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Art of the Day: Wednesday December 24, 2003

Berchta: An Ikon

- by Dawn Lee Thompson

This week's theme: Celebrate the Spirit

This time of year is one for celebrations of faith and community for many people in all parts of the world. Spirituality is a part of the core of most cultures and societies. We find evidence of spirituality at all points in human history. No where is this more evident than in our art.

-Melissa Morton

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Art: Berchta: An Ikon by Artist Dawn Lee Thompson

Berchta was the Germanic pagan goddess of winter, warmth, and hearth. Her familiar was the owl, symbolising wisdom. She would visit homes and bring fortune or misfortune depending on the behavior of its inhabitants. She has been through many transformations, and eventually, St. Nicholas took her role as the mid-winter night time visitor in Germanic folklore.