Tag: Christianity

A History of St Andrew’s Day

30/11/2024 / julietkinsey / 0 Comments

A History of St Andrew’s Day

Today is St. Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s patron saint’s day! Although November 30 isn’t a national holiday, celebrations are held across Scotland with events like ceilidhs and fun runs.

The History of St. Andrew’s Day

St. Andrew was born around 5 AD in Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. He became a fisherman, like his brother, who later became St. Peter. Initially, Andrew followed St. John the Baptist, but he later joined Jesus as one of the twelve apostles. Tradition holds that he travelled widely, preaching in places like Scythia, Thrace, the Black Sea, and along the Dnieper River, reaching as far as Kyiv and Novgorod. His legacy made him a patron saint of Ukraine, Romania, Russia, and Scotland.

A 4th-century account describes Andrew’s crucifixion on an X-shaped cross, or saltire, which he requested, feeling unworthy of a traditional cross. Patras, Greece, claims his crucifixion took place there. St. Jerome noted that Emperor Constantius II moved Andrew’s relics from Patras to Constantinople in 357 AD. Later, the relics went to Amalfi, Italy, in 1208, and his head reached Rome in the 15th century. In 1964, Pope Paul VI returned Andrew’s head to Patras as a goodwill gesture.

In Scotland, the town of St. Andrews, located in Fife, is connected to legends about Andrew. One legend says Andrew came there to build a church that attracted pilgrims from across Britain. Another tale suggests a bishop named St. Rule brought Andrew’s relics from Patras to this town.

St. Andrew as Patron Saint of Scotland

Legends also surround how Andrew became Scotland’s patron saint. A 16th-century text recounts that Oengus II, King of the Picts, vowed to make Andrew the patron saint after seeing him in a vision before a battle against the Angles. Andrew appeared in a vision, and a saltire-shaped cloud in the sky became a sign of victory for Oengus’s outnumbered forces. Following their win, the Picts chose to venerate St. Andrew.

Scotland’s Flag

Scotland’s flag, the Saltire, displays a white cross on a blue background, which may symbolize the clouds against the sky in Oengus’s vision. This design has represented Scotland for centuries. In 1385, the Parliament of Scotland declared that all Scottish and French soldiers should wear the Saltire as a sign when fighting the English. Today, Scotland continues to honour St. Andrew and remembers him every November 30.

By Vivienne Hamilton

Read more Posts by Vivienne such as: The Bridges of Scotland

A History of Halloween

31/10/2024 / julietkinsey / 0 Comments

A History of Halloween

Are you sitting comfortably? If so, let me begin with a fascinating history of Halloween.

People trace the origins of Halloween back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated around 2,000 years ago. This festival marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. During this time, the Celts believed that the boundary between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. To ward off ghosts and malevolent spirits thought to roam the earth, they lit bonfires and wore costumes. Moreover, the festival provided an opportunity to honour ancestors and seek their guidance for the coming year.

As Christianity spread, followers gradually incorporated Samhain into their traditions. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day, a day to honour saints and martyrs. This day was soon followed by All Souls’ Day on November 2, dedicated to praying for the souls of the deceased. Consequently, the Christian influence on Halloween led to the practice of trick-or-treating, which originated from the medieval practice of “souling.” In this practice, poor people went door-to-door on All Souls’ Day, offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food.

Despite the Christian influence, many people continued to practise the pagan traditions and beliefs associated with Samhain, especially in Ireland and Scotland. Notably, Irish and Scottish immigrants brought Halloween to the United States in the 19th century. Today, many countries around the world celebrate Halloween, embracing various customs and traditions that reflect its diverse origins. Ultimately, the holiday has become a time for dressing up in costumes, carving pumpkins, and indulging in sweet treats.

Halloween Traditions

The Halloween holiday, as people celebrate it in the West today, features unique traditions that have developed over time. Celebrations often include bobbing for apples, trick-or-treating, making Jack-o’-Lanterns, wearing spooky costumes, and telling scary stories.

While some of these traditions originate from ancient practices, others have adapted and evolved over time. For example, people trace the tradition of bobbing for apples back to a Roman festival honouring Pomona, the goddess of agriculture and abundance. Similarly, the practice of carving pumpkins into Jack-o’-Lanterns evolved from the original custom of carving turnips and other root vegetables. Personally, I would advise against trying to carve a turnip, as it proves nearly impossible and takes forever!

Halloween Celebrations Around the World

Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that takes place on November 1st and 2nd. This vibrant festival allows families to remember and celebrate their loved ones who have passed away. Many believe that on these days, the souls of the departed return to the world of the living to be with their families. The holiday features colourful parades, elaborate costumes, and offerings of food and drink for the deceased. While people often compare Dia de los Muertos to Halloween, it undeniably holds its own unique traditions and cultural significance.

Guy Fawkes Night

Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night or Fireworks Night, is a British holiday that takes place on November 5th. You can read all about it in our article here. This holiday commemorates the failed attempt by Guy Fawkes and his associates to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. People celebrate with bonfires, fireworks displays, and the burning of effigies of Guy Fawkes. While it is not directly related to Halloween, this holiday shares some similarities in its focus on fire and celebration.

