"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.

Superstition and charlatanry are alive and well in Dalton, Georgia

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: II Peter 2:3a

Despite coming from a site with a notoriously liberal bias, this story, too lengthy to reproduce here, is familiar to those who've come across such things many times before. Click on the link and read The Bible That Oozed Oil by Ruth Graham in Slate, February 27, 2020.

"Jesus Shoes" cashes in on greed and superstition

More evidence that you can't be a satirist anymore, as reported by Alexandra Deabler of Fox News, October 9, 2019 (link in original):

That’s a holy lot of money.

A limited-edition sneaker, which is filled with holy water in the soles and blessed by a priest, sold out within minutes of its debut, despite each pair costing a whopping $3,000.

Brooklyn-based creative label MSCHF is responsible for releasing the shoe, which is a pair of all-white Nike Air Max 97s -- though the design is in no way affiliated with Nike -- that have been injected with holy water sourced from the Jordan River. The water, which is visible in the see-through sole, has some coloring added to enhance visibility, the shoe’s creator told Fox News.

The kicks, succinctly called “Jesus Shoes,” also feature the Bible verse Matthew 14:25 — the passage describing Jesus walking on water — and a single blood drop to represent the blood of Christ.

Among the other religious details are the frankincense-scented insoles, a crucifix threaded through the laces, and a red sole, which references the red shoes traditionally worn by past Popes.

The shoebox itself also displays an angel and a seal that resembles the official papal seal.

The shoes, which were bought at Nike retail value by MSCHF designers before being re-designed, were part of a desire for the MSCHF brand to poke fun at collaboration culture.

“We thought of that Arizona Iced Tea and Adidas collab, where they were selling shoes that [advertised] a beverage company that sells iced tea at bodegas,” head of commerce Daniel Greenberg tells the New York Post. “So we wanted to make a statement about how absurd collab culture has gotten.”

“We were wondering, what would a collab with Jesus Christ look like?” he added.

Less than two dozen of the Jesus Shoes were made with no plans to create more, according to MSCHF. Although, Gabriel Whaley, founder of the brand, hinted there may be a “second coming” in the future.

The MSCHF label releases new items every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.

As reported by Lauren Steussy and Hannah Frishberg in the New York Post, October 8, 2019:

What would Jesus wear? The sickest sneakers ever dropped, most likely.

Nike shoes with actual holy water in the soles are going for as much as $3,000 a pop, and sold out in mere minutes when they dropped Tuesday morning. “Jesus Shoes” are made with 100% frankincense wool (get it?), while the laces are strewn with a crucifix.

The godly shoes were made by Brooklyn-based product design company MSCHF, which created about two dozen of the kicks as a way of trolling “collab culture,” its head of commerce Daniel Greenberg tells The Post.

“We thought of that Arizona Iced Tea and Adidas collab, where they were selling shoes that [advertised] a beverage company that sells iced tea at bodegas,” Greenberg says. “So we wanted to make a statement about how absurd collab culture has gotten.”

To do that, it started with “one of the most influential figures in history,” Jesus Christ.

“We were wondering, what would a collab with Jesus Christ look like?” Greenberg says. “As a Jew myself, the only thing I knew was that he walked on water.”

The holy water MSCHF injected into Air Max 97 bubble soles came from the Jordan River — “I have a friend in Israel,” Greenberg says — and was blessed by a priest.

Shoe drops like these, followed obsessively by rabid fans called “hypebeasts,” have become an economy unto themselves. Cash-strapped fashion fans are even turning to the underground streetwear market to make ends meet, reselling duds from the likes of Supreme and Kith.

To promote its shoes, MSCHF sent about six pairs to YouTubers and other big shots, such as rapper A$AP Rocky, prior to the drop. Then, by 11 a.m. Tuesday, it posted them on the retail site StockX.

The shoes were in no part affiliated with Nike — MSCHF bought the sneakers at retail value and hand-created the design. MSCHF anticipates making “biweekly drops at 11 a.m. on every second and fourth Tuesday of each month,” Greenberg says.

“But this one was the holiest of all the collabs,” he says.

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.”

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.

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)

Edmonton hosts Flat Earth International Conference

In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. II Peter 2:3a (NIV)

The Fantasyland Hotel is an appropriate venue for this conference. The reader will notice the outrageous admission fees, which sound like those a televangelist might charge. As reported by Kevin Maimann of StarMetro Edmonton, August 9, 2018:

EDMONTON—Faith took centre stage at Edmonton’s Fantasyland Hotel Thursday as 250 people packed in for the Flat Earth International Conference.

