A fresh and fun graphic novel series spin-off of The Baby-sitters Club, featuring Kristy's little stepsister! Karen Brewer lives next door to Mrs. Porter, who wears long robes and has wild gray hair. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight and always seems to be working in her garden. Karen isn't supposed to spy on her neighbor, but she's determined to prove that Mrs. Porter is a witch named Morbidda Destiny! Mrs. Porter is getting ready to have a special meeting at her house, and Karen is su

J. Martinez & Company offers an explanation of the differences between Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and High Mountain.

Martin Poulter is the ICT Manager of the Economics Network, a Subject Centre of the HE Academy. Based at the University of Bristol, Martin runs Web sites aimed at Economics teaching staff, students and prospective students. He also runs the Ancient Geeks community blog . His academic interests are Philosophy and Psychology. Martin facilitated a workshop on "The Real Information Environment" with Kwansuree Jiamton.

Bermudian pair Andy Stoneham and Luis Martin finished tenth in the Super Stock class at the Race World Offshore Key West World Championship in Key West, Florida, on Friday [November 8]. They were competing in a field of 14 powerboats in their new 32-foot twin-engine Doug Wright catamaran, S12 Nuff Said Bermuda. Also competing in […]

Voyo a Televize Nova uvedly novou seznamovací reality show Bachelor. Jeden muž si mezi osmnácti „soutěžícími“ hledá na řeckém ostrově partnerku. „Cením, že máme první sérii českého Bachelora a český Honza v něm hledá nevěstu. Jako kdyby to psala Božena Němcová,“ říká Martin Bartkovský v podcastu Poprask. S Šimonem Holým a Hankou Trojánkovou Biriczovou navštívili premiéru Bachelora. Jak se jim první díl líbí?

Je to zvláštní přelom roku. V září bylo 35 let mně. V listopadu je 35 let tuzemské demokracii. A v dubnu bude 35 let Reflexu. O sobě mluvit nechci, ty druhé dvě další věci jsou důležitější a jako stejně starý člověk si je dovolím hodnotit. I když se to tak ve vašem okolí nemusí zdát, současný politický sy­stém je stále to nejlepší, co dokázalo lidstvo vymyslet. A časopis Reflex má pořád co říct.

Beijing time on July 23 afternoon, the Barcelona club announced on the official website, the team officially appointed Gerardo - Martino as the new coach, and fellow Argentine Lionel Messi will Martino two-year...

Luther: The Movie, DVD --> Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love) stars as Martin Luther, the brilliant man of God whose defiant actions changed the world, in this epic film that traces Luther's extraordinary and exhilarating quest for the people's liberation. Regional princes and the powerful Church wield a fast, firm and merciless grip on 16th-centur Germany. But when Martin Luther issues a shocking challenge to their authority, the people declare him their new leader - and hero. Even when threatened with violent death, Luther refuses to back down, sparking a bloody revolution that shakes the entire continent to its core. Approx. 2 hours 4 minutes.

On January 3, 1521 the Vatican published the bull Decet Romanum Pontificem ([It] Befits [the] Roman Pontiff), excommunicating Martin Luther for Luther's refusal to recant. The pope [Leo X] had issued a previous bull, Exsurge Domine (Arise, O Lord), giving Luther 60 days to recant and another 60 days to make his recantation known to Rome. Meanwhile, Luther's books were being burned for allegedly containing heresy. On December 10, 1520 Luther responded by publicly burning his copy of Exsurge Domine. -- The Church usually handed excommunicated persons over to civil authorities to be burned at the stake. However, circumstances prevailed that spared Martin Luther this fate and paved the way for Luther's stand at the Diet of Worms in April 1521. The pure teaching of Scripture would not be snuffed out by the flames. -- Luther wasn't looking to split the Church; he wanted the Church to institute reforms and took a more conciliatory tone at first in his writings. When it became clear that the pope cared not at all for Scripture and reason, only for Luther's recantation, Luther rose to the challenge and prepared to take his stand. The truth of God's Word, long muffled or distorted by the noise of human traditions, would find a voice in Martin Luther and others willing to risk everything on the authority and benevolence of Sola Scriptura.

Luther taught that salvation is not earned by good deeds but received only as a free gift of God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority of the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood. Those who identify with Luther's teachings are called Lutherans. -- His (1522 A.D.) translation of the Bible into the language of the people (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, causing a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation into English of the King James Bible. His hymns influenced the development of singing in churches. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant priests to marry. -- In his later years, while suffering from several illnesses and deteriorating health, Luther became increasingly antisemitic, writing that Jewish homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed. These statements have contributed to his controversial status.

