Christingle
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A Christingle is a symbolic object, related to the pomander, used in the advent services of many Christian denominations. It has its origins in the Moravian Church.
At Christmas 1747, Germany, Pastor Johannes de Watteville sat at home in front of his fire. He was thinking how he could explain the love of Jesus to everyone and what Christmas really meant to the children in the church. He decided to prepare a simple symbol to help make the message of Christmas fresh and lively for them. Pastor Johannes de Watteville gave each child a lighted candle wrapped in a red ribbon, with a prayer that said "Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these dear children's hearts". This was the first ever Christingle service.
Many years later, in 1968, Christingle services were introduced to the Anglican Church by John Pensom of The Children's Society and the custom spread quickly.
The Christingle consists of:
- an orange representing the world
- a red ribbon around it representing the blood of Jesus
- dolly mixtures skewered on cocktail sticks pushed into the orange representing the fruits of the earth and the four seasons (however the representation of the four seasons was later associated and not of moravian origin.)
- a lighted candle pushed into the centre of the orange, representing Jesus Christ as the light of the world.[1]
The base of the candle is commonly wrapped in tinfoil; this is regarded by some as purely functional, though others ascribe it with a specific meaning.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ The Bible (New Living Translation), John chapter 8 v. 12, quote: 'I am the Light of the World, if you follow me you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'
- ^ Rev Kelvin Inglis of All Hallows church in Whitchurch, Hampshire, England at a service on 30 November 2008 talked about the tinfoil at the bottom of the candles as a means to "reflect Jesus' light and goodness further"; a girl in the congregation had first replied to his query about what it was for by saying it was to catch the wax drippings.
[edit] External links
- The Children's Society - What is a Christingle?
- The Children's Society - Information about Christingles and downloadable materials for Christingle services, developed in partnership with The Church of England
- How to make a Christingle.
- "This is Church" on Christingles
- How to make a Christingle.
- The Christingle Celebration
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