Christmas star or comet? Focus on mysterious origin!

Christmas star or comet? Focus on mysterious origin!

In the Peenestadt Jarmen, the Evangelical parish offered an exciting mix of tradition and science as part of its lively Advent calendar on the days before Christmas. The event, which is revived after a Corona break, not only attracts many visitors, but also conveys knowledge of the captivating Christmas story. The lecture by the pharmacist Markus Oelze, who spoke about the healing forces of frankincense and myrrh, was particularly revealing gifts from the Three Kings, who were already valued in antiquity. As the Nordkurier , these substances are still valued in modern medicine and can be found in numerous applications such as mouth and Throat sprays.

the poinsettia and its secrets

not only the Myrrh, but also the legendary Christmas star concerned the participants. Professor Holger Kersten from the University of Kiel addressed the various theories about the sky phenomenon, which is supposed to lead the wise from the East to Jesus. One of the most popular hypotheses is that of the "Great conjunctions", a rare astronomical event in which Jupiter and Saturn meet particularly close to the sky. This can be observed every 20 years, but the last major conjunction took place on December 21, 2020, as noted on wikipedia . This conjunction fell close to Christmas in time and was referred to by many as "poinsettia". Professor Kersten explained that these astronomical meetings are deeply rooted in human history and were often interpreted as a sign.

The exciting connection between tradition and astronomy fascinated the listeners, and the exchange about Myrrh and the poinsettia illustrated how closely science and myth are interwoven during the Christmas season. The curiosity about the medical properties of the myrrh and the astronomical puzzles around the poinsettia show people's interest in the roots of their holiday customs and nature around them.