History of Murano Rosary Beads

Murano Italy, a small town north of Venice, has set the world standard for glasswork and beads, including Murano Rosary Beads, making it the glass capital of the world,. Tracing back to the 9th century, Murano glass and beads have a long history. The artwork, innovation and craftsmanship have grown in tradition though the centuries.

Murano was a large port, along with Venice allowing it to use the glass as a trading staple with its is Asian and African neighbors. One of the earliest uses and stories was about how glass was blown into the shape of bottles dating back as far as 1083 and elevated to the glass capital of the world in the 13th century.

In the 1930s there was a distinctive shift in Murano Glass, lead by Ermanno Toso. He changed the focus of the items made to a more modern theme. Murano glass and the island itself has withstood the test of two world wars, and in the 40s was reinvigorated post World War II, making the 1950s one of the more artistically memorable sets of years. Among the artist techniques employed, glass blowers used the technique called filigrana, where the glass blower takes the glass blowing pipe and roll over the canes of glass each a unique striping for the bead. Some beads are straight striped, some are spiral and may then be shaped into balls and teardrop shapes. In modern times the glass created though the 1950s is considered one of the most sought after.

In the late 20th century, the problem of counterfeiting Murano Glass entered the market. Asia was making replicas of the glassware, vases and millefiore, a process where buy an image is placed into the glass rod itself and then becoming part of the blown bead, Prior to 1849, it was called mosaic. Millefiori in Murano beads always contain a very distinctive flower pattern.

In response the Promovetro, or glassmakers consortium, came up with a Murano trademark, a lilac sticker that displays a cana de soffio or glass blowers pipe and the Italian words, Artistic Glass Murano so that it is difficult to copy. This was registered with the European Union.

In 2003 it was necessary for the city of Venice to once again make a new Trademark designed by the French artist, Mathieu Thibautto. This allowed for Murano glass stay exclusive and making counterfeits lacking in the quality and history that Murano glass beads have come to represent.

Italy, Dolomites - When Advent Knocks on the Door

In the authentic Sarntal Valley in Italy's South Tyrol traditions are kept alive passionately. For example, "Kloeckeln" is a tradition during the Advents time (the four weeks before Christmas) that exists here since the 16th Century and has survived until today in its special original form.

Anyone who visits the Sarntal valley finds authentic, evolved tradition, which is kept alive naturally by the Sarners. Customs are no routine rituals here; they are authentically observed and celebrated. A special tradition is Kloeckeln, a custom at the time of Advent with pagan elements. The term "Kloekeln" is derived from "klocken", which in Sarner dialect means as much as "to knock". In former times Kloeckeln existed in the entire Alps, nowadays it is kept alive only in a few valleys - and rarely as authentically as in the Sarntal valley. The evenings for Kloeckeln are the three Thursday evenings in Advent before the winter solstice. On December 3, 10, and 17, 2009 Sarner men, parade as masked figures, noisily blowing their buck-horns in the still winter nights, knocking at the doors, and asking for gifts in the form of food and drink. In this custom these men wear hand-made masks and Sarner working-costumes, and present traditionally two songs: The Kloeckel Song, and the Thank-You Song. In these three nights of December visitors can witness this old tradition in the wintry streets of the Sarntal.

When the Kloeckel-group, the so-called "Kutt", parades with noise from house to house, certain characters may not be absent: The "Zussler" - two men dressed as a married couple, the accordion player, the "Lottrsackträger" as well as further "Kloecklers" using bells, buck-horns and other loud instruments. The Zussler are meant to represent in this play the dark demons of winter fighting with the bright spirits of spring. The "Zusslmandl" wears in this pageant the old Sarner costume with the red, split sword, which is beaten continuously on the hand to the beat of the Thank-You Song and the constant pursuits by the "Zussweibele". The "Weibele" wears the "Niederfeiertag"-dress of Summer and around her hips a belt with bells, that is heard already from a distance when running. While the "Kutt" presents the Kloeckel song, the couple often enters the homes and accepts served food. During the Thank-You Song the "Zussler" finally come into the village center, and dance out of respect. At the end of such a Kloeckel night, the "Kutt" take off their masks, and all Kloecklers celebrate wildly with song and dance at a farmer's place. Hearty food like dumplings, meat, and sauerkraut are not supposed to be missing. Since fasting was done previously during the time of Advent, the Kloeckler could not eat their earned gifts immediately, but had to be patient until Stephen's day (December 26th) But then the so-called "Kloeckel-Sausage-Brewing" was celebrated happily with dance and music. This tradition is alive up to today in the small mountain village Durnholz in the Northern Italian Sarntal Valley.

