On May 25 HIH Prince Hasan Orhan Efendi of the former Ottoman Empire died in Cairo, Egypt at the age of 64 after a long struggle with cancer. The Mad Monarchist sends condolences to the Imperial House of Osman on this sad occasion. Across North Africa HRH Princess Lalla Salma chaired a “celebration” for the World Health Organization’s “World No Tobacco Day”; a worthy cause perhaps but one that does not impress The Mad Monarchist. Their slogan was that every day should be ‘no tobacco day’. Perish the thought or besides myself there will be a great number of cranky royals.
On Wednesday HM King Constantine II of the Hellenes celebrated his 70th birthday. It was 37 years ago that the monarch was forced into exile and given all that has happened recently one cannot help but wonder if any Greeks have reflected on the wisdom of their form of government as well as their economic policies. Will anything come of it? Most likely not, but even that says something. Were Greece a monarchy undergoing such hardship it would be at precisely such a moment that republican revolutionaries would strike to bring down the monarchy, taking advantage of the national misfortune. That monarchs do not attempt the same is something in itself worth consideration. In any event, a happy birthday to His Majesty the King!
Friday, HH Pope Benedict XVI traveled to the Greek half of the divided island of Cyprus, despite the recent murder of a bishop and apostolic vicar in Turkey one day before the bishop was to go to Cyprus in preparation for the papal visit. The Pontiff will be meeting with Catholic and Orthodox representatives to address the ongoing exodus of Christians from the Middle East, particularly the Holy Land and Iraq where the Christian presence is dwindling to almost nothing. The Pontiff will not be visiting the Turkish half of the island but has not ruled out meeting with Muslim leaders. Orthodox leaders denounced Muslim aggression on the island but the Pope did not comment. I guess (if I may be allowed a bit of impertinence) that in a conflict between Christians and Muslims some in the Vatican don’t want to take sides.
In Scandinavian royal news Crown Princess Mary of Denmark lent her voice to the campaign to end bullying in schools (a worldwide problem I guess) and it was pomp and ceremony, finery and fanfare in the Kingdom of Norway where the Royal Family hosted a state visit by HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands Tuesday-Friday. Speeches were exchanged, though I could have done without King Harald mentioning the shared devotion of Holland and Norway to the UN, while Queen Beatrix focused on the long friendship and old ties between the two Royal Families. Sweden is still making plans for the upcoming wedding and at the moment the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark are in Washington DC to promote their homeland, among other things, and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Danish embassy there. There are not expected to meet with the President.
In the East, Naoto Kan, a vocal populist leader from the more leftist wing of the Democratic Party was won election to be the next Prime Minister of Japan. He will be formally installed in office by HIM Emperor Akihito later this month. He will try to work a miracle ahead of upcoming elections at a time when Japan is plagued by overspending, massive debt and a welfare-state sure to go under due to the dangerous lack of young people; yet another country feeling the effects of committing itself to extinction through a lack of reproduction. We need babies folks -it is no joke; they’re not just cute, they’re necessary.
On Wednesday HM King Constantine II of the Hellenes celebrated his 70th birthday. It was 37 years ago that the monarch was forced into exile and given all that has happened recently one cannot help but wonder if any Greeks have reflected on the wisdom of their form of government as well as their economic policies. Will anything come of it? Most likely not, but even that says something. Were Greece a monarchy undergoing such hardship it would be at precisely such a moment that republican revolutionaries would strike to bring down the monarchy, taking advantage of the national misfortune. That monarchs do not attempt the same is something in itself worth consideration. In any event, a happy birthday to His Majesty the King!
Friday, HH Pope Benedict XVI traveled to the Greek half of the divided island of Cyprus, despite the recent murder of a bishop and apostolic vicar in Turkey one day before the bishop was to go to Cyprus in preparation for the papal visit. The Pontiff will be meeting with Catholic and Orthodox representatives to address the ongoing exodus of Christians from the Middle East, particularly the Holy Land and Iraq where the Christian presence is dwindling to almost nothing. The Pontiff will not be visiting the Turkish half of the island but has not ruled out meeting with Muslim leaders. Orthodox leaders denounced Muslim aggression on the island but the Pope did not comment. I guess (if I may be allowed a bit of impertinence) that in a conflict between Christians and Muslims some in the Vatican don’t want to take sides.
In Scandinavian royal news Crown Princess Mary of Denmark lent her voice to the campaign to end bullying in schools (a worldwide problem I guess) and it was pomp and ceremony, finery and fanfare in the Kingdom of Norway where the Royal Family hosted a state visit by HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands Tuesday-Friday. Speeches were exchanged, though I could have done without King Harald mentioning the shared devotion of Holland and Norway to the UN, while Queen Beatrix focused on the long friendship and old ties between the two Royal Families. Sweden is still making plans for the upcoming wedding and at the moment the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark are in Washington DC to promote their homeland, among other things, and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Danish embassy there. There are not expected to meet with the President.
In the East, Naoto Kan, a vocal populist leader from the more leftist wing of the Democratic Party was won election to be the next Prime Minister of Japan. He will be formally installed in office by HIM Emperor Akihito later this month. He will try to work a miracle ahead of upcoming elections at a time when Japan is plagued by overspending, massive debt and a welfare-state sure to go under due to the dangerous lack of young people; yet another country feeling the effects of committing itself to extinction through a lack of reproduction. We need babies folks -it is no joke; they’re not just cute, they’re necessary.
in what comes to the Vatican, i'd advise prudence, and i believe they are acting according to it.
ReplyDeleteorthodox-muslim relations have always been dire in recent past, an the Church should not get involved in compromising situations.
Manuel Pinto de Rezende
Pleased to see the mention about the House of Osman - great!
