"Edmonton's Christian University" schedules a celebration of a Hindu festival

According to the Indian site Book My Pooja (bold in original):

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is India’s grand festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Families come together for prayers, feasting, charity, home decoration, and festive joy. It holds immense spiritual and cultural significance across Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and Buddhist communities.

In 2025, Diwali falls on Monday, 20th October, with Lakshmi Puja as the main highlight of the festival.

Diwali 2025 – Main Date and Tithi Details

Main Diwali Date (Lakshmi Puja): Monday, 20th October 2025
Amavasya Tithi Begins: 20th October at 12:11 AM
Amavasya Tithi Ends: 21st October at 10:43 PM
Lakshmi Puja Muhurat: 6:59 PM to 8:32 PM IST

The 5 Days of Diwali Festival 2025

1. Dhanteras (Dhantrayodashi) – Saturday, 18th October 2025
Worship of Lord Dhanvantari and Goddess Lakshmi
Buying gold, silver, brass, or utensils is considered auspicious
Homes are cleaned and illuminated to welcome prosperity

2. Narak Chaturdashi / Kali Chaudas – Sunday, 19th October 2025

Also known as Choti Diwali
Ritual Abhyang Snan (holy oil bath) is performed before sunrise
In South India, this is the main Deepavali day, marking Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasura

3. Lakshmi Puja (Main Diwali Night) – Monday, 20th October 2025

Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, and Kuber are worshipped
Diyas are lit to drive away darkness and invite divine blessings
Families perform Lakshmi-Ganesha Puja in homes and businesses

4. Govardhan Puja / Annakut – Tuesday, 21st October 2025

Worship of Lord Krishna who lifted Govardhan Hill to protect devotees
Celebrated with grand food offerings (Annakut) and Govardhan rituals in temples

5. Bhai Dooj / Yama Dwitiya – Wednesday, 22nd October 2025

Celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters
Sisters apply tilak on brothers’ foreheads and pray for their longevity
Gifts and sweets are exchanged in a joyful atmosphere

Why Diwali is Celebrated – Cultural Significance

North India: Commemorates Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya and the lighting of diyas across the kingdom
Gujarat: Marks the end of the financial year, with Chopda Pujan (sanctification of account books)
South India: Celebrates Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasura
Bengal & Odisha: Diwali coincides with Kali Puja, invoking the fierce form of Goddess Durga
Jainism: Observes Mahavira’s Nirvana (liberation) on this night
Sikhism: Celebrated as Bandi Chhor Divas, marking Guru Hargobind Ji’s release from prison

How Diwali is Celebrated Across India

Lakshmi-Ganesha Puja: Prayers for prosperity, wisdom, and new beginnings
Lighting Diyas: Symbol of light, purity, and spiritual awakening
Decorating Homes: With rangoli, flowers, torans, and lights
Firecrackers: Traditional celebration of joy and the victory of dharma
Feasting and Sweets: Preparation and sharing of homemade mithai like laddus, barfi, kheer
Charity (Daan): Donating food, clothes, or money as part of Diwali dharma
New Clothes: A symbol of renewal and abundance

Modern Tips for a Sustainable Diwali

Use eco-friendly diyas and natural rangoli colors
Prefer green or silent firecrackers to reduce pollution
Gift handmade or local artisan products
Focus on spiritual practices, bonding, and seva (service) rather than materialism

Book Pandit for Lakshmi Puja or 5-Day Diwali Rituals

BookMyPooja offers:

Full 5-day Diwali Puja services, including Lakshmi-Ganesha Archana, Chopda Pujan, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj rituals
Experienced priests fluent in Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi traditions
Online and in-person pujas with complete puja samagri kits included
Customized pujas for homes, businesses, and gated societies

One need not understand the meaning of all the terms mentioned in the paragraphs above to see that Diwali is a festival of Hinduism and its derivatives, worshipping Hindu deities. One might therefore wonder why The King's University, which bills itself as "Edmonton's Christian University," has the following in its calendar of events for 2025-26 (bold in original):

Diwali Celebration
Current Students
October 21, 2025
All Day
The King's University

This comes as no surprise to this blogger, who has long warned that anyone who thinks that The King's University and similar institutions are actually Christian isn't paying attention to what's going on.

See also my posts:

"Christian" play The Big Picture reduces the Bible to a two-hour production (February 15, 2012)

20 years ago: Activist Supreme Court of Canada invents sodomite rights in provincial legislation (April 2, 2018)

"Edmonton's Christian University" holds a silent online auction (September 23, 2021)

"Edmonton's Christian University" supports United Nations sustainable development goals (January 31, 2023)

"Edmonton's Christian University" celebrates "Pride Week" (March 8, 2023)

False gods exact a high price from their devotees

When a mere man is worshipped as God, the results are never good; as reported by Elena Salvoni and Agence France-Presse in the London Daily Mail, July 2, 2024:

Around 100 worshippers have been crushed to death at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India, government medics have said.

The death toll has risen to 107, with scores of others injured, according to a senior government official. There are fears the number of dead could increase further.

A large crowd had gathered near the city of Hathras, Uttar Pradesh state, for a sermon by a popular preacher but a fierce dust storm sparked panic as people were leaving.

Many were crushed or trampled, falling on top of each other, with some collapsing into a roadside drain in the chaos.

'The attendees were exiting the venue when a dust storm blinded their vision, leading to a melee and the subsequent tragic incident,' said Chaitra V., divisional commissioner of Aligarh city.

Unverified videos show people crammed together as panicked shrieks and sirens ring out. Separate footage shows bodies piled up on the ground outside a local hospital in the aftermath.

Indian president Droupadi Murmu said in a statement on X: 'The news of the death of many devotees including women and children in the accident in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh is heart-rending.

'I express my deepest condolences to those who lost their family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.'

State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his thoughts were with the bereaved families and he ordered an urgent investigation into the incident.

'Instructions have been given to the concerned officials to conduct relief and rescue operations on war footing and to provide proper treatment to the injured,' he wrote on X.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said he has spoken to Adityanath regarding the tragic incident.

He said the Uttar Pradesh government 'is engaged in providing all possible help to all the victims.'

'My condolences are with those who have lost their loved ones in this,' he added, 'Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured.'

Crowds had been massing to celebrate the Hindu deity Shiva in the town of Sikandrarao, some 120 miles (200km) southeast of New Delhi.

Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar said that it was 'a private event and permission had been given by the sub-divisional magistrate.

'Security arrangements were made by the administration but the other arrangements were supposed to be made by the organisers.'

Deadly accidents are common at places of worship in India during major religious festivals.

At least 112 people were killed in 2016 after a huge explosion caused by a banned fireworks display at a temple marking the Hindu new year.

The blast ripped through concrete buildings and ignited a fire at a temple complex in Kerala state, where thousands had gathered.

Another 115 devotees died in 2013 after a stampede at a bridge near a temple in Madhya Pradesh.

Up to 400,000 people were gathered in the area, and the stampede occurred after a rumour spread that the bridge was about to collapse.

About 224 pilgrims died and more than 400 others were injured in a 2008 stampede at a hilltop temple in the northern city of Jodhpur.

Perceptive readers will notice that the devotees were gathering to worship Shiva. Shiva is a major deity in Hinduism, and is known as the Destroyer in the Hindu trinity that includes Brahma and Vishnu. The destruction resulting from this incident was reported by Cherylann Mollan of BBC News and Dilnawaz Pasha of BBC Hindi, July 3, 2024 (bold, links in original):

The number of people killed in a crush at a religious gathering in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has risen to 121, making it one of the deadliest such disasters in more than a decade.

The incident took place during a satsang (a Hindu religious festival) in Hathras district on Tuesday.

Police said the number of people present at the venue was three times the permitted limit and most of those who died or were injured were women.

A case has been registered against the event's organisers.

The tragedy has sparked outrage in India, and has led to questions about lapses in safety measures.

What happened?

The crush took place in Pulrai village, where a self-styled godman called Bhole Baba was holding a religious gathering.

Officials said the event was massively overcrowded.