Flat-Earthers from around North America came to listen to speakers such as Indiana radio host Rick Hummer, who told them to pull their kids out of public schools and ignore the consensus of the scientific community.

“If I were you, I’d get them out of the schools, because they’re not learning the truth,” Hummer told the crowd.

“I believe there’s a movement by the Almighty and his hand is all over this (flat-Earth movement). Because things are being revealed in the last days.”

Presenter Matt Long, a YouTuber from Texas, said he has a “healthy obsession with the Bible and truth” and claimed the Bible is “unequivocally a flat-Earth book.”

Many flat-Earthers believe the Earth is a disc, despite overwhelming scientific and photographic evidence that it is spherical.

Most who subscribe to this idea believe humans have not stumbled over the edge of the Earth because it is encircled in a wall of ice, making ground travel impossible, and pilots are too scared to make the trek.

Many still believe the other planets in our galaxy are round.

YouTuber Mark Sargent, who spoke and took questions from the audience Thursday, thinks the universe is a planetarium with man-made projections of a fake moon and stars.

He spoke derisively of scientists, none of whom were among the presenters at the conference.

“We are the new scientists, and we’re heading straight for you,” Sargent said. “We’ll take the cities, we’ll take the suburbs, we’ll take the countryside.”

Many who attended the conference came to believe in a flat Earth through other conspiracy theories, and were convinced by YouTube videos and articles they read on the internet.

Several said their journey into skepticism started with the debunked theory that humans have never actually walked on the moon.

In most cases, it was an unwavering faith in God that seemed to make the flat-Earth theory fit their world view.

“If the shape of the Earth is flat, then that means that it’s been constructed. And if it’s been constructed, we didn’t just blow up out of nothing,” said attendee John Wahlstrom, who travelled from Chilliwack, B.C. for the conference.

“That means there’s a whole lot more relevance in the fabric of our lives, rather than just coming from mud to fish to monkey to human beings as the evolutionists put forward.”

Lindsey Clark from Saskatchewan said the flat-Earth concept seemed simple for her because she doesn’t believe that we “came from monkeys.”

As far as what scientists could stand to gain by imposing such a massive hoax on humanity, some suggested it goes much deeper, beyond even the government.

“I think it reaches right into secret societies that have been manipulating us for hundreds of years,” Lawrie McLeod, of Edmonton, said.

Attendees shelled out at least $150 for a two-day pass, and some paid $300 for VIP passes that include front-row seating in the ballroom and a special speakers’ dinner.

There was plenty of merchandise for sale in the foyer, including T-shirts, posters with flat-Earth maps, and stickers with slogans such as “Space is Fake.”

But not everyone was buying in.

Matthew Rolheiser, who has a science degree and an education degree, said he came to the conference out of curiosity to understand how flat-Earthers think.

He empathized with the other attendees on some level, and concluded that the scientific community needs to do a better job reaching out and explaining its expertise in ways the average person can understand.

He pointed out that many who attended the conference asked good questions — it was the answers they got that were problematic.

“I would strongly encourage subject-matter experts to talk to people who have some very good, valid scientific questions about gravity, about space travel, about how do we know what we know, about planetary motion, about atmospheric science, about satellites,” he said.

“I think that people here are very intelligent and they are very curious, but they’re reaching a dead end whenever they try to really find out how something works.”

Science Literacy Week founder Jesse Hildebrand also said scientists could be better at communicating their work, and he strives to facilitate that as a science literacy advocate.

He said it’s important to note that, while the flat-Earth community is growing and its conferences have proven to be popular, it still makes up a “very infinitesimal” portion of the population.

While Hildebrand agreed to speak with StarMetro for this article, he was hesitant to facilitate a bigger platform for flat-Earthers.

“The scientific consensus, since basically the dawn of people looking for knowledge, has been that the Earth is round. You have to strain credulity, reason, logic, sense to believe the opposite. So it’s not something that I think should even be given the time of day,” he said.

“It’s like climate change at this point. There’s no tenable position otherwise, and even giving credence to the other side is to legitimize it in a way that it does not deserve.”

The Flat Earth International Conference was founded by Edmontonian Robbie Davidson, who is a Christian and a creationist.

He launched the first conference last year in Raleigh, N.C., and brought it to Edmonton for the first time this year. Another conference is slated for Denver, Colo., in November.

The event runs through Friday at the Fantasyland Hotel.

Those who claim that the Bible supports the flat-Earth view don't speak for this blogger--although, of course, if they got their information from the Internet, it must be true. ; The Bible passage that comes to mind to refute the flat-Earth view is Isaiah 40:22:

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

60 years ago: Witchcraft ritual murders continue in Africa

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Deuteronomy 18:10-12

Witch doctors wouldn't proliferate unless people believed that they were deriving physical and/or spiritual benefits from them. The negative consequences, however, outweigh whatever benefits may result. As C.S. Lewis said, "The Devil will be happy to cure your chilblains if in return he can be permitted to give you cancer."

The article below was published on page 20 of The Edmonton Journal on August 7, 1958. Directly adjoining it was an article by John Barbour of Associated Press about U.S. plans to shoot a rocket to the Moon (in 1958, such an event was still in the future). It's unacceptable, according to modern standards of political correctness and multiculturalism, to say that a culture that produced Moon rockets was superior to a culture that produced witch doctors. Instead, the former must now import large numbers of the latter, because "diversity is our strength," with the various cultures regarded as being of equal merit. Basutoland is now known as Lesotho.

As reported by J.K. Chilwell of North American Newspaper Alliance (bold in original):

Johannesburg--A member of the Nigerian parliament, Vincent Awgu Nwankwo, has been charged with 111 ritual and other murders.

In Basutoland, at the other end of Africa, 22 natives recently were hanged for medicine murders.

In South Africa, portly, middle-aged Khotso Sethuntsa went to town with a suitcase of money and paid £2,400 in £10 and £100 notes for a 1958 car. Mr. Sethuntsa is a leading medicine man of the Transkei tribe--who may or may not use bits of human beings in his "cures."

Witchcraft--which has its devotees among plenty of white men in the black continent--has defied the "civilizers." Much of it is harmless.

The ritual murder side is not.

WITCH DOCTOR UNIVERSITY

In Johannesburg, the witch doctors have formed their own "university" to prevent charlatans, as they term them, from entering the honorable profession of the dingakas.

It is even possible for modern medicine to learn some lessons from this "University." The dingakas know the ages-old herbal remedies for various African complaints. There are scientific reasons why some of them work.

The theory has even been put forward that the presence of a witch doctor can aid his 20th-century brother, the medical practitioner. For a witch doctor can put an ignorant patient in a receptive psychological mood to make the best of a modern cure.

LEADS TO MURDER

Witch-doctorism, however, leads to murder.

Natives hold a strong belief in the medicine of witch doctors. Medicine from a lion's flesh is regarded as strong. The most powerful of all, however, is made from human flesh.

To obtain this flesh, a murder must be committed. The victim of an accident or of a disease is not suitable, say the medicine men.

Ritual murder is always planned, and the murder always is committed by more than one person.

The witch doctors arrange for the remains to be found and for it to appear as if death was accidental.

How to stamp out ritual murder is a matter engaging the attention of all governments from Ghana to South Africa, from Liberia to Abyssinia. The terrible practice brings death to hundreds of Africans every year.

It will be a long battle, as it is mainly one of education.

It took Europe and America long years to eradicate beliefs in black magic, and in vampires, wolfmen and other bogeymen. Such beliefs--and worse--still seize the minds of millions of Africans.

Yet another "weeping" statue of Mary appears, this time in New Mexico

More evidence that Roman Catholicism is a religion of superstition and idolatry; it will come as a great surprise to this blogger if the latest "weeping" statue of Mary turns out to be more legitimate than any of the others that have been reported over the years. As reported by Carlos Andres López of the Las Cruces Sun-News, June 2, 2018 (link in original):

LAS CRUCES - Is it natural or supernatural? Is it divine or demonic? These are the questions the Las Cruces Catholic Diocese is hoping to answer at the conclusion of its investigation into a statue of the Virgin Mary that appears to shedding tears at a Hobbs church.

Bishop Oscar Cantú addressed the statue in a news conference last week, saying the diocese, which serves as the governing entity for all Catholic churches in southern New Mexico, including Hobbs, is in the middle of its investigation into the occurrence at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hobbs.

"We've initiated an investigation," Cantú said. "It'll be on a lot of different levels."

As of last Wednesday, Cantú said he had not visited the church since parishioners first reported seeing what appeared to be tears streaming down the face of a statue of the Virgin Mary last month. The church has since become a destination for Catholics, non-Catholics and others who have traveled from near and far in pilgrimages to see what many have called a miracle.

Several images of the statue are on the church's Facebook page, including one that shows a long line of people waiting to see the figure.

In its investigation, the diocese will first try to determine if the tears are a supernatural occurrence, Cantú explained. This part of the probe includes laboratory tests of the liquid believed to be tears, eyewitness interviews and scrutiny of possible natural causes, including human tampering.

"We have to rule out any natural possibilities of that statue emitting liquid, whatever it is," he said. "We will continue to conduct interviews with eyewitnesses, with the pastors, with the priests."

