In Luke 2, the scripture says that the Roman Caesar Augustus ordered everyone in the area to go to the home of their ancestors to be counted for purposes of taxation. At that time, Quirinius or Cyrenius was the Governor of Sysria, but Cyrenius was also a Roman. Because of that order, Joseph and Mary…
Category: #Religion
Halloween – History and Mythology of an Ancient Harvest Festival
SUN-WORSHIP. THE SOURCES OF HALLOWE’EN “If we could ask one of the old-world pagans whom he revered as his greatest gods, he would be sure to name among them the sun-god; calling him Apollo if he were a Greek; if an Egyptian, Horus or Osiris; if of Norway, Sol; if of Peru, Bochica. As the…
Alyssum – A Healing Plant – Believed to Ward Off the Evil Eye
“Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) is an annual native to the Mediterranean area which is popular with modern gardeners. “The plant is low growing, about 20 cm tall, with dense clusters of tiny flowers in white, lavender or pink and a sweet scent. “Other Names Sweet alyssum, Sweet Alison, madwort, healbite, sweet Alice, seaside lobularia, gum…
Plants Associated with Magic and Wonder
Alchemy Magical Plants. In remote ages, the poisonous or medicinal properties of plants were secrets learnt by the most intelligent and observant members of pastoral and nomadic tribes and clans; and the possessor of these secrets became often both medicine-man and priest, reserving to himself as much as possible the knowledge he had acquired of herbs…
Plants of the Christian Church
Plants of the Christian Church. “After Rome Pagan became Rome Christian, the priests of the Church of Christ recognised the importance of utilising the connexion which existed between plants and the old pagan worship, and bringing the floral world into active co-operation with the Christian Church by the institution of a floral symbolism which should be…
The Cherokees – An Indigenous People of America – Their Lives and Their Stories
CHEROKEE NATION HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE CHEROKEE The Traditionary Period “The Cherokee were the mountaineers of the South, holding the entire Allegheny region from the interlocking head-streams of the Kanawha and the Tennessee southward almost to the site of Atlanta, and from the Blue ridge on the east to the Cumberland range on the west,…
The Moon – Its Mystery and Its Myths
MOONLIGHT. “The light of the moon and the changes of the moon were probably the first phenomena which led men to study the motions of the heavenly bodies. In our times, when most men live where artificial illumination is used at night, we can scarcely appreciate the full value of moonlight to men who cannot obtain…
Ancient Egyptian Mythology – Ancient Religions
The Ennead “Ancient Egyptians had several myths regarding the creation of the world. One of the most popular creation myths featured the Ennead, a group of nine ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. Atum was thought to be the first god and creator of the world and from Atum the Ennead were born.” British Museum Atum’s…
Christianity – Ancient Religions
The Origins and Spread of Christianity “Christianity was founded by Jesus, a man who lived from about 6 B.C.E to about 30 C.E. “The New Testament of the Christian Bible tells that Jesus was put to death by crucifixion, a form of execution in which a person is tied or nailed to a cross. “Christians…
Islam – Ancient Religions
Image Credit: History Alive Textbook “Muhammad was born around 570 C.E. He taught the faith called Islam, which became one of the major religions of the world.” History Alive Textbook But Islam began centuries before that, when Abraham rejected and expelled his older son Ishmael, who relocated west of the Israelits. His descendants became the…