It is the evening of 6 January, also known as the Epiphany, Little Christmas, Nollaig na mBan or Nollaig gan mhaith to some of the menfolk of the Dingle peninsula. The social media influencers have been telling us that once the decorations are boxed away, that’s it for the festive season until next year - but is that really true?
No, says Fr Willie Purcell, parish priest of Clara in Co Kilkenny. “I keep a small crib up in my hallway all year round, as a reminder that in the eyes of God, we are all welcome and we are all equal and that God does not see appearances. The animals kept Jesus warm, the shepherds were the poorest of the people. They came to the crib and then the wise men representing the rich and the powerful arrived.”
He continues: “The Epiphany is the celebration of the day in which the wise men came to the stable in Bethlehem. The recognition of being led by the star, that the star shone brightly in the darkness of the world in which we are living in at the moment, there is a light shining brightly and that light is Jesus.”
Rural scene
Last weekend, Fr Willie led the 19th year of the Kilkenny city parishes church crib tour. Beginning at the Friary and walking to the cribs at St Johns, St Patricks, the cathedral St Marys, the Black Abbey and on to St Canices, each year people take a break from the festivities to learn a little more about the meaning and origins behind this quintessentially rural scene, found in towns and cities the world over.
Fr Willie Purcell P.P Clara parish, Co Kilkenny, led a tour of church cribs in Kilkenny for the 19th year this Christmas. Pictured outside St Mary's Cathedral is this year's tour group.
“The first crib was designed by St Francis of Assisi in the 12th century, in a place called Greccio, Italy. He was visiting the friars there at Christmas time and he got this inspiration that he would develop a manger scene, as he called it. He is the patron saint of animals and he filled the scene with all animals – not just the donkey and the lamb, but with cattle and dogs, cats and any animals that were there. He had an immense love and care for animals. The whole concept of the stable of Bethlehem reminds us of the importance of the earth and the gift of the earth. We are just passing through,” says Fr Willie.
At each church, Fr Willie shares stories related to the crib scene.
“There is a lovely story told that when the shepherds left the stable in Bethlehem and they were making their way up into the fields, there was a small little shepherd boy and he had something behind his back. One of the shepherds said to him, ‘what have you got?’ They made him hold out his hand and there was some straw from the manger in Bethlehem. They asked him ‘why did you take this?’ and the young boy said ‘because I wanted this as it was under the baby Jesus, so Jesus will be with me all the days of my life.’”
The blade of straw
This story leads on to another tradition that has arisen from the crib tour - the souvenir blade of straw brought home from the church crib. It is said that if you take a blade of straw from the crib and keep it in your house, this will provide protection for the home all year. Fr Willie captured the attention of this writer when he told tour go-ers that if you take some straw from the crib and keep it in your wallet, you will have plenty of money for the year.
On learning this, as big a fist full of straw was gathered and Fr Willie had to clarifiy: “Just one blade will do the same work as a whole handful!”
One single blade of straw was placed in a purse and sure enough, I realised I always had enough money when needed that year.
One job to do this weekend might be to visit your local crib and carry the magic of Christmas in your purse for the year ahead.
Read more
'Belief and encouragement are the matches which light the candle of achievement'
Ode to the agri store
It is the evening of 6 January, also known as the Epiphany, Little Christmas, Nollaig na mBan or Nollaig gan mhaith to some of the menfolk of the Dingle peninsula. The social media influencers have been telling us that once the decorations are boxed away, that’s it for the festive season until next year - but is that really true?
No, says Fr Willie Purcell, parish priest of Clara in Co Kilkenny. “I keep a small crib up in my hallway all year round, as a reminder that in the eyes of God, we are all welcome and we are all equal and that God does not see appearances. The animals kept Jesus warm, the shepherds were the poorest of the people. They came to the crib and then the wise men representing the rich and the powerful arrived.”
He continues: “The Epiphany is the celebration of the day in which the wise men came to the stable in Bethlehem. The recognition of being led by the star, that the star shone brightly in the darkness of the world in which we are living in at the moment, there is a light shining brightly and that light is Jesus.”
Rural scene
Last weekend, Fr Willie led the 19th year of the Kilkenny city parishes church crib tour. Beginning at the Friary and walking to the cribs at St Johns, St Patricks, the cathedral St Marys, the Black Abbey and on to St Canices, each year people take a break from the festivities to learn a little more about the meaning and origins behind this quintessentially rural scene, found in towns and cities the world over.
Fr Willie Purcell P.P Clara parish, Co Kilkenny, led a tour of church cribs in Kilkenny for the 19th year this Christmas. Pictured outside St Mary's Cathedral is this year's tour group.
“The first crib was designed by St Francis of Assisi in the 12th century, in a place called Greccio, Italy. He was visiting the friars there at Christmas time and he got this inspiration that he would develop a manger scene, as he called it. He is the patron saint of animals and he filled the scene with all animals – not just the donkey and the lamb, but with cattle and dogs, cats and any animals that were there. He had an immense love and care for animals. The whole concept of the stable of Bethlehem reminds us of the importance of the earth and the gift of the earth. We are just passing through,” says Fr Willie.
At each church, Fr Willie shares stories related to the crib scene.
“There is a lovely story told that when the shepherds left the stable in Bethlehem and they were making their way up into the fields, there was a small little shepherd boy and he had something behind his back. One of the shepherds said to him, ‘what have you got?’ They made him hold out his hand and there was some straw from the manger in Bethlehem. They asked him ‘why did you take this?’ and the young boy said ‘because I wanted this as it was under the baby Jesus, so Jesus will be with me all the days of my life.’”
The blade of straw
This story leads on to another tradition that has arisen from the crib tour - the souvenir blade of straw brought home from the church crib. It is said that if you take a blade of straw from the crib and keep it in your house, this will provide protection for the home all year. Fr Willie captured the attention of this writer when he told tour go-ers that if you take some straw from the crib and keep it in your wallet, you will have plenty of money for the year.
On learning this, as big a fist full of straw was gathered and Fr Willie had to clarifiy: “Just one blade will do the same work as a whole handful!”
One single blade of straw was placed in a purse and sure enough, I realised I always had enough money when needed that year.
One job to do this weekend might be to visit your local crib and carry the magic of Christmas in your purse for the year ahead.
Read more
'Belief and encouragement are the matches which light the candle of achievement'
Ode to the agri store
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