Thursday, September 02, 2004
The Angels of Spinalunga
Googling for stories on the Russian hostage crisis, I came across this legend of the children of a small Italian town called Spinalunga that occurred in the Middle Ages. Mercenaries were to take twenty of the children hostage to assure that the fighting men of the town didn't come to the aid of their allies, the Florentines. They at first resisted, but were finally forced to capitulate. In the morning they brought out the hostages:
As the first ray of golden light streamed over the pine woods on to the ridge and the valley, the bells of the Cathedral began to ring; the heavy gate of the castello was flung open, and the children trooped out laughing and gay, just as they had burst into the square a few months ago, for this, they were told, was to be a great feast and holiday. As they issued through the deep stone archway they filed to right or left, and drew up in long lines across the width of the ridge. Then raising their childish voices in a simple hymn, they all moved together down the rough slope to the lines of the besiegers. Brother Agnolo, holding a plain wooden cross high above his head, led the way, singing joyously.
It was a wonderful sight in the clear shining air of the hills, and hundreds of women weeping silently on the walls crowded together to watch it; and as they watched they held their breath, for suddenly in the golden light of the morning they saw that behind each child there was a great white winged Angel with a fiery spear.
Then, as that throng of singing children and shining spirits swept down upon the [mercenaries], a wild cry of panic arose from the camp. The eight hundred horsemen turned in dismay, and plunged through the ranks of the men at arms, and the mercenaries fell back in terror and confusion, striking each other down and trampling the wounded underfoot in their frantic efforts to escape. At that moment the hill men who were lying in ambush on each flank bore down on the bewildered multitude, and hacked and hewed right and left till the boldest and hardiest of the horsemen broke and fled, leaving their dead and dying on the field.
Merciful Lord, how much faith and prayers do we need to bring out your Host to save those Russian children?
As the first ray of golden light streamed over the pine woods on to the ridge and the valley, the bells of the Cathedral began to ring; the heavy gate of the castello was flung open, and the children trooped out laughing and gay, just as they had burst into the square a few months ago, for this, they were told, was to be a great feast and holiday. As they issued through the deep stone archway they filed to right or left, and drew up in long lines across the width of the ridge. Then raising their childish voices in a simple hymn, they all moved together down the rough slope to the lines of the besiegers. Brother Agnolo, holding a plain wooden cross high above his head, led the way, singing joyously.
It was a wonderful sight in the clear shining air of the hills, and hundreds of women weeping silently on the walls crowded together to watch it; and as they watched they held their breath, for suddenly in the golden light of the morning they saw that behind each child there was a great white winged Angel with a fiery spear.
Then, as that throng of singing children and shining spirits swept down upon the [mercenaries], a wild cry of panic arose from the camp. The eight hundred horsemen turned in dismay, and plunged through the ranks of the men at arms, and the mercenaries fell back in terror and confusion, striking each other down and trampling the wounded underfoot in their frantic efforts to escape. At that moment the hill men who were lying in ambush on each flank bore down on the bewildered multitude, and hacked and hewed right and left till the boldest and hardiest of the horsemen broke and fled, leaving their dead and dying on the field.
Merciful Lord, how much faith and prayers do we need to bring out your Host to save those Russian children?
papijoe 10:01 AM
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