He added: "We are sending the liquid for a chemical analysis, (and) we're going to reach out to the fabricator, the producer of the statue."

However, it is unclear how long the analysis will take to complete. Cantú said it wouldn't be a quick process.

But if the diocese ultimately concludes the tears are in fact a supernatural phenomenon — which has not yet happened — officials will then try to decipher the underlying message, Cantú said.

"If it is supernatural, then is it God? Or it of an evil spirit? We do believe in the fallen angels," he said, "and we renounce the fallen angels because we believe from the scriptures that they're frustrated and they want to make everyone else frustrated — and sometimes they use things, they can be rather cunning.

"So that would be other piece: what are the fruits? If it's from God, it's going to produce positive fruits of joy, of peace, of healing — perhaps physical healing," Cantú said.

Cantú said he personally has not reached any conclusion, and even admitted to being somewhat apprehensive. "As the bishop, I have to kind of have a distance and a kind of a healthy dose of skepticism, as well," he said.

Since the first sighting of the suspected tears, the church has remained open around the clock, only closing for a few hours, as crowds gather in droves to pray before the statue. One person wrote on the church's Facebook page that he drove from Denver to see the statue, and said he hope a permanent church is built in the Virgin Mary's honor.

Cantú views the overwhelming response as a sign that people are looking for "peace or direction in their lives," or "illumination in their lives."

As reported by Evan Folan of the El Paso television station KVIA, June 10, 2018:

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Twenty thousand people from as far away as Hong Kong have traveled to see the statue of the Virgin Mary reportedly crying at a Hobbs church, parishioners say.

"We've been swamped," said Judy Ronquillo, the church manager.

Not only that, the church told ABC-7 the statue began weeping again on Saturday.

"We need to stay together and unite each other and pray," Ronquillo said. "All I ask is for everybody to forgive and pray."

The Las Cruces Catholic Diocese, the governing body of all Catholic churches in southern New Mexico, will interview witnesses tomorrow, Ronquillo said.

Bishop Oscar Cantú told the Las Cruces Sun-News the diocese will first try to determine if the tears are a supernatural occurrence. This part of the probe includes laboratory tests of the liquid believed to be tears, eyewitness interviews and scrutiny of possible natural causes, including human tampering.

It is unclear how long the investigation will take to complete. The church is open daily, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

25 years ago: U.S. Supreme Court supports Santeria ritual animal sacrifice

On June 11, 1993, the United States Supreme Court ruled 9-0 in Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah that the Florida city's statute prohibiting "unnecessar[y]" killing of "an animal in a public or private ritual or ceremony not for the primary purpose of food consumption" violated the religious freedom of Santeria, a mixture of Roman Catholicism and Yoruba religion whose adherents were mainly to be found in the Caribbean area.

I'm not particularly interested in the convoluted reasoning behind the ruling in this case, because it's the observation of this blogger that both the U.S. and Canadian Supreme Courts over the last few decades have made their decisions in accord with the agenda that they've been pursuing, and have invented legal justifications to support the decisions they were going to make, anyway. It's worth noting, however, that the U.S. Supreme Court seemed much more enthusiastic in defending the rights of a pagan religion that was a recent import into the United States than in defending the rights of the Christianity which had so much influence on the founding and history of the country.

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

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; I Timothy 2:5

As reported by Katherine Burgess of the Wichita Eagle, April 9, 2018:

A fingerless glove. Cotton gauze stained with blood. A lock of hair.

An estimated 500,000 Catholics will flock to see these items as they travel across the country.

Last year, the relics of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, known as Padre Pio, toured 18 dioceses throughout the United States.

This year, the six relics will visit 40 dioceses, including one in Canada and one in Mexico. One stop will be at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the Diocese of Wichita this Friday.

Relics are physical objects associated with a saint. They can include part of the saint’s body (a first-class relic), a piece of the saint’s clothing or something used by the saint (second-class) or an object touched by a first-class relic (third-class). The relics visiting Wichita include first- and second-class relics.

“We do hope indeed that when the people come to venerate the relics, they might take Padre Pio’s life as an example, the way he endured suffering and cared for the sick and the poor,” said Luciano Lamonarca, president of the Saint Pio Foundation. “My hope is that through this tour, people will find an inspiration in living their lives with humbleness and really with the faith. If Padre Pio himself was able to bear all this suffering for 50 years, surely we can do so as well.”

Born in Italy in 1887, Padre Pio was baptized Francesco Forgione, but took the name Pio when he entered the Capuchin order at 15. He was ordained a priest at 23.

Pio is widely known as the first stigmatized priest in the history of the Catholic Church. Catholics believe the stigmata — wounds that correspond with those Christ received at the crucifixion — appeared on Pio’s hands, feet and side in 1918.

