Phial (pronounced fahy-uh)
A small container or bottle, used to store liquids.
1350–1400: From the Middle English viole (vessel used for holding liquids),
(a variant of fiole which existed
also as phiole & fiole), from the Old French fiole, via the Old Provençal fiola, from the Medieval Latin phiola, from the Latin phiala (a broad, flat, shallow cup or
bowl), from the Ancient Greek φιάλη (phiálē)
(flat vessel, dish, flat bowl for drinking or sacrificing) of unknown origin. The evolution was influenced also by the
twelfth century Old French fiole (flask,
phial) which at least in parts accounts for the of proliferation of spelling in
Middle English (fiole,phiole,phial,fial,viole,vial,viele
and the modern vial). Phial is a noun
& verb; the noun plural is phials.
Lindsay Lohan pouring from a modern phial (or vial), PepsiCo Pilk promotion, December 2022.
Phial is a doublet of vial. In technical use (in science), some institutions have drawn distinctions between the two (1) phials being larger than vials and (2) vials are for liquids related to medicine and phials for other fluids but in general use they remain interchangeable (although consistency within documents is obviously recommended). In the US, early in the twentieth century, phial became close to extinct after hundreds of years of being nearly as common as vial while elsewhere in the English-speaking world, vial emerged as the preferred form during the post-war years and phial seems now a romantic form restricted to fiction, historical and spiritual writing. Vial must never be confused with its homophone vile. A vial is something in which liquids are kept; vile is an adjective, applied most often to morally dubious characters like crooked Hillary Clinton (b 1947; US secretary of state 2009-2013).
The Seven Phials
The seven phials (translated also as cups or bowls)
are a set of plagues in the New Testament (Revelation 16), apocalyptic events
seen in the vision of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, by John of Patmos. Seven angels are given seven phials, each a judgement
of the wrath of God, to be poured upon the wicked and the followers of the
Antichrist after the sounding of seven trumpets. In the twenty-first century, end-of-times
theorists, religious fundamentalists and the habitually superstitious have
taken an increased interest in the seven phials because the text in Revelation can
be variously interpreted including as a foretelling of AIDS, chronic pollution,
species extinction, climate change, wild fires, floods and the rule of various
autocrats.
Michelangelo (1475–1564), Last Judgment (circa 1540), Sistine Chapel, Vatican.
When the first
phial is emptied, foul and painful sores are inflicted upon those bearing
the mark of the beast and those who worship the image of the beast.
When the second
phial is emptied, the seas and the oceans become bitter and all life in the
sea dies.
When the third
phial is emptied, the rivers turn to blood; angels begin praising God's
holy judgments.
When the fourth
phial is emptied, the sun causes a major heatwave to scorch the planet with
fire; the incorrigible and wicked refuse to repent while they blaspheme the
name of God.
When the fifth
phial is emptied, a thick darkness overwhelms the kingdom of the beast. The
wicked continue to stubbornly defame the name of God while refusing to repent
and glorify God.
When the sixth
phial is emptied, the great river Euphrates dries up so that the kings of
the east might cross to begin battle. Three
unclean spirits with the appearance of frogs come from the mouths of the
dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
These demonic spirits work satanic miracles to gather the nations of the
world to battle against the forces of good during the Battle of Armageddon.
Jesus says his coming will be like that of a thief in the night, urging his
followers to stay alert.
When the seventh
phial is emptied, a global earthquake causes the cities of the world to crumble
collapse. All mountains and islands are shaken
from their foundations. Giant hailstones
rain down upon the planet and plagues are so severe the incorrigible’s hatred
intensifies as they continue to curse God.
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