="187" width="320" /></a>
<li>Heard heavenly voices from not just one saint, but <b>three</b>: St Michael the archangel, St Margaret of Antioch, and St Catherine of Alexandria.</li>
<li>Picked the king of France, Charles VII, out of a crowd without ever having seen him before! (Nice try to trick our Saint, Charles, nice try....)</li>
<li>Led an army at the age of 16. (I was lucky to get my drivers license at 16.)</li>
<li>Wore pants before it was allowed. (Just because she could.)</li>
<li>Had her own set of armor! (Useful for every girl who does battle.)</li>
<li>Had her own battle flag. (Some days I need a battle flag.)</li>
<li>Gave as good as she got from the judge at her trial in Rouen. So good that they ultimately they could only sentenced her to death on the charge of wearing men's clothes instead of anything relating directly to heresy! (Strange but true!)</li>
<li>She totally rocked the pageboy haircut.</li>
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These are just a few of the reasons that I not only think of St Joan as the patron of France and soldiers, but of cool girls and strong women. Please chime in with your comment if you agree!</div>
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The St Joan medal pictured above and two others are available in my Etsy shop. <a href="http://www.rosamystica.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Click here</a> if you would like to take a look. If you would like to learn more about St Joan of Arc, then click on this link to visit <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/saint-joan-of-arc" target="_blank">The History Channel.</a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-45731240091315234092015-03-21T17:47:00.004-04:002015-03-21T17:48:48.240-04:00The Miracle of the Blood of San Gennaro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-C-RNBIxxg_F0l6D09t2QFtC7N9vwSXshb_uouYOSS9MPvtW-RLb71aOPR0W0c4VfLBCs5NrsG0VAulyPpEhdlODqqsyfQC9ItWdl5OgSZg7doKSBwo2eKSf6iYINotst8cL90VOZ8K4/s1600/San+Gennaro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-C-RNBIxxg_F0l6D09t2QFtC7N9vwSXshb_uouYOSS9MPvtW-RLb71aOPR0W0c4VfLBCs5NrsG0VAulyPpEhdlODqqsyfQC9ItWdl5OgSZg7doKSBwo2eKSf6iYINotst8cL90VOZ8K4/s1600/San+Gennaro.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
I love miracles. I mean I really LOVE them! I love learning about them, hearing about them, and on rare occasions, possibly witnessing one.<br />
Today the congealed blood of San Gennaro (or St Januarius) liquified in response to the prayers of the faithful in the presence of Pope Francis.<br />
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San Gennaro was an early martyr of the church who was beheaded during the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian around 350. According to legend, a fellow Christian collected a bottle of his spilled blood, and it is this same blood that we see today in a sealed glass reliquary. Every year on the first weekend of May, the blood is carried in procession to the cathedral of Naples and prayers are said for the intercession of St Gennaro. In response his blood changes from a congealed black mass to to liquid red blood. It typically happens every year and failure to do so is said to portend a misfortune for the city, for example, the blood remained congealed in 1980 <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoh6mVNmNg7-rFzQhHD-Qg7qy2hqoIeUNgAzCzug5D0ny24322FaGWQhrYm-ouAgcWaW46lJXEFBM7ETK17ZhOqVFwtNJQjZA0H9ZOIiKMSaNXInXrvIn-Htxu6uhbsT-Mwpc9LuW4cwS/s1600/PA-22553247-800x500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoh6mVNmNg7-rFzQhHD-Qg7qy2hqoIeUNgAzCzug5D0ny24322FaGWQhrYm-ouAgcWaW46lJXEFBM7ETK17ZhOqVFwtNJQjZA0H9ZOIiKMSaNXInXrvIn-Htxu6uhbsT-Mwpc9LuW4cwS/s1600/PA-22553247-800x500.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
and an earthquake happened soon after, killing over 2000 people.<br />
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This antique medal is part of my personal collection and has a great detailed portrayal of St Gennaro. I thought today was a perfect day to share it!<br />
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I enjoyed this article from <a href="http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/" target="_blank">The Vatican Insider </a>about today's miracle, <a href="http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/francesco-napoli-39932/" target="_blank">"The Blood of St Gennaro Liquifies in Francis' Presence"</a> and thought this was an interesting article the <a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Catholic Herald </a>about a priest's personal account of witnessing the miracle, <a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2011/09/21/the-day-i-saw-a-saints-blood-become-liquid/" target="_blank">The Day I Saw A Saint's Blood Become Liquid</a>.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-43934168208407794682015-02-19T17:04:00.001-05:002015-02-19T17:23:17.252-05:00St Christopher - Patron Saint of Safe Driving <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I purchased the original of the beautiful art nouveau St Christopher medal in from France. So many people look to St Christopher for safety during travel - especially for teenagers and young adults! And as mom to three young adults, I'm right there with you!<br />
