The Way of the Fathers

Signs and Goodies

Mike Aquilina — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:29:57 +0000

This very cool homeschooling website just posted a kind review of my book Signs and Mysteries: Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols, which is gorgeously illustrated by Lea Marie Ravotti.

This is a beautiful little book. The design, typography, and illustrations are exquisite, light, and graceful. However, it is not light reading. To fully comprehend the meaning of each symbol, take it one chapter at a time. An understanding of these ancient symbols will bring us closer to our Christian roots, and in turn, closer to our Risen Lord.

Ever Ancient, Ever New

Mike Aquilina — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:41:39 +0000

National Geographic has posted photos of the ancient crosses found underground in Israel. Check it out.

For the Journey

Mike Aquilina — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:23:17 +0000

Kevin Branson, of the blog Journey to Rome, reviewed The How-To Book of Catholic Devotions: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You, which I wrote with my friend Regis Flaherty, who’s something of an expert in this area, having also written Catholic Customs: A Fresh Look at Traditional Practices. Kevin also does quick hits on a few of my other books. May his tribe increase and his crops be abundant.

Gotta Hand It To Them

Mike Aquilina — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:47:49 +0000

BMCR posted a review of the new Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies.

Scratch That

Mike Aquilina — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:43:31 +0000

Jim Davila reports that the ancient Assyrian monastery of St. Gabriel is back on the losing end, as a Turkish court has turned its forest lands over to a governmental agency.

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Mike Aquilina — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:03:47 +0000

Scott and Kimberly Hahn and I closed out the Year of St. Paul with a special two-day event at spacious St. Thomas More Church in Bethel Park, Pa. There were three talks and a weekend-long book fair. The parishioners were lovely.

Father Z provides reports and commentary on the breaking St. Paul news — namely, what was found in his tomb, and the discover of the oldest icon of St. Paul (fourth century).

Happy feast day, everybody. Celebrate!

Pagan Stragglers

Mike Aquilina — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:10:55 +0000

The occasion is a doctoral dissertation reviewed in BMCR. Adrian Murdoch, author of The Last Pagan, raises some good questions about the rise of Christianity and the decline of “paganism.” (I review Adrian’s book here.)

Good Sam’s Museum

Mike Aquilina — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:10:43 +0000

Israel has opened a “mosaic museum” in the West Bank, reports The Art Newspaper.

The $2.5m Museum of the Good Samaritan, housing nearly 50 mosaics and a collection of antiquities, was opened at the Christian pilgrimage site where the Bible’s “Parable of the Good Samaritan” is believed to be set. The site also comprises the restored Good Samaritan Inn, a reconstructed Byzantine church, and Second Temple-era dwelling caves.

The museum’s preserved and restored mosaics and other relics from the fourth to the sixth centuries originate from Christian, Jewish and Samaritan historic sites, based on themes in the parable, Dr Magen said. He also said that excavations at the site show it to be the location where King Herod’s palace once stood.

There’s a good chance the St. Paul Center will return, with Steve Ray, to the Holy Land in 2011. Maybe we can see this museum together.

Hat tip: Jim Davila of PaleoJudaica.

Grail Emerges in Portugal

Mike Aquilina — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:46:49 +0000

My book The Grail Code: Quest for the Real Presence, co-authored with Chris Bailey, is now out in a second Portuguese edition — this one suitable for Portugal rather than Brazil. The cover’s really cool and spooky.

¿Habla Español?

Mike Aquilina — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:36:45 +0000

A trusted friend directed me to a Spanish-language site on early Christianity, Primeros Cristianos. It includes good resources on the Fathers, the persecutions, Church growth, the catacombs, and much more.