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2020 Saints Alive Apr.Pdf Edition 252 “The Church in the Park – Growing in Faith, Hope and Love” April 2020 [email protected] So sorry for such a short edition this month but trying to get it printed before the lock down! Praying you are all keeping well. Take care and look after yourselves. God bless you all. A MESSAGE FROM CARYS Dear friends What strange times we live in. When I last wrote something for Saints Alive! back in January, we were in a different world. Deep in the season of Epiphany, we were still living in a wintry landscape, with memories of Christmas fresh; with dark evenings, and flowers still lingering in the earth before bursting out into spring sunlight. And now we are in Lent. The time of year when we are called to walk a penitential path with Christ to the Passion, and offer ourselves afresh to the God who saves, whilst around us new life is readying itself to burst upon us. Flowers emerge, birdsong intensifies and after morning chill, we are warmed by midday sun. As hearts are being prepared during this Lenten time, the world comes alive around us. There is often something paradoxical about this season, which is a time of both penitence and promise. And this year, the paradox of this time feels especially poignant. We are watching our world emerge through birdsong and flowers; through sunlight and longer days, but the usual freedom which all this brings is not available to us. We are deeply aware that as our world is visited by COVID-19, our lives have become constrained in a way which is unprecedented for all of us, and this can bring understandable uncertainty, anxiety and sadness, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. And yet in the midst of all that is new and unknown, we may also be aware of God’s spirit, prompting us in new ways, to ask fundamental questions about what matters most in a world which crowds us with its voices, demands and promises. We may be asking how we can best support the people we love; and how we can care for our community. We may be asking how we can live in a way which supports ourselves better too, or we may find ourselves simply stopping and allowing ourselves space to reflect. Strangely, this all feels very Lenten; and may also feel very unsettling. But there is resurrection, even after the longest of Lents. The heartbeat of God courses through our veins, and as we live Lent with particular poignancy, we can also rest in the knowledge that ours is a God who saves, who brings new life, and who surrounds with comfort and with everlasting love. Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. from St Patrick’s Breastplate With prayers and blessings to all, Carys The Christian Chronicle A Triad of Popes and a Mad Caliph Welcome to middle 11th Century: it’s still complicated in western Europe (I’ve an update on that) and there are changes up north too; but I promised an update on the East. It’s really not much better than the west and there’s the complicating factor of the Muslims in the Levant (basically the eastern Med); so lots pulling in different directions. Let’s start, then, by looking east. There isn’t the link between the political and religious leaders as in the West: the group of patriarchs that lead the main churches are far less prominent in the politics and the Byzantine Empire has had less upheaval than its western counterpart; or has it? Emperor Romanos II died in 963AD leaving two young sons: Basil, nearly 5 and Constantine, 3. Both were already co-emperors but initially two Generals ruled as Regents. January 976 saw 16-year-old Basil become senior Emperor in his own right, ruling until his death in 1025AD. Basil II, “The Bulgar Slayer”, had a fearful reputation but, as a distinguished administrator, brought control and centralised power in the Empire. The Byzantines held the north-eastern Mediterranean and up towards the Black Sea. Meanwhile the Muslim Fatimid Caliphate held the area from Syria around to Egypt and down towards the Persian Gulf; therefore an uneasy neighbouring. For centuries there’d been an understanding that Christian Pilgrims could visit the Church of the Resurrection on the site of Golgotha in Jerusalem; in 935AD, Orthodox Christians succeeded in blocking Muslims from building an adjacent mosque – thus straining relations. Fast-forward to 996AD, and Al-Hakim (aka The Mad Caliph due to his impetuous acts oppressing non-Muslims) became the Fatimid leader. After various skirmishes, Basil and Al-Hakim managed a sort of truce in 1001AD, protecting Pilgrims visiting