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Jan. 1st, 2006 05:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
naelanyThe Twelve Days Of Christmas
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled
me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and
especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with
Christmas?
Today I found out, thanks to the Internet.
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were
not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era
wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning
plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element
in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children
could remember.
The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke &John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the
first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of
Creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold
gifts of the Holy Spirit:
Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation,
Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy
Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,
Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven
faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve
points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
So there is your history for today. This knowledge
was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know
how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled
me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and
especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with
Christmas?
Today I found out, thanks to the Internet.
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were
not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era
wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning
plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element
in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children
could remember.
The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke &John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the
first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of
Creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold
gifts of the Holy Spirit:
Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation,
Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy
Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,
Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven
faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve
points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
So there is your history for today. This knowledge
was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know
how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish
