[sw-l] Springtime around the world...

[Trevor Jenkins]

On Fri, 25 Mar 2005, Valerie Sutton <sutton at signwriting.org> wrote:

> Thank you Trevor, for this remarkable history of Christian ceremonies
> in England! Quite an elaborate history...smile...

Try this simple quiz on the BBC News web site
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4383243.stm

Or maybe visit this item from the Guardian newspaper quoting a Britsh
Reader's Digest survey released earlier this week.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1444357,00.html

I find the opening sentence from the Guardian shocking.

> ... and then or course, there is Passover, which, I believe, is the
> Jewish tradition at this time of year?

The first Easter fell at Pesach but difference in various calendars
(Julian, Gregorian, Jewish) means that they only coincide once every few
years. And the last time that Good Friday fell on the same day as the
Feast of the Annunciation was 1932 --- apparently some take this as an
omen of bad luck. Don't think that there is a similar tradition for Easter
and Pesach.

> ... And what about other religions? I am sure they also have
> their Spring religious ceremonies ...

There's also the Druids not to be confused with Druids. One being a group
who re-enact an ancient religion and the other a group of honoured Welsh
poets (amongst the latter is the head of the Anglican Church the
Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams). The Druids are best known for
celebrating (or trying to) the summer solstice at Stonehenge. But they
will occasionally try to access the site for the spring and autumn equinox
and winter solstice. Though there are other henges in the area that are
more likely to be equinox related.

> ... So we live in a remarkable world ... rich with many heritages. It is
> nice to have such an international SignWriting List. ...

I'd love to know whether there are any Native American rites performed at
these times of the year.

I rather like David Bar-Tzur's The Interpreter's Friend web site
(http://www.theinterpretersfriend.com/) where lots of ASL material related
to religions can be found --- but sadly no Druidism. Unfortunately he
glosses his translations rather than SignWriting them.

Regards, Trevor

<>< Re: deemed!