A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
Today we trod upon some rather important tombs, or at least the flooring above them, in the church of Santa Maria della Scala in Trastevere. Here, Miss O'Connor told us the fascinating fairytale-like story of a Persian "Amazon" (Circassian) princess, Teresia Sampsonia, who married a famous English "adventurer" (diplomat and military advisor), Sir Robert Shirley. After an exciting married life of diplomatic travel and adventure together, the princess was left a widow when Shirley died of dysentery in 1628. They had one child, Henry. She soon retired to Rome and became a third order Carmelite attached to this church. She had her husband's body brought to Rome and interred here beneath our feet, where she was eventually laid by his side. What an extraordinarily complex woman... and it's a true story! Wouldn't you like to see this turned into a novel and then adapted as a costume drama for the big screen? In Rome, life is stranger than fiction.
(Rabbit trail alert: once you click on some of those links above, you may find yourself reading for hours...)
P.S. For those who can't get enough of English Protestant-Catholic intrigue, here is something interesting about another Robert Shirley, presumably a relative of our subject of the day. Read the second to last paragraph first to pique your interest in the rest of the article.
Liturgical: Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the Church,
because we are members of his Body.
Bishop Barron's Gospel reflections today.
Sanctoral: The Roman Martyrology (2004) commemorates today St. Narcissus of Jerusalem (99-215) who was consecrated Bishop of Jerusalem about the year 180. He was already an old man, and God attested his merits by many miracles. The holy bishop had many false accusations against him, but the truth prevailed. He decided to use this as an opportunity to pursue a life of solitude, and he withdrew secretly into the desert for a time. Then Narcissus returned to Jerusalem and resumed his office. He died in extreme old age, bishop to the last.
An audio bio here.
Blessed Chiara Luce Badano, Italy (1971-1990)
Human: Birthday of James Boswell (biographer) – 1740
312 AD – Constantine the Great came to Rome after the victory at the Milvian Bridge and took the so-called adventus, or official greeting by the city’s residents to the ruler after the winning campaign. The body of Maxentius was fished out of the Tiber and beheaded
539 BC King Cyrus "the Great" of Persia marches into Babylon, freeing Jewish captives and allowing them to return home
1929 Stock market crash on Wall Street, known as "Black Tuesday," triggers the Great Depression
2015 China announces the end of its one-child policy after 35 years
1618 English adventurer, writer and courtier Walter Raleigh is beheaded for allegedly conspiring against King James I of England
Natural: The explorations of Sir Walter Raleigh and the Lost Colony of Roanoke, VA
Italian: Pure (as well / but / even though / go ahead)
Quotes: Let all creation help you to praise God. Give yourself the rest you need. When you are walking alone, listen to the sermon preached to you by the flowers, the trees, the shrubs, the sky, the sun and the whole world. Notice how they preach to you a sermon full of love, of praise of God, and how they invite you to proclaim the greatness of the one who has given them being.
Saint Paul of the Cross
"I care only about doing the will of God, doing it well, in the present moment."
--Blessed Chiara Badano
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