Because Pio identified with Christ’s suffering in such a physical way, people see in him someone who understands their own suffering, said the Rev. Adam Keiter, rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

“Our Lord himself said if you wish to be my disciple you must deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me,” Keiter said. “Padre Pio demonstrated that in a tremendous way, the value of redemptive suffering.”

Pio is known for spending long hours praying and taking confessions as well as starting a Home for the Relief of Suffering, which still exists.

Pio did many good things in his lifetime, but also said he would do even more good after his death, Keiter said.

“People really do feel that Padre Pio intercedes for them, that if they have a prayer, a request, Padre Pio goes to our Lord and presents that request on behalf of the people who’ve been asking,” Keiter said.

Lamonarca said Catholics will often travel from out of state to see the relics. Last year, the first time the relics toured the United States, at least 60 percent of those who came to venerate them said they were unable to go to Italy, where Pio’s body is on view.

The Diocese of Wichita has received inquiries from Nebraska and Oklahoma as well as across Kansas, Keiter said. They expect thousands to show up Friday.

Veneration of a saint’s relic is similar to carrying a photo of a loved one who has died, Lamonarca said.

“We want to have a reminder to us that the person is watching us, that we’d like to have the picture to remind us of the love we had and respect of the person when they were alive,” he said.

The relics will be available for public veneration at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 430 N. Broadway, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, April 13.

Mr. Lamonarca's comment that veneration of a saint's relics is similar to carrying a photo of a loved one who has died is nonsense. I don't know anyone who believes that photos of dead loved ones possess spiritual power, or that one can ask the dead loved one to intercede to God on our behalf. Padre Pio's followers believe that he intercedes with God for them, which is contrary to the clear Biblical statement that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and men. In fact, the whole cult around Padre Pio is blasphemous; it's part of a variety of Catholicism that believes that the Lord Jesus Christ didn't accomplish everything necessary for our salvation on the cross--contrary to His statement, "It is finished" (John 19:30)--but that additional physical suffering is required on the part of those such as Padre Pio.

July 29, 2018 update: In a related item, a relic of St. Francis Xavier has been on a tour of Canada, as reported by BBC News, February 1, 2018

(Photograph)

Thousands across Canada have attended public veneration for the right forearm of St Francis Xavier. The relic has made a rare trip outside of Rome to visit more than a dozen cities.

5th century amulet from Turkey has been deciphered: It's in Aramaic, and cites Balaam as a hex against chariot racers

And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. Numbers 22:23-27

Antioch tablet

As reported by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz of Breaking Israel News, May 22, 2018:

A scroll from the fifth century made of thin lead and discovered in the 1930’s in Turkey has finally been deciphered, and its message is shocking: An amulet written in Aramaic, it refers to the Biblical story of Balaam, and researchers believe it was used by a Jew to curse opposition chariot racers.

The scroll made of thin lead was discovered buried in the Hippodrome in the city of Antioch some 70 years ago by researchers from Princeton University. It remained rolled up, its message hidden away, until two years ago when a project from Cologne university unrolled it thinking it was a Greek-language amulet, a fairly common practice of the time.

Upon closer inspection, the researchers discovered that the 3.5-inch x .8-inch sheet of metal was inscribed with Hebrew letters. They turned the project over to Tel Aviv University doctoral student Rivka Elitzur-Leiman who is studying Jewish magical amulets from the 4th-7th centuries for her dissertation. Using Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), a technology which takes images in different lighting and from different angles, Elitzur-Leiman was able to decipher the inscriptions.

She identified the inscription as an Aramaic dialect written with Hebrew letters and used by Jews. The content, dealing with the Biblical story of Balaam and containing the Hebrew name of God (YHWH), seemed to confirm her theory.

“The curse calls upon the angel who stands before Balaam’s donkey to block the horses of the opposing team,” Elitzur-Leiman told Breaking Israel News. The hex also calls on God to cause the “Blue Team” horses to “drown in the mud.”

Many such scrolls from that period exist, and cursing chariot races and scrolls used for hexing horse races were fairly common since it was a popular sport in the Byzantine era. But to-date, such scrolls have only been found inscribed in Latin or Greek. This is the only example found of such a hex scroll that can be attributed to Jews.

Parts of the inscription were indecipherable as a nail had been driven through the metal to intensify the effects of the curse. Elitzur-Leiman explained that lead was used for hexing. The metal scroll was then buried in the soil where the race was being held, and the horses passing over it would activate it. Gold, silver or brass were used for amulets that generated blessings.

“The amulets were generally placed in cloth containers and worn on the body,” Elitzur-Leiman explained.

