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1000 results for “dominus_tempori”
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AVE MARIA recitata est a SS. Leone XIII P.M. Anno Domini MCMIII #Pontifex #Leo #Vaticano #AveMaria
https://allmylinks.com/ProVaticanus
http://www.zazzle.com/ProVaticanus/gifts?pg=2&ps=60
http://ProVaticanus.blogspot.com/2011/03/ave-maria-recitata-est-ss-leone-xiii-pm_02.html
AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
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What juster reason is there for the waging of war than to repel slavery? a condition in which, though your master may not be oppressive, yet it is a wretched thing he should have the power to be so if he will.
[Quae causa iustior est belli gerendi quam servitutis depulsio? in qua etiamsi not sit molestus dominus, tamen est miserrimum posse, se velit.]Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Philippics [Philippicae; Antonian Orations], No. 8, ch. 4 / sec. 12 (8.4/8.12) (43-02-03 BC) [tr. Ker (Loeb) (1926)]More info about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/cicero-marcus-tulliu…
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #cicero #philippic #benignity #freedom #justice #justification #liberty #master #oppression #power #powerlessness #slavery #tyranny #war #tyrant
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#BehindTheScenes
#Spartacus (1960)
The slave Spartacus survives brutal training as a gladiator and leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman Republic, as the ambitious Crassus seeks to gain power by crushing the uprising.#PeterUstinov as Batiatus, trainer and trader of gladiators, head of his family's ludus in Capua and Dominus to Spartacus.
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Avis de concert ce samedi à #caen à ND dela Gloriette et dimanche à #paris à ND des Blancs-Manteaux.
Le Madrigal de Condé (basé entre Caen et Falaise), dirigés par Fabrice Pénin, et les Cori Spezzati (basés à Paris), dirigés par Olivier Opdebeeck, donneront en concert le fabuleux Dixit Dominus, œuvre de jeunesse de GF #Haendel, et le Magnificat a cinque de F. #Durante compositeur milanais du XVIIIe siècle.
Pour réserver, voir sur l'affiche !
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New TF story drop. Flight attendant Victoria is curious about her coworker Travis who seems so much different than just a few days ago. His scent soon has her addicted for more with some throbbing side effects.
#TF
#transformation
#FurryTF
#FtM
#yeens -
New TF story drop. Flight attendant Victoria is curious about her coworker Travis who seems so much different than just a few days ago. His scent soon has her addicted for more with some throbbing side effects.
#TF
#transformation
#FurryTF
#FtM
#yeens -
New TF story drop. Flight attendant Victoria is curious about her coworker Travis who seems so much different than just a few days ago. His scent soon has her addicted for more with some throbbing side effects.
#TF
#transformation
#FurryTF
#FtM
#yeens -
L'IMPERO CHE CHIEDE LA PACE.
COME MAI?di Lavinia Marchetti
Nei giornali italiani, ovviamente se ne è parlato poco, ma c'è una notizia piuttosto importante per capire la guerra USA vs Iran, che il Washington Post ha pubblicato due giorni fa, firmata da Karen DeYoung e Susannah George. Un articolo che bisognerebbe leggere due volte. La prima per capire i fatti. La seconda per capire cosa significano.
Trump minaccia attacchi "a un livello molto più alto". Lo dice ad alta voce, sui social, davanti ai giornalisti del White House. Eppure, ed è qui che la storia si capovolge, è stato lui, lo stesso Trump, ad annunciare appena 24 ore prima la "pausa" dell'operazione militare per riaprire lo Stretto di Hormuz. Operazione che era cominciata appena il giorno prima. Una guerra-lampo che dura il tempo di una conferenza stampa…
Perché?
La risposta sta nelle immagini satellitari. Il Washington Post ne ha analizzate più di cento, rilasciate dai media iraniani (perché il governo americano ha vietato ai due principali fornitori commerciali, Vantor e Planet, di pubblicare immagini della regione). Risultato: 217 strutture e 11 pezzi di equipaggiamento militare distrutti o danneggiati in 15 basi USA del Medio Oriente. Hangar, depositi di carburante, baracche, radar, comunicazioni, sistemi di difesa antiaerea. Le basi più colpite: il quartier generale della V Flotta in Bahrein, Camp Arifjan e Ali al-Salem in Kuwait. Numeri che la Difesa americana non aveva ammesso. Sette militari morti, oltre quaranta feriti.E poi il dato che spiega tutto sulla richiesta di "cessate il fuoco". Per intercettare i missili e i droni iraniani, gli americani hanno consumato il 53% degli intercettori THAAD e il 43% dei Patriot del loro arsenale. In poche settimane. Le difese sono esauste. Dietro la cortina della propaganda, l'impero più armato del pianeta scopre di non avere più scudi.
I droni iraniani, quelli che il Pentagono dovrebbe aver imparato a riconoscere dalla guerra in Ucraina, hanno sfondato. Russia e Iran hanno condiviso intelligence di targeting. Le basi USA, fisse e prevedibili, sono diventate bersagli comodi.
Ed ecco il paradosso geostrategico. L'America non chiede la pace perché vuole la pace. La chiede perché non può più permettersi la guerra. Stanotte, intanto, mentre noi dormivamo, le navi iraniane sono state colpite di nuovo, il copione del dominus che alza la voce per nascondere che le mani gli tremano. Trump dice "alzeremo il livello", ma intanto manda i mediatori pakistani a Teheran con una "framework" in 14 punti. Lo Stretto di Hormuz resta chiuso. 1.500 navi commerciali in attesa. Il prezzo del greggio Brent è schizzato sopra i 115 dollari, e quando ieri si è sussurrato di un accordo è crollato a 100. È questa la vera leva, l'unica leva, su cui ancora regge la mossa americana.Eppure il presidente del Parlamento iraniano, Ghalibaf, ha scritto su X: "Sappiamo bene che la continuazione dello status quo è intollerabile per l'America; mentre noi non abbiamo nemmeno cominciato." Non abbiamo nemmeno cominciato.
Per due decenni l'Occidente ha venduto al mondo l'idea che le sue guerre fossero inevitabili e vittoriose, sponsorizzate dal monopolio della tecnica e dalla supposta indifferenza dei popoli colonizzati al proprio destino. Oggi, in Medio Oriente come in Ucraina come a Gaza, perché i fili sono tutti connessi, quella narrazione si sgretola. Non perché ci siano nuovi imperi, ma perché il vecchio impero non riesce più a sostenere il peso del proprio mito.
Trump tratta da posizione di forza? No. Tratta da posizione di necessità. Ed è una differenza enorme, che cambia il senso di tutto. Il senso della guerra, dei morti, delle macerie, e anche delle prossime narrazioni che ci verranno servite nei telegiornali.
Quando un impero comincia a chiedere la pace alle condizioni dell'altro… è già un altro mondo. Solo che al momento nessuno ancora lo ha capito.Cfr. Karen DeYoung e Susannah George, "Trump threatens 'higher level' attacks", The Washington Post, 7 maggio 2026.
Analisi satellitare: Evan Hill, Jarrett Ley, Alex Horton, Tara Copp, Dan Lamothe. -
:stargif: 𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒚 𝑵𝑿𝑰𝑽𝑴: 𝒍𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒐́𝒏, 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒐 𝒚 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂 :stargif:
Allison Mack, conocida por su papel de Chloe Sullivan en Smallville, no solo fue una actriz talentosa, sino que también se convirtió en un eslabón central de la secta NXIVM (pronunciado Nexium), una organización que se presentaba como un grupo de autoayuda y superación personal, pero que ocultaba una red de tráfico sexual y esclavitud.
🔸Cómo comenzó todo
Allison entró a NXIVM en 2006, buscando orientación espiritual y profesional.
A los 23 años, se sentía insatisfecha con su carrera en Smallville y buscaba “algo más profundo”.
Su ingreso fue gracias a Kristin Kreuk, su compañera de reparto, quien la invitó a un seminario de los llamados Executive Success Programs (ESP).
Aunque Kristin abandonó el grupo poco después, Allison quedó fascinada por Keith Raniere, el líder de NXIVM, quien la convenció de que ella era “demasiado emocional” y que él la ayudaría a convertirse en una “mujer poderosa”.
Con el tiempo, Mack quedó aislada de su familia y amigos, volviéndose completamente dependiente de Raniere y de su jerarquía de control.🔸Keith Raniere: el cerebro detrás de NXIVM
Keith Raniere nació en Brooklyn en 1960.
Desde joven se vendió como un prodigio intelectual con un supuesto IQ de 240, aunque esto nunca se comprobó.
En los años 80 fundó Consumers Buyline, una empresa de marketing multinivel que terminó siendo investigada como esquema piramidal en 20 estados y cerrada tras un acuerdo legal con multa millonaria.
Tras este fracaso, Raniere se reinventó como gurú del éxito bajo el nombre de Vanguard, exigiendo que sus seguidores lo saludaran con un beso en la mejilla y una reverencia, y promoviendo un sistema de manipulación psicológica que daría forma a NXIVM.En 1998, Raniere fundó NXIVM junto a Nancy Salzman, experta en Programación Neurolingüística.
Presentada como una empresa de coaching y desarrollo personal, NXIVM ofrecía cursos intensivos de 12 horas (ESP) donde los participantes eran psicológicamente “rompidos” y controlados.
Creó un lenguaje secreto para alejar a los miembros de sus familias y estableció una estructura piramidal de niveles, con bufandas de colores que indicaban rango y autoridad.
Mientras proyectaba ética y superación en público, en privado ejercía control total y abusivo sobre sus seguidores.🔸La Sociedad DOS y el rol de Allison Mack
Dentro de NXIVM existía un subgrupo secreto llamado DOS (Dominus Obsequious Sororium, “Amo sobre las esclavas obedientes”), liderado por Mack como lugarteniente de Raniere.
DOS operaba bajo dinámicas de control extremo y abuso:▪️Marcaje con hierro: Las mujeres eran marcadas en la pelvis con las iniciales de Raniere y Mack usando un cauterizador médico sin anestesia durante 20-30 minutos.
Mack sujetaba a las víctimas y les decía que debían “abrazar el dolor” como prueba de lealtad.▪️Colateral: Para ingresar a DOS, las mujeres debían entregar información comprometedora, fotos íntimas o documentos personales, usados posteriormente para chantajearlas si intentaban irse.
▪️Abuso sexual: Las mujeres eran obligadas a mantener relaciones sexuales con Raniere, y Mack supervisaba su cumplimiento.
▪️Dieta extrema: Las esclavas debían consumir menos de 800 calorías diarias, reportando cada comida.
El incumplimiento provocaba castigos físicos y humillación pública.▪️Privación del sueño: Las seguidoras debían estar disponibles 24/7.
Si recibían un mensaje de Mack a cualquier hora, debían responder de inmediato o enfrentar represalias.Allison Mack utilizó su fama como actriz para atraer a mujeres jóvenes y vulnerables, prometiéndoles empoderamiento femenino y mentoría profesional.
Bajo su rol de “Maestra”, ejercía un abuso psicológico y físico constante sobre sus “esclavas”.🔸Otras figuras clave y el colateral humano
▪️Sarah Edmondson: Primera en denunciar públicamente la existencia de DOS en 2017, mostrando su marca de hierro. Su valentía fue decisiva para romper el silencio de la secta.
▪️Catherine Oxenberg: Madre de India Oxenberg, quien estaba atrapada en DOS. Catherine contrató investigadores y presionó al FBI para iniciar la investigación oficial.
▪️India Oxenberg: Esclava personal de Mack, obligada a dietas extremas y a pedir permiso hasta para ir al baño.
Tras ser rescatada, publicó un libro revelando los abusos.▪️Kristin Kreuk y Grace Park: Ambas participaron en cursos de NXIVM pero abandonaron antes de la formación de DOS, sin presenciar abusos directos.
▪️Clare y Sara Bronfman: Herederas de Seagram, financiaron a Raniere con más de 100 millones de dólares, permitiendo demandas judiciales contra críticos y protección legal de la secta durante años.
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SIGUE ⬇️
#allisonmack #nxivm #keithraniere #dos #traficosexual #abusosexual #sectas #victimas #superacionpersonal #justicia #podcast #smallville #culturapop #historiasreales #lavadoDeCerebro #manipulacion #extorsion
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:stargif: 𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒚 𝑵𝑿𝑰𝑽𝑴: 𝒍𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒐́𝒏, 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒐 𝒚 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂 :stargif:
Allison Mack, conocida por su papel de Chloe Sullivan en Smallville, no solo fue una actriz talentosa, sino que también se convirtió en un eslabón central de la secta NXIVM (pronunciado Nexium), una organización que se presentaba como un grupo de autoayuda y superación personal, pero que ocultaba una red de tráfico sexual y esclavitud.
🔸Cómo comenzó todo
Allison entró a NXIVM en 2006, buscando orientación espiritual y profesional.
A los 23 años, se sentía insatisfecha con su carrera en Smallville y buscaba “algo más profundo”.
Su ingreso fue gracias a Kristin Kreuk, su compañera de reparto, quien la invitó a un seminario de los llamados Executive Success Programs (ESP).
Aunque Kristin abandonó el grupo poco después, Allison quedó fascinada por Keith Raniere, el líder de NXIVM, quien la convenció de que ella era “demasiado emocional” y que él la ayudaría a convertirse en una “mujer poderosa”.
Con el tiempo, Mack quedó aislada de su familia y amigos, volviéndose completamente dependiente de Raniere y de su jerarquía de control.🔸Keith Raniere: el cerebro detrás de NXIVM
Keith Raniere nació en Brooklyn en 1960.
Desde joven se vendió como un prodigio intelectual con un supuesto IQ de 240, aunque esto nunca se comprobó.
En los años 80 fundó Consumers Buyline, una empresa de marketing multinivel que terminó siendo investigada como esquema piramidal en 20 estados y cerrada tras un acuerdo legal con multa millonaria.
Tras este fracaso, Raniere se reinventó como gurú del éxito bajo el nombre de Vanguard, exigiendo que sus seguidores lo saludaran con un beso en la mejilla y una reverencia, y promoviendo un sistema de manipulación psicológica que daría forma a NXIVM.En 1998, Raniere fundó NXIVM junto a Nancy Salzman, experta en Programación Neurolingüística.
Presentada como una empresa de coaching y desarrollo personal, NXIVM ofrecía cursos intensivos de 12 horas (ESP) donde los participantes eran psicológicamente “rompidos” y controlados.
Creó un lenguaje secreto para alejar a los miembros de sus familias y estableció una estructura piramidal de niveles, con bufandas de colores que indicaban rango y autoridad.
Mientras proyectaba ética y superación en público, en privado ejercía control total y abusivo sobre sus seguidores.🔸La Sociedad DOS y el rol de Allison Mack
Dentro de NXIVM existía un subgrupo secreto llamado DOS (Dominus Obsequious Sororium, “Amo sobre las esclavas obedientes”), liderado por Mack como lugarteniente de Raniere.
DOS operaba bajo dinámicas de control extremo y abuso:▪️Marcaje con hierro: Las mujeres eran marcadas en la pelvis con las iniciales de Raniere y Mack usando un cauterizador médico sin anestesia durante 20-30 minutos.
Mack sujetaba a las víctimas y les decía que debían “abrazar el dolor” como prueba de lealtad.▪️Colateral: Para ingresar a DOS, las mujeres debían entregar información comprometedora, fotos íntimas o documentos personales, usados posteriormente para chantajearlas si intentaban irse.
▪️Abuso sexual: Las mujeres eran obligadas a mantener relaciones sexuales con Raniere, y Mack supervisaba su cumplimiento.
▪️Dieta extrema: Las esclavas debían consumir menos de 800 calorías diarias, reportando cada comida.
El incumplimiento provocaba castigos físicos y humillación pública.▪️Privación del sueño: Las seguidoras debían estar disponibles 24/7.
Si recibían un mensaje de Mack a cualquier hora, debían responder de inmediato o enfrentar represalias.Allison Mack utilizó su fama como actriz para atraer a mujeres jóvenes y vulnerables, prometiéndoles empoderamiento femenino y mentoría profesional.
Bajo su rol de “Maestra”, ejercía un abuso psicológico y físico constante sobre sus “esclavas”.🔸Otras figuras clave y el colateral humano
▪️Sarah Edmondson: Primera en denunciar públicamente la existencia de DOS en 2017, mostrando su marca de hierro. Su valentía fue decisiva para romper el silencio de la secta.
▪️Catherine Oxenberg: Madre de India Oxenberg, quien estaba atrapada en DOS. Catherine contrató investigadores y presionó al FBI para iniciar la investigación oficial.
▪️India Oxenberg: Esclava personal de Mack, obligada a dietas extremas y a pedir permiso hasta para ir al baño.
Tras ser rescatada, publicó un libro revelando los abusos.▪️Kristin Kreuk y Grace Park: Ambas participaron en cursos de NXIVM pero abandonaron antes de la formación de DOS, sin presenciar abusos directos.
▪️Clare y Sara Bronfman: Herederas de Seagram, financiaron a Raniere con más de 100 millones de dólares, permitiendo demandas judiciales contra críticos y protección legal de la secta durante años.
▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣
SIGUE ⬇️
#allisonmack #nxivm #keithraniere #dos #traficosexual #abusosexual #sectas #victimas #superacionpersonal #justicia #podcast #smallville #culturapop #historiasreales #lavadoDeCerebro #manipulacion #extorsion
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:stargif: 𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒚 𝑵𝑿𝑰𝑽𝑴: 𝒍𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒐́𝒏, 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒐 𝒚 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂 :stargif:
Allison Mack, conocida por su papel de Chloe Sullivan en Smallville, no solo fue una actriz talentosa, sino que también se convirtió en un eslabón central de la secta NXIVM (pronunciado Nexium), una organización que se presentaba como un grupo de autoayuda y superación personal, pero que ocultaba una red de tráfico sexual y esclavitud.
🔸Cómo comenzó todo
Allison entró a NXIVM en 2006, buscando orientación espiritual y profesional.
A los 23 años, se sentía insatisfecha con su carrera en Smallville y buscaba “algo más profundo”.
Su ingreso fue gracias a Kristin Kreuk, su compañera de reparto, quien la invitó a un seminario de los llamados Executive Success Programs (ESP).
Aunque Kristin abandonó el grupo poco después, Allison quedó fascinada por Keith Raniere, el líder de NXIVM, quien la convenció de que ella era “demasiado emocional” y que él la ayudaría a convertirse en una “mujer poderosa”.
Con el tiempo, Mack quedó aislada de su familia y amigos, volviéndose completamente dependiente de Raniere y de su jerarquía de control.🔸Keith Raniere: el cerebro detrás de NXIVM
Keith Raniere nació en Brooklyn en 1960.
Desde joven se vendió como un prodigio intelectual con un supuesto IQ de 240, aunque esto nunca se comprobó.
En los años 80 fundó Consumers Buyline, una empresa de marketing multinivel que terminó siendo investigada como esquema piramidal en 20 estados y cerrada tras un acuerdo legal con multa millonaria.