Authorities had given permission for 80,000 people to gather but around 250,000 people attended the event, according to the first information report (FIR) lodged by the police.

Chaos broke out at the end of the event as the preacher was about to leave in his car.

The police report said thousands of devotees ran towards his vehicle and began collecting dust from the path in an act of devotion.

As crowds swelled, several of those sitting and squatting on the ground got crushed.

The document added that some people tried running to a patch of mud-filled fields across the road, but were forcibly stopped by the organisers and were crushed.

Police have registered a case against a man who they say was the event's main organiser and a few others on several charges, including culpable homicide.

On Tuesday, distressing images from the site were circulated online.

Some videos showed the injured being taken to hospitals in pick-up trucks, tuk tuks and even motorbikes.

Other clips showed distraught family members screaming outside a local hospital as they tried to find their loved ones among rows of bodies left at the entrance.

Bunty, who uses only one name and comes from the state's Aligarh district, said he was devastated at the loss of his mother.

He saw her body lying outside a hospital on a news channel on Tuesday evening.

"But when I went there, I could not find my mother and have since been trying to locate her body," he told BBC Hindi.

Others expressed anger over the incident.

Ritesh Kumar, whose 28-year-old wife was among those killed, said his life had been upended.

“My family has been destroyed. The government should see to it that we get justice,” he said.

Who is Bhole Baba?

The self-styled godman's original name is Suraj Pal but he reportedly re-christened himself Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari. His devotees call him Bhole Baba.

He hails from Bahadurpur village in Kasganj district, which is about 65km (40 miles) from Hathras.

Sanjay Kumar, a senior police officer in the state, told BBC Hindi that he was a constable in the police but was suspended from service after a criminal case was lodged against him.

He was reinstated in the force after a court cleared him but left his job in 2002, Mr Kumar added.

Details about his life are sketchy, but Mr Kumar says that after leaving the force, he began to call himself Bhole Baba.

He does not have much social media presence, but has hundreds of thousands of followers in Hathras and neighbouring districts.

Huge crowds attend his sermons where he is mostly seen in white clothes.

Since the tragedy, the preacher is believed to be hiding in his ashram in Mainpuri, about 100km (62 miles) from Pulrai village.

Shalabh Mathur, a senior official in Aligarh police, said a search was underway to find him and question him.

Police say he runs an organisation called the Ram Kutir Charitable Trust, which was also the main organiser of Tuesday's event.

Satsangs are events where people gather to pray, sing devotional songs or listen to a preacher and they are often attended by a large number of women.

Gomti Devi, who was present at the event, said she had a lot of faith in the Bhole Baba.

She said she wears a locket with his photo because he "cures diseases, ends domestic troubles, and provides employment".

Gomti Devi holds up a locket with the religious leader's image

As reported by Reuters, July 3, 2024 (bold, links in original):

A massive gathering addressed by an Indian policeman-turned-preacher, considered an incarnation of God by his followers, turned horribly wrong on Tuesday, as at least 121 people, mostly women and children, died in a stampede.

"Bhole Baba", or the Innocent Elder, is the sobriquet of a self-styled godman who was a police constable before he turned to spirituality and became a preacher. Originally Suraj Pal Singh, he later changed his name to Narayan Sakar Hari. He is currently untraceable, and police in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where Tuesday's tragedy occurred, said they were still trying to trace him.

Here are some known facts about the preacher:

ORIGINS

Bhole Baba was a police constable in Uttar Pradesh for nearly a decade before he resigned and turned to spirituality, Sudhir Kumar, a senior police official said. The preacher is a native of Kasganj village, close to the Hathras area where the stampede took place.

He used to travel across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, in India's northern belt, where he has a huge following, and address gatherings, mostly on the first Tuesday of every month, local media said.

A member of India's low-caste Dalit community, Bhole Baba's aim was to create an ideal society, free of superstition and full of compassion, according to a hoarding erected at the site of Tuesday's incident.

ONLINE PERSONA

Posters and videos posted on Bhole Baba's YouTube channel, which boasts of millions of views, show him dressed in either traditional Indian kurta tunics or pristine white suits and ties, often sporting sunglasses, a departure from the spartan image of most godmen.

Holding a microphone in hand, seated on an ornate throne and with his wife by his side, Bhole Baba is seen addressing huge gatherings of mostly women, almost all of whom are sitting on the ground, hands folded in reverence. "Humanity was the true religion, is the true religion and will always be the true religion," he is quoted as saying in a poster.

To protect himself from devotees who would rush to touch his feet and seek his blessings, Bhole Baba had formed a security team known as Narayani Sena, with men and women guards who would escort him to gatherings, an NDTV report said.



Who is Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari?

Suraj Pal Singh, known to his followers as Bhole Baba, was born in Bahadur Nagari village in Uttar Pradesh's Etah district to a farmer. He joined UP police and was a head constable working with the Intelligence Unit for over 18 years. However, his followers say he has also claimed that he worked for the Intelligence Bureau.

In 1999, he took voluntary retirement from the service, changed his name to Narayan Saakar Hari and began holding satsangs. He told his devotees he felt an inclination towards spirituality and world peace and he resigned to begin his spiritual journey.

From Suraj Pal to Narayan Saakar Hari

According to a report, he claimed to live in a hut in his village and travelled across Uttar Pradesh to preach. Narayan Hari also enjoys a large following in neighbouring states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Unlike most self-styled godmen, Narayan Hari is seen wearing a white suit and tie or a simple kurta pyjama accompanied by his wife Prem Bati. He also claims he does not keep any money offered to him by followers at his satsangs and distributes it among his followers.

Covid Satsang Had 50,000 Attendees

Even though the self-styled godman is known to keep his distance from the media, he has been embroiled in several controversies. In 2022, he held a similar satsang in UP's Farrukhabad even as cases of Covid were on the rise. While the district administration only permitted 50 people to attend the event over 50,000 people reached the site to attend the programme. The large crowd led to the significant traffic snarls in the area.

Seeing the large crowds that turn up for his satsangs, the godman has a security team named "Narayani Sena" that consists of men and women guards who escort him from his ashram to the satsang locations.

As reported by Reuters, July 5, 2024 (links in original):

The chief organiser of an Indian preacher's event where a stampede killed 121 people this week surrendered to police on Friday, a lawyer for the preacher said, after police had launched a manhunt.

Devprakash Madhukar was named a key suspect in an initial report registered by police under charges including attempted culpable homicide. Police had announced a reward of 100,000 rupees ($1,200) for information leading to his arrest.

A.P. Singh, lawyer for self-styled godman Bhole Baba, said Madhukar was the main organiser of the Hindu religious event on Tuesday attended by about 250,000 people in a village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. District authorities had permitted an event of only 80,000 people.

"He has surrendered from Delhi. We are not seeking an anticipatory bail," Singh told reporters. He denied any wrongdoing by the event's organisers and said Devprakash was getting medical treatment in a hospital after the stampede.

The preacher said on Saturday he was saddened by the incident and his aides would help the injured and families of the deceased.

"I have faith that anyone who created the chaos will not be spared," he told Indian news agency ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake.

($1 = 83.47 Indian rupees)

Tree is granted membership in Manitoba Buddhist Temple

Spiritual buffoonery isn't restricted to New Agers, charismaniacs, or liberal "Christians." As reported by John Longhurst of the Winnipeg Free Press, September 26, 2022 (photo in original):

There’s a new member of the Manitoba Buddhist Temple: a tree.

The large tree, which stands in front of the Winnipeg temple, was made a member of the sangha, or congregation, at a ceremony Saturday.

“It’s a way to make a point about what’s happening to the environment today,” said Tanis Moore, sensei of the temple.

“Trees are vital for our survival, and they provide beauty and shade.”

Moore was inspired to hold the ceremony by what Buddhists in Thailand are doing to preserve their forests.

In the Southeast Asian country, monks have been ordaining trees in order to protect them from being cut down for environmentally destructive cash crops.

The Winnipeg ceremony, which was led by Moore and Fredrich Ulrich, former sensei at the temple, began with the ringing of a bell. It was followed by a chant beside the tree, which had an orange saffron coloured cloth wrapped around its trunk.

