St Benedict Crucifix

James MacMillan shares his Passion with Scotland

When James MacMillan speaks, you really listening.

Not that he is crying. In fact, when we meet in his newly built studio, his voice is so calm and sweet behavior, you find yourself leaning in to hear what he says. This comes as a surprise, given that much of his big band, choral music and opera is so full on, taking the listener by the throat and head for the journey as deeply troubled.

His monumental St. John Passion, which won its first Scottish this week with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Donald Runnicles, is an example. Describing the events leading to the crucifixion of Christ, he is full of rage and indignation. In his first with the London Symphony Orchestra under Colin Davis in 2008, the "violent orchestral interjections reflects the raw cruelty of the subject" was noted, and widely welcomed.MacMillan's music is strongly influenced by his devout Catholicism and his Christ here condemned is not the gentle figure of submission, it is generally assumed to have been. The typical use of brass, strings, syncope and discord convey very powerfully.

"I avoided the idea of ​​total submission Christ," he said. "I used to blame: my people, what have I done to you? There is a pleading quality, as if from the mouth of God to explain why it was abandoned. But I'm not sure I would say he was outraged. The indignant can come from the population.There is a pathos that affects people liturgically. "

The contrast of massive works such as St. John Passion with MacMillan, perhaps less known, the work could not be more striking. And it is distilled here in its simple, modern studio in the garden of the Victorian house in the West End of Glasgow, he moved with his wife, Lynne three children, baby-grand-daughter animal and West Highland Terrier.

Prayer Guidance: St. Benedict Medal and Crucifix, plenary ...

We see St. Benedict holding his Rule; next to him on a pedestal, is the cup that once held the poison, after having broken the sign of the cross on it. The pedestal is topped by the other crow, which is about to win the poisoned bread. In very small print above these pedestals are the words: Crux s. Patris Benedict (The Cross of our Holy Father Benedict XVI). First, note that the information reported above for the Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict. There are, however, other St.Benedict medals that are almost exactly like its predecessor, but the lack of "eius in obitu nostro muniamur praesentia (May we at our death be fortified by his presence.)" And "ex SM Casino MDCCCLXXX" (from Holy Monte Cassino, 1880) . Either type, however, is indulgenced, and are used in the same way. The medal is sometimes combined with a crucifix - a crucifix regular, often inlaid and decorated with the medal of St. Benedict of Christ behind the head (eg below from Catholic Shopper).This crucifix is ​​known as "The Cross of good death", not only because of the properties of the Medal of exorcism and the image of Christ's body, but because of special patronage of St. Benedict is on his death. Pope St. Gregory the Great (AD ca.540-604) describes his visit to the Dialogue: Six days before he left this world that he gave orders that his tomb opened, and immediately fall into a fever, he began with burning heat in wax pale, and when the sickness benefit has increased on the sixth day he ordered his monks to carry him into the oratory, where he did arm himself receiving the Body and Blood of Christ our Savior, and with his body until the Holden weakness in the hands of his disciples, he stood with his own hands raised to heaven, and as it was this way of praying, he gave up the ghost.

Patterns of culture

Imagined communities, reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism

The races of mankind

Benedict of Nursia, His Message for Today

St. Patrick's Day