Tras este fracaso, Raniere se reinventó como gurú del éxito bajo el nombre de Vanguard, exigiendo que sus seguidores lo saludaran con un beso en la mejilla y una reverencia, y promoviendo un sistema de manipulación psicológica que daría forma a NXIVM.En 1998, Raniere fundó NXIVM junto a Nancy Salzman, experta en Programación Neurolingüística.
Presentada como una empresa de coaching y desarrollo personal, NXIVM ofrecía cursos intensivos de 12 horas (ESP) donde los participantes eran psicológicamente “rompidos” y controlados.
Creó un lenguaje secreto para alejar a los miembros de sus familias y estableció una estructura piramidal de niveles, con bufandas de colores que indicaban rango y autoridad.
Mientras proyectaba ética y superación en público, en privado ejercía control total y abusivo sobre sus seguidores.🔸La Sociedad DOS y el rol de Allison Mack
Dentro de NXIVM existía un subgrupo secreto llamado DOS (Dominus Obsequious Sororium, “Amo sobre las esclavas obedientes”), liderado por Mack como lugarteniente de Raniere.
DOS operaba bajo dinámicas de control extremo y abuso:▪️Marcaje con hierro: Las mujeres eran marcadas en la pelvis con las iniciales de Raniere y Mack usando un cauterizador médico sin anestesia durante 20-30 minutos.
Mack sujetaba a las víctimas y les decía que debían “abrazar el dolor” como prueba de lealtad.▪️Colateral: Para ingresar a DOS, las mujeres debían entregar información comprometedora, fotos íntimas o documentos personales, usados posteriormente para chantajearlas si intentaban irse.
▪️Abuso sexual: Las mujeres eran obligadas a mantener relaciones sexuales con Raniere, y Mack supervisaba su cumplimiento.
▪️Dieta extrema: Las esclavas debían consumir menos de 800 calorías diarias, reportando cada comida.
El incumplimiento provocaba castigos físicos y humillación pública.▪️Privación del sueño: Las seguidoras debían estar disponibles 24/7.
Si recibían un mensaje de Mack a cualquier hora, debían responder de inmediato o enfrentar represalias.Allison Mack utilizó su fama como actriz para atraer a mujeres jóvenes y vulnerables, prometiéndoles empoderamiento femenino y mentoría profesional.
Bajo su rol de “Maestra”, ejercía un abuso psicológico y físico constante sobre sus “esclavas”.🔸Otras figuras clave y el colateral humano
▪️Sarah Edmondson: Primera en denunciar públicamente la existencia de DOS en 2017, mostrando su marca de hierro. Su valentía fue decisiva para romper el silencio de la secta.
▪️Catherine Oxenberg: Madre de India Oxenberg, quien estaba atrapada en DOS. Catherine contrató investigadores y presionó al FBI para iniciar la investigación oficial.
▪️India Oxenberg: Esclava personal de Mack, obligada a dietas extremas y a pedir permiso hasta para ir al baño.
Tras ser rescatada, publicó un libro revelando los abusos.▪️Kristin Kreuk y Grace Park: Ambas participaron en cursos de NXIVM pero abandonaron antes de la formación de DOS, sin presenciar abusos directos.
▪️Clare y Sara Bronfman: Herederas de Seagram, financiaron a Raniere con más de 100 millones de dólares, permitiendo demandas judiciales contra críticos y protección legal de la secta durante años.
▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣
SIGUE ⬇️
#allisonmack #nxivm #keithraniere #dos #traficosexual #abusosexual #sectas #victimas #superacionpersonal #justicia #podcast #smallville #culturapop #historiasreales #lavadoDeCerebro #manipulacion #extorsion
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:stargif: 𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒚 𝑵𝑿𝑰𝑽𝑴: 𝒍𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒐́𝒏, 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒐 𝒚 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂 :stargif:
Allison Mack, conocida por su papel de Chloe Sullivan en Smallville, no solo fue una actriz talentosa, sino que también se convirtió en un eslabón central de la secta NXIVM (pronunciado Nexium), una organización que se presentaba como un grupo de autoayuda y superación personal, pero que ocultaba una red de tráfico sexual y esclavitud.
🔸Cómo comenzó todo
Allison entró a NXIVM en 2006, buscando orientación espiritual y profesional.
A los 23 años, se sentía insatisfecha con su carrera en Smallville y buscaba “algo más profundo”.
Su ingreso fue gracias a Kristin Kreuk, su compañera de reparto, quien la invitó a un seminario de los llamados Executive Success Programs (ESP).
Aunque Kristin abandonó el grupo poco después, Allison quedó fascinada por Keith Raniere, el líder de NXIVM, quien la convenció de que ella era “demasiado emocional” y que él la ayudaría a convertirse en una “mujer poderosa”.
Con el tiempo, Mack quedó aislada de su familia y amigos, volviéndose completamente dependiente de Raniere y de su jerarquía de control.🔸Keith Raniere: el cerebro detrás de NXIVM
Keith Raniere nació en Brooklyn en 1960.
Desde joven se vendió como un prodigio intelectual con un supuesto IQ de 240, aunque esto nunca se comprobó.
En los años 80 fundó Consumers Buyline, una empresa de marketing multinivel que terminó siendo investigada como esquema piramidal en 20 estados y cerrada tras un acuerdo legal con multa millonaria.
Tras este fracaso, Raniere se reinventó como gurú del éxito bajo el nombre de Vanguard, exigiendo que sus seguidores lo saludaran con un beso en la mejilla y una reverencia, y promoviendo un sistema de manipulación psicológica que daría forma a NXIVM.En 1998, Raniere fundó NXIVM junto a Nancy Salzman, experta en Programación Neurolingüística.
Presentada como una empresa de coaching y desarrollo personal, NXIVM ofrecía cursos intensivos de 12 horas (ESP) donde los participantes eran psicológicamente “rompidos” y controlados.
Creó un lenguaje secreto para alejar a los miembros de sus familias y estableció una estructura piramidal de niveles, con bufandas de colores que indicaban rango y autoridad.
Mientras proyectaba ética y superación en público, en privado ejercía control total y abusivo sobre sus seguidores.🔸La Sociedad DOS y el rol de Allison Mack
Dentro de NXIVM existía un subgrupo secreto llamado DOS (Dominus Obsequious Sororium, “Amo sobre las esclavas obedientes”), liderado por Mack como lugarteniente de Raniere.
DOS operaba bajo dinámicas de control extremo y abuso:▪️Marcaje con hierro: Las mujeres eran marcadas en la pelvis con las iniciales de Raniere y Mack usando un cauterizador médico sin anestesia durante 20-30 minutos.
Mack sujetaba a las víctimas y les decía que debían “abrazar el dolor” como prueba de lealtad.▪️Colateral: Para ingresar a DOS, las mujeres debían entregar información comprometedora, fotos íntimas o documentos personales, usados posteriormente para chantajearlas si intentaban irse.
▪️Abuso sexual: Las mujeres eran obligadas a mantener relaciones sexuales con Raniere, y Mack supervisaba su cumplimiento.
▪️Dieta extrema: Las esclavas debían consumir menos de 800 calorías diarias, reportando cada comida.
El incumplimiento provocaba castigos físicos y humillación pública.▪️Privación del sueño: Las seguidoras debían estar disponibles 24/7.
Si recibían un mensaje de Mack a cualquier hora, debían responder de inmediato o enfrentar represalias.Allison Mack utilizó su fama como actriz para atraer a mujeres jóvenes y vulnerables, prometiéndoles empoderamiento femenino y mentoría profesional.
Bajo su rol de “Maestra”, ejercía un abuso psicológico y físico constante sobre sus “esclavas”.🔸Otras figuras clave y el colateral humano
▪️Sarah Edmondson: Primera en denunciar públicamente la existencia de DOS en 2017, mostrando su marca de hierro. Su valentía fue decisiva para romper el silencio de la secta.
▪️Catherine Oxenberg: Madre de India Oxenberg, quien estaba atrapada en DOS. Catherine contrató investigadores y presionó al FBI para iniciar la investigación oficial.
▪️India Oxenberg: Esclava personal de Mack, obligada a dietas extremas y a pedir permiso hasta para ir al baño.
Tras ser rescatada, publicó un libro revelando los abusos.▪️Kristin Kreuk y Grace Park: Ambas participaron en cursos de NXIVM pero abandonaron antes de la formación de DOS, sin presenciar abusos directos.
▪️Clare y Sara Bronfman: Herederas de Seagram, financiaron a Raniere con más de 100 millones de dólares, permitiendo demandas judiciales contra críticos y protección legal de la secta durante años.
▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣
SIGUE ⬇️
#allisonmack #nxivm #keithraniere #dos #traficosexual #abusosexual #sectas #victimas #superacionpersonal #justicia #podcast #smallville #culturapop #historiasreales #lavadoDeCerebro #manipulacion #extorsion
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:stargif: 𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒚 𝑵𝑿𝑰𝑽𝑴: 𝒍𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒐́𝒏, 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒐 𝒚 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂 :stargif:
Allison Mack, conocida por su papel de Chloe Sullivan en Smallville, no solo fue una actriz talentosa, sino que también se convirtió en un eslabón central de la secta NXIVM (pronunciado Nexium), una organización que se presentaba como un grupo de autoayuda y superación personal, pero que ocultaba una red de tráfico sexual y esclavitud.
🔸Cómo comenzó todo
Allison entró a NXIVM en 2006, buscando orientación espiritual y profesional.
A los 23 años, se sentía insatisfecha con su carrera en Smallville y buscaba “algo más profundo”.
Su ingreso fue gracias a Kristin Kreuk, su compañera de reparto, quien la invitó a un seminario de los llamados Executive Success Programs (ESP).
Aunque Kristin abandonó el grupo poco después, Allison quedó fascinada por Keith Raniere, el líder de NXIVM, quien la convenció de que ella era “demasiado emocional” y que él la ayudaría a convertirse en una “mujer poderosa”.
Con el tiempo, Mack quedó aislada de su familia y amigos, volviéndose completamente dependiente de Raniere y de su jerarquía de control.🔸Keith Raniere: el cerebro detrás de NXIVM
Keith Raniere nació en Brooklyn en 1960.
Desde joven se vendió como un prodigio intelectual con un supuesto IQ de 240, aunque esto nunca se comprobó.
En los años 80 fundó Consumers Buyline, una empresa de marketing multinivel que terminó siendo investigada como esquema piramidal en 20 estados y cerrada tras un acuerdo legal con multa millonaria.
Tras este fracaso, Raniere se reinventó como gurú del éxito bajo el nombre de Vanguard, exigiendo que sus seguidores lo saludaran con un beso en la mejilla y una reverencia, y promoviendo un sistema de manipulación psicológica que daría forma a NXIVM.En 1998, Raniere fundó NXIVM junto a Nancy Salzman, experta en Programación Neurolingüística.
Presentada como una empresa de coaching y desarrollo personal, NXIVM ofrecía cursos intensivos de 12 horas (ESP) donde los participantes eran psicológicamente “rompidos” y controlados.
Creó un lenguaje secreto para alejar a los miembros de sus familias y estableció una estructura piramidal de niveles, con bufandas de colores que indicaban rango y autoridad.
Mientras proyectaba ética y superación en público, en privado ejercía control total y abusivo sobre sus seguidores.🔸La Sociedad DOS y el rol de Allison Mack
Dentro de NXIVM existía un subgrupo secreto llamado DOS (Dominus Obsequious Sororium, “Amo sobre las esclavas obedientes”), liderado por Mack como lugarteniente de Raniere.
DOS operaba bajo dinámicas de control extremo y abuso:▪️Marcaje con hierro: Las mujeres eran marcadas en la pelvis con las iniciales de Raniere y Mack usando un cauterizador médico sin anestesia durante 20-30 minutos.
Mack sujetaba a las víctimas y les decía que debían “abrazar el dolor” como prueba de lealtad.▪️Colateral: Para ingresar a DOS, las mujeres debían entregar información comprometedora, fotos íntimas o documentos personales, usados posteriormente para chantajearlas si intentaban irse.
▪️Abuso sexual: Las mujeres eran obligadas a mantener relaciones sexuales con Raniere, y Mack supervisaba su cumplimiento.
▪️Dieta extrema: Las esclavas debían consumir menos de 800 calorías diarias, reportando cada comida.
El incumplimiento provocaba castigos físicos y humillación pública.▪️Privación del sueño: Las seguidoras debían estar disponibles 24/7.
Si recibían un mensaje de Mack a cualquier hora, debían responder de inmediato o enfrentar represalias.Allison Mack utilizó su fama como actriz para atraer a mujeres jóvenes y vulnerables, prometiéndoles empoderamiento femenino y mentoría profesional.
Bajo su rol de “Maestra”, ejercía un abuso psicológico y físico constante sobre sus “esclavas”.🔸Otras figuras clave y el colateral humano
▪️Sarah Edmondson: Primera en denunciar públicamente la existencia de DOS en 2017, mostrando su marca de hierro. Su valentía fue decisiva para romper el silencio de la secta.
▪️Catherine Oxenberg: Madre de India Oxenberg, quien estaba atrapada en DOS. Catherine contrató investigadores y presionó al FBI para iniciar la investigación oficial.
▪️India Oxenberg: Esclava personal de Mack, obligada a dietas extremas y a pedir permiso hasta para ir al baño.
Tras ser rescatada, publicó un libro revelando los abusos.▪️Kristin Kreuk y Grace Park: Ambas participaron en cursos de NXIVM pero abandonaron antes de la formación de DOS, sin presenciar abusos directos.
▪️Clare y Sara Bronfman: Herederas de Seagram, financiaron a Raniere con más de 100 millones de dólares, permitiendo demandas judiciales contra críticos y protección legal de la secta durante años.
▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣▣
SIGUE ⬇️
#allisonmack #nxivm #keithraniere #dos #traficosexual #abusosexual #sectas #victimas #superacionpersonal #justicia #podcast #smallville #culturapop #historiasreales #lavadoDeCerebro #manipulacion #extorsion
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By Samguineous Maximus
If you’re like me, then your experience with German industrial metal largely revolves around Rammstein, the fun, if not inconsistent, institution that still somehow sells out arenas worldwide with their patented brand of simple riffs, simpler grooves, and deep-voiced German monotone “singing.” If you’re also like me, then listening to Rammstein became a lot less appealing when allegations surrounding frontman Til Lindemann arose, tainting my ability to enjoy the band. Thankfully, Germany is nothing if not efficient, and for every aging industrial Goliath there’s a newer, sleeker unit revving up on the assembly line. Erdling is one such machine, and they’ve been honing their brand of Neue Deutsche Härte since 2014. 1 My simian overlord, Steel Druhm, found their 4th record, 2020’s Yggdrasil, to be competent enough, if not a tad underwhelming. Since then, the Krauts have kept busy, releasing 2 albums in quick succession and garnering a respectable (and I presume mostly German) following. Now, they’re back with Mana, a lean collection of 11 tracks readymade to soundtrack a Berlin nightclub. Has Erdling crafted a delectable enough display of dance-inducing industrial to fill the void?
Mana is what happens when Rammstein and Crematory’s industrial template slams into the glossy, market-tested sheen of Amaranthe. No, Erdling doesn’t have over-processed female vocals or cringe-inducing rap parts (thank Wotan); instead, they take the clear craftsmanship and studio-minded sheen of a more commercial-oriented Euro sound and apply them to a beefy industrial metal core. The result is a batch of sleek, pop tunes that feel precision-engineered to get your fist pumping and stick in your head for days afterwards. The essential ingredients—straightforward Nü-tinged riffing, simple but danceable grooves, and monotone but charismatic German spoken vocals are all here—but they’re arranged in razor-tight formation and often spruced up with garish synth leads or autotuned choirs. Nearly every track on Mana sits around the 3-minute mark, featuring absolutely zero fluff or overlong vibe-killing sections. We have the tried-and-true methodology of ABABCB 2 applied throughout with just enough variety to keep things interesting. For most albums, this slavish devotion to formula would turn me away, but luckily for Erdling, they’re incredibly proficient in their execution.
A full listen of Mana delivers industrial metal banger after banger in rapid succession. The single “Dominus Omnium” showcases Erdling’s command of the style, skillfully building from eerie, restrained verses that highlight vocalist Neill Freiwald’s sinister delivery, into massive, synth-drenched choruses backed by layered guitars. Throughout the album, Erdling nods to various major European metal acts, adding variety and keeping the tracklist feeling fresh. “Los Los Los,” for example, is driven by an Amon Amarth-style melodeath riff but leans more into dance territory, complete with a flashy EDM lead that shines throughout and, of course, an earworm of a chorus. “Miasma” draws from the folk metal playbook, centering its chorus around a natural minor progression you’ve probably heard in dozens of Alestorm tracks. Another element that sets Erdling apart from many of their industrial peers is their lead guitarist. Ole Anders delivers several impressive solos and tasteful lead melodies across the album, adding a dynamic edge to even the more traditional cuts. Tracks like opener “Aurora” are pulled out of complacency by fiery, harmonized guitar work that keeps things from feeling too safe.
Now, it’s not all glühwein and glowsticks. Mana is a formulaic record by design and by limitation. Erdling commit to their template with near-militant discipline. There are no breathers, no tempo shifts, no moody detours. If you’re hoping for a left-field ballad or something vaguely introspective, keep walking. That said, the B-side introduces some welcome variations, like the blast beats and blackened vocals on “Alles dreht sich,” or the somber clean guitar textures on the closer “Sternenschimmer.” The album doesn’t evolve so much as it sprints headfirst into your chest for 37 minutes straight. But that also makes it endlessly re-listenable. Where most industrial albums sag under the weight of their own cyberpunk cosplay, Mana just keeps throwing punches. It’s the kind of record that’s over before you notice, only for your body to demand you hit play again like some kind of blood sugar-crashing dancefloor junkie.
At the end of the day, Erdling aren’t here to challenge the genre’s boundaries; they’re here to perfect it. Mana is a polished, addictive blast of industrial metal that would feel equally at home in a sweaty Berlin club or as fuel for your next deadlift PR. The songwriting is tight, the hooks hit hard, and the band understands exactly what kind of experience they’re delivering: 100% efficiency, zero filler. Is it deep? No. Is it innovative? Not really. Is it a blast and addictively replayable? Absolutely. Until Rammstein either implode or redeem themselves, Erdling just might be the Neue Deutsche Härte fix we need.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Out of Line Records
Websites: erdling.rocks |erdling.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025#2025 #35 #Alestorm #Amaranthe #AmonAmarth #Crematory #ElectronicMetal #Erdling #GermanMetal #Industrial #IndustrialMetal #Mana #NeuDeutscheHärte #Oct25 #OutOfLineMusic #PopMetal #Rammstein #Review #Reviews
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By Samguineous Maximus
If you’re like me, then your experience with German industrial metal largely revolves around Rammstein, the fun, if not inconsistent, institution that still somehow sells out arenas worldwide with their patented brand of simple riffs, simpler grooves, and deep-voiced German monotone “singing.” If you’re also like me, then listening to Rammstein became a lot less appealing when allegations surrounding frontman Til Lindemann arose, tainting my ability to enjoy the band. Thankfully, Germany is nothing if not efficient, and for every aging industrial Goliath there’s a newer, sleeker unit revving up on the assembly line. Erdling is one such machine, and they’ve been honing their brand of Neue Deutsche Härte since 2014. 1 My simian overlord, Steel Druhm, found their 4th record, 2020’s Yggdrasil, to be competent enough, if not a tad underwhelming. Since then, the Krauts have kept busy, releasing 2 albums in quick succession and garnering a respectable (and I presume mostly German) following. Now, they’re back with Mana, a lean collection of 11 tracks readymade to soundtrack a Berlin nightclub. Has Erdling crafted a delectable enough display of dance-inducing industrial to fill the void?
