Bishop Odo wielding The Holy Ghost at the Battle of Hastings – from the Bayeux Tapestry
The Lady That’s Known as Lou
This week’s news from Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia got me thinking aplenty about religion and religious leaders. William the Conquerer made his brother Odo a bishop. Odo – being a Christian Bishop – could not carry a sword. Pope Alexander II – the first undemocratically elected pope – allowed Odo could use a large club – which the Pope Christened “The Holy Ghost” – to beat the brains out of many an Anglo Saxon at the Battle of Hastings. Odo commissioned an illustrated history of the battle – The Bayeux Tapestry – preserved miraculously and now on display at Bayeux in Normandy. William stole Dover Castle and the entire County of Kent – handed it over to to Odo. Odo stole plenty himself – even from his brother the Conqueror. Odo was a marketing genius and probably invented Purgatory. We don’t know if Odo messed with women. The Tapestry is beautiful and even a cynic would say that Odo did (some) good. god rest Odo in Holy Peace. amen.
