Why chalk ?
In my youth in Austria it was a custom on 6th January to mark in chalk the doorposts of churches and houses with the year and the following letters and numerals. 20 K + M + B 20
I knew that this was a custom in Germany also, but I only learned fairly recently that it is a custom in many Central and Eastern European countries such as Poland and Czech Republic.
K M B stand for Kaspar, Melchior and Balthasar the names traditionally given to the Three Kings or Wise men. They stand also for Christus Mansionem Benedicat (May Christ bless this house) I was speaking this morning to a Polish lady who confirmed that this is a widespread custom in Poland also where the chalk is blessed by the priest at Mass and the sign put on the doors. In Austria it is often man dressed as the Three Kings who will do this while collecting money for good works.
I have heard of people talking about this on these boards at various times.My question is,however : why is it white chalk which is used ?
I knew that this was a custom in Germany also, but I only learned fairly recently that it is a custom in many Central and Eastern European countries such as Poland and Czech Republic.
K M B stand for Kaspar, Melchior and Balthasar the names traditionally given to the Three Kings or Wise men. They stand also for Christus Mansionem Benedicat (May Christ bless this house) I was speaking this morning to a Polish lady who confirmed that this is a widespread custom in Poland also where the chalk is blessed by the priest at Mass and the sign put on the doors. In Austria it is often man dressed as the Three Kings who will do this while collecting money for good works.
I have heard of people talking about this on these boards at various times.My question is,however : why is it white chalk which is used ?
Comments
The porch looks a bit like the top picture here, except it doesn't stick out and the doors are flush with the house front, and the frame is made of some now slightly past its sell-by date wood, so we had to put it on the wall next to the door.
Amazing ! well so I thought.
Inside Durham Castle we visited the Tunstall chapel. Tunstall was the last Catholic Prince Bishop of Durham who kept his see throughout the various changes of the English Reformation. There is a portrait of the bishop with his hands in an unusual position. The guide explained that in the beginning the bishop had in his hands rosary beads. Towards the end of Henry's reforms and during the reign of his more Protestant son Edward the rosary beads were simply painted out. When Mary Tudor came to the throne the rosary beads were painted in again, only to be painted out again when Queen Elisabeth came to the throne. So, it is not only chalk which can be easily removed.
And one of my churches currently has the same chalk inscription that you describe, put there by the Bishop on a recent visit. My impression is that it's an old tradition that is being revived.
(I go to a rather high up the candle Scottish Episcopal Church.)