Mana is what happens when Rammstein and Crematory’s industrial template slams into the glossy, market-tested sheen of Amaranthe. No, Erdling doesn’t have over-processed female vocals or cringe-inducing rap parts (thank Wotan); instead, they take the clear craftsmanship and studio-minded sheen of a more commercial-oriented Euro sound and apply them to a beefy industrial metal core. The result is a batch of sleek, pop tunes that feel precision-engineered to get your fist pumping and stick in your head for days afterwards. The essential ingredients—straightforward Nü-tinged riffing, simple but danceable grooves, and monotone but charismatic German spoken vocals are all here—but they’re arranged in razor-tight formation and often spruced up with garish synth leads or autotuned choirs. Nearly every track on Mana sits around the 3-minute mark, featuring absolutely zero fluff or overlong vibe-killing sections. We have the tried-and-true methodology of ABABCB 2 applied throughout with just enough variety to keep things interesting. For most albums, this slavish devotion to formula would turn me away, but luckily for Erdling, they’re incredibly proficient in their execution.
A full listen of Mana delivers industrial metal banger after banger in rapid succession. The single “Dominus Omnium” showcases Erdling’s command of the style, skillfully building from eerie, restrained verses that highlight vocalist Neill Freiwald’s sinister delivery, into massive, synth-drenched choruses backed by layered guitars. Throughout the album, Erdling nods to various major European metal acts, adding variety and keeping the tracklist feeling fresh. “Los Los Los,” for example, is driven by an Amon Amarth-style melodeath riff but leans more into dance territory, complete with a flashy EDM lead that shines throughout and, of course, an earworm of a chorus. “Miasma” draws from the folk metal playbook, centering its chorus around a natural minor progression you’ve probably heard in dozens of Alestorm tracks. Another element that sets Erdling apart from many of their industrial peers is their lead guitarist. Ole Anders delivers several impressive solos and tasteful lead melodies across the album, adding a dynamic edge to even the more traditional cuts. Tracks like opener “Aurora” are pulled out of complacency by fiery, harmonized guitar work that keeps things from feeling too safe.
Now, it’s not all glühwein and glowsticks. Mana is a formulaic record by design and by limitation. Erdling commit to their template with near-militant discipline. There are no breathers, no tempo shifts, no moody detours. If you’re hoping for a left-field ballad or something vaguely introspective, keep walking. That said, the B-side introduces some welcome variations, like the blast beats and blackened vocals on “Alles dreht sich,” or the somber clean guitar textures on the closer “Sternenschimmer.” The album doesn’t evolve so much as it sprints headfirst into your chest for 37 minutes straight. But that also makes it endlessly re-listenable. Where most industrial albums sag under the weight of their own cyberpunk cosplay, Mana just keeps throwing punches. It’s the kind of record that’s over before you notice, only for your body to demand you hit play again like some kind of blood sugar-crashing dancefloor junkie.
At the end of the day, Erdling aren’t here to challenge the genre’s boundaries; they’re here to perfect it. Mana is a polished, addictive blast of industrial metal that would feel equally at home in a sweaty Berlin club or as fuel for your next deadlift PR. The songwriting is tight, the hooks hit hard, and the band understands exactly what kind of experience they’re delivering: 100% efficiency, zero filler. Is it deep? No. Is it innovative? Not really. Is it a blast and addictively replayable? Absolutely. Until Rammstein either implode or redeem themselves, Erdling just might be the Neue Deutsche Härte fix we need.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Out of Line Records
Websites: erdling.rocks |erdling.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025#2025 #35 #Alestorm #Amaranthe #AmonAmarth #Crematory #ElectronicMetal #Erdling #GermanMetal #Industrial #IndustrialMetal #Mana #NeuDeutscheHärte #Oct25 #OutOfLineMusic #PopMetal #Rammstein #Review #Reviews
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By Samguineous Maximus
If you’re like me, then your experience with German industrial metal largely revolves around Rammstein, the fun, if not inconsistent, institution that still somehow sells out arenas worldwide with their patented brand of simple riffs, simpler grooves, and deep-voiced German monotone “singing.” If you’re also like me, then listening to Rammstein became a lot less appealing when allegations surrounding frontman Til Lindemann arose, tainting my ability to enjoy the band. Thankfully, Germany is nothing if not efficient, and for every aging industrial Goliath there’s a newer, sleeker unit revving up on the assembly line. Erdling is one such machine, and they’ve been honing their brand of Neue Deutsche Härte since 2014. 1 My simian overlord, Steel Druhm, found their 4th record, 2020’s Yggdrasil, to be competent enough, if not a tad underwhelming. Since then, the Krauts have kept busy, releasing 2 albums in quick succession and garnering a respectable (and I presume mostly German) following. Now, they’re back with Mana, a lean collection of 11 tracks readymade to soundtrack a Berlin nightclub. Has Erdling crafted a delectable enough display of dance-inducing industrial to fill the void?
Mana is what happens when Rammstein and Crematory’s industrial template slams into the glossy, market-tested sheen of Amaranthe. No, Erdling doesn’t have over-processed female vocals or cringe-inducing rap parts (thank Wotan); instead, they take the clear craftsmanship and studio-minded sheen of a more commercial-oriented Euro sound and apply them to a beefy industrial metal core. The result is a batch of sleek, pop tunes that feel precision-engineered to get your fist pumping and stick in your head for days afterwards. The essential ingredients—straightforward Nü-tinged riffing, simple but danceable grooves, and monotone but charismatic German spoken vocals are all here—but they’re arranged in razor-tight formation and often spruced up with garish synth leads or autotuned choirs. Nearly every track on Mana sits around the 3-minute mark, featuring absolutely zero fluff or overlong vibe-killing sections. We have the tried-and-true methodology of ABABCB 2 applied throughout with just enough variety to keep things interesting. For most albums, this slavish devotion to formula would turn me away, but luckily for Erdling, they’re incredibly proficient in their execution.
A full listen of Mana delivers industrial metal banger after banger in rapid succession. The single “Dominus Omnium” showcases Erdling’s command of the style, skillfully building from eerie, restrained verses that highlight vocalist Neill Freiwald’s sinister delivery, into massive, synth-drenched choruses backed by layered guitars. Throughout the album, Erdling nods to various major European metal acts, adding variety and keeping the tracklist feeling fresh. “Los Los Los,” for example, is driven by an Amon Amarth-style melodeath riff but leans more into dance territory, complete with a flashy EDM lead that shines throughout and, of course, an earworm of a chorus. “Miasma” draws from the folk metal playbook, centering its chorus around a natural minor progression you’ve probably heard in dozens of Alestorm tracks. Another element that sets Erdling apart from many of their industrial peers is their lead guitarist. Ole Anders delivers several impressive solos and tasteful lead melodies across the album, adding a dynamic edge to even the more traditional cuts. Tracks like opener “Aurora” are pulled out of complacency by fiery, harmonized guitar work that keeps things from feeling too safe.
Now, it’s not all glühwein and glowsticks. Mana is a formulaic record by design and by limitation. Erdling commit to their template with near-militant discipline. There are no breathers, no tempo shifts, no moody detours. If you’re hoping for a left-field ballad or something vaguely introspective, keep walking. That said, the B-side introduces some welcome variations, like the blast beats and blackened vocals on “Alles dreht sich,” or the somber clean guitar textures on the closer “Sternenschimmer.” The album doesn’t evolve so much as it sprints headfirst into your chest for 37 minutes straight. But that also makes it endlessly re-listenable. Where most industrial albums sag under the weight of their own cyberpunk cosplay, Mana just keeps throwing punches. It’s the kind of record that’s over before you notice, only for your body to demand you hit play again like some kind of blood sugar-crashing dancefloor junkie.
At the end of the day, Erdling aren’t here to challenge the genre’s boundaries; they’re here to perfect it. Mana is a polished, addictive blast of industrial metal that would feel equally at home in a sweaty Berlin club or as fuel for your next deadlift PR. The songwriting is tight, the hooks hit hard, and the band understands exactly what kind of experience they’re delivering: 100% efficiency, zero filler. Is it deep? No. Is it innovative? Not really. Is it a blast and addictively replayable? Absolutely. Until Rammstein either implode or redeem themselves, Erdling just might be the Neue Deutsche Härte fix we need.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Out of Line Records
Websites: erdling.rocks |erdling.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025#2025 #35 #Alestorm #Amaranthe #AmonAmarth #Crematory #ElectronicMetal #Erdling #GermanMetal #Industrial #IndustrialMetal #Mana #NeuDeutscheHärte #Oct25 #OutOfLineMusic #PopMetal #Rammstein #Review #Reviews
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By Samguineous Maximus
If you’re like me, then your experience with German industrial metal largely revolves around Rammstein, the fun, if not inconsistent, institution that still somehow sells out arenas worldwide with their patented brand of simple riffs, simpler grooves, and deep-voiced German monotone “singing.” If you’re also like me, then listening to Rammstein became a lot less appealing when allegations surrounding frontman Til Lindemann arose, tainting my ability to enjoy the band. Thankfully, Germany is nothing if not efficient, and for every aging industrial Goliath there’s a newer, sleeker unit revving up on the assembly line. Erdling is one such machine, and they’ve been honing their brand of Neue Deutsche Härte since 2014. 1 My simian overlord, Steel Druhm, found their 4th record, 2020’s Yggdrasil, to be competent enough, if not a tad underwhelming. Since then, the Krauts have kept busy, releasing 2 albums in quick succession and garnering a respectable (and I presume mostly German) following. Now, they’re back with Mana, a lean collection of 11 tracks readymade to soundtrack a Berlin nightclub. Has Erdling crafted a delectable enough display of dance-inducing industrial to fill the void?
Mana is what happens when Rammstein and Crematory’s industrial template slams into the glossy, market-tested sheen of Amaranthe. No, Erdling doesn’t have over-processed female vocals or cringe-inducing rap parts (thank Wotan); instead, they take the clear craftsmanship and studio-minded sheen of a more commercial-oriented Euro sound and apply them to a beefy industrial metal core. The result is a batch of sleek, pop tunes that feel precision-engineered to get your fist pumping and stick in your head for days afterwards. The essential ingredients—straightforward Nü-tinged riffing, simple but danceable grooves, and monotone but charismatic German spoken vocals are all here—but they’re arranged in razor-tight formation and often spruced up with garish synth leads or autotuned choirs. Nearly every track on Mana sits around the 3-minute mark, featuring absolutely zero fluff or overlong vibe-killing sections. We have the tried-and-true methodology of ABABCB 2 applied throughout with just enough variety to keep things interesting. For most albums, this slavish devotion to formula would turn me away, but luckily for Erdling, they’re incredibly proficient in their execution.
A full listen of Mana delivers industrial metal banger after banger in rapid succession. The single “Dominus Omnium” showcases Erdling’s command of the style, skillfully building from eerie, restrained verses that highlight vocalist Neill Freiwald’s sinister delivery, into massive, synth-drenched choruses backed by layered guitars. Throughout the album, Erdling nods to various major European metal acts, adding variety and keeping the tracklist feeling fresh. “Los Los Los,” for example, is driven by an Amon Amarth-style melodeath riff but leans more into dance territory, complete with a flashy EDM lead that shines throughout and, of course, an earworm of a chorus. “Miasma” draws from the folk metal playbook, centering its chorus around a natural minor progression you’ve probably heard in dozens of Alestorm tracks. Another element that sets Erdling apart from many of their industrial peers is their lead guitarist. Ole Anders delivers several impressive solos and tasteful lead melodies across the album, adding a dynamic edge to even the more traditional cuts. Tracks like opener “Aurora” are pulled out of complacency by fiery, harmonized guitar work that keeps things from feeling too safe.
Now, it’s not all glühwein and glowsticks. Mana is a formulaic record by design and by limitation. Erdling commit to their template with near-militant discipline. There are no breathers, no tempo shifts, no moody detours. If you’re hoping for a left-field ballad or something vaguely introspective, keep walking. That said, the B-side introduces some welcome variations, like the blast beats and blackened vocals on “Alles dreht sich,” or the somber clean guitar textures on the closer “Sternenschimmer.” The album doesn’t evolve so much as it sprints headfirst into your chest for 37 minutes straight. But that also makes it endlessly re-listenable. Where most industrial albums sag under the weight of their own cyberpunk cosplay, Mana just keeps throwing punches. It’s the kind of record that’s over before you notice, only for your body to demand you hit play again like some kind of blood sugar-crashing dancefloor junkie.
At the end of the day, Erdling aren’t here to challenge the genre’s boundaries; they’re here to perfect it. Mana is a polished, addictive blast of industrial metal that would feel equally at home in a sweaty Berlin club or as fuel for your next deadlift PR. The songwriting is tight, the hooks hit hard, and the band understands exactly what kind of experience they’re delivering: 100% efficiency, zero filler. Is it deep? No. Is it innovative? Not really. Is it a blast and addictively replayable? Absolutely. Until Rammstein either implode or redeem themselves, Erdling just might be the Neue Deutsche Härte fix we need.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Out of Line Records
Websites: erdling.rocks |erdling.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025#2025 #35 #Alestorm #Amaranthe #AmonAmarth #Crematory #ElectronicMetal #Erdling #GermanMetal #Industrial #IndustrialMetal #Mana #NeuDeutscheHärte #Oct25 #OutOfLineMusic #PopMetal #Rammstein #Review #Reviews
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By Samguineous Maximus
If you’re like me, then your experience with German industrial metal largely revolves around Rammstein, the fun, if not inconsistent, institution that still somehow sells out arenas worldwide with their patented brand of simple riffs, simpler grooves, and deep-voiced German monotone “singing.” If you’re also like me, then listening to Rammstein became a lot less appealing when allegations surrounding frontman Til Lindemann arose, tainting my ability to enjoy the band. Thankfully, Germany is nothing if not efficient, and for every aging industrial Goliath there’s a newer, sleeker unit revving up on the assembly line. Erdling is one such machine, and they’ve been honing their brand of Neue Deutsche Härte since 2014. 1 My simian overlord, Steel Druhm, found their 4th record, 2020’s Yggdrasil, to be competent enough, if not a tad underwhelming. Since then, the Krauts have kept busy, releasing 2 albums in quick succession and garnering a respectable (and I presume mostly German) following. Now, they’re back with Mana, a lean collection of 11 tracks readymade to soundtrack a Berlin nightclub. Has Erdling crafted a delectable enough display of dance-inducing industrial to fill the void?
Mana is what happens when Rammstein and Crematory’s industrial template slams into the glossy, market-tested sheen of Amaranthe. No, Erdling doesn’t have over-processed female vocals or cringe-inducing rap parts (thank Wotan); instead, they take the clear craftsmanship and studio-minded sheen of a more commercial-oriented Euro sound and apply them to a beefy industrial metal core. The result is a batch of sleek, pop tunes that feel precision-engineered to get your fist pumping and stick in your head for days afterwards. The essential ingredients—straightforward Nü-tinged riffing, simple but danceable grooves, and monotone but charismatic German spoken vocals are all here—but they’re arranged in razor-tight formation and often spruced up with garish synth leads or autotuned choirs. Nearly every track on Mana sits around the 3-minute mark, featuring absolutely zero fluff or overlong vibe-killing sections. We have the tried-and-true methodology of ABABCB 2 applied throughout with just enough variety to keep things interesting. For most albums, this slavish devotion to formula would turn me away, but luckily for Erdling, they’re incredibly proficient in their execution.
A full listen of Mana delivers industrial metal banger after banger in rapid succession. The single “Dominus Omnium” showcases Erdling’s command of the style, skillfully building from eerie, restrained verses that highlight vocalist Neill Freiwald’s sinister delivery, into massive, synth-drenched choruses backed by layered guitars. Throughout the album, Erdling nods to various major European metal acts, adding variety and keeping the tracklist feeling fresh. “Los Los Los,” for example, is driven by an Amon Amarth-style melodeath riff but leans more into dance territory, complete with a flashy EDM lead that shines throughout and, of course, an earworm of a chorus. “Miasma” draws from the folk metal playbook, centering its chorus around a natural minor progression you’ve probably heard in dozens of Alestorm tracks. Another element that sets Erdling apart from many of their industrial peers is their lead guitarist. Ole Anders delivers several impressive solos and tasteful lead melodies across the album, adding a dynamic edge to even the more traditional cuts. Tracks like opener “Aurora” are pulled out of complacency by fiery, harmonized guitar work that keeps things from feeling too safe.
Now, it’s not all glühwein and glowsticks. Mana is a formulaic record by design and by limitation. Erdling commit to their template with near-militant discipline. There are no breathers, no tempo shifts, no moody detours. If you’re hoping for a left-field ballad or something vaguely introspective, keep walking. That said, the B-side introduces some welcome variations, like the blast beats and blackened vocals on “Alles dreht sich,” or the somber clean guitar textures on the closer “Sternenschimmer.” The album doesn’t evolve so much as it sprints headfirst into your chest for 37 minutes straight. But that also makes it endlessly re-listenable. Where most industrial albums sag under the weight of their own cyberpunk cosplay, Mana just keeps throwing punches. It’s the kind of record that’s over before you notice, only for your body to demand you hit play again like some kind of blood sugar-crashing dancefloor junkie.
At the end of the day, Erdling aren’t here to challenge the genre’s boundaries; they’re here to perfect it. Mana is a polished, addictive blast of industrial metal that would feel equally at home in a sweaty Berlin club or as fuel for your next deadlift PR. The songwriting is tight, the hooks hit hard, and the band understands exactly what kind of experience they’re delivering: 100% efficiency, zero filler. Is it deep? No. Is it innovative? Not really. Is it a blast and addictively replayable? Absolutely. Until Rammstein either implode or redeem themselves, Erdling just might be the Neue Deutsche Härte fix we need.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Out of Line Records
Websites: erdling.rocks |erdling.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025#2025 #35 #Alestorm #Amaranthe #AmonAmarth #Crematory #ElectronicMetal #Erdling #GermanMetal #Industrial #IndustrialMetal #Mana #NeuDeutscheHärte #Oct25 #OutOfLineMusic #PopMetal #Rammstein #Review #Reviews
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A Pompei scoperta la “panchina d’attesa” davanti alla Villa dei Misteri: i clienti aspettavano il padrone di casa tracciando graffiti | IL VIDEO
Elena Percivaldi
Non erano i visitatori in fila per ammirare i celebri affreschi dionisiaci, come accade oggi nelle giornate a ingresso gratuito, ma i clientes del padrone di casa ad affollare la strada davanti alla Villa dei Misteri a Pompei. Gli ultimi scavi condotti lungo il fronte nord-occidentale del complesso hanno riportato alla luce una panchina in cocciopesto posizionata proprio davanti al portone principale, sulla cosiddetta Via Superior.
