Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00 <inaudible>.
Speaker 1 00:24 There was a man sent by God whose name was John, the name of the father and the son, the Holy spirit. Amen. Today we'll tell a story about a particularly great triumph for the Holy name. What follows is mostly just a long series of of quotes and paraphrases clip from too many works to cite in a sermon the main bodies taken from actual eyewitness accounts. On May 29th, 1453 Constantinople fell to the forces of the assault and the Ottoman empire. The statistic pervert Mohammed to second Mohammad. His second immediately turned his sights on the Serbian city of Belgrade, which at that time was a border town, the kingdom of Hungary. Hungary was far larger in those days. Belgrade's a great fortress city lies in confluence of two rivers. The <inaudible> been the Sava, and once the Turks captured Belgrade, the road to Vienna and the European Heartland would be open.
Speaker 1 01:27 So the soul ordered his army to be ready for a campaign. In the spring of 1456 catastrophe was looming in the Christian princes, fully aware of it, could agree on nothing, and ultimately did nothing. Meanwhile, in Rome, in the conclave of 1455 a Spaniard, Alfonsa Borgia was elected Pope and took the name of clicks just to third. He clearly understood the threat posed by the Turks and their religion of peace, and you made that perfectly clear it as PayPal consecration, we took this oath. Now listen to this. This is the Pope Pope's oath code. I pop clicks, just the third promise and bow to the Holy Trinity, father, son and Holy spirit to the ever Virgin mother of God, to the Holy apostles, Peter and Paul, and to all the heavenly hosts that I will do everything in my power even if needs be sacrificed my life to reconquer Constantinople, which in punishment for the sin of man has been taken and ruined by Mohammad, the second the son of the devil and the enemy of our crucified Redeemer.
Speaker 1 02:41 Further I VOD to deliver the question, Christians languishing slavery to exalt the true faith and to extra pate. The diabolical sect of the reprobate and faithless Mohamed in the East for their, the light of faith is almost completely extinguished. So help me God and his Holy gospel. Amen. Closed quotes, clicked the third vicar of Christ, then the pulp commission to seven year old Franciscan friar named st John Capistrano to preach and lead a crusade against the Turks. Saint John had studied theology under it and also been a preaching companion of the Saint, the great Saint Bernard <inaudible> Sienna and in the company of st Bernadine, Saint John Capistrano had developed a great devotion to the Holy names of Jesus and Mary. His fame as a preacher miracle worker was so great that the princes and Kings all over Europe were constantly inviting him to preach in the countries. But the saints in variable reply was to urge the rulers to act promptly to repel the Turks, but they couldn't be bothered.
Speaker 1 03:48 While st John was celebrating brass Nuremberg, he heard voices continually repeating to Hungary, to Hungary. And again, as he preached in a public square, he heard the same voices in the air crying out to Hungary, to Hungary, and during mass. And another day. St John had a vision of an era with the words fear not John. Go down quickly in the power of my name and of the Holy cross. Daleville CLA Cronk are the turds. Early in 1456 the paper Leggett to hungry succeeded in convening accounts of the war, the King, sort of a classic guy for his times, fun and excuse to miss the counsel and in fact left the country because he needed to go hunting. The council decided to form an army and appointed Janice honey di commander and chief honey D was a deeply religious man who had spent most of his life fighting the Turks with the exception of Saint John Kappas, China honeyed.
Speaker 1 04:50 He could find no significant allies to accompany them to Belgrade. He did enlist the enlist the help of one young Orthodox Prince Vlad, who agreed to guard the passes into Romania. Thus cut off the Turk. The papal luggage presented st John across which had been sent to him by the Pope and told him to give a similar cross to each one that joined the crusade. So Saint John traveled around enlisting everyone who offered himself teach when he gave a cross, I mean that's where we get toward Crusader after all. And he promised victory for the Christians. He was telling them the story of the arrow, that he had son that in the power of them name and the Holy cross, they will conquer the Turks. Sunni had a falling of many thousands, made up largely of inexperienced and very poorly armed men. Somehow he organized them into some semblance of an army, provisioned them and enter Belgrade with him on July 2nd, 1456 and it was none too soon cause Turkish galleys were really on the Danube near the fortress and the Turkish army.
