Excerpted from: "The Catholic Parent Book of Feasts, Celebrating the Church Year with Your Family" by Michaelann Martin, Carol Puccio, Zoe Romanowsky
"ADVENT The Christmas tree itself traces its origin to the paradise plays that were popular in medieval Germany during Advent. In the plays, the garden of Eden was represented by a fir tree hung with apples,
representing both the "tree of life” and the “tree of discernment of good and evil.” After the plays were suppressed in the German churches, the paradise tree found its way into the homes of the faithful as a symbol of the coming Savior. In the fifteenth century the faithful began adding small white
wafers, representing the Holy Eucharist, to the apples. Thus the tree that had borne the fruit of Adam's sin now bore the saving fruit of the sacrament of Christ’s sacrifice. Only in later usage were the white wafers gradually replaced by angels, bells, and other religious ornaments."
So the next time your friends try to explain why Christmas & it's traditions are all secular (especially the Christmas tree) you can show this nice little fact.
Merry Christmas friends!!!
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2 comments:
I HAVE this book Liz, (yes, it is wonderful!) and was JUST thinking I needed to pull it out!!
I think I need to purchase it myself...I just have seen the one section on Advent & LOVED it! Thanks Tricia for your endorsement!
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