Below: Short YouTube video about the Moravian Star
During the Advent and Christmas seasons, many families decorate their homes with a Moravian star. The Moravian star as with so many Moravian traditions has a rich history.
The Moravian star originated in Saxony, Germany. The stars were first used to demonstrate geometry to boys attending the Moravian school. The stars were quickly adopted by the Moravian Church as a symbol of the birth of Jesus and represented the star of Bethlehem. Traditionally, the star is hung the first Sunday of Advent and remains up until Epiphany, January 6, or the time of the coming of the Magi.
The first documented Christmas tree at Williamsburg, Virginia, was decorated with Moravian stars in 1842 by a German immigrant who taught at the College of William and Mary.
Moravian stars range from six points to over 100, but the traditional Moravian star has 26 points. Today, the Abraham Durninger Company in Herrnhut, Germany, continues the time-honored custom of selling hand-made Moravian stars from their factory. Many innovations in the styles, sizes, and colors of the stars have been created over the years.
The Moravian star continues to represent the holiday season for Moravians and non-Moravians across the world.
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