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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
RE: Symbolism ( from spiritual warfare forum )	Sandy	Sunday, September 19, 2004
Question: Dear Brother Ignatius, I post this here because i think it fits more here then anywhere els. You mention that certain christian symbolism were used and turn the opposite way in occultism to be used the wrong way in adoring false gods. You also mentioned that certain symbolism that were used in the church came from other sources but were christianized with time to prove that our God it the ONLY and Almighty God. When is this change done in our faith and how to make that change?? And mostly, when are these symbolisms accepted into the church officially, i mean christianized. Could you please elaborate if you can and give us an example of what is now symbolically used that was christianized. Thank you very much for your hard work in your research. :-) Sandy
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Dear Sandy: You get MANY brownie points for taking a topic mentioned in another forum and pursuing it in the correct forum :) There are many symbols used by the Church that have origins elsewhere. The Cross itself was a pagan symbol hundred of years before the Passion of Christ. In St. Peter's Square is an obileks that is of pagan origins. It was moved to the square and topped with a Christian Cross. In essence this symbolizes the victory of Christianity over the pagan Romans. Christmas is celebrated on December 25th not because that is the birthday of Jesus, which it is not, but to counter the pagan festivals of the winter equinoix. Those are just a few examples of thousands of symbols co-opted into Christianity. As for giving the amount of detail that you want, I am sorry, but there just isn't the time to research when, where, and how each of even a small number of these symbols came to be. It is not really important when, where, and how; it is only important to know that the Church is not pagan and any symbol that has pagan origins was Christianized by the Church either as a symbol of the Christian God conquering the pagan gods, or as a means to evangelize peoples who were use to these symbols. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

RE: Symbolism ( from spiritual warfare forum )

Sandy

Sunday, September 19, 2004

Question:

Dear Brother Ignatius,

I post this here because i think it fits more here then anywhere els.

You mention that certain christian symbolism were used and turn the opposite way in occultism to be used the wrong way in adoring false gods. You also mentioned that certain symbolism that were used in the church came from other sources but were christianized with time to prove that our God it the ONLY and Almighty God.

When is this change done in our faith and how to make that change?? And mostly, when are these symbolisms accepted into the church officially, i mean christianized.

Could you please elaborate if you can and give us an example of what is now symbolically used that was christianized.

Thank you very much for your hard work in your research. :-)

Sandy

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear Sandy:

You get MANY brownie points for taking a topic mentioned in another forum and pursuing it in the correct forum :)

There are many symbols used by the Church that have origins elsewhere. The Cross itself was a pagan symbol hundred of years before the Passion of Christ.

In St. Peter's Square is an obileks that is of pagan origins. It was moved to the square and topped with a Christian Cross. In essence this symbolizes the victory of Christianity over the pagan Romans.

Christmas is celebrated on December 25th not because that is the birthday of Jesus, which it is not, but to counter the pagan festivals of the winter equinoix.

Those are just a few examples of thousands of symbols co-opted into Christianity.

As for giving the amount of detail that you want, I am sorry, but there just isn't the time to research when, where, and how each of even a small number of these symbols came to be. It is not really important when, where, and how; it is only important to know that the Church is not pagan and any symbol that has pagan origins was Christianized by the Church either as a symbol of the Christian God conquering the pagan gods, or as a means to evangelize peoples who were use to these symbols.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum