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Lichfield Cathedral – Starry Starry Night

Starry Starry Night

Starry Starry Night

Starry Starry Night

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15 Comments CherryPie on Dec 29th 2017

15 Responses to “Lichfield Cathedral – Starry Starry Night”

  1. Ayush Basu says:
    December 30, 2017 at 1:08 am

    in my opinion, the second shot would have looked nicer without the stars, CP.

  2. James Higham says:
    December 30, 2017 at 5:33 am

    Wonder what connection stars have with Christianity? However, they’re integral to occultism [e.g. George Bush Snr’s 1000 points of light].

    • CherryPie says:
      December 30, 2017 at 2:43 pm

      You seem to have forgotten our Christian Heritage: The gospel of Luke in verse 8 states ‘And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.’

      The fact that it was night suggests there would be stars in the sky, this verse and thoughts of the lofty heights of heaven have inspired several Christmas carols that refer to the starry skies.

      AWAY IN A MANGER
      Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay, The little lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

      OH LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
      O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see the lie! Above they deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light; The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight.

      SEE AMID THE WINTER’S SNOW
      Low within a manger lies He who built the starry skies, He who, throned in height sublime, Sits amid the cherubim!

      ONCE IN ROYAL DAVIDS CITY
      Not in that poor lowly stable, With oxen standing by, We shall see him but in heaven, Set at God’s right hand on high, When like stars his children crowned All in white shall wait around.

      And let’s not forget ‘The Star’ that appeared to the wise men.

      • James Higham says:
        December 31, 2017 at 3:43 am

        Yes, that’s the motif of course – the plausible and quite valid ‘other story’. I’ve posted so many times on symbolism.

      • Chrysalis says:
        December 31, 2017 at 4:36 am

        Amen :)

        Just an interesting addition – and correct me if I’m wrong – but I believe The Magi were Zoroasters, the people living in Canaan when the Israelites arrived there after their exodus from Egypst. Some biblical scholars have suggested Christianity actually incorporated many of their beliefs into Christianity, including angels and demons, heaven and hell, from the Zoroasters because of when these things are first mentioned in the bible and their coincidence with the Israelites’ arrival to Canaan.

        Additionally, Magi/Zoroasters were numerologists and astrologists – which is why the star supposedly guided them to Christ. In fact, the “magical” numbers of “3″ and “7″ used in the bible symbolically many times were borrowed from the Zoroasters. (These numbers are also used by the occult.)

        Peter denied Christ 3 times, then after Christ’s resurrection said that he loved him 3 times because Christ asked him 3 times. Wiccans say spells 3 times.

        Why? Because they’re all witchy and casting spells?

        Erm – No. It’s because 3 is the Zoroastrian number to seal/bind permanently and it became a cultural symbol for a covenant made – it showed they were committed, whether people had faith or not, Christian or Zoroaster.

        Interestingly, the bible does not once mention a combative relationship with Zoroasters, and in fact, God seemed very unusually tolerant of their faith versus others, for some reason, to include supporting their belief in “following a star” to his birth as a positive thing rather than occult.

        And speaking of “pagan” and “occult, Christmas trees were once pagan and eventually adopted into Christianity. Primitive Baptists here in America refused to have them for this reason and additionally because you have to kneel under them to open gifts.

        At this stage in the game, no religion or tradition is pure – we incorporated pagan beliefs and symbols into Christianity and vice versa. And we really don’t know which came first, the chicken or the egg. It could be debated until the end of time, but the fact is, we don’t know and will never know and I’m not sure it matters – all that matters is your own intent and motivation for using the symbol.

        If we don’t know all the cultural history and context of things, who did what symbol or practice first and its meaning according to culture, which we can’t possibly ever know, then perhaps best not to place judgment on things as “good” or “evil” or “Christian” or “Pagan” based on hunch.

        And perhaps it’s not the symbol or practice itself is bad, it’s our intent when using it. When I put up my Christmas tree, I am not worshiping it as nature, I’m paying homage to the birth of the son of the intelligent designer of all creation. And I’m pretty sure God knows that. So if primitive Baptists or whomever want to judge me as Pagan or Wiccan for doing so, well, that’s on their soul, not mine :)

        • Chrysalis says:
          December 31, 2017 at 4:38 am

          My “Amen” was to Cherie, sorry if that wasn’t clear :)

          The rest was general discussion on the subject of Christian Vs. Pagan symbols

        • CherryPie says:
          December 31, 2017 at 4:43 pm

          Several of our accepted customs and stories regarding Christmas are embellishments on what is actually recorded in the bible.

          The author of one of the blogs that I follow has recently written a book about his theory of the origins of the Magi. It looks like an interesting read especially as he quotes authors whose books I have read and enjoyed.

          https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Magi-Quest-Identify-Three/dp/1621576299/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507369494&sr=8-1&keywords=mystery+of+the+magi

          • Chrysalis says:
            December 31, 2017 at 5:42 pm

            Well THAT definitely goes on the Amazon book list, thank you! In fact, I just finished a book, so this is prime time. That book was well-researched historical fiction about Central America in the mid-to-late 19th century, the benefits from independence from Spain and the drawbacks during the Industrial Revolution, the affects the American Civil war had on them due to their proximity to us and budding business relationships. I love reading new well-researched perspectives on things we only thought we knew from one perspective, thank you :)

            I neglected to say earlier what I told you privately when you originally posted, I love the picture with the stars and the blue light, I have right-clicked on it to make it a winter screensaver (only with your permission, of course).

            And no, I will not be doing so paying homage or worship to pagan or occult symbols and practice, but because the architecture and ambience of cathedrals, especially at Christmastime, have a reassuring and comforting effect on me spiritually as a Christian :)

            • CherryPie says:
              January 1, 2018 at 2:07 am

              The book is currently ‘temporarily out of stock’ in the UK store, so I will have to wait ;-)

              Of course you can use the photo as a screen saver if you wish :-)

  3. lisl says:
    December 30, 2017 at 5:38 am

    Were the colours constantly changing, Cherie, or did each area have its “own” colour?

  4. Caroline Irwin says:
    December 30, 2017 at 11:33 am

    So very beautiful. One of these days I will visit Lichfield Cathedral again – the two times I have been were on a Sunday and not easy to look round between services. It is such a lovely cathedral.