Veduta dello scavo della Villa dei Misteri. Sotto, la foto zenitale (foto: ©Parco Archeologico di Pompei)Un dettaglio che apre una finestra sorprendente sulla vita sociale e politica dell’antica Pompei: la panchina serviva ad accogliere coloro che, secondo l’usanza della salutatio, si recavano al mattino dal loro patrono per chiedere favori, prestiti o aiuto giudiziario in cambio di sostegno politico.
La Villa dei Misteri e la pratica della salutatio
La panca affacciata sulla via Superior (in basso in vista frontale) (foto: ©Parco Archeologico di Pompei)Celebre in tutto il mondo per il ciclo di affreschi a tema dionisiaco scoperto nel 1909-10, la Villa dei Misteri era una delle residenze più prestigiose dell’area suburbana di Pompei. Qui il padrone riceveva clienti e supplici, mentre i più sfortunati – braccianti, mendicanti, viaggiatori diretti verso Boscoreale – potevano attendere anche per ore senza la certezza di essere ricevuti.
«Qualcuno, durante l’attesa, lasciava graffiti sui muri – racconta il direttore del Parco, Gabriel Zuchtriegel – piccoli segni, date, forse nomi: un gesto di noia e di presenza che oggi possiamo ancora leggere».
Le panchine, spiega, erano un vero e proprio “biglietto da visita”: più erano affollate, maggiore era il prestigio del dominus.
Uno dei graffiti (foto: ©Parco Archeologico di Pompei)Gli scavi recenti e le nuove scoperte
Le indagini, riavviate grazie alla demolizione di costruzioni abusive che gravavano sulla villa, hanno portato alla luce non solo la panca, ma anche il monumentale ingresso con arco e paracarri, ambienti decorati in terzo stile pompeiano con raffinati fondi neri e gialli, e una cisterna collegata a un articolato sistema idrico.
Straordinaria anche la documentazione stratigrafica dell’eruzione del 79 d.C.: pomici di caduta, flussi piroclastici e persino un paleosuolo agricolo sistemato “a conchette”, che testimonia le tecniche di coltivazione e gestione del paesaggio in età romana.
L’eccezionale sequenza stratigrafica dell’eruzione (foto: ©Parco Archeologico di Pompei)Un progetto di ricerca e tutela
Lo scavo fa parte di un programma più ampio di tutela e valorizzazione, condotto dal Parco Archeologico di Pompei in sinergia con la Procura di Torre Annunziata. L’obiettivo è duplice: contrastare gli scavi clandestini e completare le ricerche iniziate oltre un secolo fa da Amedeo Maiuri, restituendo finalmente la parte ancora sepolta della villa, compreso il quartiere servile.
L’antica planimetria della Villa«Ciò che un tempo era un privilegio di pochi – osserva Zuchtriegel – oggi è accessibile a tutti, anche gratuitamente ogni prima domenica del mese».
La scoperta è stata pubblicata sull’E-Journal degli scavi di Pompei, consultabile in OpenAccess (disponibile QUI).
IL VIDEO | Scoperta “panchina d’attesa” davanti alla Villa dei Misteri di Pompei, parla il direttore Zuchtriegel
#affreschiDionisiaci #archeologiaPompei #archeologiaRomana #clientiEPatroni #eruzioneVesuvio #ParcoArcheologicoDiPompei #pompei #salutatio #scaviArcheologici #VillaDeiMisteri
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James Hynes: Varpunen (suom. Risto Mikkonen)
SV: kirjassa ja arviossa käsitellään lapsen seksuaalista hyväksikäyttöä
No niin, saanen esitellä todellisen pahan mielen kirjan. Hynesin Varpunen tarjoilee melkein 600 sivua ankeutta ja surullisia ihmiskohtaloita. Välillä mietin, onko kärsimyksellä enää mitään tarkoitusta, niin absoluuttista se on, mutta synkimmilläänkään Varpunen ei tunnu mässäilevältä tai mauttomuuteen asti viihteelliseltä. Kirja varmasti jakaa mielipiteitä. Itse kallistun siihen suuntaan, että tästä aiheesta iloisemman kirjan kirjoittaminen olisi aika vastuutonta.
Varpusessa eletään Rooman valtakunnan viimeisiä vuosia. Päähenkilöllä ei ole vanhempia, varsinaista kotia tai nimeä. Ensimmäiset muistonsa hän muodostaa bordellin keittiössä, vaikkei hän vielä vuosiin tiedäkään, että kyse on bordellista. Hänelle keittiö on koti, ja bordellissa asuvat sudet eli prostituoituina toimivat orjat ovat hänen äitejään ja sisariaan. Aidatun pihan ulkopuolista maailmaa hän ei ole koskaan nähnytkään, mutta tarinoiden ja keskustelujen kautta hänen ymmärryksensä universumista kasvaa. Onnellisimmillaan kirja on sen alkupuolella, jolloin kirja tuntuu välillä jopa jonkinlaiselta roomalaiselta slice of life -kirjallisuudelta, mitä nyt dominus ja humalaiset asiakkaat tulevat välillä huojumaan uhkaavasti ovenraossa. Kasvaessaan päähenkilö alkaa liikkua myös kotikeittiönsä ulkopuolella, mutta vapaus tuo mukanaan uusia vaaroja, ja ennen pitkää hänet laitetaan työskentelemään sutena susien rinnalla. Päähenkilö on tässä vaiheessa niin nuori, että sitä on hankala käsittääkään. Kokemuksia asiakkaiden kanssa ei kuvailla erityisen graafisesti, mutta karseaa lukeminen joka tapauksessa on.
En tunne miljöötä niin hyvin, että osaisin arvioida kuvauksen onnistuneisuutta, mutta loppusanojen perusteella Hynes on ainakin lukenut paljon antiikin Rooman orjuutta ja seksuaalisuuteen ja sukupuoleen liittyviä käsityksiä koskevaa kirjallisuutta. Kirjoittaja ei tietenkään voi kokonaan irrottautua omasta ajastaan, mutta ainakin musta tuntui siltä, ettei aivan kaikkea epämukavaa tai vierasta ole väännetty rautalangasta. Esimerkiksi raja lapsuuden ja aikuisuuden välillä on toisaalla kuin mihin mä olen tottunut, enkä kovinkaan usein tiennyt, miten vanhoja hahmot olivat vuosissa. Myös seksuaalisuuden kuvaus on omanlaistaan, tietysti, kun esimerkiksi seksuaalisen suuntautumisen käsitettä ei ole ollut olemassakaan. Kirjassa on kuitenkin hahmoja, jotka nykymaailmassa katsottaisiin queer-tyypeiksi, eikä Hynes mielestäni nykylukijaa järkyttääkseen ylikorosta tai alleviivaa sitä, että päähenkilön asiakkaat ovat miehiä. Kuten jo aiemmin sanoin, ei lukeminen ole helppoa, koska päähenkilölle toivoo hyvää aina, vaikka hyvää on tarjolla harvinaisen vähän. Onneksi on alusta saakka selvää, että päähenkilö selviää: jo kirjan ensimmäisillä sivuilla hän kertoo muistelevansa, kirja esitetään päähenkilön vanhalla iällä kirjoittamina muistelmina. Lohtu se on laihakin lohtu, vaikka olisinkin tahtonut tietää enemmän hänen myöhäisemmistä vaiheistaan. Nyt kirja loppuu liian aikaisin, kun kaikki on vielä kipeää.
Ja hei kaikki, joilla on #QueerLukuhaaste2025 kesken! Jos bingokohtia tulkitsee tosi löyhästi, saattaisi tää sopia eri sukupuolijärjestelmä -kohtaan, koska kirjan hahmot eivät näe sukupuolta samoin kuin (länsimainen) nykyihminen. Esimerkiksi päähenkilön kuvaillaan toistuvasti olevan tavallaan jotain muuta kuin nainen tai mies siksi, että hän on (pakotettuna) ollut seksuaalisessa kanssakäymisessä muiden miesten kanssa. Hänen toiseutensa kuvaukset eivät onneksi ole pelkästään lohduttomia, koska hän myös kokee yhteenkuuluvuutta kanssaan asuvien susinaisten kanssa.
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James Hynes: Varpunen (suom. Risto Mikkonen)
SV: kirjassa ja arviossa käsitellään lapsen seksuaalista hyväksikäyttöä
No niin, saanen esitellä todellisen pahan mielen kirjan. Hynesin Varpunen tarjoilee melkein 600 sivua ankeutta ja surullisia ihmiskohtaloita. Välillä mietin, onko kärsimyksellä enää mitään tarkoitusta, niin absoluuttista se on, mutta synkimmilläänkään Varpunen ei tunnu mässäilevältä tai mauttomuuteen asti viihteelliseltä. Kirja varmasti jakaa mielipiteitä. Itse kallistun siihen suuntaan, että tästä aiheesta iloisemman kirjan kirjoittaminen olisi aika vastuutonta.
Varpusessa eletään Rooman valtakunnan viimeisiä vuosia. Päähenkilöllä ei ole vanhempia, varsinaista kotia tai nimeä. Ensimmäiset muistonsa hän muodostaa bordellin keittiössä, vaikkei hän vielä vuosiin tiedäkään, että kyse on bordellista. Hänelle keittiö on koti, ja bordellissa asuvat sudet eli prostituoituina toimivat orjat ovat hänen äitejään ja sisariaan. Aidatun pihan ulkopuolista maailmaa hän ei ole koskaan nähnytkään, mutta tarinoiden ja keskustelujen kautta hänen ymmärryksensä universumista kasvaa. Onnellisimmillaan kirja on sen alkupuolella, jolloin kirja tuntuu välillä jopa jonkinlaiselta roomalaiselta slice of life -kirjallisuudelta, mitä nyt dominus ja humalaiset asiakkaat tulevat välillä huojumaan uhkaavasti ovenraossa. Kasvaessaan päähenkilö alkaa liikkua myös kotikeittiönsä ulkopuolella, mutta vapaus tuo mukanaan uusia vaaroja, ja ennen pitkää hänet laitetaan työskentelemään sutena susien rinnalla. Päähenkilö on tässä vaiheessa niin nuori, että sitä on hankala käsittääkään. Kokemuksia asiakkaiden kanssa ei kuvailla erityisen graafisesti, mutta karseaa lukeminen joka tapauksessa on.
En tunne miljöötä niin hyvin, että osaisin arvioida kuvauksen onnistuneisuutta, mutta loppusanojen perusteella Hynes on ainakin lukenut paljon antiikin Rooman orjuutta ja seksuaalisuuteen ja sukupuoleen liittyviä käsityksiä koskevaa kirjallisuutta. Kirjoittaja ei tietenkään voi kokonaan irrottautua omasta ajastaan, mutta ainakin musta tuntui siltä, ettei aivan kaikkea epämukavaa tai vierasta ole väännetty rautalangasta. Esimerkiksi raja lapsuuden ja aikuisuuden välillä on toisaalla kuin mihin mä olen tottunut, enkä kovinkaan usein tiennyt, miten vanhoja hahmot olivat vuosissa. Myös seksuaalisuuden kuvaus on omanlaistaan, tietysti, kun esimerkiksi seksuaalisen suuntautumisen käsitettä ei ole ollut olemassakaan. Kirjassa on kuitenkin hahmoja, jotka nykymaailmassa katsottaisiin queer-tyypeiksi, eikä Hynes mielestäni nykylukijaa järkyttääkseen ylikorosta tai alleviivaa sitä, että päähenkilön asiakkaat ovat miehiä. Kuten jo aiemmin sanoin, ei lukeminen ole helppoa, koska päähenkilölle toivoo hyvää aina, vaikka hyvää on tarjolla harvinaisen vähän. Onneksi on alusta saakka selvää, että päähenkilö selviää: jo kirjan ensimmäisillä sivuilla hän kertoo muistelevansa, kirja esitetään päähenkilön vanhalla iällä kirjoittamina muistelmina. Lohtu se on laihakin lohtu, vaikka olisinkin tahtonut tietää enemmän hänen myöhäisemmistä vaiheistaan. Nyt kirja loppuu liian aikaisin, kun kaikki on vielä kipeää.
Ja hei kaikki, joilla on #QueerLukuhaaste2025 kesken! Jos bingokohtia tulkitsee tosi löyhästi, saattaisi tää sopia eri sukupuolijärjestelmä -kohtaan, koska kirjan hahmot eivät näe sukupuolta samoin kuin (länsimainen) nykyihminen. Esimerkiksi päähenkilön kuvaillaan toistuvasti olevan tavallaan jotain muuta kuin nainen tai mies siksi, että hän on (pakotettuna) ollut seksuaalisessa kanssakäymisessä muiden miesten kanssa. Hänen toiseutensa kuvaukset eivät onneksi ole pelkästään lohduttomia, koska hän myös kokee yhteenkuuluvuutta kanssaan asuvien susinaisten kanssa.
-
James Hynes: Varpunen (suom. Risto Mikkonen)
SV: kirjassa ja arviossa käsitellään lapsen seksuaalista hyväksikäyttöä
No niin, saanen esitellä todellisen pahan mielen kirjan. Hynesin Varpunen tarjoilee melkein 600 sivua ankeutta ja surullisia ihmiskohtaloita. Välillä mietin, onko kärsimyksellä enää mitään tarkoitusta, niin absoluuttista se on, mutta synkimmilläänkään Varpunen ei tunnu mässäilevältä tai mauttomuuteen asti viihteelliseltä. Kirja varmasti jakaa mielipiteitä. Itse kallistun siihen suuntaan, että tästä aiheesta iloisemman kirjan kirjoittaminen olisi aika vastuutonta.
Varpusessa eletään Rooman valtakunnan viimeisiä vuosia. Päähenkilöllä ei ole vanhempia, varsinaista kotia tai nimeä. Ensimmäiset muistonsa hän muodostaa bordellin keittiössä, vaikkei hän vielä vuosiin tiedäkään, että kyse on bordellista. Hänelle keittiö on koti, ja bordellissa asuvat sudet eli prostituoituina toimivat orjat ovat hänen äitejään ja sisariaan. Aidatun pihan ulkopuolista maailmaa hän ei ole koskaan nähnytkään, mutta tarinoiden ja keskustelujen kautta hänen ymmärryksensä universumista kasvaa. Onnellisimmillaan kirja on sen alkupuolella, jolloin kirja tuntuu välillä jopa jonkinlaiselta roomalaiselta slice of life -kirjallisuudelta, mitä nyt dominus ja humalaiset asiakkaat tulevat välillä huojumaan uhkaavasti ovenraossa. Kasvaessaan päähenkilö alkaa liikkua myös kotikeittiönsä ulkopuolella, mutta vapaus tuo mukanaan uusia vaaroja, ja ennen pitkää hänet laitetaan työskentelemään sutena susien rinnalla. Päähenkilö on tässä vaiheessa niin nuori, että sitä on hankala käsittääkään. Kokemuksia asiakkaiden kanssa ei kuvailla erityisen graafisesti, mutta karseaa lukeminen joka tapauksessa on.
En tunne miljöötä niin hyvin, että osaisin arvioida kuvauksen onnistuneisuutta, mutta loppusanojen perusteella Hynes on ainakin lukenut paljon antiikin Rooman orjuutta ja seksuaalisuuteen ja sukupuoleen liittyviä käsityksiä koskevaa kirjallisuutta. Kirjoittaja ei tietenkään voi kokonaan irrottautua omasta ajastaan, mutta ainakin musta tuntui siltä, ettei aivan kaikkea epämukavaa tai vierasta ole väännetty rautalangasta. Esimerkiksi raja lapsuuden ja aikuisuuden välillä on toisaalla kuin mihin mä olen tottunut, enkä kovinkaan usein tiennyt, miten vanhoja hahmot olivat vuosissa. Myös seksuaalisuuden kuvaus on omanlaistaan, tietysti, kun esimerkiksi seksuaalisen suuntautumisen käsitettä ei ole ollut olemassakaan. Kirjassa on kuitenkin hahmoja, jotka nykymaailmassa katsottaisiin queer-tyypeiksi, eikä Hynes mielestäni nykylukijaa järkyttääkseen ylikorosta tai alleviivaa sitä, että päähenkilön asiakkaat ovat miehiä. Kuten jo aiemmin sanoin, ei lukeminen ole helppoa, koska päähenkilölle toivoo hyvää aina, vaikka hyvää on tarjolla harvinaisen vähän. Onneksi on alusta saakka selvää, että päähenkilö selviää: jo kirjan ensimmäisillä sivuilla hän kertoo muistelevansa, kirja esitetään päähenkilön vanhalla iällä kirjoittamina muistelmina. Lohtu se on laihakin lohtu, vaikka olisinkin tahtonut tietää enemmän hänen myöhäisemmistä vaiheistaan. Nyt kirja loppuu liian aikaisin, kun kaikki on vielä kipeää.
Ja hei kaikki, joilla on #QueerLukuhaaste2025 kesken! Jos bingokohtia tulkitsee tosi löyhästi, saattaisi tää sopia eri sukupuolijärjestelmä -kohtaan, koska kirjan hahmot eivät näe sukupuolta samoin kuin (länsimainen) nykyihminen. Esimerkiksi päähenkilön kuvaillaan toistuvasti olevan tavallaan jotain muuta kuin nainen tai mies siksi, että hän on (pakotettuna) ollut seksuaalisessa kanssakäymisessä muiden miesten kanssa. Hänen toiseutensa kuvaukset eivät onneksi ole pelkästään lohduttomia, koska hän myös kokee yhteenkuuluvuutta kanssaan asuvien susinaisten kanssa.
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James Hynes: Varpunen (suom. Risto Mikkonen)
SV: kirjassa ja arviossa käsitellään lapsen seksuaalista hyväksikäyttöä
No niin, saanen esitellä todellisen pahan mielen kirjan. Hynesin Varpunen tarjoilee melkein 600 sivua ankeutta ja surullisia ihmiskohtaloita. Välillä mietin, onko kärsimyksellä enää mitään tarkoitusta, niin absoluuttista se on, mutta synkimmilläänkään Varpunen ei tunnu mässäilevältä tai mauttomuuteen asti viihteelliseltä. Kirja varmasti jakaa mielipiteitä. Itse kallistun siihen suuntaan, että tästä aiheesta iloisemman kirjan kirjoittaminen olisi aika vastuutonta.
