{Catholic Circles}[25th December 1988]

[Redbook6:70-71)][19881225:0115]{Catholic Circles}[25th December 1988]

19881225.0115

Watching ITV’s Midnight Mass at St. John’s Roman Catholic church, Banbury – I was interested to see the details of the emblem on the vestments worn by the Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham, which if I remember it right was like this:

The fishes (which may have been reversed, but I hope not) are placed in exactly the right place for the Chi-Rho [sic]** symbol’s loop to represent the return at Crisis. I knew of the fish symbol’s appropriation by early Christians, but did not know (or had forgotten) that the astrological double-opposed-fishes were used: I thought that there was only one fish.

The implication of the returning loop is that the transformation and return onto the Inner Circle happen through Christ, not just near to him: and that the danger of continuing on round the Outer Circle again must be so much the closer.

*Apparently, an inscription bearing the chi-rho*** monogram was found in a tomb at Pompeii, dating from 2½ centuries before [the Roman Emperor] Constantine had it painted on his [soldiers’] shields, (ie c60 a.d.) (– Baigent, Leigh, Lincoln, ‘The Messianic Legacy’ (London, 1986), p36, referring to Goodenough, ‘Jewish Symbols in the Graeco-Roman period, 12 vols (NY, 1953), vol 7, p178ff. <891013>

**[sic – there is no Chi (X) in this image, which appears to be based on the Rho (P) combined with the Calvary Cross as in the Crucifix. The comments in the Journal entry appear to be unaffected by this.]

***[A monogram of chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ) as the first two letters of the Greek ‘Khristos’ (Christ):

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