Ulrich Zwingli was a Swiss Protestant leader in the Reformation. Ulrich Zwingli is not as famous as the likes as Martin Luther or John Calvin but he did play his part in the break with the Roman Catholic Church. Ulrich (sometimes spelt Huldreich) Zwingli was born in 1484. He attended universities at Basle and Vienna and served as a parish priest in Glarus, Switzerland. Zwingli went with soldiers from Glarus to fight in the Habsburg-Valois Wars and between 1516 and 1518 he started to question the whole issue of Catholicism as Humanism started to make an impression on him. It is possible that Zwingli did not read any Lutheran literature until he moved in 1518 to Zurich as a Common Preacher (Leutpriester) at the Great Minster. It was at the Great Minster that Zwingli stated what is called the Zurich Reformation with sermons that were based on the Bible. Zwingli soon converted the city's council to his points of view. The council pushed the city into becoming a stronghold of Protestantism and Zurich's lead was followed by Berne and Basle. -- Zwingli's '67 Articles' (1523 A.D.) were adopted by Zurich as the city's official doctrine and the city experienced rapid reform. Preaching and Bible readings - known as prophesyings - were made more frequent; images and relics were frowned on, clerical marriage was allowed, monks and nuns were encouraged to come out of their isolated existence, monasteries were dissolved and their wealth was used to fund education and poor relief. In 1525, Zurich broke with Rome and the Mass became a very simple ceremony using both bread and blood which merely represented the body and blood of Christ. The church of Zwingli attempted to control moral behaviour and strict supervision became common in Zurich. -- As with Martin Luther and John Calvin, the problem Zwingli faced was that some people were concerned that he had gone too far too soon while others, especially the Anabaptists, felt that he had not gone far enough. The Anabaptists were dealt with when Zwingli fell in with the city's magistrates and supported the move to exile the Anabaptists or if they refused to leave the city, deal with them in another way - drowning. -- Zwingli and Luther met at Marburg in 1529 in an attempt to unite the Protestant faiths. This meeting failed to do this. Both men could not reach an agreement on what Christ said at the Last Supper. Luther believed that 'this is my body' meant just that whereas Zwingli believed that 'my' meant signifies. Such disunity among the Protestant faiths only served to encourage the Catholic Church that the Counter-Reformation was having an impact. -- Though Zurich became a stronghold of Protestantism, the areas surrounding the city remained wary of a resurgent Catholic Church. They also feared that Zurich might become too powerful and assert its city powers within these regions. Also the area around Zurich was famed for the mercenaries it provided and such a 'profession' was frowned on by Zwingli. In 1529, these areas around Zurich formed the Christian Union and joined with the catholic Austrian monarchy. Zwingli preached a religious war against them and two campaigns were launched in 1529 and 1531. Zwingli was killed at the Battle of Keppel in October 1531. His work was continued by his son-in-law, Heinrich Bullinger.

Pope Leo X - Giovanni de'Medici, 1475 - 1513 - 1521: Giovanni de'Medici, second son of Lorenzo and younger brother of the fatuous Piero, became the first of the Medici Popes (Leo X - Leone Decimo) at the age of 38 on 11 March 1513. Prior to this his life had been a complete roller coaster. Brought up in Medici luxury alongside Michelangelo (who was included in the Medici household by Lorenzo), older brother Piero and cousin Giulio (who was adopted by Lorenzo after his father (who was Lorenzo's brother) was killed in the Pazzi Conspiracy in 1478), he had access to the incomes of several wealthy monasteries, including Badia a Passignano, and was made a Cardinal at the age of 13. All this came to an abrupt end in 1494 when, in the wake of Lorenzo's death, the incompetent surrender of his brother Piero the Fatuous to the French, and the ensuing Savanorola stirred turbulence, he had to sneak out of Florence dressed as a Franciscan Friar, and then live in hiding with his cousin for the next decade, latterly being protected by the Habsburg Emperor Maximilian (who ironically was to be a major cause of the collapse of the Bruges branch of the Medici Bank) and then by the dreadful Cesare Borgia and his father Pope Alessandro VI (1431 - 1492 - 1503 (72)) in Rome. ... Pope Clement VII Giulio de'Medici, 1478 - 1523 - 1534 (56) Illegitimate son of Lorenzo's (Pazzi murdered) brother Giuliano, adopted son of Lorenzo, and companion in exile to Lorenzo's son Giovanni (Leo X), who was three years his senior, Giulio de'Medici became Pope Clement VII (Clemente Settimo). He was good looking, intellectually sophisticated, a talented musician and a political disaster. In reality he also faced the legacy of the corrupt practices of his cousin Leo X, and the impossible task of operating in the emergent nation state Europe dominated by Charles V, Francis I, and Henry VIII (whom he excommunicated), and threatened by Suleiman the Magnificent, plus Martin Luther dealing the protestants into the game as well - see Insight Page. He lost England, and was humiliated by having to flee in disguise from Rome when it was barbarically sacked by Charles V's rabble army after Clement mistakenly got too close to flashy Francis I of France.

Walter Martin, the Maze of Mormonism

In the online auction The Beauty of Space - Iconic Photographs of Early NASA Missions, which ends on 27 September 2023, the Austrian auction house Dorotheum offers around 200 historic photographs of the US space agency NASA, dating from the beginning of manned spaceflight in the early 1960s to the mid-1970s.

Rent It

Well, I guess I had to see it to believe it. After reviewing Time-Life's set of Laugh-In's third season, where all 26 episodes were affected by a serious mastering error, I didn't think the problem would have carried over to any of the other sets. In this set of the fourth season with 26 more episodes from the show's 1970-71 season, ONE episode (#22) seems to have come out right but the remaining 25 are still afflicted. I'll talk more about that in the quality section, but first a bit about the show itself:

Dan Rowan and Dick Martin still haven't let up by this point, continuing the show's mostly anarchic format that filled an hour-long slot each week when network TV...Read the entire review

Der österreichische Rechtsextremist Sellner inszenierte Anfang des Jahres seine Einreise nach Deutschland mit Berichten in sozialen Medien - das hat ein juristisches Nachspiel. Die Staatsanwaltschaft in Wien ermittelt. Von M. Bewarder.