The tree was then given the name as Dharma Phala, or “Fruit of the Dharma,” along with the title “honoured one” and thanked for joining the congregation.

The ceremony included the playing of a shakuhachi bamboo flute by Eric Napier Strong, who attends the temple.

It concluded with a prayer: “We gently caress you, our planet and home… make us aware of the harm we have done to the life network upon which we ourselves depend.”

“It’s like baptizing someone into a Christian community,” said Ulrich, explaining the meaning behind the ceremony.

“It’s representative of all trees,” added Moore. “It’s a symbol of our desire to care for the planet.”

Fredrich Ulrich, former sensei at the temple, says the ceremony inviting the tree into the congregation is akin to baptizing someone into a Christian community.

Fred Ulrich has been around for a long time; he was a priest in Edmonton in the 1980s. On March 5, 1987, during Christian Awareness Week at the University of Alberta, he debated Jeff Amano (author of The Reincarnation Sensation) of Probe Ministries on the subject of reincarnation vs. resurrection.

"Divination bones" discovered in southern Israel

As reported by Sarah Katz of Israel365 News, August 16, 2022 (link, photos in original):

Let no one be found among you who consigns his son or daughter to the fire, or who is an augur, a soothsayer, a diviner, a sorcerer,one who casts spells, or one who consults ghosts or familiar spirits, or one who inquires of the dead. Deuteronomy 18:9 (The Israel BibleTM)

The dice assemblage. Photo credit: Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority

A rare assemblage of “astragali”—animal knuckle bones used for gaming and divination—dating from the Hellenistic period (2300 years ago), was uncovered by Dr. Ian Stern in the Maresha-Bet Guvrin National Park in the Judean Shefelah in southern Israel. This exceptionally large assemblage, were published recently for the first time in the British archaeological journal LEVANT, was studied by Dr. Lee Perry-Gal of the Israel Antiquities Authority, Prof. Adi Erlich of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Dr. Avner Ecker of the Department of Land of Israel Studies in University of Bar Ilan, and Dr. Ian Stern of the Nelson Glueck School of Archaeology, Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem. The assemblage was discovered several years ago, in the huge underground cave complex below the ancient city of Maresha.

The “astragali”—knuckle bones of goats, sheep and cattle—were used similarly to dice for gaming and for ritual divination, mainly by women and children. Some of the knuckle bones were shaved down, or perforated, or filled with lead, to be thrown more effectively, as dice.

The dice bear god names and game instructions. Photo credit: Roi Shafir, University of Haifa

Tens of the dice bore Greek inscriptions: some were engraved with the names of gods associated in ancient times with human wishes and desires. Aphrodite, the goddess of fertility, love and beauty, Eros, the god of love, the god Hermes, the goddess Hera, and Nike, the goddess of victory, appear amongst other gods. On other knuckle bones, game instructions and various game-roles are engraved, such as “Robber”, “Stop!”, “You are burnt”, etc.

The dice bear god names and game instructions. Photo credit: Roi Shafir, University of Haifa

According to Dr. Lee Perry-Gal, Israel Antiquities Authority zooarchaeologist and research fellow in the University of Haifa, “The assemblage of astragali from Maresha is very unique, specifically the large quantity and good quality, and the many inscriptions. The assemblage shows that in ancient times of distress, as today, people sought help from external factors, in magic and spells and in the world of the unknown. In the past, men, and especially women, struggled with an environment of uncertainty, death, childbirth, and health issues, and tried to protect themselves with the help of magic. In addition, we know that astragali were used for games. It is noteworthy that we have examples of children buried with similar gaming dice. The cubes, which were a popular gaming activity, had a role in accompanying children to the next world, to be used there”. Perry-Gal adds, “ Since the astragali symbolize good luck, it was customary to inter them under the house threshold, in the hope that they will bring good luck and prosperity.

Dr. Lee Perry-Gal holding the gaming dice. Photo credit: Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority.

“It is of interest that these knuckle bones are often found next to ostraca (pottery sherds with writing inscribed or written in ink), which bore Aramaic texts, such as, ‘Magical incantation’, or ‘If you do so, this will happen to you., which demonstrates their cultic role.

According to Dr. Perry-Gal, “The Hellenistic city of Maresha was one of the period’s melting-pots in the southern Levant. “Different populations and cultures lived side-by side here as neighbors, all subordinate to the Hellenistic rule. There lived here Edomites, Phoenicians, Nabateans and Jews, and the different peoples and cultures influenced each other.”

According to Eli Eskosido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “This fascinating research sheds light on the life and customs in the ancient world and reminds us that people are regular people all over the world. They dream and hope, and notwithstanding the harshness of daily life, they find time for playing and leisure.”

See video.

Superstition and idolatry are alive and well in Argentina

As reported by Chris Jewers of the London Daily Mail, March 27, 2020 (links in original):

(photograph)

Netizens in Argentina have thanked the Virgin Mary for protecting them after claiming this image of her appeared in the sky amid the Coronavirus outbreak.

The 'figure' was taken at around 5pm on Wednesday in the city of San Carlos, in the northeastern Argentine province of Corrientes and was later spread on social media and messaging services.

An unnamed resident whose daughter took the picture said 'in the sky, a rainbow started to be seen, and then some drops started to create the figure (of the Virgin) in the sky surrounding the sun'.

Local media reported that some residents compared the figure seen in the sky with the Virgin of Itati, the patron saint of the province of Corrientes.

While netizen Susy Jimenez seemingly saw the figure as the Virgin Mary, writing: 'Thanks Mother for protecting us, for interceding for God, and for your mercy for the people.'

Reports state the figure was also seen from the nearby town of Candelaria. San Carlos is said to be one of the oldest Jesuit towns in the province.

Nancy Cervantes Saez commented 'and there are a lot of stories… I do know we are very sensitive, aren't we asking for a bit of hope?', connecting the incident with coronavirus pandemic and the beginning of the quarantine in Argentina.

But 'Ricardo Busto' added: 'My cousin says she sees a penis'.

Argentina has had 589 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 12 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker.

Hindu idolaters in India drink cow urine in an attempt to fight coronavirus

I think I'd rather take my chances with the virus. As reported by David Sidman of Breaking Israel News, March 25, 2020:

Hundreds of Hindus across India are holding cow urine ceremonies in New Delhi to protect and cure themselves from the coronavirus.

Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic. This means that they worship a single deity called “Brahman,” but still believe in other gods and goddesses. Or, as Hindu writer Shuba Swaminathan puts it: “Hindus do not worship idols” but rather “the power vested in the idols.”

Many in India, a nation of 1.3 billion whose majority is Hindu, consider cows to be sacred. Some of them have recently claimed that cow urine is an elixir.

In their ceremonies, the Hindus can be seen making an “offering” to the coronavirus and while praying that “mother cow” helps them.

Hindu activist Om Prakash claims that the coronavirus is a bacteria (even though it has the word ‘virus’ in its name). He adds that “cow urine is effective against all forms of bacteria” and that he and his fellow Hindus use it “to cleanse their souls and bodies.” Prakash adds that he is “sure cow urine will destroy the bacteria.”

Please don’t try this at home kids.

Israeli archaeologists discover pagan temple next to first Jewish Temple near Jersualem

Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord, until those days. I Kings 3:2

Aerial photo of the temple at the end of the 2013 excavation. (Israel Antiquities Authority)

As reported by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich of Breaking Israel News, February 4, 2020:

In 2012, a monumental Iron Age-temple complex dating to late 10th-early 9th century BCE was discovered at Tel Moẓa near Jerusalem by archeologists of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The site, identified as the biblical city of Motẓa – within the boundary of the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18: 26) – served as an administrative center for the storage and redistribution of grain.

The dig is the site of the only monumental Iron Age temple excavated in the heart of Judah, according to Shua Kisilevitz and Prof. Oded Lipschits of Tel Aviv University’s Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology, principal investigators in the excavation and lead authors of the study that was just published Biblical Archaeology Review after the first analysis of the findings. The Motẓa Expedition Project was led by Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) researchers.

Their new research details the project’s exceptional finds at the site, the area under the earliest floor of the complex, which includes cultic installations and artifacts such as anthropomorphic (having human characteristics). and zoomorphic (having or representing animal forms or gods of the animal form) figurines and a large decorated cult stand.

“Could a monumental temple really exist in the heart of Judah, outside Jerusalem? Did Jerusalem know about it?” wrote doctoral student Kisilevitz. “If so, could this other temple possibly have been part of the Judahite administrative system? The Bible details the religious reforms of King Hezekiah and King Josiah, who consolidated worship practices to Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, and eliminated cultic activity beyond its boundaries.”

But the TAU and IAA analysis of the archeological finds and biblical texts “clearly demonstrates that the temple at Motẓa conformed to ancient Near Eastern religious conventions and traditions and biblical depictions of cult places throughout the land. It has become clear that temples such as the one at Motẓa not only could but also must have existed throughout most of the Iron II period as part of the official, royally sanctioned religious construct,” Kisilevitz continued.

“Despite the biblical narratives describing Hezekiah’s and Josiah’s reforms, there were sanctioned temples in Judah in addition to the official temple in Jerusalem,” Lipschits added. “Our discoveries thus far have fundamentally changed the way we understand the religious practices of Judahites.”

In the spring of 2019, the first academic excavation of the site set out to fully unearth and study two cult buildings discovered one on top of the other at Tel Motẓa: The monumental temple complex built in the late 10th-early 9th centuries BCE, and a structure beneath it that has only partially been uncovered, tentatively dated to the 10th century BCE.

The rich collection of cultic artifacts and architectural remains at the site – including human-shaped figurines, horse figurines, a cult stand decorated with a pair of lions or sphinxes, a stone-built altar, a stone-built offering table and a pit filled with ash and animal bones – provides an important opportunity to study the formation of cult and religion in the region at the time and provide a framework for the formation of the Kingdom of Judah.

According to the study, the construction of a central cult location with regulated worship dedicated to this purpose was a natural progression for a growing community. As the site’s function as a granary intensified, a temple was constructed to ensure economic success and to strengthen the control of the local leaders over the community that lived around the economic and cultic center.

The study of the economic function of the site in tandem with its religious function strengthens the idea that a local polity emerged in the Motẓa region in the 10th century BCE, possibly hailing the establishment of a Judahite polity later in the era.

“We suggest that the Tel Motẓa temple was the undertaking of a local group, initially representing several extended families or perhaps villages that banded together to pool their resources and maximize production and yield,” the researchers write. “The rest remains to be discovered.”

The Motẓa Expedition Project will resume excavation at the site in the coming spring. The expedition will comprise a team of 50 participants, including staff and students from TAU, Charles University (Prague) in the Czech Republic, Universität Osnabrück in Germany and the University of California at Los Angeles in the US.

Pope Francis transfers a piece of the alleged manger of Christ to Bethlehem

As reported by M.K. of the Palestine News Agency Wafa, November 30, 2019:

BETHLEHEM – Christmas celebrations this year in the biblical city of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank will have a different texture with the arrival in the city today of the relic of Christ’s crib.

The relic, kept at Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome, was a gift to the Custody of the Holy Land from Pope Francis after President Mahmoud Abbas requested Pope Francis to return the relic to its original place, Bethlehem, where Christ was born.

The relic arrived yesterday at the Notre Dame in Jerusalem before it was moved to Bethlehem where it will be on display at St. Catherine Cathedral in the Nativity Church on the eve of the start of the Christmas celebration and where tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims are expected to arrive during this month.

Opening hours have been extended this year, and for the first time, at the Nativity Church to meet the accommodate the millions of pilgrims and tourists visiting the Palestinian city.

The Christmas tree will also be lit tonight at Manger Square in Bethlehem in ceremonies attended by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and other officials and religious leaders.

As reported by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz of Breaking Israel News, November 29, 2019 (link in original):

The Vatican is transporting pieces of wood to Bethlehem that are claimed to be from the manger that held Jesus when he was born. Citing Bethlehem’s mayor, Anton Salman, WAFA News reported last Friday that the permanent transfer of the relic came as a result of a meeting between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Pope Francis. Salman said the relics were taken from Bethlehem around 1,000 years ago, and are now likely to be placed inside Saint Catherine’s Church, adjacent to the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square, the reputed site of Jesus’s birth. The relics are expected to be displayed in ceremonies in Jerusalem on Friday and will arrive in Bethlehem on Saturday, the day the Palestinian town traditionally lights its Manger Square Christmas tree.

The relic, known as the Holy Crib, was donated by St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem to Pope Theodore I (642-649 CE). It is currently in Rome stored and displayed in an ornate container constructed by Virginio Vespignani in the mid 19th century. It was displayed in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

“It is a historic move. It returns to its original place, and it will be a factor of attraction to believers from inside Palestine and to tourists from all over the world,” Amira Hanania, a member of Abbas’s Higher Committee of Churches Affairs, said to the press. “To celebrate Christmas with the presence of part of the manger in which Jesus Christ was born will be a magnificent and huge event.”

The Palestinian Authority, currently charged with administering the city, hopes the appearance of the relic will generate an uptick in Christian tourism. The city suffers from twenty percent unemployment and seasonal tourism is a major part of its income. Tourism has been on the decline, mirroring the decline in the Christian population of the city. Ironically, the Christian mayor of Bethlehem blames the “Israeli occupation.” When the city was under Israeli rule in the 1950’s, Christians represented 80 percent of the population. Christians are currently 12 percent of Bethlehem’s population. It should be noted that Israel is the only country in the region in which Christian populations are growing. In every other country in the region, Christians are the focus of Muslim persecution.

The gesture by the Vatican raises the question of many other artifacts from the holy land possessed by the Vatican and museums around the world that originated in Jerusalem.

Conservative Catholics accuse Pope Francis of "idolatrous worship" during Amazon synod

The lesson, as always, is: Never trust a Jesuit. As reported by Nick Squires of the London Daily Telegraph, November 12, 2019 (links in original):

One of the statuettes of an Amazon fertility symbol that went on display at the Vatican during the Amazon synod (AFP)

Pope Francis has been accused of being “sacrilegious” and idolatrous for embracing indigenous symbols in the Vatican’s recent summit on the Amazon by a group of 100 Catholic traditionalists.

In one of the strongest attacks yet on the Pope, conservative Catholic clergy, historians and intellectuals from around the world lambasted Francis for supposedly allowing the “idolatrous worship” of statuettes of an Amazon fertility symbol.

Several statues of the goddess Pachamama featured in ceremonies during last month’s synod, or bishops’ meeting, on the future of Catholicism in the Amazon.

A pair of ultra-conservatives was so incensed that they stole the statuettes from a church near the Vatican and tossed them into the Tiber River.

In a strongly-worded open letter, the traditionalists accused the Pope of indulging in “sacrilegious and superstitious acts” during the synod, in which bishops from the Amazon gathered in Rome.

The most contentious issue the bishops discussed was whether to allow already married men to become priests, in an attempt to address the chronic lack of Catholic clergy in the vast region.

Conservatives see that as the beginning of the end for the centuries-old tradition of celibacy.

During the synod, Pope Francis adopted an inclusive attitude towards indigenous people, welcoming them to the Vatican and embracing the traditional objects they use in their worship of God.

But the conservatives, from Britain, the US, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Germany and several other countries, branded the statuettes of Pachamama as “pagan idols” which represented “a false goddess of mother earth.”

They were further angered when the Pope asked forgiveness from Amazonian bishops and tribal leaders after the statues were stolen and dumped in the Tiber.

He insisted that the statuettes of naked pregnant women were brought to the Vatican “without any intention of idolatry.”

But in their letter, the Pope’s critics said: “Absolutely all participation in any form of the veneration of idols is … an objectively grave sin that only God can judge.”

Francis should “repent publicly and unambiguously … of all the public offences that he has committed against God and the true religion.”

