The Profound Impact of Violating Religious Freedom: Why it's More than Just a Crime

By Marie Derosiers

ROME-RUTHENIA 17 January 2024 (NRom)

It is a basic tenet of the doctrine of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church that religion is an integral part of human existence, shaping our beliefs, values, and identities. It nourishes the soul and provides individuals with a sense of purpose, community, and moral guidance. To violate someone's religious freedom or rights is not only unjust but can be considered equal to or worse than other crimes. Just as sexual assault violates the dignity of a human person, so too does religious discrimination, which not only infringes upon the person but also attacks the soul and the very essence of their identity.

Religion goes beyond mere rituals and traditions; it encompasses one's deepest convictions and spiritual connection with God. It answers existential questions about the meaning and purpose of life, offering solace during times of hardship and providing hope for the future. For the faithful worldwide, the Orthodox Old Catholic faith acts as a guiding force that shapes their behavior and provides a moral framework to navigate life's complexities. For the orthodox, there is no difference between the spiritual journey and regular life. Instead, they are intertwined to the point that they are one.

Moreover, the Church plays a pivotal role in fostering social cohesion and community. The Church brings individuals together, both locally and around the world, creating bonds based on shared beliefs, heritage, culture, and values. The Church-based communities provide support networks that offer comfort during challenging times and celebrate joys collectively. By violating someone's religious freedom or rights, we not only disrupt these crucial networks but also fracture the anchor that the faith provides. That disruption may leave people vulnerable and alone. 

The Impact of Violating Religious Freedom

To understand the gravity of violating religious freedom, we must recognize its profound impact on individuals and societies. When someone's religious rights are infringed upon, they are stripped of their autonomy and forced to conform to beliefs or practices that go against their core convictions. This undermines their sense of self, erodes personal dignity, and can lead to feelings of isolation, discrimination, and even trauma.

Religious discrimination can manifest in various ways, including exclusion from social activities, denial of employment opportunities or promotions, or even physical harm. Such acts not only impede an individual's ability to practice their faith freely but also perpetuate a cycle of intolerance and prejudice within society.

Protecting Religious Freedom: A Moral Imperative

Respecting religious freedom is not merely a legal obligation but a moral imperative. Just as we condemn crimes such as murder for violating the fundamental right to life and sexual assault for violating the dignity of an individual, we must equally denounce any form of religious discrimination or persecution. Every person has the right to believe in and practice their religion without fear of reprisal or marginalization.

To create a more inclusive and tolerant society, it is essential to promote dialogue and understanding among different religious communities. Education plays a crucial role in dispelling misconceptions and fostering empathy towards diverse beliefs. By embracing religious diversity and actively working towards protecting everyone's right to practice their faith freely, we can foster a harmonious coexistence that celebrates our shared humanity.

Why We Should Remember All Souls Day

By Marie Derosiers, Staff Writer

ROME-RUTHENIA 02 November 2023 (NRom)

All Souls Day, also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is a day dedicated to remembering and praying for our loved ones who have passed away. While it may not be as widely celebrated as other holidays, such as Halloween or Christmas, it holds great significance in many cultures around the world.

One of the main reasons we should remember All Souls Day is to honor and show respect for our ancestors and those who came before us. It is a time to reflect on their lives and the impact they had on us. By remembering them and asking our clergy to remember them at the liturgy, we keep their memory alive and ensure that they are not forgotten.

Another important aspect of All Souls Day is the opportunity to pray for the souls of the departed. Many believe that on this day, our prayers can help ease their journey in the afterlife. It is a way of expressing our love and care for them even though they are no longer with us physically. This is the point for the special divine liturgy of All Souls' Day! 

Another benefit is that observing All Souls Day helps us come to terms with grief and loss. It provides a designated time for mourning and remembrance, allowing us to process our emotions in a healthy way. By acknowledging our feelings and honoring those who have passed away, we can find solace and healing.

Additionally, All Souls Day reminds us of the fragility of life and encourages us to cherish every moment with our loved ones. It serves as a reminder that death is inevitable and prompts us to make the most out of our relationships while we still can.

This day in the liturgical calendar holds great importance in remembering and honoring our deceased loved ones. By taking part in this tradition, we not only pay tribute to those who have passed away but also find comfort in knowing that they will forever hold a place in our hearts.

