Christmons - Explained

Hi All!

After my last post several people had questions about what (in the world) Chrismons are so I did a little research to ensure that I could explain clearly. It was actually very interesting to me since I had never really taken the time to learn why these things were called Chrismons and what that word really meant.

I found the following on Wikapedia so take it as it is meant . . .

(This article is about Christian symbolism. For the German Lutheran magazine called "Chrismon", see Chrismon (magazine).)

A chrismon is one of number of Christian symbols intended to represent aspects of the Person, life or ministry of Jesus Christ and the life, ministry or history of the Christian Church through a single image, emblem or monogram. The term "chrismon" comes from the Latin phrase "Christi Monogramma", meaning "monogram of Christ".

Chrismons can be found in all sizes, any sort of construction, and are used in numerous applications. Often, the Ρ is formed to look like a shepherd's crook and the Χ like a cross, symbolizing Jesus Christ as Good Shepherd of his flock, the Christian Church.

Perhaps most commonly, chrismons are used to adorn liturgical devices and Christmas Trees during Advent and Christmas, where they are made from various materials ranging from needlepoint to woodwork and metalwork. They can also be found as decorations in and outside of Christian church buildings and homes, and even found on gravestones and personal stationary.

Okay - Now that you know the basics. From my Internet search for Chrismons I found that these ornamental symbols can be made in many, many ways. There are cross-stitched versions, wood versions, metal versions, Styrofoam versions, cloth versions and more.

The ones our church made were made of felt with wire in between the layers to provide structure. Various types of trim - sequins, beads, crystals - were used to decorate the Chrismons. As you can tell from my picture of the Chrismon tree, they make an impressive display while inspiring the viewer to remember the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Trisha

Voice Update: Doing fine. I really hit the inhale hard yesterday doing some inhale reading (of Poe) as well as some cyclical reading (where I alternate inhalation voicing with regular voicing). My neck and jaw are not nearly as tender as they were last week but I continue to rub those areas with the intention to keep them from becoming sore again. I have been doing massage but not nearly as much as I should. I do have a speech appointment this Wednesday so I will get "kicked" back into shape!