50S THEME DECORATIONS

13" Cross Centerpiece Decoration - 6 Cnt.

Here is the 13" Cross Centerpiece Decoration. Brand new, never used, and individually packed. Each centerpiece is 13" tall and features a Cross with a Pink Rose on a 9 1/2" white Honey-comb tissue base. Made by Paper Art, a name brand in stores like Party City and many Arts & Crafts stores. This particular centerpiece is called "Spiritual Joy" and measures 9?" wide x 13" tall. Materials: lightweight cardboard Cross, Honey-comb tissue base. These will be the perfect finishing touch for your party following a Christening / Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation or any special religious ceremony that would be followed by a party or reception...

From Wikipedia:

"Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, also known as The National Cathedral and Collegiate Church of Saint Patrick, Dublin was founded in 1191, is the larger of Dublin's two Church of Ireland cathedrals, and the largest church in Ireland with a 140 foot (43 meters) spire."

St Patrick is one of Ireland's most important and most loved saints because he was "Ireland's apostle", credited with bringing Christianity to the island's shores and to its people.
The cathedral is located just beyond the old Dublin city wall, adjacent to the famous well where St Patrick was said to have baptized converts on his visit to Dublin.


Unusually, it is not the seat of a bishop today, as Dublin's Church of Ireland Archbishop has his seat in Christ Church Cathedral, with Saint Patrick's being (since 1870) the National Cathedral for the whole island, drawing chapter members from each of the twelve dioceses of the Church of Ireland. Saint Patrick's is headed by a Dean, an office which has existed since 1219, the most famous holder being author, Jonathan Swift.

In 1192, John Comyn, first Anglo-Norman Archbishop of Dublin, elevated one of the four Dublin Celtic parish churches, the one dedicated to St. Patrick, beside a holy well of the same name and on an island between two branches of the River Poddle, to the status of a collegiate church, i.e., a church with a body of clergy devoted to both worship and learning.
The new collegiate church fell outside the City boundaries, and this move created two new civic territories, one under the Archbishop's temporal jurisdiction. The church was dedicated to "God, our Blessed Lady Mary and St. Patrick" on March 17, 1192'

The basis of the present building, as noted, the largest church in Ireland, was built between 1191 and 1270, though little now remains of the earliest work beyond the Baptistry. Much of the work was overseen by the previously mentioned Henry of London, a friend of the King of England and signatory of the Magna Carta, who was also involved in the construction of Dublin's city walls, and Dublin Castle.

The tower (Minot's Tower) and west nave were rebuilt between 1362 and 1370, following a fire.

From the very earliest years there were problems with seepage of water, with a number of floods, especially in the later years of the 18th century, caused by the surrounding branches of the River Poddle - even in the 20th century, it is reported that the water table was within 7.5 feet of the floor. This situation ensured there would never be a crypt or basement area.

After the English Reformation (an uneven process between 1536 and 1564 but at St. Patrick's, effective from about 1537), St. Patrick's became an Anglican Church of Ireland Cathedral, although most of the population of the surrounding Pale remained Roman Catholic. During the confiscation process, some images within the cathedral were defaced by soldiers under Thomas Cromwell, and neglect led to collapse of the nave in 1544.

Under King Edward VI, St. Patrick's Cathedral was formally suppressed, and the building demoted back to the status of parish church. On April 25, 1547, a pension of 200 marks sterling was assigned to "Sir Edward Basnet", the Dean, followed, some months later, by pensions of ?60 each to Chancellor Alien and Precentor Humphrey, and ?40 to Archdeacon Power. The silver, jewels, and ornaments were transferred to the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church. The King designated part of the building for use as a court house, and the Cathedral Grammar School was established in the then vicar's hall, and the deanery given to the archbishop, following the transfer of the Archbishop's Palace to the Lord Deputy of Ireland. In 1549, it was further ordered that the walls be repainted and inscribed with passages from the scriptures.

In 1555 a charter of the joint monarchs Philip and Mary restored the cathedral's privileges and initiated restoration and a late document of Queen Mary's reign, a deed dated 27 April 1558, comprises a release or receipt by Thomas Leverous, the new Dean, and the Chapter of St. Patrick's, of the "goods, chattels, musical instruments, etc.," belonging to the Cathedral, and which had been in the possession of the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church.

In 1560, one of Dublin's first public clocks was erected in "St. Patrick's Steeple".


By 1805, the north transept was in ruins and the south transept was in a poor condition; urgent work was carried out to the nave roof, held up by scaffolding.

In 1846, the post of Dean of Saint Patrick's was united with that of Dean of Christ Church, a situation which lasted in law until 1872.

An attempt at major restoration began under the direction of Dean Pakenham (Dean, 1843–1864), limited by poor economic circumstances. The Lady Chapel was restored, the floor (then raised several feet) reduced to its original level and other urgent matters were at least partly addressed.

In the

This morning's Mass was the last of the Christmas season. The
poinsettias will vanish, the candles likewise. The large wreath that
is lit and raised over our heads at beginning of the service will
disappear with no sign of it's ever having been there. The ribbons and
blossoms and lights will be removed from teh trees, and then the trees
themselves will be disassembled and folded away in storage for next
year.

Later, both at church and on Friendfeed, people were making noises
about feeling ashamed that their trees weren't down already. I
reminded people that January 6 is the last official day of Christmas,
and that it easily extends until the Sunday after, when the church
celebrates the baptism of Christ. No reason to feel guilty!

We talked about different cultures and traditions as far as tree or
not, when to put it up (after Thanksgiving or on Christmas Eve, or
other times), when to take it down, etc. I remembered the first tree I
put up, when my daughter was an infant. I didn't want her to not have
a tree. I found one in the alleyway behind the dorms, where the
students had discarded theirs when they went home. I got someone to
give me a ride with it, and we put the tiny thing up on a table, the
very table she now has in her apartment. I had no decorations, so I
tied big long loops of fat green ribbons on the branches, and made
lots of origami cranes to sit on the branches. I forget what I did for
the treetopper. I grew up with stars on top, but I see to recall it
may have been an angel.

This year our tree was similar to that first one. It's been a tough
year. I went out a couple days before Christmas, and bought a four
foot artificial tree half-priced at the corner drugstore. Cleared off
the dining room table and linen cupboard, and put the wee thing on
top. I was still so tired and focused on cleaning, that I left
decorating it to the kid. We put up maybe 10 percent of the ornaments
we usually do. No star. No angel. I made an origami sort-of star, but
it fell down and remained down. We only turned the lights on for the
Monday after Christmas when we had family here. I meant to turn the
lights on again, and haven't.

We almost took it down last week, but I rebelled. I'd hardly seen it!
The plan was to wait until Epiphany and then take it down. Then I
found out this week that my schedule for the next few months is
changing. I will not have a day off again until March. I know what
that means. I need to be super organized and focused, or I will not be
able to manage even basics like laundry for clothes, and getting
dishes clean. So I have a new plan. I will think about taking the tree
down sometimes around Easter, and will try to get the ornaments off
before Lent. No promises.