To round off our enjoyable Christmas holiday we visited Trafalgar Square in central London on Jan 3. The Square is a famous tourist location and landmark which commemorates a famous sea battle in 1805. The British Royal Navy was victorious against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies, during the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815).
Twenty-seven British ships of the line led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard HMS Victory defeated thirty-three French and Spanish ships of the line under French Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve off the south west coast of Spain, just west of Cape Trafalgar.
We wanted to see the giant Christmas tree which every year. The tree is donated to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo each year since 1947 to thank Britain’s assistance to Norway in World War Two (WW2) & is prominently displayed in Trafalgar Square from the beginning of December until 6 January. Jean was happy to see that the giant Blue Cock still occupied one of the four plinths. We enjoyed the views and watching the various street entertainers too.
It is widely believe that the Christmas tree started in Germany. Early Christians would bring in decorated trees inside their houses.
Apparently it was Martin Luther, credited for Protestant Reformation, who first decorated the Christmas tree with candles.
It is said that one winter evening, Martin Luther was deep in thought about his sermon when he happen to look up and saw the lights of twinkling stars reflected between branches of trees.
Martin was in absolute awe.
He brought in a tree in his house and wired the branches to hold in the lit candles so his family can see what he saw and so admired.
That was the beginning of Christmas light.
…..
Every year, Oslo in Norway gifts the British people with a huge Christmas tree which is erected at Trafalgar Square. Oslo has been presenting the UK with a Christmas tree since 1947 as a show of their gratitude to the British during World Ward II.
If you happen to be near Trafalgar Square, the decorated tree can be seen from the beginning of December to the 6th of January.
The subway to Charing Cross station has an amazing array of mural tiles. Amazing not only aesthetically but amazing because they show a brief but concise history of the nearby locale, how the place was built, what took place. The whos, the whats, the wheres, and the whys were more or less dealt with by the history in tiles.
Walking through the tunnel and underground is interesting and informative, the thing to while away the time when waiting for the next tube, especially when there are some delays.
It is also good for tourists and visitors alike to note what to expect outside or why outside became what it is.
As promised many moons ago, here are pictures of the Blue Cock in its full glory atop the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. The sculpture was by a German artist, Katharina Fritsch. Katharina hoped the French were not unduly upset that that a representative of their nationa emblem was in the heart of London
London Mayor Boris Johnson said in his inimitable way “I hope French people will not take it as excessive British chauvinism – but for me it stands for the recent British triumph in the Tour de France, which we have won twice in a row … it is a symbol of French sporting pride, brought like a chicken to London. We have mounted this French cock at the heart of our imperial square.”
The Cock will be in place for 18 months.
Hmm searching for the term ‘Blue Cock’ in Google etc, may yield very interesting results hopefully not a visit from the ‘cyber boys in blue’ (police) 😉
At least, our national hero Admiral Lord Nelson (statue) atop his splendid column is facing the other direction. 😉
This giant blue cockerel looks interesting. I might drag my hubby to go see it this weekend. The last time we were there at Trafalgar Square was last spring. I remember seeing at that time a giant glass bottle with a ship inside it. Oh, I get it now, it was a pun Bottle ship for Battle ship! LMAO!!! appropriate for the Fourth Plinth at Nelson’s Column!!! At that time I thought it was such a kitschy thing. I shall try to dig out photos we took.
By the way, what is the point of having a mayor in London when a simple thing like ensuring respect is accorded a national hero, Nelson, is ignored. He employs thousands in his office, surely someone would have noticed that a French cock against Nelson’s Column is hugely inappropriate. (This sounded rather rude and kinky!!! LMAO)
St Patrick was born in England; it was then the west coast of Romano- Britain.
Calpurnius, his father, was a Roman citizen who was a deacon. His mother, Consessa, gave him a Roman name, Patricius. His modern Irish Gaelic name is Pádraig. He is affectionally called ‘St Paddy’ too!
With his father being a Christian deacon, Patricius was brought up in the faith.
When he was in his teens, while his parents were away, a group of Irish raiders ransacked his family estate. Patricius together with the servants were abducted and taken to Ireland by the raiders.