Varpusessa eletään Rooman valtakunnan viimeisiä vuosia. Päähenkilöllä ei ole vanhempia, varsinaista kotia tai nimeä. Ensimmäiset muistonsa hän muodostaa bordellin keittiössä, vaikkei hän vielä vuosiin tiedäkään, että kyse on bordellista. Hänelle keittiö on koti, ja bordellissa asuvat sudet eli prostituoituina toimivat orjat ovat hänen äitejään ja sisariaan. Aidatun pihan ulkopuolista maailmaa hän ei ole koskaan nähnytkään, mutta tarinoiden ja keskustelujen kautta hänen ymmärryksensä universumista kasvaa. Onnellisimmillaan kirja on sen alkupuolella, jolloin kirja tuntuu välillä jopa jonkinlaiselta roomalaiselta slice of life -kirjallisuudelta, mitä nyt dominus ja humalaiset asiakkaat tulevat välillä huojumaan uhkaavasti ovenraossa. Kasvaessaan päähenkilö alkaa liikkua myös kotikeittiönsä ulkopuolella, mutta vapaus tuo mukanaan uusia vaaroja, ja ennen pitkää hänet laitetaan työskentelemään sutena susien rinnalla. Päähenkilö on tässä vaiheessa niin nuori, että sitä on hankala käsittääkään. Kokemuksia asiakkaiden kanssa ei kuvailla erityisen graafisesti, mutta karseaa lukeminen joka tapauksessa on.
En tunne miljöötä niin hyvin, että osaisin arvioida kuvauksen onnistuneisuutta, mutta loppusanojen perusteella Hynes on ainakin lukenut paljon antiikin Rooman orjuutta ja seksuaalisuuteen ja sukupuoleen liittyviä käsityksiä koskevaa kirjallisuutta. Kirjoittaja ei tietenkään voi kokonaan irrottautua omasta ajastaan, mutta ainakin musta tuntui siltä, ettei aivan kaikkea epämukavaa tai vierasta ole väännetty rautalangasta. Esimerkiksi raja lapsuuden ja aikuisuuden välillä on toisaalla kuin mihin mä olen tottunut, enkä kovinkaan usein tiennyt, miten vanhoja hahmot olivat vuosissa. Myös seksuaalisuuden kuvaus on omanlaistaan, tietysti, kun esimerkiksi seksuaalisen suuntautumisen käsitettä ei ole ollut olemassakaan. Kirjassa on kuitenkin hahmoja, jotka nykymaailmassa katsottaisiin queer-tyypeiksi, eikä Hynes mielestäni nykylukijaa järkyttääkseen ylikorosta tai alleviivaa sitä, että päähenkilön asiakkaat ovat miehiä. Kuten jo aiemmin sanoin, ei lukeminen ole helppoa, koska päähenkilölle toivoo hyvää aina, vaikka hyvää on tarjolla harvinaisen vähän. Onneksi on alusta saakka selvää, että päähenkilö selviää: jo kirjan ensimmäisillä sivuilla hän kertoo muistelevansa, kirja esitetään päähenkilön vanhalla iällä kirjoittamina muistelmina. Lohtu se on laihakin lohtu, vaikka olisinkin tahtonut tietää enemmän hänen myöhäisemmistä vaiheistaan. Nyt kirja loppuu liian aikaisin, kun kaikki on vielä kipeää.
Ja hei kaikki, joilla on #QueerLukuhaaste2025 kesken! Jos bingokohtia tulkitsee tosi löyhästi, saattaisi tää sopia eri sukupuolijärjestelmä -kohtaan, koska kirjan hahmot eivät näe sukupuolta samoin kuin (länsimainen) nykyihminen. Esimerkiksi päähenkilön kuvaillaan toistuvasti olevan tavallaan jotain muuta kuin nainen tai mies siksi, että hän on (pakotettuna) ollut seksuaalisessa kanssakäymisessä muiden miesten kanssa. Hänen toiseutensa kuvaukset eivät onneksi ole pelkästään lohduttomia, koska hän myös kokee yhteenkuuluvuutta kanssaan asuvien susinaisten kanssa.
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#AnnaBrzezińska #Uwolnione z FB
W początkach XII w. Teodoryk, opat z flamandzkiego Saint-Thrond, stracił psa o imieniu Pitulus. Nie porządnego molosa albo szlachetnego charta, tylko maleńkiego pokojowego psiaka, nie większego – jak pisał – od myszy, za to o wielkim rozumie i wesołych czarnych oczach w białej mordce. Pitulus nie miał wiele siły. Czemu więc służył? Jedynie temu, by budzić śmiech u swojego pana. Ktokolwiek cię widział, pisał Teodoryk, ktokolwiek cię znał, kochał cię, a teraz lamentuje po twojej śmierci, która powinna zostać opłakana.
Toteż w odległej głębinie średniowiecza świątobliwy opat, opłakując swojego martwego psiaka, napisał elegię w pięknej łacinie.
Nie przekonuję Was, że w średniowieczu wszyscy desperowali po śmierci swoich zwierząt. Nie wiemy zbyt wiele o zwierzętach hołubionych wyłącznie dla przyjemności ich towarzystwa. Ale życie było trudne – i dla ludzi, i dla zwierząt. Większość psów pracowała. Większość ludzi nie miała czasu bądź umiejętności, by pisać elegie po ich śmierci. Lecz już wtedy istnieli – nieliczni – intelektualiści, którzy uczłowieczali swoich ulubieńców, a po ich śmierci rozpaczali, jakby stracili dziecko, i potrafili tę rozpacz utrwalić piórem dla przyszłych pokoleń.
Mamy skomplikowaną przeszłość, splątaną z bardzo wielu tradycji, także w kwestii umierających/zdychających zwierząt.
A jeśli się Wam wydaje, że w starych dobrych czasach psy nie sypiały w łóżkach właścicieli, to jako ilustracja niemiecki witraż z początku XVI w.
Nie robię w poezji, więc odmawiam tłumaczenia, ale oto cała elegia opata Teodoryka:
‘Flete, canes, si flere vacat, si flere valetis;
flete, canes: catulus mortuus est Pitulus.’
‘Mortuus est Pitulus? Pitulus quis?’ ‘Plus cane dignus.’
‘Quis Pitulus?’ ‘Domini cura dolorque sui.
‘Non canis Albanus, nec erat canis ille Molossus
sed canis exiguus, sed brevis et catulus.
Quinquennis fuerat; si bis foret ille decennis,
usque putes catulum, cum videas, modicum.
Muri pannonico vix aequus corpore toto
qui non tam muri quam similis lepori.
Albicolor nigris facies gemmabat ocellis.’
Unde genus?’ ‘Mater Fresia, Freso pater.’
‘Quae vires?’ ‘Parvae, satis illo corpore dignae,
ingentes animi robore dissimili.’
‘Quid fuit officium? Numquid fuit utile vel non?’
‘Ut parvum magnus diligeret dominus.
Hoc fuit officum, domino praeludere tantum.’
‘Quae fuit utilitas?’ ‘Non nisi risus erat.’
‘Qualis eras, dilecte canis, ridende, dolende,
risus eras vivens, mortuus ecce dolor.
Quisquis te vidit, quisquis te novit, amavit
et dolet exitio nunc, miserando, tuo. -
14 December: SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS OUR FATHER (Transferred to 15 December 2025)
December 14
SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS
OUR FATHER
Priest and Doctor of the ChurchSolemnity
Pastoral note: The Solemnity is transferred to
Monday, 15 December 2025John was born at Fontiveros in Spain about 1542. He entered the Carmelites and with the permission of his superiors began to live a stricter life. Afterward, he was persuaded by Saint Teresa to begin, together with some others, the Discalced reform within the Order; this cost him much hard work and many trials. He died in Ubeda in 1591, outstanding in holiness and wisdom, to which his many spiritual writings give eloquent witness.
Evening Prayer I
Hymn
Soldier of the King eternal,
Valiant warrior, hail to thee!
Column raised to heights supernal
In unshaken majesty.
We revere thy glorious merits
And the tide of homage wells
From the fountain of our spirits,
Heav’nward rising as it swells.Thou hast felt the strong protection
Of the Virgin Mother’s power,
Saving thee with sweet election
In the dread and dangerous hour.
Since thy youth she never swerveth
In her watchful care of thee,
And forever she preserveth
Him who vowed her slave to be.Chosen offspring of our Mother,
In her labors thou didst share,
Aiding her, as son and brother,
Carmel’s beauty to repair;
Ruined shrine and temple raising
From the dust of slow decay,
Mary’s honor meetly praising,
In the dawn of fairer day.Lo, the Cross thy weapon glorious,
As on Calvary’s height of yore,
When our Jesus reigned victorious,
Fallen nature to restore;
So thy burning love retrieveth
Glory of an ancient race,
And by suffering achieveth
Marvels of renewing grace.Praise unto thy God be given
For the grace, O John, conferred,
When with chalice raised to Heaven,
Thine entreating prayer was heard:
In that first rapt celebration
Of the sacrifice divine,
Pledge of thine assured salvation
He hath deigned in love to sign.87.87.D.
Regis aeterni generose milesPsalmody
Ant. 1 He opened his mouth in prayer, and the Lord filled him with the spirit of understanding.
Psalm 113
Praise, O servants of the Lord, *
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blessed *
both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to its setting *
praised be the name of the Lord!High above all nations is the Lord, *
above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God, *
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down, *
to look down upon heaven and earth?From the dust he lifts up the lowly, *
from his misery he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes, *
yes, with the princes of his people.
To the childless wife he gives a home *
and gladdens her heart with children.Ant. He opened his mouth in prayer, and the Lord filled him with the spirit of understanding.
Ant. 2 The Lord gave him treasures out of the darkness, and riches that had been hidden away.
Psalm 146
My soul, give praise to the Lord; +
I will praise the Lord all my days, *
make music to my God while I live.Put no trust in princes *
in mortal men in whom there is no help.
Take their breath, they return to clay *
and their plans that day come to nothing.He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God, *
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who alone made heaven and earth, *
the seas and all they contain.It is he who keeps faith forever, *
who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry, *
the Lord, who sets prisoners free,the Lord who gives sight to the blind, *
who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger *
and upholds the widow and orphan.It is the Lord who loves the just *
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign forever, *
Zion’s God, from age to age.Ant. The Lord gave him treasures out of the darkness, and riches that had been hidden away.
Ant. 3 No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived all that God has prepared for those who love him.
Canticle: Rev 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12
O Lord our God, you are worthy *
to receive glory and honor and power.For you have created all things; *
by your will they came to be and were made.Worthy are you, O Lord, *
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.For you were slain; *
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue, *
of every people and nation.You made of them a kingdom +
and priests to serve our God, *
and they shall reign on the earth.Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, *
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength, *
honor and glory and praise.Ant. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived all that God has prepared for those who love him.
Reading
Ephesians 3:14-19I, Paul, kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name; and I pray that he will bestow on you gifts in keeping with the riches of his glory. May he strengthen you inwardly through the working of his Spirit. May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, and may charity be the root and foundation of your life. Thus you will be able to grasp fully, with all the holy ones, the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love, and experience this love which surpasses all knowledge, so that you may attain to the fullness of God himself.
Responsory
℟ The God who brought light out of darkness * has shone in our hearts. Repeat ℟
℣ To give the light of knowledge of God’s glory that appears in the face of Christ * and has shone in our hearts.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
℟ The God who brought light out of darkness * has shone in our hearts.Canticle of Mary
Ant. I sought wisdom in my prayer; I found it abundantly within myself, and advanced greatly in it.
Intercessions
Christ our Redeemer inspired our Father Saint John of the Cross to follow him, and raised him to the heights of contemplation. Let us praise our Lord, and say:
℟ Glory to you forever!
Christ our God, you taught your servant John the science of the Cross; — kindle the fire of your love in those to whom you have entrusted the teaching and government of your Church. ℟
Christ, unfailing light, you reveal yourself in the night of faith to the poor in spirit; — let your face shine on all those who seek you in poverty amid the darkness of this world. ℟
Christ, our only teacher, you disclose your highest secrets to those who love and seek you; — grant the consummation of your love to those you have called to serve you in Carmel. ℟
Christ, triumphant in heaven in the midst of all your saints, — grant everlasting rest and peace in your glory to all our departed brothers and sisters. ℟
Our Father…
Prayer
Lord,
you endowed our Father Saint John of the Cross
with a spirit of self-denial and a love of the cross.
By following his example
may we come to the eternal vision of your glory.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.Invitatory
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ Jesus, sole Word of the Father.
Invitatory psalm, as in the Ordinary
Office of Readings
Hymn
O John, rejoice this hallowed day
The triumph of the Cross to hail,
Whereon with Christ ‘twas thine to stay,
Transfixed with pang of spear and nail!Nor insults, scorn, nor cruel scourge,
Bondage, nor hunger can restrain
The love thy panting soul doth urge
To taste the bitter draught of pain.Thine only joy, thy sole reward,
The boon for which thy spirit sighed,
To mirror here thy suffering Lord,
Like Him in anguish crucified.While thou dost search the mystic night,
Through darkness gleams a radiant star,
And Carmel’s camp is all alight,
With flame that leads to heights afar.Let them that dwell in bliss above
Praise Thee, O Christ, with joyful lay,
Let them that run to Thee in love
Pursue, like John, the thorn-strewn way.L.M.
Diem Ioannes advenitPsalmody
Ant. 1 God chose us to be conformed to the image of his Son.
Psalm 16
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. +
I say to the Lord: “You are my God. *
My happiness lies in you alone.”He has put into my heart a marvelous love +
for the faithful ones who dwell in his land. *
Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.
Never will I offer their offerings of blood. *
Never will I take their name upon my lips.O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; *
it is you yourself who are my prize.
The lot marked out for me is my delight: *
welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, *
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight: *
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; *
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead, *
nor let your beloved know decay.You will show me the path of life, +
the fullness of joy in your presence, *
at your right hand happiness forever.Ant. God chose us to be conformed to the image of his Son.
Ant. 2 Among you I claimed to know nothing save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Psalm 34: I
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. *
The humble shall hear and be glad.Glorify the Lord with me. *
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me; *
from all my terrors he set me free.Look towards him and be radiant; *
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called; the Lord heard him *
and rescued him from all his distress.The angel of the Lord is encamped *
around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. *
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.Revere the Lord, you his saints. *
They lack nothing, those who revere him.
Strong lions suffer want and go hungry *
but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.Ant. Among you I claimed to know nothing save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Ant. 3 For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.
Psalm 34: II
Come, children, and hear me *
that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is he who longs for life *
and many days to enjoy his prosperity?Then keep your tongue from evil *
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn aside from evil and do good, *
seek and strive after peace.The Lord turns his face against the wicked *
to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just *
and his ears to their appeal.They call and the Lord hears *
and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; *
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.Many are the trials of the just man *
but from them all the Lord will rescue him.
He will keep guard over all his bones, *
not one of his bones shall be broken.Evil brings death to the wicked, *
those who hate the good are doomed.
The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants. *
Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.Ant. For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.
℣ In you, Lord, is the fount of life.
℟ It is your light that enlightens us.First Reading
Colossians 1:11-29A reading from the Letter of St Paul to the Colossians
God has transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me.
Responsory
℟ This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; * listen to him.
℣ In many and varied ways God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us in his Son. * Listen to him.The Second Reading (Alternative 1)
(B, st. 37,36)A reading from the Spiritual Canticle of St John of the Cross
Knowledge of the mystery hidden in Christ Jesus
However numerous are the mysteries and marvels that holy doctors have discovered and saintly souls understood in this earthly life, all the more is yet to be said and understood. There is much to fathom in Christ, for he is like an abundant mine with many recesses of treasures, so that however deep individuals may go they never reach the end or bottom, but rather in every recess find new veins with new riches everywhere. On this account St. Paul said of Christ: ‘In Christ dwell hidden all treasures and wisdom.’ The soul cannot enter these caverns or reach these treasures if, as we said, she does not first pass over to the divine wisdom through the straits of exterior and interior suffering. For one cannot reach in this life what is attainable of these mysteries of Christ without having suffered much and without having received numerous intellectual and sensible favors from God, and without having undergone much spiritual activity; for all these favors are inferior to the wisdom of the mysteries of Christ in that they serve as preparations for coming to this wisdom.
Oh! If we could but now fully understand how a soul cannot reach the thicket and wisdom of the riches of God, which are of many kinds, without entering the thicket of many kinds of suffering, finding in this her delight and consolation; and how a soul with an authentic desire for divine wisdom wants suffering first in order to enter this wisdom by the thicket of the cross! Accordingly, St. Paul admonished the Ephesians not to grow weak in their tribulations and to be strong and rooted in charity in order to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and height and depth, and to know also the supereminent charity of the knowledge of Christ, in order to be filled with all the fullness of God.
The gate entering into these riches of his wisdom is the cross, which is narrow, and few desire to enter by it, but many desire the delights obtained from entering there.
Responsory
℟ What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, things beyond our imagining—all that God has prepared for those who love him: * these are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
℣ The Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God: * these are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit.The Second Reading (Alternative 2)
(B, st. 5)A reading from the Spiritual Canticle of St John of the Cross
Traces of the divine beauty in creation
Created things in themselves, as Saint Augustine declares, give testimony to God’s grandeur and excellence. For God created all things with remarkable ease and brevity, and in them he left some trace of who he is, not only in giving all things being from nothing, but even by endowing them with innumerable graces and qualities, making them beautiful in a wonderful order and unfailing dependence on one another. All of this he did through his own wisdom, the Word, his only begotten Son by whom he created them.
Saint Paul says: The Son of God is the splendor of his glory and the image of his substance. It should be known that only with this figure, his Son, did God look at all things, that is he communicated to them their natural being and many natural graces and gifts, and made them complete and perfect, as is said in Genesis: God looked at all things that he made, and they were very good. To look and behold that they were very good was to make them very good in the Word, his Son.
Not only by looking at them did he communicate natural being and graces, as we said, but also with this image of his Son alone, he clothed them in beauty by imparting to them supernatural being. This he did when he became man and elevated human nature in the beauty of God and consequently all creatures, since in human nature he was united with them all.
Accordingly, the Son of God proclaimed: If I be lifted up from the earth, I will elevate all things to me. And in this elevation of all things through the incarnation of his Son and through the glory of his resurrection according to the flesh, the Father did not merely beautify creatures partially, but rather we can say, clothed them wholly in beauty and dignity.
Responsory
℟ You will not deprive me, Lord, of what you have given me in Christ. * for in Christ you have given me everything.
℣ The heavens are mine, the earth is mine; mine are the people, mine the just, mine the sinners, the angels are mine and the Virgin Mother is mine, * for in Christ you have given me everything.Where the Vigil Office is celebrated:
Canticles
Ant. Come, let us climb the mountain of the Lord, where God is pleased to dwell; there dwell his honor and glory alone.