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I like this medal because St Christopher is perched on the hood or a car, clearing the way of danger or trouble for the occupants. Usually St Christopher is shown walking through water because in his legend, it was believed that he carried the Christ Child on his back across a deep river. As he walked, the burden of the child grew heavier and heavier, it was only on reaching the far shore that Christopher discovered that his passenger was young Jesus himself and the weight he carried was the weight of our sins.<br />
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Is St Christopher really still a saint? Absolutely! His feast day was removed from the liturgical calendar because so little is known about him. During early Christian times a saint might be made through popular acclamation rather than a formal canonization process, and that's how Christopher became a saint. He is still the patron saint of travelers, lifeguards, and bachelors and many people celebrate his feast day today (July 24).<br />
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If you would like to see this medal in my shop, please click here: <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/221494667/st-christopher-safe-driving-medal-charm?ref=shop_home_feat_4" target="_blank">Rosa Mystica Religious Medals</a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-22843852420432893492014-02-03T16:12:00.002-05:002015-02-19T16:41:44.175-05:00Happy Feast Day, St Blaise!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today is the feast day of St Blaise. I really love this feast day because it's when the priests perform "the blessing of the throats" at mass. <br />
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Why is St Blaise the patron of throat problems? It all goes back to an 8th century legend about the saint which describes how a mother brought her little son to St Blaise because he had a fish bone stuck in his throat and was about to die. St Blaise blessed the boy's throat, the bone dislodged, and he was cured!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDy6XB8qe0Jlc9uuNCvr0CC_CwDGIvyKHjGAmk6ZtV5MmqEQ5mmGCAeg-ZodMFC3l80CQ3TCjC8twhuot4QXN1efUBNE_lV4vN4iynHoBRSIb0gQsH8g8cKnYBmx78GfSFUcwcgZAznYH/s1600/Blaise+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDy6XB8qe0Jlc9uuNCvr0CC_CwDGIvyKHjGAmk6ZtV5MmqEQ5mmGCAeg-ZodMFC3l80CQ3TCjC8twhuot4QXN1efUBNE_lV4vN4iynHoBRSIb0gQsH8g8cKnYBmx78GfSFUcwcgZAznYH/s1600/Blaise+3.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a>I relate to this story because I hate having a fish bone stuck in my throat. It used to happen when I was little and my grandfather brought fish home for us to eat, but the last time it happened was in Brazil. I was on a mission trip and on anight out I was chowing down on some Piranha soup. (Yes the man-eating scary type of Piranha.) You might think it's not easy to choke on soup, but I did it - a fish bone from the Piranha lodged in my throat! Did I pray to St Blaise? I wish I could say that I did, but my first thought was - I need a piece of bread! It finally dislodged and dinner went on, but I was done with the soup.<br />
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The way throats are blessed on the Feast of St Blaise works like this: The priest might hold two candles in an open "X" formation (like a cross), or he might have a cool St Blaise candle made especially for this purpose. (No, they are not lit, but that would inject an exciting element of danger to the whole proceeding.)<br />
He puts the candles on either side of your neck and says<br />
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"Through the intercession of Saint Blase, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."<br />
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Today is almost over, but I didn't want to let it go by without wishing everyone a happy feast day for Our Lady of Guadalupe. Last year I went to mass to celebrate with a Mexican friend and her family and had a great time. All the little girls dressed as Mary and all the little boys dressed as St Juan Diego were so cute!<br />
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I cast the medal pictured here from a vintage medal in my collection. I love it because it shows Our Lady's face so clearly. (It's for sale in my shop <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/88263348/our-lady-of-guadalupe-medal-hand-cast-in" target="_blank">Rosa Mystica</a>, if your interested...)<br />
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We have Our Lady of Guadalupe to thank for truly bringing the Catholic christian faith to Latin America. The miraculous cloak (or tilma) that belonged to Juan Diego and features the image of Our Lady is still on display in Mexico City and is venerated by pilgrims from all around the world. <br />
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The story of Guadalupe is fantastic to read, but too long for me to recap here at this late hour. (It's 11:00 PM while I'm typing this!) So I would suggest you head over to <a href="http://www.catholic.org/about/guadalupe.php" target="_blank">Catholic Online</a> to read their version.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-20335805493782228012013-12-01T17:38:00.001-05:002015-02-19T16:44:38.000-05:00A St Thomas More Medal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was just watching a history about Henry VIII, who is one of my favorite historical characters, (Well, favorite as in interesting - not admired!) and thought I would share this St Thomas More medal with you.<br />
