Importance of Philip II in the Success of His Son Research Paper

Importance of Philip II in the Success of His Son - Research Paper Example After the death of Philip, his son Alexander took over as his successor. He executed the plans of his father to invade Asia. During the tenure of Alexander, the Macedonian empire was extended in the west, including Asia Minor, Egypt, Central Asia and India (Present Kashmir and India) in the east. He was just thirty-three years old at the time of his death; he was worshiped by his followers like a God because of his bravery, comradeship and man management. He had already planned invasion in Arabia, having which he had created a long lasting, unparalleled and undefeatable empire. This brought him the title of Alexander the Great. Alexander had a very short tenure of emperorship, but yet it was very successful and full of victories. What could have been the role of Philip towards success of Alexander? Would there have been a successful Alexander the Great without having Philip as his predecessor? One thing is very clear: all historical figures are the merchandise of their predecessors. Philip was always proud of Alexander for his bravery, courageousness and his victories right at the outset of his military life. Alexander remained in school of Aristotle for three years and returned at the age of 16. Upon his return, he came to know about second marriage of his father and birth of step brother, who in his thoughts threatened his position as heir of the throne. Alexander was closer to his mother, whom he thought as a deprived lady due to the second marriage of his father. This increased distances and rivalry within the family and gave rise to conflicts / quarrels between father and son. The differences between them aggravated to an extent that Alexander was banished from Macedonia for quite a long time. Later on, both reconciled, but the distances in between remained ever increasing. Even though Alexander was one of the most popular, successful, brilliant and brave king / general that existed in any period of history, without the on-going efforts of Philip in the fi elds of politics and military, Alexander could have never been as thriving and successful. Philip had opened many avenues to conquer for Alexander. The seed which was sown by Philip in form of collation with Balkan people was harvested by Alexander the Great as subsequent victories with full administrative support by the Balkans (Cole and Coffin 2). Philip was always very concerned about the success of his son. He arranged for his good education and military training. He sent him to Aristotle for three years and then on return, handed him over to military trainers for war preparedness and learning of tactics. Despite the fact that Alexander distanced from him since his second marriage, Philip always remained forthcoming, approachable and friendly to his son. Alexander was always given the feeling of parental pride and honor by his father. His bravery and valor were always valued by Philip. Though Alexander used to remain away on campaigns for long durations, the approach of Philip t owards Alexander was characterized by care and guidance of a truly caring father. Unluckily, this relation of trust and love was not reciprocated by Alexander. He loved his father but in comparison, he was closer to his mother. But after the second marriage of Philip, he did everything in his capacity to remain away from his father but at the same time, he inherited skills of tactician and commander from his father. Alexander learned a lot

Jewish Holy Days Essay Example for Free

Jewish Holy Days Essay Roy Rehberg Jewish Holy Days Paper Many different religions celebrate holidays of all kinds. Throughout history, each religion has developed their own traditions. These traditions are important as they have been traced back through our ancestors and provide a valuable lesson on how important traditions are. Judaism is no different. Although Judaism was the base of Christianity, the traditions are very different. Those of Jewish faith celebrate three major holy days in succession; Rosh Hashanah, ten days later is Yom Kippur, and finally five days after that is Sukkot. Time of the Year of Holy Day It all starts in the fall with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Following that is the most sacred day of the year, Yom Kippur. Although these days are now celebrated on specific days, it was not always like that. They used to just base it off of the harvest season. Yom Kippur is referred to as the Day of Atonement, which means to make up for faults. It is during this time that the Jewish people stick to a strict regime of prayer and fasting. Occurring in late autumn is Sukkot, which marks the end of the wandering period by the Jewish after their departure from Egypt. Altogether, this whole period in time is called the Days of Awe because of the effect it has on the people (Molloy, 2010). Historical Origin of Holy Day In order to fully understand Sukkot, we must first go back in the Bible to Exodus, more specifically the book of Numbers. In the book of Numbers, we are told of the Israelites being led out of Egypt by Moses. They were led out because 400 years before that, they had been made slaves. Moses led the Israelites to Mount Sinai where God handed down to him the Ten Commandments. After this they made their way to the Promise Land. Once they found the Promise Land, God told them they could enter; however, no one trusted God enough to go in. As part of a punishment for not having faith in God, they were forced to wonder for forty years. Sukkot commemorates the end of the Jewish wandering by giving thanks for a plentiful harvest. It is now one of three pilgrimage festivals that those of Jewish faith celebrate. Religious Practices Associated with the Days In the Torah, it states