Speaker 1 05:54 He was on the move towards Hungary. Heavy artillery had been cast reportedly by melting down the bells and Constantinople and it was now being transported on June 29th the pub commanded the Catholic people throughout Christendom to pray and to repent for their sins at bought the scourge upon them. He would all priest, insert a votive call act against the pagans into their masses, and he ordered that a bill should be run daily at midday in order to remind everybody of their duty to pray. On July 3rd the first part of the Turkish army, which number from around 150,000 to 200,000 men was seen before the city besides seven huge motors capable of throwing huge stones. They had more than 300 Canon, 200 of which had extraordinary lengths for that time of 27 feet, the assault and camped on a Hill. It was surrounded by a mountain in a ditch and around that Hill where the, where the tents and standards of 5,000 Janice series.
Speaker 1 06:53 Now the Janissaries were the absolutely elite fighting force of the Ottoman empire. Where did they come from? The empire had a special levy required boys from the age of eight to 16 from Christian families. It was attacks on boys and only Christian boys. And then they were taking a special camps where they're forcibly converted Islam and formed into these elite soldiers. And then when fighting the Turk, the Christians that actually had to fight against and kill their own flesh and blood was absolutely satanic. Back to the battle and the two rivers. The Turks had 64 large galleys besides a great number of smaller craft on land in closed the city. By extending their lines from one river to the others, they effectively sealed the city off so that no supplies could come in now by land or water within the city itself. The greater number of the crusaders had never been in battle before, had not even been trained to bear arms.
Speaker 1 07:55 Mainwell Hunyadi had not yet arrived after mass in July 4th st John Capistrano preach this during sermon to the crusaders for telling their ultimate triumph, exhorting them to fight bravely and if needs be to die as martyrs for the sake of Christ. And he promised to bring back with him such a number of crusaders at w as would even starch the Turks to the priests and brothers. He said, quote here, confessions, sooth, quarrels, take care of the sick and wounded, bury the dead, preach, fortitude and courage, but those of you who are priests, beware not to attack any of the Turks in order to provide or fashion stones, arrows, or other arms for the troops, your weapons against the enemies of the cross of Christ. Our prayers, masses work some mercy and the administration of the sacraments for the labor, others that make no rule and have no commands for them except that they act as God, man, Spire them close quote.
Speaker 1 08:53 Then with four fryers and a few of the crusaders, he left the city and made his way through considerable dangers up to Denewb to find Hunyadi having fun and he persuade them to take command of the fortress and enlist new troops. Within 10 days they'd collected an army. Meanwhile, back at Belgrade, the enemy had monitored their artillery and begin the bombardment. Though the city was strongly fortified, had double walls. Each wall had a moat in front of it. The heavy bond barmen soon reduced the Outerwall and the runes and seriously damaged the Citadel itself. A plague broke out and the provisions also began to become scarce. On July 14th the relieving force under Capistrano Hunyadi made their way down there to newbie in their fleet of boats with one large warship they had and leave both the Turks and the Christian soon learned of their approach. The Christian said 40 little vessels in their docks and they quickly prepared them for action.
Speaker 1 09:48 The great Turkish galleys advanced to intercepted crusaders and so they took a position a little above the city where they were tied together, so they formed a complete barrier across the whole river before meeting them, hung Yanny landed some of his men to engage any of the enemy that might try to come to the aid for on shore st child and Capistrano also want to shore with a certain Peter, a nobleman who carried a standard of the cross and he found a high point of ground to stand on. Then the Christians with there one warship in many small boats attacked under heavy fire from the guns and meanwhile the four little boats from the city closed in behind the enemy. So you have this fight at close quarters. So here's these little tiny vessels come up to galleys and these guys are climbing onboard. The crusaders are climbing on board and having fights, sword fights and pistol fights.
Speaker 1 10:36 During the five hours, this battle lasted st John Kappas. Johnny standing up in a high point with his is a standard bearer holding the cross towards them and he's praying, calling out the Holy name of Jesus over the battle. Those in the city were also praying. The line of ships was finally broken in this mosquito fleet of the Christians then surrounds them and keeps on attacking and the victories complete of the Turkish galleys. Some are sunk, others were captured and those that are escaped were so damaged is to be unusable. With the river cleared, the relieving force could now enter this city and they were free to bring in other supplies or troops as needed. The defending army now numbered about 60,000 men, nearly all Hungarians, although there were a few Germans, poles, some other Slavs and Bosnians. St John's secretary says of them. Among them, there was no idleness, drunkenness, nor immorality, no evil speaking, gambling, theft or quarrelling, but prayers, hearing mass and reception of the sacraments.
Speaker 1 11:40 Each group had its own priest and they were ready to face any danger at a word from st John, whoever heard of an army like this during the week that followed the Naval victory, the Turks began to fill up the uttermost with wood, earth, and rubbish of all kinds to pave the way for general assault. Saint John's scarcely or slept. He was seen everywhere consoling the timid, providing for the needs of the sick and wounded, exhorting its soldiers, the bravery, inspiring everyone with his own unbounded trust in God. No one could accompany him for very long without being overcome with fatigue. In fact, when Yachty got him a horse and he wrote it into the ground just a couple of days and kept on going, he appeared to grow stronger. As the days pass. By every morning he celebrated mass and address to the people words of hope and encouragement to persevere in prayer and piety.
Speaker 1 12:34 By July 20th the outer walls were leveled to the ground. It was no longer possible to repair the breaches open in the interior walls, but incessant artillery fire the great tar. The Citadel showed a wide crack from top to bottom and look like it was going to collapse at any moment. Even the great Hunyadi gave up hope when he saw the condition of the fortress. Instead, as much to st John st John replied, fear not. God is able with a few weak men to overthrow the Turkish power, to defend the city and to put our enemies to shame. But Hunyadi was unconvinced tomorrow. The fortress will no longer be ours. St John replied, fear not. It will be ours and D we are fighting God's cause. We're defending the name of Christ and God will protect his own. On the evening of the next day, the 21st of July, the loud blast of trumpets in the shots, the entire Turkish army were heard.
Speaker 1 13:31 The Christians lined the ruins, the outer wall, praying and calling allowed the Holy name of cheeses, chirks advanced hurling themselves fiercely upon the defenders. Many carried bundles of straw and pieces of wood, which they threw into the moat and they swarmed up the bank swords in hand. Some are firing pistols, others throwing Spears and arrows filled the air, but the Christians held their own in the higher ground. Great number of chirks were slain in greater and greater numbers. Turk storm the mound, but the kitchens gaining confidence fought harder than ever. Their battle cry was the Holy name of Jesus. Once again, st John's stood in a prominent place with the standard bear and prayed like another Moses through the whole fight. The struggle went on until about an hour after sunset when the Turks finally retreated, but at midnight they returned fiercely to attack this time carrying ladders to scale the defenses.
Speaker 1 14:24 This battle lasted longer than before. Over time, the Christians were forced back and retreated the second wall, which was also protected by a mode. Again, the Horta Turks came on and began to fill this moat with brush wood, straw and such light material. A fierce battle was raging on the one on the one bridge that crossed the moat, but even the moat itself was densely packed with men struggling to scale the mound and get up on the hose half walls. It was just before Dawn when the Critch Christians conceived a new plan. Those in the rear prepared hundreds of bundles of Triggs and thorns with sulfur. They lit them and passed them up to the men on the front who cast them down all at once and the enemy then flammable material thrown down by the Turks blue burst into flame and suddenly the whole length of this trench was a raging Inferno, suffocated by the Saphris smoke and consumed by the raging fire.
Speaker 1 15:24 Nearly all the tricks were below. The walls perished and those survived, ran away screaming. The God of the Christians is fighting for them. Among Christians, it was great joint Thanksgiving, but from the enemy's camp, no sound was heard in the full daylight. The charred bodies. The Turks were seen piled up within the trench from end to end of the Christians, not more than 60 were killed outright in the final assault, although many more wounded the ground was covered with arrows and Spears, which the women and children picked up and bundled into sheaves as if they were gathering wheat. It's the second battle won by the Christians. The third and crowning victory was later that same day, 20 seconds July, the feast of Saint Mary Magdalen rejoicing. It sent such unexpected success, but fearing that the crusaders might rash the expose themselves to danger and lose all the advantage they had gained on Yachty had ordered that no one should leave the camp since they were still greatly outnumbered by the Turks, but one party after another advanced towards enemy lines shutting their battle cry of Jesus.
