[MrFixr55]

I am constantly amazed by the non-Philco and non-electronic knowledge base of this Phorum and the community service or human service activities of its members. Dale, not only is your photography fantastic, but the subject matter is also interesting and potentially comforting to the descendants who see these photos.

Interestingly, the East - West and North- South directions have meaning in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Back in the days of the early Christian Church, when adults were baptized by immersion (a practice that still occurs in several denominations, one is laid down in the water, "setting in (back facing) the west", ending their life in Original Sin, and "rising (facing) in the east", indicating the beginning of their Christian life. I recently attended the baptism of a friend in an Evangelical church and this was the case. Later, as baptism as an infant became common, especially in the Roman Catholic church, babies were baptized by holding them over a basin (the Baptismal Font), face up, head tilted back and pouring Holy Water over their head. In our parish, the baby is held with the top of their head facing west and then is raised with face facing east and the Paschal Candle which is lit for the Baptismal liturgy

In the traditional construction of Catholic churches, when possible, the priest and congregation faced whatever direction Jerusalem lied (East for most of Europe and the US). The Gospel was proclaimed facing North because threats to the Jewish and early Christian communities generally came from the North. (Now, the priest faces the congregation, churches have transepts or people face the altar from 3 different directions, etc., but direction had or still has symbolism.