Greek church celebrates Christ’s baptism
January 5, 2007
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Camarillo will celebrate Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River with a special celebration in front of the Greek at the Harbor restaurant, 1583 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, at 12:30 p.m. Sun., Jan. 7.
After Sunday’s liturgy, the church’s congregation will meet at the harbor where the Rev. Gary Kyriacou will offer prayers to bless the ocean, protect those that sail, provide temperate weather and protect the faithful. A dove, symbolizing the descent of the Holy Spirit, will be released, and Kyriacou will dip a large cross into the water.
Following the prayers, boys and girls ages 12 to 19 will dive into the water to retrieve a large, white cross thrown into the harbor by Kyriacou. The one who retrieves the cross receives special blessings for the year.
Lunch is planned afterward at the Greek. Those who wish to attend must buy a ticket. For more information, call (805) 443-3376.
French actor Gerard Depardieu to mark Christmas in Ukraine
January 5, 2007
Famous French actor Gerard Depardieu together with friends has arrived in the Ivano-Frankivsk region on invitation of President Viktor Yushchenko to mark Christmas at the President’s residence in the village of Huta, Ivano-Frankivsk region.
Christmas is observed on 7th January.
Ethiopia’s Historic Trail > Quest for the Lost Ark II
January 5, 2007
Amazing obelisks
Old friends, they chattered away, unconcerned by the distance or the stones at their bare feet.Although they readily accepted my offer of a ride, they would only take it to the halfway point because they did not want to arrive at their destination too early.
While Axum was once an important cosmopolitan center, today it is a dusty little town, with camels traversing the main road as barefoot children play soccer on unpaved side streets.
You can still catch glimpses of Axum’s former glory, however, at Stele Park, where there are numerous giant obelisks painstakingly carved in intricate patterns from slabs of solid granite.
Queen Sheba
In their architectural sophistication, the steles are reminiscent of those from ancient Egypt and Greece. Similarly, in the town center, there is another little park with a stone dating back to 330 AD, when King Ezana was converted to Christianity by Syrian monks.
The stone, which records his military victories and conversion to Christianity, is written in three languages — Sabaean, Ge’ez and Greek. Sabaean is a pre-Christian dialect, while Ge’ez is the 2,500 year-old language of Ethiopian priests, and Greek was the commercial language of that time.
Ark in Axum
Ethiopian Christians say that the Ark of the Covenant resides in Axum in a vault near the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, where only the head priest of the church is allowed to view it.
As I could not see the Ark, I do not know for sure if it is there. No other country claims to have the Ark, however, and there is no alternative theory to its whereabouts except that it simply disappeared.
Ethiopians also claim that the Queen of Sheba was an Ethiopian who lived in Axum. To prove it, they will show you the remains of her palace and a bath dug out of red granite on a hillside that is still used to this day as a public source for water.
Lost kingdoms
I also don’t know whether the remains of the castle really belonged to the Queen of Sheba — or even if she was Ethiopian. Some scholars believe, for example, that she came from Yemen.
However, this is not really an alternative explanation, given that 2,500 years ago Axum was one of the principal cities in the kingdom of Saba that was centered in Yemen.
End of the trail
Whatever the case may be, standing by the remains of what was once a castle — and still is a bath on rocky terrain very similar to that around Jerusalem — made me wonder about the ties between Axum and Jerusalem during the days of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.
Lalibela is the final stop on the historic trail. Visiting its eleven rock-hewn churches underscored for me the mystery around Ethiopia’s past. The churches are carved out of monolithic slabs of soft red volcanic stone to create free standing buildings with intricate pillars outside and beautifully carved rooms inside.
Each church has an alcove facing toward the east in the direction of Jerusalem and the river dividing them into two sections was named the Jordan River by King Lalibela who made the town his capital in the 12th century, after having spent most of his life in Jerusalem.
Angelic architecture
The largest church, Bet Medhane Alem, measures almost 80 by 110 feet and is three stories high. It is said to be the largest rock-hewn church in the world. To this day, nobody knows how it was built. My Ethiopian guide told me with all sincerity that it is the work of angels, guided by King Lalibela.
Was the Queen of Sheba really an Ethiopian monarch? Did she, as the Ethiopians say, journey to Israel and return with a son, Menelik, by the Jewish king, Solomon? Most important, did Menelik go back to Jerusalem as a young man and return with the Ark of the Covenant?
Unanswered questions
And, is there a connection between the Ethiopian Jews and the ancient Judaic civilization of the Ark of the Covenant? While these are unanswered questions
to most of the world,they are historical facts to Ethiopians.
A trip along the historic trail may not answer these questions for you, but you will return safely home wanting to know more.
I know that when I set up my nativity scene this Christmas, I will wonder if the figurine of the black wise man bearing gifts of frankincense and myrrh for the baby Jesus is actually a depiction of an Ethiopian from Axum.
Ethiopia’s Historic Trail > Quest for the Lost Ark I
January 5, 2007
Ethiopia is easy to overlook as a travel destination, as it is one of the poorest countries in the world — and the site of much warfare. However, traveling in northeastern Ethiopia is safer than one might imagine. The country should be a top destination — provided one enjoys nature, religious history and simpler accommodations, says Susan Braden.
The conflict with Eritrea has been over for more than five years and the government of President Meles Zanawi has brought a degree of calm to the country that enables foreigners to traverse the historic trail safely and in relative comfort.
Ethiopia is the site of one of the oldest Christian empires in the world. It also has an intriguing claim to being the caretaker of the most important relic of the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant.
Outside of the country, most people believe the wooden box built by Moses to protect the stone tablets inscribed by God with the Ten Commandments is lost and has been for more than 3,000 years.
Ark theory
Ask a native, however, and you will be told that the Ark is safely tucked away in Ethiopia. Spend a couple of weeks there — and you will think so too.
To understand the role Ethiopia played in the ancient world and its Christian heritage requires a quick review of the map and a ten-day trip from Bahar Dar to Gonder, Axum and Lalibela.
Deep history
From the map, you will gain an appreciation for northeastern Ethiopia’s strategic location along two critical transportation routes — the Blue Nile and the Red Sea.
The trip along the historic trail will give you an intuitive understanding for Ethiopia’s ties to the ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Israelites. On Lake Tana, for example, you will see flat reed boats bearing an uncanny resemblance to the reed boats on the Nile outside of Cairo.
Similarly, you will see indigenous Jews in Falasha settlements outside of Gonder and hear about local customs that underscore the deep connection between Judaism and Ethiopian Christianity.
Long journey
Starting in Addis Abba, it takes about an hour on Ethiopian Airlines to reach Bahar Dar, the stopping off point for a visit to the Blue Nile Falls and the island monasteries of Lake Tana. Although the falls were once considered the most spectacular in Africa, the construction of a hydroelectric dam nearby has so reduced its flow as to cause the locals to describe it as “a drunken man pissing.”
According to the Ethiopians, the Ark was taken to the islands for safe keeping by Menelik, the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, at a time when the Temple of Solomon was under attack.
Rooted tradition
He carried the Ark to Egypt and then followed the Nile to the island monasteries on Lake Tana, where it was kept until the fourth century when Ethiopia converted from Judaism to Christianity and the Ark was moved to Axum.
From Lake Tana, the next stop is Gonder which takes a little over three hours to reach by jeep along a well-built road constructed by the Italians during their occupation of Ethiopia from 1931 to 1941.
Gonder’s major attractions are its 17th century castles built by Emperor Fasiladas and his siblings beginning in 1636, when Gonder became the capital of Ethiopia for the next 200 years.
Land of righteousness
Other attractions include an enormous bath where thousands of people are still blessed during the January 19 (Gregorian calendar) celebration of Timket, or the Epiphany, commemorating Christ’s baptism by Saint John in the Jordan River.
There is also the church of Debre Berhan Selassie, a relatively plain thatched-roof structure on the outside with beautiful paintings depicting various scenes from the Bible on the inside.
Bloody history
In one scene, for example, St. George is depicted slaying the dragon and in another St. Mary is conversing with Mohammad, who is about to choose a path she opposes.
Ethiopia’s connection to Islam is almost as old as its ties to Judaism and Christianity. The prophet Mohammad reportedly told his early followers who were being persecuted in Arabia to emigrate to Ethiopia, “a land of righteousness.”
