20*C+M+B+18

We adults could learn an awful lot from these young people. In this week, children throughout Germany, nowadays around 300,000,  walk the streets of their parish, knocking on doors, singing a song, saying a few words, writing with chalk above the door "20*C+M+B+18" and in return receiving a monetary donation and almost always some chocolates or similar for their "private" consumption.

This medieval "tradition" was hijacked by the Catholic church in 1959, since when they have carried out on an ecumenical basis and indeed in mainly Protestant areas, the Protestant church is the main organiser. Since it's inception, it has raised over 1 billion Euros. 

Interestingly the British are almost certainly responsible for the idea:

At a synod in  Constance (close to us here) at Christmas 1417, the British clergies performed the Star boy drama for the rest of the participants at the meeting. They wore expensive costumes and had a large shining star. The performance was a huge success at the church conference and could have been one of the main reasons for growing popularity of the drama in post-medieval Europe.

After the 16th century Reformation, many still catholic based schools used the idea to raise funds as their sources of income (eg land and property rents) had been seized.

But the best bit about the modern day version is that the money is collected by children for children and specifically for children in poorer parts. This year it is destined to help the plight of child labourers in India.

The symbols may seem obvious: Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar but wrong. The letters stand for "Christus Mansionem Benedicat" or "Lord bless this house" and the three crosses for the sign of the cross.

If visiting Germany and particularly Bavaria, you may well see the chalk signs at public buildings such as airports, hospitals and even government buildings as well as restaurants, hotels, sports centres etc. Perhaps a source of comfort as one marches to the taxman's office.

Some may be rather annoyed at the "Black-facing" of Melchior. Here it is generally widely accepted for its symbolic value of representing the continent of Africa, the others Europe and Asia. A practice which can be traced back to cultural use in the 8th century. It shows that regardless of the colour of skin, we are all one human race. There is not the least suggestion of mockery, as was the case in "Black-facing"

My photo is of one of the three groups in our village who I encountered on our morning dog walk. They very kindly agreed to be photographed. I did ask if they knew whether anyone would be coming out to us. Sadly they didn't and we are not in their "patch".

It's always a bit tricky living outside the village. In most years, one of the parents drives them in a van to the outlying farms and houses. The last time we were at home and they came out was 2016, so our house door was missing the "17" all year. May well account for much that has passed in the last 12 months.

I am posting this now in the early afternoon as I suspect the modern day camel caravan service might not now appear, not even if it is in the form of a Mercedes van with it's shining star.

While a shame, I do salute all the children who take part in this wonderful tradition.

PS Just a sideline which possibly shows why the Germans are quite successful at much that they do and often criticised in the modern world of "just-do-it", as they spend hours discussing the detail: The Star singers are treated in law as being voluntary employees of the parish and thus covered by the insurance of the responsible bishopric/diocese. So any damage they may cause to people or property is fully covered. I can't think of much that could happen but I guess a piece of lighted incense falling out of the thurible and burning down a house may be possible.

The organisers do require them to be accompanied by an adult or a younger person who has a qualification to "oversee" groups such as common in the amateur voluntary sporting world.