tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190794791790101691.post5921465688590580111..comments2023-07-08T20:30:18.584+01:00Comments on Grand Duchess Elizabeth And Other Stories: Saints and SuchChristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00714569232976515363noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190794791790101691.post-34095080972022288522010-10-13T09:49:49.732+01:002010-10-13T09:49:49.732+01:00Oh I absolutely agree with you, Matterhorn, that &...Oh I absolutely agree with you, Matterhorn, that 'friends on the other side' are as real and helpful as physical friends (and more easily accessible at any time of day or night!). I just don't always like the supposed 'virtues' they were supposed to embody on earth, and do think they can be made into something they never were.<br />I am looking forward to reading your post as I know very little about Elizabeth of France.<br />Thank you for a lovely comment.Christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00714569232976515363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190794791790101691.post-9346249538235788162010-10-12T20:17:43.124+01:002010-10-12T20:17:43.124+01:00Yes, it is a pity when hagiography turns complex, ...Yes, it is a pity when hagiography turns complex, full-blooded human beings into bloodless phantoms or puppets for political purposes. Still, I don't think this necessarily has to happen, and I would not reject the whole idea of devotion to saints for that reason. <br /><br />A few months ago, for instance, I was reading a biography of Madame Elisabeth of France, sister of Louis XVI, by her (distant) relation, Princess Henriette of Belgium:<br />http://crossoflaeken.blogspot.com/2010/06/elisabeth-and-henriette.html<br /><br />Henriette had a great devotion to Elisabeth and campaigned to have her beatified. Yet, in her book, she does a great job of making Elisabeth come alive, as a strong, well-rounded personality with joys and sorrows, lights and shadows, struggles and triumphs. By the end, I really agreed with Henriette that Elisabeth ought to be publicly honored by the Church for her heroic virtues- but that did not detract from her humanity at all, quite the opposite.<br /><br />As for patron saints, I've always found the idea of saints "specializing" in certain areas of life rather comforting. I think of it this way: when you have friends, on earth, with interests/experience in certain areas, wouldn't you consult with them, if you had a related problem or question? I guess patron saints are the "heavenly" version of this...<br /><br />Best wishes, as always.Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230268418171628594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190794791790101691.post-15574886276066817122010-09-21T06:47:27.090+01:002010-09-21T06:47:27.090+01:00it s all about the way u live your life to become ...it s all about the way u live your life to become a saint!get facebook fanshttp://fbfanengine.com/noreply@blogger.com