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Thomas More was a lawyer, and one of Henry's closest advisers during his youth and the early days of his reign. He ran afoul of the king when he refused to swear the Oath of Supremacy which recognize the king, not the pope, as the supreme head of the church in England. Not only would he not swear to it, but being a rather smart guy, he wouldn't criticize it either! He knew that if he agreed with the act, although he would save his life, he would go against his conscience and the teachings of the Catholic church. If he spoke out against the act, he would lose his life, but guard his soul and conscience from harm. Wanting to save both his body and his soul, he decided that the best route to take was silence.<br />
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Unfortunately for him, he was tricked into making a statement against the marriage (or perhaps perjury was committed about his words), but once his feeling were known, he didn't hold back on what he believed about the king's marriage, the supremacy of the pope and the Catholic church, and the importance of an individual's conscience.<br />
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Henry VIII had is old friend and advisor executed at the Tower of London on July 6, 1535. His last words were "I die the king's good servant, but God's first." He is the patron saint of lawyers.<br />
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This medal is available in my online shop: <a href="http://www.rosamystica.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Rosa Mystica</a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-27038005546281428352013-10-24T16:56:00.004-04:002015-04-11T17:28:35.422-04:00Sacred Heart of Jesus Enamel Medal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrdwdt5FsdAY7AHjgtWFSQKmoTr3qjZ6p191bhgCymlzOycNzpqJ0zg-p6lQ_kuY7v8ycxl0R9wT1Pox874e5WoiBj7RBjrh5RHdrVrCMhpZJLNJSfz349zCQ1ChMoE83EhYIa5haYu9i/s1600/Enamel+Jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrdwdt5FsdAY7AHjgtWFSQKmoTr3qjZ6p191bhgCymlzOycNzpqJ0zg-p6lQ_kuY7v8ycxl0R9wT1Pox874e5WoiBj7RBjrh5RHdrVrCMhpZJLNJSfz349zCQ1ChMoE83EhYIa5haYu9i/s1600/Enamel+Jesus.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>I just wanted to take a second to post this fantastic medal. It's French and I would guess that it was made in the 1930's because of its geometric art-deco look. <br />
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The picture of Jesus has been hand painted in the center! The artist must have used a brush with only one hair because the image is so tiny! I placed it next to a stamp on a vintage postcard so there would be something to compare it to. <br />
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Enamel medals are my new favorite thing right now, and I've come across a few lovely ones that I'll share another time. For the moment, please enjoy this unique example! </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-56743338251088022282013-09-29T18:08:00.002-04:002015-02-19T16:45:35.617-05:00Feast of St Michael the Archangel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Since today is Sept. 29, the Feast Day of St Michael the Archangel, I wanted to share this beautiful medal with you. It's a reproduction that I cast of a vintage medal in my collection.<br />
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The original dates from the World War II era and especially brings to mind the militaristic attributes of this warrior angel. St Michael fought to cast Satan out of heaven, so he's not depicted as a wilting, delicate guy. You would want this angel on your side in battle! I love the strong bold lines used to depict him.<br />
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The symbolism on the medal also follows a military theme. The star behind his head is not just any star, but the star that you would see on the shoulder of a general, and the wings are those of an air force pilot. <br />
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This medal is a great reminder that Jesus does not demand that we be passive and weak in acting out our love for him, but sometimes he demands that we act with strength to protect what is right and good.<br />
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You can see this medal along with other St Michael medals in my shop: <a href="http://www.rosamystica.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Rosa Mystica Religious Medals</a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-42012777719087875162013-09-22T17:50:00.000-04:002015-04-11T17:30:29.345-04:00My Amazing Glow-In-the-Dark Rosary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I got this off of Ebay several years ago without realizing what it was ~ a rosary for children that glows in the dark! And not only does it glow in the dark, it also has a tiny Stanhope lens in the center of the cross that lets you see the Virgin Mary when you look inside! What child wouldn't want to pray the rosary with this?<br />
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What is a Stanhope lens? Briefly, it's a tiny microscope that was invented by Charles, the third Earl of Stanhope It's made by using a tiny tube of glass with convex ends. The image to be viewed is put at one end of the glass tube and appears to be magnified when the device is held up to the eye. </div>
