Sorry if this is not the place to ask. Been seeing this text around Mönchengladbach, Düsseldorf, Köln and Aachen for a few days, even with wax on church Doors. What is it?
by alem289
Sorry if this is not the place to ask. Been seeing this text around Mönchengladbach, Düsseldorf, Köln and Aachen for a few days, even with wax on church Doors. What is it?
by alem289
3 comments
It’s from Heilige drei Könige holiday (6th January). Basically kids come around and sing for you and you get this sticker (or have this written in chalk at your door). Usually you donate a bit of money to them. It’s organized by the church.
CMB is Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar, the names of the three kings, as well as Christus mansionem benedicat which is a blessing for the house. It stands there together with the year, ao many houses may have several of these.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_singers
> A tradition in most of Central Europe involves writing a blessing above the main door of the home. For instance if the year is 2014, it would be “20 * C + M + B + 14”. The initials refer to the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” (= May Christ bless this house); folkloristically the letters are often interpreted as the names of the Three Wise Men (Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar). In Catholic parts of Germany and in Austria, this is done by the Sternsinger (literally “Star singers”). After having sung their songs, recited a poem, and collected donations for children in poorer parts of the world, they will chalk the blessing on the top of the door frame or place a sticker with the blessing.
Shows that the house/building was blessed by the Sternsingers on Three Kings Day/Epihany. The numbers are the year and the letters stand for the three kings (or the Magi), Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar