"Under a lucky star"
blog.hotelstars.eu
For what reason does everyone make use of star-symbols for hotel categorization worldwide? What originally connects statements of hotel quality with a number of stars? And why of all things stars?
I have asked myself these questions many times and, given the crowded daily agenda, haven’t followed up on this mystery in the necessary thoroughness. In kinder words: I have left my blog contribution regarding astrology until Christmas, to release my best available working hypothesis to the public…
For three reasons, I believe that the Christmas story of the New Testament provides the best available explanation:
1. It was a star, which led the wise men from the Orient unerringly to the stable in Bethlehem. Here the motive lies in guidance / orientation in a foreign land.
2. At the same time the characterization of a particularly simple hostel with just one star is already enclosed.
3. And also the proliferation of star symbolism for hotel categories in nearly every country in the world might be considered evidence of the Bible as the source of this motive in my opinion.
Do you have another, more plausible explanation? Let me know! I am looking forward to your comments.
A Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you all!
Markus Luthe
German Hotel Association (IHA)
Matthew 2, 1-11
The Magi Visit the Messiah
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
