25 October 2018

25 Oct – “This Day Is Called the Feast of Crispian…”

Probably the greatest speech in all of literature, tho' I also like the speech, obviously cribbed from this, of 'President Whitmore' in Independence Day, as they prepare to battle the aliens.


Today is the Feast of Crispin and Crispinian.
The 3rd c. martyrs Crispin and Crispinian were killed in Soissons.  They converted people as they plied their trade as cobblers and they were generous to the poor.  Eventually they were persecuted by the local governor and eventually beheaded around on 25 Oct 286 in the time of the Emperor Diocletian.  A different version has them in England, in Faversham, which is surely the version Shakespeare worked with.   St. Eligius made a reliquary for the head of Crispinian.
How could we go without some samples of the great speech?
Henry V (1944) directed by and starring Lawrence Olivier
Henry V (1989) directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh
Richard Burton’s version:
Tom Hiddleston from the Hollow Crown series. US HERE UK HERE
Renaissance Man with Lillo Brancato, Jr.
Here is another, from the well-reviewed Globe production.
Happy Feast of Sts. Crispin and Crispinian.
And let the revival of our liturgical worship continue.
The numbers of Holy Masses in the Extraordinary Form are growing, though but slowly.    Also, I fear that the number of bishops, priests and laity who accept what the Church teaches about marriage is shrinking.
For now content us saying “the fewer men, the greater share of honour”.

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