Speaker 1 16:26 St John saw that they were not to be deterred, so he went forth himself say, wouldn't be without a leader. The Turk seemed terrified for the made no resistance but fled. There were 4,000 Christians or more. When it lasts, the Turks began to rally and oppose a Christian charge. Saint John cap is trying to knew that this Supreme moment had come, let him flee. Who was afraid? He cried for 40 years. I've waited for this hour. Then as he did another battles, he fought a prominent point to stand inside of both the Christians and Turks, and he's so he's exposing himself to imminent danger, death with all the arrows and Spears flying all over the place. He has Peter standard bearer orders them to raise the cross and pointed towards the full. He calls it aloud to the Christians that God had delivered the enemy into their hands and he's calling on the Holy name.
Speaker 1 17:14 So this fight was hotly contested for a while, but the Christ of Jesus filling the air seemed to have had more than human tears for the infidels. And the battle turned into a row. Some of the Turkish cavalry made a final effort to turn the tide and began loping with their lances at rest and fierce shots towards st John Capistrano. But again, the Holy name of Jesus seemed to fill them with a supernatural fear and they turned in confusion and wheeled around and fled. By this time, the whole Christian army had poured out of the city. The Turks are driven from their camp and soon we're in full retreat. Upon realizing the Turks were ugly, defeated the st, gave orders to have the troops recalled for, although he had to desire to defeat and Rob the enemies of Christianity for years, he had no love for butchery. The Turks lost 50,000 men in the battle, including all the warlords who had taken Constantinople.
Speaker 1 18:07 Mohammed, the second himself was wounded and had to be restrained from killing himself. Another 25,000 Turks were slain by Serbs. During their retreat, the Christians lost less than 10,000 men. St John said the good news to pulp on the very day of victory and is the lasting Memorial. The great event the Pope ordered at the feast of the transfiguration of our Lord should be celebrated throughout the Christian world every year on which on the day in which the news, the victory reached Rome August six that's why we have the feast of the transfiguration. On August 6th, a few weeks later on August 11th, 1456, John his honey DIA died from the plague that have been re ravaging Belgrade during the siege. Two months after that, Saint John Capistrano died. What became the only ally of honey. The Orthodox Prince bled, regarded. The past is into Romania. The Turks called him Vlad and paler cause that's what he did with him when he caught him.
Speaker 1 19:03 Although he, today's generally known by the name which he used for himself, his father plints Vlad the second had joined the order of the dragon that was a chivalric order that was established for F on the basis of strictly fighting the Turks. And uh, so sun Vlad the third was known as the son of the dragon or Flad Dracula. Uh, so as one authors pointed out, the feast of the transfiguration owes its place in the calendar in part to the courageous actions of the real count. Dracula, as we heard during the siege pup clicks is a third had ordered the noon bell to call believers to pray for the defenders. But as it turned out in many places, the news, the victory arrived before that order. So the bell was rung in commemoration of the victory, and the Pope himself modified his command to fit this interpretation.
Speaker 1 19:53 In 1956 his Epistolic letter DOMA Moran T animal, which is about the persecution of the Catholic church in Eastern Europe and communist China, Popeyes the 12th recall the 500th anniversary of the order by pub Callixtus. And again, as the faithful throughout the world to pray for the persecuted church in the East during the ringing of the mid day Angeles. It would be good for each of us to take that to heart as we pray noontime Angeles each day, not just to recall the great victory of our ancestors in the faith, but also to remember our brothers and sisters in Christ who are still groaning under the satanic yoke of Islam and communism and even Zionism, and to pray for their
Speaker 2 20:47 speedy release. Let us take care to remember them every day at the noontime Angeles
Speaker 0 20:58 <inaudible>.
