Contemporary stained glass rejected in Notre-Dame de Paris
The members of France’s National Commission for Heritage and Architecture unanimously rejected the project to replace the medieval stained glass windows in the chapels on the south side of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral with contemporary pieces.
The decision that pushed back against the revolutionary proposal is based on the principles of the 1964 Venice Charter, which recommends preserving the original elements of a historic monument whenever possible, which in the case of the aforementioned stained glass windows is entirely valid, since they were not damaged by the fire. However, the battle to preserve Notre-Dame’s original art is not over yet. The Ministry of Culture and the President of the Republic will once again consult experts at the end of the year in order to make a final decision.
Lawsuit Against the Heralds of the Gospel Dismissed
After scrutiny and due legal process, on July 23, Judge Cristina Ribeiro Leite Balbone Costa, of the Children and Youth Court of São Paulo’s Central Court, dismissed the lawsuit accusing the Heralds of the Gospel of violating the rights of the children and teenagers who attend its educational institutes and boarding houses.
The litigation, unscrupulously contrived by a group of persons disaffected with the association, garnered a great deal of media coverage unfavourable to the organization, considerably affecting the lives of hundreds of religious, young people and their families. The judge’s decision definitively closes the lawsuit, allowing the institution’s innocence to be finally acknowledged.
National congress of exorcists in Brazil
Between July 29 and August 2, the city of Florianópolis in Santa Catarina State hosted the First National Congress of Exorcists. Organized by the Portuguese Language Secretariat of the International Association of Exorcists, the event brought together priests from all over the country and included the participation of Fr. Francesco Bamonte, an exorcist from the Diocese of Rome, and Fr. Piermario Burgo, rector of Madonna di Belvedere Shrine in Italy.
The fourteen talks included topics such as the development of exorcism in the history of the Church, in the Gospels and in the Catechism, the importance of Sacramentals as defensive and offensive weapons against the evil one, the dangers of the occult, the spirituality of the exorcist and the importance of his assistants, and even a testimony of liberation.
House of Sr. Lucia, seer of Fatima, reopens
After being closed for months due to restoration work, the house where Sister Lucia, seer of the Fatima apparitions, was born, has once again opened its doors to the public. Located in the small village of Aljustrel, in the district of Santarém, Portugal, the residence, which has been transformed into a museum, has been attracting visitors since the time of the apparitions.
Thanks to the joint efforts of the Fatima Shrine authorities and various professionals, the site now transports pilgrims back to the time when little Lucia lived there more than a century ago. To this end, some of the furniture and household utensils were recovered and restored, and the house was organized on the basis of letters and memoirs of the seer, describing the various rooms.
Historic Eucharistic Congress in the United States
Two years of preparation culminated in surprising results at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, held in Indianapolis, Indiana State, between July 17 and 21. The event involved more than a 100 thousand participants in its various stages, from the pre-event catechesis, meetings and Eucharistic processions that travelled the country, to the days when the faithful gathered in Indianapolis. Lectures interspersed with moments of prayer and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament filled the participants with joy and revived the Eucharistic faith of many.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the congress was the closing Mass, presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, and concelebrated by more than 1,600 priests, not including bishops and cardinals. During the celebration, 1,236 religious and more than 60 thousand devotees filled the Lucas Oil Stadium. The day ended with a message to all the participants: to now on be true apostles in society, transmitting in their lives the love that Jesus manifests in the Sacrament of the Altar.
More than 30 thousand attend ExpoCatólica
The seventeenth edition of ExpoCatólica, held in São Paulo from July 4 to 7, attracted more than 30 thousand visitors. The fair, which is considered to be the largest in Latin America, was attended by 240 exhibitors, members of private associations of the faithful and religious institutes, who came together to present their charism to the large Catholic public and sell various products.
The event also included reflections on topics of current interest, such as Liturgy, sacred art and evangelization, as well as presenting other novelties, such as religious tourism, free screenings of Catholic films and even the presentation of technological solutions designed especially for churches.
Altar from Crusade era discovered in Jerusalem
A simple episode during work on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem has led to the discovery of a precious high altar built during the era of the Crusades, a true jewel of medieval art, until then thought to be lost in a fire in 1808. Archaeologist Amit Re’em, from the Israel Antiquities Authority, and historian Ilya Berkovich, from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, found the piece by merely turning over a heavy stone slab covered in graffiti, which was leaning against a wall in a rear corridor of the church.
The sensational discovery has shed light on the study of a prized art form known as the Cosmatesque technique, which decorates works using small fragments of precious marble to compose geometric figures and various ornaments. This art was almost exclusively Roman, which suggests that the altar was built at the request of the Pope and by artists appointed by him.
Interest in Thomism grows in Brazil
After great success in the first year of the course, another postgraduate course in Thomistic Philosophy has opened at the Catholic University Centre of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The programme of studies, approved by the MEC, is online, with a workload of 360 hours, and is taught by a faculty of graduates from institutions with a strong Thomist tradition.
This is yet another initiative that demonstrates the growing interest in the doctrine of the Aquinate, a bastion of Catholic orthodoxy.
Archaeological discoveries confirm biblical account
The Israel Antiquities Authority has announced the results of research begun in 2019 in Zanoah, Israel, a city mentioned in two books of the Old Testament (Jos 15:34; Neh 3:13). Objects and ruins of ancient buildings excavated in the region confirm the arrival of the Israelites in the Promised Land around 1406-1407 BC.
Among these objects are a considerable number of ceramic utensils, such as jugs and vases, one of which bears the inscription “of the king” in honour of King Hezekiah, as well as fragments of jewellery and other iron and bronze artefacts. According to scientists, around 20 per cent of the material found dates back more than 3,200 years, and the site remains potentially relevant for further discoveries.