Their letter is the latest salvo in the battle being waged against Francis’s papacy by conservative Catholics who are appalled at his inclusive stance on homosexuality and the prospect of giving communion to divorced Catholics who have remarried in civil ceremonies.

Leading figures in the resistance movement against the Argentinian pope include Cardinal Gerhard Müller of Germany and Cardinal Raymond Burke of the US.

“These traditionalists take every opportunity to criticise Francis,” Austen Ivereigh, a Vatican expert, told The Telegraph.

“They have a deliberate strategy to weaken Francis’s position in advance of the next conclave (the election of a new pope).”

The conservatives remain vehemently opposed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, said Mr Ivereigh, the author of The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope.

“For them it’s all about the war against modernity - the Church should be a fortress that protects traditions from contamination. But they are not representative of the majority of the world’s one billion Catholics. They speak for the rump of the Church, which is very small but very vociferous.”

Relics of Roman Catholic saints go on display in Montreal

More evidence that Roman Catholicism is a religion of superstition and idolatry, as reported by the Montreal Gazette, September 17, 2019 (links in original):

Relics from two modern Catholic saints, including a vial of blood from Saint John Paul II, will be on display in several churches around Montreal starting on Friday.

Pilgrims can pay their respects to the relics of the former pope and a linen used by Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) during the week-long tour. The visits are free and open to the public.

Traditionally, Catholics venerate relics by touching or kissing the reliquary, in which the fragment of the holy person’s physical remains or personal item is kept.

They also seek the saint’s assistance spiritual guidance of physical healing.

“It’s a feeling of having the saint close to you,” said Erika Jacinto, a press officer at the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church of Montreal. ‘It’s really unique.”

From earliest times, Christians have honoured relics, which are the physical remains and personal effects of early Christians who were martyred or lived holy lives.

When Pope John Paul II visited Quebec in 1984, an estimated 350,000 people celebrated mass with him at Jarry Park, the largest religious gathering in Canadian history.

Padre Pio was declared a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002 after a campaign crediting him with acts of healing and making reference to signs of stigmata, a term the Catholic Church uses to refer to bodily wounds on an individual that correspond to the wounds of Jesus Christ.

John Paul II was declared a saint in 2014 after he was canonized by Pope Francis.

Events will be held in Spanish with simultaneous French translation because the organizers of the event are from Columbia.

When the relics visit St-Thomas à Becket Parish in Pierrefonds on Monday night, events will be in English only.

Here is a detailed schedule of the tour, which is being organized by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal and Totus Tuus Canada, a missionary community.

Friday, Sept. 20

St-Nazaire Parish, 111 Belanger Ave., LaSalle

6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration



Saturday, Sept. 21

Notre-Dame Basilica, 424 St-Sulpice St.

2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. — public veneration



Sunday, Sept. 22

Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, 1085 de la Cathédrale St.

2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. — rosary and confessions

3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. — “Pray, be hopeful and let nothing disturb you” Conference (Spiritual theme of St-Padre Pio with messages for the family from Saint John Paul II)

3:45 p.m. to 4 p.m. — break

4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. — conference

5 p.m. — mass and veneration of relics



Monday, Sept. 23

St-Thomas à Becket Parish

4320 Ste-Anne St., Pierrefonds

6:30 p.m.to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration (English only)



Tuesday, Sept. 24

St. Kevin’s Parish, 5600 Côte-des-Neiges Rd.

6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. — rosary, mass, talk and veneration



Wednesday, Sept. 25

St-Gilbert Parish, 5420 des Angevins St., St-Léonard

From 6:30 p.m.to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration



Thursday Sept. 26

Paroisse St-Éphrem, 3155 Cartier Blvd. W., Laval

From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration



Friday, Sept. 27

St-René-Goupil Parish, 4251 Parc René-Goupil St.

6:30 p.m.to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration



Saturday, September 28, 2019

St-Louis-de-France Church, 825 St-Louis St., Terrebonne

8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. — public veneration



St-Charles-Borromée Parish

3341 St-Charles Rd., Terrebonne

2:30 p.m.to 6 p.m. — public veneration

Superstition on display at Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago

It isn't just the Roman Catholic Church that's characterized by superstition; so are the various Orthodox churches. As reported by Javonte Anderson of the Chicago Tribune, September 9, 2019 (links in original):

The Rev. Nicholas Jonas says he was in disbelief when he saw tears streaming down the face of a painting of Mary holding the child Jesus in his chapel.

“When these things happen, I feel like a little kid when first going into a candy factory, and you’re just in awe,” said Jonas, the presiding priest at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 6041 W. Diversey Ave. in the Belmont Central neighborhood.

Jonas said he was sitting in his office Sunday morning when a church employee burst into his office and informed him of the “weeping Virgin.”

Jonas hurried to the altar in the church sanctuary where the painting stands amid other holy paintings.

“It’s common throughout the Orthodox church to see a phenomena like that … but to have it personally was very overwhelming,” Jonas said.

After examining the tears, Jonas placed cotton balls at the bottom of the picture to absorb the streaks of moisture and posted a photo of the weeping Virgin on Facebook Sunday evening.

By Monday morning, the word had spread. Parishioners and visitors came out in large numbers to see what many of them are calling a miracle.

The Rev. Dobrivoje Milunovic, the presiding priest of Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in the O’Hare neighborhood, was one of the first priests to visit to venerate the icon.

Dressed in a black cassock, Milunovic said the weeping icon was a miracle, but also a warning from the mother of God.

“This is a calling on all of us to change our lives,” he said. “We need to turn to her in prayer and humility. And cleanse our hearts and souls of inequities so we may find salvation.

His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael inspected and confirmed the legitimacy of the tears Sunday, Jonas said.

Others also view the phenomenon as a possible sign as the Greek Orthodox Church has worked to keep from losing the church after it experienced financial troubles, with a bankruptcy hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Monday morning, Greek prayers and hymns played softly in the sanctuary. The aroma from more than a hundred lit candles filled the air as visitors sat in the wooden pews. Other snapped pictures with their smartphones.

The icon was no longer weeping Monday morning, but the residue from the liquid was still visible on her cheek.

“Mary weeping is a sign, and the miracle is actually in our hearts,” said Laura Tovar, who was visiting with her sister, who was married at the church.

Many parishioners were hoping that the Virgin Mary’s tears forecast a potential miracle that would save the church from closing its doors.

Jonas, however, has a different interpretation of the weeping icon.

“Some people say this is a sign,” he said. “I stop short of that. I would just rather say that the Virgin Mary is talking to us; I would just let her finish her conversation. And, let’s see what happens.”

(video)

What John Nelson Darby said in the 19th century about Roman Catholicism is also true of Orthodoxy: "Superstition is not faith."

The Shroud of Turin continues to inspire superstition and idolatry

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Exodus 20:4 (also Deuteronomy 5:8)

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) II Corinthians 5:7

Another item that isn't recent, but is still relevant; as reported by Aleteia, March 28, 2018 (links in original):

(slideshow)

"This statue is the three-dimensional representation in actual size of the Man of the Shroud, created following the precise measurements taken from the cloth in which the body of Christ was wrapped after the crucifixion,” explains Giulio Fanti, teacher of mechanical and thermal measurements at the University of Padua, who studies the Shroud. Based on his measurements, the professor has created a “carbon copy” in 3D which, he claims, allows him to affirm that these are the true features of the crucified Christ.

