Negatively medieval

Although the misuse of the word 'medieval' as an insult is a matter of ongoing concern, it must be admitted that bad things were thought and done in the Middle Ages. We were still very much fallen, after all. One of those bad things is rearing its ugly head again - the deeply nasty business of accusing Jews of ritual murder and Satanism. This is becoming ever more popular in Russia, it seems. There was something about this on the Today programme this morning, but I can't find any reports more recent than this (which is quite recent enough). This is a terrible, foolish evil - not a particularly constructive comment, but a true one. There's not much one can do about it from here, I suppose; but oremus.

Ss Cyril and Methodius, pray for the children of your evangelism!


Incidentally, if anyone still feels the need to construct a history where the Middle Ages are a big black hole, might I suggest plumbing as a topic? I feel that there would be no harm at all in leaping from Antiquity to Modernity in the field of bathroom design. (But don't mention this option in Brussels. Asserting that the EU's true basis is upon the principles of effective plumbing would be taking this too far... The BBC meanwhile offers a relatively balanced view of the current Kulturkampf [by which no very specific analogy is meant, so please don't point out how unlike Wilhelmine Germany the current climate is!])