h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There's some superstition about hanging a St Brigid's cross over the kitchen door, but it escapes me at the minute.

The 'agricultural miracles' do indeed sound intriguing.

It's certainly normal to hang a Bridget's Cross over the door, but I don't know the significance. Like Nils Bohr, I'm told they work whether you believe in them or not.

You can have four spare rooms, Skanky

Is there a connection between corn dollies and Bridget? Very intriguing. When I was reading up for my Hares in Mythology entry a few years ago, I found a lot of stuff about agricultural myths / beliefs, but nothing about Bridget that I can remember. I agree, ZSF: good Guide Entry material.

And yes, you're right about converting the heathen And as far as I'm concerned, it confirms the shaky ground that all religions rely on

You've got four spare? Oh, no, you didn't kick out the houseguests I lent you did you?

It's just Frenchbean and a big house now

Thank you for the guests btw Skanks... Billy and Robin could've stayed a bit longer though...

Just seen this: http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/5863/cmethod1.html - OK what is the reason for putting the St Bridget's Cross up over the door?

Looks like something out of The Blair Witch Project to me.

I presume the Bridget's Cross is just one of the many holy symbols and pictures that the average Catholic Irish house had fifty years ago. Most houses had a crucifix, a picture of the Sacred Heart, a statue of the Child of Prague, a holy water font, a statue of Our Lady, a calendar with a saint for each day of the year and a Bridget's Cross.

Oh, and don't forget the Miraculous Medals.

Has anyone been following the controversy over the episode of South Park that features a statue of The Blessed Virgin?

No, I haven't seen any of that.

The Cult of the Blessed Virgin seems to have originated in Ephesus in Asia Minor (now Turkey) when the local traders were told they couldn't sell statues of the Goddess Artemis anymore because she was a pagan idol. They changed all the statues to Mary the mother of Jesus and a new Cult was born.

Artemis in her aspect as Greek Goddess:

http://www.pantheon.org/areas/gallery/mythology/europe/greek/artemis.html

Artemis in her aspect as Asian Goddess:

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/artemis.html

There's scholarly debated as to where those are multiple breasts or a necklace of bull's testicles.

Here's an account of the riot of the souvenir makers:

About that time there arose no little stir concerning The Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable company of people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may count for nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship."

When they heard this they were enraged, and cried out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" So the city was filled with the confusion; and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. Paul wished to go in among the crowd, but the disciples would not let him; some of the Asiarchs also, who were friends of his, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.

Now some cried one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, wishing to make a defense to the people. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all with one voice cried out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

>>The Cult of the Blessed Virgin seems to have originated in Ephesus in Asia Minor (now Turkey)

The house where she is reputed to have died is just outside Ephesus. It's a lovely spot with a nice tea garden.

'Course, her son moved to Avignon where he raised a family. Bits of him are buried in Rosslyn Chapel.

btw...what's the conection between Artemis and Sophia? As far as I understand it, Sophia-worship as fairly generic around the region, but she went under different names depending on the cult.

...and the wife got a nice spot at the end of the Champs Elysées in Paris.

I haven't heard of a goddess called Sophia. I thought Sophia was just the Greek for "knowledge" or "wisdom". The church of Saint Sophia in Constantinople wasn't named after a saint, but after "holy wisdom".

As far as I'm aware, Agia Sophia is the Orthodox appropriation of the same goddess. Sophia is also regarded as a Muslim name. There's some connection with the Evil Eye as well (isn't there always?), which connects it all with Manicheism and back to Horus.

This isn't the same evil eye that's on the American dollar bills, is it? Oh no, that's the really good eye!

Hmm. Now you've got me thinking. That eye-with-pyramid is a Masonic symbol...as well as being associated with The Illuminati. Jack Ruby was a Mason, of course...

I was listening to Kurt Vonnegut reading 'Breakfast of Champions' on my 'Pod last week (his work really benefits from being heard in his own voice). He says something about those symbols being included to confuse the population and tell them that they don't belong. He also describes the American national anthem as 'Gibberish sprinkled with question marks.'

(Runs off to play Elvis records backwards to see if they sound anything like Abbey Road).

I blame the Atleanteans myself.