Anchor of Channel 2 news circa 1960, an era before video tape and color. Photo of Mr. Martin with NBC national anchor Chet Huntley in GroupBlog 324.

Catégorie - HOMMES » Genre - Country

Catégorie - FEMMES » Genre - Country

Even in the rarefied space of super-luxury and high-performance cars, it’s only so often a new Aston Martin comes along, but boy, is it an occasion when one does. Boutique in the context of giants like Ferrari and Bentley, the British marque makes only a handful of ultra-high-end models, and with ownership and management in a state of flux over the last many years, things have been inconsistent, to say the least. But with new boss Lawrence Stroll at the helm, things appear to be charging forward with renewed vigour and focus, and you need not look any further than the DB12 as evidence of this.

There are more pedestrian offerings like the Vantage and DBX, as well as more exotic stuff like the Valkyrie and upcoming Valhalla, but the DB coupe is always the heart of the brand’s range and arguably its most important model. You might look at its stunning but familiar form and think it’s a facelift of the DB11, but trust us, it really isn’t! They’ve trimmed the fat and ditched the V12 altogether (despite what the name might suggest), and have found even more power in the V8. It’s wider and lighter, there’s new suspension and a quick-acting e-diff, but most of all, it has a brand-new interior and gizmos to match. In fact, Aston says it’s created a new type of car altogether – the super tourer – where the performance of a supercar meets the long-legged luxury of a GT car.

Aston Martin DB12 exterior design

Though there’s no hiding its visual linkage to the DB11, but that’s no bad thing, is it? It borrows some elements from the DBS Superleggera too, and overall looks like a DB11 that’s been on steroids; the same essential silhouette but bursting at the seams. It’s 22mm wider, which only enhances that wide-narrow-wide ‘Coke bottle’ shape. The grille is huge now, extending to the base of the bumper and tipping forward aggressively, with a wide air-dam squeezing out from under it. The bonnet has more contours and troughs, and interestingly opens conventionally, unlike its predecessor’s, which was hinged at the front. Another cool detail are the wing mirrors with edge-to-edge fixed glass; the whole pod moves when you adjust it, rather than just the glass.

An import from the DBS is the huge air vent behind the front wheels, and the DB12 sits on 21-inch wheels front and rear with a massive 325-section rear tyre. Fun fact: it uses specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport 5S AML (Aston Martin Lagonda) tyres, much like the DB11 used Bridgestone Potenza S 007 (named after a certain fictional spy) rubber. Not much has changed aft of the doors (the ‘swan wing’ variety that open slightly upward), but again, that’s no bad thing. You still get the slim, C-shaped LED tail-lamps and the pinched roof that flows down into the wide tail. Intakes hidden in the C Pillars channel air through the boot lid and out of a small active spoiler, eliminating the need for big aero addenda. Unfortunately, the boot itself is tiny, at just 262 litres, so your grand touring would be capped at just a weekend.

When the starting point was so good, how successful the design enhancements are is up for debate. It’s lost some of the subtlety of the DB11 to be sure, but has gained more aggression in the process, and there’s no arguing it is still a stunning piece of metal.

Aston Martin DB12 interior and space

If the outside didn’t tell you this was a new-gen car, the interior surely will. The entire dashboard is new, for a start, and the first thing you notice is that though materials are as high-grade as ever, build quality has taken a huge leap forward. Our test car is trimmed in an uninspiring black on grey, but a quick play with the online configurator reveals that you can be a lot more adventurous depending on how deep your pockets are. Several wood, metal and carbon options are available, not to mention a smorgasbord of hide and stitching options that can be mixed and matched. There are even three levels of front seats; we have the Comfort spec, but you can also get Sport or Race seats with increasingly aggressive cushioning.

But on to the new dashboard, which takes on a more user-friendly design. The ‘waterfall’ centre console is high set and extends to the rear of the cabin, bringing into easy access not just the new 10.25-inch touchscreen, but an array of welcome physical buttons. These include shortcuts for climate control, suspension, exhaust, ESC, parking cameras and sensors, and lane-keep assist. Drive modes are selected via a rotary dial, at the centre of which sits a classy start/stop button. The four-knurled roller switches for AC and volume control work with an indescribably satisfying heft, and there’s a 911-style toggle for the gear selector.

But for all the added quality and functionality, the interior has lost some of its charm. It’s all straight lines and sharp angles, with none of the quirky design that set the DB11 apart from every other super-luxury car. Yes, the toggle gear lever is easier to use, but this is the first Aston in ages without the signature five buttons on the dash. Similarly, while the new 10.25-inch digital dial screen looks modern, it’s just a rectangle propped behind the wheel, and misses the flair of the old hooded binnacle.