that on this holiday we should â€Å"live in booths seven days†¦in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I am the Lord your God† (Lev. 23:42-43) (History Of Sukkot, n. d. ). Sukkot means â€Å"booth† and refers to what the Jewish people were required to live in during this time. These booths must have 3 walls and be covered with some kind of material that will not allow for the building to be easily knocked down. In order for the roof to fulfill the commandment, the roof needs to be made of a material from the earth, has to be something that allows for rain to enter and the stars to be seen (Jewish Virtual Library, 2014). Theological or Cultural Differences Throughout all the different religions, people have made small changes or adjusted things to better fit their lives. For example, Christmas is a Christian holiday, but the way every family celebrates it may vary quite a bit. Theologically speaking, there is a definite difference between Orthodox Jews and Liberal Jews. Orthodox Jews believe in complete acceptance of the Torah, whereas liberal Jews believe that Torah laws are more lenient or adapt to the modern world. The cultural difference will not be as significant when it comes to Jews in different countries. For example, one difference would be the food served on Holy Days. Conclusion Sukkot is a very important holy day to those who are practicing Jews. The booths they build during this time are also significant to this day because they are a symbol of a more humbling time. Not only does Sukkot remind the Jews about bountiful harvests, but it is also a reminder of the faith they should have had in God at the promise land. Traditions such as these are handed down through ancestors and are an important part of our heritage and religious beliefs. References History of Sukkot. (n. d. ). Retrieved from

Literature Review: Wireless Sensor Networks

Literature Review: Wireless Sensor Networks CHAPTER 2 To complete this project, a lot of literature reviews have been done. These include many case studies from past to recent research and general understanding towards the theory behind each technology. Articles, journals, books, previous projects and internet have served as sources of literature reviews. Some major case studies are described below. 2.1.1 Case study 1 Case study towards paper Integration of RFID into Wireless Sensor Networks: Architectures, Opportunities and Challenging Problems (2006) [1] In this paper, Lei Zhang and Zhi Wang propose three different forms of network architecture based on integration of RFID and wireless sensor network, The three architecture are Heterogeneous network, Distributed reduced functional sensor reader network, and Mini node network. Heterogeneous network architecture uses 802.11b/Wi-Fi technology as its platform. In Physical layer, 802.11b/Wi-Fi uses the unlicensed 2.4 GHZ band and Discrete Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technique. Its maximum data rate can reach to 11 Mbps. In MAC sub-layer, 802.11b/Wi-Fi uses Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) scheme, which will improve the efficiency of network. This architecture is good for real-time operation but limited range. Distributed reduced functional sensor reader network architecture uses ZigBee protocol as its platform. The reasons are ZigBee uses lower power consumption in physical layer and MAC layer, more reliable and low cost. This architecture is good for wide range but no real-time requirement. The last architecture which is the Mini node network architecture uses IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee standard protocol as its platform since there is little data flow and reduced cost. The mini node is actually the Mica nodes which allow communication between each mini node. This architecture is specially fit for industrial security and remote condition-based maintenance system, Figure 2.1 below describe remote condition-based maintenance systems based on the application of Mini node network architecture. By using this architecture, the reader from the forklift will sense signal from each mini node and will move toward the signalled mini node to perform tasks like move rotating parts of a machine automatically. Figure 2.1: Fork lift operation dispatching in a factory [1] Case study 2 Case study on paper Smart Home Mobile RFID-based Internet-Of-Things Systems and Service (2008) [2] Mohsen Darianian, Martin Peter Michael introduce a RFID reader system architecture for a home comprised of several readers in master slave architecture. The communication protocol between the readers and tags is based on RFID standard protocols like UHF. As shown in Figure2.2 below, the system consists of following reader components: Master Reader (MR), a number of Slave Readers (SR), and Mobile RFID (MRFID) Reader The Master reader is a conventional powerful fixed reader with a direct fixed or wireless connection to the smart home server. It starts the read process of slave readers and power up passive tags for reading process. In addition, this master reader also acts as the so-called RF Energy Generator for mobile RFID reader so that the mobile RFID reader can have lower consumption of power. The Slave reader acts as middleware for capturing tag ID information tags which are not accessible by the direct radio transmission of the master reader. Slave readers will be integrated in the home appliances. Since location of the slave readers is known by the system, it is good for localization of tags As for the Mobile RFID reader, in this paper, it has been improved so that it does not consume a lot of energy. The mobile RFID reader will use the proposed architecture so-called RF Energy Generator to be powered up by master reader or slave reader. Thus, these mobile readers will act like passive readers. In this paper, Mohsen Darianian, and