Dear
Parishioners and Friends,
Many
families are in the midst of purchasing and decorating their Christmas trees. The
decoration of trees has had significance in various pagan as well as Christian
cultures. There is a pious story based on an historic person – St. Boniface –
and an historic event – the destruction of Odin’s oak – that form a part of the
practice of decorating Christmas trees.
St.
Boniface was bishop of Winfrid in England and he went to Germany in the 8th
Century to preach the Christian faith. After traveling to Rome to speak with
Pope Gregory II, he returned to Germany for Christmas 723. He discovered to his
great dismay that the newly converted Germans had returned to their former
idolatry and were preparing to sacrifice a young man under Odin’s sacred oak
tree. With great zeal St. Boniface cut down the tree with an axe.
The
Germans then asked Boniface how they should celebrate Christmas and he told
them to take home a fir tree as a symbol of peace and everlasting life. With the top of this evergreen plant pointing
upward, it symbolizes eternal life and heaven, the dwelling of the One, True
God.
The
lights and the decorations are symbols of the joy and the light of Christ who
is born on Christmas Day. Traditionally a star is placed on top of the tree
which symbolizes the star seen by the Magi which led them to Christ in
Bethlehem.
In
Christ,
Msgr.
Baker
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