THEME OF THE WEEK: PILGRIMAGE HOLIDAY #5 –

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please continue to pray for Nigel, who will be having another operation in 10 days time. Following recent MRI and CT scans, one final tumour on his liver will be removed at King’s College Hospital. Nigel will go in on Tuesday 10 August, and the following day he will undergo a 4 - 5 hour procedure under general anaesthetic. All being well, he can return home on Thursday, and continue further chemotherapy at Maidstone Oncology Department to ensure that there is no return of the cancer.

SERVICES ON SUNDAY 1 AUGUST in St Peter’s Church

PLEASE NOTE – There are no longer any restrictions in place at St Peter’s Church. You no longer have to let Lizzy know if you are coming for a service or not, and the wearing of masks is optional.

The flowers this week have been donated by Anne Dennard in Memory of John.

10.15 am Holy Communion (led by Yvonne)

10.30 am Junction “Arise and Shine Prayer Time” on Zoom

Following discussions last week, when members expressed the desire to meet and pray together before the main gathering at 11.00 am, we hope you will join us at 10.30 am this week and every Sunday, as we pray for each other and others on our hearts. 11.00 am Junction on Zoom (talk by Alan Wharton)

Sing praise, listen to a talk, pray and chat with friends – a lively hour with Junction.

SERVICES ON SUNDAY 8 AUGUST in St Peter’s Church

8.00 am BCP Holy Communion (led by Yvonne)

10.15 am Morning Service (led by Parry)

10.30 am Junction “Arise and Shine Prayer Time” on Zoom

11.00 am Junction (location to be confirmed) (talk by Margaret Purkiss)

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Wednesday 4 August – Friendship Circle

We are so pleased to tell you that The Friendship Circle will start meeting again each month, beginning next week with a Garden Party at the home of Carol and David Parry in Coxheath, between 2.00 pm and

4.00 pm. New members and visitors are very welcome. Please give David a call on 07899 811400 if you have any questions. Saturday 21 August – Open Afternoon at St Peter’s

Ann Cornelius and Linda Darling are organising an informal Open Afternoon at St Peter’s for new residents to the village. The church will be open from 2.30 pm to 5.00 pm and visitors can enjoy a look around the church, refreshments, and the view from the churchyard. There will also be some activities for children. Visitors will be given information about groups and activities within the church, and hopefully will meet some of us who may wish to pop in as well. So do come along if you would like to meet some new locals! Saturday 11 September – Sponsored Bike Ride – help needed

Peter Holland is our Organiser for this year’s Sponsored Bike Ride as cyclists check in at St Peter’s chuch throughout the day. He would appreciate the help of volunteers to be at St Peter’s any time during the day, for possibly 1 or 2-hour slots, between 10 am and 6 pm. If you would like to do this, please give Peter a call on 01622 299038, or email him at [email protected] Saturday 2 October – Harvest Supper and Barn Dance

There will be a wonderful celebration this year at Harvest Time! A Harvest Supper and Barn Dance will take place at the Village Hall on Saturday 2 October, starting at 6.30 pm. Please bring along something for the Supper Table which we can all share. Tickets cost £5 and all children are Free. Please book early to ensure your place, either by phoning Lizzy on 01622 743321 or by sending her an email at [email protected] MESSAGES

Gordon Mackley – Bite Size Bible Study Please note that there will be no Bite Size Bible Study in August. The next session will be on Thursday 2 September and more details will be given nearer the time.

Church Office – Phil’s holiday

Phil is on holiday until Friday 13 August. CHURCH FAMILY BIRTHDAYS NEXT WEEK

On Friday, 6 August, Sandra Goodey will be celebrating her Birthday!

Next Sunday, Christine & Peter Holland will be celebrating their Wedding Anniversary!

THEME OF THE WEEK: PILGRIMAGE HOLIDAY #5 – ROME

This is the last of our Pilgrimage Holidays and for this one we go to where all roads lead!

Introduction

Rome – the Eternal City – the heart of the Roman Empire when Jesus was alive – and the final destination of the apostles Peter and Paul. At that time, the population of Rome was almost 3 million people! It was the world’s largest city.

What’s is like?

Rome, the capital of Italy. A city brimming with ancient history, from the Colosseum, the Forum, the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, to its piazzas, 280 fountains and more than 900 churches.

Why visit?

Rome is an important place of pilgrimage. The Vatican (a city-state within Rome) is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and home to the Pope. Both Peter and Paul are believed to have been martyred there and basilicas were built over their graves.

When is the best time to go?

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Rome. Be aware that it is especially busy during Easter when thousands of pilgrims congregate in St Peter’s Square hoping to catch site of the Pope and receive his blessing from the balcony.

How to get there

Italy has its own airline – Alitalia – which flies direct from London to Rome. Many other airlines also have frequent direct flights to Rome.

Pilgrimage … in the steps of St Peter and St Paul

The Persecution of Christians

At the time of Jesus, the religion of Rome was polytheistic – they worshipped many gods, spirits, trees, fields and even buildings! Christians were persecuted for their refusal to worship the Emperor, other gods and take part in sacrifice. Their punishments varied enormously and included beheading, being crucified, burning to death, and being attacked and ripped apart by wild beasts (lions, leopards, boars) in the Colosseum.

St Peter in Rome

There are no accounts in the Bible of Peter being in Rome. However, there is evidence from Bishops in Corinth and Antioch, as well as other early historians, that Peter went to Rome in about 39 AD and founded the Church of Rome. His two Letters (1 Peter and 2 Peter) also give words of encouragement in the face of what they are suffering in “Babylon”, a cryptic word for “Rome”. Peter was the Bishop of Rome for 25 years.

St Paul in Rome Paul, too, went to Rome – but under different circumstances. He had been arrested in Jerusalem for taking Gentiles too far into the Temple precincts and, after a series of trials it was decided that, as a Roman citizen, he should be tried in Rome.

He arrived in Rome around 60 AD (having been shipwrecked in Malta on the way) and was placed under house arrest. He was permitted to live in his own rented dwelling, though bound with a chain and in the company of a guard. During this time (a period of two years), he continued to minister to those who visited him.

Acts 28:16, 30

16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him. 30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.

Eventually Paul was put in prison, from where he continued to encourage local churches through letters. Known as the “Prison Epistles”, they were Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul describes himself as “the prisoner of Christ” (Ephesians 3:1) or “the prisoner of the Lord” (Ephesians 4:1), who is an “ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:20).

The Persecution of Christians

In the summer of 64 AD, Rome suffered a terrible fire that burned for six days and seven nights, consuming almost three quarters of the city. The people accused the Emperor Nero, claiming he set the fire for his own amusement. He had been Emperor for 10 years (since the age of 17) and had gradually become more and more tyrannical and unstable. In order to deflect the accusations against him, Nero laid blame for the fire on the Christians. He ordered arrests, tortures and grisly death sentences. Four years after the fire, he took his own life.

The Martyrdom of St Peter

Although the death of St Peter is not described in Scripture, numerous writers of the time described his death as having occurred in Rome in 64 AD, at the time of the Great Fire. Tradition says that he died by crucifixion with his arms outstretched, but upside down as he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same way as Jesus. The place of the crucifixion was the Vatican Hill.

The Crucifixion of Peter by Caravaggio (1601) (Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome) The Martyrdom of St Paul

The following year, 65 AD, Paul too was martyred. Because he was a Roman citizen, he was fortunate to have a quicker death – beheading.

The Martyrdom of St Paul by Tintoretto (1556)

The Legacy of St Peter and St Paul

Over time, the Christian church and faith grew more organized. In 313 AD, the Emperor Constantine the Great converted to Christianity. He did so after witnessing the sight of a cross in the sky, along with his entire army. Ten years later, Christianity had become the official religion of the Roman Empire.

What to see – on the Pilgrim Trail …

1 St Peter’s Basilica

St Peter’s Basilica is not a cathedral. It was started by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century on the spot where Peter had been buried. It was a huge oblong hall with colonnades, and was used as a public building for multiple functions, including law courts, banquets and public assemblies. The present basilica dates from the 16th century and is built in the style. Several artists contributed to the architecture and artwork, including Bernini and . The highlight of a visit here is the Sistine Chapel – the papal chapel in the heart of the Vatican covered in frescoes by Michelangelo.

Beneath the altar lies the tomb of St Peter.

2. Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls

Founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great over the burial place of Saint Paul. It was destroyed several times by raiders, fire or earthquakes, and then rebuilt bigger and better. The nave has 80 columns. The windows, which appear to be stained glass, are actually translucent alabaster. The cloister which dates from the 13th century, is considered one of the most beautiful of the Middle Ages. The columns are of different shapes and some are inlaid with golden and coloured-glass mosaics.

The tomb of St Paul is in the basilica’s crypt, below the altar. It bears the Latin inscription “PAULO APOSTOLO MART” which means “Paul the Apostle and Martyr”. In 2009, the Pope announced that radiocarbon dating by Vatican archaeologists confirmed that the bones in the tomb date from the 1st or 2nd century, suggesting that they are indeed St Paul’s.

2 Mamertine Prison (also known as Tullianum)

Located near the Forum and the law courts, the Tullianum was used as a jail or holding cell for short periods before executions and as a site for executions. According to legend, the apostles Peter and Paul were imprisoned here. From this prison they started their journey to martyrdom: Peter towards the Circus of Nero, near the Vatican, and Paul towards the Aquae Salviae.

It was here that Paul wrote the following to Timothy …

2 Timothy 4:6-8

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.

What to see – other places not to miss!

4 St Peter’s Square on a Sunday morning at noon

Every Sunday at noon, when he is in Rome, the Pope speaks from his window overlooking St Peter’s Square. Waving again: Pope greets public with wide distancing | Loop Barbados He addresses the crowd with the Angelus Prayer. This is a famous Catholic devotion, said 3 times each day: at dawn, noon and dusk. It recounts the message from the angel Gabriel to Mary announcing God’s plan for her life. It consists of three “Hail Mary’s”, with short verses in between, and ends with a prayer.

Shopping!

The currency of Italy is the Euro.

For her … A Gucci Handbag (£1,580 – but cheaper in Italy)

For him … Selection of Italian silk ties (around £40)

Brown black striped necktie set 3pcs + handkerchief + cufflinks 2033 - Paul Malone Shop

For baby … Onesies

Italian Girl Gift | Etsy