What People Are Commenting
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Sodomites, Paradise Tree & Hasty Signature
Adam, Eve & the Paradise Tree
I was so happy to find your page on Adam, Eve and the Paradise Tree.
I am researching this subject and have been trying to find how the Paradise Play became associated with Christmas Eve and some record of it being performed then.
I know Adam and Eve's day was an official festival in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, and became so after the great schism, so it was never officially a feast day in the west. There are many Eastern Orthodox churches in Germany now but it is my understanding that was not the case in the 1200s-1700s, the period in question when this tradition developed.
If you have any documentation of how this came about I would be very interested in learning. You list two sources on the page but never directly source your statements on that particular point.
Blessings!
K.Y.
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Elaine Jordan responds:
K.Y.,
Thank you for your comments on my article on the Paradise Tree.
The two sources I quote should be clear about what they reference:
Note 1 references the work (Tristram Potter Coffin, The Illustrated Book of Christmas Folklore, Seabury Press, 1974, pp.18-19) where I found the information in that paragraph:
There, it became the custom to put up a “paradise tree” in the home to honor the first parents. This was a fir tree laden with apples, the symbol of Adam’s fall. They also decorated the tree with white wafers, representing the Eucharist, the symbol of man’s redemption and salvation. It was customary as early as the 16th century in Germany to ring the tree with candles because the Paradise Play was enacted in such a ring. (1)
Note 2 refers to the source for the quote by a Strasbourg resident in 1605 and information about the Freiburg Fraternity Baker's Apprentices.
In fact, we find first mention of the Christmas tree as early as 1419 at the Freiburg Fraternity Baker’s Apprentices of the German Alsace. We also have a letter written by a Strasbourg resident in 1605 who describes the established custom, "At Christmas they set up fir trees in the parlors at Strasburg and hang thereon roses cut of many-colored paper, apples, wafers, gold-foil, sweets.” (2)
I do not have more information readily available on the topic, but wish you good success in your research.
Cordially,
Elaine Jordan
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The Closing of Holy Trinity Church
Closing of Holy Trinity German Catholic Church in Boston Ma
I attended this incredible holy church which closed some years ago now. It was on the register of historical buildings in Boston Ma. Many appeals were sent to the Vatican and to O'Malley in Boston, all to no avail. Why? Because these bishops are bums plain and simple. The only thing that motivates them is money. They are very good liars. This is why there is a lack of vocations in the Catholic Church today. Saving souls means nothing to these spiritual gangsters.
This church was the equivalent of being in heaven when inside. It was that incredible. To close it then sell it for 7 million bucks was a travesty of justice. It has been converted into housing for the wealthy going at $600,000 plus per unit. What has O'Malley done with the 7 million?? Maybe paid off some the sex scandal cases???
Don't get me wrong. I am a devout traditional Catholic who has to wander the desert of new age parishes, to find something resembling a real Catholic church and parish. The Vatican is another demonic wasteland as well. God help us.
By the way, I attempted to carry out a peaceful vigil to keep Holy Trinity open before it closed and was told by a churchgoer there that she would and did... call the Boston Police to have me and anybody else arrested if we tried to form a vigil. These are the same dopes that thought O'Malley would listen to their appeals to keep the church open.
R.O.N.
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Hasty Signing of Papers
Greetings, hope all of you are having a happy New Year. I like to browse your site now and then but mostly to read about the different saints. Anyway, I have a short story for you.
Years back, I was attending an Institute of Christ the King Latin indult Mass. I really started getting interested in early Western Catholic Christianity, particularly the saints, such as St. Francis, St. Anthony of Padua and others, as well as the all the good things that came with the more ancient Church and not the new one we have it today. Being a history nut, I just couldn't help but look into the old Latin ways. I was displeased later on with the just mentioned Latin Mass group and only attended because there was nothing else in my local area at the time.
To keep things short here, I ended up signing a paper that one of the priests from that particular Latin Mass group had me sign. Some of the people that left their church kept giving me strict warnings not to sign anything and. if I did, to get the contract back and say that I signed under duress. That was five years ago and wish I would of heeded their advice, especially now that I have been witnessing more horrors of things that Novus Ordo church-goers do.
For example, I feel that I am constantly being judged when I turn my back. Further, I just couldn't believe it when they bent the rules to canonize JP2 and the other Pope (John XXIII). before him. These people aren't saints!
I didn't realize what I was doing at the time when I signed a contract of sorts with these people nor was I aware of the state of things in the universal Church since I had stop going to Church for a short while prior to attending the Institute of Christ the King. Is it too late to say that I wasn't thinking seriously about things and take the contract back?
I know they've forgotten me by now but it's just the whole principle of the thing. Just wondering,
Thanks for listening.
God bless.
D.M.
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TIA responds:
Dear D.M.,
Thank you for being a reader of our website.
A good principle of prudence is to not sign any paper when we are not fully aware of the subject matter it deals with. We should always carefully read a document or contract before signing it, and only put our signature on it if we agree with all its terms.
Now, in your case, it seems that the priest who asked you to sign the mentioned document has already forgotten what you did. It also seems that the topic was not relevant. So, the best thing to do is to not reopen the case and let it die and be forgotten.
If by any chance a future problem arises regarding that signature, you can say that you did not know what you were signing and did it just to please the priest. This should be enough to undo any problem you may have.
We do not think you should have any problem of conscience over this incident, but rather should take advantage of it to make the resolution to exercise more caution when signing any document.
We hope this response can help you.
Cordially,
TIA correspondence desk
Posted January 12, 2017
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The opinions expressed in this section - What People Are Commenting - do not necessarily express those of TIA
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I saw in an article on your site about the tradition that all sodomites died on Christmas and you were not sure of the documentation for this.
Since then you have posted a sermon by St. Bonaventure to that effect.
I wanted to share that this tradition is also related in “The Golden Legend” in the section on Christmas.
Best wishes,
A.A.