Christmas tree at Bethlehem Lutheran Church |
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Title : | Christmas tree at Bethlehem Lutheran Church |
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Date of creation : | 1908 | ||
Format : | Photograph | ||
Contributor : | State Library catalogue | ||
Catalogue record | |||
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Description : |
In the 16th century Martin Luther revived the ancient pagan ritual of decorating a fir tree during the winter solstice, using the candlelit Christmas tree to represent Christ's home in the starlit heavens. Fir trees decorated with candles, apples, and paper flowers, were introduced into Britain by German immigrants, and popularised in the 19th century by Prince Albert. Together with other German customs, the 'Old Lutherans' brought this tradition to South Australia. Each Christmas churches all around the Barossa Valley were decorated with large fir trees. The Springton Lutheran church traditionally placed a device on top of the tree consisting of angels blowing trumpets, which would revolve in the rising heat from the candles. |
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Related names : | Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Adelaide, S. Aust.) St John's Lutheran Congregation (Springton, S. Aust.) |
Coverage year : | 1908 |
Place : | Adelaide (S. Aust.); Springton (S. Aust.) |
Region : | Adelaide city |
Further reading : | 125 years, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide , Max. L. Shackleford ed., Adelaide, S. Aust.: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1997 'Brief survey of the history of the Ev. Luth. Bethlehem congregation, Adelaide SA', Australian Lutheran, 20 December 1922, pp. 202-203 Herbig, David. An old faith in a new land: the story of St. Johannes - St. John's Lutheran Congregation Friedensberg and Springton, 1859-1986, Springton, S. Aust.: D. Herbig, 1986 |
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