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Stanhope lenses were especially popular during the 19th century and put in all sorts of souvenirs and novelty items. They were popular to sell at religious pilgrimage sites as well. An image of the site would be put at the end of the tube and the whole thing would be set into the center of a rosary crucifix. I have another one that shows six views of Lourdes, France when you look into the viewer! It's amazing when you realize how tiny the viewing area is.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-32299262525365518512013-08-23T17:14:00.001-04:002015-02-19T16:47:10.074-05:00In the Mood for "Song of Bernadette"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOn3xwd0cUbQGhnkA-p0jzoDRX2HaWbqSqzNFKcj7TRaB-_2RE0ftLwJSRMg_79hMxrswQ6CRT_TQJd2pGFADst_fZfdCsot4D5R3dit4uXxBX66RvbUO_b4bzx8XoJYJqsgM8nFBXccIH/s1600/Bernadette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOn3xwd0cUbQGhnkA-p0jzoDRX2HaWbqSqzNFKcj7TRaB-_2RE0ftLwJSRMg_79hMxrswQ6CRT_TQJd2pGFADst_fZfdCsot4D5R3dit4uXxBX66RvbUO_b4bzx8XoJYJqsgM8nFBXccIH/s1600/Bernadette.jpg" height="320" width="319" /></a> The title of this post says it all ~ I'm in the mood to watch one of my favorite movies of all time: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Song-Bernadette-Jennifer-Jones/dp/B00008LDO7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377291291&sr=8-1&keywords=the+song+of+bernadette" target="_blank">"The Song of Bernadette"</a>, so I'm showing a gorgeous medal from Lourdes, France. It shows the Virgin Mary on the front, and Bernadette Soubirous kneeling before Mary on the back. If you haven't seen the movie, it tells the story of St Bernadette Soubirous. Here's the synopsis, and yes, the whole thing is a spoiler, but read it and watch the movie anyway. It's awesome.<br />
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In 1858, in the grotto of Massabielle, near Lourdes in southern France, Our Lady appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, a young peasant girl who lived in complete poverty.<br />
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Bernadette always just referred to the beautiful vision as "aquero", meaning "that one" in her dialect. When asked who she was, Mary said that she was the Immaculate Conception, Bernadette didn't even know what the words meant and had to repeat them to herself so she wouldn't forget before she told the priest! <br />
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Mary also asked that a chapel be built on the site of the vision, and told the girl to bathe and drink from a spring in the grotto. The problem was - there was no spring there! Bernadette just dug at a muddy spot and rubbed mud on herself. People thought she had gone nuts. But after she left, a spring began to flow from the site. Today that spring flows at a rate of 32,000 gallons a day! <br />
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The water from this spring has shown remarkable healing power, though it contains no curative property that science can identify, and people come from all over the world to bathe in it and pray at the there. Lourdes has become the most famous modern shrine of Our Lady and is visited by over 6,000,000, not a typo - six million, people each year.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-81055019440475147142013-08-18T16:01:00.001-04:002015-04-11T17:31:49.956-04:00A Hand-Painted Holy Card<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I received this beautiful holy card in the mail a few weeks ago. It's from France and has been all hand-painted. The inscription on the bottom reads "Souvenez-vous do moi dans la receuillement a la prière." which translates as "Remember me in contemplation before prayer." On the back is written "Souvenir d'affecteuese reconnaissance ~ Sr. Adelphe" meaning "A souvenir of affectionate remembrance ~ Sister Adelph". So I'm assuming that Sister Adelph painted this holy card for a dear friend, or possibly a student (if she was a teaching nun). <br />
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The cross in the center looks like it's made out of celluloid - it's shiny and almost iridescent - and it's outlined by a chain of little pink roses with a purple and yellow pansy or violet in the center. <br />
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During the 19th century people were very aware of the meanings of different flowers. Red roses stand for love of course. (As anyone who watches the bachelor would know! :) I looked up "pansy" and saw that it stands for remembrance. Even more interesting, in French the word "pansy" is "pensée" which means "thought", so the pansy meant "thinking of you". The pansy is also a symbol of the holy trinity with it's three colors, purple, yellow, and white, symbolizing the father, son and holy spirit. The specific colors also were symbolic: Purple = loving memories, yellow = kind thoughts, and white = souvenirs. And then to pile symbolism on top of symbolism, a woman who retired from the world and became a religious was thought to be the pattern of humility and was associated with the violet, the most humble of flowers. <br />
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I have to believe that Sister Adelph was familiar with the language of flowers because she couldn't have chosen a more perfect on to be the center of her lovely holy card.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-88473594276067325972013-08-11T15:48:00.002-04:002015-02-19T16:48:13.139-05:00St Clare of Assisi ~ BFF of St Francis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today is the feast day of that most awesome saint, Clare of Assisi, also known as Claire or Clair, and BFF (Best Friend Forever) of St Francis of Assisi. St Clare was called to the religious life at the age of 18 by St Francis himself after she heard him preach. When St Francis began a woman's religious order that related to his own Franciscan order, he chose Clare to lead it. This group became known as The Poor Clares and St Clare was their abbess from 1215 to 1253 ~ almost 40 years.<br />
