Today the Church celebrates the Charge of the Rohirrim

Foley does not mention bagels, but according to legend, they also commemorate the victory at the Battle of Vienna. According to some sources, the word "bagel" comes from the German word for "stirrup". A Jewish baker created them to honor the Polish prince Jan Sobieski, whose cavalry charge of 20,000 horses downhill saved the day. It is more likely that the stirrup-shaped bagels simply commemorate the Polish cavalry charge--after all, it was the largest cavalry charge in history. It included the famous Polish winged hussars--heavy cavalry riders who wore wings behind them and wore lion and leopard skins on their horses. The wings--which were tied at the top--prevented enemies from lassoing the rider and pulling him off his horse. The feathers made a rushing sound that terrified enemy horses that were not used to the sound--the lion and leopard skins may have had similar effects. The winged hussars were very effective. Witnesses said that they looked like angels on horseback.

Some people speculate that the Polish cavalry charge that lifted the siege of Vienna was the inspiration for J. R. R. Tolkien's cavalry charge of the Rohirrim that lifted the siege of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings.

Tea at Trianon

Cardinal Burke in Poland

Full set

HT Terry Nelson

Today the Church celebrates the Charge of the Rohirrim

source

Foley does not mention bagels, but according to legend, they also commemorate the victory at the Battle of Vienna. According to some sources, the word "bagel" comes from the German word for "stirrup". A Jewish baker created them to honor the Polish prince Jan Sobieski, whose cavalry charge of 20,000 horses downhill saved the day. It is more likely that the stirrup-shaped bagels simply commemorate the Polish cavalry charge--after all, it was the largest cavalry charge in history. It included the famous Polish winged hussars--heavy cavalry riders who wore wings behind them and wore lion and leopard skins on their horses. The wings--which were tied at the top--prevented enemies from lassoing the rider and pulling him off his horse. The feathers made a rushing sound that terrified enemy horses that were not used to the sound--the lion and leopard skins may have had similar effects. The winged hussars were very effective. Witnesses said that they looked like angels on horseback.

Some people speculate that the Polish cavalry charge that lifted the siege of Vienna was the inspiration for J. R. R. Tolkien's cavalry charge of the Rohirrim that lifted the siege of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings.

Tea at Trianon

There's much to be said about the significance of this battle. Taking Vienna essentially would allow the Turks to run freely over the rest of Europe. The fall of Vienna would mean the fall of Europe. It was indeed a historical moment that parallels the battle of the Third Age of Middle Earth. In contrast, today Europe voluntarily hands the motherland over.

It's almost humorous when Tolkien analyzers want to allegorize The Lord of the Rings into World War II with some hobbits sprinkled in. I have no doubt The Battle of Vienna is primary historical influence of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

As to the Christian charity of King Sobieski, the charity that saved the West...

After the battle of Vienna, the newly identified constellation Scutum (Latin for shield) was originally named Scutum Sobiescianum by the astronomer Johannes Hevelius, in honor of Jan III Sobieski. While there are some stars named after non-astronomers, this is the only constellation that was originally named after a real non-astronomer who was still alive when the constellation was named, and the name of which is still in use (three other constellations, satisfying the same requirements, never gained enough popularity to last). - wiki

Tolkien was no fool about the passing of this world either.
"He has dwelt in the West since the days of dawn, and I have dwelt with him years uncounted . . . and together through ages of the world we have fought the long defeat." - Tolkien

As my good pastor reminded us in his homily this morning, the primary battlefield in this world is internal but when necessary the fight must be made externally.

I could keep going for days...



Our Lady of Częstochowa, ora pro nobis!

Gender Ideology and Cultural Marxism

via Abbey-Roads

Rorate posted a "Pastoral letter" from the Polish Bishops' Conference on marriage and "Cultural Marxism."  For some people, "pastoral" means letting the sheep be eaten by wolves if that's what they truly feel makes them happy.  Apparently the Polish Bishops think otherwise.  This is brilliant. .... can we get something like this in the US?  I did find that the USCCB has a well updated section for Defense of Marriage in the News.

["Gender" Ideology and Cultural Marxism]

The gender ideology is the product of many decades of ideological and cultural changes that are deeply rooted in Marxism and neo-Marxism endorsed by some feminist movements and the sexual revolution. This ideology promotes principles that are totally contrary to reality and an integral understanding of human nature. It maintains that biological sex is not socially significant and that cultural sex which humans can freely develop and determine irrespective of biological conditions is most important. According to this ideology, humans can freely determine whether they want to be men or women and freely choose their sexual orientation. This voluntary self-determination, not necessarily life-long, is to make the society accept the right to set up new types of families, for instance, families built on homosexual relations.

The danger of gender ideology lies in its very destructive character both for men, people contacts and social life as a whole. Humans unsure of their sexual identity are not capable of discovering and fulfilling tasks that they face in their marital, family social and professional lives. Attempts to form different types of relations de facto seriously weaken marriage as a community created by a man and a woman and the family built on marriage.

We see different attitudes formed in reaction to actions demonstrated by advocates of the gender ideology. A decisive majority has no idea what this ideology is about and consequently does not feel threatened by it. A small group of people, particularly teachers and educators, as well as Catechists and pastoral ministers, tries to find their own constructive ways to counter this ideology. Finally there are those who, seeing the absurdity of this ideology, believe that Poles will reject the utopian visions they are presented with. Meanwhile, without public knowledge or Poles’ consent for many months now the gender ideology has been slowly introduced into different structures of social life: education, health service, cultural and education centres and non-governmental organisations. Some media portray this ideology in a positive way: as a means to counteract violence and to aim for equality.

continue at Rorate Caeli for the full letter

The Charge of King Sobieski

The charge of the hussars

It would seem I did a post on this last year.

If you are thinking Tolkien, you are right.  People who compare Harry Potter to Tolkien's works make Baby Jesus cry. 

Terry with more on the Holy Name of Mary feast(I forgot until I read his post)