Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Holy Cross

Napoli is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy. Its metropolitan area has a population of more than 3 million. Founded by Greek settlers before 900 BC, Napoli was an important part of Magna Graecia and played a major role in the merging of Greek and Roman society. Following the decline of the Western Roman Empire Napoli was shortly ruled by the Ostrogoths. Byzantine troops captured the city in 536m but after the Byzantine exarchate Ravenna fell a Duchy of Naples was created. Over centuries the Duchy´s relations to Rome or Byzanz were hard-fought. In 836 Napoli could repel a siege of Lombard troops with the help of the Saracens, what did not prevent Muhammad I Abu 'l-Abbas in the 850s loot Napoli. In the 11th century, the Duchy hired Norman mercenaries and about 1140 it came under Norman control under Roger II, then King of Sicily. In 1228 Emperor Frederick II founded the first university in Europe here, making Napoli the intellectual centre of the kingdom. The conflict between the House of Hohenstaufen and the Papacy led in 1266 to Pope Innocent IV crowning the Angevin duke Charles I King of Sicily. Charles officially moved the capital from Palermo to Napoli. In 1282 after the "Sicilian Vespers", a successful rebellion on the island of Sicily against the rule of King Charles I, the Kingdom of Sicily was divided into two. The Angevin Kingdom of Naples included the southern part of the Italian peninsula, while the island of Sicily became the Aragonese Kingdom of Sicily. By the 17th century, Naples had become Europe's second-largest city – second only to Paris – with around 250000 inhabitants. The "Complesso Monumentale Donnaregina" consists of two churches. The younger "Donnaregina Nuova" from the 17th century and the "Donnaregina Vecchia" from the 14th century. Today the complex houses the "Museo Diocesano". The reliquary cross, known as the "Reliquary Cross of St. Leontius", holds a fragment of the Holy Cross.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". In 1221 the Dominicans in Bologna sent monks to Cologne to found a convent here. Some decades later the convent was already able to erect a hall church, that got enlarged by a Gothic choir in 1271. The apse window was donated by Albertus Magnus and can still seen in the cathedral ("Earlier Bible window"). The French King Louis IX. had donated a precious cross relic to Albertus Magnus. This relic is still kept in the church seen here - and gave it the name "Holy Cross". More than a hundred Dominicans lived in that convent in medieval times. The monastery was finally closed as result of the French Revolution and demolished in 1804, but the displaced Dominicans returned in 1898 back to Cologne. In 1902 the foundation stone was laid for the new monastery, the church was consecrated two years later. This neo-Gothic building was destroyed during the bombing raids of 1942 and 1945. After WWII the convent erected the new church "Heilig Kreuz", designed by Cologne architect Hans J. Lohmeyer, that was consecrated in 1952. www.dominikanerkloster-koeln.de

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". In 1221 the Dominicans in Bologna sent monks to Cologne to found a convent here. Some decades later the convent was already able to erect a hall church, that got enlarged by a Gothic choir in 1271. The apse window was donated by Albertus Magnus and can still seen in the cathedral ("Earlier Bible window", see prev. uploads). The French King Louis IX. had donated a precious cross relic to Albertus Magnus. This relic is still kept in the church seen here - and gave it the name "Holy Cross". More than a hundred Dominicans lived in that convent in medieval times. The monastery was finally closed as result of the French Revolution and demolished in 1804, but the displaced Dominicans returned in 1898 back to Cologne. In 1902 the foundation stone was laid for the new monastery, the church was consecrated two years later. This neo-Gothic building was destroyed during the bombing raids of 1942 and 1945. After WWII the convent erected the new church "Heilig Kreuz", designed by Cologne architect Hans J. Lohmeyer, that was consecrated in 1952. www.dominikanerkloster-koeln.de

Nin, today a small town, was a very important place during medieval times. The first Croatian state was formed at the end of the 8th and beginning of the 9th century, when Nin became the seat of the first Croatian bishop. Upto the 13th century Nin was the Croatian royal town and according to the tradition, seven Kings were crowned here. The Church of the Holy Cross was erected around 800. It is known as "the smallest cathedral in the world" as it may have been connected to the early diocese of Nin. The tiny church was erected on a floorplan of a Greek Cross and was probably used as a "Royal Chapel" by the neighbouring court. The oldest Croation inscription can be found inside the tiny church. It reads "Godečaj". Please read about "Gottschalk of Orbais" (Latin: Godescalc) on the previous upload. Inside "Svetoga Križa". The windows are somehow "irregular". According to one scholar the design has an intentionally elliptical form designated to "follow" the position of the Sun. So this church may have been a kind of calendar. This would be surprisingly unusual but not unique. Some French cathedrals (eg. Vezelay) have a kind of "equinox-design".