“Love amulets were also made from lead as they were considered a hex since they were particularly aggressive,” she said. “For example, the hex might try to prevent a woman from eating or drinking until she fell in love with a certain man.”

Many people think these types of amulets and hexes would not be used by religious Jews, but these types of amulets and hexes were actually very common, even among the Jews.

“Even though many rabbis object, they are still used by some Jews to this day,” Elitzur-Leiman said, citing examples of amulets from the Talmud. The phenomenon is so common to Judaism that is the subject of Elitzur-Leiman’s doctoral thesis. “They were used for many purposes including protection from the ‘evil-eye’, chasing away spirits and even success in court cases. They frequently contained verses from the Bible or Psalms.”

“Chariot races were very much like modern sporting events with fans getting very emotionally involved,” Elitzur-Leiman said. “Just as modern sports fans go to great lengths using good luck charms and other superstitions to help their team, chariot fans did the same in ancient times.”

“It seems clear that the Torah sages frowned upon such hexes and charms, and horse racing in particular, was censured,” Elitzur-Leiman said. “But here we have proof that even Jewish fans used curses against their competition.”

Nigerian Pentecostal pastor's marriage is dissolved because his wife invoked curses on him

Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife...
...He must manage his own family well... I Timothy 3:2a, 4a

Unfortunately, there seems to be a never-ending supply of news items involving scandal, superstition, and charismaniac nonsense in what passes for Christianity in Nigeria, which makes me wonder how many "Christians" in that country are, in fact, Christians. As reported by Nsikak Nseyen of the Lagos Daily Post, January 29, 2018:

The Igando Customary Court, Lagos, has dissolved the marriage of a Pentecostal Pastor, Bernard Towoju and his wife, Abosede, over the wife’s alleged use of her private part to invoke curses on the husband.

The 53-year-old pastor, in a divorce petition told the court that “I cannot continue to make love with a woman who always goes naked and swears for me with her private part”.

“She once came to my office to fight me and tore my clothes in the presence of my colleagues. We fight on daily basis and hurt each other a lot.

“We always land in the police station after our fight, in fact, we are regular customers at the station,’’ he said.

The petitioner accused his wife of threatening his life, adding that his wife always hit him with dangerous weapons whenever they quarreled.

“I had to run away from the house I built 10 years ago to rent an apartment for safety.

“She chased me with cutlass, bottles and sticks; our neighbours can testify to that.

“I am afraid, I cannot sleep under the same roof with her with my two eyes closed,” he said.

He begged the court to dissolve the marriage, that the love he once had for her had faded and he could no longer tolerate her ill-nature and troubles.

The respondent, Abosede, a fashion designer, accused her husband of calling her a witch.

“He said everywhere he went for solution to his problems, they always tell him that I am behind his predicament.

“My hands are clean; I know nothing about his woes.

“Towoju abandoned me and the children 10 years ago, I have been taking care of the children,” the 46-year-old woman added.

The mother of four urged the court not to grant her husband’s request for the dissolution of the marriage, saying “I still love him”.

In his judgment, the court President, Mr Akin Akinniyi, said the petitioner was adamant despite all mediation from the court and family.

“Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice than to dissolve the union in spite of the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband.

“The court pronounced the marriage between Pastor Bernard Towoju and Mrs Abosede Towoju dissolved today, both parties henceforth ceased to be husband and wife.

“Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation,” Akinniyi ruled.

Winter solstice celebrations at Spanish missions in California display a mixture of Roman Catholicism and paganism

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:...
...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. Jeremiah 10:2-3a, 11

As reported by Rubén G. Mendoza, Chair/Professor, Division of Social, Behavioral & Global Studies, California State University, Monterey Bay, in The Conversation, December 19, 2016, updated December 6, 2017 (bold, links in original):

On Thursday, Dec. 21, nations in the Northern Hemisphere will mark the winter solstice – the shortest day and longest night of the year. For thousands of years people have marked this event with rituals and celebrations to signal the rebirth of the sun and its victory over darkness.

At hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of missions stretching from northern California to Peru, the winter solstice sun triggers an extraordinarily rare and fascinating event – something that I discovered by accident and first documented in one California church nearly 20 years ago.

At dawn on Dec. 21, a sunbeam enters each of these churches and bathes an important religious object, altar, crucifix or saint’s statue in brilliant light. On the darkest day of the year, these illuminations conveyed to native converts the rebirth of light, life and hope in the coming of the Messiah. Largely unknown for centuries, this recent discovery has sparked international interest in both religious and scientific circles. At missions that are documented illumination sites, congregants and Amerindian descendants now gather to honor the sun in the church on the holiest days of the Catholic liturgy with songs, chants and drumming.

