L'Eglise Aristotelicienne Romaine The Roman and Aristotelic Church

[Ettore_Asburgo_D'Argovia]

The long and sober white marble corridor was covered with paintings and a soft light entered from the huge windows, creating a strange effect of realism on the painted protagonists.
The monsignor was in front of the painting of Cardinal Kalixtus and looked at him thoughtfully.
The cerulean irises moved carefully to fix the smallest details of the painting in memory.
The Prefect crossed his arms, bending his head to one side.
The gaze finally settled on the frame and Monsignor snorted dissatisfied, shaking his head.
_________________
+ Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia
Cardinale Diacono di San Marco in Campidoglio
Primate di Venezia
Arcivescovo Metropolitano di Udine
Prefetto di Villa San Loyats
Professore alla Pontifica Universitas Studiorum Aristoteliorum
Ufficiale dell'Ordine pontificio di Nicola V

[Marie-claire-de-Montfort]

Marie Claire was surprised last night by the summons from His Excellency Monsignor
Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia, the Prefect of the Roman Museums.
She didn't have to think about what it was about. Of course she remembers her uncle's angry words about her bad work.
So today, after the morning prayer, she put on a fresh robe, braided her hip-length hair into an identical braid and put the summons in her pocket.
Now she is standing in the entrance of the very impressive museum and swallows first empty and then takes a deep breath. Silently and slowly she walks through the big hall. Deeply impressed by the glory of art and the high personalities who seem to look down on her.
In front of the picture of her uncle, Cardinal Kalixtus, she sees a man standing with his head slightly tilted. Once again she takes a breath and walks slowly and quietly towards the man with her head lowered. At an appropriate distance the student sinks into a deep curtsey and remains there until he gives her his hand so that she can respectfully kiss his ring or he calls her to stand up. She addresses him in a low but clear voice.
Most Reverend Excellency Monsignor Ektor Habsburg d'Argovia?
Marie Claire waits with her eyes lowered. Patiently and still curtseying deeply.
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[Ettore_Asburgo_D'Argovia]

Prefect Asburgo D'Argovia, wearing a black robe with amaranth red buttons, greet Marie Claire with kind words and a cautious smile.
Pax et bonum, my dear.
The cleric answered, nodding to the lady's question.
I assume you are Lady Marie Claire de Montfort-Beaumont d'Auteville, right?
He asked her in turn, helping her to stand up.
_________________
+ Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia
Cardinale Diacono di San Marco in Campidoglio
Primate di Venezia
Arcivescovo Metropolitano di Udine
Prefetto di Villa San Loyats
Professore alla Pontifica Universitas Studiorum Aristoteliorum
Ufficiale dell'Ordine pontificio di Nicola V

[Marie-claire-de-Montfort]

Pax et bonum, Excellency. Marie Claire answers and nods to his question, Yes, I am. I'm here to atone for my guilt, Your Excellency.
Come respectfully quietly and she puts her little hand in the offered hand to stand up. Upright but with humility in her gaze, the student stands there with her hands interlocked in front of her body.
She is a little bit insecure, but she is aware that she deserves the punishment. So she waits for the words of the prefect with her head slightly lowered.
_________________

[Ettore_Asburgo_D'Argovia]

Ettore, who observed the lady with curiosity, clapped his hands twice and a door opened at the end of the corridor.
A curved butler came out of it and the Prefect explained the task to the penitent.
I do not know in detail the reason why His Eminence asked me to give you this assignment, nevertheless I will make sure that your punishment is completed.
The elderly servant, tight in his austere clothes, laboriously joined the two.
The monsignor turned to thank with a broad smile the man who brought a set for cleaning the frames.
For decades Galeazzo has been cleaning the works on display with the utmost care but today you will be the one to replace it, my dear.
Galeazzo handed Marie-Claire the linen cloth and a little glass bottle filled with Hammoniacus aqua.
You can start from this painting, I recommend you be careful not to ruin the canvas.
The prefect concluded apprehensively.
_________________
+ Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia
Cardinale Diacono di San Marco in Campidoglio
Primate di Venezia
Arcivescovo Metropolitano di Udine
Prefetto di Villa San Loyats
Professore alla Pontifica Universitas Studiorum Aristoteliorum
Ufficiale dell'Ordine pontificio di Nicola V

[Marie-claire-de-Montfort]

Marie Claire is still very impressed by these masterpieces as she glides her gaze back over the high walls.
With a light smile the man entering is greeted and she looks again at the Prefect as he speaks to her again. She listens attentively, nods slightly and looks at the pictures, some of which are hung very high.
She takes the small glass bottle with Hammoniacus aqua and the linen cloth and turns to the prefect again with a light smile.

The Lord did not let me grow very tall. Is there a small ladder I could use?

