Did You Know....
The real meaning of "Amen"
"Amen" is generally acdepted as meaning "so be it". But in the Hebrew language from which it comes, amen literally means "truly". When we use the word at the end of a prayer or hymn we assert its truth and sincerity. "Amen" is also the last word in the Bible.
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How "Amen Corner" got its name
Though today the term refers to the section of a revival meeting where the approving sit and signify their approval by interjecting frequent "Amens", it originally meant the end of a street in London.
On Corpus Christi Day the priests went in procession to St. Paul's Cathedral - reciting the Lord's Prayer in latin as they walked along.
The prayer begins "Pater Noster" and so the street was called Paternoster Row.
When they got to the end of the prayer they were at the end of the street and they turned the corner - Amen Corner.
As the priests turned down the lane they began chanting their Ave Maria or Hail Mary, and so the lane was called Ave Marie Lane.
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Origin of the word "Belfry"
Belfry was originally the name of a military tower erected near the walls of a besieged city by the attackers so they could more easily throw their spears and shoot their arrows at the defenders.
The church steeple resembles these towers and quite possibly the pun was appreciated by the first persons to call a steeple a belfry.
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Why a silly person is said to have Bats In The Belfry
The belfry at the top of a church corresponds to the head atop a human body. Bats will take up abode in a befry that is empty and cavernous - likewise, by analogy, in an empty head.
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Why poverty is referred to as "Poor As A Churchmouse"
There is no cupboard or larder in a church to produce crumbs for a mouse to feed upon, so to be poor as a churchmouse is to be poor indeed.
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Why a person who questions every statement is playing the "Devil's Advocate"
When any name is proposed for anonization in the Roman Catholic Church two advocates are appointed. One is called "God's Advocate" and says all he can in support of the proposal; the other "the Devil's Advocate", says all he can against it.
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Origin of the word "Christmas"
The word is just a shaortened form of "Christ's mass".
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Origin of the term "Good Friday"
The term comes from "God's Friday" - since Christ was crucified on that day.
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Origin of the word Minister
The word literally means an "inferior person" or "servant". The original idea was the minister was supposed to serve his parishioners. This idea has not yet completely disappeared.
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Origin of the word Pope
The word comes from the Italian "papa", meaning, of course, "father".
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Why "Potter's Field" is used as a term for a burial place for the poor
It comes from the Bible (Matthew 27:6-7). After Judas had hanged himself for betraying the Saviour for thirty pieces of silver, the chief priests picked up the silver which he had cast down. The said "'It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.' And they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
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Why Christmas is often written as Xmas
The "X" in this case is the Greek letter "chi" - written X - and chi is the initial letter of the greek word for "Christ".
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