"Christ Reborn in Post-Soviet Russia"

It never fails to blow my mind that Russia, a country in which Christianity was outlawed for an entire generation, is now more Christian than the U.S., our supposedly "Christian nation."

According to the reporter in the video below, an average of three churches have opened up in Russia every day since the fall of Communism twenty years ago.

Holy Day?

A recent conversation I had involving the topic of whether "Happy Holidays" is an appropriate or tolerable phrase for Christians inspired me to do a little research yesterday.

During the conversation, I had wondered aloud whether the people who complain the loudest about the use of the phrase "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas," and who every year object to the "secularization" of Christmas in the "public square" and in the "marketplace," and who demand that we "keep Christ in Christmas," even bother to attend church on Christmas day. That in turn got me wondering whether most churches (except Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and other liturgical churches) are even open on Christmas.

I don't remember ever—even once—during my upbringing as an Evangelical Christian attending church on Christmas day. Christmas Eve, yes, but never on Christmas day.

So I decided to makes some calls. I contacted fifty local (and two out-of-state) Evengelical churches to find out who was holding services on Christmas day and who was not. Out of fifty-two Evengelical churches, a total of ...zero... were planning to celebrate Christmas on Christmas. In fact fifteen of them (that's 30%) weren't even having services on Christmas Eve! One of the churches that was planning four Christmas Eve services, not only wasn't planning to be open on Christmas day, but wasn't even having services on the 26th...that's a Sunday! Another church was planning a New Years party, and yet another was planning a "burning bowl" ceremony on the 31st (according to the receptionist, that's where you write down all your problems and concerns for the coming year and toss them into a flaming bowl for "god" to receive). Some churches were scheduled to have "candlelight" servies only on the 24th, others on the 23rd and 24th; five churches were planning three or more pre-Christmas services. But not one, I repeat: not a single one was planning to come together as a community on the feast of God's Incarnation in the flesh to celebrate His birth of a Virgin as foretold by the Prophets. Not one.

So, what's my point in all this? My point is that anyone who can't be bothered to get dressed and go to church on Christmas morning might do well to rethink whether or not they have a leg to stand on when demanding that people say "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays." I have heard people say of politics that if you don't vote, you have no right to complain about the government. I believe the same principle applies here: if you don't make a practice of attending church on Christmas day, you forfeit your right to complain when someone else says "Happy Holidays."

Furthermore, I would suggest that anyone who attends a church that doesn't even bother to open its doors on Christmas (even if it happens to fall on a Sunday!) is not to be taken seriously when they complain about the secularization of Christmas in the "public square" or when they boycott retailers and other businesses for not giving Christmas its proper respect. (see also here, here, here, here, etc...) My guess (and I welcome your correction if I am wrong) is that these churches have also done away with any observance whatsoever of any other event in the life of Christ (like His baptism, or His presentation in the Temple, or His Transfiguration, or His Ascension), or of the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; and heaven forbid they should ever commemorate Mary or the Saints!*

I think it's pretty safe to say (and, again, please correct me if I'm wrong) that a lot of these churches that choose to lock their doors on Christmas, and that have decided to eliminate altogether the many other beautiful holy days throughout the year are the same ones that use theater seating, laserlight shows, rock bands, multimedia, and dramatic performance to entertain communicate their message. And these are probably the same ones that have removed from their building any visual cues that would identify the place as a house of worship (except maybe a cross above the rock band).

The "worship space" looks like a high school auditorium hosting a battle-of-the-bands contest, the "praise and worship" music sounds like something you would (and sometimes do) hear on any secular radio station, the feasts of the church are gone, any sense of majesty: gone; any sense of spirituality: gone; any sense of beauty, wonder, humilty, dignity, or awe: gone; any motivation to humble oneself before their Creator: gone. In other words, these places are about as secular as a "Christian" community can possibly be and yet there are people who attend them that actually have the temerity to complain, not about the secularization of their own churches, but about the secularization of the secular world. Hey folks; I undersand you want to put Christ "back into Christmas," but how about first putting Him back into Christianity!

If there is, in fact, a "war on Christmas," it is being LOST in American Evangelical "churches." Please pray for these people, that the scales may fall from their eyes and that they will allow the Lord to lead them into His Church.


*And yet, curiously, some modern churches have adopted the practice of observing Jewish holidays! That's right: they have eliminated all the ancient Christian Holy Days (except for one, Easter. Although I wonder: would these churches even celebrate Easter if it didn't happen to fall on a Sunday every year?) and have replaced them with non-Christian festivals! The old Jewish observances were given for the purpose of foretelling the coming of the Messiah. Now that the Messaiah has come, there is no need to celebrate them. Modern Evangelical Christians would know this if they had not completely lost touch with historic Christianity.

And please don't tell me that merely holding a candlelight Christmas Eve service is equivalent to celebrating Christmas, especially if you're unwilling to allow that "Happy Holidays" is as acceptible a greeting as "Merry Christmas." Christmas is, after all, one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar. At least to some of us...

In Defense of the Christmas Tree

From Mystagogy:

By Father Daniel Daly

Several years ago during the Christmas season, a religious program on television caught my attention. The program featured a discussion on the dangers of cults, especially to young people. I found myself agreeing with the panelists as they warned young people about the hazards of involvement in occult or “new age” spirituality.

During the interview, however, one participant made a statement that shocked me. “…and the Christmas tree is pagan too…,” he asserted. The Christmas Tree? Pagan? Could it be that something most of us enjoy so much might be actually pagan in origin? Despite its growing commercialization, the Christmas tree is still associated with the fondest memories of our early childhood. Who does not remember approaching the tree on Christmas morning? Today people are so captivated by it that some even put it up in November! It finds a place in the homes of believers and unbelievers alike.

Most people are aware that the Christmas tree came to America with immigrants from Germany, but just where did the Christmas tree originate? Are its origins to be found in paganism, as the speaker suggested?

The Christmas tree does not date from early Germanic times. Its origins are to be found in a tradition that has virtually disappeared from Christianity, the Liturgical Drama. In the Middle Ages liturgical plays or dramas were presented during or sometimes immediately after the services in the churches of Western Europe. The earliest of these plays were associated with the Mysteries of Holy Week and Easter. Initially they were dramatizations of the liturgical texts. The earliest recorded is the Quem quaeritis (“Whom do you seek?”) play of the Easter season. These plays later developed into the Miracle and Morality plays. Some were associated with events in the lives of well-known saints. The plays were presented on the porches of large churches. Although these liturgical dramas have now virtually disappeared, the Passion Play of Oberammergau, Germany is a recent revival of this dramatic form.

One mystery play was presented on Christmas Eve, the day which also commemorated the feast of Adam and Eve in the Western Church. The “Paradise Play” told the well-known story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Paradise. The central “prop” in the play was the Paradise Tree, or Tree of Knowledge. During the play this tree was brought in laden with apples.

The Paradise Tree became very popular with the German people. They soon began the practice of setting up a fir tree in their homes. Originally, the trees were decorated with bread wafers commemorating the Eucharist. Later, these were replaced with various kinds of sweets. Our Christmas tree is derived, not from the pagan yule tree, but from the paradise tree adorned with apples on December 24 in honor of Adam and Eve. The Christmas tree is completely biblical in origin.

The first Christmas tree dates from 1605 in Strasbourg. By the 1700s the custom of the Christmas tree was widespread among the German people. It was brought to America by early German immigrants, and it became popular in England through the influence of Prince Albert, the German husband of Queen Victoria.

The use of evergreens at Christmas may date from St. Boniface of the eighth century, who dedicated the fir tree to the Holy Child in order to replace the sacred oak tree of Odin; but the Christmas tree as we know it today does not appear to be so ancient a custom. It appears first in the Christian Mystery play commemorating the biblical story of Adam and Eve.

How legitimate is it to use a fir tree in the celebration of Christmas? From the very earliest days of the Church, Christians brought many things of God’s material creation into their life of faith and worship, e.g., water, bread, wine, oil, candles and incense. All these things are part of God’s creation. They are part of the world that Christ came to save. Man cannot reject the material creation without rejecting his own humanity. In Genesis man was given dominion over the material world.

Christmas celebrates the great mystery of the Incarnation. In that mystery God the Word became man. In order to redeem us, God became one of us. He became part of His own creation. The Incarnation affirms the importance of both man and the whole of creation. “For God so loved the world…”

A faith which would seek to divorce itself from all elements of the material world in search for an absolutely spiritual religion overlooks this most central mystery of Christmas, the mystery of God becoming man, the Incarnation. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Enjoy your Christmas tree.

