6.5: Religious Holiday Space

Religious holidays often transform public space into quasi-religious space. Most of it is rather mundane, and quite removed from any sort of actual religious doctrine or practice. In the US, during the period leading up to the Christmas holiday, many profane spaces (shopping malls, or even roadsides) become quasi-religious space. Therefore, even though Santa Claus and Saint Nick are obviously tied to the Christian tradition, they are also widely embraced as symbols of a public holiday that is celebrated enthusiastically by non-Christians and even in non-Christian nations, like Japan. More controversial though is the use of more purely public space, like courthouses or parks, for the display of clearly religious nativity scenes and menorahs during the holiday season. Judges frequently must decide exactly when and how religious people can use public space to promote or celebrate religious holidays or events.

Figure 6-32: Chicago, IL - The Saint Patrick's Day Parade mixes ethnic, religion and civic functions into a single event, blurring the lines between church and state; public and sacred space.

Other examples of the uneasy intersection of church and state occur when public funds are used to promote, organize or otherwise regulate large religious festivals. Mardi Gras, a celebration preceding the start of the Catholic Lenten fasting season, attracts huge crowds, many of whom are tourists, to New Orleans each year. Many other towns in the Gulf Coast regions have public celebrations, frequently including a parade that costs taxpayers a great deal of money. St. Patrick’s Day parades, Halloween festivals and many other such celebrations require significant public endorsement, but seem to pass without controversy.