I have since trekked vast stretches of the U.S. Southwest, Mexico and Central America to document astronomically and liturgically significant solar illuminations in mission churches. These events offer us insights into archaeology, cosmology and Spanish colonial history. As our own December holidays approach, they demonstrate the power of our instincts to guide us through the darkness toward the light.

Spreading the Catholic faith

The 21 California missions were established between 1769 and 1823 by Spanish Franciscans, based in Mexico City, to convert Native Americans to Catholicism. Each mission was a self-sufficient settlement with multiple buildings, including living quarters, storerooms, kitchens, workshops and a church. Native converts provided the labor to build each mission complex, supervised by Spanish friars. The friars then conducted masses at the churches for indigenous communities, sometimes in their native languages.

Spanish friars like Fray Gerónimo Boscana also documented indigenous cosmologies and beliefs. Boscana’s account of his time as a friar describes California Indians’ belief in a supreme deity who was known to the peoples of Mission San Juan Capistrano as Chinigchinich or Quaoar.

As a culture hero, Indian converts identified Chinigchinich with Jesus during the Mission period. His appearance among Takic-speaking peoples coincides with the death of Wiyot, the primeval tyrant of the first peoples, whose murder introduced death into the world. And it was the creator of night who conjured the first tribes and languages, and in so doing, gave birth to the world of light and life.

Hunting and gathering peoples and farmers throughout the Americas recorded the transit of the solstice sun in both rock art and legend. California Indians counted the phases of the moon and the dawning of both the equinox and solstice suns in order to anticipate seasonally available wild plants and animals. For agricultural peoples, counting days between the solstice and equinox was all-important to scheduling the planting and harvesting of crops. In this way, the light of the sun was identified with plant growth, the creator and thereby the giver of life.

Discovering illuminations

I first witnessed an illumination in the church at Mission San Juan Bautista, which straddles the great San Andreas Fault and was founded in 1797. The mission is also located a half-hour drive from the high-tech machinations of San Jose and the Silicon Valley. Fittingly, visiting the Old Mission on a fourth grade field trip many years earlier sparked my interest in archaeology and the history and heritage of my American Indian forebears.

On Dec. 12, 1997, the parish priest at San Juan Bautista informed me that he had observed a spectacular solar illumination of a portion of the main altar in the mission church. A group of pilgrims observing the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe had asked to be admitted to the church early that morning. When the pastor entered the sanctuary, he saw an intense shaft of light traversing the length of the church and illuminating the east half of the altar. I was intrigued, but at the time I was studying the mission’s architectural history and assumed that this episode was unrelated to my work. After all, I thought, windows project light into the darkened sanctuaries of the church throughout the year.

One year later, I returned to San Juan Bautista on the same day, again early in the morning. An intensely brilliant shaft of light entered the church through a window at the center of the facade and reached to the altar, illuminating a banner depicting the Virgin of Guadalupe on her Feast Day in an unusual rectangle of light. As I stood in the shaft of light and looked back at the sun framed at the epicenter of the window, I couldn’t help but feel what many describe when, in the course of a near death experience, they see the light of the great beyond.

Only afterward did I connect this experience to the church’s unusual orientation, on a bearing of 122 degrees east of north – three degrees offset from the mission quadrangle’s otherwise square footprint. Documentation in subsequent years made it clear that the building’s positioning was not random. The Mutsun Indians of the mission had once revered and feared the dawning of the winter solstice sun. At this time, they and other groups held raucous ceremonies that were intended to make possible the resurrection of the dying winter sun.

Several years later, while I was working on an archaeological investigation at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel, I realized that the church at this site also was skewed off kilter from the square quadrangle around it – in this case, about 12 degrees. I eventually confirmed that the church was aligned to illuminate during the midsummer solstice, which occurs on June 21.

Next I initiated a statewide survey of the California mission sites. The first steps were to review the floor plans of the latest church structures on record, analyze historic maps and conduct field surveys of all 21 missions to identify trajectories of light at each site. Next we established the azimuth so as to determine whether each church building was oriented toward astronomically significant events, using sunrise and sunset data.

This process revealed that 14 of the 21 California missions were sited to produce illuminations on solstices or equinoxes. We also showed that the missions of San Miguel Arcángel and San José were oriented to illuminate on the Catholic Feast Days of Saint Francis of Assisi (Oct. 4) and Saint Joseph (March 19), respectively.

Soon thereafter, I found that 18 of the 22 mission churches of New Mexico were oriented to the all-important vernal or autumnal equinox, used by the Pueblo Indians to signal the agricultural season. My research now spans the American hemisphere, and recent findings by associates have extended the count of confirmed sites as far south as Lima, Peru. To date, I have identified some 60 illumination sites throughout the western United States, Mexico and South America.

