From the treasury of San Gennaro in Naples

San Gennaro is the cathedral of Naples, named after the martyr-bishop of the same city who died around 305 during the persecution under Diocletian. In the English-speaking world he is known as Januarius, I believe.

The saint is very famous in Italy because of the miracle of the liquefaction of his blood, first reported in 1389. The dried blood is safely stored in small capsules in a reliquary. When these capsules are brought into the vicinity of his body, the dried blood liquefies.

Thousands of people assemble to witness this event in the cathedral of Naples. The archbishop, at the high altar amid prayers and invocations, holds up a glass phial that is said to contain the dried blood of the city’s patron saint. When the liquefaction has taken place, the archbishop holds up the phial again and demonstrates that liquefaction has taken place. The announcement of the liquefaction is greeted with a 21-gun salute at the 13th-century Castel Nuovo.

Anyways, here are some nice exhibition pieces from the treasury of the cathedral:

Andreas Rohracher (1892 - 1976)

Archbishop of Salzburg/Austria from 1943 to 1969. To read about him and the privileges of the archbishops of Salzburg, check this older post on the same prelate.




I got some more splendid cappa-photos of Archbishop Rohracher, which I'll be posting during the next weeks or months.

Out-bling THIS

A ring of Pope Pius VI from the year 1775, made of gold, brilliant cut diamonds and blue glass. You gotta love the papal portrait.

Just for the sake of clear arrangement I will create a label "Catholic Bling" now, but not without first solemnly proclaiming that it was Carolina Cannonball who came up with this label FIRST, so she's got the copyright and I hope she wont sue my trousers off.

Norman Cardinal Gilroy (1896 - 1977)

Two great color photos of the first Australian-born member of the college of cardinals. The purple of the ferraiolo indicates a time of mourning, so it's either 1958 or 1963. Probably 1963, because the trees and sky look like summer and the conclave took place in June.

Josef Cardinal Beran (1888 -1969)

Josef Beran was ordained to the priesthood in 1911. He served as archbishop of Prague from 1946 until his death and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1965. He was imprisoned twice: Once under the Nazis in Pankrác, Theresienstadt (where bishop Štěpán Trochta of Litoměřice also was imprisoned at the same time), and then Dachau. In 1949 the communist regime of Czechoslovakia put him under house arrest and deprived him of all personal freedom and all rights as an archbishop. He eventually was sent to prison again in Mukařov and Radvanov from 1949 to 1963. After his release he was impeded from exercising his episcopal ministry, so he went to Rome, where he was made a cardinal in 1965 and died from lung cancer four years later.

Imprisoned by both the Nazis and the Communists. This is what a true martyr of the Church looks like: You don't take sides, you stick with Christ.


With Pope Paul VI


Probably after taking possession of S. Croce in via Flaminia


Carrying the head of St. Wenceslas in Prague


In his archiepiscopal palace before the commie pigs dragged him off to prison


As a cardinal


Same photo in color, but smaller

BLING!

I usually don't post watermarked photos, but this one is just too good to pass up. The humongousness of Manuel Cardinal Arteaga's ring shows us what a decent anillo used to look like. Bet it had a nice stone, too!

Cardinal Schiaffino - update!

A helpful and kind reader did some photoshopping on the picture of Cardinal Schiaffino, which I posted two days ago. Here's the amazing result:


Thanks, Michael!

Federico Cardinal Tedeschini

Federico Tedeschini was born in 1873 and was ordained a priest in 1896. He became nuncio to Spain in 1921 and received his episcopal consecration as titular archbishop of Naupactus by Pope Benedict XV in the same year. After being elevated to the cardinalate in pectore in 1933 he was published in the consistory of 1935 with the title of S. Maria della Vittoria. He was recalled from Spain (which was on the brink of civil war with the Church suffering heavy persecution after the fall of the monarchy in 1931) and became the Papal datary in 1938 and held the position until his death in 1959. In 1952 he returned to Spain as Papal legate to the Eucharistic Congress in Barcelona.


As nuncio in Spain


Again


As newly appointed cardinal, looking very young for his 62 years.


At the Eucharistic Congress in Barcelona, 1952


Again in Barcelona, with Francisco Franco

Cardinal Schiaffino

Placido Maria Cardinal Schiaffino, O.S.B. (1829-1889) was created a cardinal in 1885 with the title of Ss. Giovanni e Paolo. So far I haven't found many illustrations from that time that show a cardinal in full choir gear. This picture apparently was photographed and not scanned, so the light is a bit strange. I still like the mitove with the benedictine cardinal's habit and the splendid background.

Happy new year!

Hello everybody!

I am back and so is "the far sight".

Since we just started the new year and since of course tradition demands it to be a "happy" one, why not start 2009 with a happy prelate?

I give you Charles-Nicolas d'Oultremont, prince-bishop of Liege from 1763 to 1771.

Spellman Overload

Hello everybody. I wish you a good and peaceful Gaudete-Sunday!

I'll be taking my Christmas-break from next week on. I'll be back on January 7th or so. I might or might not post stuff in the meantime. It's likely that I wont, though, since I really need some time off.

However, I am looking forward to seeing you again in the new year.

Man, I cant believe Ken shut down "hallowed ground"! This was such a great blog. Now there's one provider of 'visual catholicism' less on the block. All the more work for me, Carolina, J.P. and the rest. I'll try and do my part to keep you happy, entertained and up to your earlobes in cappe magne.

Alright, since this is the last posting for three weeks or so, I'll open up the "Spellman"-drawer and post (or re-post - since some of the pics already appeared on the old blog) a vast number of my best Francis Cardinal Spellman photos.


Sitting in church

Somewhere in Rome

Under a canopy

Giving a speech

Ecce sacerdos magnus

In procession

During a funeral

In his archiepiscopal residence

Again, this time with autograph

With co-purpurados Guevara (Lima, center) and Vasconcelos-Motta (Sao Paolo, right). I love the guy between Spellman and Guevara. He looks like right out of a Don Martin cartoon.

With Clemente Cardinal Micara

Again

With a bishop I cannot identify (readers?)

With Josef Cardinal Frings, archbishop of Cologne

Again with an unidentified bishop

And again...

... and again
[Update: A reader sent in this information: The bishop in this photo is Monseigneur Pierre-Marie Théas, bishop of Montauban 1940-1947, bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes 1947-1970.]

At a social gathering

Smack

Peck


Alright! That's it for 2008. Please come back next year (and bring family and friends)!

Have a blessed Christmas! (Wait... Am I still allowed to say 'Christmas' in public?)

Cheers,
Leo