Everyone
is familiar with the famous Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of
Christmas" and we have all at some time happily sung along to it.
But
delightful though it is it believed that it had a more serious purpose when it
was first written and that it was certainly much more than a repetitious piece
of nonsense.
It
is said it came about at a time when the Catholics in northern Europe were
prevented from practicing their faith openly or otherwise by law and especially
In England during the years of 1558 to 1829 it was to all intents and purposes
a crime to BE a Catholic.
So
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as a kind of
Underground Catechism.
In
fact it was one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics
learn the tenets of their faith.
In
short it was a memory aid at a time when to be caught with anything in written
form indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could lead to imprisonment or
even death.
The
contained hidden meanings for example the “true love” mentioned in the song in
fact refers to God.
While
the songs gifts hide the meanings to the teachings of the faith.
The
"me" who receives the presents symbolizes every baptized person and a
partridge in a pear tree refers to Jesus Christ and the two turtle doves are
The Old and New Testaments.
The three French Hens are Faith, Hope and Charity, the three great Theological
Virtues
the four Calling Birds are the Four Gospels and the five Golden Rings, The
first Five Books of the Old Testament.
The
six Geese A-laying are the six days of creation while seven Swans A-swimming
represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments.
The eight Maids A-milking are the eight beatitudes with nine Ladies Dancing
representing the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
the ten Lords A-leaping are the ten commandments and the eleven Pipers Piping
stand for the eleven faithful apostles and last by no means least twelve
drummers
drumming represent the twelve doctrinal points in the Apostle's Creed.
This
may be fact, or it may be fiction but I know which I would like it to be.
