I am not Catholic, but recently saw a Christmas program at a Catholic church where children held fishing poles with golden fish on the line over the baby Jesus in the nativity. I don't understand why this was done. This church is composed of a largely Hispanic population so I don't if it has a culture significance that I am not aware of.
2007-12-13 09:24:52 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
i have never heard of this and i even googled it and didn't come up with anything....
2007-12-13 09:33:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like it might be a local custom incorporated into the Nativity.
It's worth noting that fish and fishermen do have powerful Biblical conotations. The fish being symbolic of Jesus and how He can turn even the most humble of us into "fishers of men". Perhaps this was on the mind of these Hispanics when they decided to incorporate the golden fish on the end of the poles in their display of the Nativity.
2007-12-17 06:46:41 · answer #2 · answered by Daver 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fish -- ever-watchful with its unblinking eyes -- was one of the most important symbols of Christ to the early Christians. In Greek, the phrase, "Jesus Christ, Son of God Savior," is "Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter." The first letters of each of these Greek words, when put together, spell "ichthys," the Greek word for "fish" (ICQUS ). This symbol can be seen in the Sacraments Chapel of the Catacombs of St. Callistus. Because of the story of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, the fish symbolized, too, the Eucharist.
The earliest literary reference to the fish as Christian symbol was made by Clement of Alexandria, who advised Christians to use a dove or fish as their seal. Tertullian wrote (in "De Baptismo") "But we, being little fishes, as Jesus Christ is our great Fish, begin our life in the water, and only while we abide in the water are we safe and sound." Also used as a Christian symbol was the dolphin, most often as a symbol of the Christian himself rather than Christ, though the dolphin was also used as a representation of Christ -- most often in combination with the anchor symbol ("Christ on the Cross").
Various symbols including the fish can mean simular or different things to various people groups. We all see and experience simular things in the world: trees, animals, sun, moon, etc. and so, many people bring symbolic meaning to these things to make spiritual things more understandable and related to more easily. It does not mean an object or a symbol is necessarily pagan, or something evil or something to be feared. It is a tool, for learning and for remembrance.
2007-12-13 10:03:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm catholic and I have never ever seen nor heard of this.
As far as there being a fish god, I have never taught any such things or heard of a fellow catholic speaking of one.
2007-12-13 09:48:42 · answer #4 · answered by divers_godeeper 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fish is a symbol for preaher.
Also the fisher Kings
2007-12-13 09:42:45 · answer #5 · answered by Od Ephraim Chai 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's probably a holdover from the worship of the fish-god dagon. It was, and apparently still is, proper to eat fish on fridays as worship of dagon. It came from Constantine's "blending" of religions to come up with his unscriptural christianity.
Catholics will deny it, but it is the truth.
2007-12-13 09:34:50 · answer #6 · answered by NXile 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Perhpas you should ask the person who directed the program or the director of religious educaiton?
Since they were there and we weren't they should be able to tell you.
2007-12-14 04:38:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Might be a cultural or local phenomenon. I've never seen such a thing.
And yes... it does sound fishy to me...
2007-12-13 09:28:09 · answer #8 · answered by ಠ__ಠ 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