Christmas Is Not God's Holy Day: It Is A Culmination Of Pagan Practices

Christmas Is The Most Celebrated Holiday In Christianity. Some Consider It The Most 'Holy' Day Of The Year.

The exaltation of Christmas is in itself a travesty. Most historians, and Christian scholars know that Jesus was not born on December 25th. They realize that his birth date was probably in the fall. This is backed up by circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth.

People knowingly follow a false date - set aside to exalt Jesus. Not only is the date a fraud, but also so are the practices. Many manmade traditions have been mixed in with the worship of God. This is like mixing 'dung with balsam'.

The majority of the activities associated with Christmas have no relationship to Jesus. Sure there is an adopted religious (paganish) Nativity scene about Christ. But there are many more adopted pagan customs that are totally unrelated.

Christmas originated in Rome in the 4th century. The tradition came after the Council of Nicaea met in 325 C.E. For kingdom unification, the Council adopted the idea that Jesus was God. Christmas was a Christian substitute for the pagan celebration of winter solstice.

The winter solstice usually occurred around December 25th on the ancient Julian calendar. This celebration was a part of another Roman celebration called Saturnalia. Saturnalia began each year on December 17th. At that time the Romans honored Saturn, the ancient god of agriculture. Also celebrated was the lengthening of daylight following the winter solstice. Romans did this by glorifying Mithra, the ancient Persian god of light. These and other winter festivities lasted until January 1.

The Roman Catholic Church chose December 25 as the day for the Feast of the Nativity. This was in order to give Christian meaning to existing pagan rituals. The Church replaced festivities honoring the birth of the Mithra by commemorating the birth of Jesus. They called Jesus the light of the world. The Church hoped to draw pagans into its religion by overlapping their revelry.

Traditionally, the sacred Christmas season starts with Advent. Advent continues to Christmas Day. During Advent, Christians make preparations for commemorating Jesus' birth on December 25th. They also look forward to the Second Coming of Christ.

About 600A.D., Pope Gregory I decreed that Advent start the fourth Sunday before Christmas. He decreed that the season end on Epiphany, January 6th.

Over the next 1200 years, Christmas observances followed the expansion of Christianity. It expanded throughout Europe, into Egypt, and eventually into America. Along the way, Christian beliefs combined with other pagan feasts and winter rituals. This created many distorted long-standing Christian traditions of Christmas celebrations.

Some examples are:

1)The ancient Europeans believed that the mistletoe plant held magic powers to bestow life and fertility, to bring about peace, and to protect against disease. They associated the plant with the Norse goddess of love, Freya, and developed the custom of kissing underneath mistletoe branches.

2)The Roman Catholic Church first introduced the midnight Mass in the 5th century. The dramatization of the biblical story of Jesus' birth was a practice begun by Saint Francis of Assisi in the 13th century.

3)Many cultures continue the pre-Christian custom of burning Yule logs during the midwinter season; the Yule log symbolizes the victory of light over the darkness of winter. According to ancient tradition, the ashes provide protection against bad luck during the year.

4)The German custom of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmastime has become one of the most popular images of Christmas around the world. At one time, Germany supplied the world with almost all of the decorative glass ornaments for Christmas trees. On the evening of December 5th, children wait for a visit from Saint Nicholas, who brings them gifts. Most children also receive gifts on Christmas Eve. In some parts of Germany, Santa Claus distributes gifts, but in other regions Knecht Ruprecht, a mythical figure dressed in animal skins, delivers children's treats. On Christmas Eve, families traditionally gather around Christmas trees decorated with lights, ornaments, and Lebkuchen, which are spiced cookies cut into decorative shapes. Worshippers holding candles illuminate Church services on Christmas Eve. The Advent wreath, which consists of four candles anchored in a circle of evergreen branches, originated with German Lutherans; many churches and families have adopted the tradition. At the beginning of each of the four weeks preceding Christmas, Christians light an Advent candle as they say a prayer.

5)In Italian folklore Santa Claus is not a prominent figure. Instead, Italian children wait for La Befana, a good witch who rides her broom to their homes on Epiphany to distribute gifts. According to folk belief, La Befana--whose name refers to the word Epifania (Epiphany)--was too busy to accompany the Three Wise Men on their journey to visit the infant Jesus in Bethlehem. Now, to atone for her failing, she visits all good children, leaving treats. She also visits bad children and leaves them lumps of coal or bags of ash.