In subsequent years, relations between Muslims and Christians soured and turned into bloody wars. Today, however, the country is almost evenly divided between Moslems and Christians, co-existing in relative harmony.
Back on the Italian road, the next stop is Axum. On the way there, you will journey into the heart of the Simien mountains where children are herding sheep and goats amongst 14,700 foot mountain peaks.
With any luck, you will also see baboons, Walia Ibex and pilgrims making there way to monasteries in the area. At the top of one very high peak, I met three very old ladies dressed in yellow robes with walking canes, making a 60-mile pilgrimage to St. Mary’s church.
Pagan roots run deep beneath our Christmas rituals
January 5, 2007
Cakes and onion skins: Kinga Kali looks at folk customs during the preparation for Christmas
We are now deep into Advent, a special time that takes its name from the Latin ad-venio, “to come to.” It is a period of expectant waiting for Christmas, which begins with the Sunday nearest to the Nov 30 Feast of St Andrew the Apostle, and embraces four Sundays. During this time, the faithful prepare to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord’s coming into the world as the incarnate God of love and, in the western churches, Advent marks the start of the ecclesiastical year.
It is not clear exactly when the celebration of Advent was first introduced into the Church, but some theories suggest it is related to the feast of the winter solstice that was dear to our pagan ancestors. This could explain why several strange folk customs still survive in this period of preparation for Christmas, one such being Luca’s Day, a popular festival held on Dec 13, and a remnant from our sun-worshipping past.
In fact, all the religious feasts around the winter solstice seem to combine elements of the sacred and “profane”, even Christmas itself. As found in texts from the year 1038, the late Old English term for Christmas was Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, but the Hungarian name for the same festival seems to have very different roots. Linguists agree that Karácsony comes from the Slavic word korcun, which means “passage” and refers to the passing of the winter solstice, and the beginning of a new cycle.
Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of what we know as the Christian Church, however. The first theologians ridiculed the feast: in the Scriptures it is written that only sinners, but not saints, celebrate their birthdays. The very first evidence of the feast comes from Egypt in about 200 AD, and placed Christ’s birthday on the equivalent of May 20 in the 28th year of the reign of Roman Emperor Augustus.
Only from the fourth century on did western calendars make Dec 25 Christ’s birthday, upon an order of Pope Julius I, perhaps in the hope of imbuing the long-held pagan rituals of winter solstice with Christian meaning.
The Armenian Christian rite still ignores the December festival, for Armenians the Lord’s birthday is on Jan 6, when we celebrate Epiphany, and some Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on Jan 7, which corresponds to Dec 25 in the old Julian calendar. But is our Dec 25 Christmas celebration really a “baptism” of an archaic pagan feast?
Ancient midwinter festivals may well have guided the choice of the December date: in the late Roman Empire, people marked Natalis Invicti or Sol Invuctus (“the Unconquered Sun”) at the winter solstice, to celebrate the fact that the darkest days were over and the hours of sunlight were again increasing.
Natalis Invicti, which was celebrated on Dec 25, has a strong claim to be the direct ancestor of our Christmas Day, and was an important event for Roman adherents of the popular cult of Mithras (who, some scholars note, bears similarities to the figure of Christ). For Romans, Dec 17 also marked the start of the great Saturnalia festival, commemorating the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn.
The winter solstice, then, was an important moment in ancient culture – the new year, and the new life cycle, began here, and besides the Natalis Invicti of Mithraism and the Roman Saturnalias, we should mention the Yule feast celebrated at this time by Norse and German pagans.
Popular beliefs can never correspond exactly to the calendars of official religion, but it is surely not by chance that the most important pagan rituals coincide with the time that the birth of the Lord is drawing near.
The most important evidence of these relics from the old sun-worshipping religions is to be found nowadays in Luca’s Day. Celebrated in many cultures all over the world, Luca’s Day in Hungary is known as the most important feast of the witches, after St George’s Day.
It cannot be accidental the Church set the Day of St Lucia, or St Lucy, on Dec 13. Before the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar in 1582, it fell on Dec 21, the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year. Consequently, that night was the longest of the year, when evil spirits and witches could do their worst. And it can also surely be no accident that the name itself, Lucia, Luca, Lucy, has its roots in lux, the Latin word for “light.”