Jerusalem. Al-Hakim’s father (Caliph Al-Aziz) had had two consorts, one Muslim and one a Melkite Christian; in response to an inaccurate rumour that his mother was a Christian, Al-Hakim had the Church of the Resurrection destroyed in October 1009AD; a very low point for Christians in and around Jerusalem. Basil II was succeeded by his brother Constantine VIII until 1028. Constantine only had daughters; Zoe, the eldest, has ruled the Empire (with a series of others) since her father’s death: with first husband, Romanos III, until 1034AD; second husband, Michael IV, until 1041AD; then Michael V (Michael IV’s nephew) for a few months; before being joined now as co-Empress by younger sister Theodora and third husband Constantine IX. So almost as complicated as the West! On a positive note, Romanos III did negotiate a treaty with Caliph Ali Az-Zahir (Al-Hakim’s son and successor from 1021) that allowed for the rebuilding of the Church of the Resurrection - now known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - and that building work has recently been completed. Overall a better footing, but still far from a settled situation. Looking north and remaining positive, there’s been further Christian expansion in Scandinavia: Viking Norse men had started converting and held influence across Scandinavia into Britain; this didn’t, of course, mean there was peace in the region. Olaf II ruled Norway between 1015 and 1028AD; meanwhile Cnut (remember him) had become King of England in 1016 and King of Denmark in 1018 before deposing Olaf in 1028. Olaf tried to regain his throne but was killed in 1030 at the Battle of Stiklestad; since then the Viking influence seems to have diminished. Olaf, however, was canonised as a Saint shortly after the battle encouraging widespread adoption of Christianity in Scandinavia. Olaf’s half-brother, Harald, fought in the battle alongside him and, with the defeat, was forced into exile but, recently, has returned and been crowned Harald III, King of Norway in 1046. In the meantime, English born Sigfrid has been busy evangelising, quite successfully, throughout Sweden and the surrounding areas. So that’s the East and North, now for that Western update. Remember, the link between Papacy and Empire; well, as we left it, Gregory V was Pope with Cousin Otto III as Emperor. Otto died in 1002AD and was succeeded, in some of his roles (including King of Germany), by his cousin Henry II. He was finally made Holy Roman Emperor in 1014AD. Henry died in 1024AD without an heir, so the German nobles elected Conrad II as successor - he was crowned Emperor in 1027AD, reigning until 1039AD. His son, Henry III, followed although was not crowned Emperor at that point either; I’ll come back to that once I’ve filled in the rest of the plot! Gregory V died in 999AD and turnover of Popes thereafter was, at times, prolific; some only for a few months! Notable, though, was Benedict VIII (he lasted about 12 years); he saw off Anti-Pope Gregory VI as challenger (helped by Emperor Henry II) and held a Synod at Pavia in 1022 aimed at curbing wantonness, sexual desires, and corruption - in the clergy! In 1032AD Benedict IX became Pope aged just 20 (elected, it’s rumoured, as his father bribed the electors); other rumours say he was homosexual. With many factions in Rome, he was briefly expelled in 1036AD but then restored with the help of Emperor Conrad II. In 1044AD he was expelled again, and the Bishop of Sabina was installed as Pope Silvester III. Benedict regained control in April 1045AD and expelled Silvester. But a troubled Benedict was considering marriage and consulted his godfather, priest John Gratian. Benedict offered to abdicate for the price of his election expenses; in short, he sold the papacy - Gratian became Pope Gregory VI. Benedict soon regretted his decision and returned to Rome to reclaim the papacy. Factions for Silvester hadn’t gone away either, so by mid-1046 there were, simultaneously, three claiming to be Pope. Henry III was King of Germany, Italy and Burgundy and acknowledged, as Conrad II’s eldest son, to be the successor as Holy Roman Emperor but he didn’t wish to be crowned under such papal disarray; he therefore summoned a council at Sutri, just outside Rome. At the council, Silvester was deposed and exiled; Gregory admitted buying the papacy, so forced to abdicate; and Benedict was also deposed, even in his absence. A new Pope, Clement II, was elected but only just held office long enough to crown Henry as Emperor; Clement died in October 1047.
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