Dec 26, 2012

Twelve Days of Christmas


This beloved Christmas carol was written by the English Jesuits of the 16th century as a catechetical device.  At that time, Catholics were not permitted to practice their faith openly. It was written to educate the faithful in the doctrines of the faith. The numbers are simply a mnemonic to help Catholics remember some basic facts:
1.     The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ on the cross.
2.     Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
3.     Three French hens were the three persons in one God.
4.     The four callings birds were the four Gospels.
5.     The five golden rings were first five books of the Old Testament.
6.     The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
7.     Seven swans a-swimming recalled the seven Sacraments.
8.     Eight maids a-milking were the eight Beatitudes.
9.     Nine drummers drumming (now nine ladies dancing) were the nine choirs of angels.
10.   Ten lords a-leaping were the ten Commandments.
11.   The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful Apostles.
12.   Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
              “My true love” refers to God, “me” is the individual Christian receiving God’s love.