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April 27th, 2010Advent in the Celtic Church
April 27th, 2010The Celtic church refers to the ancient church during the period prior to the conversion and evangelizing of Ireland by British missionaries, including St. Patrick, in the 5th century. Advent in the early Celtic church, prior to the time that the Nicene Creed was adopted was a very different observance from our modern day celebration. During the time of ancient Celtic Christianity, Western and Eastern churches observed Advent season as a lesser Lenten fast. Advent would begin on November 15th with a Mass. Converts to Christianity would use this time for atonement, to purify themselves, and to prepare for baptism. Celtic monks in Gaul, which was still a Celtic country, observed Advent. The customs of the Romans and Gauls combined during this period to include the fast which had been observed by the Romans and was anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks. It wasn’t until the 4th century (300’s A.D.) that Advent began to change from a time of fasting and atonement to a period of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. Celtic monks also added the feast of Martin of Tours, who was a Roman cavalry officer who converted to Christianity and founded the Gaul Monasteries. the first was the Liguge monastery in 363 A.D. By the end of the 4th century, Advent was celebrated by the whole church, but it wasn’t until the 6th century that a time was set aside to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Celtic Advent is always celebrated from November 15th until December 24th. The same applies for the Eastern Orthodox Advent, which is the time of the Nativity Fast.
For those who wish to celebrate a more holy season and a non secular Christmas, Celtic Advent provides the opportunity for reflection and contemplation about the coming of our Lord. If you are observing Celtic Advent as a Lesser Lenten Fast, it’s not actually forty days of fasting. Sundays and Feast Days aren’t counted as fasting days, and in some cases, it can mean that you are simply giving up a particular food as you would during Lent. Symbolically, it’s your rite of purification as you prepare for the Feast of the Nativity. Celtic Advent Liturgies are found on this site:
http://www.faithandworship.com/Advent/Advent_Celtic_Christian_Celebration.htm
Blessed Advent.
http://www.isnare.com
http://www.faithandworship.com
http://prayerfoundation.org/advent.htm
Hogmanay Customs
April 27th, 2010The Scots have many customs surrounding the celebration of Hogmanay. The redding, or getting ready for the New Year is done by cleaning the entire house and making it spotless. It’s considered bad luck to welcome in the New Year in a home that’s not clean and tidy. Customs for good luck include placing pieces of a Rowan tree above a door, putting mistletoe in the house to prevent sickness, holly kept out annoying little fairies out to cause mischief, and yew and hazel were believed to protect everyone who lived in the house. Finally, juniper is burned. then the doors are opened to get fresh air into the house. It’s then ready for the New Year.
New Year’s Bells signify the beginning of the New Year, when people gather together and sing Auld Lang Syne. In Scotland, they go visiting friends and family, and always bring a bottle of “cheer” to toast the New Year. In Aberdeen, the boats in the harbor and on the North Sea sound their horns, and can be heard far and wide.
If company arrives before the bells chime at midnight, they must leave until the chimes have finished to prevent bad luck. At the last stroke of midnight, the back door of the house is opened to let out any bad luck, and the front door is opened to bring in good luck. The custom of making New Year’s Resolutions came from the Scots, and may have started in Victorian times. Although some resolutions are frivolous, something like a resolution to find ways to help others is a meaningful way to start off the New Year.
http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/hogmanaycustoms.php
Celtic Christmas Traditions
April 27th, 2010Many modern day Christmas traditions were originally of Celtic origin. One of the most ancient festivals is Alban Arthuan, or “The Light of Arthur.” This is in reference to King Arthur, who was presumed to be born during the Winter Solstice. It’s also called Yule. This is where the custom of burning a Yule Log originated. According to the beliefs of the time, what was left of the log from the prior year would be burned to ensure good luck. Some of the customs about Santa Claus, or Father Christmas as he’s called, also derived from Celtic lore.
The custom of using holly came from the Druids, who believed it stayed green when all other trees lost their leaves, so the earth would still be beautiful. One of their customs was to wear it in their hair when they watched the priests gather mistletoe in the woods. They also thought that if they hung holly around their homes, it would keep evil spirits from harming them.
