Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Apparently, my simple sentence of purpose in the librarian’s log book reveals my long past connection with Luxeuil. What I thought was standard manuscript lettering is now only one of several styles used by monks. The style of lettering used can reveal when and where a manuscript was copiedContinue reading “#73.9 Tuesday, October 21, 2025”
Category Archives: Medieval
#73.8 Thursday, October 16, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Today I’m still owned by God, but that’s my secret. I’m dressed as a student, not a monk. I find Jarrow’s renowned library has a magnificent collection of books. It is well-known among the monastic communities and that reputation enables this monastery to borrow more and more books toContinue reading “#73.8 Thursday, October 16, 2025”
#73.7 Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Historical Setting: Monkwearmouth-Jarrow, 793 C.E. Monkwearmouth-Jarrow is a double monastery with both monks and nuns under one abbot, living in separate communities but sharing in some things. It makes common use of books and inks and abbess, and sometimes church. St. Paul is on the River Tyne, and St. Peter, Monkwearmouth, on the Wear. It’sContinue reading “#73.7 Wednesday, October 15, 2025”
#73.6 Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Historical Setting: Northumbria, 793 C.E. Here is this stout little fellow coming down from the village just now with a traveler’s pack over his shoulder. He’s wearing a loose linen tunic, just long enough to reach his bare knees, hiked up with a sash that his belly hangs over. His calves aren’t wrapped, IContinue reading “#73.6 Tuesday, October 14, 2025”
#73.5 Thursday, October 9, 2025
Historical Setting: Northumbria, 793 CE. Here, in this Northumbrian village I do find some merchants’ stalls set out selling sacks of grains for winter stores, beets and chard; but today there is no one here dealing in fabrics. I ask at a wine seller’s stall where I can find Cloothar, the merchant who isContinue reading “#73.5 Thursday, October 9, 2025”
#73.4 Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Historical Setting: Northumbria, 793 C.E. Religious rule is narrow. To a monk bound to the community by the Rule it may appear that another’s relationship with God is no relationship at all. Brother Ealdwin knows my robe is borrowed and assumes I am spiritually adrift because I don’t seem to value the Benedictine Rule.Continue reading “#73.4 Wednesday, October 8, 2025”
#73.3 Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Historical Setting: Lindisfarne of Northumbria, 793 C.E. As we walk with the visitors to the causeway, I’m hearing more divisive talk of the old debate. The patron I walk with tells me of a monk at Jarrow who wrote a book of the history of these people affirming the singular righteousness of Rome. It’sContinue reading “#73.3 Tuesday, October 7, 2025”
#73.2, Thursday, October 2, 2025
Historical Setting: Lindisfarne of Northumbria, 793 C.E. Ealdwin and I are washing the dishes and I find it is a perfectly unsanctified time to ask Brother Ealdwin the questions I have about the Irish traditions of this monastery. “I’m hearing the patrons and the pilgrims talking among themselves, cursing an Irish root ofContinue reading “#73.2, Thursday, October 2, 2025”
#73.1 Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Historical Setting: Lindisfarne, 793 C.E. The reading of the scholar’s letter concludes, then the bishop blesses the squash soup such as it is – without salt. The benches are reset to face the dining board and the held breath of long-listening to the bishop exhales, relaxed now. Regardless, the fasting monks attend their prayersContinue reading “#73.1 Wednesday, October 1, 2025”
#72.13, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Lindisfarne I keep awakening in new times always born into a future and yet remembering the past. Old people know this well. We who lived in the past, also live here and now in this time we once called future. Now this future where we are, is harder to navigateContinue reading “#72.13, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025”
Lazarus Ink 