Originally published in “The Word” magazine, December 2002. The Very Rev. Daniel Daly is pastor of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Grand Rapids, MI.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Christmas is the first day of a twelve-day celebration that concludes on the eve of Theophany (i.e. celebration of the Baptism of Christ, Jan 6/19).

Everybody in the western world is familiar with the song about the Twelve Days of Christmas; I recently learned that it was written in 16th century England when Roman Catholics were being persecuted for their faith.

Partridge in a pear tree...Christ
Two Turtle Doves...Old and New Testaments
Three French Hens...Faith, Hope and Love
Four Calling Birds...The Four Gospels
Five Golden Rings...The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch"
Six Geese A-laying...The six days of creation
Seven Swans A-swimming...The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Eight Maids A-milking...The eight beatitudes
Nine Ladies Dancing...The nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Ten Lords A-leaping...The Ten Commandments
Eleven Pipers Piping...The eleven faithful Apostles
Twelve Drummers Drumming...The twelve points of doctrine in the Nicene Creed

Nativity Sermon of St John Chrysostom

I behold a new and wondrous mystery!

My ears resound to the shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn!

The angels sing!

The archangels blend their voices in harmony!

The cherubim resound their joyful praise!

The Seraphim exalt His glory!

All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead herein… on earth and man in heaven. He who is above now, for our salvation, dwells here below; and we, who were lowly, are exalted by divine mercy!

Today Bethlehem resembles heaven, hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices and, in place of the sun, witnessing the rising of the Sun of Justice!

Ask not how this is accomplished, for where God wills, the order of nature is overturned. For He willed He had the powers He descended. He saved. All things move in obedience to God.

Today He Who Is, is born ! And He Who Is becomes what He was not! For when He was God, He became man-while not relinquishing the Godhead that is His…

And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him angels, nor archangels, nor thrones, nor dominions, nor powers, nor principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb.

Yet He has not forsaken His angels, nor left them deprived of His care, nor because of His incarnation has He ceased being God. And behold kings have come, that they might serve the Leader of the Hosts of Heaven; Women, that they might adore Him Who was born of a woman so that He might change the pains of childbirth into joy; Virgins, to the Son of the Virgin…

Infants, that they may adore Him who became a little child, so that out of the mouths of infants He might perfect praise;

Children, to the Child who raised up martyrs through the rage of Herod; Men, to Him who became man that He might heal the miseries of His servants;

Shepherds, to the Good Shepherd who was laid down His life for His sheep;

Priests, to Him who has become a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek;

Servants, to Him who took upon Himself the form of a servant, that He might bless our stewardship with the reward of freedom (Philippians 2:7);

Fishermen, to the Fisher of humanity;

Publicans, to Him who from among them named a chosen evangelist;

Sinful women, to Him who exposed His feet to the tears of the repentant woman;

And that I may embrace them all together, all sinners have come, that they may look upon the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

Since, therefore, all rejoice, I too desire to rejoice! I too wish to share the choral dance, to celebrate the festival! But I take my part, not plucking the harp nor with the music of the pipes nor holding a torch, but holding in my arms the cradle of Christ!

For this is all my hope!

This is my life!

This is my salvation!

This is my pipe, my harp!

And bearing it I come, and having from its power received the gift of speech, I too, with the angels and shepherds, sing:

“Glory to God in the Highest! and on earth peace to men of good will!

Courtesy of Scholé

Xmas

From "Don't Cross Out Christ!" on the Per Christum Catholic blog:

Along with “happy holidays” (which I actually use with my Christian friends because, I prefer covering Advent/Christmas/Epiphany in one fell swoop), “Xmas” is often the target of culture warriors, wanting to prevent Christ from getting the “x,” of all times, during the season of his birth!

However, Wikipedia (believe it or not!) points us to the truth that those who know Greek already are aware of: X is the Greek letter chi, and was often paired with rho, and used as a very ancient symbol for Jesus. In fact the chi-rho symbol was more common, and ancient, than the symbol of the cross.