6)In England religious customs of Christmas celebrations center on recounting the story of Christ's birth. Most people who celebrate Christmas also participate in such secular customs as watching Christmas plays, feasting, singing, and helping the poor. Before Christmas Day, children write wish lists to Father Christmas, who is the British version of Santa Claus. They then throw these letters into the fire. Children believe that if a draft draws the letter up through the chimney, their wishes will be fulfilled. Children open their gifts on Christmas afternoon. Many people in England also make charitable contributions to churches and to the needy on the day after Christmas, known as Boxing Day. They also give small gifts known as Christmas boxes to those who have performed personal services throughout the year.

7)America has become a melting pot for many world Christmas traditions, with many new customs, many of which started in the 19th century. Before then Christmas had been an ordinary workday in many communities, particularly in New England, where early Puritan objections to Christmas celebrations remained highly influential. Families almost never exchanged Christmas gifts among themselves.

These early Christmas traditions in America quickly changed. Among some groups, Christmas became an especially boisterous event, characterized by huge feasts, drunkenness, and raucous public revelry. In an English tradition that survived in some parts of North America, Christmas revelers would dress in costume and progress from door to door to receive gifts of food and drink. Most holiday gifts were limited to small amounts of money and modest presents passed from the wealthy to the poor and from masters to their servants. The rapidly expanding industrial economy of the 19th century flooded the market with new goods for sale, and also helped establish a new middle class. Christmas gained increased prominence largely because many people believed it could draw families together and honor children. Giving gifts to children and loved ones eventually replaced the raucous public celebrations of the past, and Christmas became primarily a domestic holiday.

With the new custom of Christmas gift giving, the marketplace exerted an unprecedented influence on holiday celebrations. Commercial innovations such as department stores and mass advertising further expanded the custom of exchanging Christmas gifts. Seasonal retail sales helped fuel the economy, causing merchants and advertisers to become some of the season's most dedicated promoters. Many holiday celebrants regretted these changes and began voicing the now common grieve that Christmas has become too commercial. With the influx of immigrants, who introduced a wide variety of religious and cultural practices to North American life, celebrating Christmas became a way for people from different parts of the world to create a sense of community in the cities. The holiday forged a sense of nondenominational Christian spirit in the communities, as it promoted a sense of collective good will.

Christmas, the most 'Holy' Day of Christianity, has many built-in errors and influences. Although it has become a Day to reflect on goodwill toward mankind, the core of Christianity's foundation (Jesus' birth) has pagan roots. Just imagine how many more pagan customs are embedded into other Christian holidays and beliefs. All of the Christian traditions need to be investigated thoroughly, if one is to take them literally.

With Christmas, like other holidays, Christians give reverence to images and symbols. With Christmas there is the symbol of the Christ child. In Rome this image is called 'Santo Bambino Jesu'.

There are also other pagan images, adopted for various reasons. Some of these images include: mistletoe, prayer cloths and beads, people, spirits, Crucifixes, etc. To include the worship of any image or object is an abomination. God wants our total dedication to Him only, in spirit only.

Biblical Scriptures read:

"Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:" - Deut. 5:8.

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." - Deut. 6:5.

Jesus said:

"Have ye ever seen dung mixed with balsam?"

"Now I tell you that there be in the world greater madmen, because with the service of God they mingle the service of the world. So much so that many of blameless life have been deceived of Satan, and while praying have mingled with their prayer worldly business, whereupon they have become at that time abominable in the sight of God. Tell me, when ye wash yourselves for prayer, do ye take care that no unclean thing touch you? Yea, assuredly. But what do ye when ye are making prayer? Ye wash your soul from sins through the mercy of God. Would ye be willing then, while ye are making prayer, to speak of worldly things? Take care not to do so, for every worldly word becometh dung of the devil upon the soul of him that speaketh." - GB: 84.

More is revealed on this subject of: False holidays and customs, as well as on the subjects of: God's Knowledge and Worship, and the Judgments of God, in the Guide Book: ONE GOD ONE WORD: The TRUTH About The KNOWLEDGE and WORSHIP of GOD.

Tuscan Italian Food - Its Amazing Taste Revealed

Tuscany is famed for its cities, its churches, its great works of art and its food. The countryside of Tuscany, the area centred on Florence is where Italian cooking reaches a high point, blending as it does the ingredients of the North and the South in a happy combination.

Tuscan food is essentially a variant on the Mediterranean diet. It is rich in olive oil, legumes, fish, fresh herbs, fruit and vegetables. The carbohydrates typically eaten in Tuscany, such as bread, pasta, rice and polenta, are low in fat. This diet is good for weight management and heart health.