“Therefore, we believe that we finally have the precise image of what Jesus looked like on this earth. From now on, He may no longer be depicted without taking this work into account.” The professor granted exclusive coverage of his work to the weekly periodical Chi, to which he revealed: “According to our studies, Jesus was a man of extraordinary beauty. Long-limbed, but very robust, he was nearly 5 ft. 11 in. tall, whereas the average height at the time was around 5 ft. 5 in. And he had a regal and majestic expression.” (Vatican Insider)

Through the study and three-dimensional projection of the figure, Fanti was also able to count the numerous wounds on the body of the man of the Shroud:

“On the Shroud,” the professor explains, “I counted 370 wounds from the flagellation, without taking into account the wounds on his sides, which the Shroud doesn’t show because it only enveloped the back and front of the body. We can therefore hypothesize a total of at least 600 blows. In addition, the three-dimensional reconstruction has made it possible to discover that at the moment of his death, the man of the Shroud sagged down towards the right, because his right shoulder was dislocated so seriously as to injure the nerves.” (Il Mattino di Padova)

The questions surrounding the mystery of the Shroud are still intact; certainly, in that tortured man we see the signs of suffering in which we find also a piece of each one of ourselves, but also—seen by the eyes of faith—hope that this man was not just anyone, but the Man par excellence, that “Behold the Man” who appeared docilely before Pilate and who, after the terrible flagellation, was raised up on the cross as an innocent man; not only innocent, but taking upon himself the guilt of all people. While belief in the Shroud is not obligatory, even for Christians, the exceptionality of that piece of linen remains there to challenge our understanding and our certainties, almost like a certain Jesus of Nazareth, who challenged our certainties by loving his persecutors, forgiving them from the cross, and conquering death, 2,000 years ago …

This article first appeared in the Italian edition of Aleteia.

If the man described by Professor Fanti was of "extraordinary beauty," he couldn't possibly have been the Lord Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the messianic prophecies of Isaiah 53, including:

...he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Isaiah 53:2b

HT: W.H.M.

Pope Francis gives relics of St. Peter to Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople

The ecumenical movement of the last days proceeds apace, as reported by Cindy Wooden of Catholic News Service, July 2, 2019:

VATICAN CITY — In what Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople described as a “brave and bold” gesture, Pope Francis gave the patriarch a famous reliquary containing bone fragments believed to belong to St. Peter.

The only time the bronze reliquary has been displayed publicly was in November 2013, when Pope Francis had it present for public veneration as he celebrated the closing Mass for the Year of Faith, opened by Pope Benedict XVI.

The bronze case contains nine of the bone fragments discovered during excavations of the necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica that began in the 1940s.

In the 1960s, archaeologist Margherita Guarducci published a paper asserting that she had found St. Peter’s bones near the site identified as his tomb.

While no pope has ever declared the bones to be authentic, St. Paul VI announced in 1968 that the “relics” of St. Peter had been “identified in a way which we can hold to be convincing.”

Pope Paul took nine of the bone fragments, commissioned the bronze reliquary, and kept the relics in his private chapel in the papal apartments.

Pope Francis removed them from the chapel June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Patriarch Bartholomew had sent a delegation led by Archbishop Job of Telmessos to the Vatican for the feast day celebrations. After the solemn Mass, Pope Francis and Archbishop Job went down to St. Peter’s tomb under the high altar to pray.

Then, the archbishop recounted, Pope Francis asked him to wait for him because he had a gift for his “brother” Patriarch Bartholomew. The pope came back and led the archbishop to his little blue Ford Focus and they were driven to the Apostolic Palace.

They entered the chapel of the old papal apartment, where Pope Francis chose not to live, and “the pope took the reliquary that his predecessor Paul VI had placed in the little chapel and offered it to his guest,” according to Vatican News.

“For us, this was an extraordinary and unexpected event that we could not have hoped for,” Vatican News quoted the archbishop as saying.

He phoned Patriarch Bartholomew as soon as he could to tell him the news.

Arrangements quickly were made for Msgr. Andrea Palmieri, undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, to accompany the relics to the Phanar, the Orthodox patriarchate’s headquarters in Istanbul.

It was “another gigantic step toward concrete unity,” Archbishop Job said.

At a ceremony June 30 to receive the relics and venerate them, Patriarch Bartholomew said, “Pope Francis made this grand, fraternal and historic gesture” of giving the Orthodox fragments of the relics of St. Peter.

“I was deeply moved,” the patriarch said, according to the news published on the patriarchate’s Facebook page along with 15 photos. “It was a brave and bold initiative of Pope Francis.”

Gigantic statue of Jesus to be erected in Vladivostok--on a site originally intended for a statue of Lenin

As idolatrous as a statue of Jesus is, it's amusing to think that Vladimir Lenin must be spinning in his tomb at the thought that Jesus is once again an object of veneration in Russia, while Mr. Lenin is passe. As reported by Marc Bennetts of Religion News Service, March 15, 2019 (link in original):

An artistic rendering of the statue of Christ planned for Vladivostok in eastern Russia.

Moscow • Authorities in Vladivostok, the largest city in far eastern Russia, plan to erect a gigantic statue of Jesus Christ on a site once designated for a monument of Vladimir Lenin.

The statue, which has not yet been approved by the Russian Orthodox Church, is to be 125 feet high — the same height as the Christ the Redeemer monument in Rio de Janeiro, according to blueprints made public by Vyatsky Posad, a Russian Orthodox Christian center. The statue will stand on top of a hill looking east over the Pacific Ocean.

Soviet authorities issued orders for the construction of a 98-foot-high bronze statue of Lenin at the site in 1972. Another statue, of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, was planned to be built on a neighboring hill. But construction hitches meant the plans repeatedly were postponed, before eventually being scrapped altogether in 1990.

Supporters of the Jesus statue are enthusiastic, despite the lack of details about the project. Descriptions of the statue as a “symbol of the unity of the Russian people” that would “bless” ships leaving and arriving in the port city were later deleted from the Vyatsky Posad’s website, for reasons that remain unclear. Attempts by Religion News Service to contact the Vyatsky Center for comment were unsuccessful.

Other Russian media outlets, however, have published blueprints for the project, and plans for the statue were discussed openly at a meeting at the proposed site in late February attended by Oleg Kozhemyako, the regional governor; Ali Uzdenov, a vice president of the Russian business conglomerate Sistema; and Gennady Tsurkov, the head of the Vyatsky Posad center, which is connected to Iliy, an influential monk who is spiritual adviser to Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Tsurkov, in an interview with Russia’s Govorit Moskva radio station, said the statue project had been inspired by Iliy.

“He really wants to put up a statue of Jesus Christ as a protector of our Russia from the east,” Tsurkov said. “He says, ‘we need to make it higher [than the statue in Rio].’” Tsurkov clarified that while the statue itself would be the same height as the Christ the Redeemer monument, it would also stand atop a 98-foot-high pedestal. “Altogether, it will be 68 meters [223 feet].”

Tsurkov said that private investors would fund the construction of the statue but that total costs had yet to be finalized.

Kozhemyako said a small chapel that could hold up to 30 people would also be built close to the statue. “Delegations will just arrive, go in, and light a candle,” the regional governor said, according to online footage of the on-site discussion.

Online opinion has been almost entirely negative. “Is there nothing else for us to spend our money on?” wrote Svetlana, on a forum for residents of Vladivostok. “We’d be better off spending the money on hospitals, schools, roads … ”

Others on the same forum suggested the project could be part of “a money-laundering scheme.”

Roman Lunkin, a religion analyst at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, told RNS that it was not certain that the Russian Orthodox Church would approve the project, because the proposed design was more in keeping with Roman Catholic statues and monuments. “There is a tradition in Orthodoxy of putting up crosses,” he said, “but not statues.”

With the Russian Orthodox Church closely aligned with the Kremlin, Lunkin explained, the project contained a “political-patriotic” element that apparently underlines what President Vladimir Putin has described as the religious values that bind modern Russia.

“This huge statue of Christ is proposed to act as a kind of border post in Russia’s far east to guard our motherland,” Lunkin said. He also criticized comments attributed to Ilya, the patriarch’s spiritual adviser, about making the statue larger than its counterpart in Brazil as an ill-considered attempt to “demonstrate Russian greatness” to the entire world.

The construction of a massive statue of Christ in Vladivostok would also neatly symbolize Russia’s startling transformation from an officially atheist state in the Soviet era, which ended in 1991, to today’s Christian-majority country. Around 80 percent of Russians currently identify as Orthodox Christians, including Putin, a former KGB agent. Few, however, attend church services or observe religious fasts.

The Vladivostok statue wouldn’t be the first time that a Christian structure has been built on the site of a monument to Lenin. In 2000, Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral was consecrated at a location within sight of the Kremlin towers, replacing a previous cathedral building that was demolished on Stalin’s orders in 1931 to make way for a planned 1,000-foot-high Palace of Soviets.