Though there are rear seats, as you might have guessed from the low and pinched roof, there isn’t much room. It’s strictly for young kids, while medium-sized adults could perhaps bear the squeeze for short journeys; certainly not cross-continent jaunts. 

Aston Martin DB12 features

Another significant change is the all-new E&E architecture, which was something previously borrowed from Mercedes-Benz. For a small-volume brand, outsourcing such a thing is usually the better way to go, but Aston Martin has invested in developing a new system in-house, which will be used in all upcoming models, including the upcoming new Vantage and DBX facelift. Though now free from the shackles of the last-gen Mercedes system used before, some parts remain, like the indicator/wiper stalk and the capacitive touch buttons on the steering wheel.

The investment seems to have paid off, with a UI and UX that’s modern and feature-packed, on both 10.25-inch screens. The dials are customisable and change appearance with the drive modes, while the touchscreen response is good and animations are slick. Some icons are too small, however, making them tricky to tap on the move, and we found a few glitches in our test car’s system, like menus getting stuck on screen, concealing other functions. The optional 15-speaker, 1,170W Bowers & Wilkins music system not only sounds divine but also looks good with its aluminium speaker grilles, and you also get ADAS features.

Aston Martin DB12 engine, gearbox and performance

As we’ve seen in the likes of the DBX and Vantage, this may be AMG’s familiar 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, but Aston Martin’s engineers have given it a character all of its own. It starts with the sound, which has a lot more depth and character to it, changing its note and volume as you pile on the revs, and always sounding good. And no, this is not just a function of adding a ‘loud’ button for the exhaust – although that is also available.

But as you prod the accelerator, too, you’ll start to see the changes. First off, while the DBX uses AMG’s 9-speed ‘MCT’ gearbox, the DB12 uses ZF’s 8-speed torque converter, mounted at the rear, and as is characteristic of the two, the ZF unit is a little bit smoother and not as aggressive with its shifts. What’s unusual, however, is that it can be slow to respond if you ask for a sudden downshift by prodding the accelerator – even in Sport+ mode. This is not the case in some of its other high-performance applications, and certainly puts a dent in the DB12’s ‘super tourer’ credentials. Things improve considerably when you dial it back by 10 percent, but more on this later. Shifts via the paddles are fine, however, though these have moved from the steering column to the wheel.

Find a good rhythm and you can really enjoy this spectacular engine. Yes, Aston’s short-lived ‘AE31’ 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 is no more, but you won’t miss it. The V8 is over 100kg lighter than the V12, produces 80hp and 100Nm more, and arguably sounds better too. As with the sound, the performance too feels entirely different to any of its Mercedes applications. Power delivery is progressive and swelling, rather than a sledgehammer whack in the mid-range. It’s not a high-strung, fast-revving engine, but every trip to the redline feels like a journey in its own right, thanks to the fluidity of the power delivery and, oh yes, that noise.

Ironically, this can belie the DB12’s prodigious 680hp and 800Nm figures because it doesn’t have the electrifying acceleration we’ve come to expect from such numbers. In fact, one potential Mumbai customer whose garage contains some pretty exotic stuff is said to have described it as ‘not that quick’ after a test drive. But that’s doing this powertrain a huge disservice, because it feels unique and soulful in a sea of one-note accelerative weapons. It’s not for crushing the quarter mile, but rather for cruising down the Golden Quadrilateral.

Aston Martin DB12 ride and handling

The new exterior design, cabin and tech are fairly obvious changes; the real secret sauce is in the chassis and suspension. The DB12 is 7 percent stiffer than the DB11, and while that might not sound like much, couple it with the thoroughly revised suspension and the changes jump out at you. If the DB11 was a 55-inch TV, the DB12 is still a 55-inch TV but one that’s moved from 1080p to 8k OLED. There is a much greater breadth of ability and definition, allowing it to be simultaneously more comfortable and sharper than before.

It starts with the steering that’s almost Ferrari levels of sharp and quick. It gives surprising agility to what is quite a large vehicle, but at no point does it feel overwhelming. What sets it apart, like the tune of the engine, is the oily-smooth feel you get through the wheel (which is now round, and not squarish like the DB11’s). It feels assisted and not race-car heavy – this is a luxury product, after all – but thanks to the deletion of some isolation bushes, there’s still a clear connection to the front wheels.

First instinct then is to dial it all the way up and charge into a corner at maximum speed, but you’ll soon be reminded that this is still more tourer, less super. Sharp steering notwithstanding, the chassis is still a little looser and freer than an all-out sportscar (stay tuned for the new Vantage), and pushing too hard makes it feel a little unwieldy. Even with those 325-section rear tyres, it will break traction, and you had better be on the ball when that wide rear end goes off.

So once again, dial it down a little, and the DB12 will really shine. Let it flow into corners, and you’ll find incredible composure even on a broken rural Indian back road. The new suspension takes it all in its stride, and in fact, delivers a ride quality that comes close to some of the best luxury cars. Best of all, it has sufficient ground clearance to tackle most speed breakers without the need for a nose lift function, and only on really serious ones would you have to be careful. Once again, then, it’s the touring side of the DB12 that somewhat outshines outright sportiness.

Aston Martin DB12 price and verdict

The Aston Martin DB12 is a phenomenal sports luxury car that so far improves on its predecessor, it’s genuinely hard to believe they share the same basic platform. It’s faster, sharper, more comfortable, more luxurious, techier, better sounding and arguably better looking too.

