Resting Place

Today I met with a group of preservation professionals at our historic cemetery. Preservation Maryland is sponsoring a conference in May and one of the highlights is a hands-on workshop at Old Saint Paul's Cemetery. Here is a link to the program information for those who might want to attend. www.preservationmaryland.org/html/conference.html For those of you who haven't visited this wonderful oasis in the heart of downtown Baltimore, you are missing a special treat. Each time I visit, it is a delightful, spiritual, and aesthetic experience. Here lie our parishioners of 200 years ago. I remain hopeful that this place will play a larger role in the life of our parish and I would welcome your ideas. Originally called the Western Burying Grounds, this cemetery was created on the western outskirts of Baltimore Town in 1800. The prior cemetery was located next to the church, near today's Old Saint Paul's. Among those buried here are John Eager Howard, Revolutionary War hero, Governor, and U.S. Senator; Samuel Chase, signer of the Declaration of Independence and George Armistead who was the commander of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 British bombardment that inspired Francis Scott Key. Key was buried here until being moved to Greenmount Cemetery in the late 19th century. Lewis Armistead, brother of George, was a colonel in Lee's Army of the South who fought in several famous battles before being mortally wounded during "Pickett's Charge" at Gettysburg. Lewis is buried next to his brother George . There are many fascinating stories connected with those who lie in this sacred place amongst the hustle and bustle of city life. If you would like to learn more about any of this or to visit, just drop me an email (juniorwarden@osp1692.org) and I will see if we can get something together. Several times a year there are wreath-layings and ceremonies by historical enactors. I will try to post the details as they are announced. I anticipate volunteer opportunities for improving the conditions at the cemetery in terms of maintenance, gardening and repairs/restoration. There is much to be done and funds are in short supply.

The Hunt.

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, saw the annual egg hunt at Old Saint Paul’s. This was an indoor hunt conducted within the sumptuous halls of the Tremont Grand our beautiful, hospitable and generous next door neighbor here on Charles Street in downtown Baltimore. It was with great enthusiasm that our smallest parishioners stormed the banquet room when the glass doors were thrown open at 10:07 AM! Within minutes the swarm of hunters bedecked in their Easter finery captured their prey. Very exciting and fun for all!

I thought I would dabble a bit in a bit of Easter Egg and other secular history about this important Christian holiday and after a very superficial research project wish to put forth the following factoids.

The ancient Persians painted eggs for Nawrooz, their New Year celebration, which falls on the Spring equinox. The Nawrooz tradition has existed for at least 2,500 years.

The pre-Christian Saxons had a spring goddess called Eostre, whose feast was held on the Vernal Equinox. Her symbolic animal was the spring hare (read “bunny”). Some believe that Ēostre was always associated with eggs and hares. Hmmmm. I always wondered how rabbits and eggs came to be linked to Easter.

The English name for the festival of Easter derives from the Germanic word Eostre. It is only in Germanic languages that a derivation of Eostre occurs in the name of our Christian holiday. Most European languages use a term derived from the Hebrew pasch meaning Passover. In Spanish, for example, it is Pascua; in French, Pâques and in Dutch, Pasen.

Pope Gregory the Great reportedly directed his missionaries to absorb older pagan festivals and merge them into Christian rituals where possible. The Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Christ was ideally suited to be merged with the Pagan feast of Eostre.

In any event, the egg is an ongoing symbol of new life and that is exactly what was surrounding us yesterday at The Hunt.











Fine Print: The foregoing represents the author’s somewhat informal meanderings in topics that he is unqualified to report on. Any discovered factual errors should not be reported to the author and should be kept to oneself. Any accusations of plagiarism or the like will be disregarded totally by the writer and will not be contested nor apologized for. The same holds true for missspelllings, typos, and other nit-picky rubbish.

Ode to a Copier

Our wonderful talented Maestro Dan Fortune made reference to this piece that appeared in Episcopal Cafe about a topic that he knows well from first hand experience.

Many of you know Father Schenck from his OSP days. Enjoy.

Father Tim Schenck writes on his blog "Clergy Family Confidential" the following:

Ode to a Copier A Prayer for Holy Week

Holy Week, dear friends, will soon draw nigh;
From St. Mark’s-in-the-Bowery to Christ Church, Shanghai.
Parish secretaries and their rectors, too,
Thinking of the bulletins that will ensue,
Drop to their knees and begin to quake,
Praying their copiers will stay awake
Through Maundy Thursday and the rest;
Without behaving as if possessed.
Rectors wonder with uncertainty,
“Should I have purchased the extended warranty?”
Misfeeds, toner woes and a paper jam
Always seem to accompany the Paschal Lamb.
Why this happens is a great unknown,
A mystery worthy of the bishop’s throne.
So stoke the incense, say your prayers;
anything to stave off copier repairs.
As the dark shadows of Tenebrae now approach;
may your copier behave without reproach.
And as we begin the Good Friday fast,
May it wait ‘til Low Sunday to breathe its last.

Here is the link: http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/saturday_collection/saturday_collection_4409_1.html

Have a wonderful Holy Week!

FC

The Robots are coming!!!

Well folks it looks like we lost. You may have heard that for the past five years we have waged a campaign against developer David Hillman's plans to build a "robotic garage" next to our 1791 Old Saint Paul's Rectory building. Several weeks ago the plans received approval from the city's Urban Design and Architecture Review Panel, some of whose members continued to have issues with the design. However, they are now out of the loop and the Planning Department is in control and is determined to move this project forward come hell or holy water.

According to the Baltimore Sun "after the meeting, developer David H. Hillman said he had received verbal approval for his garage from the administration of former mayor and now Gov. Martin O'Malley. "The garage was part of a deal I made when I said I would buy and renovate the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company Building." He said that building, on nearby Lexington Street and converted into apartments, needs parking for tenants."
Apartments are part of the project and will face Saratoga street.
So, as they say "you can't fight city hall". WE TRIED.
Here is a rendering of the proposed design.