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This lovely little medal shows a miraculous event in the life of St Clare. In 1243 the invading Saracen army of Emperor Frederick came to sack the town of Assisi. St Clare's convent church of San Damiano was outside the walls of the town and made an excellent first target for the troops who hoped to carry off the riches of the church.<br />
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As the invaders approached the walls of the convent, St Clare, who was bedridden with illness, asked to be carried out to where she could be seen by the army. She took a ciborium holding the blessed sacrament with her and held it in front of her while she prayed for the safety of the nuns. In response she heard a small voice reply, "I will always have them in My care." The Saracens immediately stopped their attempts to enter the convent and fled the scene, leaving the sisters and the church compound untouched.<br />
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On the front of the medal you can see St Clare standing at the walls of the convent with the invaders climbing a ladder right in front of her. She's holding the ciborium aloft while the sister behind her kneel in prayer. The wall and towers of the town of Assisi can be seen in the background. The motto around the edge is in French and translates as "St Clare Pray for Us".<br />
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This medal is only about 1/2 inch across. It's amazing to me how much detail has been fit into such a tiny space!<br />
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St Clare was also known for spinning fine thread to be used in weaving articles needed by the church, making her the patron saint of needle workers, and could see the mass in progress projected on the wall of her cell while she was sick in bed, making her the patron saint of television. </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-40414370472175904932013-08-09T17:42:00.003-04:002015-02-19T16:50:01.233-05:00A Beautiful St Dominic Medal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Since yesterday was the feast day of St Dominic de Guzman, I wanted to feature one of his medals. This one, from France, is a little unusual because it shows the saint's portrait in profile. St Dominic medals usually show him full body kneeling in prayer.<br />
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He wears a beautiful detailed halo with a star on the top. The Golden Legend (an ancient history of saints) states that at his baptism when his godmother held him over the font, she saw a star shining on his forehead that would illuminate the whole world. Because of this, he is typically pictured with a star above him, and he has also become the patron saint of astronomers.<br />
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He wears the hooded robes of the Dominican order of monks, which he founded in 1215. St Dominic is also frequently shown holding a rosary. Legend states that the St Dominic was moved to create the rosary when he beheld a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Some scholars dispute this since the rosary did not become a popular devotion until the 15th century, but many believe that St Dominic definitely did encourage the use of some form of the rosary in his preaching and missionary work.<br />
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Around the edge the medal is inscribed "Saint Dominique P.P.N" The name Dominic is given the French spelling, and the abbreviation "P.P.N" stands for "Priez Pour Nous" which means "Pray For Us".</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-5684981203228337102013-03-17T17:12:00.004-04:002015-02-19T16:50:59.427-05:00Happy St Patrick's Day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRWOq_5fcM6T-lDc6wPA9eNMDscCv3k3n-AKg2iCWbWaBQtIBzZZqLPx3PW6MRv6R0aSxD41U13zvxdLd_QTjMwUrLOGYZzvlpF0HkG65Z5dEUYToInEPqB3Z-j3cq4aO5_E-1Q0dfwJi/s1600/Patrick+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRWOq_5fcM6T-lDc6wPA9eNMDscCv3k3n-AKg2iCWbWaBQtIBzZZqLPx3PW6MRv6R0aSxD41U13zvxdLd_QTjMwUrLOGYZzvlpF0HkG65Z5dEUYToInEPqB3Z-j3cq4aO5_E-1Q0dfwJi/s1600/Patrick+3.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a><span style="color: #274e13;">If I heard the homily correctly this morning, I understand that St Patrick was not Irish! I'm sure many people know that, but it still strikes me as funny. Apparently he was was from Roman Britain, which today might be part of Scotland.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">He was taken as a slave to Ireland when he was a teenager and while there turned to God and became a man of prayer. After he escaped he went on to become a priest and then returned to Ireland to share the faith with his former captors.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">I cast this St Patrick medal from an antique medal that came from France. The original had been worn and rubbed so much that St Patrick's face had been worn smooth, and you can see that in this casting. I love worn medals because it's like someone who owned the medal before you is showing you their faith.