In our society, in which classical education is lacking, it probably seems like a slight to our Lord to use “X” for his name, but hey, every great person needs a rocking nickname, and what could be cooler than “X?” Personally, I wouldn’t mind being called “X,” since it is sufficiently tough and yet has an air of mystery (a kind of “he’s cool, but don’t mess with him” type of name). But, in all seriousness, using “Xmas” is not an attack on Jesus, just an abbreviation with an ancient history. So, once December 25th gets here, have a very Merry Xmas, or if you have more time, a very merry Glorious Nativity of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ (let’s see the heathens abbreviate that!).


(see this website for a well-intentioned but mistaken plea not to "cross out life's best name." m)

Candy-cane Lore

The following is an article by Nichola T. Krause for Orthodox Family Life:

The stockings that I found as a child next to my bedroom door on the morning of December 6th—St. Nicholas’ feast day—and tucked under the tree on Christmas morning were always overflowing with goodies: oranges and apples, walnuts and pecans still in the shell, and candy, candy, candy!

But each candy meant something: There were always gum-drop bells in the stocking to represent the songs the angels sang to the shepherds about Christ’s birth, and chocolate coins for the bundles of gold coins Bishop Nicholas left for the poor family with three daughters. Finally, the big candy cane slipped over the cuff of the stocking was a symbol of the staff that Bishop Nicholas carried: every bishop carries one just like it, too, because the bishops are responsible for watching over the Lord’s flock.

My mother taught me to say an extra prayer for “my” bishop whenever I crunched into a candy cane, or hung one on a wreath or tree branch, so he’d do his job well. I just knew him as a kind, older man with a long white beard and bright purple “cape” who visited our parish several times a year; I had no other understanding of his duties. Now, as an adult, I know how much “my” bishop travels so that he can watch over, teach, and reassure ‘the flock”—building and strengthening the Church—and I know why my mother told me what she did! (Candy-cane season doesn’t seem like enough any more, so I’ve extended this personal tradition to be applied for all types of mints. Silly, I know, but a great reminder to pray…)

Here is another bite of “modern” candy-cane lore you might enjoy sharing with your children, adapted from ACSI Ohio River Valley Regional News, November/December 2000:

Many years ago, a pious old candy maker decided to make a special candy for Christmas, to remind people how important this holiday was and what it really meant. He started with pure white mint candy, to remind those who tasted it of the sinless nature of Christ and the way He came into the world: born of a pure virgin. He made the candy hard, so those who broke off pieces would remember the “rock” on which Christ built His Church, the statement of the Apostle Peter that He was indeed the only Son of God.

The candy maker shaped the stick of candy into a crook, to remind those who saw it that Jesus Christ is the both Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God. When He hears even one stray sheep calling, He will find him and return him to the flock, and He offered Himself as a sacrifice to bring salvation to all mankind.

Thinking that his candy creation was very plain, for all it symbolized, the candy maker added a thick red stripe to it, for the Blood that He shed on the Cross, along with three thin stripes, for the scourging and humiliation He suffered on our behalf.

The candy cane tells the story of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Nativity, Part 2

Yesterday, Christians of Israel, Russia, Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine, and Greece began the celebration of the birth of Christ. A few Old Calendar churches in the U.S. and elsewhere did as well, including the church Kathryn and I attend.

Christmas on the Orthodox Old calendar is, like everything else in Orthodox Christianity, unlike any other Christmas celebration I've previously experienced. "Western Christmas," as it is sometimes called by those who observe the old calendar, takes place as the culmination of a two-month-long exercise in market-driven chaos. It's not difficult under the circumstances to forget why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

Old calendar churches are able to celebrate Christ's birth long after the noise has died down. As it turns out, it's easier to refocus on what's important when one isn't reminded every other second that "Santa Claus is coming to town." So, Tuesday evening we enjoyed a delightful twelve-course Lenten (meaning that it is in keeping with the fasting guidelines, i.e. no meat or oil) meal at the church, and then celebrated the Nativity Vigil. Then yesterday morning was the Nativity Divine Liturgy. It was as celebratory and dignified and worshipful as ever; and totally, completely focused on Christ, free of clutter, free of distraction.

I like old calendar Christmas because it pays no attention to what is important to the world.

And I learned yesterday that the Orthodox Church is the only church that, to this day still worships Christ with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Nativity

Ode I.
Christ is born; glorify Him!
Christ comes from heaven; go to meet Him!
Christ is on earth; be exalted.
Sing to the Lord, all the earth, and praise Him with gladness,
O people, for He has been glorified.