If you are going to begin cooking in the Tuscan manner you need to stock your store cupboard with a number of ingredients. You will certainly need good quality, extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin oil is produced in the first pressing without the application of any heat. it contains all the minor ingredients that are so important both for taste and health.

You will also need dried pasta preferably made in Italy or according to traditional recipes and methods. Most fresh pasta sold in supermarkets is of poorer quality that good dried pasta and should be avoided.

Legumes, such as cannellini beans, borlotti beans, chick peas and lentils are essential. You will need some medium ground cornmeal for polenta. Avoid the ready made polenta and make your own.

The kind of rice you will need is arborio rice for risotto. You may be able to get hold of carnaroli, vialone or nano rice which are also often used in Tuscany. But they are not so widely available as arborio.

Balsamic vinegar is widely used in Tuscan cuisine, as are anchovies. For seasoning you need capers, dried porcini mushrooms and plenty of herbs.

Parmesan cheese should be bought piece not ready grated. The grated parmesan soons goes off and tastes terrible. Once you have tried the fresh kind you will never go back to grated variety.

Tuscan classic recipes include meat filet in balsamic vinegar sauce. You might use beef or pork for this dish. The steak is simply fried and then the pan is deglazed with a mixture of stock, balsamic vinegar, lemon, pepper and garlic. The resulting sauce can be thickened with a little cornflour but this is not essential.

You might begin your Tuscan meal with a typical Tuscan soup consisting of cannellini beans and vegetables. This soup also makes a good simple meal with a chunk of ciabatta or focaccia bread.

One of the great Tuscan favourites is bruschetta which consists of slices of bread spread with tomato sauce and cooked under a broiler or grill.

A famous Tuscan dessert is Schiacciata alla Fiorentina or Florentine sponge cake, which is a sponge made with olive oil, flavored with organge zest and made a golden color with saffron.

Finally, and most essentially, there is wine. Wine has been made in Tuscany since the time of the Etruscans who first domesticated the grapes that grew wild there. Their tomb paintings record convivial feasts at which the guests drank wine. The most famous Tuscan wine is, of course, Chianti, which is known all over the world. But you will encounter others such as Brunello di Montalcino. There are even some white wines such as Bianco di Bolgheri.

Tuscan food is often referred to as "slow food." That is to say it is produced, cooked and eaten slowly in contrast to the mass produced fast food that makes up such a large part of the modern diet. It preserves local culinary traditions that have been developed in Tuscany over centuries.

How to Say Happy Father's Day in Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, and German

If you think back to when you were a child you can probably remember sitting in the front room eagerly waiting for your dad to get home. You can probably envision the excitement that you felt when his car turned into the driveway or even when you heard the garage door open and he pulled inside. You couldn't wait for him to walk into the door so you could give him a huge hug and tell him everything that had happened to you during the day.

For most kids their dads are their rocks. No No matter what is wrong with you, whether it is good or bad, I knew I could always tell your father what happened. The best part is able to tell your father what was going on, that could solve everything for you magically appeared. As a small child fall and scrape your knees required by the mother who kiss better, but if your bike a flat tire, it was just a father who could do it well.

No matter where you live, whether in a remote village in Alaska orthe island of New Zealand, how you view your dad is going to be similar to how other children view their dads. The relationship that a child has with their father has even withstood the sands of time. Dads all across the world play with their kids when they are young and teach them to drive when they get older.

It is because of this relationship that a child has with their father that all across the globe we celebrate Father's Day. The date that Father's Day is celebrated on in various regions around the world varies, as does the language you use to wish your dad a Happy Father's Day. However, despite these differences the main point is to show how dads how much they mean to us.

Here is how you would say "Happy Father's Day" in a variety of different languages:

Portuguese - Feliz dia do pai
Spanish - Feliz dia del padre
Italian - Giorno di Padre Felice
Polish - Wszystkiego Najlepszego Z Okazji Dnia Ojca
Dutch - Gelukkige Vaderdag
German - Alles Gute zum Vatertag
French - Bonne fete des peres

One thing that is interesting to note is that most countries follow the American custom of celebrating Father's Day on the third Sunday in June, but there are a handful of other countries that follow their own customs. Austria, Costa Rica, and Belgium celebrate Father's Day on the second Sunday in June. New Zealand and Australia celebrate it on the first Sunday of September. Russia doesn't celebrate the event on a Sunday instead the celebrate it on February 23 every year. China also has a specific date for Father's Day, which is August 8. Iran and Germany have no specific date for celebrating Father's Day instead they celebrate it based on certain events. Iran follows the Islamic calendar, so they celebrate it on 13 Rajab, while Germany uses Ascension Day, which comes from the Bible, to decide what date they are celebrating the event.

