"French Army Deployed to Protect Catholic Churches From Islamist Attack"

"following reports of a terrorist cell preparing an ISIS-style attack on congregations."

The impetus for the change of policy has come just days after French police arrested would-be Jihadist murderer Sid Ahmed Ghlam. Ghlam, a 24-year-old Moroccan student studying in Paris, murdered a fitness instructor in a botched attempt to hijack her car for a terror attack, and then accidentally shot himself in the leg.

Calling an ambulance for aid, police found Ghlam’s cover story questionable and followed the trail of his blood back to his car, which contained fake police uniforms, body armour, and a number of firearms including AK-47 assault rifles. Searching his student flat, they discovered plans for a gang of Islamists to open fire on Church services in Paris. One of his accomplices, a 25-year-old woman, has been arrested so far.

"Church spirit endures in shadow of Super Bowl hype"

"American Sundays are defined for many by two things: church and football. Fans fidget in the pews as kickoff looms. Players pray before and after games. Many even believe in a sort of God of the Gridiron, surveys suggest — a great handicapper in the sky who decides the outcome of sporting events."

But that has not meant a boom in business for the six friars and 800 or so parishioners who spent months planning for an expected deluge of fans sparing a few minutes for their faith at the church across the street, which has stood there since Phoenix was just a few dirt roads in the desert. 

Michael Arciga, a Patriots fan from Phoenix who came to Mass on Friday, was dismayed to find the pews nearly empty even as downtown filled with football fans. Arciga, who owes his Patriots fandom to a stint at Fort Devens in the 1980s, said he has never prayed for the Patriots.

“They’re already good,” he joked. “No prayers needed.”

For Arciga and others on the less-traveled side of East Monroe Street — even those looking forward to Sunday’s game — the juxtaposition of the elegant old church sitting empty amid the very modern revelry was a little off-putting.

“It’s surprising and frustrating,” Arciga said.

Churches hewn from rock

...[Ethiopian king] Lalibela envisioned a dozen churches carved from stone — not made of stones, but each one literally carved out of one unbroken rock with its roof at ground level.
Details on the construction process have been lost in the mists of time, but 13 churches were indeed built between the late 12th and 13th century. These were no simple structures — the rock-hewn churches had arched windows, moldings with religious symbols, and murals covering the interior walls. Built on either side of a trench — which was named the River Jordan in recognition of the new holy city — they connected to one another through a series of tunnels.

In the ensuing centuries, seismic shifts, erosion, and water have severely damaged the churches. But the last one to be built — Bete Giyorgis, or the Church of St. George — remains spectacular. Extending 40 feet down into the stone and shaped like a cross, Bete Giyorgis continues to draw Christian pilgrims and curious tourists.

-Slate
-Atlas Obscura
-Google Images

Open Thread

Yesterday, inside Saint Mary of Catarat Church

A Google User

"One of the most beautiful churches in the United States. The pristine beauty of a mid-19th century church, which has changed with the times, but still retains its historic beauty and atmosphere. The liturgies are fantastic, and the music is superb; the restored 1860's pipe organ is incomparable. The relic display in November is not to be missed. The homilies given demonstrate a precision of thought and economy of words which is greatly appreciated. The location near the Falls and casino make this the Catholic meeting place for people throughout the world visiting the Falls, and make's it the most interesting church in the Diocese of Buffalo."