Four hundred years on...

[ozzy72]

It is Bonfire Night, poor old Guy Fawkes got his for trying to give James I and parliament theirs.....

[Hagar]

With the amount of fireworks going off every single night around here it seems that Bonfire Night has been turned into Bonfire Month.

I find it very interesting that the tradition of Bonfire Night in November goes back long before Guy Fawkes & the Gunpowder Plot. Even today, many bonfire celebrations in my part of the world involve the Pope rather than one Guido Fawkes. My friend's wife comes from Lewes in East Sussex & her family have long been involved with one of the Bonfire Societies. The last one I went to at Lewes involved the crowd throwing bangers, many of them home-made thunderflashes, at the "Pope" while he was trying to make an address. This looked extremely dangerous for the poor chap playing the part of the Pope & I wondered how he got the job & why he would do it voluntarily.

[HawkerTempest5]

It always seems strange to me that we celebrate an act of high treason and attempted mass murder. And we celebrate it buy purchasing and then detonating small explosive devices whilst burning an effigy of the central character in the plot. What a strange world we live in.

[Hagar]

It always seems strange to me that we celebrate an act of high treason and attempted mass murder. And we celebrate it buy purchasing and then detonating small explosive devices whilst burning an effigy of the central character in the plot. What a strange world we live in.

We're not celebrating the act of treason but the defeat of it. The article from my previous link explains the tradition of bonfires which goes back into ancient history.[quote]Bonfires have long been used as an expression of rejoicing in England, particularly to mark victories or deliverances, either spontaneously or by being ordained by the authorities. They have also formed an integral part of particular calendar customs.

The evolution of the English late-Autumn bonfire festivities is complex, with many strands woven into it. Some have attempted to trace it back to the Celtic festival of Samhain; others suggest that it is based upon the the custom of lighting bonfires to protect against disease, or to burn bones for fertilizer.

[Smoke2much]

I always look on Bonfire Night as the last great festival of light before the winter sets in.  

[ozzy72]

Don't knock it Roger! Last year the ex-pats Bonfire Night Party had a rather interesting effigy as I was in charge of making it and it look suspiciously like the current incumbent of 10 Downing Street

[ATI_7500]

So it's the "let's burn a catholic" night once again?

[Hagar]

So it's the "let's burn a catholic" night once again?

Not without good reason in this part of the country. Do a search for Sussex Martyrs. At least they only burn effigies these days & restrict that to one day per year. For the rest of the year we're as tolerant as anyone else & more so than most.

PS. http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/beyond/factsheets/makhist/makhist6_prog8c.shtml

[Craig.]

Its louder than ww2 outside right now. But next year may not be. I hope.

[ozzy72]

Nothing wrong with burning Catholics Bj

[Felix/FFDS]

Not without good reason in this part of the country. Do a search for Sussex Martyrs. At least they only burn effigies these days & restrict that to one day per year. For the rest of the year we're as tolerant as anyone else & more so than most.

Hmmm -- then maybe it may not be a good idea for me to go to Sussex ....

[Hagar]

Hmmm -- then maybe it may not be a good idea for me to go to Sussex ....

Never fear Felix. Nothing sinister about it these days I assure you. You will be most welcome here along with all our other visitors of many persuasions. The Dukes of Norfolk, England's premier Catholic family, have lived at nearby Arundel Castle for many years. I must go to the cathedral & get some photos as I confess to never having visited it.

This was built for the fifteenth Duke (who is also responsible for restoring & extending the fine castle the family still lives in) as a 21st birthday present in 1873. It was originally the parish church of Arundel (some parish church) but is now the seat of the Bishop of Arundel & Brighton. http://www.arundelcathedral.org/main2.htm

PS. By coincidence I was in Arundel two days ago but didn't get as far as the cathedral this time. Check out the Photos forum.