Nin, today a small town, was a very important place during medieval times. The first Croatian state was formed at the end of the 8th and beginning of the 9th century, when Nin became the seat of the first Croatian bishop. Upto the 13th century Nin was the Croatian royal town and according to the tradition, seven Kings were crowned here. The Church of the Holy Cross was erected around 800. It is known as "the smallest cathedral in the world" as it may have been connected to the early diocese of Nin. The tiny church was erected on a floorplan of a Greek Cross. The oldest Croation inscription can be found inside the tiny church. It reads "Godečaj". "Gottschalk of Orbais" (Latin: Godescalc) ? He has been here, for sure. Gottschalk was a monk, who had had been educated in Fulda under the abbot Hrabanus Maurus. He was a strong believer in the doctrine of absolute predestination. He deserted his monastery and preached his doctrine in Northern Italy. Through the influence of Hrabanus Maurus, then archbishop of Mainz, he had to leave Italy and continued preaching in Dalmatia, Pannonia and Noricum. Gottschalk was at Duke Trpimir I of Croatia's court for two years. In 848 he presented to the synod at Mainz a profession of faith and a refutation of Hrabanus Maurus´ ideas. He was convicted of heresy, beaten and sent back to his monastery at Orbais. A year later, at a council, presided over by Charles the Bald, he attempted to justify his ideas, but was again condemned as a heretic. He was degraded, whipped, obliged to burn his declaration of faith, and sent to the monastery of Hautvilliers. Gottschalk however continued to defend his doctrine, writing to the most eminent theologians, what resulted in a great controversy. Gottschalk, imprisoned since two decades, went deathly ill and Hincmar, archbishop of Reims, forbade him the sacraments or burial in consecrated ground unless he would recant. Gottschalk refused to do. He died between 866 and 870. Of course the Romans have been here - and left ruins of a temple and an amphitheatre. The capital in the foreground may come from there.

Nin, today a small town, was a very important place during medieval times. The first Croatian state was formed at the end of the 8th and beginning of the 9th century, when Nin became the seat of the first Croatian bishop. Upto the 13th century Nin was the Croatian royal town and according to the tradition, seven Kings were crowned here. The Church of the Holy Cross was erected around 800. It is known as "the smallest cathedral in the world" as it may have been connected to the early diocese of Nin. The tiny church was erected on a floorplan of a Greek Cross. The oldest Croation inscription can be found inside the tiny church. It reads "Godečaj". "Gottschalk of Orbais" (Latin: Godescalc) ? He has been here, for sure. Gottschalk was a monk, who had had been educated in Fulda under the abbot Hrabanus Maurus. He was a strong believer in the doctrine of absolute predestination. He deserted his monastery and preached his doctrine in Northern Italy. Through the influence of Hrabanus Maurus, then archbishop of Mainz, he had to leave Italy and continued preaching in Dalmatia, Pannonia and Noricum. Gottschalk was at Duke Trpimir I of Croatia's court for two years. In 848 he presented to the synod at Mainz a profession of faith and a refutation of Hrabanus Maurus´ ideas. He was convicted of heresy, beaten and sent back to his monastery at Orbais. A year later, at a council, presided over by Charles the Bald, he attempted to justify his ideas, but was again condemned as a heretic. He was degraded, whipped, obliged to burn his declaration of faith, and sent to the monastery of Hautvilliers. Gottschalk however continued to defend his doctrine, writing to the most eminent theologians, what resulted in a great controversy. Gottschalk, imprisoned since two decades, went deathly ill and Hincmar, archbishop of Reims, forbade him the sacraments or burial in consecrated ground unless he would recant. Gottschalk refused to do. He died between 866 and 870.

Nin, today a small town, was a very important place during medieval times. The first Croatian state was formed at the end of the 8th and beginning of the 9th century, when Nin became the seat of the first Croatian bishop. Upto the 13th century Nin was the Croatian royal town and according to the tradition, seven Kings were crowned here. The Church of the Holy Cross was erected around 800. It is known as "the smallest cathedral in the world" as it may have been connected to the early diocese of Nin. The tiny church was erected on a floorplan of a Greek Cross. The oldest Croation inscription can be found inside the tiny church. It reads "Godečaj". Is this "Gottschalk of Orbais" (Latin: Godescalc). It is sure, that he has been here, Gottschalk was a monk, who had had been educated in Fulda under the abbot Hrabanus Maurus. He was a strong believer in the doctrine of absolute predestination. He deserted his monastery and preached his doctrine in Northern Italy. Through the influence of Hrabanus Maurus, then archbishop of Mainz, he had to leave Italy and continued preaching in Dalmatia, Pannonia and Noricum. Gottschalk was at Duke Trpimir I of Croatia's court for two years. In 848 he presented to the synod at Mainz a profession of faith and a refutation of Hrabanus Maurus´ ideas. He was convicted of heresy, beaten and sent back to his monastery at Orbais. A year later, at a council, presided over by Charles the Bald, he attempted to justify his ideas, but was again condemned as a heretic. He was degraded, whipped, obliged to burn his declaration of faith, and sent to the monastery of Hautvilliers. k however continued to defend his doctrine, writing to the most eminent theologians, what resulted in a great controversy. Gottschalk, imprisoned since two decades, went deathly ill and Hincmar, archbishop of Reims, forbade him the sacraments or burial in consecrated ground unless he would recant. Gottschalk refused to do. He died between 866 and 870.

......was told, that "Sveti Križ" (Holy Cross), built around 800, is the smallest cathedral worldwide. It definitely bears mysteries. Some believe, that the building with it´s door and small windows could have served as a calender...