Christmas

   Why do the Christian churches  celebrate  the Feast  of the Holy Nativity  and  Theophany of Our Lord  Jesus Christ  on various  days?

   The Armenian Apostolic Church  celebrates  the Feast  of  the Holy Nativity  and Theophany  of  the Lord Jesus  Christ  on January 6.  the roman  Catholic  celebrates  the Feast of   the holy  Nativity  and Theophany  of Our Lord   Jesus Christ  on December 25.

   Before  the 4^th  century all  Christians celebrated  the Feast of the  Holy Nativity  and   Theophany  of Our Lord Jesus Christ  on  January 6.  However, even  after adopting  Christianity  Romans  continued  to  celebrate  heathen  feasts.  The thing  is  that   on  December  25  the feast  dedicated  to the  worship  of sun was  solemnly  celebrated.  In  order to hinder  the  celebration  of  heathen  feasts in 336  the Roman  catholic  officially  proclaimed   December  25  as the day  of birth  of Jesus  Christ.  Later  the day  of Jesus Christ  was   moved  to December  25  in Assyria  and almost in all  parts  of the  east, and  January  6  remained  as the day  of the holy nativity and Thophany  and Baptism  of our Lord  Jesus    Christ.

  Only  the Armenian apostolic  Church  has  remained  loyal  to the ancient  tradition  and  evangelical  calculations  and  celebrates  the Feast  of the Holy Nativity  and Theophany  of  Our Lord  Jesus  Christ  jointly  on January 6.

  Why  does period of fast coincide  with  period  of New  year?

  According  to the Armenian  apostolic  Church  the week preceding the Feast  of the Holy  Nativity  and  Theophany  of Our Lord Jesus  Christ- December  30- January  5-is  fasting  period  and  people  eat  food  of exceptionally  vegetable  origin.

 According  to the old  Armenian  Calendar  the  new Year  was celebrated  of August  11  which  didn’t  coincide  with  the fasting  period.  Later the new  calendar was accepted  and as the  result  of it  people  started to  celebrate the New  Year on December  31  which  coincided  with  the  period  of fast  preceding  the Feast  of the holy Nativity  and Theophany  of Our lord   Jesus  Christ.

  The period of  fast  comes to end  in the  evening of  January 5 when a candlelight  Divine  Liturgy  is  celebrated  and the great  tiding of Jesus’  birth is proclaimed  to the  faithful.  People   greet  each  other  saying,  Christ  is born  and Revealed !  Blessed  is the Revelation of  Christ.  

  What is Candlelight  Divine Liturgy?

It  is interesting that  the celebration of the Feast of the holy Nativity  and Theophany  of Our   Lord  Jesus  Christ  starts  on the  evening of January 5  as  the church  day  changes  at 17: 00  p.m.,  after  the evening  service.  So the  celebration  of the  feast  starts  in the  evening of   January 5 and is  continued on  January 6 . 

  In the evening of January 5  candlelight  Divine  Liturgy  is celebrated  in all  Armenian

churches.  It is  interesting  that  candlelight  Divine Liturgy  is   celebrated only  twice  during  the   year  on the eve  of the Feast  of the Holy  Nativity and Theophany  of Our Lord  Jesus  Christ  and on the eve of the Feast  of the Glorious  Resurrection  of  Our Lord Jesus  Christ. In the evening of that  day people  take to their homes  candles lit in the church  symbolizing  the divine light and the  blessing  of the Church. Lighting  candles  symbolizes  also the light  of Bethlehem  star  leading  the magi  from the  east to the   Baby Jesus.

 Ceremonies  related to the Feast  of the Holy Nativity  and Theophany  of Our Lord  Jesus Christ

 Blessing of the Waters  Service  to  celebrate  the Baptism  of Christ  in the river  Jordan.  The  wonder-working  water blessed  by means  of cross  and  Holy Chrism  is  distributed  to the  faithful  for spiritual  and bodily healing.

  Among the ceremonies  related to the  feast  is the Blessing  of the Home Service.  After the  Feast  of holy Nativity  and Theophany  of Our Lord Jesus Christ  and the Feast  of the  Glorious  Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ  people  invite  clergy  to their  homes  and  offices  to  receive the life-giving  tiding and  divine  blessing. Blessing of the Home Service is  performed  also  when the peace of home is disturbed and the  presence of evil forces is felt.

  January 7, as well  as all  the days  following  the major feasts are memorial days ( or  days of Remembrance  of the dead).  On January 7 ( and all  memorial  days ) a special  Repose  of Souls  Service  is  offered in memory  of the dead  after which people  go the graveyards  to pay visit  to  their  relative’s tombs.

   The ceremonies  related to the  Feast of the Holy Nativity  and Theophany  of Our Lord Jesus Christ are concluded on  January 13,  the Feast of   Naming of Our  Lord Jesus  Christ.

           

   

This material has  been  courteously  provided by the press service of the  Ararat Patriarchal  Diocese at    qahana.am/