St Lucia was a virgin martyr who, according to one legend, withstood such extremes of torture that she was suspected of being a witch, and so was ultimately burnt to death – but perished only after completing a final prayer.
HUNGARIAN FOLK CUSTOM > In Hungarian folk custom, Luca’s Day is still a time for guessing the future by various methods, and performing rituals to gain good luck. Women’s work is forbidden on Luca’s Day, except for acts aimed at assuring fertility and richness the following year – or in the next cycle, as the old pagans had it.
There is also a tradition of starting to build a so-called Luca’s Chair on Dec 13, and to add a little bit each day so that it is ready in exactly 12 days, on Dec 25. At Christmas midnight mass, the person who sits on the chair can supposedly see through disguises and reveal the witches that are hiding in the community. Besides revealing witches, who tradition warns might “steal” the cow’s milk, the chicken’s eggs, or put a spell on people, it is very common on Luca’s Day to start trying to guess the identity of one’s future husband. Girls make 12 cakes, with a man’s name in each, and they eat one every day, their future husband’s name will be the one contained in the last remaining cake.
Luca’s Day symbolizes the rebirth of nature: the partial end of the old world, and the beginning of the new. Very similar to the old pagan solar rituals, it is a feast that holds the promise of new life. The 12 days from Luca’s Day to Christmas can even be seen as a micro-year: from the events of these days, Hungarians forecast how the following year’s months will be.
Among the Hungarians of Transylvania, a peculiar method of weather divination is still popular. They lay out 12 layers of onion, corresponding to the months of the year to come, and they put salt on each piece. If the salt dissolves, that corresponding month will be wet, tradition says. It is just another ancient ritual that adds to the richness of this strange and special time.
Christmas controversy?
January 5, 2007
The dream of Christian children worldwide: Jerusalem celebrates three Christmases! That statement is, of course, a bit misleading. The traditional Christian communities, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian, celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25, January 6 and January 19 respectively, negating the possibility of Santa coming thrice to the same child.
These faith traditions each bring their own customs to the holiday, but share a common focus on the mystery and glory of the event, deemphasizing the commercial aspects so prevalent in the West.
Most Europeans and Americans are unfamiliar with the Armenian Church, which is ironic, because Armenia officially adopted the faith in 301 CE (about 25 years before Rome), and has maintained an emphasis on the Christ-mass, without the more secular gift-giving.
Bishop Aris Shirvanian, spokesman for the Armenian Patriarchate, explains why the Western churches were more influenced by pagan practices surrounding Christmas.
Christmas parties and gift-giving stem from “merrymaking inherited from the old pagan worship of the sun god - Saturn,” he said. “Saturnalia was celebrated on December 25 in Rome, while Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus on January 6.
“The pope of the day, Sylvester, in order to abolish the pagan feast, moved the celebration of Jesus’s birthday from January 6 to December 25, but the Armenian church had no reason to change the date because there was no pagan feast in Armenia on December 25.”
Since the Armenians maintain the ancient date of Christmas as well as the old (Julian) calendar, 13 days are added to January 6, postponing Armenian Christmas until January 19 on the modern (Gregorian) calendar.
The Armenians focus on astvadz-a-haytnootyoon - revelation, since the January 6 holy day celebrated both Jesus’s birth and baptism. (Many churches still celebrate Epiphany, the baptism of Jesus, on January 6.)
Since Jesus’s birth and baptism are celebrated together, water is a vital aspect of the Armenian feast. Water, blessed by the Armenian clergy, receives the addition of oil believed to be similar to that which Jesus used to clean the feet of his apostles, and is distributed to the congregants.
The oil additive is said to come from St. Thaddeus, who first preached the gospel in Armenia, and is considered to have healing properties.
On January 18, Christmas Eve, Patriarch Torkam Manogian leaves the Armenian Quarter of the Old City with a large entourage and police escort. In centuries past the horse drawn procession stopped at the Greek monastery of Mar Elias outside Bethlehem to water the horses and allow devotees to refresh themselves. Modern processions keep that tradition, as the Palestinian Authority assumes responsibility for the procession. Greek Archbishop Aristochos notes that the two governments work diligently to ensure Christmas access to Bethlehem. The Greek Orthodox Church enjoys a similar procession on Christmas Eve.
