In the apocryphal book of Baruch, which is considered to be inspired
scripture by the Catholic Church, we find a very interesting description of
the pagan practices of the Babylonians, who at the time held the Jews in
captivity. While not considered a book of the Bible by Protestants, there is
no reason to doubt the accuracy of this historical account of Babylonian
idolatry in the 6th chapter of Baruch. The following scripture quotations are
taken from the Catholic Douay Rheims Bible:
Crowned silver statue of Our Lady of
Bon-Secours
carried in procession in Tournai, Belgium.
Baruch 6:3 But now, you shall see in Babylon gods of gold,
and of silver, and of stone, and of wood borne upon the shoulders,
causing fear to the Gentiles.
Baruch 6:4 Beware therefore that you imitate not the doings of others,
and be afraid, and the fear of them should seize upon you.
It is worth noting that Israel, by God's instructions, carried the Ark
of the Covenant in procession, which contained the Ten Commandments of God
written on tables of stone by God's own finger, which prohibited graven
images in very clear terms. In ironic contrast and bold apostasy, idols
are similarly carried in procession and venerated by Catholics, in open
and direct contradiction to God's explicit commandment law.
The above photo of a crowned silver statue of Mary being carried in
procession is from the Great Procession of Tournai, Belgium,
an event which occurs every September to honor the Virgin Mary for her
allegedly saving the city from the plague during the Middle Ages. The statue
shown is just one of many that are displayed and carried in procession for the
event.
May Crowning of Mary Statues and
Processions
The month of May is specially devoted by the
Catholic Church to the crowning of statues of Mary (perhaps most commonly with
flowers), and processions in honor and adoration of the "Queen of Heaven".
Below a statue of Mary, crowned with flowers, is knelt before by the priests
and congregation, bowing in prayer.
in medieval and modern Europe, day (May 1) for traditional
springtime celebrations, probably originating in pre-Christian agricultural
rituals. Though local usage varied widely, these celebrations commonly
included the carrying in procession of trees, green branches, or garlands;
the appointment of a May king and May queen; and the setting up of a May
tree or Maypole. Originally such rites were intended to ensure fertility to
the crops, and by extension to cattle and human beings, but in most cases
this significance was gradually lost, and the practices survived merely as
popular festivities.
Baruch 6:6 For my angel is with you: And I myself will demand an
account of your souls.
Baruch 6:7 For their tongue that is polished by the craftsman, and
themselves laid over with gold and silver, are false things, and they
cannot speak.
Baruch 6:8 And as if it were for a maiden that loveth to go gay: so do
they take gold and make them up.
Baruch 6:9 Their gods have golden crowns upon their heads;
whereof the priests secretly convey away from them gold, and silver,
and bestow it on themselves.
The jewel encrusted crown on the statue
of
Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal.
Baruch 6:10 Yea and they give thereof to prostitutes, and they dress out
harlots: and again when they receive it of the harlots, they adorn their
gods.
Baruch 6:11 And these gods cannot defend themselves from the rust, and the
moth.
Baruch 6:12 But when they have covered them with a purple garment,
they wipe their face because of the dust of the house, which is very much
among them.
Statue of Peter photo from
"Rome in Colour"
copyright by Casa Editrice Lozzi, Rome,
00165 - Via della Lungara, 5.
Crowned and dressed statue of Peter
in St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican.
Crowned and dressed statue of
Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Caceres, Spain.
Baruch 6:18 They light candles to them, and in great number,
of which they cannot see one: but they are like beams in the house.
...
Baruch 6:25 And having not the use of feet they are carried upon
shoulders, declaring to men how vile they are. Be they confounded also
that worship them.
Above at left is a candlelight service with a crowned
statue of Mary being carried in procession in Fatima, Portugal.
Virtually everyone in the crowd is holding a candle. Above at
right the crowned statue of Mary is carried in procession up the promenade at
Fatima with Benedict XVI following in the popemobile. Our
Lady of Fatimaat Christus Rex.
This is the crowned statue ofOur Lady
of Zapopan, said to be the second most venerated image in Mexico
after Our Lady of Guadalupe. On October 13th,
2004, Zenit
News reported that over four million
Catholics accompanied the statue in a 5 kilometer procession, a tradition that began
in the year 1735. The 13-inch statue, the patroness of Guadalajara, is
said to be dressed in crimson (a reddish purple) with a blue mantle, and
is believed to have miraculous powers of protection against storms and
plagues.
Baruch 6:35 They cannot deliver a man from death nor save the weak from
the mighty.
Baruch 6:36 They cannot restore the blind man to his sight: nor deliver a
man from distress.
Baruch 6:37 They shall not pity the widow, nor do good to the fatherless.
Baruch 6:38 Their gods, of wood, and of stone, and of gold, and of silver,
are like the stones that are hewn out of the mountains: and they that
worship them shall be confounded.
Baruch 6:71 By the purple also and the scarlet which are motheaten upon
them, you shall know that they are not gods. And they themselves at last are
consumed, and shall be a reproach in the country.
Baruch 6:72 Better therefore is the just man that hath no idols: for
he shall be far from reproach.
So, according to the 6th Chapter of Baruch, the ancient pagan Babylonians
crowned their statues with crowns of gold or silver, carried them in
procession on their shoulders, dressed them with regal clothing, and lit great
numbers of candles to these statues of gold, silver, stone and wood. Modern
Babylon, the Roman Catholic Church, does exactly and precisely the same to
honor its statues of Mary, Jesus and what it calls Saints.
Psa 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory,
for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
Psa 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
Psa 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath
pleased.
Psa 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Psa 115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see
not:
Psa 115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell
not:
Psa 115:7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they
walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
Psa 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that
trusteth in them.
Psa 115:9 O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their
shield.
Psa 115:10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their
shield.
Psa 115:11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and
their shield.
Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues
yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship
devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood:
which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the
great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the
hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,
and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her
delicacies.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my
people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her
plagues.
Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her
iniquities.
Note: the 6th chapter of Baruch may sometimes be set apart as a separate
book titled the Letter of Jeremiah, in Bibles that include the apocrypha. The
Revised Standard Version is an example.
