History teacher: things military and artistic: catholic

Showing posts with label catholic. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Chi Rho and Constantine the Great

suggested use for Teachers:

1. Ask students to draw the Chi Rho symbol in their journals. Then ask students if any of them know the historic significance of the image.

2. read the link about the SYMBOL and jot down a few facts about its historical use.

3. then scroll down to the tapestry image and do a VTS with the image.

4. after students have investigated the image, listen to the audio link about this tapestry from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

5. Use this as a review of Constantine's efforts as emperor or as a way to introduce Constantine.

What is the historic significance of the CHI RHO symbol?

How did Constantine the Great use this symbol? Click here for access an audio tour to this tapestry shown above; this piece of art that displays the connection between the Chi Rho and Constantine. Can you count the number of Chi Rho symbols used in the tapestry?

Click here for the audio

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Patron Saint of Crossfitters

Who is the Patron Saint of Crossfit athletes?

Saint Sebastian, of course !

WHY Saint Sebastian?

Well, he ENDURED lots of PAIN....and ....

CROSSFITTERS love pain ! !

Crossfitters cannot lay sole claim to him, because he has been recognized as the Patron Saint of all athletes.

OK.....So, ....WHO was Saint Sebastian?

Sebastian rose in the ranks to become a high ranking soldier in the Roman legions. He joined the Roman Army in the late 200's A.D and became the captain of Emperor Diocletian's bodyguard: the Praetorian Guard.

Sebastian's path to martyrdom and sainthood started by breaking the Roman law.

His TROUBLES began when he secretly converted to Christianity at a time when it was not appreciated by Roman authorities. Sebastian's beliefs were discovered when he helped imprisoned Christians and coached them to be strong in body and spirit in the face of Roman persecution; he also converted Romans to Christianity; for these crimes, the Emperor sentenced him to death.

Sebastian was to be tied to a Tree and shot up with lots of arrows. Although he resembled a porcupine, because of so many arrows stuck in him, HE DID NOT DIE ! ! The Emperor sent another hit team out and they clubbed him to death. So, SEBASTIAN was a DOUBLE MARTYR.....!

St. Sebastian's TOUGH GUY Checklist:

1) He was a Roman soldier

2) He survived being shot up by dozens of arrows.....

3) One death sentence wasn't enough....they had to give him 2 ! ! !

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Saint Lucy at the North Carolina Museum of Art

Saint Lucy lived from 283 to 304 and was a wealthy young Christian. She is venerated as a saint and martyr by Christians: Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. Her name is derived from the Latin word meaning light: Lux, lucis. She is the patron saint of the blind.

Lucy was supposed to be married to a non Christian pagan, but she refused. Her to be husband ratted her out to the Roman authories and told them that she was a Christian. For this, she was to be killed, but the Romans could not find the will to kill her, somehow: miracle, anyone? But the resourceful Romans did manage to cut her very pretty eyes out with a fork: MESSY! Another version of the story is that she herself cut her eyes out and gave them to her jilted fiance, because he really loved her eyes. Upon doing so, Lucy told him to leave her alone, so she could serve God.

Interactive COMPUTER AGE ART

meets Saint LUCY ! !