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">Did St Patrick really drive the snakes out of Ireland? Well, yes and no. Ireland never had snakes of the reptilian kind, but symbolically snakes represent evil and sin in the world. So you might say that St Patrick drove the "snakes" of pagan worship and traditions out of Ireland and replaced them with the Catholic Christian faith.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">I hope you have a Happy St Patrick's day!</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-29714231708836641182013-03-07T22:47:00.000-05:002015-04-11T17:33:25.513-04:00Faith, Hope, and Love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've started on a new quest - finding antique wax seal stamps containing religious images. This is the first one added to my collection, and I love it!<br />
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The cross in the center represents faith, the anchor on the left represents hope, and the flaming heart represents love. I have found out that these three attributes are called the "Theological Virtues of the Church". I knew they were important in church teaching and Christian living, of course, but didn't realize that they had a special title!<br />
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Here is my attempt at defining them:<br />
Faith: Belief and trust in God and His mercy.<br />
Hope: Expecting to receive, while trusting in God's will, without giving in to despair or giving up.<br />
Love: Selfless, unconditional giving of oneself through Christ's example.<br />
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I've used this antique stamp to make a pendant in fine silver, and I've had a great time wearing it around town. I've just added it to <a href="http://www.rosamystica.etsy.com/" target="_blank">my shop</a> and am anxious to see if people love it as much as I do!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-70814530070086307442012-12-19T10:30:00.002-05:002015-04-11T17:38:55.228-04:00Our Lady of Brebières (Notre Dame de Brebieres)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /> The ancient madonna<br />
statue known as Notre<br />
Dame de Brebières (Our Lady of the Shepherds) was found by a shepherd in the fields near Albert France during the middle ages. The shepherd's flock kept returning to the same green patch of grass day after day. In an effort to drive them somewhere else, he struck the patch of grass with a hoe to dig it up, and to his amazement, found a statue of the Madonna and Child underneath! It was taken to a local church where miracles were soon attributed to Our Lady's intervention. During the French revolution the statue was saved from destruction by being buried in a barrel in the basement of a local shop. It was returned to the Basilica of Notre Dame de Brebières in 1802.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvmTK2EsxPub_guZpDkmjlE9T2yXQmPg4dOnLhM5xMtJnGc-BGS-V6y6gXeSjNBTQssVmB28HPubFJiRnb1jbN5xYOUE4pvTazuynoQDwx48loanLk_6RgK8cCEdYlq3rnh9yXRdsvqtQ/s1600/Web+Brebieres+1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvmTK2EsxPub_guZpDkmjlE9T2yXQmPg4dOnLhM5xMtJnGc-BGS-V6y6gXeSjNBTQssVmB28HPubFJiRnb1jbN5xYOUE4pvTazuynoQDwx48loanLk_6RgK8cCEdYlq3rnh9yXRdsvqtQ/s1600/Web+Brebieres+1a.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><br />There is another famous statue of the madonna and child at the Basilica, but this is not the one pictured on the medal. The exterior statue of Notre Dame de Brebières became famous during World War I when it was damaged by a German mortar shell, but did not fall from her place. She became known as "The Leaning Madonna" and rumor said the the war would end when she fell. She did fall in the Spring of 1917, but unfortunately, the war did not end until November of that year. The statue has been replaced with a copy and is once again a famous landmark for the region.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-51194125816968419822012-07-22T16:30:00.002-04:002015-02-19T16:52:17.436-05:00St Mary Magdalen Medal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today, July 22, is the feast day of St Mary Magdalene, that famous, and some would say infamous, woman of the new testament who was a follower of Jesus. I've always been confused as to whom exactly Mary of Magdalene was - or more to the point - which Marys were the Magdalene. <br />
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We know clearly from the gospels that Jesus cast out seven demons from her (Lk 8:1-3), she stood at the foot of the cross (Mk 15:40, Mt 27:56 and Jn 19:25), and was present at Christ's burial and the first witness to the resurrection (Jn 20:1-18). But was she also the penitent woman who poured precious oil on Christ's feet and then wiped them with her hair (Lk 7:36-50)? And was she also the sister of Martha and Lazarus who sat listening at Christ's feet while Martha prepared the meal (Lk 10:38-42)? I found an interesting article written by Fr William Saunders of <a href="http://catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0665.html" target="_blank">The Catholic Education Resource Center</a> that makes an excellent case to prove that they were indeed the same person! I love it when a mystery is cleared up for me!<br />
