Saint Gothic Designs

King Moon Magazine X The Fairy Thorn

by: Wish Fire

Saint Gothic

King Moon Magazine X The Fairy Thorn
"God's love warms the heart and drives away the devil's cold."
— St. Seraphim of Sarov
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SUPER☆SOUL
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perfection is the only word
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King Moon Magazine X The Fairy Thorn
if looks could kill
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King Moon Magazine X The Fairy Thorn
Lesser known and/or rare orthodox iconographic representations..
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Koharu Hinata updated TikTok✨
Come comment on what you're doing for Golden Week
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The fleur-de-lys, a Marian symbol, connects to hawthorn’s floral imagery.
May is dedicated to Mary, and hawthorn flowers, often called “May blossoms,” are associated with her purity and love, as their white petals symbolize innocence. In some traditions, hawthorn garlands adorn
Marian shrines during May crownings. The Visitation, when Mary visits Elizabeth, ties to hawthorn’s themes of love and community.
His feast aligns with Beltane, where hawthorns symbolize fertility and protection.
The hawthorn’s protective thorns resonate with Joseph’s role as protector of the Holy Family.
St. Joseph is linked to the Glastonbury Thorn, a hawthorn said to have sprouted miraculously from his staff when he visited Britain, according to legend.
Symbolism: Hawthorns embody duality—love and protection, beauty and danger. Their white flowers (linked to weddings) and red berries (blood or life) inspire tales of transformation, sacrifice, or enchantment.
Hawthorns are tied to the Glastonbury Thorn, said to sprout from Joseph of Arimathea’s staff, blooming at Christmas. This blends Christian and pagan elements, with hawthorns as divine or magical.
Celtic Tradition: Hawthorns are sacred in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, often called “May trees.” They mark fairy paths or sacred sites, and cutting them is taboo. This fuels stories of fairy retribution or blessings.
Hawthorns are linked to Beltane (May Day), when their blossoms signal spring. They’re portals to the fairy world, granting visions or blessings.
Source: Variants appear in Scottish folklore, documented in works like The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands by Anne Ross.
The Hawthorn’s Gift (Scottish Folktale)
Story: A poor girl rests under a hawthorn during Beltane and dreams of a fairy queen who offers her a choice:
beauty, wealth, or wisdom. She chooses wisdom, and the hawthorn’s berries grant her insight to solve village disputes. In some versions, she becomes a seer, guarded by the hawthorn’s magic.
This reflects hawthorn’s dual symbolism of love (its flowers) and protection (its thorns), common in Celtic lore. It also ties to myths of tree-spirits or dryads.
The Hawthorn Maiden (Celtic-Inspired Tale)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_bamkauH1Q&list=RD5MJIbkGHXOo&index=4
Story: A lesser-known tale describes a maiden who transforms into a hawthorn tree to escape a cruel suitor. Her white blossoms represent her purity, and her thorns her defiance..
A kind wanderer, respecting the tree, is blessed with her love when she reveals her true form. In darker versions, the suitor tries to cut the tree and is cursed, entangled in thorns forever
Hawthorns symbolize protection and boundaries in British tales. Their thorns and association with fairies make them ideal for magical barriers.
The Hawthorn and the Sleeping Princess (British Folktale Variant)
Story: In some versions of “Sleeping Beauty” or related tales, the castle is surrounded by a magical hawthorn hedge rather than briars.
The thorns grow impenetrably under a fairy’s spell, protecting the sleeping princess until the destined prince arrives. The hawthorns part only for the worthy suitor.
Lone hawthorns, especially in fields, are believed to be fairy gathering spots. Disturbing them invites bad luck. This motif appears in many Irish oral tales, emphasizing respect for nature’s sacred spaces.
The Fairy Thorn (Irish Folklore)
Story: In Irish tales, hawthorns are “fairy trees,” sacred to the Sidhe (fairies). One tale tells of a farmer who cuts down a lone hawthorn, ignoring warnings. That night,
fairies curse his family with illness or misfortune, and his crops fail. Only by planting a new hawthorn and offering gifts to the fairies does he lift the curse.
Formal witch trials were spread throughout the year, driven by broader religious and social forces. The night’s connection to witches stems from its blend of Christian (Saint Walpurga’s feast) and pagan (May Day) traditions, amplified by later literary works like Goethe’s Faust.
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King Moon Magazine X The Fairy Thorn
Big hailstorm, east of Taif, Saudi Arabia a short while ago....
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https://www.army.mil/article/285100
No large-scale, organized witch hunts specifically took place on Walpurgis Night, but the date’s folklore about witches’ gatherings likely heightened community suspicions and reinforced anti-witch rituals, like burning effigies
Between 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo painted the Sistine chapel's ceiling, a project that changed the course of Western art and is regarded as one of the major artistic accomplishments of human civilization
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IT’S OFFICIALLY MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH!
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Let’s stand united in gratitude for the heroic men and women who defend this great nation every day.
Less mass. More muscle.
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King Moon Magazine X The Fairy Thorn
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After the service, I stepped out to explore the Abbey’s grounds, finding layers of history everywhere. The shrine of St Columba had been rebuilt in the last century, but near it was a Celtic cross that had stood on the same spot for 1,200 years & the rocky hillock where St Columba had his writing hut looking over the monastery that he had travelled across the sea from Ireland to found. Everywhere you stepped was history, legend & the mystical
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She founded the 1st monastery here at Minster in 670AD!
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Walpurga was born in the county of Devonshire, England, into a local aristocratic family.
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She was an Anglo-Saxon nun who went to Germany as a missionary in 8thC
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Saint Mildred
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all part of its Gothic splendor.
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From the outside, it is a marvel of engineering and architecture from the "Dark Ages" — Romanesque and Gothic to be exact.
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It sits atop steep terraces, layered in such a way that was meant to reach towards heaven — a physical representation of spiritual aspiration.
Wiblingen Benedictine Abbey
The abbey church is preserved, now a basilica, and which was later used as military barracks.
Today its buildings house various departments of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ulm.
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It was completed in the 15th century after a riot by the townspeople burned down the previous roof, and is beautifully painted.
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An abbey fit for a princess 
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Wenlock was the site of a monastery for nearly 900 years, starting with Wimnicas, a 'dual-house' for monks and nuns. The head was often an abbess of royal birth, in this case, Saint Milburga, an Anglo-Saxon princess
This beautiful Romanesque abbey was founded in 1073 as an Augustinian monastery and the church was built between 1085-1125.
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The stunning gothic and Romanesque Chester Cathedral which was formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Werburgh.
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A Benedictine Abbey and site of an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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It’s possible Walpurga wrote other texts (e.g., letters or liturgical works), but only the Vita Wynnebaldi and Hodoeporicon are definitively attributed to her. Any additional writings may have been lost or unattributed.
They survive in collections like the Acta Sanctorum and early medieval codices, attesting to their enduring value.
the Anglo-Saxon missionary movement, which was pivotal in spreading Christianity across modern Germany and beyond.
Her texts contributed to the hagiographic tradition, shaping how saints’ lives were recorded and venerated. They also helped elevate her brothers’ reputations, ensuring their canonization and lasting veneration
Her writings challenge the assumption that intellectual contributions in the early Middle Ages were male-dominated.
However, the consensus leans toward her as the primary author, given the personal tone and her intimate knowledge of her brothers’ lives. The texts are preserved in manuscripts like the 9th-century Codex Monacensis.
While some medieval sources attribute these texts to Walpurga, modern scholars occasionally debate the extent of her direct authorship versus collaboration with scribes or monks.
Walpurga’s ability to write in Latin, a scholarly language, stemmed from her 26 years at Wimborne Abbey, a center of learning where nuns copied manuscripts and studied scripture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I6clcodgPg&list=RD5MJIbkGHXOo&index=10
The work is a key source for historians studying early medieval pilgrimage routes, Byzantine and Islamic regions (as Willibald traveled through them), and the spread of Christianity in Europe. It also highlights Walpurga’s role in preserving her family’s legacy.
Walpurga wrote this text based on Willibald’s oral accounts, demonstrating her ability to compile and narrate complex stories. The Hodoeporicon is one of the earliest detailed pilgrimage accounts from
Hodoeporicon of Saint Willibald:
Content: This is a travelogue and biography of her other brother, Willibald, who became the Bishop of Eichstätt. The Hodoeporicon (from Greek,
Western Europe, offering a rare glimpse into early medieval travel, geography, and religious devotion.
meaning “travel narrative”) recounts Willibald’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Rome, and other sites between 720 and 730, as well as his missionary work in Germany.