Melding light with faith

It is striking to see how Franciscans were able to site and design structures that would produce illuminations, but an even more interesting question is why they did so. Amerindians, who previously worshiped the sun, identified Jesus with the sun. The friars reinforced this idea via teachings about the cristo helios, or “solar Christ” of early Roman Christianity.

Anthropologist Louise Burkhart’s studies affirm the presence of the “Solar Christ” in indigenous understandings of Franciscan teachings. This conflation of indigenous cosmologies with the teachings of the early Church readily enabled the Franciscans to convert followers across the Americas. Moreover, calibrations of the movable feast days of Easter and Holy Week were anchored to the Hebrew Passover, or the crescent new moon closest to the vernal equinox. Proper observance of Easter and Christ’s martyrdom therefore depended on the Hebrew count of days, which was identified with both the vernal equinox and the solstice calendar.

Orienting mission churches to produce illuminations on the holiest days of the Catholic calendar gave native converts the sense that Jesus was manifest in the divine light. When the sun was positioned to shine on the church altar, neophytes saw its rays illuminate the ornately gilded tabernacle container, where Catholics believe that bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ. In effect, they beheld the apparition of the Solar Christ.

The winter solstice, coinciding with both the ancient Roman festival of Sol Invictus (unconquered sun) and the Christian birth of Christ, heralded the shortest and darkest time of the year. For the California Indian, it presaged fears of the impending death of the sun. At no time was the sun in the church more powerful than on that day each year, when the birth of Christ signaled the birth of hope and the coming of new light into the world.

Vampire scare in Malawi triggers mob violence

As Paul Harvey used to say, "It is not one world." As reported by Mabvuto Banda and Ed Stoddard of Reuters, October 9, 2017:

LILONGWE - The United Nations said on Monday it has pulled staff out of two districts in southern Malawi where a vampire scare has triggered mob violence in which at least five people have been killed.

Belief in witchcraft is widespread in rural Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, where many aid agencies and NGOs work. A spate of vigilante violence linked to a vampire rumors also erupted in Malawi in 2002.

“These districts have severely been affected by the ongoing stories of blood sucking and possible existence of vampires,” the UN Department on Safety and Security (UNDSS) said in a security report on the Phalombe and Mulanje districts that was seen by Reuters.

The Acting UN Resident Coordinator, Florence Rolle, said in an emailed response to questions that based on the report that “some UN staff have relocated while others are still in the districts depending on locations of their operations”.

“UNDSS is continuing to monitor the situation closely to ensure all affected UN staff are back in the field as soon as possible,” Rolle said.

Rolle did not say how many workers had been relocated.

The UNDSS report said at least five people had been killed in the area since mid-September by lynch mobs accusing them of vampirism. It said mobs searching for vampires have been mounting road blocks in the district, raising security concerns.

Malawian President Peter Mutharika said the reports were “distressing and agonizing”.

“This development has been of grave concern to the President and the entire Government,” his office said in a statement.

The UNDSS report said the vampirism rumors appear to have originated in neighboring Mozambique, although it was not clear what had sparked them. It recommended the “temporary suspension of U.N. activities in the area until the situation is normalized”.

It said some NGOs had pulled personnel from the districts and temporarily suspended their programs but did not name the organizations.

As for the rumours of vampires in Malawi in 2002, the following was reported by Erwan Jourand of the South African news service Independent Online, February 5, 2003:

Lilongwe - Almost a decade after their former president Kamuzu Banda lost power, Malawians are still terrified by rumours of government-sponsored vampires that circulated under his brutal reign and have held the popular imagination ever since.

Many Malawians, especially in the country's rural south, believe in reports that teams of "blood suckers" are murdering poor people on a nightly basis, draining their blood and selling it to international aid agencies in return for food.

Vague in all but the nastiest details, the fantastical stories have become so widespread that the Central African Presbyterian Church has called for an independent commission to investigate the allegations.

"We would like to recommend the immediate creation of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations of blood-sucking," the church said in a statement.

Last month a member of the ruling United Democratic Front was accused of harbouring the vampires and was beaten by the residents of a small town near Blantyre. After the incident, government spokesperson Robert Ngaiyaye was forced to issue a statement declaring there was "no evidence that there are blood-suckers".

President Muluzi has accused unnamed opposition politicians of exploiting the rumours with the aim of bringing down his government, vowing that anyone caught spreading rumours would be arrested.

This blogger is unaware if the Central African Presbyterian Church's recommendation of a commission to investigate the rumours was ever acted upon.