Hello.
This is junono.

This time, we will introduce Christmas in the village of Rochefort-en-Terre in the Brittany region of France, and the stone mentioned in the Bible.

Rochefort-en-Terre was ranked number one in 2016 on the popular TV show "French People's Favorite Villages."

It is registered as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France" and "Charming Small Towns of France", and has received four of the highest flower certifications in the "Flower Towns/Villages" category.

This village, which has many titles, is an adorable village that feels like a fairy tale, with rows of historic houses still remaining.

The Christmas illuminations have been a hot topic on TV news and social media, with people saying they look like something out of a fairy tale world, enchanted by the magic of light.

Craft artists are also active here, and there are art demonstrations and sales.

Now, to the village.

Rochefort-en-Terre and its fort

The village of Rochefort-en-Terre is about 3.5 hours from Paris by bullet train and taxi, and about 1 hour and 20 minutes by car from Rennes.

The name Rochefort-en-Terre means "stone fortress in the earth".

A fort was built on a rock jutting out from a small hill in the 12th century, and the village spread from there.

The village was built in a strategic location to monitor trade between the mainland and the Atlantic coast.

First, enter the village and head towards the fort.

At the entrance to the fort is a mysterious and cute building that looks like it came from a fairy tale.

Even though it was winter, hydrangeas were blooming there.

I wasn't expecting to see flowers outdoors in winter, and this was my first time seeing hydrangeas in winter, so it was a very pleasant surprise.

It is no wonder that this village has been certified as a "town/village full of flowers," receiving the highest four-flower certification.

Wow, how mysterious!

In the ruins of the fort's walls, strange trees, tangled ivy, and modern dark fantasy art all blend beautifully together to create a magnificent work of art created by nature, time, and man.

Part of the fort is now a fantasy museum.

As darkness fell, the fort was illuminated with fantastic illuminations.

Christmas illuminations

As we walked down the hill following the light from the fort, the whole village was enveloped in the gentle magic of light.

It's like a Christmas in fairy tale land.

It looks like a house made of gingerbread.

By the way, gingerbread is a cake or cookie made with honey, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, etc.

At Christmas, they are cut into shapes such as people or stars and displayed as ornaments, or cut into house shapes and used as decorative ornaments.

Christmas Clip

A large and magnificent klippe was displayed in the village square.

A klippe is a model that recreates the birth of Christ.

It is a traditional Christmas decoration that dates back to the 13th century.

Decorating Christmas trees seems to have started in the 16th century, but it appears to have a longer history than that.

When we entered the church, there was an exhibition of small klippe collected from around the world.

The top left is a colorful shelf-mounted item from Peru.

Not only is it lively and eye-catching, it doesn't take up much space and seems easy to put away.

Bottom left is from Portugal.
Cute gingerbread style.

On the right is Rwanda.
Natural and simple wooden items.

It's the same religion and the same scene, but the expressions are so different.

Other examples include one from South Africa where all the characters have dark skin, one from Brazil where all the characters have tanned skin, and one from Italy where all the characters wear costumes made of luxurious fabrics.

There were many clips that gave a glimpse of regional characteristics, which was quite interesting.

Bible Stone

On this occasion of Christmas, I read a little bit of the Bible.

In Christianity, stones are apparently associated with gods or beings close to gods.

Perhaps it is because Jesus Christ himself is the cornerstone of the church.

The Book of Exodus in the Old Testament describes a breastplate worn by the high priest, decorated with 12 precious stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

The high priest's breastplate was symbolic equipment worn by the priest to stand before God as a representative of the 12 tribes.
It seems to be worn like a bib number.

This is an illustration from "History of Costume," published in the 19th century by the German publisher Braun & Schneider.

It depicted the breastplate of the high priest.

It is said that the 12 gemstones on this breastplate are the origin of birthstones.

The same 12 gems also appear in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament as the foundation of the walls of the "New Jerusalem (Holy City)."

Some of the jewels appear to be the same as those on the high priest's breastplate.

The types of the 12 jewels on the breastplate are unclear, but the general consensus is as follows:

• Ruby or Carnelian
• Topaz or Peridot
• Emerald or green stone
• Garnet or Turquoise
• Sapphire or Lapis Lazuli
• Diamond or Jasper
• Opal or Zircon or Citrine
• Agate
• amethyst
• Beryl (aquamarine?)
• onyx
• Jasper or similar

Even when reading the original Hebrew, it is not possible to clearly identify it, and it seems that it cannot be clearly identified due to differences in translation and the fact that the names and classifications of minerals from that time and today do not match.

Even when reading the writings of scholars throughout history, there are differences in opinion.

The only exceptions are amethyst and onyx, which have been almost completely confirmed as one of the 12 gemstones by scholars and translators throughout history, and there seems to be consensus on them.

The effects and meanings of each stone do not appear to be specifically mentioned in the Bible.

However, it seems that people have read symbolic meanings from the depictions that appear in the Bible.

For example, the Bible states that jasper (or a similar stone) was used in the walls of the "New Jerusalem."

For this reason, some people see jasper as a stone with protective powers.

Crafts & Shops

I closed my Bible and went shopping.

An amethyst caught my eye at a natural stone shop.
It is one of the 12 gems mentioned earlier.

The light reflects off the irregular stones of the geode, creating a random sparkle.

It looks nice in contrast to the soft, gentle articulated lighting that hits the flat surfaces of the wall or base.

A great and easy idea is to wrap string lights around a geode that you normally display just for Christmas.

There was also a demonstration studio by a glass craft artist.

A very delicate seahorse.

It's sparkly and could be used as an ornament on a Christmas tree this season.

We also saw many shops and studios where artists were demonstrating their crafts, including embroidery, pottery, painting, and accessories.

Christmas in the village of Rochefort-en-Terre.

It felt like I had wandered into a magical fairyland of light.

As you leave the village and enter the town, you will be greeted by vibrant illuminations projected onto the buildings using projection mapping.

It feels like you've stepped into a new dimension.

This time of year is full of fun, like traveling through many beautiful worlds.

Well then, have a wonderful Christmas season!