The procession continues to Bethlehem’s Manger Square, where there is an official reception. The congregants enter the Church of the Nativity - shared by the Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox and Armenians - and a mass is held. After a festive supper and rest, the midnight mass begins, concluding at about 3:30 Christmas morning.
The Greek Orthodox were reluctant to join the Western church in celebrating Christmas on December 25, but eventually did so for the sake of unity. (Both East and West agreed to celebrate Jesus’s birth in December and his baptism on January 6.) Still, Jerusalem’s Greek Orthodox Church clings to the Julian calendar, so when it adds the required 13 days to December 25, it celebrates Christmas on January 7 according to the modern calendar.
A highlight of the Greek Orthodox Christmas season is the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 6 and a pilgrimage to the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas in Beit Jala.
St. Nicholas was a church father born in the late third century who made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in about 330 CE. Tradition holds that he slept in a cave in Beit Jala while visiting nearby Bethlehem. The church built over that cave commemorates his pilgrimage.
Archbishop Aristochos states that St. Nicholas’s feast day “prepares us for Christmas.” Since St. Nicholas was noted for his kindness and generosity to children, many believe this contributed to the Western tradition of giving gifts on Christmas. (Influenced by northern European immigrants to the US, St. Nicholas’s memory eventually morphed into Santa Claus, akin to the Dutch Sinterklaas.)
The Greek Orthodox observe a 40-day fast before Christmas. The fast forbids meat, milk and eggs, but allows fish after the first week until the beginning of the last. This culminates with a great feast on Christmas Day including fried fish, asparagus with egg and lemon sauce, bean soup, and honey cake with nuts.
There are a number of beliefs related to the killantzaroi - “bad spirits” according to the archbishop - that are released during Christmas and wreak havoc until January 6, when Epiphany is celebrated.
These spirits are mischievous, toppling things and scaring people. Still, tradition holds that home remedies can be employed to restrain them. Among these is a sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross. Eventually the killantzaroi are expelled by the priest on Epiphany as he sprinkles holy water (associated with Jesus’s baptism) around the house.
Like the members of its related liturgical churches, Roman Catholics proceed to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, celebrated December 24. This is the celebration for which Bethlehem is most noted. Whether associated with the church or not, Manger Square fills with thousands. Multitudes of Muslims also come to witness the event.
But in smaller parishes quieter ceremonies occur on Christmas Eve. Franciscan Father Fergus Clarke is guardian of St. John in the Mountains Church, built at the traditional site of John the Baptist’s birth, and on Christmas commemorates the Magnificat - the Virgin Mary’s extended quote in Luke 1.
“Since we’re a very small community,” he says, “it’s extraordinary that on Christmas Eve our church is full of mostly Jewish people. For example, last year I counted only eight Christians present. Since the church is very small, holding about 110 people seated, when I say it was ‘full,’ I mean standing room only.
“These Jewish people arrive as early as 11:15 for midnight mass. What is really so edifying is that the Jews, predominately young, stand in complete reverence and silence for almost an hour and half. If you compare it to other churches you wouldn’t see such reverence and patience.
“Remember, the mass is celebrated in a foreign language for them, since we celebrate in Italian. The whole ritual is foreign to them, apart from the homily, which is given in English.
“But they come from as far away as Tel Aviv, and many call in advance to be sure they’ll be here on time. They come because of some sense of mystery or awe of the divine that comes from the ritual, the music, and their memories - transmitted from their parents, perhaps. For us it’s a very uplifting ceremony because of their presence and attitude.”
Fergus says the Israeli presence contributes to the “peace on earth, goodwill toward men” that Luke says the angels proclaimed at Jesus’s birth.
“This year we are having an Israeli choir sing at midnight mass, and two years ago we had a Southern Baptist from Alabama sing a solo,” he said.
Protestants maintain no official presence in Bethlehem, although many visit for interdenominational “shepherds’ field” services convened by the YMCA in nearby Beit Sahur. Many attend local services in Jerusalem, such as those at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City, or at the Baptist Church near the city center.
