[wagglebee]

This is an amazing process and it's astonishing that it could be done so quickly.

[wagglebee]

Catholic Ping

[NYer]

Great article. Thanks for the post and the ping!

[bonfire]

The hands alone are incredible. God inspired artist.

[RobbyS]

Awesome.

[NYer]

Late on a Thursday night in December, an hour after he stuck the final thorns into the crown, he and a friend loaded the crucifix into the bed of his Toyota Tacoma. The figure lay on its back, feet toward the truck's cab, head sticking out beyond the tailgate. He drove it uncovered on rural roads through southern Virginia Beach, through stoplights in Kempsville, to the church near Norfolk's waterfront

Only this evening I heard a similar story. Our tiny parish has several large statues. Two of them - Saints Lucy and Martha - also went for a ride. The previous pastor, an American born Anglican convert, decided to purge all Latin influences from the Church. He was a 'purist' and felt the Church should reflect its 'authentic' Maronite heritage - icons only! He stuck these two saints in his car, heads sticking out the rear windows, and drove them up to Utica, NY. When the parishioners complained to the bishop, this priest was re-assigned and a new priest assigned - from Lebanon. Fr. Elie is Maronite by Baptism and bi-ritual through ordination. Father contacted Father Bassam Saade, pastor of St. Louis Gonzaga in Utica and asked for the statues back. Father Saade agreed. Within minutes, Fr. Elie was on his way up the thruway to Utica. Both Saints Lucy and Martha enjoyed a pleasant ride back to Troy, reclining on the seat next to him. They have since been restored to their posts, flanking the Sanctuary, a reminder of our Church's attachment to the Latin Church, through the Holy Father, as Supreme Pontiff.

[Iris7]

The word "art" is used nowadays for the most absurd tragic atrocities. Words fail me utterly.

Myself I am reconciled to the vulgar debasement of the word "art" by Art History, which studies Mont St. Michael, the Cathedral at Chartres, the abbey of St. Peter at Moissac (Ninth Century), the wonderful Cathedral of San Vitale (Fifth Century and in fine condition) at Ravenna, of the Basilica of St. Sernin at Toulouse (Eleventh Century, as is Chartres).

Sure, some PhD "art historians" "study" "modern art". Others , men and women of value, study Saint Peter's Cathedral in Rome. One recollects that the 2nd Century Pantheon in Rome was a consecrated Catholic church for 1,400 years, plus.

If I live I will see these structures. I am self taught in art, as is the remarkable artist Mr. Brockman. He and I are self taught, sure, but the only education is self education and the only discipline is self discipline.

Thanks for the post, and thanks for the ping.

Speaking of Maronite rite Catholics, those are our people, my people, and they are being killed for keeping our faith in the Holy Land. Without anger, blood lust, or hate, I say that this must stop.

[kenth]

Thanks for this thread. That is beautiful work, truly inspired.

I do some woodwork. I love doing it. But, I cannot imagine being this talented and gifted. Just beautiful work.

[Iris7]

The slide show you linked tried to install spyware. The site trips NOD32 and Spybot Resident. Looks like my NetVeda firewall is blocking at the kernel level.

Some "innocuous" bit of software, but with dangerous code.

A clean source for these images would be appreciated.

[livius]

Great article! What a challenge this must have been for the carver. And it seems that he rose to the challenge!

[Romish_Papist]

I live in Newport NEws VA, about 25 minutes or so from this Church. I'll go down there this weekend and take some photo's of the crucifix.