Word: paganisms
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...clue to this painting is the statuette he shows in his hand--an image of Artemis, goddess of the Ephesians, denounced by St. Paul. But his other hand clasps a crucifix to his breast, declaring that despite his passion for the antique, he believes in Christ, not pagan idols...
...Christmas, that airs Dec. 12 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. But you suspect that if one of those ghosts had used this show to convince Scrooge how wonderful Christmas is, the old man would have been justified in denying Tiny Tim his goose. Yes, many Christmas customs are pagan in origin, but does that justify a special Christmas episode of Melrose Place in which Jennifer tries to blackmail Lexi, who ODs? And as for the drama specials, most of which seem to star Richard Thomas, they certainly ought to make us cry, but they too often resort...
...depths nor her demons. Kate Arms assumes a commanding presence as the most cruel of the washerwomen who gossip about Yerma's barrenness and cast aspersions on her fidelity, but she is equally comfortable in the sympathetic, backgrounded role of Dolores, the witch-woman who provides Yerma with ancient pagan remedies against infertility. Even the minor players bring sparkle and depth to their characters: Kristen Rolf '99 [sparkles] with energy as yet another village girl, who chides Yerma to appreciate the freedom that comes with not having babies and rejoices in her own half-grown reputation as a "crazy woman...
...medieval times, a series of customs developed around "Hallow E'en" (Hallow Evening), many deriving at least in part from the holiday's earlier pagan incarnation. It became traditional to eat nuts and apples; the nuts were especially important because young girls were encouraged to watch them as they roasted, interpreting their behavior as an omen of the faithfulness or inconstancy of their beloveds--if the nut cracked or jumped, one was thought to be in trouble. The relationship between this custom and the Celtic belief in the power of New Year prophesies seems clear enough. Other traditions of note...
...Christian festival of All Hallows' Eve maintained its connection to deep spiritual anxiety. Also inherited from pagan times was the belief that the vigil represented a relaxation of the border separating the world of the spirit from the human sphere. All Hallows' became associated with witches, elves, fairies and all their manifestations (e.g. black cats); it was thought to be a time of unprecedented, frightening spiritual interference in mortal lives...