No matter what day you celebrate the event or what language you use to tell your father Happy Father's Day to celebrate Father's Day is the same. The day is dedicated to show our Father, because I respect them and all they have done for us love together.

Three Lessons From Machiavelli For Church Leaders

Do you want to be loved as a leader?" The Italian thinker Machiavelli long ago asked the question: whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse. His response is this: "The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved." These words may not sit well with most of us in church leadership, but here are three lessons I find in this challenge from Machiavelli:

1. Do not make being loved your primary goal. Sure, people often love their pastors and ministry leaders. But if that is your highest motivation for being in ministry, you will find it hard to make progress, and the ministry will suffer.

2. Keep an appropriate distance from your followers. To be "feared" as a leader does not mean people have to be overtly afraid of you, but they do need to respect you and your position. One of my predecessors in the church I served as pastor took a stand from the pulpit on a controversial issue. Someone stormed up to her afterwards and said, "If you ever do that again, I will take the pulpit and answer you." "Not from my pulpit," she declared. In that instance she was very clear on the boundaries between herself and her followers. In fact, she was also deeply loved by the people of that church-it is possible, sometimes, to accomplish both.

3. Make necessary decisions. The inability to make a tough decision because it seems "mean" or "cruel" can in fact lead to organizational disorder and chaos that can take years to recover from. My colleague Israel Galindo suggests that the firing of unproductive employees can be a good first step for an incoming leader. He says, "It helps the system know that there is someone in charge and actually, tends to be a favor to the unmotivated worker. The most important benefit, however, is to communicate to the BEST people in the system that you value their work and will not tolerate underachievers in the system."

If we are driven by the need to be loved, our effectiveness as leaders is compromised. We cannot give people the challenge they need to grow. As delightful as it is to be loved by followers, it must be a secondary goal, as Machiavelli understood centuries ago. It is more important to lead than to be loved.

Fun and Creative Easter Baskets For Children

When you think of Easter baskets for children, what immediately comes to mind? A colorful wicker container filled with chocolates, candies, jelly beans and other tooth decaying treats, right? This Easter, create kids and children's Easter baskets that are fun to give and a joy to receive...without the sugar rush!

Do the children in your life love to draw? Create Easter baskets full of art and coloring supplies! Choose a wide, roomy basket and fill it with quality crayons, markers, colored pencils, construction paper, Easter themed stencils and coloring books. For painters, you can even add a palette of paints, some brushes and a small easel. Don't forget the pretty Easter bow to finish it off!

Spring is right around the corner, so how about kids and children's Easter baskets filled with gardening goodies? In a basket decorated with flowers, you can place potting soil, seeds for flowers and vegetables, child sized gardening gloves, and an easy and fun to read gardening guide.

Lots of children love to help in the kitchen with cooking, so Easter baskets with a cooking theme are sure to thrill the little chefs in your life. Instead of a traditional basket, you can decorate an oversized pot with Easter decorations. Fill the pot with child friendly cook books, easy to use kitchen utensils, and a variety of spices. Include easy to cook ingredients like pasta in fun shapes.

Does your child have a favorite activity? Load up kids and children's Easter baskets with the things they love the most. Themes include karate, soccer, dancing, singing, and much more. Stickers, books, videos and other items highlighting the favorite activity can fill a colorful Easter basket.

For children who have been experiencing a long, cold winter, Easter baskets celebrating the spring will be much appreciated. Take a sunny colored basket and fill it with items they can use in the spring such as a ball, a Frisbee, a set of jacks, a set of marbles, a jump rope, chalk and even sunscreen.

Inspire reading this Easter by giving Easter baskets full of reading fun. Create kids and children's Easter baskets that overflow with books that will interest and excite them. You can even include comic books and favorite magazines. Kids love them, and they count as reading, too!

With the economy on the down swing lately, there are many children who are in need this Easter. Create special Easter baskets that you can donate to children in need. Fill the baskets with healthy treats, soap and toothpaste, small toys and playthings, even a gift card or two to a local supermarket. This Easter, you can put smiles on the faces of children and their parents with Easter baskets that bring necessities and care.

When it comes down to it, kids and children's Easter baskets with special themes are creative and fun. And they last much longer, and are much healthier, than a basket full of chocolate and candy. Make Easter themed baskets a holiday tradition. You will see how children will eagerly look forward to seeing what each year's theme will bring!