ReplyDeleteI've been to Northern Cyprus and these topics are so complex, it's not really even about Christian v. Muslim - goes much deeper and requires much study.
Contrary to Greek propaganda, Turkish Cyprus is extraordinarily friendly, and has many sites maintained, such the amazing St Hilarion's Castle, where St Hilarion - OF GAZA! - fled and lived in seclusion, performing many miraculous healings, according to accounts.
Too bad the Pope did not choose to go see that. He would have welcomed even more warmly.
In contrast, many the Greek Orthodox in the South are up in arms and it's worse than has made it into the media. There's really a lot of hostility toward Catholics in general which we never hear about unless tuned into those channels. Most Catholics are glossy-eyed about a quick reunification of the Churches, but you have to hear what many Orthodox are really grumbling - not with reason, I believe.
But one has to apprehend the reality: they are VERY hostile to the Pope, talk disparagingly about "Papism" with barely concealed hatred.
For example, Metropolitan Hilarion {Alfeyev} is diplomatic, warm and friendly toward Rome.
But you should hear what the rest of his Moscow Patriarchate says...and many conservative Greeks as well.
Reporting some of the true state of things.
In short, the real problem as I see it is
Catholic-Orthodox relations. Not Catholic-Muslim relations, which are muted and on the back burner.
We should pray for safety for all!
Readers will be interested to know that Pope Benedict XVI today met with a strong supporter of monarchy and a staunch warrior against the scourge of democracy that is currently threatening the human race. I refer Shaykh Nazim Haqqani whose site Sultanat is to be found:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.saltanat.org/
He broadcasts everyday giving the spiritual basis of monarcchy and grounds for resisting democracy.
One finds the Shaykh leading prayers often with Muslim royals standing at his side. He also supports traditional leadership, i.e., the nobility in Europe and the Muslim world.
I did not know the Shaykh was that particular in emphasizing monarchy. However, I knew he had seemed to show special concern for the monarchies of Malaysia and Brunei but I had never heard much beyond that.
ReplyDeleteWe should not forget that Pope Benedict XVI accepts the French Revolution's friendly face, as he would perhaps call it, i.e., the American Revolution of 1776. This he proclaimed in a speech before the curia in December of 2005. Vatican Council II, he said, re-visited the question of the French Revolution and its documents show that it accepts what is genuinely democratic in 1789 whilst rejecting the Terror. Though Catholic, I personally am at odds with the Pope Benedict XVI's teaching in this matter as I am at odds with the teachings of Vatican Council II and its espousal of French Revolutionary slogans like "Freedom of Religion." God has shown Himself pleased with monarchy in all His scriptures Is it not the only really adequate symbol of Heavenly sovereignty?
ReplyDeleteTo MadMonarchist:
ReplyDeleteYes, this Shaykh Nazim is most strong in his support of the Ottoman family and indeed royals everywhere, although he doesn't seem so enthusiastic about the Saudi's. Perhaps this is because they are usurpers from the legitimate Hashemite Kingdom of the Hijaz. Also I think the Saudis are considered heretics by traditional Muslims.
Nazim Effendi seems to start from the premise that 14 July !789 is humanity's darkest darkest day. The site which I mentioned, Saltanat, publishes a small news bulletin available in pdf format which records the Shaykh's most recent statements on kingship and monarchy.
Your site and that one, I think, are most useful in combating the false beliefs spread by the French Revolution: Religious Liberty, Republicanism, Abolition of Titles and the State Church, Universal Suffrage, the Career Open to Talents, etc. I really enjoyed your entries like the recent one on King Charles X.
THANKS for this mention of Sheikh Nazim's meeting - I had no idea who were the Muslim leaders at the meetings.
ReplyDeleteSheikh Nazim has had his headquarters in Cyprus for many decades, so he is a natural.
Real Muslims are EXTREMELY sympathetic to real Christians, contrary to everything the press would have one believe. Hence I'm sure he very much wanted to meet the Pope.
That is good news indeed. For sure, this Sheikh from what's called the Naqshbandi Order of Sufi dervishes [ascetics] is a hearty monarchist and deserves praise and prayers from open minded pro-monarchist people like us all over the world.
He firmly believes, for one example, that the British royal family should actually RULE.
Sheikh Nazim does take missionary trips to far flung Muslim nations, like Brunei. In fact he has thousands of devoted European followers. Especially Germans, curiously, when I was keeping track. Large numbers of Americans, too. Old Sufi friends of mine hosted his spiritual deputy and representative for America, Sheikh Hisham, the probably heir.
What is not realized, too, is that various Naqshbandi branches have quietly become extremely powerful in business, government circles throughout Turkey and Turkish Cyprus. Many young people have flocked. I met impressively devoted - and smart - spiritual students who espouse these traditional and pro-monarchist beliefs. You will never hear this, but the Sufi Brotherhoods are coming back after long persecution by the almost communist Ataturk with regard to religion.
The Naqshbandi Order [of which there are various branches with different heads, just to explain] is probably the best organized and influential throughout Turkish society.
Hoping for the restoration of the Ottomans any day now....
The poster above is absolutely right w/ regard to the architects and heavy pushers of Vatican II, of which we know Pope Benedict was one.
I was reading in the updated edition of the classic "The Devil's Final Battle" put out by The Fatima Center that those theologians actually BOASTED about having brought about the equivalent of the Church's French Revolution. There are many examples cited if anyone wishes to pursue this angle.
Time for a really monarchist Pope - who in fact may be the only type which would perform the Consecration of Russia AS Our Lady of Fatima requested, staving off massive catastrophe thereby for the entire world as hinted at by the Apparitions.
Princess Ragnhild of Norway celebrated her 80th birthday this week & I'd love to see a post on her as she is possibly the most interesting member of the Norwegian Royal Family .
ReplyDelete