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Unique Traditions

ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
in Ecclesiantics
Talking with a subdeacon in the Chaldean church I was reminded the Church of the East (Assyrians not in communion with Rome unlike Chaldeans) have a sacrament called Holy Leaven. It is a tradition that a part of the bread from the Last Supper was saved and has been passed down and a part of this is mixed with other ingredients and used as part of the baking of every bread for the Eucharist.

What traditions are unique to your church? Either denomination or individual church?

Comments

  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    In the Church of England, anything (however surreal or bizarre) which is done at least three times becomes a Tradition™, as in *We've always done it*.

    :wink:
  • TruronTruron Shipmate
    in the south west it is more like once a custom and twice tradition 😳
  • ForthviewForthview Shipmate
    The German city of Trier (or Treviri or Treves or Augusta Treverorum) has an almost unique tradition inasmuch as it claims to be the custodian of the 'Seamless Robe of Christ'
    (der heilige Rock zu Trier) ,It may have been brought to Trier by St Helena,the mother of Emperor Constantine, after her famous trip to the Holy Land from where she brought many religious artefacts to Europe.
    We only have definite showings of the Robe from the 12th century and it played quite an important role in the disputes between Catholics and Lutherans at the time of the Reformation.
    With the secularisation of the independent prince bishopric of Trier during Napoleonic times the robe was taken to and kept in the Rhine fortress of Ehrenbreitstein.
    Since its return to Trier in 1844 it has been shown on a number of occasions,the last few being in 1996,2006 and 2012 with the next projected major showing being in 2033 (anniversary of the crucifixion of Christ).
    Over the centuries it has been necessary to repair the Robe and it is now difficult to say how much (if indeed any) of it comes from the Robe which, according to the story in the New Testament ,the soldiers cast lots for.
    What I like is the present day explanation of the Catholic diocese of Trier of the value of the Robe. It presents it as a symbol of the unity of the undivided Church.
  • OblatusOblatus Shipmate
    As to how traditions begin, I recall a Requiem for a deceased acolyte. I served as crucifer, seated next to the torchbearers. As they came back with their torches after the eucharistic prayer and put them in the corner, one torchbearer forgot to extinguish his candle. It stood there in its stand, burning alone, as we proceeded to line up to receive Communion. After Mass, we discussed in the sacristy how we were sure there was now a tradition of leaving one torch burning during Communion to represent The Lost Acolyte. We enjoyed this idea, but alas, it didn't catch on.
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    Forthview wrote: »
    The German city of Trier (or Treviri or Treves or Augusta Treverorum) has an almost unique tradition inasmuch as it claims to be the custodian of the 'Seamless Robe of Christ'
    (der heilige Rock zu Trier)...
    That reminds me of the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges containing a relic of Christ's Blood which I visited in 2007. Never knew about it until I stumbled across it.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Climacus wrote: »
    Forthview wrote: »
    The German city of Trier (or Treviri or Treves or Augusta Treverorum) has an almost unique tradition inasmuch as it claims to be the custodian of the 'Seamless Robe of Christ'
    (der heilige Rock zu Trier)...
    That reminds me of the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges containing a relic of Christ's Blood which I visited in 2007. Never knew about it until I stumbled across it.

    The Skeptic in me, says tourist trap. Sorry,
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    edited 3:27AM
    Please don't apologise. I found it extraordinary then and still do, honestly. Like the bones of the 3 Kings in Cologne Cathedral. But with both I took time out to pray and ponder so I found it helpful. Yours and others' mileage may vary.
  • LatchKeyKidLatchKeyKid Shipmate
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Climacus wrote: »
    Forthview wrote: »
    The German city of Trier (or Treviri or Treves or Augusta Treverorum) has an almost unique tradition inasmuch as it claims to be the custodian of the 'Seamless Robe of Christ'
    (der heilige Rock zu Trier)...
    That reminds me of the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges containing a relic of Christ's Blood which I visited in 2007. Never knew about it until I stumbled across it.

    The Skeptic in me, says tourist trap. Sorry,

    Apparently, there are four places that claim to have the head of John the Baptist.

    When I was in the middle east I heard a story that someone was told that the head was in the city where he was.
    Oh, he replied, I understood his head was in the city I have just come from.
    That was when he was a younger man, was the response.
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    edited 5:54AM
    They were apparently not too careful with it. Or them. Not sure if other traditions have this but in Orthodoxy there are feasts for the First, Second and Third Findings of his head.
  • Baptist TrainfanBaptist Trainfan Shipmate
    LatchKeyKid wrote: »
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Climacus wrote: »
    Forthview wrote: »
    The German city of Trier (or Treviri or Treves or Augusta Treverorum) has an almost unique tradition inasmuch as it claims to be the custodian of the 'Seamless Robe of Christ'
    (der heilige Rock zu Trier)...
    That reminds me of the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges containing a relic of Christ's Blood which I visited in 2007. Never knew about it until I stumbled across it.

    The Skeptic in me, says tourist trap. Sorry,

    Apparently, there are four places that claim to have the head of John the Baptist.

    When I was in the middle east I heard a story that someone was told that the head was in the city where he was.
    Oh, he replied, I understood his head was in the city I have just come from.
    That was when he was a younger man, was the response.

    That was quoted by Umberto Eco in "The Name of the Rose".
  • ArethosemyfeetArethosemyfeet Shipmate, Heaven Host
    I blame The Doctor.
  • chrisstileschrisstiles Hell Host
    Climacus wrote: »
    Forthview wrote: »
    The German city of Trier (or Treviri or Treves or Augusta Treverorum) has an almost unique tradition inasmuch as it claims to be the custodian of the 'Seamless Robe of Christ'
    (der heilige Rock zu Trier)...
    That reminds me of the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges containing a relic of Christ's Blood which I visited in 2007. Never knew about it until I stumbled across it.

    Relic aside, the phial itself is an interesting object - rock crystal and dating back to the 11/12th centuries.
  • Gamma GamalielGamma Gamaliel Shipmate
    To me, most of the traditions listed so far seem to relate to individual cathedrals or parish churches rather than Churches or denominations.

    I would have thought that 'unique traditions' would refer more to things like regular foot-washing, as practised by some groups, or Moravian 'love-feasts' say, or snake-handling in the Appallachans perhaps.

    We Orthodox do have the 'Holy Fire' thing in Jerusalem at Easter which I find rather problematic, particularly when it's used to assert the 'correct' date of Easter.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited 1:57PM
    The OP asks:

    What traditions are unique to your church? Either denomination or individual church?

    My italics.
  • Gamma GamalielGamma Gamaliel Shipmate
    We don't have a monopoly on funny hats but we do have distinctive ones.
  • Gamma GamalielGamma Gamaliel Shipmate
    The Copts have the best hats though.
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