If she has to atone, then she wants to do it properly. For a moment she looks at the portrait of her uncles. A very well done portrait of a great and good man. Shortly - but really only briefly - she thinks about what he would look like with a black coal mustache and has to refrain from smiling. Serious her look goes back to the prefect.
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[Ettore_Asburgo_D'Argovia]

Ettore scratched his head and nodded.
Yes, of course.. Mr Galeazzo, please, bring a ladder to the lady and help support it.
The Monsignor ordered with courtesy.
The old servant vanished and then returned with a small ladder.
Do you need anything else, my dear?
He sincerely asked Marie-Claire.
_________________
+ Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia
Cardinale Diacono di San Marco in Campidoglio
Primate di Venezia
Arcivescovo Metropolitano di Udine
Prefetto di Villa San Loyats
Professore alla Pontifica Universitas Studiorum Aristoteliorum
Ufficiale dell'Ordine pontificio di Nicola V

[Marie-claire-de-Montfort]

Marie Claire shakes her head with a light smile. No, thank you - Excellence. With the ladder, I can do it on my own. Mr Galeazzo can confidently turn to something else. She takes the ladder and places it next to the large painting on the wall, moistens the linen cloth a little with the liquid from the small glass bottle, puts it on the floor and climbs up the ladder a few steps. In such a way that the upper edge of the ladder reaches the picture frame. Gently and very carefully she strokes the golden frame. First the top, then the sides and finally the bottom. With the dry ends of the linen cloth she rubs the frame until it shines. At first she feels observed. Marie Claire continues her work with the feeling of the many high churchmen who look at her from the huge paintings with admonition.
Ladder up, ladder down again - ladder up, ladder down again - and always the golden frame is carefully cleaned first, then polished.
Ladder up, ladder down again - ladder up, ladder down again.
Slowly the feeling of being watched disappears and her thoughts drift away.

Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse,
Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse tous en rond.
Les beaux messieurs font comme ça
Et puis encore comme ça.
Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse,
Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse tous en rond."

- it sings in her head. Almost startled, Marie Claire shakes her head.

You could clean picture frames for that.

She thinks for a moment and finds something more suitable.

O most holy Cyrene Mother of universal love and compassion, we praise you for strengthening justice and peace!
Give us the strength to protect the weak from violence, Give us the wisdom of solidarity in love and virtue, Give us the courage to remain calm in the face of vice and sin, Give us the ability to ignore hatred, And forgive us for bringing iron against iron.
O most Holy Cyrene Mother of unconditional love and compassion,
we ask You to protect us from our sinful intentions, we ask You to give us the strength to fight for the greatness of the Most High,
In the virtue of Christ, our Messiah, who died a martyr to save our souls. To reflect his goodness, let us love one another in the name of the Lord!
So be it!

Silently, almost muttering, the student repeats the prayer to Cyrene over and over again, while she makes the picture frames shine with great care and caution.
_________________

[Ettore_Asburgo_D'Argovia]

Ettore had left the lady to work in peace.
He had holed up in his study to answer several missives when he noticed that the sun had lowered on the horizon.
Suddenly the Prefect remembered Marie-Claire and he went looking for her.
As soon as he crossed the threshold of the corridor, his eyes were blinded by the golden reflections.
He shielded his face with the palm of his hand then went to the windows where he pulled the curtains.
The frames of the paintings shone even though in dim light and Ettore looked at them in amazement.



A few minutes later he reached the lady, who was still finishing polishing a corner.
Meraviglioso! You did a perfect job, my warmest congratulations!
Ettore exclaimed radiantly while he tried to help her get off the ladder.
I will send a letter to the Cardinal regarding your work. Your punishment is over.
_________________
+ Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia
Cardinale Diacono di San Marco in Campidoglio
Primate di Venezia
Arcivescovo Metropolitano di Udine
Prefetto di Villa San Loyats
Professore alla Pontifica Universitas Studiorum Aristoteliorum
Ufficiale dell'Ordine pontificio di Nicola V

[Marie-claire-de-Montfort]

Up the ladder and down the ladder - up the ladder and down the ladder... one picture frame after the other is carefully cleaned. Repeating blessings or prayers in her thoughts or thinking about passages from dogma, Marie Claire goes about her work. Sounds pass by without her noticing how time passes. So she gets a little startled when the prefect speaks to her. The Sudentine smiles somewhat embarrassed as he obviously blindly praises her work and looks around and is also satisfied with her work.
Easily she puts her little hand in his, which he offers her to climb down the ladder.
You are very generous, Excellency. Marie Claire thanks him for the praise and smiles gently, looking apologetically at her hand, which smells a little of the cleaning agent. Excuse me...Come with an apologetic smile and reach for the small glass bottle and the linen cloth.
I'm sure we'll meet again. -I mean...willingly and not on the bus. They have built up a huge treasure here. So impressive and inspiring. Marie Claire sinks into a respectful curtsy to say goodbye. Arrivederci, Eccellenza Reverendissima Monsignor Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia. E' stato anche un onore.
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[Ettore_Asburgo_D'Argovia]

Suddenly the sound of a stick beaten on the floor echoed in the corridors, immediately followed by a stentorian voice declaiming.
His Eminence Kalixtus de Montfort-Beaumont d'Auteville, Cardinal Bishop of the papal basilica of St. John the Martyr, Chancellor of the Congregation for the Dissemination of the Faith, Dean of the Apostolic Signatura, Special Adviser to the Holy Inquisition, Theologian in the Congregation for the Canonization of Saints, Rector of the Pontifical University, Advocate of the Holy See, Librarian of the monastery of Heiligenbronn, Chancellor for Religious Affairs at the Court of Amenediel I, Konsar I and Thibaud I, Leader of the Reichstag of the German Kingdom, Metropolitan Archbishop of Salzburg, Pastor of Munich, Margrave of Trier, Count of Northeim, Count von Marquartstein, Count of Senigallia, Baron de Prémanon, Truchsess of Elburg!
Ettore's blue pupils dilated and he began to look around nervously.
He is here! Am I presentable? I should have taken a bath before, I knew it.
The monsignor murmured, adjusting his clothes as he could.
_________________
+ Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia
Cardinale Diacono di San Marco in Campidoglio
Primate di Venezia
Arcivescovo Metropolitano di Udine
Prefetto di Villa San Loyats
Professore alla Pontifica Universitas Studiorum Aristoteliorum
Ufficiale dell'Ordine pontificio di Nicola V

[Marie-claire-de-Montfort]

Marie Claire, too, is familiar with this sticking of the staff and turns around. Uncle Calixtus - it escapes her quietly and she now turns completely around to go into a deep curtsey and lower her head and gaze. Not to look at the obviously nervous prefect before.
I hope the Cardinal is as pleased with her work as the Prefect. So she remains in her low curtsey and with her head lowered.
_________________

[Kalixtus]

Majus anno Domini MCDLXVIII
~ Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domine ~

Vatican Museums

The Cardinal entered the Vatican Museums with a certain anticipation. For Kalixtus, art was a part of human nature, which distinguished him from animals. Even in the intellect, which man and animal shared in a special way, even the biggest and best animal did not have the sense to spend its time with the joy of fine arts. The guard announced his arrival. Followed by his two secretaries, the cardinal walked through the marble floors of the museum. This section dealt with the paintings. But the museums collected much more, much more impressive than the enormous paintings by Italian artists. Portraits and powerful historical events were captured by artists. He stopped at a painting showing the coronation of Sixtus IV. The holy curia together. Everyone looked proud and dignified from the painting. The artist captured a moment in modern history. Kalixtus thought that hundreds of years from now he himself would still be looking out of this painting frame. Then, when he himself would be nothing but dust and shadows. The painting frightened him a little. He looked at Estevan and Bardieu - they had already disappeared and were otherworldly.

The flowing red robes streaked across the floor and past the individual portraits of the cardinals. A gallery. Enormous paintings. Larger-than-life cardinals gazed out from golden frames. He observed them as he walked past with a scrutinizing look. He stopped briefly before his own portrait. He liked it very much. He seemed very examining, chosen and especially attentive. His fingers indicated the devotion he demanded before the catechesis, the teaching he seemed to hold in his hands. Kalixtus had chosen this pose very carefully, very consciously. The artist captured his essence very precisely. Excessively precise, excessively demanding. He ran his fingers over the frame and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together before holding these fingers to his nose and taking a smell sample.

The ice-blue eyes fixed Monsignor Ettore and near him he saw his niece in the robes of the cleaning staff. Laudetur Dominum, his voice echoed again from the gallery like a thunderstorm and maybe that was intended. He told his prefect to report.

_________________

[Ettore_Asburgo_D'Argovia]

As soon as Ettore saw he, the Monsignor knelt down to kiss the cardinal's ring.
Pax et bonum, Eminence. I have followed your requests to the letter.
The Prefect explained, standing up to show the result of Marie-Claire's work.
I ordered her to carefully clean all the corridor frames and the lady did her job precisely.
Then he stepped back, letting the penitent take the floor.
_________________
+ Ettore Asburgo D'Argovia
Cardinale Diacono di San Marco in Campidoglio
Primate di Venezia
Arcivescovo Metropolitano di Udine
Prefetto di Villa San Loyats
Professore alla Pontifica Universitas Studiorum Aristoteliorum
Ufficiale dell'Ordine pontificio di Nicola V

[Marie-claire-de-Montfort]

Marie Claire stays in the deep curtsey and waits, as is customary, for the Cardinal to offer her his ring for a kiss, thus giving her permission to get up again.
A light smile graces her lips as she hears the prefect's words of praise.
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