Month: May 2020

Ascension Day (Portugal)

Also known as Quinta Feira da Espiga, or Ear of Wheat Thursday, Ascension Day in Portugal is associated with wishes for peace and prosperity. Traditionally, in rural communities, people gather olive branches, wheat sheaves, poppies, and daisies and fashion them into bouquets. The olive and wheat are symbolic of an abundant harvest, the poppy represents tranquility, and the daisy stands for money. Many Portuguese preserve a sprig of wheat in their homes as a symbol of prosperity. Another custom is to cull healing plants and herbs to be used later in homemade medicines. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Evangelical Counsels

Unlike the Ten Commandments, which Christians see as obligatory ethical guidelines, the evangelical counsels are regarded as voluntary counsels for those who wish to go beyond the minimum stipulated in the biblical commandments. Failure to obey the counsels is therefore not regarded as sinful. Derived from the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels, they are often followed by members of religious orders, such as monks and friars. The three evangelical counsels are chastity, obedience, and what else? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Calgary International Children’s Festival

This five-day event takes place in downtown Calgary, located in the Canadian province of Alberta. The festival features storytelling, dance, music, puppetry, and physical comedy, all catering to a young audience. The performances take place in and around the Arts Commons, located in the Olympic Plaza Cultural District. The program of the festival, which was launched in 1989, reflects the organizers’ emphasis on creativity and cultural sensitivity. Teacher guides are provided to instructors looking to ensure an educational experience for students. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

False Doors

Many ancient Egyptian tombs contain a false door facing west—toward the land of the dead. Made of stone or wood, these doors do not open, as they were designed for the use of the departed, who were said to be able to pass through them. Nested door jambs were used to give the doors an illusion of depth. The living would lay gifts to the dead in front of the doors, which were often decorated with depictions of the tomb’s owner receiving the offerings. Why did some tombs have two false doors? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Chelsea Flower Show

For more than eight decades, England’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has held a flower show in London on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The highlight of this five-day event is the full-sized show gardens that are planted and landscaped in the space of only three weeks by some of Britain’s top garden designers. There are also scientific displays of the latest advances in gardening, booths for flower arranging and garden design, and trade stands. Experts are also on hand to give people advice on other less elaborate forms of gardening. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Etruscan Mythology

Etruscan civilization reached its height in the 6th century BCE in what is now Italy, and much of its religion was later adopted by the Romans. Famous for divination, the Etruscans believed that the will of the gods was present in every aspect of nature and looked for divine signs everywhere, including in lightning, the livers of sacrificed animals, and the flight of birds. What example did the Roman philosopher Seneca use to illustrate the different religious approaches of Romans and Etruscans? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Scabies, the “Seven-Year Itch”

Scabies is a highly contagious—yet highly treatable—parasitic skin disease caused by tiny mites. Often contracted through contact with mite-infested persons, it is most prevalent in crowded, unhygienic areas and has plagued mankind for centuries. Female mites tunnel into the host’s skin to deposit their eggs, triggering a massive allergic reaction that causes intense itching. Scratching the skin causes lesions that may then become infected. Most scabies infestations are caused by how many mites? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary