Pastor's Column
Some years ago I ran across an explanation of the Christmas Carol The Twelve Days of Christmas. I hadn’t seen that explanation in a while until a parishioner sent it to me. Though I’d seen this explanation, I was wondering how many of you might have seen this fascinating explanation. Enjoy the following...
There is one Christmas Carol that has baffled many over the years. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially that partridge which won't come out of the pear tree, have to do with Christmas?
Here's the hidden truth: From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning, plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
- The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
- Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
- Three French hens stood for Faith, Hope and Love.
- The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
- The five golden rings recalled the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament.
- The six geese-a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
- Seven swans-a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, Knowledge, and Fear of the Lord.
- The eight maids-a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
- Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
- The ten lords-a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
- The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
- The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.
I bet modern code-breakers would have fun with this secret code. Maybe a secret code catechism would have more appeal to modern children—a sort of code ring of faith. Anyhow enjoy the twelfth day of Christmas, Epiphany, 6 January.