Ripley's Believe It or Not by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for January 26, 2021

Should I know why Larry was martyred? (And what French settler named a community Start?)

If you are interested, here are some excerpts from Wikipedia regarding the theft of the Mona Lisa:

On 21 August 1911, the painting was stolen from the Louvre. The painting was first missed the next day by painter Louis Béroud. …… The real culprit was Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia, who had helped construct the painting’s glass case. He carried out the theft by entering the building during regular hours, hiding in a broom closet, and walking out with the painting hidden under his coat after the museum had closed…..

Peruggia was an Italian patriot who believed that Leonardo’s painting should have been returned to an Italian Museum ….. After having kept the Mona Lisa in his apartment for two years, Peruggia grew impatient and was caught when he attempted to sell it to Giovanni Poggi, director of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. It was exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery for over two weeks and returned to the Louvre on 4 January 1914. Peruggia served six months in prison for the crime and was hailed for his patriotism in Italy.

If you are interested, here are some excerpts from the internet regarding St Lawrence:

The Prefect of Rome, a greedy man, thought the Church had a great fortune hidden away. So he ordered Lawrence to bring the Church’s treasure to him. The Saint said he would, in three days. Then he went through the city and gathered together all the poor and sick people supported by the Church. When he showed them to the Prefect, he said, “This is the Church’s treasure!”

In great anger, the Prefect condemned Lawrence to a slow, cruel death. The Saint was tied on top of an iron grill over a slow fire that roasted his flesh little by little. But Lawrence was burning with so much love of God that he almost did not feel the flames.

In fact, God gave him so much strength and joy that he even joked. “Turn me over,” he said to the judge. “I’m done on this side!”

Just before he died, Lawrence said, “It’s cooked enough now.”

I think that story St. Lawrence may have been cited in The Name of the Rose during the debate over whether or not comedy is inherently sinful

That sounds like a Snakelover comment.

St Lawrence looks quite spiffy. And so does that empty wall area. The rest of the wall must be filthy—even the other paintings. (I have no idea what I mean.)

Different strokes for different folks, I remember my mother used to notice and admire the frames Rather than the paintings

Patron saint of cooks?? or kooks I don’t understand this saint thing. Are you supposed to be a protector of some kind before being “sanctified” or are you assigned a theme at a later time? Because, in this case, it’s awfully cruel :D “We make this guy a saint” “How did he die?” “Impaled” “OK… he’ll be the patron saint of kebab guys!”

As much as we complain about how inhuman our forms for execution are, they’re nothing compared to the forms used by our ancestors. Roasting to death, burning to death, and the English liked vivisection of state prisoners. During Victoria’s time, a man would be hung, but just before death he would be taken down and vivisected till he finally died. It was as if they thought crucifixion was too easy a death.

Many dreams have been brought to your Louvre step.. they just lie there, and they die there.

Take care, may Vatican comfort girl Angelica Maria Huggiemord be with you, and gesundheit.

The Start Fire Department in Start, Louisiana is located on Kingsford Street near the corner of Ronson Avenue and Zippo boulevard.

Not being stupid, Lawrence’s tormentors knew he was not done on that side because he was still talking.

The Louvre placed a Picasso nude next to the empty spot. Worked like a charm.

I don’t know who reported, it but I don’t buy that St. Lawrence ,while being roasted, said anything except , maybe, scream “get me outta here!” ;o{

Before he died, St. Lawrence mentioned that they should baste him every so often.

And thus began modern anything-goes art. People thought they were staring at 4 holes as a new art form.

I suppose they could call it The Start/Stop Fire Department.

The one about the Mona Lisa brought an enigmatic smile to my face…

St. Lawrence, the patron saint of masochists.

Then there’s the Carlsbad Boys Club…

St Larry invented the incubator, at which he was a master.

Then they should get rid of the painting!

What the Romans did to the early Christians the medieval Christians did to those they perceived as witches and heretics. Oh well, plus ça change……

The space was probably thought to be modern interpretive art…

Didn’t Moneypenny call James a “cunning linguist”?