The Importance of All Saints' Day

By Alberto Hernandez, Staff Editor

ROME-RUTHENIA 01 November 2023 (NRom) 

The Importance of All Saints Day

All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1st each year, holds great significance in the Christian calendar. This holy day is dedicated to honoring all the saints, known and unknown, who have lived exemplary lives and are believed to be in heaven.

One of the main reasons why All Saints Day is important is because it reaffirms the belief in the communion of saints. It reminds us that we are not alone in our faith journey; we are part of a larger community that spans across time and space. On this day, Christians come together to remember and venerate these holy men and women who have gone before us.

All Saints Day also serves as an inspiration for believers to strive for holiness in their own lives. The saints provide us with role models, showing us what it means to live a life centered on God's love and grace. Their stories teach us valuable lessons about faith, perseverance, compassion, and selflessness.

Moreover, All Saints Day offers comfort and hope to those who have lost loved ones. It is a time to remember and honor those who have passed away, knowing that they are now among the heavenly host. This day provides solace by reminding us that death is not the end but rather a transition into eternal life with God.

In addition to its spiritual significance, All Saints Day has cultural importance as well. In many countries around the world, this day is marked by various customs and traditions. People visit cemeteries to clean and decorate gravesites with flowers and candles as a way of paying tribute to their departed relatives.

All Saints Day holds deep meaning for Christians worldwide. It strengthens our faith, encourages us to follow in the footsteps of the saints, brings comfort in times of loss, and fosters a sense of community among believers. This day serves as a reminder that holiness is attainable and that we are part of a larger, eternal family.

Editorial: FRIENDS, RONINS, CITIZENS.....

 REICHENBERG 7 January 2021 (ORCNS)

The second of two articles written in response to the events following the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election from an American-oriented perspective

By

H.G.D.H. Daniel Coberly, Prince v. Reichenberg
Prefect-General of the Anglican Patriarchate (See of St. Stephen)

Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of our country. 

Not by violent anarchy, but through high character and personal example. By support of all that is good in humanity. 

If we want a better country we must expect a better Congress and better citizens. We must change the way we look at things so the things we look at will change. And that includes ourselves and the self-anointed Ronins among us. 

Now is the time to reward and uphold the behaviors we want to see to support that endeavor; the basis of any admirable culture: personal integrity, honesty, unselfish service, moral courage...neighbors helping neighbors. Clearly, the tail is wagging the dog in that regard. 

Now is the time to turn that dog around by supporting the people 

people who make this country great--our teachers, our parents, our elderly, our farmers, our small business owners, our ministers, our first responders, our military, and yes, our police. That's right, now is the time to put on notice the movie stars, pop stars, and sports stars who too often become supernovas that do nothing to advance our culture. 

In a world where everyone can be a "reporter" now is the time to relook the rules of that game in ways that not only protect concepts of free speech, but in ways that also makes those who spread falsehoods about any person, place, or thing, fully accountable. 

In a country where we generously grant tax-exempt status to many corporations and nonprofits, now is the time to expect them to return that investment by tangible evidence of support to their communities and to our nation. 

In a world where many still do not have electricity or adequate food, we can afford to help other nations. But we cannot afford to neglect our own people to the extent our known budgets show. 

There should never be hunger or homeless in America. Period. 

Yes, NOW is the time for Congress to come to the aid of our Country--and for us to come to the aid of our Congress. Not in petty political ways, but by insisting that they agree to disagree and move on to comprise of the common ground. It is their job to get the job of governing done, after all. 

And when they do, we need to support the comprises they make if we are to get our country back on track. 

Yes, Now is the time to part the dark clouds that hang over us to find the silver lining. We can do it if we choose. Unless we do that soon, we have met the enemy and he is us; and he welcomes others like him to pillage and plunder what is left of America. 

The silver lining is indeed there for all who are willing to look to see it: the immediate chance to reboot our nation, by rebooting our politics and to confront our own personal bias. 

Now is the time for all of us, no matter what our race, creed, or color, to to agree upon the greater good and what "right looks like" now and for the future. 

Now, in this new year, at this moment, is the right time and right opportunity to declare and to agree that the politics of the past is the ghost of politics past, and nevermore. 

Now is the time to come to the aid of our country!