Patrick became a slave in Ireland; his master was kind, thus Patricius served him well for six long years.
At that time, Ireland was not predominately a Christian country. Many still had pagan beliefs and worshipped the sun etc. The Druids, an ancient Celtic priesthood practised rites involving the oak tree and the mistletoe and there could have even been human sacrifices.
His religious fervour started in Ireland. In a dream, he heard a voice telling him that it was time for him to leave and go back to England. This, he took seriously and plotted his escape.
He came across a trading vessel and he was hired as a crew. For three days they sailed until they landed in an unknown country. They then travelled on foot for almost a month. Their provisions were gone. The people in the party, whom Patrick said were heathen, taunted him to ask his God for food. Patrick calmly told them “Nothing is impossible to the Lord my God. Turn to him truly, that he may send you food in your path this day till ye are filled, for he has plenty in all places.”
Soon after, a drove of pigs appeared before them, the hungry crewmen slaughtered enough pigs to satiate their hunger. It was believed that the unnamed country was France and that they were in the Bordeaux region.
When Patrick arrived back in Britain, he was greeted warmly.
He studied at a monastery and was ordained in 417.
Patrick never forgot Ireland. He had a series of dreams encouraging and urging him to go back.
It was after he became a bishop that he finally answered the call of Ireland.
There was a legend of St Patrick that he drove all the snakes into the sea, thus Ireland was for many years snake-free. Apparently, this is more a symbolism of converting the pagans into Christianity.
St Patrick did not bring Christianity to Ireland; there were already pockets of Christians in Ireland. What St Patrick did was celebrate, inspire, organise and expand Christianity in Ireland.
St Patrick Day Celebration
Says he, “Boys, don’t be fighting for eight or for nine;
Don’t be always dividing—but sometimes combine;
Combine eight with nine, and seventeen is the mark,
So let that be his birthday.” “Amen,” says the clerk.
So they all got blind drunk—which completed their bliss,
And we keep up the practice from that day to this!
The shamrock is the name given to the young sprigs of clover trefoil. It is known as a symbol of Ireland. According to legend St Patrick used it as a metaphor for the Christian Trinity
Did you know?
The Chicago River is dyed green annually to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
“ST Patrick Prayer
This day I call to me:
God’s strength to direct me,
God’s power to sustain me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s vision to light me,
God’s ear to my hearing,
God’s word to my speaking,
God’s hand to uphold me,
God’s pathway before me,
God’s shield to protect me…
Christ beside me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me. Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ to the right of me, Christ to the left of me,
Christ in my lying, my sitting, my rising,
Christ in the heart of all who know me,
Christ on the tongue of all who meet me,
Christ in the eye of all who see me,
Christ in the ear of all who hear me.
For my shield, this day, I call:
a mighty power:
the Holy Trinity!
affirming threeness,
confessing oneness
in the making of all – through love …”
Amen.
St Patrick died on March 17 about 457 or 461 the exact date is unknown. It became the feast day and celebration of St Patrick.
There was no formal canonization process in the Church during its first millennium. In the early years of the Church the title saint was bestowed first upon martyrs, and then upon individuals recognized by tradition as being exceptionally holy during their lifetimes.
To these days, many celebrations and street parades are held in many places to commemorate St Patrick
Ireland of course, Great Britain(well he was English by birth!) US – New York, Chicago, etc., that have strong Irish connections through immigration.
Peter’s favourite colour is green and I like the emerald green which Ireland has it’s ‘national’ colour
London’s St Patrick’s Day Parade involves marching bands, floats, street theatre and more. All 32 Irish counties are represented, dressed in their traditional county colours. Other parade participants include members of London’s Irish community and other Londoners. The parade begins at Green Park at 12 pm and will proceed through central London to Trafalgar Square. The event finishes at 6 pm. Set to be one of London’s liveliest celebrations of the year, over 100,000 people attended last year’s event.
Trafalgar Square will host the festival program of live Irish music and dance on the main performance stage, showcasing the best of Irish music and dance from traditional to contemporary.
I dare say that during the day many glasses full of Guinness, Magners, and Jameson’s whiskey will go bottoms up 😉