Canticle I
Tobit 13:8-11,13-15The future glory of Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Sion and the city of the living God (Heb 12:22)
Let all men speak of his majesty, *
and sing his praises in Jerusalem.O Jerusalem, holy city, +
he scourged you for the works of your hands, *
but will again pity the children of the righteous.Praise the Lord for his goodness, +
and bless the King of the ages, *
so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy.May he gladden within you all who were captives; +
all who were ravaged may he cherish within you
for all generations to come.A bright light will shine to all parts of the earth; *
many nations shall come to you from afar,
And the inhabitants of all the limits of the earth, +
drawn to you by the name of the Lord God, *
Bearing in their hands their gifts for the King of heaven.Every generation shall give joyful praise in you, +
and shall call you the chosen one, *
through all ages forever.Go, then, rejoice over the children of the righteous, +
who shall all be gathered together *
and shall bless the Lord of the ages.Happy are those who love you, *
and happy those who rejoice in your prosperity.Happy are all who shall grieve over you, *
over all your chastisements,For they shall rejoice in you *
as they behold all your joy forever.My spirit blesses the Lord, the great King.
Canticle II
Is 2:2-3All the peoples will come to the house of the Lord
The kings of the earth will bring glory and honor to the holy city of Jerusalem (Rev 21:24)
It shall come to pass in the latter days *
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains +
and shall be raised above the hills, *
and all the nations shall flow to it.And many people shall come, and say: +
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, *
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways *
and that we may walk in his paths.’For out of Sion shall go forth the law, *
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.Canticle III
Jer 7:2b-7Amend your ways and I will dwell among you
Go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come and present your offering (Mt 5:24)
Hear the word of the Lord, +
all you men of Judah *
who enter these gates to worship the Lord.Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, +
Amend your ways and your deeds, *
and I will let you dwell in this place.Do not trust these deceptive words: +
‘This is the temple of the Lord, *
The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,’For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, *
If you truly execute justice one with another,
If you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow. *
Or shed innocent blood in this place,
In the land that I gave of old *
To your fathers for ever.Ant. Come, let us climb the mountain of the Lord, where God is pleased to dwell; there dwell his honor and glory alone.
Gospel
Jn 12:35-36a, 44b-50A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Believe in the light and you will become sons of light
Jesus declared publicly:
“The light will be with you only a little longer now.
Walk while you have the light,
or the dark will overtake you;
he who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.
While you still have the light,
believe in the light
and you will become sons of light.”“Whoever believes in me
believes not in me
but in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me,
sees the one who sent me.
and whoever sees me,
sees the one who sent me.
I, the light, have come into the world,
so that whoever believes in me
need not stay in the dark anymore.
If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully,
it is not I who shall condemn him,
since I have come not to condemn the world,
but to save the world:
he who rejects me and refuses my words
has his judge already:
the word itself that I have spoken
will be his judge on the last day.
For what I have spoken does not come from myself;
no, what I was to say, what I had to speak,
was commanded by the Father who sent me,
and I know that his commands mean eternal life.
And therefore what the Father has told me
is what I speak.”Te Deum
You are God: we praise you; *
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father: *
All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, *
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might, *
heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you. +
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. *
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you: *
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, *
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the King of glory, *
the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free *
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.You overcame the sting of death, *
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. *
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, *
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints*
to glory everlasting.Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
— Govern and uphold them now and always.Day by day we bless you.
— We praise your name for ever.Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
— Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.Lord, show us your love and mercy,
— for we have put our trust in you.In you, Lord, is our hope:
— And we shall never hope in vain.Prayer
Lord,
you endowed our Father Saint John of the Cross
with a spirit of self-denial and a love of the cross.
By following his example
may we come to the eternal vision of your glory.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.Morning Prayer
Hymn
Bearing His Cross, the gentle Lord drew nigh,
Offering the crown by merit richly won.
O Love! to quaff Thy cup and with Thee die,
Low answers John.To live despised, in suffering and alone,
The one insatiate yearning of his breast;
To die devoid of honor, and unknown,
His heart’s request.Death yielded triumph of the Cross at last,
While dazzling globes of fire from Heav’n descend,
And o’er his deeds the light of glory cast
To cheer his end.His dying couch, with light irradiate,
Dims with celestial beam earth’s fitful flame,
Perfumes exhale, breathing of heavenly state
And saintly fame.Honor supreme be to the Father given,
To Word and Paraclete in praise unite,
Upon whose Triune flame the hosts of Heaven
Feed with delight.10.10.10.4.
Dum crucem gestat Dominus, IoanniOR:
Let us together
Up the high mountain
Go where the weather
Keeps a June glow.
You in your beauty,
I in your beauty,
Earth in your beauty,
All give delight.Up past the steepest
Cliffs of our striving,
Up from the deepest
Thickets of pain
Where darkness bound you,
Ravaged and slew you,
Till daybreak found you,
Risen again.Haste then our going
Up the high mountain,
Pure water flowing
Down from the height,
Wind in the spruces,
Light on the aspens,
Fruit of sweet juices
All give delight.Deep caverns holding
Secrets of heaven,
Summits unfolding
Myst’ries divine,
Nightingale singing,
Grove lit with beauty
Each new day bringing
Taste of new wine.Sweet the ascending
Up the high mountain,
Sweeter the ending
Love spread abroad.
Everyone sharing
Grace of your image.
Everyone bearing
The beauty of God.54.54.D
Sr. Miriam of the Holy Spirit, O.C.D.Psalmody
Ant. 1 Truly you are a hidden God, O God of Israel, our Savior.
Psalms and canticle from Sunday, Week I
Ant. 2 All things are yours, for you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Ant. 3 Give thanks to the Lord in your hearts, sing him spiritual canticles.
Reading
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. All of us, gazing on the Lord’s glory with unveiled faces, are being transformed from glory to glory into his very image by the Lord who is the Spirit.
Responsory
℟ Your light will shine in the darkness * and the darkness will be as noon. Repeat ℟
℣ The Lord will fill your soul with his splendor, * and the darkness will be as noon.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
℟ Your light will shine in the darkness * and the darkness will be as noon.Canticle of Zechariah
Ant. While you have the light, believe in the light, and you will be children of the light.
Or: The Lord has come to give light to those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace.
Intercessions
Jesus Christ, the head and bridegroom of his Church makes us joyful today on this feast of John of the Cross, his servant. Let us say to him:
℟ You, Christ, are the King of Glory.
Only Word of the Father, uttered eternally in the eternal silence, and in the fullness of time received in the Virgin’s womb; — may we hear your words today in the depths of our hearts, and put them into practice.
Wisdom of the Father, you showed your great love for us by emptying yourself in the Incarnation and on the Cross; — may we, who have been redeemed by your blood, always live in close communion with you. ℟
Perfect Image of the Godhead, in whom all the mysteries of eternal love are revealed and poured out, — may we go forward in the strength of your Spirit, toward your inaccessible light. ℟
Supreme Delight of the Father, in whom God looks mercifully on all men; — may we become perfect in compassion as our heavenly Father is perfect. ℟
First-born of all creation, through you the Father in his goodness created and re-created all things, — may our thoughts be turned today from the visible world to your invisible beauty. ℟
Our Father…
Prayer
Lord,
you endowed our Father Saint John of the Cross
with a spirit of self-denial and a love of the cross.
By following his example
may we come to the eternal vision of your glory.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.Daytime Prayer
Complementary psalmody
Midmorning
Ant. Those who wish to come after me must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.
Reading
Ephesians 4:22-24
Acquire a fresh, spiritual way of thinking. You must put on that new man created in God’s image, whose justice and holiness are born of truth.
℣ A pure heart create for me, O God.
℟ Put a steadfast spirit within me.Midday
Ant. Whoever would draw near to God must believe; the righteous live by faith.
Reading
Romans 5:1-2
Now that we have been justified by faith, we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have gained access by faith to the grace in which we now stand, and we boast of our hope for the glory of God.
℣ I live by faith in the Son of God.
℟ Who loved me and gave himself for me.Midafternoon
Ant. Your strength will lie in silence and hope.
Reading
Romans 8:24-25
In hope we were saved. But hope is not hope if its object is seen; how is it possible for one to hope for what he sees? And hoping for what we cannot see means awaiting it with patient endurance.
℣ The Lord is good to those who trust in him.
℟ To the soul who seeks him.Prayer
Lord,
you endowed our Father Saint John of the Cross
with a spirit of self-denial and a love of the cross.
By following his example
may we come to the eternal vision of your glory.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.Evening Prayer II
Hymn
Saint of the eagle eye,
Gazing enrapt on high
Mid dread abysses of Divinity;
Martyr by heart’s intent,
Virgin yet penitent,
Prophet and guide in realms of mystery.Oft in thy life, ’tis told
Sweet converse thou didst hold
With the pure Virgin and her Son divine;
Thence came the wondrous light
Flooding with glory bright
Thy mystic page, for wisdom there did shine.Clearly thou dost reveal
Secrets the clouds conceal
For thou hast seeped thy soul in rays above,
Pondering the mountain height,
Darkness of faith’s long night
And the reviving flame of mystic love.When by God’s holy will
Thou dost His word instill,
Wondrous the marvels by the soul divined,
Like Him evoking light
From chaos deep as night,
Cheering with healthful beams the darkened mind.O John, thy praise intone
Prostrate before the throne!
Thee hath the Father signed with light most true,
Gifts of the Spirit shine
And the meek Lamb divine
Openeth the book of life to thy pure view.6.6.10.D.
O satis felix! Speculator altiAnt. 1 God loved us so much that he brought us to life with Christ.
Psalm 15
Lord, who shall be admitted to your tent *
and dwell on your holy mountain?He who walks without fault; *
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart; *
he who does not slander with his tongue;he who does no wrong to his brother, *
who casts no slur on his neighbor,
who holds the godless in disdain, *
but honors those who fear the Lord;he who keeps his pledge, come what may; *
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent. *
Such a man will stand firm forever.Ant. God loved us so much that he brought us to life with Christ.
Ant. 2 We know and believe in the love God has for us.
Psalm 112
Happy the man who fears the Lord, *
who takes delight in all his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth; *
the children of the upright are blessed.Riches and wealth are in his house; *
his justice stands firm forever.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright: *
he is generous, merciful and just.The good man takes pity and lends, *
he conducts his affairs with honor.
The just man will never waver: *
he will be remembered forever.He has no fear of evil news; *
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear, *
he will see the downfall of his foes.Open-handed, he gives to the poor; +
his justice stands firm forever. *
His head will be raised in glory.The wicked man sees and is angry, +
grinds his teeth and fades away; *
the desire of the wicked leads to doom.Ant. We know and believe in the love God has for us.
Ant. 3 The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given us.
Canticle: Ephesians 1:3-10
Praised be the God and Father *
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who has bestowed on us in Christ *
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.God chose us in him *
before the world began,
to be holy *
and blameless in his sight.He predestined us +
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ, *
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor *
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.In him and through his blood we have been redeemed, *
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous *
is God’s favor to us.God has given us the wisdom *
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased *
to decree in Christ.A plan to be carried out *
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him, *
in the heavens and on the earth.Ant. The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given us.
Reading
1 Corinthians 13:8-10, 12-13, 14:1aLove is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear. What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete—as complete as God’s knowledge of me. Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love. It is love, then, that you should strive for.
Responsory
℟ Love is as strong as death: * it flashes forth like flames of fire. Repeat ℟
℣ Who can separate us from the love of Christ? * It flashes forth like flames of fire.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
℟ Love is as strong as death: * it flashes forth like flames of fire.Canticle of Mary
Ant. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and that I may be in them.
Intercessions
God the Father has given us his Spirit through Jesus Christ his beloved Son, so that we may be partakers in the divine nature and witnesses to his love in the Church. Let us praise him and say:
℟ Through the intercession of Saint John, hear us, O Lord.
Give your Church the living faith that will lead all men and women to seek you; — and bring them to the closest union with you. ℟
Give the hope of heaven to all who are faithful in seeking you; — may they obtain all that they hope for. ℟
Pour out your love upon us; — that where there is no love we may put love and so draw love out. ℟
May all Carmelites be imitators of the Virgin Mary, Mother of our Order; — may we follow every inspiration of the Holy Spirit. ℟
Grant final purification to our departed brothers and sisters, — so that they may come without delay to sing canticles of love with all your saints. ℟
Our Father…
Prayer
Lord,
you endowed our Father Saint John of the Cross
with a spirit of self-denial and a love of the cross.
By following his example
may we come to the eternal vision of your glory.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.Catholic Church 1993, Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and the Order of Discalced Carmelites (Rev. and augm.), Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome.
Featured image: Saint John of the Cross (detail), Abel de Jesús (21st c. Spanish), digital illustration with Photoshop. Image credit: © Abel de Jesús (All rights reserved, used by permission)
#DiscalcedCarmelite #DoctorOfTheChurch #LiturgyOfTheHours #priest #Solemnity #StJohnOfTheCross
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The other Banana Flats: the thread about a pioneering modernist council housing block in Gorgie
The Category-A listed Cables Wynd House. Leith’s answer to Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation. Unmistakably the “Banana Flats” on account of their bendy plan form: but did you know they are neither the only nor the original Banana Flats in Edinburgh?
Cables Wynd House. CC-by-SA 2.0, Tom Parnell via FlickrBecause there’s another in town and it precedes Cables Wynd by over a decade, and (controversially for Banana Flats purists) they are in Gorgie. I’m talking of course about the equally bendy (but rather less iconic) Westfield Court. So why is this block also interesting and why is it important? Let’s make the case.
Westfield Court started life before WW2, the brainchild of local property developer Alexander Glass who had acquired a substantial plot of land around the old village of Gorgie Mills. It is for Glass that the street Alexander Drive, on which Westfield Court sits, is named and it was Glass who had recently changed the face of – and modernised and expanded – Gorgie by building expansive new flats and shops along the western length of Gorgie Road. He had sold a plot to the Poole family who built the Roxy cinema.
One of Glass’s 1930s development blocks along Gorgie Road, notice Westfield Court peeping out on the left distance.His next venture was to be an even more modern structure, a concrete and steel high rise that mixed modernist living and community facilities, directly inspired by Maxwell Fry’s equally bendy Kensal House in Ladbroke Grove. This was the first modernist municipal housing block in the UK and as well as thoroughly cutting edge flats, included a community centre, laundry, canteen and nursery.
Kensal House, Ladbroke Grove. CC-by-SA 2.0 Julian OsleyInspired by London (as his shopping parades along Gorgie Road and also St. John’s Road in Corstorphine obviously were), Glass’s new flats at Westfield would have been his working class answer to Edinburgh’s first modernist flats, those of Ravelston Garden (the “Jenners Flats”).
Ravelston Garden, picture © selfBut this of course never happened because the war intervened. Glass’s modernist dream remained just that. Post-war, the economic and strict regulatory environment prohibited private speculative building. But permits to build – and financial compensation – could be gained by private developers if they handed their plans and land over to the municipal authorities to progress. And that’s exactly what Glass did; the land and plans for Westfield Court were offered to the Edinburgh Corporation, who jumped at the chance to kick-start their post-war reconstruction of the city with ready-made plans for ultra modern housing.
As early as 1946, the housing committee approved the idea. There was some resistance to the idea, as the “Civic Survey and Plan for Edinburgh” (aka the Abercrombie Report) made it known that the land between Haymarket and Dalry was intended for industry. The idea eventually won through against the report however, and final plans were approved in May 1949 to the designs of architects Henry Hubbard and William Williamson.
Page from the Civic Survey and Plan for Edinburgh, as published in 1949There had been big changes from the original design however, to befit its new use as municipal housing. The basic building was a steel and concrete frame and floors, the exterior walls being pre-cast panels by the notorious Orlit company, with the inner face of the walls in brick and internal partitions of newly-patented “Eecon” blocks. At 8 storeys tall, it was the tallest (for its time) 20th century housing block not just in Edinburgh, but in Scotland. Rather than later “streets in the sky” ideas, with lateral access corridors along certain floors, it was a single 445 feet long block with 6 traditional “tenement” access stairs, each with the modern convenience of a lift.
Plans of Westfield Court, from The Architect journal, 1952The total accommodation was 88 flats, with every flat above the ground floor had its own south-facing balcony for the “airing of children“, and on the ground floors there were 14 “special” bedsit flats and two smaller flats for “spinsters and ageing persons“. All the other 72 flats had 4 rooms. The entire building had had no fireplaces or coal fuel. There was a central domestic boiler for hot water and heating, which also circulated around a drying cupboard in each flat. Each kitchenette had gas cookers and its own “gas incinerator cupboard” where rubbish could be burned, before being disposed of down ash chutes on the north face of the building.
Westfield Court, north façade showing rubbish/dust chutesEach flat had its own bathroom and toilet, and wooden floors overlaid the concrete (except on the ground floors, where they were laid with mastic). Sound deadening around the lift shafts was with wood wool. But Westfield Court’s most unusual feature (and possibly unique in Scotland) was on its 8th storey, where the entire floor was given over to a 3-class nursery school for 80 children, complete with a penned-in rooftop playground.
Floor Plans for Westfield Court Nursery SchoolThere’s a wonderful picture on Scran, which I cannot share here but can only link to, showing a forlorn looking child rattling the bars of the playground, looking down on the world below from 8 storeys up. Sound insulation around the nursery was a constant problem in its years of operation; the builders had given attention to the noise from the lift shafts but seemingly not from the noise of the feet of 80 children on the ceilings of 7th storey flats. Staff and children reputedly went around the place in their slippers.
Westfield CourtThe builders of Westfield Court were Hepburn Brothers of Dunfermline and Edinburgh, and this was a big departure for a company who were one of the primary constructors of the city’s sprawling interwar Bungalow Belt. The consulting engineers were Kinnear & Gordon and they had their work cut out for them: construction wasn’t simple as Westfield is a flood plain of the Water of Leith and was cut through by old mill lades, with the water table just 7 feet below the surface. Extensive piling work had to be undertaken to provide secure foundations.
Advert from the Architect journal, 1953, showing construction of Westfield CourtThe completed structure was not the distinctive orange, cream and brown paint of today (that is from a later modernisation) but bright white concrete
Westfield Court. The Architect journal, 1952The first phase of work completed in June 1951, and Lord Provost James “Miller Homes” Miller proudly unveiled the new flats to an assembled audience of workers.
Edinburgh Evening News- Friday 29 June 1951, Lord Provost James Miller at the opening ceremony of the first phase of Westfield CourtLittle over a month later, on July 27th 1951, the first residents – the Mcaslan family – were handed over the keys to their new house by Councillors P. J. Robson and D. Wilkie.
Edinburgh Evening News- Friday 27 July 1951. The Mcaslan family receive the keys to their new flat.The “Super Flats” as the press called them had cost the city around quarter of a million pounds, about 10 million in 2023 money, and rents for the 4-room flats were set at 38s 7d per week, including 21s rent, 5s 7d for rates and 12s for the heating and water. The communal heating system was very effective – too effective – and the houses gained an envious reputation as the warmest in the city. The daily consumption of hot water was found to be 60 gallons /house, and the charges covered only 5% of the council’s bills for the system. For that reason alone, all the subsequent multi-storey flats built at this time had individual gas fires or electric heaters / immersion systems as the city was unwilling to take on such a financial burden again. Communal heating in Edinburgh was finished before it ever got going.
