... getting ready for Valentine's Day

Happy Saint Valentine's Day 2018 !

http://fbhygp.blogspot.com/2016/02/saint-valentines-day-february-14th.html

Saint Agatha and the Golden Legend

one thing leads to another in research ...

I was researching Saint Agatha (February 5th feast day) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_of_Sicily , and I came across this paragraph at the bottom of a web page http://www.christianiconography.info/agatha.html :

"The Golden Legend's story of St. Lucy begins with a visit to the sepulchre of St. Agatha, who intercedes with Christ to heal Lucy's mother of a bloody flux. The Metropolitan Museum in New York has a painting of this episode by Giovanni di Bartolommeo Cristiani." - https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436050


What is the Golden Legend ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Legend

read the Golden Legend online -
http://catholicsaints.info/the-golden-legend-by-blessed-jacobus-de-voragine/


"Saint Agatha ... is one of seven women, ... along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, [who] are commemorated by name in the [Catholic] Canon of the Mass." - https://thecatholictravelguide.com/destinations/italy/sicily/catania-italy-cathedral-tomb-saint-agatha/

one of a kind shopping experience ?
lets check it out - https://catholiconline.shopping/

Christian Unity Week (2018)

Each year, I study and pray in the week of christian unity at home ...
https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/events/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity





I make jewelry every year for this event; this is a picture of my 2018 prayer bracelet (8 large beads for the 8 days)






traditionally an octave of prayer beginning on January 18, on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter in Rome, and then concluding on January 25, on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul ... christian unity continues year round in ecumenism
https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=34994


(2018) this year's region is the Caribbean ...
https://nypost.com/2015/06/01/saints-be-praised-what-it-takes-to-get-a-caribbean-island-named-after-you/


On a Judeo-Christian perspective ... a sand floor synagogue in the caribbean -
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/Caribbean-synagogue-sand-floor-180963581/

On an Abrahamic faith perspective ... a caribbean island mosque -
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147389-d184709-Reviews-Mohammed_Ali_Jinnah_Memorial_Mosque-Port_of_Spain_Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html


print the pdf international version booklet for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2018 - (pdf download is automatic, just open pdf download, and print)
https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/commissions/faith-and-order/xi-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/2018/2018/@@download/file/ENG%202018%20Booklet.pdf

saint demotions ... gone but not forgotten

famous saints demoted - Christopher, Ursula, Nicholas, George

http://abcnews.go.com/International/saint-saint-kind-demoted/story?id=23477573

they are still saints to me and important to me; you can hold on to your demoted saints

Saint Uriel (one of four main archangels in Christianity and Judaism was demoted 273 years ago)

http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Interesting-Facts-about-Archangel-Uriel&id=36440

I still like and use my Saint Michael Archangel Rosary that includes Saint Uriel

... entering the ranks of christian mythology; get started reading about christian myths

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_mythology

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Christian_mythology

Calendars

Plan your year; look ahead twelve months ...  Where did the year 2017 go ?  Happy New Year 2018.

Need some thing new ? Try an Icon Calendar - https://www.amazon.com/2018-Orthodox-Icon-Calendar-Dates/dp/1944967257/

I use more than one calendar; my church gave out free beautiful catholic calendars for 2018 (which might be some thing you could ask your church about doing for parishioners/members) - http://www.jrcal.com/

For Catholics, there is a general edition of the Ordo for lay readers - http://www.paulistpress.com/Products/ORDE30/ordo-30--general-2018.aspx

If you want to learn more about Jewish holidays, I recommend a messianic Jewish calendar - https://ffoz.com/more/calendars/

Saint Bernard Dog Calendar (see link in caption under picture)

https://www.amazon.com/Just-Saint-Bernards-2018-Calendar/dp/1682346005/

What is a "protomartyr" ?  Answer: "the first martyr for a cause, especially the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen"

December 26 is Saint Stephen Day - http://www.liturgies.net/saints/stephen/stephen.htm 

Thanksgiving ...

I don't think you have to put a lot of emphasis on the "first" thanksgiving, but rather to simply understand thanksgiving, and appreciate the thanksgivings you may come across (I found two):

1.  Plymouth, Massachusetts - Calvinist separatists and Wampanoag (this is the thanksgiving that I traditionally celebrate each year) ... eastern wild turkey

2.  Saint Augustine, Florida - Catholics explorers and Timucua ... osceola wild turkey

There are many patron saints of the harvest, gardening, and agriculture considering Thanksgiving ("... day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year.") 

Baltimore Sun news article - Thanksgiving's patron saint brought out the best in us
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2001-11-22/news/0111220294_1_thanksgiving-gaddy-baltimore-tradition



our traditional Green Bean Casserole recipe
http://www.frenchs.com/recipe/frenchs-green-bean-casserole-RE1511-1


experimenting with green been casserole for Thanksgiving dinner 
-with swiss cheese, white sauce, and no mushrooms (Swiss Green Bean Casserole)
-adding almonds for an almondine touch (Green Bean Almond Casserole)



documented Thanksgivings in the United States are about 500 years old !

Happy Thanksgiving !

Rosary, Medal, Scapular, Veil

Rosary - Mary, Mother of Jesus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_mother_of_Jesus

Miraculous Medal - Saint Catherine Laboure
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Labour%C3%A9

Brown Scapular - Our Lady of Mount Carmel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel

Veil ...

this is Mona Maris ( http://www.famousfix.com/post/mona-maris-20041518 )