Stuff Catholic people do.
This is soooooooo bizarre!
From my friend Angela’s blog:
In Poland, the young people throw an effigy of Judas from the top of a church steeple. Then it is dragged through the village amidst those hurling sticks and stones. What remains of the effigy is drowned in nearby stream or pond. - Spy Wednesday
That is kind of how many Eastern Europeans wanted to treat the Jews - oh, wait a second, some of them did do similar things in medieval times. Then Hitler came along. I have to wonder where his people learned how to treat Jews?
Anyway.
The tradition of hanging, burning, or beating an effigy of Judas during Holy Week has been practiced by Catholics and Orthodox in various countries for centuries. The tradition was never liturgical, nor overtly antisemitic, although outsiders may have suspected it to be based in prejudice, since the names, Judas and Jew sounded much the same. In Spain however, there may be evidence the practice was indeed antisemitic. (The practice is otherwise known as “scapegoating”.)
No matter if it was an effigy of a Judas or a criminal, or even an innocent Jew - is that a good way to train children in religion? Nish, nish.
(FYI: For centuries, Jews and Judas were in the same boat you know.)
March 21st, 2008 at 3:14 am
Er, if memory serves, it’s called “Jew burning Day” in Mayheeco.
March 21st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
some how i am not surprised about this. though i doubt Our Lord would want that….
March 21st, 2008 at 3:33 pm
“No matter if it was an effigy of a Judas or a criminal, or even an innocent Jew - is that a good way to train children in religion?”
EXCELLENT point, Terry. This type of behavior once learned by children, will inevitably be applied somewhere else. This is as inappropriate as the crucifiction in the Philippines during Holy Week you posted about.
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 am
Yuck.