Trouble is, it has a bit of an identity problem, especially in the Indian exotic car context. In losing the V12, the DB12 has been given something of a symbolic repositioning; even though performance is greater, the perception isn’t. What doesn’t help is its price of Rs 4.59 crore (ex-showroom, before options) that puts it well north of the sharper Ferrari Roma. And without the pristine European cross-country roads a DB12 would normally find itself on, here in India, the DBX SUV is probably a more suitable grand tourer.

So what of the ‘super tourer’ rebrand, then? Though it certainly has the look and power figures, it hasn’t turned into a supercar. Instead, it’s widened its abilities as a luxury item, and would not feel out of place pulling up to an exotic boutique hotel, royal palace or industrialist’s daughter’s wedding. It mixes the contrasting qualities of the Roma and its other major rival, the Bentley Continental GT, to superb effect – equal parts sharp, plush and oh-so desirable. Aston Martins have always done things a little differently, and the DB12 does too. It remains the one that goes against the grain, but for those who choose it, there’s little it cannot do.

Also see:

Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH to race at 2025 Le Mans

"The life of this saint is wonderful beyond measure and is worth reading in full. What did he not endure to fulfil the Law of God? At the age of eighteen, he went off into a mountain in Cappadocia called the Ark and spent 25 years in fasting, vigils and prayer, and struggling with manifold temptations. When a woman came to tempt him and he saw that he would fall into sin with her, he leapt barefoot into the fire and stood in it until the pain brought forth tears from his eyes and he had killed all lust within himself. When other temptations arose, he fled to a lonely rock in the sea and lived there. When, though, in a shipwreck, a woman swam to the rock, he leapt into the sea intending to drown himself. But a dolphin took him upon its back and brought him, by God'd providence, to the shore. He then decided to make nowhere his permanent home but to travel incessantly. Thus he pased through 164 towns in two years, exhorting and advising the people. He finally arrived in Athens, where he died in 422." (Prologue)

This holy and beloved Western Saint, the patron of France, was born in Pannonia (modern-day Hungary) in 316, to a pagan military family stationed there. Soon the family returned home to Italy, where Martin grew up. He began to go to church at the age of ten, and became a catechumen. Though he desired to become a monk, he first entered the army in obedience to his parents.   One day, when he was stationed in Amiens in Gaul, he met a poor man shivering for lack of clothing. He had already given all his money as alms, so he drew his sword, cut his soldier's cloak in half, and gave half of it to the poor man. That night Christ appeared to him, clothed in the half-cloak he had given away, and said to His angels, "Martin, though still a catechumen, has clothed me in this garment." Martin was baptised soon afterward. Though he still desired to become a monk, he did not obtain his discharge from the army until many years later, in 356.   He soon became a disciple of St Hilary of Poitiers (commemorated January 13), the "Athanasius of the West." After traveling in Pannonia and Italy (where he converted his mother to faith in Christ), he returned to Gaul, where the Arian heretics were gaining much ground. Not long afterward became Bishop of Tours, where he shone as a shepherd of the Church: bringing pagans to the faith, healing the sick, establishing monastic life throughout Gaul, and battling the Arian heresy so widespread throughout the West. Finding the episcopal residence too grand, he lived in a rude, isolated wooden hut, even while fulfilling all the duties of a Bishop of the Church.   His severity against heresy was always accompanied by love and kindness toward all: he once traveled to plead with the Emperor Maximus to preserve the lives of some Priscillianist heretics whom the Emperor meant to execute.   As the holy Bishop lay dying in 397, the devil appeared to tempt him one last time. The Saint said, "You will find nothing in me that belongs to you. Abraham's bosom is about to receive me." With these words he gave up his soul to God.   He is the first confessor who was not a martyr to be named a Saint in the West. His biographer, Sulpitius Severus, wrote of him: "Martin never let an hour or a moment go by without giving himself to prayer or to reading and, even as he read or was otherwise occupied, he never ceased from prayer to God. He was never seen out of temper or disturbed, distressed or laughing. Always one and the same, his face invariably shining with heavenly joy, he seemed to have surpassed human nature. In his mouth was nothing but the Name of Christ and in his soul nothing but love, peace and mercy."   Note: St Martin is commemorated on this day in the Greek and Slavic Synaxaria; his commemoration in the West, where he is especially honored, is on November 11.