The palace, which would have been the world’s tallest building at the time, was to have been topped by a colossal statue of Lenin. Construction was postponed and then later scrapped with the outbreak of World War II.

It’s not only in grandiose architecture that Lenin and Jesus compete in today’s Russia. Gennady Zyuganov, the leader of the modern-day Communist Party, frequently compares Lenin to Jesus Christ and has claimed the Soviet Union was an attempt to establish “God’s kingdom on earth.”

Discovery of pre-Aztec "Flayed Lord" temple in Mexico shows evidence of human sacrifice

Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. Jeremiah 10:2-15

In contrast to the God of the Bible, pagan gods can be very cruel in the demands they place on their devotees. As reported by BBC News, January 3, 2019 (links in original):

The sculptures were discovered during an excavation of pre-Aztec era ruins

Archaeologists believe the discoveries prove the Toltec-era temple was dedicated to the God

Experts identified the sculpture as Xipe Tótec - a significant God from the pre-Hispanic era

Archaeologists in Mexico say they have made an important discovery, uncovering a temple to Xipe Tótec - the pre-Hispanic "Flayed lord".

Historically, throughout the region, priests paid tribute to the deity by wearing the skin of human sacrifices.

Items relating to the deity were discovered at a site in Puebla state, and believed to date from 900-1150 AD.

Mexican archaeologists say the find may be the earliest dedication to Xipe Tótec discovered in Mexico.

Worship of the God, who represents fertility and regeneration, is known to have later spread throughout Mesoamerica during Aztec times.

The INAH say the 85cm (33in) ceramic effigy of the god was found in relatively good condition, though some parts are unattached.

They say a right hand was hanging by his left arm, symbolising the skin of a sacrificed person hanging over him.

"Sculpturally it is a very beautiful piece," leading archaeologist Noemi Castillo said in a press release.

"It measures approximately 80cm (31in) and has a hole in the belly that was used, according to the sources, to place a green stone and 'endow them with life' for the ceremonies. "

Two large skulls, believed to be carved from imported volcanic stone and weighing about 200kg (440lb) each were also discovered.

Archaeologists from INAH believe the skulls were used as covers for holes placed in front of two sacrificial altars where they believe sacrifices to him were buried.

All of the materials discovered have been sent to laboratories for official registering and further analysis.

[Xipe Tótec] is thought to have first appeared in the pre-Aztec era and is usually depicted in sandals, a loincloth and wearing the skin of human sacrifice.

The festival of Tlacaxipehualiztli, which means to wear the skin of the skinning, was dedicated to him during spring during the Aztec period.

It involved selected captives being sacrificed, sometimes by staged gladiatorial fights, before they were skinned and hearts cut out in homage of the God.

Priests commemorating the festival then wore the skins during ceremonies in dedication.

The archaeologists behind the find in Mexico believe the sculpture they found of him is the earliest ever recovered.

See also my post:

Bodies of 44 young victims of pagan sacrifice discovered in Peru (December 17, 2011)

Rediscovered heart of Dublin's patron saint goes on permanent display

Submitted for your approval, the following article as evidence that Roman Catholicism is still a religion of idolatry and superstition. As reported by Patsy McGarry of the Irish Times, November 13, 2018:

The once-lost but recently-found heart of Dublin’s patron saint, St Laurence O’Toole, is to go on permanent public display in Christ Church Cathedral from Wednesday.

The relic was stolen from the cathedral in March 2012. It had been in an iron-barred cage on the wall of the chapel of St Laud in Christ Church, its resting place for years.

The heart was recovered, undamaged, by gardaí earlier this year and officially handed over by Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy to Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson at a service in the cathedral on April 26th last.

Born in Castledermot, Co Kildare, in 1132, Laurence O’Toole became archbishop of Dublin in 1161 and was consecrated the following year at Christ Church Cathedral. He died in France at the Abbey of St Victor at Eu on November 14th, 1180, and was canonised in 1226.

Some of his relics were returned to Dublin, where they lay in the cathedral until the Reformation, with the heart on display in its chapel of St Laud until stolen in 2012. It will now be housed in a specially designed art piece by Cork’s Eoin Turner.

At 5.45pm on Wednesday a special ecumenical service of dedication and thanksgiving marking the occasion will be held in the cathedral. Archbishop Jackson will bless and dedicate the redesigned cathedral grounds incorporating the new stone labyrinth.

The ecumenical aspect of the service included Church of Ireland Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, as reported by the C of I's United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough, November 15, 2018:

The heart of St Laurence O’Toole went back on permanent public display in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, yesterday (Wednesday November 14).

Dublin’s Church of Ireland and Catholic Archbishops, Archbishop Michael Jackson and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, attended a special ecumenical service of dedication and thanksgiving marking the historic occasion.

Archbishop Michael Jackson, first blessed and dedicated the redesigned cathedral grounds incorporating the beautiful new stone labyrinth. Following this he presided at a service of Festal Choral Evensong, sung by the Cathedral Choirs accompanied by Christ Church Brass, during which he blessed and dedicated the new resting place of the heart of St Laurence.

The heart of the Patron Saint of Dublin is now housed in the cathedral’s north transept in a specially designed art piece, crafted by the renowned Cork–based artist Eoin Turner.

Speaking during the service, Dean Dermot Dunne outlined the background to the redevelopment of the cathedral grounds which has been undertaken as part of Fáilte Ireland’s Dubline tourism project. He paid tribute to Fáilte Ireland for their grant for the project and to the team at Dublin City Council for overseeing it. He said his wife Celia was responsible for the idea of a labyrinth. The Dean paid particular tribute to the project foreman, Paul Gough, who carried the central stone of the labyrinth from the cathedral to be put in place by the Dean following the dedication of the grounds.

The Dean also thanked members of An Garda Síochána for their persistence in investigating the theft of the heart and for bringing it back to the cathedral.

“There are so many things coming together today for the cathedral that it is almost impossible to highlight any single one. But there is a common theme running through our celebrations. With the installation of the ancient labyrinth Christ Church is identifying itself as a place of pilgrimage. The cathedral is already a stamping station for the Irish leg of the Camino de Santiago and with the inclusion of the labyrinth, it is demonstrating that not only is it a way mark on the Camino but it is also a place where the pilgrim can engage in an on the spot pilgrimage centred on the heart of the city’s patron,” Dean Dunne stated.

He added: “Christ Church is the spiritual heart of Dublin. With the return of the Heart of St Laurence, the patron of Dublin, an eternal light will flicker over the heart as a sign of blessing of permanency for the city of Dublin. Here, in what is probably the oldest structure in this city, the heart of the city pulsates. Its ancient history informs its present setting and draws the pilgrim, whether local or international, into the sacredness of this space”.

The heart relic was stolen from the cathedral in March 2012 from the iron–barred cage on the wall of the Chapel of St Laud, which had been its resting place for many years. Following a long–running investigation, the heart was recovered, undamaged, by An Garda Síochána. After a six year absence, it was officially handed over by Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy to the Archbishop of Dublin at a service of Choral Evensong on April 26 this year.

The perceptive reader will note that the installation of the ancient labyrinth was a major part of the service--yet another example of contemplative spirituality being used in the service of ecumenism.

Church of the Wild is pagan nature worship masquerading as Christianity

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. II Timothy 3:5

Women seem to be disproportionately prominent in the worship of false gods, and Church of the Wild is an excellent example; as reported by Hannah Natanson of The Washington Post, August 6, 2018:

The sound of drumming filtered through the trees and called the people from their cars.

Toting folding chairs and slathered in bug spray, they came from the parking lot — some young, some old; some in pairs, some alone; many in Tevas, a few barefoot. Without speaking, they set their chairs in a circle in a leafy clearing in McLean’s Turkey Run Park. They grabbed drums laid out on a patterned blanket, gripped the instruments between their knees and joined in the pounding.

“Your hands know what to do,” intoned professional drum circle facilitator Katy Gaughan. “Just drum! There is no right way and no wrong way.”

On a hot and muggy Sunday, Church of the Wild was about to begin.

The church, which meets once a month in parks across the District, Maryland and Virginia, draws about 50 congregants. Services, presided over by the Rev. Sarah Anders, typically run an hour and a half. Worshipers drum, sing and listen to recitations of poetry in an effort to connect with nature and fulfill the church’s stated goal: honoring “the mutual indwelling of the Divine with the Earth and all of its beings.”

Anders doesn’t preach a sermon — instead, attendees wander through their surroundings in total silence for about half an hour.

“We don’t say the G-o-d word a lot,” Anders said. “The emphasis is on God as a universal force. . . . Our mission is to help people come more into their spirits and their hearts.”

Anders established the church in partnership with Beth Norcross, founding director of the Center for Spirituality in Nature and an adjunct faculty member at the Wesley Theological Seminary in the District. Church of the Wild met for the first time in April.

Anders describes her congregation as a nondenominational Christian church, but says she draws on aspects of “all religions” — for example, services sometimes include readings from Jewish texts.

She and Norcross welcome agnostics. They say they hope the nontraditional atmosphere will allow them to better explore their faith and perhaps discover God.

Anders was ordained in the United Church of Christ, a liberal mainline Protestant denomination, and preached for a time at Rockville United Church in Maryland. She quit that job last year. Church of the Wild doesn’t pay her (or anyone) a salary, so she earns a living by giving guest sermons and leading religious workshops.

Anders said she left Rockville United because she couldn’t bear “tripping over” typical church language one minute longer. “God as a ‘He,’ people as ‘sinners’ — I couldn’t sit and hear it anymore,” Anders said. She also wanted to spend her Sundays outdoors; sitting in a sanctuary felt confining.

On Sunday, all anyone could hear for several minutes was banging. Then Gaughan stepped in to organize her charges, leading the group in a rhythm meant to imitate the beating of a heart.

“Heart — beat — space, heart — beat — space,” Gaugahn instructed them. “Here we are, one heart beating together.”

One woman nodded and removed her shoes, still drumming. Another closed her eyes.

Gaughan led the drummers to a crescendo — “We’re in the woods, you can be loud!” — before quieting them and ceding the circle to Anders.

“Our theme this month is spiritual listening with nature — not to nature, with nature, and with the other beings in nature,” Anders said. “We find that as we honor the divine in the Earth and all its beings, we become more compassionate.”

Sweating together at Turkey Run, congregants listened by practicing deep breathing. They listened by meditating for several minutes, guided into the subconscious by Anders. They listened as someone played a Native American instrument.

They listened even when they stood, grasped hands and repeatedly sang the chorus to the Alicia Keys song “We Are Here.” Anders said Keys’s lyrics — particularly the line, “We are here for all of us” — perfectly expresses the ideology of Church of the Wild. Congregants worship outdoors on behalf of “all of us,” including neighbors human and nonhuman.

It’s an idea that appears to be picking up support across the continent. There’s now a Wild Church Network that connects 15 outdoor churches from Texas to California to Canada. “It’s really a phenomenon,” Norcross said. “We’re one of many.”

In Virginia, Sunday’s sermon kicked off when Anders bid the group to “open your eyes and begin your wandering.” She invited them to “lean up” against vines and trunks — though “not that one,” given its wrapping of poison ivy.

Worshipers rose and dispersed. Some marched purposefully along forest paths; others walked slowly and deliberately toward nothing in particular.

For the next 20 minutes, no one spoke or made a sound beyond the occasional snapping of a twig. One woman took off her sandals and trod barefoot through the grass. A man in a red bandanna stood face-to-face with a tree and locked eyes with its trunk. Another man climbed a nearby picnic table, lay on his back and stared up into the green canopy, unblinking.

A woman in a pink shirt approached a small tree, leaned her forehead against its trunk and closed her eyes. She remained there for several minutes, snapping her chewing gum.

After the service, congregants chatted and snacked on ice pops and crackers doled out from a portable cooler. Milling among the others, 50-year-old Smithsonian employee Kelly Richmond said she has never been into organized religion, but Church of the Wild provides a way to see and appreciate the magic of nature while avoiding all that talk about a male God and the “power of the patriarchy.” Asked whether she believes in God, Richmond said she needs more information.

Kristina Byrne, a freelance writer who lives in Silver Spring and does consider herself religious, said she has come to every Church of the Wild service since its launch in April. Cradling her 2-year-old son Adisa on her hip, Byrne, 34, said that she has been worshiping by walking around the woods long before Church of the Wild began.

“To me, it’s like the woods and God are the same thing,” she said. “So it’s nice to see groups of people doing what I’ve always done.”

Hundreds of youngsters spend a night venerating the Shroud of Turin

More evidence that Roman Catholicism is a religion of idolatry and superstition, as reported by Maria Teresa Martinengo in La Stampa, August 8, 2018 (bold in original):

“The enthusiasm has increased more and more and eventually two thousand five hundred young people will parade and stand in prayer in front of the Shroud”. From Saint Michael’s Abbey, yesterday, August 8th, Father Luca Ramello, director of the diocesan Youth Pastoral, took stock of the final race for tomorrow, August 10th, when the youth pilgrimage will end before the Cloth which, according to tradition, wrapped the body of Christ. The Shroud will be exhibited in the Cathedral for only a few hours and only for them, as a sign of Love that saves and gives hope.

The day before

Today will be a day full of emotions and opportunities for reflection for at least 950 youngsters – scouts, groups, associations, individuals from all the dioceses of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta – who will join tomorrow with all the others arriving from different paths in their respective territories. In the night, after the veneration of the Shroud, they will leave for Rome where on Saturday and Sunday they will meet Pope Francis in preparation for the Synod of Bishops – dedicated to young people – to be held in the fall.

From the early afternoon, after a journey that started from Monginevro to Turin – “93 kilometres on foot”, stressed yesterday Don Luca, who joined it from the start – the youngsters will meet at the Reggia di Venaria, where at 5 pm the Archbishop Monsignor Cesare Nosiglia will greet them and at 7 pm he will preside at Mass with the bishops of the two regions.

After the Mass, a large community dinner with music will involve all the participants in the Courtyard of the Carriages and, following, an artistic-spiritual journey, a very fascinating theatrical representation in the Reggia will evoke the hour of the Passion of Christ. The youngsters will go to sleep, sportily, to the Sports Hall, made available by the City. Tomorrow morning, the scheduled stop is Valdocco, the shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians, then the youngsters will split into groups to visit some places of Turinese spirituality. At 6 pm the solemn Mass with all 2500 people of the pilgrimage “Love leaves its sign”, celebrated by the bishops. Finally, the will leave towards the Royal square, the meeting place.

In the Cathedral

We still do not know all the details of this extraordinary and “exclusive” exposition. There is confidentiality on the part of the Curia, also for security reasons. What is certain is that the relic, which will remain in the chapel below the royal tribune of the Cathedral, where it is preserved, will be visible in the high-tech conservation case (in traditional exhibitions it is transferred to another one built specifically for its ostension). People will start to parade at sunset, which is essential for having the ideal lighting conditions to be able to identify all the signs on the Shroud, starting from the mysterious and tenuous the body mark.

The meeting

At 8:30 pm, in front of the relic, the authorities will parade and, shortly after, the long procession of the youngsters will begin, divided into groups of two hundred. As they enter, they will be greeted by a quote from the Gospel projected on the facade of the Cathedral. The pilgrimage will last some hours, and as the groups come out, they will continue their material and spiritual journey to Rome.

See also my posts: Brain of Roman Catholic "Saint" John Bosco stolen from Italian basilica (June 15, 2017)

Bones alleged to be those of Peter found in 1,000-year-old church in Rome (September 12, 2017)

U.S. cross-country exhibition of Padre Pio's relics shows that Roman Catholicism is still a religion of idolatry and superstition (May 31, 2018)

Yet another "weeping" statue of Mary appears, this time in New Mexico (June 14, 2018)

Roman Catholic "saint's" bone, found in the garbage, is returned to the Church (July 28, 2018)