THREE COINS IN A FOUNTAIN

[Photo: Fontana di Trevi. Trevi Fountain. Rome]

The Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and the most beautiful in the world (TreviFountain.net). The flamboyant baroque ensemble was designed by Nicola Salvi in 1732 and depicts Neptune's chariot being led by Tritons with sea horses – one wild, one docile – representing the moods of the sea (Lonely Planet). Trevi derives from the old name for the area, which was originally called Trebium (ItalyGuides.it). But Lonely Planet claims that Trevi refers to the three roads (tre vie) that converge at the fountain.

By tradition visitors throw a coin over their shoulders into the fountain. It is believed to guarantee their return to Rome. An estimated 3,000 Euros in coins are thrown into the fountain every day (ItalyGuides.it). These coins are collected and given to charity.

When my niece went to Rome on a European tour, I accompanied her to Trevi. (I was in Rome for studies.) While she was preparing to perform the required ritual of throwing a coin, I felt a coin fall on my head. Either the tourist was too far away or he/she did not throw it far enough. I did not bother to look for the culprit.

The practice of throwing a coin is behind the song “Three Coins in a Fountain”. In the song, however, one throws a coin while making a wish and has nothing to do with a return to Rome. In the romance film of the same title, the three stars perform the act of throwing a coin while making a wish.

Two other films made use of the Trevi Fountain as a setting: "Roman holiday" and "La dolce vita". The latter was Federico Fellini's satirical portrait of Rome in the 1950s. (Rome.Info)

During my stay in Rome, someone vandalized the fountain. One news source said that someone threw dye that turned the water of the fountain red. Another news source said it was paint. What I know at that time was that it was done in connection with a sciopero (strike) called by a union. Another interesting thing. In the beginning the baseball-capped culprit was branded a vandal. Later on he was called an artist. A news source reported: “As soon as it was clear that the 18th Century baroque fountain had not been seriously damaged, intellectuals and art critics began reconsidering the gesture as something nearing genius.”

The authorities drained the fountain and by the following day it was its old self, ready to receive the coins that tourists were sure to throw.

WHAT? A CATHEDRAL INSIDE A MOSQUE?

[Photo: Mezquita Catedral (Mosque Cathedral) of Cordova, Spain]

SACRED DESTINATIONS: The Mezquita (Spanish for "Mosque") of Cordoba is a beautiful and fascinating building that symbolizes the many religious changes Cordoba has undergone over the centuries. Today, the Mezquita is the cathedral of Cordoba (officially the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption), but the vast majority of its art and architecture is the work of Islamic architects, who built it as a mosque in the 8th century. The site on which the Mezquita stands has long been a sacred space – it was host to a Roman temple dedicated to Janus and a Visigothic cathedral dedicated to St Vincent of Saragossa before the mosque was constructed in the 8th century. Finally, a cathedral was added inside the mosque by the Christian conquerors in the early 13th century.

HERITAGE HISTORY: The context for understanding the origin of the Mosque Cathedral of Cordova is the Reconquista that covered the years from 717 to 1492. In 711 the Moslem armies defeated the Visigoth kingdom and overran the Iberian Peninsula. The subsequent wars fought between Christian and Moslem armies on the Iberian Peninsula, over the next 750 years are often collectively referred to as the Reconquista, because the general trend over time was for the Christian kingdoms that originated in Asturia to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from the Moslem Moors.

The operative word is “reclaim”. That was what the Crusades were all about, too—the reclamation of the Holy Land which had been Christian – from the hands of the Moslems. Where the Crusades failed, the Christians of the Iberian Peninsula succeeded. In fact, only the Spaniards ever succeeded in throwing off the yoke of Moslem domination.

Thus, the present Mosque Cathedral was originally a Christian church dedicated to St. Vincent. It was demolished and a mosque was built over it during the Moslem occupation but reverted to a Christian church when the Moors were defeated. But instead of demolishing the mosque, the Christians just built the cathedral inside it.

At this point I would like to insert the story of the title “Mary, Help of Christians”. It is connected with Mary’s intervention on behalf of Christian Europe in its struggle against the Moslem onslaughts.

CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY: The Feast of Mary Help of Christians is celebrated on May 24.

The tradition of this advocation goes back to 1571, when the whole of Christendom was saved by Mary Help of Christians when Catholics throughout Europe prayed the Rosary. The great battle of Lepanto occurred on October 7th 1571. For this reason this date has been chosen as the feast of the Holy Rosary. In 1573 Pope Pius V instituted the feast in thanksgiving for the decisive victory of Christianity over Islam.

Near the end of the 17th century, Emperor Leopold I of Austria took refuge in the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Pasau, when 200,000 Ottoman Turks besieged the capital city of Vienna, but a great victory occurred thanks to Mary Help of Christians: on September 8th, Feast of Our Lady's Birthday, plans were drawn for the battle. On September 12, Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, Vienna was finally freed through the intercession of Mary Help of Christians. All Europe had joined with the Emperor crying out "Mary, Help!" and praying the Holy rosary.

.Today Christians in certain parts of the world continue to be persecuted. According to the group “Salviamo i Cristiani”, no other group is more persecuted: “Out of every 100 people who suffer violations to their right to religious freedom, 75 are Christians. It added that during the course of history, an estimated 70 million Christians have been martyred for their faith, including 40 million in the 20th century alone. Each year, it said there are 105,000 new Christian martyrs killed by Islamic terrorists, Hindu extremists in India, or Communists in China, North Korea and Vietnam.”

Against this background, Christians continue to need the succor of Mary, the Help of Christians.

THE TRAPPIST MONASTERY OF GUIMARAS

[Photo: Mass at the Trappist Monastery in Guimaras]

The official name of the Trappist Monastery in Guimaras is Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Abbey. The official name of the Order of the Trappist monks in that monastery is the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance. While there are several monasteries for contemplative nuns, this is the only monastery for contemplative men in the Philippines. I do not include the Benedictines of San Beda, Alabang and Malaybalay because they do not live the same kind of life as the Trasppists, although both follow the Rule of St. Benedict.

I have been to this monastery twice. The first time was just a passing visit of half an hour. I took a look at their church and then at their gift shop. The second time was for six days. I was there to give a retreat to our novices before their first profession.

During my stay I saw a Trappist monk give a retreat to a small group of women. From afar I noticed how he was able to make these women laugh as he gave them a conference. I was happy to discover that Trappists monks do not have to be serious all the time.

I witnessed their community at Mass and at Compline (something like night prayers). I found dramatic the singing of the Salve, Regina at the end of Compline. The voices of the monks reverberated throughout the church. The church itself was shrouded in darkness save for the spotlight trained on our Lady’s statue.

The monks sanctify the whole day by praying together seven times throughout the twenty-four hour period.  Compline is last. The first is called vigil. It is at 2:30 am! I didn’t go for this prayer. Too early for me. But some of our novices did go just for the experience.

The life of the monks revolves around work and prayer. They earn their living by the work of their hands. One of the monks made himself available to show us their “bakery”. Among their products are otap (mango and ube), mango bars, mango biscocho, and jellies. You can buy them at SM’s Kultura. We appreciated this monk’s hospitality. He gave us a generous serving of some of their products to taste.

This first time I became aware of the Trappists was in High School when I read Thomas Merton’s autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain. I must say that he made a great impression on me. Unfortunately, he died of electrocution in Bangkok, Thailand while attending a meeting of religious leaders.

The next time I came across another book about the Trappists was when I was a novice. I found in the library a book entitled, “The Family That Overtook Christ”. It was about the remarkable family of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. His father Tescalin has been declared “Venerable” by the Church, and his mother, Alice, his sister Humbeline, and his brothers Guy, Gerard, Andrew, Bartholomew, and Nivard have all been declared “Blessed.” The holy siblings frequently attributed their exceptional religious formation to their parents, who truly raised a generation of saints. (My Catholic Faith Delivered).

And so it was with St. Therese of the Child Jesus whose parents have been declared “Blessed”. And so it was with St. John Bosco whose mother’s cause for canonization has been introduced. Thus is proved true the “salawikain”: “Kung ano ang puno siya ang bunga”. Indeed, saints are many times the result of the influence of saintly parents.