For sure we have all heard the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and find its tune as nostalgic. But at the same time, many of us said the lyrics are nonsense. I grew up as a child singing the Disney karaoke version of the song with my older sister Ate, Mommy and Daddy, during Christmas season, when my family was still complete. And I thought that the words of the song were silly, which sounded as if talking about love and lovers with a bunch of quirky gifts. Years later though, I was 13 or 14 years old, I read the song’s real significance and history – it was a Catechism of the Catholic Church hidden in the form of Christmas carol.
It was dark times in England for our beloved early Catholics, from 16th to 19th centuries (1558-1829). The descendants of the present-day British royal family instituted its own ‘church’ that runs up to this day in different countries. Immoralities and dreadful grave violence occurred. Their king declared himself a ‘pope’ and passed on the heresy to his children who then became rulers. Converts and monasteries were closed and robbed. There was a Prime Minister-equivalent politician who refused to obey the evil monarchy, so he was beheaded and died as a martyr for Jesus and later declared a Saint. Being a Catholic became a crime. Priests who performed Sacraments on Catholics were punished by death. The practice of the Roman Catholic faith, either public or private, was banned. Catholics were gruesomely killed by hanging, beheading, disembowelment while alive, tied and torn into pieces, suffocation, burning. The faithful Catholics both poor and wealthy risked their homes, lives, and everything just to attend the Mass and have their children baptized. Rich families built hiding places and holes for priests and Catholics, but many of them were raided and murdered.
The song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was claimed as written by the English Jesuits to educate the young Catholic people in the doctrines, and tenets of the faith. With the background, there was a need for secrecy from the persecutors. They used mnemonic numbers to simply help the laypeople in remembering the basic facts and teachings. See the entire lines in the illustration of my post.
“My true love” is God and “me” is the individual Catholic.
Liturgically, the Church celebrates Christmas for ’12 Days’ that starts on Christmas Day and ends on the Feast of the Epiphany. Within the period, there are important feast days that aid us going deeper into the celebration of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Nativity to understand His Coming as the means of our salvation. I’ll write regarding them.
I enjoy sharing this knowledge and origin of the Christmas song with you. The real essence of Christmas is whole in one song. When we hear “The Twelve Days of Christmas” again, may our hearts be filled with more love for Jesus and His Church, reminiscing the song’s true meaning, accepting the truths of our Catholic faith.
She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, the country's Pontifical and Catholic university, with an AB in Legal Management and minor units in Theology.
As an unmarried woman, prayer holds a central place in her daily life, with a focus on the Rosary and the Divine Office. Embodying her faith, she emphasizes the growth of her inner spiritual life, guided by the wisdom of Carmelite spirituality.
God manifested to her in a unique and radical manner, which made her know Who He truly is and led her to total surrender of her life to Him.
She has studied the Bible with her family, developing a particular fondness for the Old Testament.
Her adorable and intelligent toy poodle is a delightful companion in her daily life, bringing warmth and joy to her home.
Her hobbies include reading about everything, learning Japanese and German, listening to music and playing the flute.
In her leisure time, she enjoys gaming on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and OS, and collecting things related to PlayStation and Nintendo.
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