Decorated altars, baskets of vegetables and fruits: On Thanksgiving, Christians thank God for daily food. The festival is one of the oldest in humanity – and is celebrated in many cultures and religions.
Jacqueline Straub
«Creation with its diversity is something wonderful. It’s fascinating how this feeds us, humans and animals,” says Carmela Bonomi in kath.ch’s latest Thanksgiving video.
Store supplies
In the past, survival depended on a good harvest. Supplies for the winter had to be stored in the summer and especially in the fall. A bad harvest can endanger society as a whole. That’s why the joy was even greater when the year was good and the harvest was abundant. This joy was expressed with a “great celebration of gratitude”.
Thanksgiving is one of humanity’s oldest festivals, celebrated in many cultures and religions. “In Christian custom, we thank God, creator of the earth, for the harvest of nature that he allows to grow for us,” says Carmela Bonomi. Since the 3rd century, a special service has been celebrated after harvesting the harvest and securing winter supplies.
October Sunday
There is no uniform date for Thanksgiving. Harvest time varies depending on the climatic region. In Europe the festival is celebrated in autumn, usually on a Sunday in October.
Visitors to the church on Thanksgiving will find a decorated chancel. Local fruits and vegetables are in baskets. Gifts are blessed in church worship. It is also noted that harvesting these foods requires time and effort.
For many people, Thanksgiving is a little abstract today. Because a large selection of fruits and vegetables can be purchased at the supermarket at any time. “This abundance quickly leads to carelessness and gratitude is neglected,” says Carmela Bonomi. “But that’s precisely why it’s important to celebrate this gratitude at least once a year.”
And: “The festival also expresses the hope that life itself will bear fruit”, says Carmela Bonomi.
© Catholic Media Center, October 12, 2023
Rights to all texts belong to Catholic Media Center. Any additional distribution is subject to a fee. Storage in electronic databases is not permitted.