Greetings all,

Today, May 29, marks the end of the siege of Constantinople with the final fall
of the city to the Ottoman armies.

There is a fine description of the event on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Constantinople

Today I will be attending the local Orthodox church and lighting two candles;
one in honor of Constantinople and the other for the success of Byzantium Novum.

It is wonderful that on this day we can do more than simply commemorate a sad
historical event. With this community we have the opportunity to *continue* that
history, and bring it from the past into the present once again!

As a Micronation and Sovereignty Project, Byzantium Novum is the first
intentionally Byzantine nation to exist in over 600 years. Our efforts to
directly revive and continue the culture and civilization of Byzantium are
unique.

In one year, we have gathered Byzantine Citizens and restored a Byzantine
Senate. We have founded Byzantine cultural and religious groups set the
foundations of a Militarium for martial ceremonial and living history purposes.
We have begun to found Byzantine Colonies around the world so that all people
interested in "things Byzantine" will have the opportunity to gather and hold
live Byzantine events in their local area.

And of course, we have begun an international effort to restore the traditions,
ideals and prestige of a wonderous culture that had been mostly forgotten by the
very world it did so much to create.

Each month, new people join Byzantium Novum and it becomes stronger as a
Byzantine nation. Our opportunities to study, discuss, and participate in
Byzantine Civilization become greater.

With us, Byzantium is born anew.

Because of this today is a day of reflection, but not a day of sadness. We can
instead be glad that Byzantine civilization is not lost... and has a future
ahead which holds wider opportunities than the ancient world could even dream
of!

This day is better because we are here as Byzantines and we have each other.
Today we can remember the past, enjoy the present, and look forward to the
future.

That is the most that any cultural tradition can hope for!

-Marcus Cassius Julianus
President of the Senate
Byzantium Novum