Pentagrams on pews in Church of the Nativity

[Amelopsis]

Pentagrams are the main feature in carvings on the pews in the Church of the Nativity. I found this very interesting, and am almost equally interested that I've not already read or heard of the fact.
I found a photo on facebook, as I'm unsure of copyright laws I will not post it, and as it's facebook I cannot link it.
The photo is titled 'Church of the Nativity', and is in an album of the fan page ' Photos from Palestinian Creative Photographers' (which I came by via Laura's facebook) The photo is copyrighted, and added by Majdi Alsharif. The page itself appears to be a creative bunch of talented photographers sharing their work; they're are many really great photos.

The particular photo clearly shows what would appear to be fairly modern pews, each of which has a pentagram carved on the end. A forum search came up with nothing - please correct me if I've missed it.

These carvings are so very overt in their symbolism that I wonder if any members are aware of this, & what is to be made of it. There's been much study within this group of symbolism and particularly so within religious contexts; perhaps others have more informed opinions to offer.

As I see it, it could be as simple as a purchase of required pews being sponsored by some american christian group (which would of course have it's own interesting connotations...who's behind the group?...) or was this a very controlled purchase due to the location, and very specifically custom ordered directly by the Church?

I would also appreciate any mod's suggestions as to whether there's an appropriate way to post the photo here.

 

[anart]

Why would you not be able to link to facebook?

 

[Amelopsis]

Anart, thanks for making me use my gray matter ( ;D) I thought that as I have to be logged in to see the page that it would not function for all forum users.

Following is a 'copy link location' from the image itself - didn't think of this method first time - sorry.
I've added _ at the beginning & end:

_http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs438.ash1/24191_387164809786_812074786_3706944_3042158_n.jpg_

 

[anart]

It just looks like a star to me (lacking the internal lines of the classic 'pentagram' - though a star, is, technically, a pentagram) - actually, more specifically, a shooting star, considering the tail. I don't think it's that unusual - especially since the 'wise men' followed a star... perhaps I'm missing something?

 

[Johnno]

It just looks like a star to me (lacking the internal lines of the classic 'pentagram' - though a star, is, technically, a pentagram) - actually, more specifically, a shooting star, considering the tail. I don't think it's that unusual - especially since the 'wise men' followed a star... perhaps I'm missing something?

Yes, agreed, nothing too sinister about it. There's a section in Mouravieff's Gnosis about the symbolism of the five pointed star, can't remember much about it, so you might want to chase it up. From memory I've seen other descriptions of it which was to do with the four elements plus a fifth, the human spirit. If it was upside down I'd be asking questions.

 

[abstract]

Isn't there also a symbolism behind the pentagram, 5 point star, whatever, that has to do with centers?

 

[Vulcan59]

Yes, agreed, nothing too sinister about it. There's a section in Mouravieff's Gnosis about the symbolism of the five pointed star, can't remember much about it, so you might want to chase it up. ....

Below is the extract from Boris Mouravieff's, Gnosis book III. Hope it helps. :)

As we have already indicated, the first of the three symbols that can be obtained from the Circle and the polygons is the Pentagram, or five-branched triple star. The study of this symbol-in-movement requires precise indication of the order in which the student's attention and his pen-point should pass from one to the other of the branch-points of the three stars through the intersections of the lines that form them. This is how our numbered Pentagram is drawn (fig. 8):

The Pentagram numbered in this way was revealed by the author during the lectures he gave at the Faculty of Letters in the University of Geneva. It was also published in the Summary of these lectures. We have already said that this symbol, taken as a whole, reflects the real positions of the elements and forces that form the Third Cosmic Octave. The student should apply the meanings of the Major Numbers to the corresponding figures and study them from this point of view.

Here, he will come across the first difficulty: that of interpreting the terms characterizing each of the Major Numbers. In order to interpret them, he must specially train himself to think 'in harmony' and not 'in melody', if we may put it this way. In other words, instead of a chain of reasoning he should form a bundle of ideas, of which each section should present a harmonious chord.

Then, and only then - keeping the meaning of the whole continually present in his mind - the succession of the figures as it is shown will enable him to make his thought and attention progress according to a precise order and so reach the desired goal.

Except in a few rare cases, as long as the student's mind has not attained the degree of training needed to enable him to pursue his research in an independent manner, this will require outside help. This is one reason why esoteric teaching has always included an oral Tradition that vivifies the Letter of the written Doctrine.

 

[Amelopsis]

Thanks All for your consideration of the photo and the Mouravieff details on pentagrams.

I'd not thought 'sinister' exactly when posting my curiosity; but it would seem from your responses that perhaps I was looking a little too hard for some covert motivation for the symbolism here.

 

[abstract]

but it would seem from your responses that perhaps I was looking a little too hard for some covert motivation for the symbolism here.

Well, it's really just geometry but those wacky fundies, etc. love to tell us that 2+2=5 and 666 is something to be scared of. :D