The text provides a firsthand account of 8th-century monastic life and missionary challenges in Germania, including interactions with pagan communities. It also reflects the
organizational structure of double monasteries, where men and women lived under the same rule, often led by an abbess like Walpurga.
Written in Latin, the Vita Wynnebaldi showcases Walpurga’s education and command of the language, a skill she likely honed at Wimborne Abbey. The work is a hagiography, a common genre of the time,
but it’s remarkable for its personal perspective, as Walpurga knew her subject intimately.
Saint Walpurga is credited with authoring two significant works, which are notable for their historical and literary value, especially given the rarity of female writers in the 8th century:
Vita Wynnebaldi (Life of Saint Winibald):
Content: This is a biography of her brother Winibald, who founded the double monastery at Heidenheim, where Walpurga later served as abbess. The text details his missionary work, establishment
of monastic communities, and spiritual life, offering insights into the Christianization efforts in the Frankish Empire.
Some sources note the conflation of Walpurga with pagan figures like Waldborg, a fertility goddess, which may explain her association with witches in folklore, despite her role in combating pagan sorcery.
Walpurgis Night remains a vibrant festival in Northern and Central Europe, blending Christian and pagan elements with bonfires and celebrations.
Her legacy endures at St. Walburga’s Abbey in Eichstätt, a Benedictine community in Virginia Dale, Colorado, and St. Walburg Monastery in Covington, Kentucky.
Walpurga was known for healing pagans and performing miracles, such as calming seas and curing illnesses. Her oil, first noted in 893, is central to her veneration, with pilgrims visiting her Eichstätt shrine to obtain vials.
Depicted in the 11th-century Hitda Codex holding stylized grain stalks (not a palm branch, as she wasn’t martyred), symbolizing her connection to agrarian traditions, possibly linked to pagan “Grain Mother” concepts. Farmers crafted corn dollies in her likeness at harvest.
The eve of May 1, known as Walpurgisnacht, coincides with her canonization and the translation of her relics. Originally a Christian feast, it merged with pre-Christian May Day traditions, including bonfires
to ward off evil spirits. In folklore, it’s associated with witches’ gatherings, though Walpurga herself was revered for countering witchcraft.
Walpurga is the patron saint of Eichstätt and Weilburg (Germany), Antwerp, Oudenarde, and Veurne (Belgium), and several Dutch towns. She is invoked against rabies, storms, and for sailors.
her feast day is February 25, though May 1 (commemorating her relics’ translation) was historically celebrated, especially in the 11th century.
She died on February 25, 777 or 779, and was buried at Heidenheim. In 870, her remains were moved to Eichstätt, where they were found to exude a miraculous oil, known as “
Saint Walburga’s oil,” believed to heal ailments like rabies, plague, and coughs. This oil continues to flow from her relics, except during periods of desecration, and is distributed by Benedictine nuns.
Abbess of Heidenheim: Walpurga became a nun at the double monastery of Heidenheim, founded by her brother Willibald. After Willibald’s death in 751, she was appointed abbess, and following Winibald’s death in 760, she also supervised the men’s monastery, a rare role for a woman.
In 748, Walpurga joined her uncle Boniface in Germany to evangelize pagan communities. She traveled with her brothers to Francia (modern Württemberg and Franconia),
facing challenges like treacherous seas, where she reportedly calmed a storm through prayer, earning a reputation as a miracle worker.
At age 11, her father entrusted her to Wimborne Abbey in Dorset, where she was educated for 26 years. The nuns there were skilled in manuscript copying and Opus Anglicanum (fine embroidery), and Walpurga
likely learned Latin, later writing accounts of her brothers’ lives, earning her recognition as one of the first female authors of England and Germany.
Walpurga was born in Dumnonia (modern Devon), daughter of Richard the Pilgrim (a likely Britonnic underking) and Wuna of Wessex. Her brothers, Willibald and Winibald, and her uncle, Saint Boniface, were also key figures in missionary work.
