A picture from Germany in 1521 which shows a tree being paraded through the streets with a man riding a horse behind it. The man is dressed a bishop, possibly representing St. Nicholas. Also in 1521, on December 21st, records in the town of Sélestat, in the Alsace region in north eas...
Most of the Rhine has been so interfered with by generations of engineers that it is like a giant gutter. The one section that is not either featureless cycle path or chemical cylinders is the so-called ‘Rhine Gorge’ area, which is simply not very interesting. The Victorians loved it ...
Why St. Nicholas Had to Go Losing a Parish Church Is Painful, I Know, but Sometimes There Is No ChoiceMy ancestors came to this country from Eastern Europe. Theysettled in Ambridge. Both of my...Bishop David A Zubik
To never be surprised is to live an incredibly sheltered life‚ or to be completely insensitive to the ebb and flow of live around you. I often like to be surprise even from the childhood. My surprises come just on holidays such as St. Nicholas or Santa Claus. I remember when my ...
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judging whether or not children had been obedient to their parents. The symbolism is not particularly religious, but we can be reasonably certain that the Lutherans of long ago did not intend to teach their children about fertility. Like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny is something fun to do ...
Q:St. Nicholas, who is today closely associated with Santa Claus, lived in what present-day country? A:Turkey. Which is why we eat turkey during the holidays! (NOTE: that second part may or may not be true). Here inChicagowhere I live, it’s fall in earnest. That’s particularly ...
Note that the spring equinox date used by the Christian Church is always March 21 to simplify matters. In fact, the astronomical date of the equinox can shift by a day or so. In 2025, the astronomical date of the equinox is March 20. So, you’ll often see this called the “ecclesiast...
St. Nicholas is followed by a small person called "Schwarzer Peter" (Black Peter) who carries a small whip. Black Peter also accompanies St. Nicholas or Sinterklaas inThe Netherlands. In north west Germany Santa is joined by Belsnickel a man dressed all in fur. Although 'der Nikolaus' visit...
the tradition of hanging holiday hosiery dates back to at least 1823, when it is mentioned in the classic poem “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” later known as “The Night Before Christmas,” which notes that Santa Claus “...