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But I digress, back to this beautiful medal. It shows St Mary Magdalen gazing reverently upon a cross. Frequently these medals will also show her looking at a skull or with a skull at her feet. The cross and skull are "memento mori", objects that one would contemplate to reflect upon the fleeting aspect of life's pleasures, the ultimate end of life, repentance, and immortality. But the skull and cross are only two of St Mary Magdalene's attributes in art. She is also frequently shown holding a jar or covered chalice containing the oil she poured on Christ's feet. She may also be recognized by her long flowing hair, reminding us of how she used it to wipe the oil from Christ's feet at the home of Simon the leper (Lk 7:36-50). <br />
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Many antique religious medals from France that feature St Mary Magdalen won't show the saint's name, but will have the words "Sainte Baume" written on them. This refers to the medieval church of Saint Maximin la Sainte Baume that claims to have the remains of St Mary Magdalen in a reliquary there. French tradition holds that Mary Magdalen fled to France to escape persecution along with two other followers of Christ named Mary and Joseph of Arimathea. There's an entirely different medal made to commemorate that story that you can read about in one of my previous posts: <a href="http://catholiccollector.blogspot.com/2010/06/holy-maries-of-sea.html" target="_blank">The Holy Maries of the Sea.</a><br />
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You can learn more about this medal by looking at the marks on its ring. On the left is a raised square mark signifying that the medal is plated in sterling silver. The center mark is in the shape of a little crab. This is a French "small guarantee" mark, or "petit poinçon", that was stamped all all small French silver items from 1838 until 1972. It guarantees that the medal is at least .800 silver (80% silver). The third mark is the maker's mark which looks like the letters A and C with a sword or cross between them set in a sideways diamond. It represents the workshop of the artist who created the medal.<br />
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St Mary Magdalen is the patron saint of repentants sinners, Catholic converts, glove makers, pharmacists, perfume makers, and against sexual temptation. She was NOT Jesus' wife or girlfriend, the mother of Jesus' child, or the mother of an ancient royal dynasty. There's a reason the book "The DaVinci Code" can be found in the fiction section of your local library....<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-65341400557151138372012-07-18T17:05:00.003-04:002015-04-11T17:41:37.596-04:00"Way of the Cross" Book Medal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlTZNVC4M6frFLOO2Qq3TBsnCn5Bobur-Fko3WF34IS9Wdg9h1ZQZ2ByrG_aH2sMNNpbS5Dx4eHu_RJIEhgxU9J5p6qhf9hC2uXNgNaObjE2MEED7A-ucpNy8n2kKJrKpewZfOekqE6Nr/s1600/download.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlTZNVC4M6frFLOO2Qq3TBsnCn5Bobur-Fko3WF34IS9Wdg9h1ZQZ2ByrG_aH2sMNNpbS5Dx4eHu_RJIEhgxU9J5p6qhf9hC2uXNgNaObjE2MEED7A-ucpNy8n2kKJrKpewZfOekqE6Nr/s1600/download.jpeg" /></a> This tiny French book-style medal is a new addition to my collection. You can find these religious medals in many different forms - some open like a little purse, some flip up like a steno pad, but this one has hinges on the left like a real book and a latch on the right to keep it closed.<br />
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This type of medal usually has an embossed metal cover made of tin, so this one is a little unusual since it has a pretty gold and blue enamel cover. I've seen others like this one before, but never in such nice condition! Typically the enamel will be cracked, or, if the book is tin, the pictures will be missing out of the center or the latch will be broken.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQE6h9ocxNv253fHmXaeGtQXErh7uFRqwNlP3P4PC6pjIFeM64aI5sBzail_4wJV5RyuS-9rqcdvh71kOh2CyRoyFdx-Nyfkmm3nDfl7eTE9CYqLehyphenhyphenogTsmCL29mlbpdaGC535O0DaR3u/s1600/download+(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQE6h9ocxNv253fHmXaeGtQXErh7uFRqwNlP3P4PC6pjIFeM64aI5sBzail_4wJV5RyuS-9rqcdvh71kOh2CyRoyFdx-Nyfkmm3nDfl7eTE9CYqLehyphenhyphenogTsmCL29mlbpdaGC535O0DaR3u/s1600/download+(1).jpeg" /></a>So, what's the story in here? This little book is to be used for the stations of the cross. It has 14 tiny pictures with titles that go with each station. Book medals can also tell the life of a saint - particular favorites are St Therese the Little Flower and St Joan of Arc, or they could be used to illustrate a location such as the grotto and area around Lourdes, France. Occasionally they were used purely for publicity for a city, in which case it would show views and important places in the town.<br />
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The front is decorated with a slanted cross over cattails, which are a symbol of hope and rebirth. Below the cattails are the three nails used to nail Jesus to the cross. One for each and and one for both feet. The reverse has an embossed gold lily to represent purity and the Virgin Mary. It measures 1 x 3/4 inch, so if you're like me, you definitely need your reading glasses to enjoy the pictures!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-1839221800973502872012-07-12T16:04:00.004-04:002015-02-19T16:52:39.336-05:00St Anthony Medal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I wanted to take a minute to share this gorgeous St Anthony medal. I love gold depiction of St Anthony that's set in the silver framework. <br />