Saint Walpurga (or Walburga), born around 710 in Devon, England, was an Anglo-Saxon missionary, nun, and abbess who played a significant role in the Christianization of the Frankish Empire.
#SaintWalpurga, painted c. 1535 with a moonlike halo and as shown in the Hitda Codex (c. 1000) holding grainstalks.
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Saint Walpurga, abbess, healer, evangelizer. She was said to have the power to calm the seas.
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Walpurga is recognized by her crown & fiery shoes. She carries a spindle & a mirror that foretells the future.
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In the nights leading up to Mayday, she can be seen in the sky being chased by the Wild Hunt, a ghostly troop of riders representing winter.
Walpurgisnacht, or the Night of St. Walpurgis, is named for an Anglo-Saxon saint, traditionally a night one used to protect against witchcraft and prepare for the growing season
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Saint Walpurga, an abbess in France in the 8th century is reputed to have fought and stood against the practice of witchcraft.
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the patron Saint of Sailors,
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Walpurgis Night (30th April): Saint Walpurga was said to protect against witchcraft. Across Europe, bonfires were lit to ward off evil spirits. 
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Betta St. John
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The Last Drive-IN season 7 episode 3 it’s a Walpurgisnacht celebration
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On the occasion of Prada Fifth Avenue men’s boutique opening at 720 Fifth Avenue, guests gathered to celebrate the event with a special performance by Giveon, including Prada Ambassador Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Claire Danes.
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I’m having the time of my life…
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Here’s some stunning Hawthorn (May) Blossom I captured last year. Careful with your fires folks, it’s like a tinder box out there.
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Modern Echoes: Even today, some rural communities in Ireland and Britain avoid disturbing hawthorns. For example, road projects have been rerouted to preserve lone hawthorn trees due to local beliefs, like the case of the DeLorean factory in Northern Ireland in the 1980s.
Dual Symbolism: Hawthorns embody both hope and danger. Their white blossoms represent purity and spring, but their thorns and fairy connections evoke caution. In Scottish folklore, they’re linked to both life (through fertility) and death (as a haunt for spirits).
Hawthorn was associated with love and romance. In some traditions, it was used in wedding ceremonies or as a charm to attract love. However, its dual nature meant it could also symbolize forbidden or dangerous love due to its fairy ties.
The Glastonbury Thorn: A famous legend involves the Glastonbury Thorn in Somerset, England. It’s said to have sprouted from Joseph of Arimathea’s staff when he visited Glastonbury, linking it to early Christianity.
This hawthorn (or its descendants) blooms twice a year, including around Christmas, and is seen as miraculous. Cuttings are sent to the British monarch annually.
May Day and Fertility: Hawthorns bloom around May, tying them to Beltane and May Day celebrations. Their blossoms symbolized fertility and renewal.
In England, hawthorn branches were used to decorate maypoles or worn as garlands, though bringing blooms indoors was sometimes seen as bad luck, possibly due to their strong scent or fairy associations.
Protection and Warding: Hawthorns were planted near homes or used in hedges to protect against evil spirits, witches, or malevolent forces.
Their thorns were thought to have apotropaic (evil-repelling) properties. Sprigs of hawthorn were hung over doorways or placed in cradles to safeguard children from harm.
Fairy Connections: In Celtic and British folklore, hawthorns are considered sacred to fairies. They’re often called “fairy trees” or “faerie thorns.” Solitary hawthorns in fields were believed to be gateways to the fairy realm, and disturbing
them could anger fairies, bringing bad luck or curses. In Ireland, cutting down a hawthorn, especially a “fairy thorn,” was taboo, and stories abound of misfortune befalling those who did, like illness or crop failure.
Hawthorn trees (Crataegus species) are steeped in folklore, particularly in Europe, where they’re often linked to magic, protection, and the supernatural
Some noteworthy post−thirteenth-century Gothic styles in Spain are the Levantine Gothic, characterized by its structural achievements and the unification of space, and the Isabelline Gothic, under the
Catholic Monarchs, that predicated a slow transition to Renaissance architecture. Gothic construction ended in Spain in the sixteenth century
In some cases the Gothic style was built and decorated with Mudéjar elements by Mudéjar craftsmen and Christian craftsmen influenced by them, creating a highly distinctive Gothic style unique to Spain and Portugal
The High Gothic arrives with all its strength via the pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James, in the thirteenth century. Some of the most pure Gothic cathedrals in Spain, closest related to the German and French Gothic, were built at this time.