Martin Peter Michael have apply the proposed system architecture as described above to create a smart home which apply wireless concepts along with RFID technologies for creating services almost everywhere in a house. It applications include control electrical appliances, home tele-monitoring, and give intelligent suggestions inside the house automatically and wirelessly. Figure 2.2: Smart Home using RFID and WSN [2] Case study 3 Case study on Paper Bus Management System Using RFID in WSN by Ben Ammar Hatem and Hamam Habib (2009) [3] In this paper, intelligent bus tracking application applying integration of RFID and wireless sensor network technology to monitor whether the bus will be arriving on time, early or late inside the bus station is introduced. The design approach is proposed. As shown in Figure 2.3, first, each bus will has its own UHF tag. Next, Entrance and exit doors will be equipped with an RFID reader, antennas and motion sensors. When a bus enters or exits the station, the RFID reader will send its identification to the central computer where the event is displayed on a Map. Finally, a software application on the control station keeps track of the entrance and the exit of buses and updates the displays related to those buses with useful information. The communication will be wireless using ZigBee protocol. To execute this proposed architecture, they choose to use Ultra High Frequency generation 2 (UHF Gen2) RFID which operates between 860MHz to 960MHz bandwidth. UHF is better suited for reading tag attached to buses. It uses backscatter technique to communicate with the tag and provides higher read range compared to HF and LF technology. As for the antenna, they used Alien circular antenna to read RFID tags to improve orientation of reading. Two antennas are used in each gate, to communicate with tags. One is used for the emission of energy to the tag and the other receives energy back from the tag. The display is using the LCD and LED technologies. By completing this proposed system, it is hope to provide a smart solution for managing the bus schedule in the bus stations and offering helpful information to passengers. Problems like under employment of buses fleet and long waiting time at the bus station can be minimised. Case study 4 Case study on paper Intelligent Traffic Management System Base on WSN and RFID by Lejiang Guo, Wei Fang, Guoshi Wang and Longsheng Zheng (2010) [4] This paper introduces Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) base on RFID and WSN, and discusses the hardware and software design principles of the system. Figure 2.4 shows the ITS system architecture. It consists of Access and Terminal Layer, Application Processing Layer, and Data storage and access management. The Access and Terminal layer mainly completes information exchange between each subsystem of ITS. Application Processing Layer will be responsible for processing the information. And lastly the Data storage and access management will be the data management system for the ITS system. As for the composition of the system, RFID tags and sensor nodes are used to keep stored in the monitoring area. RFID reader is used for the base station. At the same time, the sensor nodes send the data after its transfer to the local PC or remote network. RFID can be used for dereliction of duty as an intelligent base station device for RFID and data WSN systems Integration. In the network, the system consists of five types of facilities which are Base Station, Sensor nodes, RFID Tags, Device reader and Center Data Platform. Zigbee protocol is implemented in this system architecture. Figure 2.5 show how the sensor nodes are deployed and communicate to each other. As for the data communication middleware, advanced web Service architecture is implemented. The reason is web service is the most advanced platform for distributed applications, by which it not only can achieve basic distributed application, but also improve fault tolerance. Messaging middleware is using XML format for the transmission of information. Geographic Information System (GIS) is also combined in the system. GIS is based on one of the technologies supported by Public Security Traffic Management GIS platform. GIS is used to process all information associated with visual processing, to provide simple and direct for visualization information interface. By utilizing the application of ITS based on combination of RFID and WSN. The real-time traffic management system can provides the basis for efficient data monitoring. Second, the system uses the heterogeneous adaptive network architecture for road monitoring will provide a more flexible way, efficient, reliable system communication architecture for traffics management system Case study 5 Case study on paper Innovative Application of RFID Systems to Special Education Schools by Shu-Hui Yang and Pao-Ann Hsiung (2010) [5] In this paper, the uses of RFID system innovatively broaden. Application of innovative Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems has been incorporated to special education school campus to improve the teaching and learning and control process in special education schools. For the Implementation Platform and Architecture, the main RFID campus system was implemented using the YesTurnkey technology, which includes four parts, namely front-end RFID middleware server, front-end RFID application server, backend database server, and backend RFID application server. Front-end RFID Middleware Server consists of YesTurnkey Asset Tracking Manager which is a manager of all network resources that includes the set of active RFID readers installed on campus and RFID Processor DLL that processes RFID data. Front-end RFID Application Server is a server which used by the Type 1 (Direct-Connected) RFID scenario windows applications. Backend Database Server implemented the Microsoft SQL Server. And finally, Backend RFID Application Server: which manages the execution of two kinds of applications which are YesTurnkey WiNOC (Wired/Wireless Network Operations Center) Web Application and Type 2 (LAN-Based) RFID Scenario Web Application. However, five of the innovative works are focused, including student temperature monitoring (STM), body weight monitoring (BWM), garbage disposal monitoring (GDM), mopping course recording (MCR), and campus visitor monitoring (CVM) by applying the RFID system technology. Basic operation for mopping course recording (MCR) system will be described below. (Swab with the reader is moving across tag) As shown in Figure 2.6, first, they patch up of a mobile pedestal, an artificial plastic floor with embedded passive RFID tags, and a real mop equipped with a Bluetooth passive RFID reader. The mobile pedestal carried a laptop for displaying the real time status of how a student is performing the cleaning job and a projector connected to the laptop, which could project a black, dark grey, light grey or white image on the artificial floor, which represented dirty, little clean, quite clean, and clean. By using this MCR, teacher can monitor these special education students so that the students will learn to complete their task better. As can be seen, by using this RFID technology, outcomes shown above have truly give benefits not only to teacher but also the student. Research is still ongoing to include RFID technologies in teaching method and materials. Summary of the case studies Theories behind this project This section explains general theory on the technologies involve in this project. The theory and technology involve include Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), Radio-frequency identification (RFID), Integration of WSN and RFID and Visual Basic Programming (VB). 2.2.1 Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) A Wireless Sensor Network is a self-configuring network of small sensor nodes communicating among themselves using radio signals, and deployed in quantity to sense, monitor and understand the physical world such as temperature, pressure, humidity and more. Figure 2.7: WSN Sensor Node 2.2.1.1 Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Topology Wireless sensor network topology show how each sensor node inside a wireless network are connected. Some of the WSN topologies are like star, mesh and cluster/tree. They are shown Figure 2.8 below. Basic WSN topology is the star topology in which each node maintains a single, direct communication path with the gateway. To increase wireless coverage, cluster/tree topology can be used although it increases complexity. Finally, although network latency may be experienced, mesh topology is especially good in increase network reliability. [6] Figure 2.8: WSN network topologies 2.2.1.2 Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) components A wireless sensor network may consist of the following components: power supply, microcontroller, wireless communication, sensor, local storage, and real time clock systems. Some components may be optional and are depend on the function purpose. The main idea is that the sensors are connected to a tiny computer that coordinates the measurement, pre-processes, stores and delivers the information. Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) characteristics This section describes the behavior or the uniqueness of wireless sensor network. Some of them are: harvest or store limited power, Able to withstand harsh environmental conditions, able to adapt with node breakdown, nodes mobility, dynamic network topology, heterogeneity of nodes, large scale of deployment, unattended operation, and lastly, node capacity is scalable and only limited by bandwidth of gateway node. Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) protocols There are a lot of wireless sensor network protocols in market nowadays. Some of the well- known WSN protocols are Bluetooth, WiFiZone, IEEE and ZigBee. Choosing the wrong protocol may cause severe inefficiency and prevent the WSN to accomplish user need. The protocol will affect energy dissipation, system cost, Latency and Security. Thus, it is very important to choose the best protocol for a system as it strongly impact on system performance. Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) platform Wireless sensor network platform basically include the hardware design, modular design, smart sensor interface, software design, and operating system. The hardware designs include super node, simple node and gateway. All these design have to follow several standardized specification developed by IEEE, Internet Engineering Task Force, and International Society of Automation. Modular design has to be flexible and expandable for various applications. Smart sensor interface has to equipped with plug and play modules. Important topics to be considered in software design include security, mobility and middleware which allow communication between software and hardware. And finally, operating system has to be compatible with TinyOS as TinyOS allows easy establishment to wireless sensor network. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) RFID is a means of identifying a person or object using radio frequency transmission. Mainly, RFID consists of three parts which are reader, tag and also host computer. There are also various types of reader and tags depend on their uses. Figure below show basic operation of a RFID system. First, to read data for tag, tag is move and enter RF field of reader through antenna. Then, RF signal from antenna will power the tag to allow the tag to transmit its ID and data back. Reader will then capture the data and send them to the computer for displaying. To write data to the tags, we just write the data into the computer, and the reader will take the data from the computer and transmits them into the tag via the antenna. Figure 2.9: Basic Operations of RFID 2.2.2.1 RFID reader RFID reader is also called as RFID interrogator and it is used to read/write data from/to tags. It can operate on single or multiple frequencies, and perform anti-collision processing. There is also a hybrid RFID reader which can read bar code. There are mainly three types of RFID reader which are fixed, hand-held and mobile reader. Each reader has their own uniqueness. RFID reader consists of components like receiver, transmitter, oscillator, controller/processor and input/output port. The receiver holds an amplifier and a demodulator. Transmitter has a modulator and power amplifier. Oscillator is used to provide carrier signal to modulator and a reference signal to demodulator circuits. Then, the controller/processor will perform data processing and communicates with external network. And lastly, input/output port is connected to the antenna. 2.2.2.2 RFID tag RFID tag consists of RFID chip, antenna and power source. RFID chip consists of modulation circuitry, control circuitry, processor and memory. Modulation circuitry can change the signal from reader to include data to be transmitted back to the reader. Control circuitry control internal function under the command of processor. Processor interpret signal from reader and control memory storage with retrieval. And memory serves as writable and non-writable data storage. Antenna is only used by Ultra high frequency and Microwave frequency tags. Low frequency and High frequency tags will use induction coils. As for power sources, the tags can be divided into three types which are active tags, semi-passive tags and passive tags. Active tags have internal power source. Passive tags draw power from reader. And Semi-passive tags are battery-assisted but communicated by drawing power from reader. Integration of WSN and RFID Wireless sensor network (WSN) is used to sense and monitor various parameters in the environment while RFID is used to detect presence, location and identification of objects. By integrating these two technologies, they will provide a significant improvement on monitoring application. The basic idea of integration of WSN with RFID is to connect the RFID reader to an RF transceiver, which has routing function and can forward information to and from other readers wirelessly. RFID will act as a sensor in the WSN. With combination of RFID and WSN, monitoring and tracking application can be done not only outdoor but indoor also (with obstacle). The coverage can also be improved depends on the specification of WSN platform used. Visual Basic Programming (VB) Visual Basic is a programming language and environment developed by Microsoft which is based on the BASIC language. Visual Basic is commonly used to develop graphical user interface. Visual Basic was one of the first products to provide a graphical programming environment for developing user interfaces. Since it uses graphical programming environment, we can be sure to increase the efficiency in design the graphical user interface.

Values Education Essay -- Education

A multitude of complex and contentious legal issues face individuals and groups alike in Australia on a day-to-day basis. By notion, Legal Studies is then intended as an opportunity for students in their senior years of schooling to develop knowledge and tangible skills, as well as shape the values, attitudes and beliefs necessary to enhance their awareness and ability to actively participate as informed, proactive and critical members of society (Queensland Studies Authority, 2007). To effectively navigate the legal and moral mindfield that beckons, it is vital for students to be informed about their rights and responsibilities within legislation (Eekelaark, 1992). Essential to the progression of students through the syllabus is the concept of Values Education, which when taught in conjunction with Productive Pedagogies models in the classroom describes explicit or implicit school-based activities which promotes a student’s knowledge and understanding of values, which develop s the skills and dispositions of students so they can enact particular values in their everyday lives as individuals and members of the community (Queensland Government Department of Education and Training, 2004). In Queensland, Legal Studies consists of six prescribed sections of study throughout Year 11 and 12: â€Å"The legal system†; â€Å"Crime and society†; â€Å"Civil obligations†; â€Å"You, the law and society† (renting and buying; family; jobs; sport; environment; consumers; technology; rights and responsibilities – at least two units to be chosen); â€Å"Independent study† and â€Å"Law in a changing society† whereby students collect, organise, analyse and synthesise relevant information and evaluate its quality and validity across a variety of sources (Queensland Studies Aut... ...ueensland Government Department of Education and Training (2004). Productive Pedagogies. Retrieved from Queensland Government Department of Education and Training website http://education.qld.gov.au/public_media/reports/curriculum-framework/productive-pedagogies/pdfs/prodped.pdf Schultz, J. (2004). The Place of Values in SOSE Inquiry: An example related to the topic of Reconciliation. The Social Educator, December 2004, 15-23. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (1998). Learning To Live Together In Peace and Harmony: Values Education for Peace, Human Rights, Democracy and Sustainable Development for the Asia-Pacific Region. Bangkok, TH: UNESCO Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Woodgate, R., Black, A., Owens, B., Biggs, J. (2011). Legal Studies for Queensland Volume 1 (6th Ed.). Brisbane, AU: Legal Eagle Publications.

Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present Essay

The development of priesthood within the Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present has resulted in various improvements and changes in the sacrament of holy orders. This paper traces the roots of priesthood,   the duties and responsibilities of the ordained priest, and his forms and functions in the Catholic Church. One good excerpt is the saying from Spiderman: â€Å"With great power comes great responsibility.† We can replace the first word in the profession of priesthood and say: â€Å"With great faith comes great responsibility.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What is the Catholic Priesthood? It is   a divinely instituted sacrament that Christ Himself instituted as how the same Council of Trent explains in relation to the events of the Last Supper. â€Å"The Catholic priesthood is a state of life.† It follows logically on what the Church teaches–that   the priesthood is a sacrament that imprints an indelible character. Given that fact it must also be to say the least a permanent state of life. That requires a special divine vocation. (Hardon, 1998)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priesthood’s origin is from Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, who, according to the Hebrew Chapter of the Bible 7:26 and 8:2,   â€Å"[w]as holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners of the world, exalted above heavens†¦a minister in the sanctuary which is set up not only by man but by the Lord.† Being the heavenly and high priest above all men, he offered himself as a sacrifice by being crucified on the cross and conferred his priesthood to his apostles (John 20:21-23; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-18; and Acts 2:33, King James Version).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The unbroken chain of priesthood was passed on from the apostles of Christ to the first first ordained clergymen and through their successors. It was called an Apostolic Succession and was considered as a fundamental teaching on the Orthodox Church. Only through the Apostolic Succession can the clergymen receive the authority to become real representatives of Christ and the Apostles of the Church. (Orfanakos, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As successors of the Apostles and representatives of Christ in His Church, clergymen  Ã‚   continue the work of Jesus. They teach the word of God; offer the Holy Eucharist and administer the other sacraments; they govern the Church and take care of the spiritual needs of the members of their congregations. (Orfanakos, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being a priest is never easy. It requires time and devotion, especially great spirituality. A man who is weak from temptation in doing earthly things and desires more cannot enter this vocation of lifetime devotion to faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priesthood falls under the sacrament of Holy Orders wherein a man goes through ordination and decides to do their part in serving the Church and its people. It is a ministry of meditation between man and God above as he performs the following functions: forgiveness of sins, blessings and casting away evil spirits. Priesthood’s foundation began on the declaration of God about priesthood to St. Peter in the region of Caesarea Philippi: â€Å"To thee I shall give the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven† (Sacraments, 2008). This event also led to the formation of the priest’s responsibility: â€Å"Feed My lambs. Feed My sheep. Feed My ewes† (Sacraments, 2008). Its completion and perfection from that He breathed on them saying: â€Å"Receive ye the Holy Spirit; if ye forgive a man his sins, they are forgiven to him; and you withhold forgiveness of a man’s sins, they shall be held†. (Sacraments, 2008)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the old times, priesthood was considered as one of generation’s and man’s own choice to go in such ministry wherein their way of living is not merely a basis. In contrast to the new Priesthood by Apostolic succession, Ordination involves laying of hands to those chosen people to become priest granted that a thorough examination of their past life before entering the congregation as well as their thoughts about God is done. Once they are found blameless, they are qualified and blessed to become priest all through their lives.   Former priesthood was done by the use of Material oil but now, it is done through the spirit and laying on of hands (Sacraments, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the Assyrian Church of the east,   there are certain qualities that a man must possess before entering priesthood. First he, must be blameless. If he was ever married, he should  Ã‚   never have committed adultery. he should also be â€Å"alert mentally, modest, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt at teaching; not given to wine, not hasty to strike, but patient, not quarrelsome, not greedy of lucre† (Sacraments, 2008). He should also be a great father, â€Å"[o]ne who rules well his own house, having his children under submission to bring them up with all purity† (Sacraments, 2008). He should also a devote Catholic since birth. Similarly, deacons should also maintain a life of purity (Sacraments,2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A clear examination of conscience should be done by men who desire to enter this lifetime vocation. According to St. Paul, â€Å"choosing priesthood is desiring to have a good work with the spirit of God† (Fitzgerald, 1996). Once the decision is made, the full conviction of giving special service to the church and the people of God is expected from people who are ordained as priests.