The Conservative Cave

Interests => Religious Discussions => Topic started by: franksolich on September 04, 2012, 05:58:24 PM

Title: awe-striking photograph
Post by: franksolich on September 04, 2012, 05:58:24 PM: Because I don't do television and movies and somesuch, I don't see as many "images" as most people, who catch probably hundreds of thousands of them every day, albeit fleetingly.

Which means that when I see a picture, the odds are that I'm looking at it more closely, and with more time, than others when seeing pictures.

I came across this picture in a book, and hence the scanned version isn't quite as sharp as the one in the book, but anyway, I was awed by this picture, taken "somewhere in Belgium" on December 25, 1944.

I think it should be considered a "classic" photograph, in that the camera has caught more than just the outward appearance of something.

If one examines the face of the long-ago clergyman, his grave concern and steadfast confidence in God transcends the limits of a mere photograph. It's a wonderful picture.

Question, however.

This was taken in Belgium, and Belgium is majority Roman Catholic, but this doesn't look like a Catholic clergyman to me. The vestments don't look right, although Catholic usage varies according to country and culture.

There is the phrase "Jesus Christ" in Latin (cut out from this scan; it's painted on the wall of the bombed church) near the top, but still, the vestments don't look Catholic.

No one now can really know, but can anyone make a good guess what denomination this is?

(http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g419/Eferrari/awe.jpg)
Title: Re: awe-striking photograph
Post by: Jasonw560 on September 04, 2012, 06:05:22 PM: My guess is Lutheran.
Title: Re: awe-striking photograph
Post by: Charles Henrickson on September 04, 2012, 06:38:11 PM: It could be Lutheran, it could be Roman Catholic. The vestments could go either way. It would be helpful if you gave me as much information as possible. Was this photo in a book? If so, what is the title of the book? Is there a caption with the photo? Is this a local pastor or a chaplain from another country? Where are the soldiers from? Etc.
Title: Re: awe-striking photograph
Post by: franksolich on September 04, 2012, 07:03:36 PM: Quote from: Charles Henrickson on September 04, 2012, 06:38:11 PM
It could be Lutheran, it could be Roman Catholic. The vestments could go either way. It would be helpful if you gave me as much information as possible. Was this photo in a book? If so, what is the title of the book? Is there a caption with the photo? Is this a local pastor or a chaplain from another country? Where are the soldiers from? Etc.

It's from Citizen Soldiers (Stephen Ambrose, 1997, Simon & Shuster), on the last page of the second of three sections of photographs (the pages with photographs are not numbered), and it's simply identified as being in a bombed-out church "somewhere in Belgium" on December 25, 1944.

From examining the face, that's not an American face. Of course, Americans look so many different ways, but I get the sense that's native clergy, not a military chaplain or something.
Title: Re: awe-striking photograph
Post by: Charles Henrickson on September 04, 2012, 07:41:24 PM: If he's a local Belgian clergyman, he would be Roman Catholic. If he's a chaplain from elsewhere, he could be a Lutheran from America or an Anglican from Britain. Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican--all could have worn those kinds of vestments.
Title: Re: awe-striking photograph
Post by: JohnnyReb on September 08, 2012, 07:54:01 AM: No help from me Frank...just a little story from WW2.

An old gentleman I talk with sometimes from the Third Armored Division has told me many times about his Jewish Captain. As they fought their way across Europe, every Sunday morning before sunrise, the Jewish Captain would go in search of a chaplain for his men. He would not return until he had a chaplain or local clergy in tow to perform at the least a brief Christian service for his men.

One Sunday morning, late in the war somewhere in Germany, the Captain didn't return. In the process of retrieving damaged trucks, tanks, jeeps for repair, my old gentleman friends reported passing a crossroads where an old German was trying to flag them down. The old German had stood by the road all day Monday and was there all day Tuesday waving a rag at the Americans. My old friend and his men were moving up late that Tuesday afternoon and there stood the old German waving his rag trying to get them to stop. My old friend told them to stop and see what the old German wanted. The old German didn't know any English but he was saying, "Comrade, kaput....comrade, kaput" and pointing down the road. My old friend directed his men to follow and see what was what. Some thought it was a trap, some didn't want to go but they went. A short ways down the road they found their Jewish Captain alive. His jeep had been hit by artillery or a mine or something and had been blown upside down into the ditch trapping the Captains legs under it. My old friend says God saved the Captain because of his devotion to God and his men's spiritual needs.
Title: Re: awe-striking photograph
Post by: rustybayonet on September 18, 2012, 08:07:56 AM: Reread that part of book - could not find anything. Agree it was propably a local minister/priest - most military Chaplin's in battle areas only have their 'stole' with them because it is the religious symbol of immortality [life after death in most Christain religions].
Title: Re: awe-striking photograph
Post by: marv on January 11, 2013, 09:58:34 AM: From the vestments, I would guess Lutheran because he is administering communion wine, not done by Catholics. The field jackets are American.