Efforts of Bishops Help Ease Anti-Church Crackdowns by States

By Jean DuBois

FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 18 November 2020 (ORCNS)

As global civic leaders engage in a new round of questionable COVID-related restrictions, many have eased restrictions on churches and even granted some religious exemptions. This is in marked contrast to the extraordinarily stifling restrictions placed on religious groups around the world earlier in the pandemic. 

Many churches continue to stand empty due to
overstepping of authority by world leaders
during the COVID pandemic
Source: PubDom.

Although civic leaders wildly overstep their authority with any such restrictions over the Church, the newfound awareness on the part of civic leaders of the importance of religion during the pandemic and of church sovereignty is believed by many to be the direct result of staunch activism on the part of a number of religious leaders around the world. For example, Australia has indicated religious exemptions and eased restrictions on churches, as have many states in America, such as Nevada, Iowa, and Washington. Catholic Bishops of Minnesota, USA, among others, strongly opposed new crackdowns on religious activity. The Florentine Archfather issued a general opposition to world leaders' restrictions on the freedom of the church, and also specifically addressed several, including the Washington State governor, where restrictions have subsequently been eased. 

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops of the United Kingdom, led by Cardinal Nichols, have issued demands to the Government to produce evidence of justification as the Prime Minister issued an edict to close church public worship yet again. in the USA, the Bishop of Brooklyn has called New York's restriction on churches "outrageous." Restrictions on churches in New York have been successfully challenged in court.

Although much progress has been made in restoring the sovereign rights and freedom of the church during this pandemic, which can be attributed to the staunch, vocal, and ongoing efforts of bish bishops around the, there is still continued crackdowns against the church on the part of many civil states. The bishops will no doubt continue their efforts through pastoral persuasion, legal avenues, and legislative approaches.

Archfather's Position on Pandemic, Economic Recovery, Vulnerable People Being Adopted by Mainstream Media, Politicians

Archfather Don Rutherford I

By Jean DuBois

PATRIARCHAL SEE 13 April 2020 (ORCNS) - The Florentine Archfather and the Imperial Patriarchate have been consistent in their message since the beginning of the coronavirus global pandemic: Do not panic; treat the sick; protect the vulnerable, which includes those who are at risk of harm by government responses and economic shutdowns; do not forget the many other diseases that are out there and remain a threat; keep the economy going in order to protect the health and well-being of all people, both in the short-term and long-term. The mantra was: Stay Calm - Save Lives. Those have not always been popular ideas, but now the mainstream media and politicians are adopting those same concepts.

Since the beginning of the global pandemic, the Imperial Patriarchate has been highly involved in health and humanitarian service, in the example of Christ, to improve the condition of mankind, alleviate problems, and speak for the poor and vulnerable

Members of the Walsingham Guard
were among the first to respond
to the needs of their communities.

. The Walsingham Guard and Naval Guard were among the first to respond to the needs of local communities and the world. Involved in those efforts was HHE Don Rutherford I, Florentine Archfather. Like others in positions like his, Don Rutherford receives a daily briefing from the Chief of the General Staff and other key members of the Curia and the Walsingham Guard Division of Medicine on the ongoing health, humanitarian, and economic situation around the world. The Archfather made a variety of statements and policy recommendations regarding the pandemic and surrounding situations beginning in February. On 30 March, he issued a patriarchal encyclical entitled Orbis Est to the President of the

United Nations Economic and Social Council, with which the Imperial Patriarchate is in special consultative status. The encyclical detailed significant humanitarian concerns regarding global economic shutdown and the overall nature of government response to the pandemic. In that encyclical, His Holy Eminence said, “It is incumbent upon the United Nations and especially the Economic and Social Council thereof to consider and strongly promote the serious humanitarian, economic, and social considerations of the worldwide government responses to this current pandemic. Many of those who currently suffer and will suffer the most are the poor

India has some of the largest
numbers of people at risk, even
of starvation, from the
economic shutdown. 

and vulnerable around the world, both in comparatively wealthy countries and especially in less affluent countries. Yet, the severe and wide-reaching impact is not limited to the poor and vulnerable alone. This same obligation falls upon the leaders of extant territorial governments of the world. The responsibility for the suffering and damage is entirely upon their hands.”

Earlier such ideas were largely ignored. Now mainstream media and politicians are beginning to respond in earnest.