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Spanish Gothic architecture is the style of architecture prevalent in Spain in the Late Medieval period. The Gothic style started in Spain as a result of
Central European influence in the twelfth century when late Romanesque alternated with few expressions of pure Gothic architecture.
Plateresque:
This style emerged between late Gothic and early Renaissance, characterized by ornate facades, Gothic spatial concepts, and a blend of Mudéjar, Flamboyant Gothic, Lombard,
and Renaissance elements. It reached its peak in Salamanca and other cities of the Iberian Peninsula.
Isabelline Style (or Isabelline Gothic):
This style, dominant in Castile during the late 15th and early 16th centuries, represents a transition between late Gothic and early
Renaissance, with unique Castilian, Flemish, Mudéjar, and Italian architectural influences. It's a debated topic among art historians whether it's a phase of Gothic, Renaissance, or an eclectic style
Latin Cross Plan:
Gothic cathedrals in Spain often follow the traditional Latin cross plan with a central nave and two side naves.
Stained Glass:
Spanish Gothic cathedrals are renowned for their elaborate stained glass windows, which add a vibrant color and light to the interiors
Catalan Gothic: Characterized by a balance of width and height, with buttresses as tall as the naves and less emphasis on extreme heights like other Gothic styles
Regional Variations:
Levantine Gothic: Known for its structural achievements and unified spaces, seen in Valencia and the eastern coast of
Spain.
Catalan
Isabelline Gothic: A late Gothic style (also known as Castilian Late Gothic)prevalent during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II, in Castile, featuring decorative influences and the transition to Renaissance.
Key Features:
Spanish Gothic, like other Gothic styles, utilizes pointed arches, slender columns, flying buttresses, and rib vaults. These elements create a sense of height and grandeur
Flying Buttresses:
External supports that help to counteract the outward thrust of the roof and walls, enabling taller structures.
Large Stained Glass Windows:
A defining feature of Gothic architecture, bringing light and color to the interior.
Ornate Decoration:
Gothic architecture often features intricate carvings, sculpture, and other embellishments.
A style of Gothic Revival architecture developed specifically for educational buildings.
Key Elements of Gothic Architecture:
Pointed Arches:
A key structural and aesthetic element, allowing for taller structures and wider openings.
Ribbed Vaults:
A system of arches that support the roof, enabling lighter and more open ceilings.
Other Notable Gothic Styles:
Gothic Revival:
A revival of the Gothic style in the 19th and 20th centuries, often incorporating more ornate details and applying the style to non-religious buildings.
Neo-Gothic:
A term used to describe 20th-century Gothic Revival architecture, particularly in the context of applying Gothic Revival ideas to modern skyscrapers, according to ACE Mentor Tools.
Regional Styles of Gothic Architecture:
English Gothic:
Evolved through Early English, Decorated Gothic (with elaborate window tracery), and Perpendicular Gothic (focused on vertical lines and large windows
vertical lines and large windows).
Spanish Gothic:
Features unique combinations of European techniques with the Mudéjar style, often incorporating elements from the former mosque.
German Gothic:
Known for its vaulted hall churches, with a focus on open spaces and impressive scale.
French Gothic:
Characterized by the sense of verticality, Latin cross layout, open and illuminated interiors, and ornate details.
Phases of Gothic Architecture:
Early Gothic (c. 1120-1200):
Marked by the development of the pointed arch and ribbed vault, but with less emphasis on large windows and ornate decoration
High Gothic (c. 1200-1280):
Features greater emphasis on height, light, and ornate decoration, as exemplified by the "Rayonnant" style in France.
Late Gothic (king moon
c. 1280-1500):
Also known as "Flamboyant," this style is characterized by flowing lines, elaborate tracery in windows, and a more ornate aesthetic.
Early Gothic, High Gothic (Rayonnant), Late Gothic (Flamboyant), regional styles like English Gothic and Spanish Gothic. Each phase and region developed unique characteristics, though all shared fundamental Gothic elements like pointed archesribbed vaults, and flying buttresses..