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Another thing happened in the visit
to the new house last evening with Terri and Elizabeth.
They got to the house before me
and entered with the lock-box code.
I got there immediately thereafter, got inside,
stepped a few feet into the family room and gasped.
I saw something they hadn't recognized was new
and my mind ran at warp speed to connect all the dots.
It is now hours later, I've done a smitten of research to tell you
some history about religion, construction,
and why my heart warmed so quickly at the addition to the fireplace.
All construction trades have rituals and practices, whether it's
ironworkers, shipbuilders, or a home renovation project.
With ironworkers, it's "Topping Out";
with shipbuilders, it's "The Launch" blessing...
The practice of "topping out" a new building can be traced to the ancient religious practice of placing a tree on the top of a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits of their ancestors that had been displaced. Today a ceremony is often held to commemorate this milestone in the construction of a building, although not religious, to the tradsmen, it can be. While the ceremony itself has no standard agenda, it usually includes the placing of an evergreen tree upon the structure to symbolize growth and bring luck and safety to the project. The topping out ceremony is similar to ship naming and launching ceremonies and probably of similar antiquity, and was perhaps done to placate the gods and to shield the building and workers from harm.
Liberty Hotel, Boston, MA
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Ship launching could be said to mark the birth of a vessel; and people throughout history have performed launching ceremonies, in part to appeal to the gods for good fortune but moreso, the safety of each new vessel.
USCGC Mackinaw
Back to my story...
I was raised, reared, braized and brainwashed a Catholic.
By Italian-Catholic strong women.
Good cooks - and ...
they made sure their children grew up
"in" the Church; "in" Faith.
Baptized, First Communion, All of IT.
So I was not only NOT offended
when I walked into the under construction house
and saw this on the fireplace,
My heart exploded with....faith.
I mention it to Terri and Elizabeth and we warmly deduct
that it MUST be the builders that placed it here -
to protect and oversee the
safety and progress of this
home, our projects and our trade workers.
For a minute, I choked.
When I talked to Silvio, the builder, he confirmed that
they had hung the crucifix, as many of the trades
are very religious and place it on the job site
as a part of their ritual, beliefs...and their faith.
God Bless this home and the safety of our workers.
Thank you Silvio and Angelo...again!
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