The Caribbean Communications Network, for example, pointed out that economic panic causing a recession could actually kill more people than the coronavirus. A CNN article showed that Italy’s lockdown, being the world’s eighth largest economy, is likely going to create a deep recession. Another CNN article predicted a global recession due to coronavirus. Recent articles are now pointing out the serious potential impact this can have on individuals, with more specific predictions of damages. For example, a USA Today article suggests that approximately one third of the workforce in many metropolitan areas of the United States is in jeopardy. It isn’t about the money, though. It is about health and well-being, including for those who suffer dramatically due to economic hardship. And, just as the Archfather pointed out in his encyclical Orbis Est, a Washington Times article also noted that the doomsday-like attitudes towards coronavirus is ignoring the many other health problems and tragedies that kill far more people every year.

In another patriarchal encyclical entitled Qui Eunt ad Mare written to the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation within the United Nations, the Archfather specifically addressed the problem of governments turning their backs on people who are stranded at sea and sought the support of the UN and other governments to solve the problem. Shortly thereafter, the Holland America Line cruise ship ms Zaandam was permitted to dock in Florida. Other ships at sea are slowly being brought into ports around the world. 

The Chief of the General Staff, the Prince v.
Reichenberg (right) in conference with the Archfather.
The Chief of the General Staff keeps the Archfather and
other members of the Curia up-to-date on
important world events. 

Another problematic side effect of the response of many governments around the world to coronavirus has been to limit religious freedom, even beyond requesting modifications in the interest of public health. That was also specifically addressed in the encyclical Orbis Est, as well as the Patriarchal Letter Religion is Essential and in a recent Archpatral Ban condemning usurpation of church authority and the cruel suppression of religious rights by many leaders around the world, even as many other leaders recognise that religion is essential and extremely important during times of crisis. Church participation in many countries, including Italy, is made illegal by civil governments, and in the United States, some state governors have likewise made religious activity illegal. Some churches have begun fighting back with lawsuits. These efforts all seem to be having an effect. The Archfather issued the ban in the morning of Holy Saturday, 11 April, and that was followed later that same day by the US Attorney General stating that he would pursue action against any state officials who sought to violate the religious rights of individuals.

The people of the Imperial Patriarchate are always
willing to help those in need. 

The efforts of the many faithful leaders of the Imperial Patriarchate join those of many other dedicated people around the world to help mitigate the humanitarian and economic crisis resulting from the global pandemic and especially from government responses to the pandemic. Difficult problems are not typically solved overnight. Spiritual work remains important – indeed the most important, always and especially in times of crisis. The Imperial Patriarchate, as the successors to Pope Leo X and the Custodians of the Apostolic See of St. Mark in Aquileia, co

The Basilica of St. Peter, Vatican.
The Imperial Patriarchate is the
successor to Pope Leo X.

ntinues in a legacy of service of over 2000 years of its history to help those in need in the example of Christ. It remains a key leading force in global Catholic humanitarian service. In the modern era, with the authority of Florence and Rome, the Imperial Patriarchate leads the way forward. 

Stay Calm - Save Lives. 

The Tradition and Etiquette of Calling Cards

10 October 2019 (ORCNS) - The calling card, or visiting card as it is sometimes known, is almost a lost custom in modern society. Yet, like the oaks that have seen kings and wars and plagues come and go, the calling card refuses to die. The calling card, distinct from the business card, is left when paying social calls. It has quite a few other uses that are part of its centuries-old tradition as well. Even in today’s rushed, sterile society…

and perhaps even more so because of the modern hurried, faceless environment…the calling card remains the mark of a lady or gentleman of class and distinction. To use calling cards is to have self-respect and respect for others. It is a reminder to those you encounter that you are thinking of them, despite your busy life. No lady or gentleman should leave the house without calling cards.

On a business card, one normally sees the name of the company, perhaps a logo, the individual’s name, and a full array of contact information. By comparison, the calling card is quite plain. Most traditionally, cards are white, with the name printed in black ink in block text or a script (rarely if ever should “Old English” or overly fancy fonts be used). There ends the required inclusions. Some sort of small heraldic emblem may optionally be placed in the corner or the top center. An address may be put in the bottom right corner, but this is not obligatory and typically superfluous. Telephone numbers and email addresses ought also to be avoided, but especially today they are often included. Most traditionally, an individual writes the address or telephone or internet information by hand at the time that the card is presented…and only when those pieces of information are needed. In any case, the bottom left should be left blank.