Martinian, monk, of Caesarea in Palestine (422) "The life of this saint is wonderful beyond measure and is worth reading in full. What did he not endure to fulfil the Law of God? At the age of eighteen, he went off into a mountain in Cappadocia called the Ark and spent 25 years in fasting, vigils and prayer, and struggling with manifold temptations. When a woman came to tempt him and he saw that he would fall into sin with her, he leapt barefoot into the fire and stood in it until the pain brought forth tears from his eyes and he had killed all lust within himself. When other temptations arose, he fled to a lonely rock in the sea and lived there. When, though, in a shipwreck, a woman swam to the rock, he leapt into the sea intending to drown himself. But a dolphin took him upon its back and brought him, by God'd providence, to the shore. He then decided to make nowhere his permanent home but to travel incessantly. Thus he passed through 164 towns in two years, exhorting and advising the people. He finally arrived in Athens, where he died in 422." (Prologue)

This holy and beloved Western Saint, the patron of France, was born in Pannonia (modern-day Hungary) in 316, to a pagan military family stationed there. Soon the family returned home to Italy, where Martin grew up. He began to go to church at the age of ten, and became a catechumen. Though he desired to become a monk, he first entered the army in obedience to his parents.   One day, when he was stationed in Amiens in Gaul, he met a poor man shivering for lack of clothing. He had already given all his money as alms, so he drew his sword, cut his soldier's cloak in half, and gave half of it to the poor man. That night Christ appeared to him, clothed in the half-cloak he had given away, and said to His angels, "Martin, though still a catechumen, has clothed me in this garment." Martin was baptised soon afterward. Though he still desired to become a monk, he did not obtain his discharge from the army until many years later, in 356.   He soon became a disciple of St Hilary of Poitiers (commemorated January 13), the "Athanasius of the West." After traveling in Pannonia and Italy (where he converted his mother to faith in Christ), he returned to Gaul, where the Arian heretics were gaining much ground. Not long afterward became Bishop of Tours, where he shone as a shepherd of the Church: bringing pagans to the faith, healing the sick, establishing monastic life throughout Gaul, and battling the Arian heresy so widespread throughout the West. Finding the episcopal residence too grand, he lived in a rude, isolated wooden hut, even while fulfilling all the duties of a Bishop of the Church.   His severity against heresy was always accompanied by love and kindness toward all: he once traveled to plead with the Emperor Maximus to preserve the lives of some Priscillianist heretics whom the Emperor meant to execute.   As the holy Bishop lay dying in 397, the devil appeared to tempt him one last time. The Saint said, "You will find nothing in me that belongs to you. Abraham's bosom is about to receive me." With these words he gave up his soul to God.   He is the first confessor who was not a martyr to be named a Saint in the West. His biographer, Sulpitius Severus, wrote of him: "Martin never let an hour or a moment go by without giving himself to prayer or to reading and, even as he read or was otherwise occupied, he never ceased from prayer to God. He was never seen out of temper or disturbed, distressed or laughing. Always one and the same, his face invariably shining with heavenly joy, he seemed to have surpassed human nature. In his mouth was nothing but the Name of Christ and in his soul nothing but love, peace and mercy."   Note: St Martin is commemorated on this day in the Greek and Slavic Synaxaria; his commemoration in the West, where he is especially honored, is on November 11.

"The life of this saint is wonderful beyond measure and is worth reading in full. What did he not endure to fulfil the Law of God? At the age of eighteen, he went off into a mountain in Cappadocia called the Ark and spent 25 years in fasting, vigils and prayer, and struggling with manifold temptations. When a woman came to tempt him and he saw that he would fall into sin with her, he leapt barefoot into the fire and stood in it until the pain brought forth tears from his eyes and he had killed all lust within himself. When other temptations arose, he fled to a lonely rock in the sea and lived there. When, though, in a shipwreck, a woman swam to the rock, he leapt into the sea intending to drown himself. But a dolphin took him upon its back and brought him, by God'd providence, to the shore. He then decided to make nowhere his permanent home but to travel incessantly. Thus he pased through 164 towns in two years, exhorting and advising the people. He finally arrived in Athens, where he died in 422." (Prologue)

"Martin became Pope on July 5th, 649, at the time of a furious quarrel between the Orthodox and the Monothelite heretics. Constans the Second, Heraclius' grandson, was on the throne at the time, and Paul was Patriarch of Constantinople. To restore peace in the Church, the Emperor himself wrote a dogmatic decree, the Typos, which leaned heavily towards heresy. Pope Martin summoned a Council of 105 bishops, at which the Emperor's statement was condemned. At the same time, the Pope wrote a letter to Patriarch Paul, begging him to uphold the purity of the Orthodox faith and to counsel the Emperor to reject the theories of the heretics. This letter infuriated both the Patriarch and the Emperor. The Emperor sent one of his generals, Olympius, to take the Pope to Constantinople in bonds. The general did not dare to bind the Pope with his own hands, but instructed one of his soldiers to kill him with the sword in church. But, when the soldier entered the church with his sword concealed, he was instantly blinded. So, by the providence of God, Martin escaped death. At that time, the Saracens fell upon Sicily, and Olympius went off there, where he died. Then, by the intrigues of the heretic Patriarch Paul, the Emperor sent a second general, Theodore, to bind and take the Pope on the charge that he, the Pope, was in collusion with the Saracens and that he did not reverence the most holy Mother of God. [!!] When the general arrived in Rome and read the accusation against the Pope, he replied that it was a libel; that he had no contact of any sort with the Saracens, the opponents of Christianity, 'and whoever does not confess the most holy Mother of God and do her reverence, let him be damned in this age and in that which is to come.' But this did not affect the general's decision. The Pope was bound and taken to Constantinople, where he lay long in prison in great sickness, tortured by both anxiety and hunger, until he was finally sentenced to exile in Cherson, where he lived for two years before his death. He gave his soul into the hands of the Lord, for whom he had suffered so greatly, in 655. The evil Patriarch, Paul,died two years before him and, when the Emperor visited him on his deathbed, he smote his head against the wall, confessing with tears that he had greatly sinned against Pope Martin and asking the Emperor to set Martin free.' (Prologue)   In some menaia he is commemorated on April 14.