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on the Apostolic Customs of the church,   there are three major orders of priesthood: Bishops, Priests and Deacons, each of which requires a special ordination. The Bishop is viewed as the successor of the Apostles while the Priest and the Deacon act in the name of the Bishop. Each order is distinguished by its pastoral responsibilities. Only a Bishop may ordain. Often, other titles and offices are associated with the three orders. The Orthodox Church permits men to marry before they are ordained. Since the sixth century, Bishops have been chosen from the celibate clergy (Fitzgerald, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bishop is the highest order of priesthood. The name episcopos was given to the successors of the Apostles (Acts 20:28; 1 timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:7, King James Version). The term â€Å"episcopos† means overseer and is also called as the Archpriest. This makes him the chief of the priest within a specific territory. There are many bishops worldwide and they are all equal among themselves since they own the same degree of priesthood. However, they are graded in their titles which depend on their administrative power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priest occupies the second order of the Holy Priesthood. He is in charge of the community to which he gives spiritual services and where he administers all the sacraments, except ordination. He is the main celebrant during the Eucharist and leads the whole community of God into prayer and blesses them in the name of the Lord .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third order belongs to the Deacon or â€Å"diakonos† which means assistant (Matthew 20:26; Acts 6:1-7 King James Version). His main responsibility is to assist the priest during the celebration of sacraments and other church services. He often recites the litanies, gospel readings and other prayers .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Catholic priesthood is an institution necessary for Christianity. According to Fr. Hardon (1998), without priesthood, Christianity would cease to exist. If there is no priesthood,  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jesus Christ would not be present in the Eucharist. It is also the duty of priests to give penance to sinners and anoint the sick and dying in the world. They are also the ones who reveal the divine truth to the world. â€Å"In a world without priesthood, Christianity would be a memory but no longer a reality. It would cease to exist on earth in this admittedly, difficult valley of tears† (Hardon, 1998). Controversies in Catholic Priesthood   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The last part of this research discusses the office of priesthood as retrieved from the Jesus is Lord website which will give a clearer view of what the office of priesthood really is:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the early 1970s, we who gloried in being priests were shocked to read the word of one of our best Roman Catholic Scripture scholars, Raymond E. Brown: When we move from the Old Testament to the New Testament, it is striking that while there are pagan priests and Jewish priests on the scene, no individual Christian is ever specifically identified as a priest. The Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the high priesthood of Jesus by comparing his death and entry into heaven with the actions of the Jewish high priest who went into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle once a year with a offering for himself and for the sins of his people (Hebrews 9:6-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But it is noteworthy that the author of Hebrews does not associate the priesthood of Jesus with the Eucharist or the Last Supper; neither does he suggest that other Christians are priests in the likeness of Jesus. In fact, the once-for-all atmosphere that surrounds the priesthood of Jesus in Hebrews 10:12-14, has been offered as an explanation of why there are no Christian priests in the New Testament period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Later in the same chapter Brown argues for a priesthood like that of the Levitical class in the Old Testament. He makes his case for the development of such a doctrine by means of tradition. Even those of us who knew very little of the Bible knew that the Pharisees counted tradition superior to the clear Word of God. Brown did more to demolish the conviction that we were indeed priests than to ease our troubled minds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now I see that what Brown stated in the section quoted is biblically and absolutely true. Other than the royal priesthood, which applies to all true believers in Christ, there is no office of priesthood in the New Testament. Rather, as Hebrews states so clearly of the Old Testament priests, â€Å"And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them† (Hebrews 7:23-25)   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Unchangeable priesthood† means just that in the Greek: aparabatos means â€Å"nontransferable†. The reason it cannot be transferred to men is that its essence is Christ’s own, ..who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens† (verse 26).   (Bennett, 2008)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many claims regarding the divinity and authenticity of Priesthood and being a priest. Depending on ones religion and belief, I can say that Priesthood is one noble job that will continuously challenge every man’s faith and their capacity to handle responsibility guaranteed by strong faith and conviction to God. References Bennett, Richard (2008) The Priesthood. Introduction to the Priesthood by a Converted Priest   Ã‚   retrieved January 15, 2008 from: http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/priestho.htm Fitzgerald, Thomas (1996). The Sacraments (Holy Orders). Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   America Department of Religious Education. Retrieved, January 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.annunciationwi.com/Main/Our_Faith_Articles/Sacraments.html Hardon, John A. (1998) What is the Catholic Priesthood. Inter Mirifica Archives. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   December 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Priesthood/Priesthood_020.htm Orfanakos, Peter (2008). The Sacrament of the Holy Priesthood. Retrieved, January 15, 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚   from: www.annunciationwi.com/Main/Our_Faith_Articles/Priesthood_Orfanakos.html Sacraments: Priesthood (2008). Assyrian Church of the East. Retrieved January 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au/priesthood.htm

The Siege of Jerusalem During the First Crusade

The Siege of Jerusalem During the First Crusade The Siege of Jerusalem was conducted from June 7 to July 15, 1099, during the First Crusade (1096-1099). Crusaders Raymond of ToulouseGodfrey of BouillonApproximately 13,500 troops Fatimids Iftikhar ad-DaulaApproximately 1,000-3,000 troops Background Having captured Antioch in June 1098, the Crusaders remained in the area debating their course of action. While some were content to establish themselves on the already captured lands, others began conducting their own small campaigns or calling for a march on Jerusalem. On January 13, 1099, having concluded the Siege of Maarat, Raymond of Toulouse began moving south towards Jerusalem assisted by Tancred and Robert of Normandy. This group was followed the next month by forces led by Godfrey of Bouillon. Advancing down the Mediterranean coast, the Crusaders met little resistance from local leaders. Recently conquered by the Fatimids, these leaders had limited love for their new overlords and were willing to grant free passage through their lands as well as trade openly with the Crusaders. Arriving at Arqa, Raymond laid siege to the city. Joined by Godfreys forces in March, the combined army continued the siege though tensions among the commanders ran high. Breaking off the siege on May 13, the Crusaders moved south. As the Fatimids were still attempting to consolidate their hold on the region, they approached the Crusader leaders with offers of peace in exchange for halting their advance. These were rebuffed, and the Christian army moved through Beirut and Tyre before turning inland at Jaffa. Reaching Ramallah on June 3, they found the village abandoned. Aware of the Crusaders intentions, the Fatimid governor of Jerusalem, Iftikhar ad-Daula, began preparing for a siege. Though the citys walls were still damaged from the Fatimid capture of the city a year earlier, he expelled Jerusalems Christians and poisoned several of the areas wells. While Tancred was dispatched to capture Bethlehem (taken on June 6), the Crusader army arrived before Jerusalem on June 7. The Siege of Jerusalem Lacking sufficient men to invest the entire city, the Crusaders deployed opposite Jerusalems northern and western walls. While Godfrey, Robert of Normandy, and Robert of Flanders covered the walls of the north as far south as the Tower of David, Raymond took responsibility for attacking from the tower to Mount Zion. Though food was not an immediate issue, the Crusaders had problems obtaining water. This, combined with reports that a relief force was departing Egypt forced them to move quickly. Attempting a frontal assault on June 13, the Crusaders were turned back by the Fatimid garrison. Four days later the Crusader hopes were boosted when Genoese ships arrived at Jaffa with supplies. The ships were quickly dismantled, and the timber rushed to Jerusalem for building siege equipment. This work began under the eye of the Genoese commander, Guglielmo Embriaco. As preparations progressed, the Crusaders made a penitential procession around the city walls on July 8 which culminated with sermons on the Mount of Olives. In the following days, two siege towers were completed. Aware of the Crusaders activities, ad-Daula worked to strengthen the defenses opposite where the towers were being built. The Final Assault The Crusaders attack plan called for Godfrey and Raymond to attack at opposite ends of the city. Though this worked to split the defenders, the plan was most likely the result of animosity between the two men. On July 13, Godfreys forces began their attack on the northern walls. In doing so, they caught the defenders by surprise by shifting the siege tower further east during the night. Breaking through the outer wall on July 14, they pressed on and attacked the inner wall the next day. On the morning of July 15, Raymonds men began their assault from the southwest. Facing prepared defenders, Raymonds attack struggled, and his siege tower was damaged. As the battle raged on his front, Godfreys men had succeeded in gaining the inner wall. Spreading out, his troops were able to open a nearby gate to the city allowing the Crusaders to swarm into Jerusalem. When word of this success reached Raymonds troops, they redoubled their efforts and were able to breach the Fatimid defenses. With the Crusaders entering the city at two points, ad-Daulas men began fleeing back towards the Citadel. Seeing further resistance as hopeless, ad-Daula surrendered when Raymond offered protection. The Aftermath In the wake of the victory, the Crusader forces began a widespread massacre of the defeated garrison and the citys Muslim and Jewish populations. This was sanctioned mainly as a method for cleansing the city while also removing a threat to the Crusader rear as they would soon need to march out against the Egyptian relief troops. Having taken the objective of the Crusade, the leaders began dividing the spoils. Godfrey of Bouillon was named Defender of the Holy Sepulchre on July 22 while Arnulf of Chocques became the Patriarch of Jerusalem on August 1. Four days later, Arnulf discovered a relic of the True Cross. These appointments created some strife within the crusader camp as Raymond and Robert of Normandy were angered by Godfreys election. With word that the enemy was approaching, the Crusader army marched out on August 10. Meeting the Fatimids at the Battle of Ascalon, they won a decisive victory on August 12.