Style of the Name on the Calling Card

A calling card should indicate how you should be introduced by, for example, a butler or valet. So, names should be written out in full. Middle names may be omitted or abbreviated as needed. Other than Mr. and Mrs., titles should be spelled out except where space is a concern. For nobles and royals with styles such as Excellency, and Highness, these are typically omitted, as they are generally “implied” by what is on the card.

Boys who do not have titles of nobility simply have their name inscribed in the center of the card. They may adopt “Mr.” upon reaching the age of majority. Girls who do not have a title of nobility use “Miss” until they marry. The modern female business title of “Ms.” has no place on a social calling card.

Married women of gentlemen have their names inscribed as “Mrs.” followed by the full name of their husband. The possible variations for the wives of knights and nobles are too numerous to discuss in detail here. However, a good rule of thumb is that the wife’s card follows the same general style of the husband’s. This varies by the customs of the country of origin of the title and should generally not vary according to the country of residence or visitation.

Names should also never exceed a single line. Titles and, on occasion, offices such as Mayor or Governor may be written on another line or lines below the name as needed. Ultimately good taste and functionality determine the final layout of the card.

Exceptions exist, of course. For example, U.S. military officers, who are often expected to have calling cards, have a specific set of rules to follow. For junior officers, the name is in the center of the card, with the rank and branch of the service in the bottom right. For senior officers, the rank is placed before the name on the same line, with the branch in the bottom right. General and Flag officers may write “General” or “Admiral” with only their last name in the center of the card if they choose.

Joint Spouse Calling Cards

Married couples may also have calling cards. These may be used, along with the couple’s individual cards, when paying a formal visit. The joint card may also be used for gift enclosures. Joint cards are inscribed as “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith” or in a similar fashion for those with noble titles.

Use of Calling Cards

Calling cards are used, of course, when paying a formal call on someone. In the most formal circumstances, an attendant will take the card of the visitor to the host. It is also used to announce the visitor. When the host is not at home (which may mean simply “not receiving visitors”), a calling card says “I was here.”

When one receives an invitation that did not say r.s.v.p. or have a reply card, and one cannot attend, it is customary and polite to send one’s calling card by post to arrive on the day of the event or shortly before.

Cards may also be used as gift enclosures, to express condolences, or to give congratulations. They can also be used to convey information or to send/leave very brief notes.

In cases where one is leaving a card for a good friend with whom one is on a first name basis, one may cross out the parts of the name on the calling card except for the first name. Or, if there is a nickname, the entire name can be crossed out and the nickname written by hand above it. This is by no means obligatory. Notes may also be written on the front and/or back of the card.

Those Curious Initials in the
Bottom Left Corner

To make communication easier, a system of abbreviations in French developed over the years. These are written by hand in the bottom left corner of the card…which is why that corner should always be left blank in the printing process!

p.r. (pour remercier) 
To indicate thanks. (Should never take the place of a proper letter/note of thanks.)

p.f. (pour feliciter) 
To express congratulations.

p.c. (pour condoler) 
To express sympathy.

p.p.c. (pour prendre congé) 
Used when taking leave for the season or permanently. Though these may be left or sent as an advance notice, they should never be used solely in place of a formal call.

p.p. (pour presenter) 
To present another person. This should be accompanied by the card
of the person being presented.

p.f.N.A.
To wish a Happy New Year.

The Church and the Death Penalty -- Modern & Historical

8 October 2019 (ORCNS) - The death penalty is certainly a controversial topic in Catholicism today. Unlike some issues, though, there is actually plenty of room for disagreement. Good Catholics may hold divergent views on this topic as long as they are well-grounded in doctrine and theology, with a love of humanity in the model of Christ. As Pope St. John Paul II expressed, there is little if any actual need for the death penalty today. However, this was not always the practice of the Church during the different circumstances that existed in the past. Though obviously no element of the Church today imposes a death sentence, it was a different matter in earlier periods of Church history.

Reigning from the late 1800s to just after the turn of the 20th century, Pope Leo XIII stated that the church possessed the right to impose the death penalty and that it was just to impose it for offenses such as spreading heresies, for the damage to the soul is by far greater than anything a murderer could ever do. However, Leo also made it clear that the Church in her mercy, following the example of Christ, does not actually impose such a penalty or promote it being imposed. That was just over 100 years in the past, which, in the span of Church history, is not that long ago. Even with Leo's justification of the death penalty as a right of the Church, it was clear that its ultimate purpose was for the good of souls, and it was further made very clear that the Holy Church is merciful and would not and should not actually impose such a penalty or promote it being imposed.