This holy and beloved Western Saint, the patron of France, was born in Pannonia (modern-day Hungary) in 316, to a pagan military family stationed there. Soon the family returned home to Italy, where Martin grew up. He began to go to church at the age of ten, and became a catechumen. Though he desired to become a monk, he first entered the army in obedience to his parents.   One day, when he was stationed in Amiens in Gaul, he met a poor man shivering for lack of clothing. He had already given all his money as alms, so he drew his sword, cut his soldier's cloak in half, and gave half of it to the poor man. That night Christ appeared to him, clothed in the half-cloak he had given away, and said to His angels, "Martin, though still a catechumen, has clothed me in this garment." Martin was baptised soon afterward. Though he still desired to become a monk, he did not obtain his discharge from the army until many years later, in 356.   He soon became a disciple of St Hilary of Poitiers (commemorated January 13), the "Athanasius of the West." After traveling in Pannonia and Italy (where he converted his mother to faith in Christ), he returned to Gaul, where the Arian heretics were gaining much ground. Not long afterward became Bishop of Tours, where he shone as a shepherd of the Church: bringing pagans to the faith, healing the sick, establishing monastic life throughout Gaul, and battling the Arian heresy so widespread throughout the West. Finding the episcopal residence too grand, he lived in a rude, isolated wooden hut, even while fulfilling all the duties of a Bishop of the Church.   His severity against heresy was always accompanied by love and kindness toward all: he once traveled to plead with the Emperor Maximus to preserve the lives of some Priscillianist heretics whom the Emperor meant to execute.   As the holy Bishop lay dying in 397, the devil appeared to tempt him one last time. The Saint said, "You will find nothing in me that belongs to you. Abraham's bosom is about to receive me." With these words he gave up his soul to God.   He is the first confessor who was not a martyr to be named a Saint in the West. His biographer, Sulpitius Severus, wrote of him: "Martin never let an hour or a moment go by without giving himself to prayer or to reading and, even as he read or was otherwise occupied, he never ceased from prayer to God. He was never seen out of temper or disturbed, distressed or laughing. Always one and the same, his face invariably shining with heavenly joy, he seemed to have surpassed human nature. In his mouth was nothing but the Name of Christ and in his soul nothing but love, peace and mercy."   Note: St Martin is commemorated on this day in the Greek and Slavic Synaxaria; his commemoration in the West, where he is especially honored, is on November 11.

"The life of this saint is wonderful beyond measure and is worth reading in full. What did he not endure to fulfil the Law of God? At the age of eighteen, he went off into a mountain in Cappadocia called the Ark and spent 25 years in fasting, vigils and prayer, and struggling with manifold temptations. When a woman came to tempt him and he saw that he would fall into sin with her, he leapt barefoot into the fire and stood in it until the pain brought forth tears from his eyes and he had killed all lust within himself. When other temptations arose, he fled to a lonely rock in the sea and lived there. When, though, in a shipwreck, a woman swam to the rock, he leapt into the sea intending to drown himself. But a dolphin took him upon its back and brought him, by God's providence, to the shore. He then decided to make nowhere his permanent home but to travel incessantly. Thus he passed through 164 towns in two years, exhorting and advising the people. He finally arrived in Athens, where he died in 422." (Prologue)

They were jailers in the Roman prison that held Sts Peter and Paul, and came to faith in Christ through the witness of the two holy Apostles. After receiving baptism, Processus and Martinian released the saints from prison. As the Apostles were leaving Rome, the Lord appeared to Peter on the Appian way. When Peter asked him where he was going, he replied, 'To Rome, to be crucified once again.' Abashed, the Apostles returned to Rome to face their martyrdom. Processus and Martinian were beheaded along with St Paul.

This holy and beloved Western Saint, the patron of France, was born in Pannonia (modern-day Hungary) in 316, to a pagan military family stationed there. Soon the family returned home to Italy, where Martin grew up. He began to go to church at the age of ten, and became a catechumen. Though he desired to become a monk, he first entered the army in obedience to his parents.   One day, when he was stationed in Amiens in Gaul, he met a poor man shivering for lack of clothing. He had already given all his money as alms, so he drew his sword, cut his soldier's cloak in half, and gave half of it to the poor man. That night Christ appeared to him, clothed in the half-cloak he had given away, and said to His angels, "Martin, though still a catechumen, has clothed me in this garment." Martin was baptised soon afterward. Though he still desired to become a monk, he did not obtain his discharge from the army until many years later, in 356.   He soon became a disciple of St Hilary of Poitiers (commemorated January 13), the "Athanasius of the West." After traveling in Pannonia and Italy (where he converted his mother to faith in Christ), he returned to Gaul, where the Arian heretics were gaining much ground. Not long afterward became Bishop of Tours, where he shone as a shepherd of the Church: bringing pagans to the faith, healing the sick, establishing monastic life throughout Gaul, and battling the Arian heresy so widespread throughout the West. Finding the episcopal residence too grand, he lived in a rude, isolated wooden hut, even while fulfilling all the duties of a Bishop of the Church.   His severity against heresy was always accompanied by love and kindness toward all: he once traveled to plead with the Emperor Maximus to preserve the lives of some Priscillianist heretics whom the Emperor meant to execute.   As the holy Bishop lay dying in 397, the devil appeared to tempt him one last time. The Saint said, "You will find nothing in me that belongs to you. Abraham's bosom is about to receive me." With these words he gave up his soul to God.   He is the first confessor who was not a martyr to be named a Saint in the West. His biographer, Sulpitius Severus, wrote of him: "Martin never let an hour or a moment go by without giving himself to prayer or to reading and, even as he read or was otherwise occupied, he never ceased from prayer to God. He was never seen out of temper or disturbed, distressed or laughing. Always one and the same, his face invariably shining with heavenly joy, he seemed to have surpassed human nature. In his mouth was nothing but the Name of Christ and in his soul nothing but love, peace and mercy."   Note: St Martin is commemorated on this day in the Greek and Slavic Synaxaria; his commemoration in the West, where he is especially honored, is on November 11.

