Michelangelo’s Statue of David (above) was unveiled in Florence today in 1504. He had sculpted the statue, which shows David psyching himself up to do battle with Goliath, from a lump of flawed marble that had been rejected and abandoned by two previous artists. Standing 4 metres (14 feet) tall, David was hailed in Michelangelo’s time as greater than any ancient Greek or Roman statue.
Today is Marymas, which is like Christmas, but with Baby Mary rather than Baby Jesus. In her nativity story, Mary is the daughter of Saints Anna and Joachim. According to medieval theologians, to give Christ the maximum protection from sin, Mary herself was born free from original sin. Since original sin is passed on because babies are conceived in a moment of sexual pleasure (they said), Anna and Joachim were given the miraculous power of not particularly enjoying the experience. Happy Marymas.
‘And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought forth. And she said to the midwife: “What have I brought forth?” and she said: “A girl.” And said Anna: “My soul has been magnified this day.”’ Infancy Gospel of James
CS Lewis appeared on the cover of Time magazine today in 1947. He was already a bestselling author in the US, with 14 printings of his then most popular book, The Screwtape Letters, but the Time cover cemented his unrivalled reputation in America as an ‘eloquent and witty popularizer of Christianity’.
‘Lewis is writing about religion for a generation of religion-hungry readers brought up on a diet of “scientific” jargon and Freudian cliches.’ Time magazine, ‘Don v. Devil’, 1947
Don Martin Francisco Lopez de Mendozo Grajales, a Spanish priest, arrived in Florida today in 1565 and founded the first American parish in what became the city of St Augustine, Florida. He was part of an expedition led by the explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés which had sailed from Cadiz in June that year. On landing, Grajales celebrated Mass in honour of the Virgin Mary, since it was Marymas.
Mother Ann Lee, who joined the Shaking Quakers in her hometown of Manchester, England, and became the founder of the Shakers when she emigrated to the American colonies, died on this day in 1784, in Watervliet, New York. Her unhappy marriage may have prompted her to add celibacy to the demands of Shaker life – which rather hampered the survival of the sect.
‘Be faithful to keep the gospel; be neat and industrious; keep your family’s clothes clean and decent; see that your house is kept clean, and your victuals are prepared in good order, that when the Brethren come in from their hard work they can bless you, and eat their food with thankfulness, without murmuring, and be able to worship God in the beauty of holiness.’ Mother Ann Lee
Image: Marco Crupi