Children outside Westfield Court, 1954. Unknown credit. © Edinburgh City LibrariesOver the door of the main pend is a carving by Hew Lorimer ARSA, with the city’s motto (Nisi Dominus Frustra) and a diorama of Scottish workers and industry around a mother and children, perhaps symbolising the optimism of post-war rebirth and reconstruction.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43675100@N08/7851761886
By the 1980s, the once bright banana block was now a rather grim soot and pollution stained one, so Edinburgh District Council took the fateful decision in 1991 to bring the block “up to date” with a coating of multicoloured carbonation-resistant “Mulsicoat” acrylic.
Rear elevation of Westfield Court, 1982The council chose a palette of “caramel, chocolate, beige and white”, and a pattern on the rear elevation reputedly based on the Baths of Carcalla, and covered the whole block in it
Rear elevation of Westfield CourtThe rooftop nursery remained until 2010, specialising in helping children with additional needs, when the council took the decision to close it, ostensibly over health and safety fears for fire evacuation of children down 8 storeys of stairs, but it was part of a wider cuts programme.
Former Lord Provost Eric Milligan, who had been one of the nursery’s pupils back in the 1950s, spoke up in its defence (in a letter to Michael MacLeod at the Guardian), saying it was “distinctive and quirky” and “one of the most imaginative uses of space in Europe.” The nursery was converted into 5 flats, and appropriately for the story of modern Edinburgh, one is now being run as a Short Term Let, the council having been unable to take action against it as it found it had already given it permission to operate as a Bed and Breakfast…
So now you know that Westfield Court is much more important than it looks. It has a formative position in the story of post-war Scottish council housing, was for a short time the tallest “multi” in the land, pioneered the idea of mixing housing with other social facilities* and pre-dates the “other” banana flats by some 12 years.
* = One feature that had originally been proposed for Westfield Court – but was not included in the final designs – was a mortuary and chapel of rest. There was a genuine concern over lack of such facilities for the working classes, and some Labour councillors hoped to include them
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She’s Electric: the thread about the electrification of Edinburgh
Electricity first arrived in Edinburgh in 1881 when, on an experimental basis, a number of temporary public lights were installed around the city by the Corporation. Locations included on North Bridge, around Holyrood Square and Waverley Station.
Lawnmarket, 1954. H. D. Wyllie. © Edinburgh City LibrariesThese lights were powered by a portable steam engine and dynamo which had been sourced from London by Councillor Thomas Landale. Crowds came from far and wide to marvel at the clear, bright light, but were frequently disappointed as things would go wrong and the system had to be turned off after a few hours, sometimes for days at at time. The lighting contract was allowed to expire at the end of December and the city went back to the duller glow of its gas street lamps.
Our story really begins a decade later in 1891 when the Corporation was given the powers to provide the city with mains electricity under the 1890 Electric Lighting Act . When I say “provide the city“, I mean provide anyone who was willing and able to pay. A site for a power station was needed. It had to be central, for the most efficient distribution of electricity (there was no high voltage transmission at that time), and easily supplied with coal and yet not somewhere that would offend with its pollution as the New Street gasworks had. Such a site was found on Dewar Place at the West End, convenient for the Caledonian Railway who had an existing coal yard and small gasworks nearby. This site swallowed up a vestigial street called Tobago Place, one of those Edinburgh street names with a direct link to Caribbean plantation slavery.
Drag the slider to compare 1876 OS Town Plan centred on Dewar Place and Tobago Place and 1926 Goad Fire Insurance map of same. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandAn elegant and unobtrusive red sandstone structure was completed to the designs of City Architect Robert Morham, in a style in keeping with the time (this was a period when red sandstone was increasingly being seen in the city). The technical side was overseen by long-serving Burgh Engineer John Aitken Cooper. There was a generating hall in the centre section, workshops to the north and offices to the south at the top of the street. There were initially eight high-speed reciprocating steam engines with a total mechanical power of 400 horsepower ( 300kw), that’s about the same as a top-of-the-range German executive car. Each of these was coupled directly to a DC dynamo that supplied voltage at both 230V and 460V DC for the central districts only. Later, alternators would be provided to supply outlying districts with AC voltage better suited to longer distance transmission at 2,000V and a frequency of 50Hz. The site was large enough for expansion up to 20 steam engines that would be capable of producing 6,000 horsepower. The whole undertaking, including laying 21.5 miles of under-street wiring, cost £100,000 (or about £15.3 million in 2019).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotos_by_findlay/49992323861
The current was to be switched on at the Central Electric Lighting Station on 11th April 1895. The Corporation sent out invites to all of the worthies of the city to request their attendance at this grand occasion.
The Lord Provost, Magistrates and Council…
Wording of the invites to the switching on of Dewar Place power station
request the honour of your presence at
The Central Station, Dewar Place,
at 5 o’clock afternoon,
when you have the opportunity of inspecting the works prior to the turning on of the Electric Current on that evening (About 8 o’clock.)The turning on was to be done from a switch within the nearby Rutland Hotel where the celebratory banquet for the invited worthies was being held. The invite was as good as its word and the current began to flow at about 8PM when it was switched on to a toast of “Success to the electric light undertaking” by the Lady Provost, Mrs McDonald. And there was light! A line of electric arc lamps had been installed along the north side of Princes Street especially for the occasion. The spectacle of instant light attracted thronging crowds to marvel at this wonder of the age. With the brilliant light from the glowing carbons mounted 23 feet high every 50 yards, Princes Street could claim to be the best lit street in Europe. But this being Edinburgh, the Corporation had half of the lights turned off at midnight for reasons of economy!
The generating hall of Dewar PlaceFurther lamps were duly added to complete a line all the way from Haymarket to Waterloo Place. The city’s lighting plan was to illuminate the principal tram routes and so the network was quickly extended to Dean Bridge; Viewforth; Fountainbridge; down Leith Street; along the Bridges (which had seen the first gas lighting in Edinburgh not 80 years before, and it’s first electric lights in 1881); to Clerk Street and the Meadows; the Royal Mile and Waverley Bridge to Forrest Road via Cockburn Street. A contemporary verse recorded “When o’er our hills came lines with power, it was indeed our brightest hour;With fourteen lamps our street is bright, a pleasure now to walk by night“
Edinburgh had actually been pipped to public electric street lighting post by Leith. The Leith Dock Commissioners had the Victoria, the West and the East Old Docks lit by electric light in December 1894. A small generating station adjacent to the Commercial Graving Dock housed two steam engines and dynamos to power a system of arc and incandescent lights. The work was done at a cost of £4,000 by the Brush Electric Lighting Company. The Burgh of Leith would join in on the act too too, opening its own small power station on Junction Place in 1897 and turning on the first section of its electric street lights on Leith Walk on Friday December 23rd 1898.
Back in Edinburgh, demand far outstripped the supply from Dewar Place – on the day it started to operate, 177 street arc lamps and 40 private connections were already made with fully 1/2 of the generating capacity already subscribed for. The station was just too small and so it was extended as soon as 1897 to provide more capacity. But even with expansion, such was the demand for this new-fangled, must have, life changing stuff, that once again it was already not enough. But the site at Dewar Place had a fundamental problem; it was penned in on all sides which prevent it being realistically expanded any further – a new power station was needed.
A site next to Carson Street off Leith Walk was soon selected, conveniently adjacent to a railway that formed its northern boundary, allowing for direct deliveries of coal. You will know this street as McDonald Road; the old street by its former name was extended and renamed in 1897 to accommodate the new power station. The name is that of then Lord Provost, Sir Andrew McDonald, whose wife had turned on the electricity just a few years before.
Sir Andrew McDonald by William Ewart Lockhart. CC-BY-SA 4.0 StephencdicksonConstruction started in 1899, once again to the designs of City Architect Morham and Burgh Engineer Cooper. It was an altogether grander affair than Dewar Place; a modern and efficient steel frame infilled with bricks hidden behind a sandstone “Renaissance Basilica” facade which is complimented by a rather mismatched, octagonal, red-brick chimney. The Corporation had already been caught out twice in as many years with a rapid demand for expansion and so this building was to be big enough to meet future demand plus sufficient land was reserved to double or even triple it in size. If you look at the remains of the generation hall today (and in the photo below) you can see the stubs of the projecting steel arches for where the next half of the building could have gone. When completed it had a mechanical capacity of 5,000 horsepower but it was estimated it could total 20-30 thousand if the site were to be fully utilised.
McDonald Road today, retained as a transformer house. CC-BY-SA 2.0 Richard WebbPart of the project included an intriguing 1,220 yard tunnel under Leith Walk, from the top of McDonald Road to Little King Street (where John Lewis is now), to carry the 21 principal power cables into the city to a distribution node. This passageway is 6.5 feet high and 3.5 feet wide to allow workers access to maintain the cables without having to repeatedly dig the street up. When the station was connected to the network at the end of October 1899 it was noted that there were 245,000 electric lamps in the city (at this time the supply was only for domestic and municipal lighting) and that the peak load was 10,400 Amperes. New connections were being made at the rate of 1,500 lamps per week. A report of the Corporation’s Electric Lighting Department in 1905 recorded “The municipal reputation… has been greatly increased by its management of the electric light, the success of which has been quite phenomenal” It also went on “The waste of… plant is very considerable, arising not so much from ordinary tear and wear, but through carts and other vehicles coming into collision with the lamps…Breakages are… frequent… representing a considerable annual expenditure.”
Workers lay the electric cables in the passageway at the top of McDonald Road towards the city centre. Edinburgh World HeritageNotice in the above picture that there are no overhead electricwires for the passing tramcar; it was hauled instead by underground cables driven from a power house at nearby Shrubhill (and also from Tollcross, Henderson Row and Portobello). Edinburgh had decided to persist with a system which was already antiquated; the wires and poles for Electric trams would have been vulgar in its Georgian heart.
Let us now consider Leith again. In 1898 the Burgh had opened their small generating station on Junction Place, next to the Victoria Baths, to provide a supply for municipal and domestic lighting. It had five steam engines producing 660hp and was expanded continuously after that. I assume it may also have helped to heat the pool and public washing baths. The site required all coal to be brought in by horse cart and also included housing for the workers.
Junction Place Power Station, 1906, from a Goad Insurance Map. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandOn the subject of public transport, Leith rejected joining Edinburgh’s cable-hauled tramway, but that decision left her stuck with horse traction. And so in October 1904, the Leith Corporation took over the Edinburgh Street Tramways Company service within its boundaries and rapidly ripped the whole thing up, relaid it with stronger rails and electrified it. Nothing but the best for Leith! Electric trams of course need electricity, and so the Junction Place station was expanded once more to cope, up to 4,600hp with space for a further 4,000hp. The first electric tram ran as soon as August 1905 (think about that, Leith built an entire electric tram system in under a year…) but the extensions to the power supply did not complete until November 1906.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127340508@N05/15034108353
Back in Edinburgh, yet again the Corporation was quickly faced by the predicted demand problem. Demand for electricity at this time was insatiable and production could hardly keep up, even with the constant extensions to the stations in Edinburgh and Leith. In the ten years from 1903-1913, the amount sold doubled; actual demand was far in excess of this. The new station at McDonald Road had the space to expand, but the world had now settled on turbo-alternators (steam turbines producing AC current) as the most reliable and efficient way to produce electricity – rather than reciprocating piston engines producing DC current. The difficulty was that steam turbines have to exhaust into a vacuum and to create that vacuum you need a condenser; a very big and effective condenser. And to operate such a condenser, you need either a very large cooling tower or a huge supply of cooling water. McDonald Road had neither – there were cooling towers at Dewar Place for its small turbine units, but the vapour clouds they produced were totally unsuited to a city centre location, and the Water of Leith, although not too far off, was totally insufficient for cooling purposes.
Graph of Edinburgh Corporation’s sales of electricity, 1903-1918As an interim solution, it was proposed to draw cooling water Lochend Loch to the east and return it back, warmed, from whence it came. However Leith Corporation had a veto over this as it still used its former drinking water supply for industrial supply, and these customers were paying good money for water for cooling purposes too, and would not accept it being pre-warmed by neighbouring Edinburgh. This proposal came to nothing and instead, in 1908, an ingenious scheme was hatched whereby small, low pressure turbines were added running off of the exhaust steam of the reciprocating engines. To solve the condensing issue a shaft, 26 feet in diameter and 30 feet deep, was sunk down from the power house to intercept the main sewer running between Edinburgh and Leith. Four 18 inch pipes were run down this shaft through which the liquid contents of the sewer were pumped up into the power station and run through the condensers, before being returned to the sewer, nicely warmed. But for the long term it was back to the drawing board…
The drawing board required another new site and to solve the cooling question once and for all it was resolved to make use of the abundant waters of the Firth of Forth, which we all know to be reliably cold, even in the summer. There were two candidate sites, both logically on the outskirts to keep pollution away from the centre of the metropolis. One was at Granton, adjacent to the Edinburgh & Leith Gas Commissioners new gasworks, and the other was off the Kings Road at Portobello on the site of the Westbank Brick & Tile Works. Granton may have been attractive as land and infrastructure could have been shared with the existing gasworks, but it was half a mile distant from and at 100 feet elevation above the sea which would have required significant effort in pumping just to get to at the coolant. So Portobello was selected, right on the sea shore and just off the existing railway which gave it direct access to the plentiful and expanding supplies from the Lothian coalfield.In 1914, consulting engineer Alexander Kennedy was instructed to draw up plans and arrange quotes for a station with two of the latest turbo-alternators with a power output of 5MW and with ample room to expand as required.
But almost immediately Europe went to war and the Ministry of Munitions had all work big industrial works stopped in order that the country could focus its industrial might on the business of death and destruction. Unsurprisingly, the scheme was paused and production of electricity dropped in the war years due to forced economies, not increasing again until 1918. When the war ended, the Corporation wasted no time in dusting off their plans for Portobello; even in 1918 they were petitioning the Board of Trade to allow them to revive them. The Board referred things to Ministry of Reconstruction, who passed it to the Coal Conservation Sub-Committee. The men in grey suits in that opaque sounding sub-committee considered the matter and gave it their blessing; but only if it was undertaken on a grander scale so that it could also supply neighbouring counties. Alexander Kennedy took his 4 year old plans plans and scaled them up sixfold, proposing three 10MW turbo-alternator sets and expansion possibilities up to the giddy heights of 100MW. For comparison, the “small” coal power station demolished at Cockenzie in 2015 was 1,200MW.
The Board of Trade formally approved the scheme in June 1919 and contracts were issued in October. It would supply not just the burghs of Edinburgh and Leith but also a larger supply territory called the Edinburgh and Lothians Electricity District. This included Musselburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian – which it shared with the Lothians Electric Power Co. The new station would sit to the south of the King’s Road road and was directly accessed by an existing rail branch that had been laid for the Westbank brick through a short tunnel under the road. The boilers were supplied with fuel from a rail-served stockyard to the southwest via a conveyor system which ran in a tunnel under the road. The builders fed steam to three 12.5MW turbo-alternator sets that generated 3-phase AC electricity at 6,600V and 50Hz.
Portobello Power Station in 1930, aerial photo. Note on the left there is a railway running directly into the generating hall, which crosses over a dark black band. This is the coal conveyor from the rail-served stockyard to the southwest. © Edinburgh City LibrariesThe railway and conveyor tunnels were nothing, however, when compared to those of the cooling system. Three 9ft diameter shafts were sunk down from the station to a depth of 60ft, below sea level, for a total depth of 85ft. From the base of these, 4.75ft diameter tunnels were driven some 1,500 yards out to sea, emerging from the seabed well below the lowest tide levels. This tunnelling was done in the same manner as London’s tube railways, lined with cast-iron segments and smoothed off with a skin of concrete. Two tunnels at any one time were used for the cooling water intake, the third to discharge the warmed water. The average temperature at the inlet was 12C and at the outlet was 19.5C. There was public optimism that this warm water might be used to heat a public swimming pool… The managers of the power station had to develop a pattern of cycling the discharge water through different temperatures for set periods of time and swapping each pipe between inlet and outlet to deal with the problem of mussels growing on the filter screens and blocking them.
Portobello Power Station was commissioned on Monday 11th July 1923 at 11:30AM, when it was opened by King George V and Queen Mary as part of a state visit to Scotland. It was fitting that the King was opening the power station on the King’s Road, as the latter street was named for the predecessor of his regnal number – George IV – who had ridden in his carriage down it a century before on a historic visit to Scotland to inspect the gentlemen Cavalry Volunteers parading on the beach. George V was given a thorough tour of the insides which interested him greatly – as a result of his time in the Navy he had developed a nostalgic fondness for boiler and turbine rooms.
The King and Queen are greeted by the Lord Provost, who handed them a golden key to unlock the door, and assembled worthies of the city before opening the power station.By the time Portobello had opened, the City of Edinburgh had absorbed the Burgh of Leith and was in the process of integrating the tram networks. It was switching its old cable-hauled system over to electric traction, just like Leith’s, which required an additional turbo-alternator to be installed at McDonald Road in the interim. In 1924 a further turbo-generator was installed at Portobello, bringing the total output up to 50MW. McDonald Road and Dewar Place could now be downgraded to the status of principal substations for the city, together with a third in the Cowgate. The 5MW tramway turbo-alternator from McDonald Road was transferred at this time to Portobello. Dewar Place also became the principal public office of the Edinburgh Corporation Electricity Supply Department and that’s where you went, until recent memory, to pay your bills in person. The ECES cypher can still be seen all over the city on lamp posts, tenement wiring cabinets and access covers.
ECES cypher on a lamp postAnd what became of Leith’s Junction Place power station? It was never big enough; after expansion in 1906, it was expanded again in 1910 but by 1919 it was at its limits and it had been agreed to take an additional bulk supply from Dewar Place. As part of Edinburgh’s settlement to the aggrieved folks of Leith for taking it over, it was to be converted to a public wash house; “at a cost of £20,000 it would be the largest washhouse in Edinburgh, with 100 tubs and a separate ironing room.” Edinburgh’s obligations clearly didn’t trouble her however and it took until 1926 to start work, with the result that it was not opened until January 1928. On opening, the Lord Provost said “the Council [has] now just about given Leith all that it needed and so they might give the Corporation a little breathing space to do something for other parts of the city?” The Convenor of the Plans and Works Committee went so far as to claim that Leith now had the “biggest and most up-to-date washhouse in the world!”. As a rather limited consolatory gesture, Edinburgh made it free to use for the first 3 days. This would remain the largest and busiest wash house in the city, it survived to become an automated laundrette about 1975 and was closed in the early 1980s.
