Legend of Blitzkid

[Blitzkid]

In Brief.
A SUITCASE OF MONASTERIES
The above Fortress of Latrun in which I served for about two months In Nov 46 from the top I took the above Photo of Latrun Monastery across the Ayalon Valley. I was then sent on duty to the Carmelite Monastery in Haifa Port, this was the home of the Coventry 'White Friars' sent on guard the Shipping complex with about eight other soldiers of my unit. A building of five Levels, Barclays bank had the first two floors the third floor we had, the fourth and fifth floors were the shipping office for the whole of the Mediterranean Sea.

Here I came face to face with a terrorist suit-case bomb. I came too with a great ringing in my ear and a voice saying in my ear if you can hear me then clench my fist. I clenched his hand, do not move a muscle, don't try to talk, you have been in a explosion, do you understand, I clenched his hand, right I am sending you to Hospital, your eyes are bandaged there may be glass in them, so do not'try to blink, ad I was out, I heard voices, a nurse was saying 'you lucky sod' apart from cuts and bruises, you have no injuries, unless you have some shock, doctors visited, confirmed I was ok, the cuts and bruises would heal, and I was out again. two MP tecs visited me for what info I could give, then the Padre visited, we are going to take you to Latrun Monastery for peace and Quiet for a few days.

Dressed in blue suit, white shirt and red tie I was duly delivered to the Monastery. Here a monk met me and the padre in the Monastery guest room, the padre spoke a few words to him and was gone, the monk led me to a cell,all white a small bed bedside lamp a desk a disturbing crucifix on the white washed stone wall. When I woke I was still a little woozy and so much silence and I lay on the bed and was out again. when i woke a feeling of unspeakable loneliness suddenly hit me. This was a benedictine monastery. After three days the padre took me back to my unit.

[Blitzkid]

In 1954 I visited the ruins of "Monte Cassino" St Benedict founded Europe's first great monastery in A.D 530 a community that would provide for themselves without depending on outsiders. The Gods path on the wooded slopes of Mount Amalfi and on the way back through Switzerland. I stayed two days at the Monastery at Mullhouse. Today we only Know them as ruins but in the 12th 13th century they were very bustling places.

Coventry was built around its Monasteries.

[Blitzkid]

THE WHITE FRIARS OF COVENTRY.

This is the home the Brotherhood created in 1099 at the base of Mount Carmel, the home from which they guarded the Europeans Pilgrims that visited Jerusalem. At that time they not only guarded them from brigands, they also had to save them from leopards, hyenas, fox, scorpions and snakes.

They were known as St John Templars, but within two year they were out of favour with King Philip of France and the Pope. Persecuted, tortured and burnt alive they fled. 13 of them, representing Christ and his twelve disciples, fled to Coventry. Here I assume they built a replica of their former Monastery. They also built a Pilgrims home for travelers rest. Still being hunted they disguised their dress of white lamb's skin and red cross, blood droplets for the sins of the people, to a grey robe.

The monastery of Coventry was pulled down in the reign of Edward 1 1550.

[rebbonk]

[Blitzkid]

That piece should be on Blitz-kid about the White Lion Hotel.

[dutchman]

That piece should be on Blitz-kid about the White Lion Hotel.

Now moved, thanks!

[See previous page]

[Blitzkid]

Dutchman
I believe I thanked you for that, I answer every thing I see, so what have i missed?

[Blitzkid]

THE WHITE FRIARS OF COVENTRY
Being Carmelites is pure fiction, by historians of this century:
There were thousands like the Coventry monks, 250 years after the first Crusade (called Knight Templars fled from persecution of Philip IV and the Pope) that built Monasteries and Churches in Southern England without mention Of Carmelites. I doubt you will find the name in past books of history.

THE WHITE FRIARS OF COVENTRY were linked to the Crusades by being Night Templars, Order of St John of Jerusalem.
The Monks and Friars that lived on Mount Carmel were Palestinians of Arab descent that changed their religion to Benedictine order, then Knight Templars 1119, they became famous in the first Crusade 1097. (The Brits taking no part, still working out the Norman Invasion).

I have not read this in any book. but was translated to me by a Monk in Mount Carmel Monastery at the base of Mount Carmel, it was also confirmed in the second stage of a Pilgrims of journey to Jerusalem. I also was in a Italian Hospital run by Brits at the summit of Mount Carmel a Fort of solid walls, a castle built in the time of the crusades just outside the old port of Jaffa.

Yes, two years of Danger but history unfolded to my childhood days of being a christian in the ancient parts of Coventry, the scripture's coming to life. Profoundly affected by these places but more important than the pleasure a Historian finds in ancient buildings.






, t

[dutchman]

I grew up next to Whitefriars monastery, played in the ruins as a kid, the stonework extended under our back garden.

Don't know what that makes me but I'm sure Mrs Dutchman can think of a word?

[Blitzkid]

The white Friars of Coventry and Carmelites is fiction by this century Historians, the Friars were two-hundred and fifty years later than the the first Crusade. Where their Fame spread, so the Movement were swollen By thousands of Friars and monks. The Knight Templars where the only ones Persecuted, that's why they landed up in Coventry and the South of England, but in those other towns they went by their proper name of Knight Templars and so did the Victorians. I suspect Coventry people got the name Carmelites from Pennant's book Chester to London, for he was the only one to use the name, (a one day in Coventry).