"The life of this saint is wonderful beyond measure and is worth reading in full. What did he not endure to fulfil the Law of God? At the age of eighteen, he went off into a mountain in Cappadocia called the Ark and spent 25 years in fasting, vigils and prayer, and struggling with manifold temptations. When a woman came to tempt him and he saw that he would fall into sin with her, he leapt barefoot into the fire and stood in it until the pain brought forth tears from his eyes and he had killed all lust within himself. When other temptations arose, he fled to a lonely rock in the sea and lived there. When, though, in a shipwreck, a woman swam to the rock, he leapt into the sea intending to drown himself. But a dolphin took him upon its back and brought him, by God's providence, to the shore. He then decided to make nowhere his permanent home but to travel incessantly. Thus he passed through 164 towns in two years, exhorting and advising the people. He finally arrived in Athens, where he died in 422." (Prologue)

They were jailers in the Roman prison that held Sts Peter and Paul, and came to faith in Christ through the witness of the two holy Apostles. After receiving baptism, Processus and Martinian released the saints from prison. As the Apostles were leaving Rome, the Lord appeared to Peter on the Appian way. When Peter asked him where he was going, he replied, 'To Rome, to be crucified once again.' Abashed, the Apostles returned to Rome to face their martyrdom. Processus and Martinian were beheaded along with St Paul.

This holy and beloved Western Saint, the patron of France, was born in Pannonia (modern-day Hungary) in 316, to a pagan military family stationed there. Soon the family returned home to Italy, where Martin grew up. He began to go to church at the age of ten, and became a catechumen. Though he desired to become a monk, he first entered the army in obedience to his parents.   One day, when he was stationed in Amiens in Gaul, he met a poor man shivering for lack of clothing. He had already given all his money as alms, so he drew his sword, cut his soldier's cloak in half, and gave half of it to the poor man. That night Christ appeared to him, clothed in the half-cloak he had given away, and said to His angels, "Martin, though still a catechumen, has clothed me in this garment." Martin was baptised soon afterward. Though he still desired to become a monk, he did not obtain his discharge from the army until many years later, in 356.   He soon became a disciple of St Hilary of Poitiers (commemorated January 13), the "Athanasius of the West." After traveling in Pannonia and Italy (where he converted his mother to faith in Christ), he returned to Gaul, where the Arian heretics were gaining much ground. Not long afterward became Bishop of Tours, where he shone as a shepherd of the Church: bringing pagans to the faith, healing the sick, establishing monastic life throughout Gaul, and battling the Arian heresy so widespread throughout the West. Finding the episcopal residence too grand, he lived in a rude, isolated wooden hut, even while fulfilling all the duties of a Bishop of the Church.   His severity against heresy was always accompanied by love and kindness toward all: he once traveled to plead with the Emperor Maximus to preserve the lives of some Priscillianist heretics whom the Emperor meant to execute.   As the holy Bishop lay dying in 397, the devil appeared to tempt him one last time. The Saint said, "You will find nothing in me that belongs to you. Abraham's bosom is about to receive me." With these words he gave up his soul to God.   He is the first confessor who was not a martyr to be named a Saint in the West. His biographer, Sulpitius Severus, wrote of him: "Martin never let an hour or a moment go by without giving himself to prayer or to reading and, even as he read or was otherwise occupied, he never ceased from prayer to God. He was never seen out of temper or disturbed, distressed or laughing. Always one and the same, his face invariably shining with heavenly joy, he seemed to have surpassed human nature. In his mouth was nothing but the Name of Christ and in his soul nothing but love, peace and mercy."   Note: St Martin is commemorated on this day in the Greek and Slavic Synaxaria; his commemoration in the West, where he is especially honored, is on November 11.

On the feast of St. Martin of Tours, Fr. Andrew uses his story as well as the Gospel of the Good Samaritan to show how what we do and what we give depends a great deal on how we perceive our lives.

Returning after a long absence from the podcast, Fr. John in this episode introduces a new reflection on the crisis of western Christendom prior to the Reformation by discussing the penitential context of Martin Luther's famous Ninety-Five Theses.