Leicester Cathedral, closed for two years for its Revealed project, involving a complete upgrading of its infrastructure, [reopened] on Sunday November 26th].

The project was viewed as more urgent in light of a tenfold increase in visitors since King Richard III’s tomb was created in 2015…. The exterior of the cathedral has been made good, and the interior, which was essentially still that of the Victorian city-centre church of St Martin’s, though its origins went back to at least the 12th century, has been transformed.

Repairs to crumbling stonework on the south side have included the restoration of the parapets and the rebuilding of the buttresses and some of the facing stones.

Read it all.

"We’re very keen to welcome new audiences and to make sure that the whole community is not only welcome here, but can see themselves here" – Acting Dean, Karen Rooms. Details of the Cathedral's renovation & the inspiring vision behind it in @ChurchTimes: https://t.co/RhJwXJuueT

— Diocese of Leicester (@leicestercofe) November 24, 2023

‘The following story is told of Judge [Horace] Gray, now in the US Supreme Court: “A man was brought before him who was justly charged with being an offender of the meanest sort. Through some technicality the Judge was obliged to discharge him, but as he did so he chose the time to say what he though of the matter. I believe you guilty, he said, and would wish to condemn you severely, but through a petty technicality I am obliged to discharge you. I know you are guilty, and so do you, and I wish you to remember that one day you will stand before a better and perhaps wiser Judge, when you will be dealt with according to justice and not according to law.”’

–Chicago Tribune, Friday March 7, 1884, page 4

“The bonds of citizenship derive from people’s place of birth not from their blood.”

– Justice Horace Gray

[United States Vs. Wong Kim Ark (1898)]#14thAmendment pic.twitter.com/5Ah02bs1b8

— Shamel (@ShamelLakin) August 13, 2020

Russia sent waves of explosive drones to strike cities across Ukraine in the largest attack since last winter that likely marks the start of a fresh campaign aimed at demoralizing and dislocating Ukrainians.

Ukraine’s military said it intercepted all but one of 75 Shahed drones overnight, most of which were targeted at Kyiv. Authorities in the capital said five people were slightly injured, including an 11-year-old child, and several buildings damaged.

Russia has spent much of the year rebuilding its stocks of explosive drones and missiles with the aim, Ukrainian officials say, of trying to knock out power and heat in cities over winter. By forcing Ukraine to use air-defense systems to defend cities, Russia is also seeking to divert them from the front line and use up precious missiles, allowing Russian warplanes more freedom to launch attacks on Ukraine’s military.

Russia targeted Ukraine’s power grid with drones and missiles last winter, damaging around 40% of the system and knocking out power in several cities for hours at a time. But a combination of quick repairs and air-defense systems hurriedly delivered by allies prevented lengthy outages of power and heat that could have led people to flee.

Read it all.

This is Putin’s Russia: massive drone strikes targeting cities, civilian infrastructure. “The leadership of Russia is proud that it can kill.” https://t.co/LGG5f3vpE0

— Antonia Ferrier (@ahrferrier) November 27, 2023

After years of inflation, US consumers are shouldering a burden unlike anything seen in decades — even as the pace of price increases has slowed.

It now requires $119.27 to buy the same goods and services a family could afford with $100 before the pandemic. Since early 2020, prices have risen about as much as they had in the full 10 years preceding the health emergency.

It’s hard to find an area of a household budget that’s been spared: Groceries are up 25% since January 2020. Same with electricity. Used-car prices have climbed 35%, auto insurance 33% and rents roughly 20%.

Those figures help explain why Americans continue to register strong dissatisfaction with the economy: Consumers’ daily routines have largely returned to their pre-pandemic normal, but the cost of living has not.

Read it all.

From the Bloomberg article, “Just How Bad Is the US Cost-of-Living Squeeze? We Did the Math.”#economy #inflation #inequality #econtwitter @economics @markets pic.twitter.com/CXO2P0Wbez

— Mohamed A. El-Erian (@elerianm) November 27, 2023

I am sad to say I had a brain freeze during this one and mixed up Elijah and Elisha with reference to the Naaman story (2 Kings 5). My apologies.

The parable of the talents, depicted in a 1712 woodcut. The lazy servant searches for his buried talent, while the two other servants present their earnings to their master. pic.twitter.com/w5SEAtydJk

— 🌿_ (@rebeca6169) March 30, 2021

Eternal Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven
that he might rule over all things as Lord and King:
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit
and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Today's the feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the liturgical year. Here he is with attendant seraphim by James Hogan and Harry Stammers for Powell & Sons, 1932 in the beautiful little round-towered church at Bessingham, Norfolk.

Bessingham: https://t.co/YQjdjnherm pic.twitter.com/hrGvlmsdbl

— Simon Knott (@SimoninSuffolk) November 26, 2023

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.

The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired about this salvation; they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things which have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

–1 Peter 1:1-12

Beinn na Cailleach, Broadford, Isle of Skye 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland 27/11/23 @angie_weather @StormHour @ThePhotoHour @VisitScotland pic.twitter.com/mUHcmxmvlB

— James MacInnes (@Macinnesplant) November 27, 2023