Loading...Dear Friends in Christ,
Don’t you love Christmas Carols? I do. I love the ones that celebrate Christ’s birth, and I love the ones that are just plain fun. My favorite religious carol is “Angels We Have Heard on High,” my favorite fun one is “Sleigh Ride.” What is your favorite Christmas Carol?
One of people’s favorite is “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Did you know it has a hidden meaning? People often think of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as the days before Christmas, but Christmas is really the season of the Christian Year for the days beginning on December 25 and lasting until January 6 (the Day of Epiphany) when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the light of the world and recalls the journey of the Magi. But there is more. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. During that era someone wrote 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. It was a teaching tool. So, the song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning plus about the gifts a person receives from a strange person, and a hidden meaning known only to members of the church. Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.
Here is the hidden meaning of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
The "partridge in a pear tree" is Jesus Christ.
The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.
The three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds are the four Gospels.
The five gold rings recall the torah (Law) the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.
The seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.
The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes.
The nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Spirit (Gal.5).
The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of belief in the Apostles Creed.
There you have it... the hidden meaning of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and the secret behind the song. Remember them. There may be a test. Merry Christmas.
In Christ’s Love,
Father Russ
