OCR Text |
Show t J Surrounded by myth .by primitive primi-tive peoples, the mistletoe was taken over by Christians who also wove fanciful legends around it. In ancient mythology, the mistletoe mis-tletoe was the instrument of evil. The Druids of Britain believed the plant possessed healing powers. Other primitive people thought that mistletoe found growing on oaks had magical powers. Taken over into Christian tradition, tradi-tion, the mistletoe was dedicated to the Christ Child. Adopted as symbolical of the healing power of our Lord, it was used to adorn the altars at Christmas. Monks of the monasteries called it the "wood of the cross" and attributed supernatural powers to it. The white berries were said to reflect the radiance caught from the guiding star when the Wise Men were led to the manger. I |