I would date this piece to the 1920's or 1930's because of the use of marcasite in the decoration. Marcasite was very popular during this time and was used to give an inexpensive sparkle to jewelry. It was even called "the poor man's diamond"!<br />
Among other things, St Anthony is well-know for his divine assistance in finding missing items. I admit to using the rhyme<br />
"Holy Tony come on down,<br />
Something's lost and can't be found!"<br />
on more than one occasion!<br />
If you would like to see more views of this medal, please visit my shop, <a href="http://www.rosamystica.etsy.com/">Rosa Mystica</a>.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-86752210036018363392012-03-28T15:34:00.001-04:002015-04-11T17:45:44.326-04:00The Feast of the Annunciation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit;">This is a large beautiful medal that shows our mother, Mary, on the front with the words "Maria Immac.", short for "Immaculate Mary", around her halo.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;">The Feast of the Annunciation celebrates the day that the archangel Gabriel visited the blessed Virgin Mary with the request that she bear the son of God in her womb. We celebrate her "Yes" on this holy day and give thanks for Mary who became Jesus's mother and our mother as well.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit;">The back of the medal shows her radiant Immaculate Heart. It's really lovely and perfect to share on this feast day.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcayaJNQ75KZy-oeqCng30FHe0xRfWC6osSzPfgVdxGfXBdqjrQ9abt7Tpv1MdPwdzaLZfNzwtbOzkhLtq1Dq-5rcc9p0hXGPpQt97CK-yGFOLRNOY7uMW6-UM_rIuc_svZBVoE600Yci/s1600/download+(3).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcayaJNQ75KZy-oeqCng30FHe0xRfWC6osSzPfgVdxGfXBdqjrQ9abt7Tpv1MdPwdzaLZfNzwtbOzkhLtq1Dq-5rcc9p0hXGPpQt97CK-yGFOLRNOY7uMW6-UM_rIuc_svZBVoE600Yci/s1600/download+(3).jpeg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;">Mary is flanked by the words "Penin Poncet". These are the names of the two well-known engravers living in Lyon who worked together in the 19th century. I believe this medal is the work of Ludovic Penin or possible his son Adolph with Jean Baptiste Poncet.</span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-27677449084733988792012-03-28T14:41:00.000-04:002015-04-11T17:55:36.122-04:00Happy Feast Day of St Joseph!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQ66fFh7VDrIPzHvrXUGTuLd18PBrECbadsL3SSJXdoIdmwdgy05oQ15d3Cp1Xo72iISCaowUIigaa9CWJXSzUAILnzFIPwT9SSh_GdBcPqN0vssJRQBjmEd2jY4KQy6RfYtgwJV_SGSo/s1600/download+(7).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQ66fFh7VDrIPzHvrXUGTuLd18PBrECbadsL3SSJXdoIdmwdgy05oQ15d3Cp1Xo72iISCaowUIigaa9CWJXSzUAILnzFIPwT9SSh_GdBcPqN0vssJRQBjmEd2jY4KQy6RfYtgwJV_SGSo/s1600/download+(7).jpeg" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;">St Joseph's expression on this medal is wonderful - serious but loving, and the baby Jesus is held in his arms. St Joseph holds his walking staff which has burst into bloom with lilies. Legend says that his blooming staff was the sign that he was chosen by God to be the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The lilies also represent the virtue of chastity as represented by St Joseph.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida sans unicode', 'lucida sans', arial;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;">The inscription is in Latin and reads "Sancte Joseph Ora Pro Nobis" or "St Joseph Pray for Us". St Joseph is the patron saint of fathers, workers, carpenters, and a happy death. Why happy death? Because we assume that when he died he had Jesus on one side and Mary on the other - there couldn't be any better way to go!</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436041625173601472.post-71312993703749957272011-05-23T20:48:00.004-04:002015-02-19T16:49:21.805-05:00St Barbara, Protect Us In Storms<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaAXUa79EqW1CEuU6ego-msETnW8isvph8hufvq0Vj2ojomPevyGXZF2cE1-oGAoEEcj04KssEtKdRQEilC7XB8CjtM07hexif_6R13dOs25R3Px2BaZ2hoo3fgMGCESHO0W6DPCVkshb/s1600/Barbara+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaAXUa79EqW1CEuU6ego-msETnW8isvph8hufvq0Vj2ojomPevyGXZF2cE1-oGAoEEcj04KssEtKdRQEilC7XB8CjtM07hexif_6R13dOs25R3Px2BaZ2hoo3fgMGCESHO0W6DPCVkshb/s1600/Barbara+1.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I gave this vintage St Barbara medal to my daughter, who is a student at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, after she made it home after the devastating tornadoes there. She went to the basement of the library, so she was fine, but my heart breaks today for the people of Joplin, MO and everyone who lost loved ones in Tuscaloosa.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hence, here's St Barbara - patron of those who need protection in storms. St Barbara was imprisoned in a tower by her father for her disobedience. While in the tower, she was converted to Christianity. When her father found out, he dragged her from the tower and killed her. In a moment of divine retribution, he was immediately struck by a bolt of lightning and killed himself! The avenging of her death by lightning led to her association with storms and protecting those who are endangered by them.</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">This came from the Catholic Collector's Blog! http://www.catholiccollector.blogspot.com/</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0