Torquemada, Grand Inquisitor

Earlier in church history came an institution that enemies of the church, Protestants, and indeed modern society have all continually slandered. Truly, the Spanish Inquisition is the subject of much "fake news," both centuries ago and still to this day. If one actually considers the reality of what the Grand Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada actually did, it paints a different picture. He was in fact known as a man of great piety and caring for others, and he softened the whole interrogation method so that it was quite mild by the standards of the day. And, the conditions of interrogation were highly controlled and limited, unlike those of the civil state. As Blessed Fulton Sheen pointed out some years ago, the church has vices, but at any given time in history, the church's vices are far better and far better meaning than those of the civil state. 

In the case of the Inquisition, the death sentence was only ever imposed for repeat offenders. When they were at the stake, they were given the chance to repent. If they did, they were immediately strangled. That seems certainly harsh to modern ears, but at the time the point was to prevent them from being able to sin again, thereby helping to ensure their salvation. Only if they did not repent were they then burned at the stake – but even that had its spiritual purpose. The hope of those at that time was that the flames would give them a picture of the flames of hell, thereby prompting a last-minute repentance before actual moment of death. Of course, this seems surely thoroughly odd to most modern ears, but it is not right to judge another age by the standards of this age. The Church, of course, promotes salvation and repentance exclusively through non-violent means now. 

Throughout the Church is history, even when a death sentence was involved, whether related to the Church or criminal proceedings of the civil state, the Church was far more interested in the condition of souls and in mercy than in the laws of man. Today that same sentiment remains, following the example of Christ.

On the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice

By

Rutherford Cardinal Johnson, PhD, FPRS, FRGS

Count of Sainte Animie, Imperial Patriarch of St. Stephen

The Cardinal Count of Sainte Animie
in a uniform of the Walsingham Guard,
the humanitarian wing of the Imperial
Patriarchate of St. Stephen with
military heritage dating back to the
Crusades and early years of the
Holy Roman Empire. Aspects of the
Guard's heritage are shared with
both sides of the Great War.

As we raise our swords and dip the colours in salute to the millions who died in the Great War (World War I) on this hundredth anniversary of the Armistice, it is interesting to note that the causes of the war are still being debated. It was a spark that snowballed into a global conflict. Fingers pointed, and blame was passed faster than a game of hot potato. Being of an ethno-religious Catholic minority that shares ancient heritage with both sides of the war, I especially believe in a cautious approach to the analysis of cause. Of course, growing up in the United States, I heard and indeed believed the rhetoric common to the Allied countries that it was Germany and especially Wilhelm II who was entirely to blame. Yet, particularly when the start was considered the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, some things did not quite seem logical. How did Austria putting down a Serbian rebellion lead to a global conflict, much less blame being placed on Germany? Has blame been mislaid? Have we been misled over the last century? 

It is true enough that Wilhelm II encouraged the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef to put down the social-democrat rebellion that involved the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. The Allied countries also demonstrated their willingness in history to do the same thing. Also, Austria asked for and received Germany’s assurance of support in the event of need, as there was a possibility that the Russian Empire might oppose Austria since the Serbs are Slavs. Wilhelm II contact Tsar Nicholas II to try to dissuade him from war with Austria (and hence also with Germany), but to no avail. The war happened. 

And why did Germany invade France? The French and Russians had a long-standing treaty. War with Russia brought France into the war. Germany chose a strategic move of declaring war and striking first rather than waiting to be squeezed from both sides (which ultimately is what happened as the war dragged on). 

Belgium declared neutrality, but Germany invaded Belgium in order to outflank the French. I rather expect the Allied nations in a similar situation would do the same. However, Britain used that as a justification for entering the war – placing them, ironically, on the side of France, with whom they had centuries of wars. The British royal family, Saxe-Coburg-und Gotha, even changed its name to the now-familiar “Windsor,” after one of their castles. Britain was understandably concerned about German domination on the continent, but now the entire conflict had exploded to almost the entirety of Europe, with Germany and Austria fighting on two fronts. 