Lindell Browning is a Nazarene minister living in Jerusalem. Browning’s tradition includes traditional “shepherds’ field” services.
“‘Shepherds’ field’ is wherever the shepherds are in Bethlehem; it’s not a specific field that we know of. There’s no way to know.”
Browning says he and friends read the birth narratives together from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, often asking one of the young people to read the account of angels singing “Glory to God in the Highest.” They sing carols, pray and share thoughts on the Christmas message.
Browning believes that in Jerusalem there is great stress placed on the angels’ declaration to secure peace on earth. “In this area of the world it’s something we pray for, something we want to see happen. Isaiah predicted the coming of a man who would be called the prince of peace, and that’s our declaration: Christ is the prince of peace for the world.”
Among Christians in Jerusalem there is less focus on the commercial aspects of the holiday. “I think there’s much less emphasis on shopping and much more interest in people that are less fortunate than us. There were a couple of years when we gave each other smaller gifts and gave gifts to needy families. There were other years on which we made gifts for each other so we could better give to those in need.
“Here too [in Jerusalem] there’s much more time because we don’t have the Christmas activities that we would in the States. So we get together with friends and share.”
For the majority of the Israeli population it is a normal work day.
Some Jerusalem Christians do put up Christmas trees, as the Israeli government provides trees free. A few shops decorate their windows for the holiday, but for the most part, commercialism is subdued and the season is pared back to its devotional origins.
The Armenians, proceeding into Bethlehem on their Christmas Eve, summarize the motive for the march as they sing joyously “Great and Wonderful Mystery.” Greek Archbishop Aristochos says Christmas is in memory of the event “by which begins our salvation,” while Father Fergus calls for goodwill toward men. The Brownings and friends quietly find a hillside and try to imagine what the shepherds experienced, expressing their devotion in good works.
St. Nicholas would recognize a Jerusalem Christmas.
The real Santa Claus: St. Nicholas was born in Patara, a Greek village (now Turkish) in the late third century. Although it’s difficult to distinguish legend from fact, scholars agree on several points about his life.
Nicholas was from a wealthy fishing family and was generous to young people. A story, regarded as accurate in its essence though shrouded in legend, holds that on three different occasions he provided dowries for poor girls, thus saving them from slavery. (Tradition maintains that these dowries, tossed in through a window, were bags of gold that landed on stockings or shoes left near the fire to dry.)
Similar stories tell of Nicholas’s generosity in saving people from starvation.
Due to a wealth of popular support, Nicholas was elected bishop of Myra on the coast of modern Turkey in the early fourth century.
About 330 CE he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and was there for several weeks, often sleeping in a cave in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church now stands over that cave.
Nicholas died about 350 CE on December 6 - a feast day that was already being celebrated only a few years after his death. Due to the day’s proximity to Christmas, as well as his generosity, Nicholas became caught up in the season’s lore.
Throughout much of Europe alms were given to the poor on this saint’s day, and children were the special recipients of gifts. Medieval French nuns would distribute candies on December 6.
Nicholas began the transformation into Santa Claus mostly by way of German and Dutch immigrants to North America. Germanic St. Niklaas became Sinterklass, and eventually Santa Claus.
Some less desirable aspects of northern European fable may have immigrated as well: His flying reindeer may stem from myths of the Norse god Wodin riding through the sky.
Reformers like Martin Luther tried to stop the metamorphosis, hoping to portray the baby Jesus (Christkindl in German) as the gift giver. Kris Kringle, derived from that German word, is now a synonym for Santa.
Nicholas’s image in Dutch-influenced New York changed from pious churchman to elf-like gift bearer. This picture became formalized by a few poems, notably the Christmas favorite “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (now known as “The Night before Christmas”) in 1823.
Currently burdened by commercialism, it’s hard to envision Santa’s prototype, the generous and devout Nicholas, making the dangerous trip to the Holy Land and sleeping in a cave in order to worship at the site of the first Christmas.
East is East and West is West: The early church can be roughly divided into East and West. The Eastern church, later Byzantium and the Eastern Orthodox liturgies, maintained different holidays, traditions and even doctrines than the Western church, which remained bound to Rome and the pope.
