The Annual Christian Challenge

Xmas: Origin and traditions
By Terence J Sigamony

RAWALPINDI: Christians will celebrate Christmas today (December 25) in Pakistan like other parts of the world with traditional fervour.

The most popular commemoration of the Church year, Christmas marks the nativity of birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrations begin with midnight mass at 12.00am on December 25. Uncertainty prevails on when or why this day was chosen for Christmas. New Testament is silent on the subject but there are two arguments, which appear to have affected the church’s reasoning on it. The first is the ‘Plan of the Ages’ according to which the Christ was conceived on March 25, the day this world was created, and therefore, His birth was on December 25.

The second argument is based on the Gospel’s stories, which place the conception of John, the Baptist, in September and that of the Christ in March. Thus, His nativity is in December.

The date was very much influenced by pagan observances. In 274 AD, Emperor Aurelian chose December 25 as the birthday of the unconquered sun, which at winter solstice gives more light.

In the fourth century, when Christianity was accepted as religion in the Roman Empire (313), Christmas, Good Friday and Ascension were introduced. Each of them seem to have taken over the function of one of the three existing festivals, Epiphany, Pascha and Pentecost. Thus the nativity was at Christmas, the baptism at Epiphany the passion on Good Friday, the resurrection as Easter, the ascension at Ascension Day and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Penticost.

The feast of the Epiphany, originating in the eastern churches, celebrated the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ for the world, a revelation shown when He was born in Bethlehem of Tuclea, at His baptism in River Jordan and His first miracle at Cana in Galilee.

The Greek orthodox retains the other very old name for this feast, Theophany (manifestation of God). The Philocalian or Liberian calendar of the Church of Rome does not show Epiphany in the year 354, but mentions December 25 to be the Christ’s day of birth.

In the West, Epiphany became a kind of doublet for Christmas, commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus Christ. And the feast of Epiphany became popularly known as the feast of the three Holy Kings especially among Germanic people. The Magi, who adored the infant Christ, offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, belonged to an old and powerful caste of ancient Persia having a sacred character and dominating religious influence on the kings of that land, which they themselves had ruled at one time in the sixth century BC. The Magi had been disciples of Zoroaster, and they were still powerful at the time of the birth of Christ. The Gospel narrative makes no mention of the number of the Magi that came in Bethelem. Popular tradition had set their number from two to 12, however number three is favoured in the West because they offered three gifts to Him. The same Western tradition has named them Gasper, Melchior and Balthasar.

The customs are connected with Christmas celebrations, few of them are actually Church festival – that is the adoration of cradle is important ceremony of the Roman Catholic Church on Christmas eve, which has its origin in the story of the Magi.

The other custom observed by Christians since fourth century incorporates pagan custom such as the use of holy mistletoe, yule cake and yule log.

The Christmas tree, an evergreen trimmed with lights and other ornaments, is derived from the so-called paradise tree, symbolizing Eden of German mystery plays.

The use of Christmas tree began early in the 17th century in Strasbourg, France, spreading from there through Germany and then to Northern Europe. In 1841, Albert, Prince Consort of Queen Victoria, introduced this Christmas custom to Great Britain.

The tradition of Santa Claus (an old, white bearded man attired in red) emanated in Holland where the Dutch were celebrating the St Nicholas Day on December 6, especially St Nicholas Eve when gifts were given to children of whom the saint was patron. Later, the British settlers took over this custom as part of their Christmas Eve celebration.

Since the middle of the 19th century, the celebrations have been commercialized and therefore, the true meaning of Christmas Day has faded away. People spend exorbitant amount even if they cannot afford borrowed customs. Is there no way to celebrate Christmas in original style?