On many occasions in history, the future of a nation, or even of the world, has been decided on the basis one apparently weak soul, who nevertheless carried within himself the promise of great achievements. Louis II of Bourbon, Prince of Condé – Palace of Versailles (France) Thus, the magnificent France of the early 17th…
I would like to reflect on one of the Beatitudes: “Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:10). In each of the Beatitudes, Our Lord Jesus Christ sets forth a principle which is in accordance with the natural or supernatural order of things; therefore, it is…
The end of the 19th century revealed a dazzling Western civilization, which seemed to have materialized every dream of wealth and splendour hitherto imaginable. At the head of the brilliant Prussian army, Otto von Bismarck asserted: “I am bored; we have already done every great thing”; Germany was enjoying an industrial miracle; the intellectual and…
Countless events have occurred since man began to inhabit this earth, but few of them are relevant enough to deserve being passed on to future generations. Perhaps this is why so many have undertaken extraordinary measures to accomplish some feat that would give them a share in a much-coveted goal: to appear in the perennial…
Let us imagine ourselves on board a troop transport plane, at an altitude of over five thousand metres. The passengers are paratroopers and are getting ready, like us, to jump for the first time from this altitude. It is impossible not to feel fear! Some entrust themselves to divine protection, while others vie to be…
Music speaks directly to the soul, tugging at the strings of our highest sensibility, modelling states of mind, often framing poems or prayers which acquire greater eloquence through the harmonization of instruments and voices. In the Principality of Wales, in the United Kingdom, there is a hymn from the 19th century which is noteworthy for…
A Child is about to be born in Bethlehem! What can we say about this event? When the Word became incarnate and dwelt among us, what was the state of humanity? It was most certainly very similar to our present situation. In a pagan world, some souls awaited a restoration Despite the sin of Adam…
Thursday September 8. The world learned, through the mainstream media, that Queen Elizabeth II had just passed away. Death is always cruel and painful, whatever the circumstances. Nevertheless, analysed from a purely material point of view – the only one that seems to have the right to exist in our times – the general commotion…
The fascinating role of crowns, whose trajectory spans history, dates back to the dawn of civilization. From ancient times, the heads of the Roman Caesars were encircled with laurel wreaths, those of Germanic barbarians with precious metals and dazzling stones; and surpassing them all in grandeur and glory, the Son of God chose to be…
To undertake the task of writing a brief account of figures who have crossed the firmament of history like stars, at once agile, brilliant and enchanting, is no easy task; and to attempt to write something, whether brief or lengthy, about personalities who, as considered in the previous article, symbolize their very nation, is an…