Ode III.
To the Son, begotten of the Father before all ages and
Incarnate of the Virgin without seed in these latter days, to Christ our God, let us cry out!
Thou hast raised up our horn; Holy art Thou, O Lord!

Ode IV.
Stem and flower of the root of Jesse,
Thou hast blossomed from the Virgin, O Christ.
From the mountain overshadowed by the forest
Thou art come, made flesh from her that knew no man.
O God, not formed from matter -- Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Ode V.
O God of Peace, Father of mercies,
Thou hast sent Thine angel of great counsel to grant us peace.
We are guided to the light of the knowledge of God,
And keeping watch by night we glorify Thee, O Lover of man!

Ode VI.
The sea monster cast forth Jonah as it had received him,
Like a babe from the womb, and when the
Word came to dwell in the Virgin and was made flesh,
He came forth preserving her incorrupt.
For as He Himself was not subject to decay,
He kept His mother free from harm.

Ode VII.
The children brought up together in godliness
Scorned the impious decree of the tyrant.
They were not afraid of the threat of fire;
But standing in the midst of the flames they sang:
Blessed art Thou, O God of our Fathers.

Ode VIII.
The furnace moist with dew was an image
Prefiguring a wonder beyond nature,
For it did not burn the children whom it had had received.
Nor did the fire of Divinity consume the Virgin’s womb when it entered it.
So let us raise the song:
Let all creation bless the Lord and exalt Him throughout all ages.

Ode IX.
A strange and most wonderful mystery do I see:
The cave is heaven;
The virgin the throne of the cherubim;
The manger a room, in which Christ,
The God whom nothing can contain, is laid.
Him do we praise and magnify.

(Nativity Canon, Odes 1-9)

Heaven and earth are united today, for Christ is born.

Today has God come upon earth and man gone up to heaven.

Today for man's sake is seen in the flesh He who by nature is invisible.

Therefore let us also give glory and cry aloud to Him:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace!

Which Thy coming has bestowed upon us O Savior, glory to Thee!
("Heaven and Earth are United Today," Nativity Hymn)

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, has shone to the world the light of wisdom!

For by it, those who worshiped the stars were taught by a star to adore Thee, the Sun of Righteousness and to know Thee, the Orient from on high.

O Lord, glory to Thee!
(Christmas Troparion).

Happy New Year!

With the depressing appearance of more and more dried-up and discarded Christmas trees on curbs all over town, it's nice to attend a church whose celebration of Christmas is still nearly a week away...

This is a Christmas carol from "the Christians of the Middle East who have been witnessing to faith in the Saviour since His incarnation in their midst."

Christ is born, glorify him.
Christ is from heaven, go to meet him.
Christ is on earth, be ye lifted up.
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing out with gladness, all ye people.
For he is glorified.
(First Ode of the Christmas Canon)

Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One,
And the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One!
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him!
The wise men journey with the star!
Since for our sake the Eternal God is born as a little child
(Christmas Kontakion)

No Room at the Inns

How appropriate...

From Mere Comments:

By Judith Sudilovsky
Bethlehem, 22 December (ENI)-- Hotel capacity is often around 100 percent these days, so things are looking up for Bethlehem says the head of the city's chamber of commerce and industry board.

Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairperson, Samir Hazboun, told reporters that Bethlehem had celebrated its one millionth visitor of the year in November. This, Hazboun said, was the highest number in decades, and he hoped there would be at least 100,000 more visitors by the end of 2008.

Yet, although visitors from India, Poland and Russia are expected to increase, the people of Bethlehem believe the current world economic crisis will hit them after Christmas, Hazboun noted.

Of the current visitors to Bethlehem, 76 percent are pilgrims, and while most tourists stay in the city for only about two hours, some who come for religious reasons spend the night in order to attend a church service or pray at the holy sites.

Bethlehem has a hotel capacity of 3,000 rooms, Hazboun said, and the construction of three new hotels now being completed will add another 250 rooms. Still, he said this would not be enough to accommodate all the visitors who come to Bethlehem.

The city is increasingly perceived as a safe destination, Hazboun asserted. He said Bethlehem currently receives about 100 tour buses daily.

Hazboun said 27 percent of the 185,000 residents of the district, which includes the "Christian triangle" of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jalla and some smaller villages, are Christian. In Bethlehem proper, which has 31,000 residents, the figure is 45 percent

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Advent...

...begins today.