#libellus

Art Fight - Libellus

The character belongs to @unfathomablearcane! Please go check them out! ^^

It’s well known that ancient Christians faced persecution now and then (although less often than most people think, as this link explains).  What’s less well known is that, in the first Roman-Empire-wide persecution under Decius in 250 CE, people could prove that they had offered incense to the emperor’s image by means of a “libellus,” which was a certificate indicating that they had done so.  Unfortunately, many Christians viewed such sacrifices as idolatry, and many Christians died for refusing to make them.  In other words, it got awkward later, after the persecution, when the church had to decide what to do with those who had bought one of these certificates, or paid others to get one for them.  You can learn more at this link.

 (Lattitude Festival 2009 - Sunrise Stage)

After his failure to see us play at Latitude, Alf bought Libellus, my first album.  

                                                    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/libellus/id308485701

Then later in 2010 when I began crowd funding for Alive, he was one of the first to pledge.  We later met at gigs along the way – The Union Chapel, and then in a Café Nero in Ipswich! Then in 2012 with the Banshee And The Moon, he pledged again.  This time not just for an album but also for a painting I had done. 

Suffice to say Alf has been an amazing supporter, and a friend.  So, it was a real honour to be asked to play as his fortieth.  No ordinary bash, but a three-day festival that included a marathon of early star wars movies, a lot of food and a night out in a pink pub!

                                                             I arrived on 21st (night after my own birthday gathering) to said pink pub near a river, near a dock in the dark, and was greeted by a slightly overwhelmed and exhausted Alf.  I think the reality of organising Forty fest was far less fun than he had anticipated.  Nevertheless he was in fine spirits and happily dishing out passes for artists, guests, demanding small children and showing the way to the bar.  There was even a program of Forty fest events.

                                                             The night progressed and by 10 most folks were well on their way.. or was that just Alf, whose fantastic introductory speeches, to acts and general goings on were priceless.  I think someone was even acknowledged as being a great friend but a twat because he stole his Haribo age 5, this was met with great giggles from all members of the audience bar the Haribo thief.   

                                                              It was great night and I loved playing all the old songs for Alf and a couple of new ones and had great natter to his mum.  We even got a bed for the night.  Good old Ipswich Premier Inn.  Have to say it was the best nights kip I had had in a long while.

Many of you who have been frequenting The Way of the Weird have asked “Is this real or fiction?”.  It is both.  The philosophical aspects of the Waking Dreamare rooted in real explorations of world religion, science and other philosophical disciplines,…

Tallulah Rendall - Black Seagull (Libellus, 2009)