Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Marmoutier He says, “No doubt, Bishop Higbald is begging my answer on this matter of Lindisfarne’s sins because he is in need of a statement that he can read to both the surviving monks and also the political foe that will address this matter of sin from a scholarly distance.Continue reading “#71.9, Thursday, August 21, 2025”
Author Archives: J.K. Marlin
#71.8, Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Marmoutier Alcuin has the difficult task of answering Bishop Higbald’s need to address the earthly political power struggle in a time of the bishop’s own personal grief and loss at Lindisfarne. This teacher is asking me about my brief few days in that grieving land and I don’t have anyContinue reading “#71.8, Wednesday, August 20, 2025”
#71.7, Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Marmoutier The king’s teacher, Alcuin, is considering his response to Bishop Higbald particularly asking what he meant by “sins of Lindisfarne.” The bishop referred to “sins” as though the Viking Raid was God’s retribution for the monastery’s sins. Alcuin says, “It seems unlikely the sins were the peaceful natureContinue reading “#71.7, Tuesday, August 19, 2025”
#71.6, Thursday, August 14, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Marmoutier on the Loire I was called to meet with Alcuin at this, the matins hour. He is anxiously seeking someone who can listen to the letter he is writing in response to Bishop Higbald’s letter. And he is particularly concerned about an issue that Higbald refers to, as theContinue reading “#71.6, Thursday, August 14, 2025”
#71.5, Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Marmoutier on the Loire Tonight, I’m staying in a guest room at the monastery near the shrine of St. Martin of Tours waiting here for the king’s scholar, Alcuin, to prepare his answer to Bishop Higbald’s letter with news of the Lindisfarne raid. It is the dark of morning,Continue reading “#71.5, Wednesday, August 13, 2025”
#71.4, Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Marmoutier on the Loire Alcuin, one of the king’s chosen intellectuals, receives the letter I am delivering from Lindisfarne, now shadowed in tragedy. He seems hesitant to open the seal of his friend the bishop. He holds it in his hand and studies the seal and folds of the envelope.Continue reading “#71.4, Tuesday, August 12, 2025”
#71.3, Thursday, August 7, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Visiting the Monastery of St. Martin The monastery, Marmoutier, named to honor St. Martin whose shrine brings pilgrims to Tours was also renovated to keep up with the times. It is fully following the Rule of Benedict now. Even in places once Celtic, Benedictine Rule is used, because revisions in theContinue reading “#71.3, Thursday, August 7, 2025”
#71.2, Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Visiting Tours This journey, visiting the bones of my loved ones along my way, is really about finding the spiritual life and life again of those I once shared bread with. It is the joyful side of life — the weedy overgrown vines of remembrance. Dear God, thank you for thisContinue reading “#71.2, Wednesday, August 6, 2025”
#71.1, Tuesday, August 5, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Visiting Metz Before I leave these hills and ride off on that journey to Tours, I take this day to follow the familiar creek and visit the hill that was once my family home. Mostly the stones that marked the fields are scattered now, and the house is inContinue reading “#71.1, Tuesday, August 5, 2025”
#70.15, Thursday, July 31, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Metz Metz is hardly as I remembered it. There are new walls and towers, and the once mud streets are paved in stones. But musicians still test their songs in the town plaza and probably the commoners still come dancing for the mid-summer celebration. It was a favorite venue forContinue reading “#70.15, Thursday, July 31, 2025”
Lazarus Ink 