To Quell The Terror

On this day 217 years ago, sixteen Carmelite nuns were martyred by the French Revolutionaries. I highly recommend the book To Quell The Terror by William Bush.

Thanks to campuszoo and wetbird over at NDNation, I was introduced to Poulenc's opera on the subject, and the powerful finale depicting the nuns' sacrifice.

On a side note, as you reflect on this, keep in mind the modern sentiment that politics is poisoned by religion. The Revolution showed us exactly what a government based on Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, but bereft of God, would look like.