Contrary to the celebrations in other Celtic areas, the Scots most well known celebration of the season is Hogmanay. This is because the church that is most influental in Scotland is the Presbyterian church who saw Christmas as more of a Catholic holiday, and therefore discouraged celebrating in favor of a more subdued holiday. My grandfather was from Scotland and my great grandfather was from Northern Ireland, and when I was a child, Christmas Eve service at our church was the most important part of the holiday, followed by a quiet family dinner the next day. Sometimes we would exchange gifts after the service, however it was much more low key than the way many people celebrate today. Hogmanay was a special time to celebrate with family and friends, and was the day my grandfather always looked forward to, since more focus was placed on that day when he was growing up in Scotland.
The custom of hanging mistletoe came from the ancient Celts, and had a different meaning from the way it’s used today. The Celtic belief was that mistletoe had extraordinary healing capabilities and was sacred. They believed it had healing power, could protect them from witchcraft and all evil, and bring blessings and good luck to them. If they met an enemy in a forest where mistletoe was hanging, they’d put their arms down, greet each other, and agree to stop fighting until the next day. Hanging mistletoe in a doorway is a sign of peace to everyone who enters your home.
http://www.celticattic.com/tips_hints/holidays/christmas_traditions.htm
Did Christianity Destroy the Druids?
April 27th, 2010There’s a belief among some neo-pagans that Christianity in the British Isles destroyed the Druid religion of the Celts. I even recall reading a non-fiction book once where the author stated that early Christian saints personally burned written records of the ancient Druid religion. Sadly, a lot of people drawn to the “ancient ways” believe such nonsense in spite of contradictory historical facts. What actually destroyed the Druid stronghold, the influence of Christianity, the pre-Christian Roman Empire, or a mixture of various events?
One of the first things that must be kept in mind is that the Druid tradition was passed down orally. there was no established canon of Scripture as is found in major world religions. Much of what we now know about the Druids and ancient Celts comes from Roman writers, as well as modern archaeological finds. Christian monks also preserved some information on Druidism.
A revolt against occupying Romans in Britain in 60 CE lead to a diminishing of Druidic influence. During this period of time, worship of Roman gods was introduced into the religious practices of Britain, with temples to Roman deities replacing the Druid worship sites. The Druids, however, were not willing to adopt the Roman religion, and the existence of their religion posed a threat to the Romans. It seems that the Roman Empire undermined the influence of the Druids in society, paving the way for eventual acceptance of a new religion.
It’s not reasonable to assume that a monolithic movement of Christians was responsible for the downfall of Druidism. After all, at the time Christianity arrived in Britain, the Roman Empire was still pagan and Christians were persecuted. A persecuted, “undercover” people could not have exerted that level of influence at the time. In short, Druidism in Britain seemed to fade due to major upheavals in society.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druidism
http://druidnetwork.org/articles/philipshallcrass.html
http://www.britannia.com/church/bond1.html
The Anglican Heroes of Irish Freedom
April 27th, 2010Some quick facts:
Theobald Wolfe Tone 1791 – 1828
*Founded the Society of United Irishmen
*Made a serious effort to bring Catholic & Protestants together
*Chose to commit suicide rather than be executed by the English
Robert Emmet (1778 – 1803)
*His father was a physician
*Ended up a fugitive due to some rash actions on the part of some of his followers
*Executed in a manner similar to that of William Wallace (aka Braveheart)
Charles Stewart Parnell (1846 – 1891)
*Was nicknamed the “Uncrowned King of Ireland”, most famous for his support of home rule and land reforms
*Had an American-born mother
*Is buried in the same cemetery as Michael Collins
Roger Casement (1864-1916)
*He had an Anglican father and Catholic mother, was raised Anglican, and converted to Catholicism the night before his death
*Received knighthood in 1911 for humanitarian efforts, but was later stripped of it for supporting the Irish cause
*Was behind an unsuccessful effort to gain German support for the Irish rebellion
Robert Erskine Childers (1870–1922)
*Was vocal in denouncing British action during the Second Boer War
*Smuggled German weapons for the Easter Rebellion aboard his yacht
*Killed by Irish Free state agents
Countless Irish men & women, Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, those of other faiths or no faith, gave their lives or otherwise labored for freedom for their fellow Irish. Let’s make sure they’re always remembered!