In 1926, the Electricity (Supply) Act was passed to set up a “national grid” using a country-wide standard supply frequency and voltage. As one of the biggest and newest stations, and with room to expand, Portobello was selected to be the principal station for the East of Scotland. Conveniently too, Edinburgh had long ago selected 230V and 50Hz as its supply standard, which matched the new standard, and so no fundamental changes were required. Portobello was quickly expanded with two new 31.5MW sets, for a total of 118MW, well in excess of the planned 100MW.
One of the new Turbo-Alternators at Portobello. © Grace’s GuideIn 1929 the first transmission tower of the new National Grid was erected by the Central Electricity Board on the Mortonhall Estate. On April 30th 1930, the first phase of the Grid was inaugurated with the switching on of the Central Scotland Electricity Scheme by Minister of Transport, Herbert Morrison. He threw a switch at the new high tension transformer station at Portobello and energised the 132kv lines, connecting Edinburgh, Glasgow, Motherwell, Dundee and Stirling.
Herbert Morrison at the opening ceremony of the Central Scotland Electricity Scheme at Portobello, 30th April 1930.More generation required more boilers, which required more chimneys and required more coolant, so a 4th tunnel was sunk out into the Forth to bring in more seawater. The place ended up being a weird architectural mixture of a classically-inspired façade and a progressively more modern and austere industrial rear, as additional units were repeatedly added – with eventually seven stumpy, steam-punk style chimneys poking out of the back.
Portobello in 1930. © Edinburgh City LibrariesIn 1936, “Edinburgh’s Seaside” finally got its promised open-air pool, which had first been mooted before the power station had even been completed.
The open air pool on what looks like a cold day in 1930. This was a test of the wave machine prior to opening. In the background is the power station, now up to 8 chimneys. © Edinburgh City LibrariesWhether or not the pool was kept at the 20C promised from the hot water exhaust from the power station is a matter of much nostalgic debate. You can see many more postcard pictures of the pool at this website.
Portobello in happier, sunnier timesBut the increasing demand for electricity was relentless and the Corporation had big plans afoot to significantly expand the station to 149MW, with a huge extension upwards and outwards to create the necessary space. Step up the wonderfully named Ebenezer James Macrae, City Architect. Macrae is one of those legendary figures in Edinburgh municipal architecture; he designed much of the modern city, and designed it well. He had a particular knack of being able to balance the vernacular tradition, the classicism of the “Athens of the North” and the modern. Frequently somewhat conservative, he broke his mould a bit and went for a strikingly modernist and austere red-brick and concrete block, but still with details hinting at Georgian Edinburgh.
Macrae’s sketch impression of the reconstruction of Portobello. The right hand, mirror-side of the rear extension was a proposal for future capacity and never completed. © Edinburgh City LibrariesThe dominant addition was going to be an immense 350ft tall chimney to try and clear the worst of the stoor away from the washing lines of Portobello. This weighed in at 10,000 tons and had seven hundred and ten thousand (!) bricks in it. These could be conveniently be brought into the site directly by rail from local brickworks like Prestongrange, Roslin, Newbattle and Wallyford. People often say Scotland doesn’t have an architectural tradition in brick; perhaps it’s less pervasive than in England, but it is there. Portobello, after all, is a town founded on brick making and its power station was built on a brickworks, out of bricks!
South view of Portobello and Macrae’s chimney in 1967. © Edinburgh City LibrariesThe original station was dwarfed by the new additions, hiding its mechanical innards from the public’s eyes behind a towering façade of red brick and glass.
The view of Macrae’s Portobello Power Station that greeted visitors arriving from Edinburgh. © Edinburgh City LibrariesThe new structure was completed just in time for another war, a booklet published by the Corporation proudly called it the “Hub of Greater Edinburgh“. Note that the artist has made a couple of errors in the image of the power station.
After the war the electricity supply was nationalised and so in 1947 Edinburgh Corporation’s finest asset was transferred to the nascent South East Scotland Electricity Board. Expansion was then back on the cards and by 1950 Portobello’s output was up to 212.5MW (over twice the original expectations). More reshuffling occurred in 1955, when the SESEB and its west coast equivalent the SWSEB were merged to form the SSEB. By 1957 it was producing 272.5MW and had the highest thermal efficiency of any power station in the UK. It wasn’t all smooth going though; an explosion caused by seawater in the switchgear caused an Edinburgh-wide 2 hour blackout in 1953 and in 1961 there was a fire, which fortunately was quickly contained.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/61694981@N05/28594183680
The station continued keeping the lights twinkling in Edinburgh and the Lothians for a further 16 years, although it was soon playing second fiddle to the big new cousin along the coast at Cockenzie, which opened in 1967. The end came in 1977, when the huge new coal fired station opened at Longannet – one already fading from public consciousness – and a nuclear plant on the way along the coast at Torness.
The forlorn remains of Portobello Power Station’s grand red brick facade in 1980, with the open air swimming pond beyond. CC-by-NC-SA 4.0 from Edinburgh CollectedInevitably, Edinburgh was quick to demolish the place before somebody could think of anything else to do with it.
Demolition at Portobello.You can view a rather sad video of the demolition progress on YouTube here and you can still visit the old gates and fences if you happen to be passing, and there’s a building on the other side of the High Street that used to house some of the first National Grid switchgear on the other side of the road.
The former gates to Portobello Power Station. © SelfA remaining red brick switchgear building.And six years ago, the monumental civic coat of arms that was once proudly displayed over the entrance door turned up, broken into at least 3 pieces, in a council yard at Murrayburn, in Wester Hailes. An old council promise to incorporate it into a new sports centre for Portobello has long been quietly forgotten… I happened to be visiting a council facility at this yard in March 2023 and was very pleased to stumble upon it! Despite being split up, it remains in surprisingly good and bright condition.,
Parts of the Portobello Power Station coat of arms at an Edinburgh council storage yard in March 2023. Photo © SelfEdinburgh’s Latin motto “Nisi Dominus Frustra“, which runs on the banner beneath the coat of arms, is an abbreviation of Psalm 127, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” I’m not a believer myself, but I think there’s something in that…
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If you see this after your page is loaded completely, leafletJS files are missing.These threads © 2017-2026, Andy Arthur.
NO AI TRAINING: Any use of the contents of this website to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
#Lochend #Logan #Restalrig #StMargaret -
Shifting boundaries: the thread about six centuries of Edinburgh’s expansion at the neighbours’ expense
It’s late O’ Clock, so what better time for a brief, 600 year whirlwind tour of the boundaries of Edinburgh. By this I mean the civil boundaries (by various definitions), not church parish or electoral ones (although they may overlap and be one and the same at times).In the 15th century, the extent of Edinburgh is a small place, whose civil reach is defined by the King’s Walls. Immediately to its east is the 12th century Burgh of the Canongate (owned by Holyrood Abbey), and to its north the Burghs of Barony of Broughton and the Barony of Restalrig.
Edinburgh and surrounding boundaries in the 15th centuryAfter the national calamity at The Battle of Flodden, the town walls are “hurriedly” rebuilt (it takes about 45 years to complete!) due to the imminent threat of English retribution. This “Flodden Wall” encircles the southern suburbs of the city that had grown outside the wall and expands the boundaries significantly in that direction.
Edinburgh and surrounding boundaries in the 16th centuryAs defensive structures, these medieval style walls were not suitable for the realities of 16th century warfare and both English and Scottish armies strolled into the city without too much effort in the 1540s, 50s and 70s. Nevertheless, the walls were useful in defining and regulating the city, particularly as a protective trade barrier, something the city guarded zealously and jealously. In 1618 the walls were reinforced and expanded again by the mason John Taillefer – the Telfer Walls – and in 1636 the superiority of the Burgh of Canongate was purchased by Edinburgh, although it would remain quasi-independent for the next 200 or so years.
Edinburgh and surrounding boundaries in the first half of the 17th centuryIn 1649, the city got a new neighbour on its western fringe as the little village of Portsburgh outside the West Port (a port being a gateway in Scots placenames) was raised to a Burgh of Barony. Note, at some point, Portsburgh was extended to include an island to its east outside of the city walls, known as Easter Portsburgh. I am not sure when this occurred but you will find its boundaries in the 1817 image further down.
Edinburgh and surrounding boundaries in the middle 17th centuryn.b. a Burgh of Barony was a type of burgh in Scotland, distinct from a Royal Burgh like Edinburgh granted to a feudal landowner. They gave the landowner certain rights and privileges regarding holding markets and/or dispense local justice. They may also have had their own incorporations of trades.
In 1685, the Town Council defined 16 districts in the city, each to be “watched” by a company of the Trained Bands. Effectively these were law enforcement areas, the Trained Bands being a sort of militia force for protecting the city. This extended the civil reach north. In 1673, Restalrig was changed from a barony to a burgh of barony, Restalrig and Calton or Easter and Wester Restalrig under the Master of Balmerino.
Edinburgh and surrounding boundaries in the latter part of the 17th centuryThe City reiterated these districts in 1736 and in 1785 an Act of Parliament by King George III formalised these boundaries area as defining “The Ancient Royalty of the City”. The 17th century story of the decline of the Barony of Restalrig is a different story, but in 1725 the superiority of the ancient Calton district was bought from it, the west portion by Edinburgh and the east by the Heriot’s Hospital (a far bigger landowner than the City). Calton became a “bailiery” and thus retained some of the trappings of being a burgh of barony, such as some of its own trade incorporations (including cordiners, or shoemakers) and its own burial ground.
Edinburgh and surrounding boundaries in the early 18th centuryIn 1767 the city finally squeezes itself beyond its ancient boundaries with the 1767 Police Boundaries Act that defines both the 1st New Town and attached exclaves. At this time Policing was a civic notion concerned with public sanitation, lighting etc., not law enforcement.
These boundaries can be seen to be a complete mess, and resulted in parts of Calton being in the South Leith parish for worship, parts of Edinburgh in Broughton, etc. Nevertheless, things proceeded in a haphazard manner, with individual Acts of Parliament in 1785, 1786, 1809 and 1814 slowly attached bits on to the city, the most contiguous being the incorporation of the Second New Town and later the Moray Feu at the start of the 19th century. The northern exclave shown below was for the Edinburgh Academy.
Edinburgh and surrounding boundaries in the early 19th centuryAs noted previously, when I first created these maps I had not found the boundary for Easter Porstburgh, but it is recorded on Kirkwood’s 1817 town plan. I have shown it below and its relationship to the original boundary of the Canongate.
Central Edinburgh and boundaries in the early 19th centuryIn 1825, the Bailiery of Calton was formally incorporated into the city and ceased to exist. In 1832 there was a huge change, with the Edinburgh Police Act (for “watching, lighting, cleansing and paving”) tidying up and greatly expanding both the civic boundary and the municipal responsibilities.
Edinburgh’s expansion into a contiguous burgh in 1832Much of the new boundary aligned with the new parliamentary boundary defined in the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832 – the Scottish Reform Act. But not totally, as the section north east of Broughton was actually in Leith for electoral purposes (map from NLS).
1832 Great Reform Act map of Edinburgh and Leith showing the respective boundaries. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandIn 1833 another new neighbour appears, with Portobello being raised to a burgh by Act of Parliament. Note that Broughton, Portsburgh and Canongate still exist for certain civic functions at this time, although Edinburgh had the Police powers over them. In 1854, the Edinburgh Police Amendment Act extends the boundary of the city to include all of the extent of the Queen’s Park, including Duddingston Loch.
Edinburgh’s expansion into to include all of the Holyrood Park in 1854In 1856 the Edinburgh Municipality Extension Act swallows up the remaining civic functions of – and thereby abolishes – the old Burghs of Broughton, Canongate and Portsburgh. In return Edinburgh loses a northern slice as Leith realises its 300-odd year campaign for burgh recognition.
Edinburgh’s subsuming of the remaining old burghs in 1856 and the establishment of the Burgh of Leith to its northAt 7.8 square kilometres, the new Burgh of Leith is 60% smaller than Edinburgh by size, but is seen by the City as a huge threat to its prosperity. They hadn’t spent the last 400 or so years in more or less direct control of the port and its two parishes for no good reason. Edinburgh now goes on a growing spree. The 1882 Municipal and Police Extension Act widens the city to the south and west.
Edinburgh’s expansion south and west, 1882The 1885 Edinburgh Extension and Sewerage Act gives it Blackford Hill.
Edinburgh’s expansion to include Blackford Hill, 1885The 1889 Local Government Scotland Act brings in new powers that allow expansion under certain circumstances without recourse to an Act of Parliament each time. In 1890 this gives the city Braid Hill and an extra chunk of Inverleith when this was acquired from the Rocheid family.
Edinburgh’s expansion to include the Braid Hills and some of Inverleith, 1890Note that the Braid Hill acquisition included the pathway up from the Hermitage of Braid, so this was a contiguous part of the city and not an exclave in the County of Midlothian.
OS 1892 25 inch survey showing the boundary respecting the path from Hermitage of Braid to Braid Hills. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandHearts were broken in the People’s Republic of Portobello and Joppa in 1896 when Edinburgh acquired that particular Burgh. The London and Portobello Road axis between the two was also part of the deal as a connecting corridor and so again this was not an isolated municipal island. The western boundary also pushed further out again at this time.
The incorporation of Portobello into Edinburgh in 1896, including the London and Portobello Road corridor.In 1901, the lands of Craigentinny, once part of the Barony of Restalrig, between South Leith and the London Road were incorporated. This area at the time was largely unpopulated farmland and “irrigated meadows” (intensively-cultivated pasture land fertilised by raw sewage). Granton too, previously part of the Parish of Cramond in Midlothian County, joined the City Burgh in 1901.
Expansion of Edinburgh in 1901, adding Granton and CraigentinnyA year later in 1902 the remains of the old Parish of Duddingston were also acquired between the London Road in the north and the Niddrie / Brunstane Burns in the south.
Expansion of Edinburgh in 1902, with Duddingston addedIn the twentieth century, a huge changed occurred with the Edinburgh Boundaries Extension and Tramways Act 1920. This saw the city get revenge on the Leith Independence movement as it reacquired the entire burgh against widespread popular opposition. This is something which Leith has still not forgiven, over a century later. But this expansion didnt stop at just Leith, the same act gave the city the Barony of Corstorphine and the civil parishes of Cramond, Liberton and Gilmerton from Midlothian. This boundary still defines a lot of what we think of as Edinburgh (and some bits we don’t, like Straiton and Old Pentland). Things would stay more or less as they were for the next 54 years, until the 1974 local government reforms established a two-tier system of local government, with a greatly expanded Lothian Region, with Edinburgh, Mid-, West and East Lothian being District Councils within that. But that’s outwith the scope of this thread and a story for another day.
The great 20th century expansion of Edinburgh which added Leith, Corstorphine, Cramond, Gilmerton and Liberton parishes.The City coat of arms of Edinburgh was registered with the Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1732 and has the castle and its rock as the central heraldic symbol, for obvious reasons. The crest is an anchor and cable, symbolising the Lord Provost also being the Admiral of the Forth. The supporters on either side are to the dexter (the shield’s right) a maiden “richly attired with her hair hanging down over her shoulders” – the Castle and its Rock was once known as the Maiden Castle and to the sinister (shield’s left) a doe, a deer, a female deer. This animal represents the life of solitude of St Giles in the forest, the city’s patron saint. Much earlier versions of the Common Seal of the City included a representation of St. Giles himself on the reverse but this depiction of a saint was removed after the Scottish Reformation. The use of the castle as a heraldic symbol of the city dates back to medieval times.
The coat of arms of the City of Edinburgh. CC-BY-SA 4.0 Sheilla1988The Latin civic motto of “Nisi Dominus Frustra” is an abbreviation of Psalm 127. Roughly speaking it translates to English as “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Appropriate for a God-fearing and staunchly Presbyterian 1640s Edinburgh.
The Canongate Burgh Coat of Arms features the white stag and cross that give rise to the popular story of the Holyrood placename – recall that Canongate once belonged to the Holyrood Abbey. The motto “Sic Itur Ad Astra” translates to “Thus one goes to the stars“
Burgh arms of the Canongate, CC-by-SA 3.0 Kim TraynorThe Coat of Arms of the Burgh of Leith was altered from the old seals of the Burgh of Barony, which dated back to 1630. And represents the Virgin Mary (for whom South Leith’s Kirk was dedicated) and baby Jesus in a ship beneath a cloud.
Burgh Arms of Leith, as seen on a cast iron lamp standard. CC-by-SA 3.0, Kim Traynor, via WikimediaThe version on the seal shows them beneath an ornate canopy. The date of 1563 is sometimes shown on the seal, this being when Mary Queen of Scots gave written permission for Leith to raise its own Tolbooth, one of the civic institutions required for the old Scottish burgh.
Burgh Seal of Leith, CC-by-SA 3.0 Kim Traynor. This version, on the Mercat Cross on the High Street, has a wreath of corn surrounding it, symbolic of the Port’s importance to the grain tradeThe motto “Persevere” is well kenned but has relatively modern (Victorian) origins and was not formally adopted until the arms were matriculated in 1889. Its exact origin is obscure but at this time it already had an association with Leith – and formally was probably first used with the formation of the 1st Midlothian Rifle Volunteers in Leith in 1859, who adopted the old Burgh Seal and the motto “Persevere” on their badges. It had also been in use by other local institutions such as the Perseverance Lodge of the Independent United Order of Scottish Mechanics – one of the various fraternal societies that flourished in Victorian Scotland – and the Junction Street Young Men’s Society. It should be noted however that when the Grand Lodge of Free Gardners in Scotland (yet another fraternal society) established a lodge in Leith in 1864, they picked the motto “Persevere” on the basis that it was the motto of the Town. So it’s very much a case of chicken and eggs where the origins truly lie. The older Latin sometimes seen – “Siccilum Oppidi De Leith” – means nothing more than “Seal of the Town of Leith“.
The Portobello arms were granted in 1886. “the ships represent the port (Porto) and the cannons, war (Bello)” The castle refers not to Edinburgh but apparently to that of Puerto Bello and the battle thereof, from where the name of the Burgh is derived. The Latin motto “Ope et Consilio” translates as “With help and counsel” and refers apparently to “the skillful manner in which Admiral Vernon and his colleagues captured [Puerto Bello].”
Burgh Arms of Portobello CC-BY-SA 2.0 Marsupium PhotographyAs far as I’m aware Portsburgh never had a coat of arms, but its seal survives in the collections of the National Museum of Scotland. Appropriately it shows a town under a clifftop castle, a city wall and two gates (ports). And a heap of doves. This has been used in lieu of the arms in the stained glass of the Edinburgh City Chambers, the symbols around the edges represent the independent incorporated trades of the Portsburgh.
Burgh arms of Portsburgh, CC-by-SA 2.0 Kim TraynorI am unaware of arms for Broughton or Restalrig, I assume that instead the Baron used their own to seal municipal documents. For much of their time for Broughton this would have been the Bellendens (no sniggering at the back, it’s the old form of Ballantyne) and for Restalrig this was the de Lestalrics and then the Logans. Likewise for the Calton, Edinburgh had the superiority after it was detached from South Leith so it likely used the Edinburgh seal for official documents, the incorporated trades using their own.
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