Among the points of disagreement was the proper dating of Jesus’s birth - Christmas Day.
There is an ancient Jewish tradition that a prophet dies on the day of his conception, and the early church applied this formula to Jesus. Eastern and Western churches, through various and often questionable reasoning, determined respectively that Jesus died on April 6 and March 25. (The Roman Catholic Church still celebrates the latter date as the Annunciation of the Birth.)
Adding nine months of pregnancy to those dates results in a December 25 or January 6 Christmas.
Scholars also hold that the December 25 date was especially appealing to the Western church because it replaced the birthday of Sol Invictus (invincible sun). Romans thought that on that day the sun began its ascent and the days began to lengthen.
The pagan ceremony contained much revelry, drinking and immorality which the early church couldn’t condone. Sun worship was outlawed under penalty of death, in the hope that worship of the Son would replace it.
Clearly that did occur, but not without echoes of the pagan traditions surviving. Imbibing and, to a lesser degree, gift-giving and holiday lights are related to the pre-Christian feast.
Still, the Eastern church maintained the January 6 date and combined it with Epiphany, the day of Jesus’s baptism.
Eventually, under pressure from the Western church as well as its own clergy’s inability to go to both the Jordan River and Bethlehem on the same day, a compromise was reached in the middle of the fifth century. Christmas would be celebrated December 25 and Epiphany on January 6 by both churches. This is simple enough, but when the Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian one, the Eastern church in Jerusalem continued using the old calendar. This results in a January 7 Christmas (December 25 plus 13 days).
Armenians refused the compromise, maintaining both the old January 6 date as well as the Julian calendar. Consequently Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 19 (January 6 plus 13 days).
Three Kings Day Has A Long, Royal History
January 5, 2007
By tradition, the visit of the Three Kings to the manger occurred on Jan. 6, and this has become an important feast day on the Christian calendar. Names for this holiday include Epiphany, Twelfth Night, Little Christmas, Old Christmas and Three Kings Day.
The visit of the three resplendent monarchs is reported in the Bible only by St. Matthew, who, in the Greek of the New Testament, calls them “magoi apo anatolon,” literally, “magi from the East.” “Magi” and its singular form “magus” come from the Old Persian “magus,” sorcerer, the same root that gives us our word “magic.”
English translations of the Bible rendered the Greek “magoi apo anatolon” as “Wise Men from the East,” and as early as the sixth century, they were being referred to as “kings.”
The origins of the individual names of the Magi - Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar - are a mystery. Variants of these names for the Three Kings first appeared in the 600s, but we don’t know why or by whom they were chosen.
Gaspar (or Caspar, or Kaspar) was said to be the ruler of Tarsus. Balthasar was the ruler of Ethiopia, which is why he is often portrayed as dark-skinned, and Melchior was the ruler of Nubia and Arabia.
Each of the three kings was thought to represent a stage of life: Gaspar, a tall, ruddy and beardless youth; Balthasar, a swarthy and bearded middle-aged man; and Melchior, a wizened sage with a long beard.
During the Middle Ages in many parts of Europe, groups of boys would roam the streets on Epiphany singing carols and staging pageants involving the Magi. Often they would mark the houses they visited with crosses and the initials of the Three Kings - “K,” “M” and “B” - to protect these dwellings from harm during the coming year.
“Epiphany,” derived from the Greek root “phainein” (to bring to light), denotes a sudden revelation or manifestation. This same root lights up “emphasis,” “fantasy,” “diaphanous” and “sychophant” (someone who brings his smarmy flattery to light).
Jan. 6 is called “Epiphany” because this date is associated with three key manifestations of Christ’s deity: the adoration of the Wise Men, his baptism with the voice from Heaven proclaiming his identity, and his first miracle at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee.
In a secular sense, “epiphany” has come to mean any sudden revelation of light or truth, often with a religious or spiritual overtone.
Another name for Epiphany, “Twelfth Night,” is actually a misnomer. If you want to count days, the twelfth night of Christmas is Jan. 5. Indeed, according to Ecclesiastical Order, the “First Vespers” of Epiphany are held after sunset on that date. But by tradition, Twelfth Night is celebrated at sunset Jan. 6, technically the 13th night of Christmas.