Sources:
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.ireland-information.com
http://users.bigpond.net.au/kirwilli/famous/statesmen.htm
http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/casement_r.html
Celtic Christianity’s Diversity in Practice
April 27th, 2010Celtic Christianity is quickly becoming a popular expression of Christianity. However, many misconceptions abound about what Celtic Christianity is, and many people are confused by the multitude of Celtic Christian groups with varying types of theology. Are Celtic Christians devout Irish Catholics? Or, perhaps, Anglicans? Are they, maybe, a unique brand of western Orthodox Christianity? Is there space in the Celtic Christian movement for evangelical Celtic Christians? In short, the answer to all of these is yes.
Celtic Christianity cannot claim any one group within the Christian faith. It’s a truly para-church expression of faith. Celtic Christianity encompasses those in historic denominations, those who attend distinctly Celtic churches, and those without a regular church home. It’s easy to hear the term Celtic Christian, and automatically assume that Irish Catholicism or Scottish Presbyterianism is meant. The Christianity of the ancient Celts was distinctive, and while some groups have retained Celtic practices, I’m not aware of any Celtic churches that have existed in a continuous line since the introduction of Christianity in the British Isles.
In short, ancient Celtic Christianity was more community-based, very incarnational, and managed to avoid most of the heresies and controversies that plagued the early Church. Many of the more divisive theological issues have their origins in teachings that the Celtic churches never embraced. For example, many Celtic Christians reject the belief of Original Sin, mainly because it wasn’t a part of Christian teaching at the time Christianity was introduced to their lands. Many Celtic Christians today are able to take the best of Celtic Christian belief and adapt it to their own faith. Here, I’ll highlight some of the “streams” within Celtic Christianity.
Probably the largest group of people who identify as Celtic Christians are in established denominations, often Catholic and Anglican churches. These Christians are able to bring Celtic Christianity into the mainstream, so to speak. Many Episcopal parishes here in the US are offering Celtic-style Eucharist services. Christians from many backgrounds are using Celtic prayer books to enrich their worship. Authors such as George G. Hunter have been very influential in bringing attention to Celtic Christianity in a modern context.
Celtic denominations typically tend to follow an Old Catholic, Anglican, or Orthodox form of worship. Most of these denominations have an apostolic succession that includes bishops from various backgrounds. Beliefs differ as to whether women may be ordained to the diaconate or priesthood. Many Old Catholic and Anglican Celtic groups are liberal in theology, while many Orthodox Celtic groups are conservative. Franciscan theology is very popular, since many Celtic Christians consider St. Francis to be an “honorary” Celtic saint due to his love for all creatures.
Yes, evangelical Celtic Christians exist as well! One such group in existence is a communion of Celtic Christian Anabaptists. Anabaptists represent the tradition within Christianity that the Mennonites, Amish, and Brethren belong to. Some independent Celtic groups are more evangelical in their approach. Another common expression of Celtic Christianity is what is known as the convergence movement. The convergence movement blends catholic, evangelical, and charismatic expressions of faith. Many Christians are embracing the convergence movement, as it brings together varying beliefs in a way that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
As we can see, modern Celtic Christianity is not a monolithic movement by any means. It brings together Christians of all backgrounds, united by a unique theology about God’s incarnational presence in the world He created.
New Page: Celtic Celebrities
April 12th, 2010Get your Celtic celebrity fix by reading about who has Irish, Scottish, or Welsh ancestry. You might be surprised at who’s made the list.
See the Celtic Celebrities link to your right
Newly Added
February 21st, 2010New additions include St. Patrick Society Quad Cities and Celtic Heritage Society of the Permian Basin in Celtic Societies and Groups
New Celtic Dance additions include Ceolas and CelticDance.com
Welcome!
November 10th, 2009This is the new home of The Celtic Rebel’s directory of Celtic-related links. Please watch this post for updates on new content.