July 18, 2026
Enormous serpent-god set to dazzle the world in 2029
Posted by thomascordatus under EschatologyLeave a Comment
May 20, 2026
Leo XIII and Pius X’s condemnation of the transmission theory of authority
Posted by aelianus under respublica | Tags: bible, catholic-social-teaching, christianity, faith, Jesus, Leo XIII, pius-x, Political philosophy, religion, thomism |1 Comment
“The Sillon places public authority primarily in the people, from whom it then flows into the government in such a manner, however, that it continues to reside in the people. But Leo XIII absolutely condemned this doctrine in his Encyclical Diuturnum Illud on political government in which he said: ‘Modern writers in great numbers, following in the footsteps of those who called themselves philosophers in the last century, declare that all power comes from the people; consequently those who exercise power in society do not exercise it from their own authority, but from an authority delegated to them by the people and on the condition that it can be revoked by the will of the people from whom they hold it. Quite contrary is the sentiment of Catholics who hold that the right of government derives from God as its natural and necessary principle.’ Admittedly, the Sillon holds that authority – which first places in the people – descends from God, but in such a way: ‘as to return from below upwards, whilst in the organization of the Church power descends from above downwards.’ But besides its being abnormal for the delegation of power to ascend, since it is in its nature to descend, Leo XIII refuted in advance this attempt to reconcile Catholic Doctrine with the error of philosophism. For, he continues: ‘It is necessary to remark here that those who preside over the government of public affairs may indeed, in certain cases, be chosen by the will and judgment of the multitude without repugnance or opposition to Catholic doctrine. But whilst this choice marks out the ruler, it does not confer upon him the authority to govern; it does not delegate the power, it designates the person who will be invested with it.'”
– Pius X, Notre Charge Apostolique (1910)
May 11, 2026
In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God:command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty, so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.
Posted by aelianus under liturgy, music, Regnum BritanniarumLeave a Comment
February 10, 2026
Missa Solemnis
Posted by aelianus under a solemnity, Arthurian Republicanism, Byzantine Catholicism, Catholicism, Christendom, cult of mediocrity, Distributism, Ecclesia Anglicana, gaudium in veritate, Jesus, Lateran VI, Magna Britannia, Mikra Brettania, music, Regnum Britanniarum, Religious Liberty, respublica, RomanitasLeave a Comment
As my mother long ago pointed out to me (and as I once observed to the great Frank Briffa), it is, of course, Walt Disney Beethoven; but it is Walt Disney Beethoven at its very best. One day, when Edwin Lutyens’ Christ the King is finally built, this Mass can finally – fittingly – be celebrated. That is, so long as it is on the Feast of Christ the King Himself, with the Pope as the celebrant, according to the pre-1955 Missal, and so long as it is the first time the Pope has celebrated it since 1969…
November 24, 2025
Augustinian Virtue Ethics and Pascal’s Wager
Posted by aelianus under gaudium in veritate, humility, Literature, musicLeave a Comment
In the celebrated ‘To be or not to be’ speech Hamlet fears death because he does not know what is beyond it. Now he does not fear it because he realises that he knows nothing of this life, that human plans and purposes are vain, and that to be ready for death and surrender to providence is enough. In his perplexity he had “forgone all custom of exercises” but now having returned to “continual practice” he is ready to for the wager he cannot lose. “Virtue is a good quality of the mind, by which we live righteously, of which no one can make bad use, which God works in us, without us.”
October 29, 2025
What the troparion really says…
Posted by aelianus under Arthurian Republicanism, Byzantine Catholicism, respublica, RomanitasLeave a Comment
Σωσον, Κυριε, τον λαον σου και ευλογησον την κληρονομιαν σου, νικασ τοις βασιλευσι κατα βαρβααρων δωρουμενος και το σον φυλαττων δια του Σταυρου σου πολιτευμα.
O Lord save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, granting Orthodox Christians victory over their enemies, and guarding Thy commonwealth by Thy Cross. [Festal Icons by Aidan Hart]
O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance. Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries. And by virtue of Your Cross, preserve Your habitation. [OCA website]
Save your people, O Lord, and bless your inheritance. Grant victory to your Church over evil and protect your people by your cross. [Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church sui iuris of Pittsburgh USA The Divine Liturgies of Our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great]
O Lord save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, granting the Emperors victories over the barbarians, and guarding Thy Republic by Thy Cross.
May 23, 2025
Franciscus Christificatus by Francis Thompson
Posted by aelianus under gaudium in veritate, poetryLeave a Comment
*********************
Thief that has leaped Heaven’s star-spiked wall!
Christ’s exultant bacchanal!
Wine-smears on thy hand and foot
Of the Vine that struck its root
Deep in virgin soul, and was
Trained against the reared Cross;
Nay, thy very side its stain
Hath, to make it redly plain
How in the wassail quaffed full part
That flown vintager, thy heart.
Christ in blood stamps Himself afresh
On thy Veronica-veil of flesh.
***************
Lovers, looking with amaze on
Each other, would be that they gaze on:
So for man’s love God would be
Man, and man for His love He:
What God in Christ, man has in thee.
God gazed on man and grew embodied,
Thou, on Him gazing, turn’st engodded!
But though he held thy brow-spread tent
His little Heaven above Him bent,
Thy scept’ring reed suffices thee,
Which smote Him into sovereignty.
*************
Thou who thoughtest thee too low
For His priest, thou shalt not so
‘Scape Him and unpriested go!
In thy hand thou wouldst not hold Him,
In thy flesh thou shalt enfold Him;
Bread wouldst not change into Him…ah see!
How He doth change Himself to thee!
February 5, 2025
The Hawk of May
Posted by aelianus under Arthurian Republicanism, Byzantine Catholicism, Cassiterides, Chivalry, Christendom, Regnum Britanniarum, Romanitas, völkerwanderungLeave a Comment
“Greatest was Gawain, whose glory waxed
as times darkened, true and dauntless,
among knights peerless ever anew proven,
defence and fortress of a falling world.”
– J. R. R. Tolkien The Fall of Arthur
Laodicea 