Then enter the United States in 1917. The sinking of the British liner Lusitania by German U-boats (submarines), which had a good number of American passengers, was used as a partial justification for entering the war. The Germans said she was a legitimate military target for carrying arms, which the British denied. However, it has since been shown that the Lusitania likely was carrying ammunition for small arms in compartments designed especially for that purpose. The unrestricted submarine warfare, coupled with a communique from Germany to Mexico asking for their support in the event that the United States entered the war (in return for reclaiming parts of the U.S.) actually caused Woodrow Wilson’s request to Congress for a declaration of war to be granted – even though no actual attack against American soil had taken place. Wilson gave as part of his justification his belief that the U.S. should spread American-style democracy around the globe, much as is discussed in present U.S. conflicts. 

So, where is the blame to be laid? It all started with a Serbian terrorist group. Why not there? Or why not Austria-Hungary, who sought to put down the rebellion in Serbia, rather than blaming Germany? Or how about with the Russian Empire, whose entry couple with the Franco-Russian Treaty caused the opening of the Western Front? Was Britain justified in entering the war simply because Belgium had been invaded for strategic military purposes, or was Britain’s action merely out of fear? Was the United States really justified in entering the war, or was it a “strike first” approach like Germany used? It is truly difficult to pinpoint one culprit, though propagandists find no trouble doing so. 

The reality is that the Great War was a tragedy that had been brewing at least since the Franco-Prussian War, but still did not need to happen. A simple rebellion sparked an inferno that engulfed much of the world and changed the face of Europe. The terms of the armistice were also so punitive towards Germany that it opened the gates for Hitler to take over. Indeed, the seeds for the Second World War were sewn in part by the Allies in the terms of the treaty at the end of the First World War. The Great War was a tragedy that spanned not only the four years of its direct conflict, but for decades after, even into the death and destruction of the Second World War. If we want to know the culprit for the Great War, like in so many tragedies in history, we humans, no matter our flag, need only look in the mirror. Ultimately the blame game is unhealthy and a detriment to true healing and harmony.

Les Comtes Royales

For some people, the title of Count conjures up images of Transylvanian vampires. For others, Medieval warriors. The image for most people, though, is typically something far, far less exotic. It is in fact an old title dating back to the Roman Empire. Today it comes in many forms. It can be a middle or high level of nobility. When held by a royal person, it usually is among the highest of all titles. 

Count Jean de Bourbon-la Marche

Count translates as Comes in Latin, meaning companion. It was used for high officials of the imperial court and for provincial rulers, for they were "companions of the Emperor." In the time of the early Holy Roman Empire, it became a common title for many rulers. In Italy, for example, some of the independent states were ruled by Counts, including Etruria (Tuscany). The last ruler of Tuscany in the ancient Holy Roman Empire was Countess Matilda, Margravine of Tuscany. She was a princess of the houses of Canossa, Lorraine, and Bar. 

In the Middle Ages, the Count of Flanders was one of the most powerful sovereigns in Europe. In the Kingdom of France, it was common for some of the royal family to hold the title of Count and were known as such. For example, some of the brothers of King St. Louis IX of France were Count Robert of Artois, Count Alphone of Toulouse, and Count Charles of Anjou. Count Charles later became the King of Sicily and Naples. Later royal counts of the House of Bourbon included Count Louis I of Vendome, Count Jean I de la Marche, and Count James I de la Marche, son of Louis I, Duke of Bourbon. Duke Louis I was the son of Count Robert of Clermont, a son of King St. Louis IX. 

Count Henri de Chambord

After the House of Bourbon lost rule of France in the July Revolution of 1830, Count Henri of Chambord, the grandson of King Charles X, became the "Legitimist" claimant to the throne. There began a division among the House of Bourbon for the French throne. The Orléanist pretender to the French throne was Count Philippe of Paris, son of the Prince Royal of France.  Count Don Juan of Montizón, son of Carlos V, Count of Molina and the "Carlist" claimant to the Spanish throne, was both the claimant to the Spanish throne and the Legitimist claimant to the French throne. 

A few of the royal counts of today include: Mgr. the Count of Paris (Orléanist claimant to the French throne), HRH the Count of Gevaudan (Merovingian claimant to the French throne), HIRH the Count of Valais (Grand Prince of Etruria), HIRH the Cardinal Count of Sainte Animie (Anglo-Italian Imperial Patriarch), HMERH the Count of Marmande (titular Elector of Trier), and HMERH the Count of Römerberg (titular Elector of Mainz).