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Out of the Inferno

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Yesterday, I finished my re-reading of Dante's Inferno . Its last lines ( Lines 133-139 of Canto 34) were a consoling beacon of hope amidst this hellish Covid-19 pandemic: "Upon this hidden path my guide and I Entered, to go back to the world of light, And without any care to rest at ease, He first and I behind, we climbed so high That through a small round opening I saw Some of the turning beauties of the sky. And we came out to see, once more, the stars." It reminded me of the evening I gazed at Venus at the beginning of the community quarantine.  Back when restrictions on going out were not as strict as they are now. (Don't worry; I practiced physical distancing. I was the only one out at that time.) Indeed, let us all look forward to the time when we can all go out and gaze at the stars. For the meantime, we must make the best of our situation and continue thinking of ways to enrich our lives while staying indoors. On to rereading the Purgatorio.....
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The Oberammergau Passion Play

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One of my bucket list items is to see the traditional village Passion play in Oberammergau, a town in Bavaria, Germany. This play, which is held every ten years and which was first performed in 1634, depicts the life and death of Christ. It is interesing to learn that this custom had its origins in an epidemic like the one we are experiencing now. In 1633, the townsfolk made a vow to God that if He spared them from the bubonic plague, they would stage the play every 10 years. After they made the vow, the death rate decreased. Since the following year, the villagers have been keeping their vow. Today the play is performed on years ending in zero. The play lasts for around five hours and is performed for five months. The play is a community project. The whole town gets involved in producing it, either as actors, musicians, or stage technicians. The actors do not wear fake beards; rather, they grow their beards in time for the performance. Who would have thought that a plague can ...
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The Pope's Urbi et Orbi Blessing on March 27, 2020 (Rome Time)

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"Consoling" is the word that comes to my mind to describe Pope Francis' extraordinary "Urbi et Orbi" blessing on March 27, 2020 at 6PM (Rome time). The Vicar of Christ praying in front of the Body of Christ for the whole world that is currently wracked by anxieties from the Covid-19 pandemic. That same Vicar of Christ blessing that same world with that same Body of Christ. Powerful, consoling images that need no commentary. Before the blessing, there was a reading of the Gospel passage about Jesus calming the storm. The Gospel reading was followed by a homily which deserves to be read in full, in its direct translation. An English translation may be read here.
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