|
Consider Commemorating the Twelve Days of Christmas
Dear Editor:
Our little village of Cold Spring puts out all its best in the "Holiday Season". The streets, homes and stores are so beautifully decorated.
It is a great historical and religious lesson for all of us to view the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah for the "Festival of Lights", the eight-day Jewish celebration commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd Century. So as our merchants commemorate the eight days of Hanukkah, we ask them also to consider commemorating the Twelve Days of Christmas. The Catholic Church prepares for Christmas with the "Season of Advent" in the days preceding Christmas. The "Season of Christmas" is then traditionally celebrated from December 25 to January 6 or the Feast of the Epiphany. Liturgically "Christmas" officially ends this year on January 13. Oddly enough, many remove their "Christmas" decorations when the Christmas Season is just beginning.
The Association of Religious Data Archives reported that in the year 2000, there were 53,496 Catholics in Putnam County out of a total population of 60,978. We invite our businesses to join us in our joyful celebration of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Father Brian McSweeney
Pastor
The Parish of Our Lady of
Loretto
Cold Spring
| 