World Festivals

Additionally, many countries around the world host Halloween-like festivals. Each of these festivals features unique traditions and cultural significance. In Romania, for example, people celebrate the Day of Dracula instead of Halloween. This event includes costume parties and reenactments of scenes from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In Hong Kong, the Hungry Ghost Festival takes place in August and September, where families offer food and drink to appease the spirits of the dead. While these festivals may share some similarities with Halloween, they stand as distinct celebrations that reflect the unique cultural traditions of their respective countries.

Want to learn more about spooky history? Why not check out our resources on Librarysearch.napier.ac.uk

By Juliet Kinsey

Image: Photo by David Menidrey on Unsplash

St. Patrick’s Day

17/03/2023 / julietkinsey / 2 Comments

St. Patrick’s Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all our Irish students and staff.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on 17^th March. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, but there are parades and parties worldwide due to the large numbers of people with Irish heritage spread across the world.

Source

History of St.Patrick’s Day

Although there are no exact dates of his birth, it is believed that Patrick was born in the Roman-occupied north of England. and that he died on 17^th March. His autobiographical work “Confessio” claims that when he was around 16, Patrick was taken from his home in Britain by Irish pirates who took him to Ireland as a slave. There he looked after animals for around six years and converted to Christianity. He fled captivity after hearing a voice telling him he would soon go home. He found passage on a ship and after several days walking he returned home. Following his return, Patrick studied Christianity in Europe-mostly in Auxerre, France and was ordained into the priesthood there. He later returned to Ireland as a missionary, and by the 7^th century was already revered as the patron saint of Ireland.

The Irish Potato Famine

There are many people throughout the world with Irish ancestors due to the large numbers who emigrated because of the Irish Potato Famine. It started in 1845 when a fungus ruined around 75% of the annual potato crop, which most of the population relied on for food. Around one million Irish died before the end of the famine in 1852. Another million emigrated to countries such as Great Britain or the United States, and therefore you will find St. Patrick’s Day celebrated in many countries worldwide.

Celebrations

Source

Today descendants of the immigrants celebrate their Irish heritage by dressing up in colourful clothing in green and gold (the colours of the Irish flag), joining parades of pipe bands, cheerleaders, and floats. One of the biggest parades outside Ireland is in New York which held its first parade in 1762. This was a time when the wearing of green was a sign of Irish pride but was banned in Ireland. The parade gave participants the freedom to speak Irish, wear green, sing Irish songs and play the pipes to Irish tunes that were meaningful to the Irish immigrants of that time.

Aside from parades, many pubs and restaurants host events with live music and singing, and you shouldn’t have to look too hard to find one in Edinburgh!

By Vivienne Hamilton

Read more on world festivals and traditions with our articles:

Chinese New Year

Scottish Traditions: Burn’s Night

The Ethiopia Timkat Festival,

New Year Traditions from Around the World

Also, don’t forget you can find out more about everything mentioned in this article at Librarysearch.napier.ac.uk

The Ethiopia Timkat Festival

19/01/2022 / julietkinsey / 0 Comments

Source

The Timkat Festival

Christmas is a distant memory for most of us, but for Ethiopians, Christmas is a whole season that’s just coming to an end now. Ethiopia was one of the first countries in the world to adopt Christianity, and as such it adheres to the ancient traditions that sit at the heart of its Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Timkat, celebrated every year on the 19^th of January, is one of those traditions, possibly the most important in the Church’s calendar.

The Amharic word timkat means “baptism”, and the festival marks the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan.

Preparations

Timkat is a huge deal and a seriously religious festival. Preparations for this spectacular event, possibly one of the biggest and most colourful on the African continent, begin on the 18^th, when “tabots” – models of the Ark of the Covenant – are wrapped in fine cloths and carried on the heads of priests down to the river or other place of worship. Local people don white shawls – Ethiopians wear white when they go to church – and follow the procession.

The Festival

Mass starts in the early hours of the 19^th and continues for hours. When Mass is over, the water is blessed and the congregants take to the rivers, submerging themselves in a re-enactment of Christ’s baptism. Of course, it’s a happy occasion and that means the celebrations go on all day and are accompanied by feasting and music. As well as eating their favourite Timkat food, Ethiopians celebrate important occasions with elaborate coffee ceremonies.

On the 20^th, the tabots are carried back to the churches in another procession that marks the end of the festival.

One of the best places to observe Timkat is the town of Gondar, home to the 17^th century castle built by King Fasilides. In the grounds of the castle is a huge open-air bath. The bath is usually empty, but during Timkat it’s filled with water and the locals dive in. A few years ago I was fortunate enough to visit Ethiopia over the festive season. I missed Timkat by a couple of weeks. When I visited King Fasilides castle it was empty. Next time I go, I’m definitely going for Timkat, and I’m taking my swimming costume.

Want to learn more about other traditions from around the world? Read our article here.

By Lesley McRobb

Tag: Christianity

A History of St Andrew’s Day

A History of St Andrew’s Day