The Christmas Season

“The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned”
Isaiah 9:2.

Mr. Pablo Cuadra

Religion Class
 Scripture Reading
• “I bring you good news of a
great joy … for to you is born
this day in the city of David a
Savior, who is Christ the Lord”.
(Lk 2:10-11).

Manger square, Bethlehem

 What is the meaning of the word
Christmas?
• The word Christmas comes from the Old
English Cristes Maesse, the Mass of
Christ.

• Christmas, therefore, literally means

Christ’s Mass.

• Christmas’ day is the only day when three

masses are celebrated continuously:
Midnight Mass, Dawn Mass and Christmas’
day mass.

• In total, there are four liturgical celebrations

marking the beginning of the Holy season
of Christmas: The vigil Mass on December
24th and the three masses of Christmas’
Day on December 25th.

‘What good is it that Christ was born 2,000 years ago if he is not born now in your heart?’ Meister Eckhart
 What is Christmas about?
• Historically, Christmas commemorates the birth
of Jesus of Nazareth to a young virgin from
Galilee named Mary.

• Theologically, Christmas is the celebration of

the mystery of the incarnation.

• The word incarnation means to “Take flesh”.

We believe that God became flesh like one of
us in the person of Jesus.

• The mystery of the incarnation is at the heart of

the celebration of Christmas.

• Jesus the Prince of peace, Emmanuel, “God is

with us” was born to redeem us and to
reconcile humanity to God.

• Christmas marks the birth of our redemption

and the fulfillment of the promised of salvation
made by God to the people of Israel.
 How long is the Season of Christmas?
And when does Christmas begin?
• The length of the liturgical Season
Christmas vary from year to year,
depending on what weekday December
25th occurs in any particular year.

• Christmas begins with Vigil Mass on

December 24th and culminates with the
feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

• This liturgical year (2008) the Baptism of

the Lord will be on January 13.

• The exact dates of several other feasts

celebrated each year during the
Christmas Season are subject to change
from year to year.

• Hence, they are called movable feasts.

 Why do we celebrate Jesus’ birth
on December 25th?
• By the early fourth century, Christians
began celebrating Christmas, the birth of
Jesus, on December 25, as an alternative to
the pagan observance of the winter solstice
known as Deis Natalis Solis Invicti, “The
birthday of the unconquered sun”.

• As Christianity, gradually, became the

official religion of the Roman empire many
of these pagan feasts were Christianized
and infused with a Christological theme.

• Hence, the unconquered sun became a

Christian symbol of Jesus the true sun of
justice, and the pagan observance of the
winter solstice evolved into what is known
today as Christmas.

• The development of this feast traveled from

the Christian West to the Christian East.
 Christmas History
• Christmas was not among the earliest festivals
of the Church. Irenaeus and Tertullian omit it
from their lists of feasts.
• The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.
About A.D. 200, Clement of Alexandria says
that certain Egyptian theologians "over
curiously" assign, not the year alone, but the
day of Christ's birth, placing it on 25 Pachon (20
May) in the twenty-eighth year of Augustus.
• Jerusalem for the day celebrations.
In Cyprus, at the end of the fourth century,
Epiphanius asserts against the Alogi that Christ
was born on 6 January and baptized on 8
November. Ephraem Syrus (whose hymns
belong to Epiphany, not to Christmas) proves
that Mesopotamia still put the birth feast thirteen
days after the winter solstice.
• In Cappadocia, Gregory of Nyssa's sermons
on St. Basil preached on St. Stephen's feast
prove that in 380 the 25th December was
already celebrated there.
• In Jerusalem 385, Silvia of Bordeaux (or
Etheria, as it seems clear she should be
called) was profoundly impressed by the
splendid Childhood feasts at Jerusalem. They
had a definitely "Nativity" coloring; the bishop
proceeded nightly to Bethlehem, returning to
• At Rome the earliest evidence is in the
Philocalian Calendar compiled in 354, which
contains three important entries: In the civil
calendar 25 December is marked "Natalis
Invicti". In the "Depositio Martyrum" a list of
Roman or early and universally venerated
martyrs, under 25 December is found "VIII kal.
ian. natus Christus in Betleem Iudeæ".
 The Octave of Christmas
• Christmas has its own octave (eight days of
celebration) during which the feasts of St
Stephen (26th), Saint John (27th) and the
Holy Innocents (28th) are celebrated.

• These saints are seen as having a particular

relation to the Christmas mystery and are
traditionally honored as “companions of
Christ”. The Sunday within the Christmas
octave is celebrated as the feast of the Holy
Family.

• The last day of the Christmas octave, 1st

January, is observed as the Solemnity of
Mary, Mother of God.
Feasts celebrated during the Octave of
Christmas
• St. Stephen, the first martyr –
December 26
• St. John, Apostle and Evangelist –
December 27
• Holy Innocents, Martyrs–
December 28
• Holy Family Sunday (movable
feast)
• Mary, the Mother of God (January
1)
• The feast of Mary Mother of God
ends the Octave of Christmas.

• Epiphany (traditionally Jan 6, this

is a movable feast)
• Baptism of the Lord (movable
feast)
 Scripture
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will
be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince
of Peace”
Isaiah 9:6
 Epiphany
• Epiphany is a Greek word that means
appearance or manifestation.

• In the Christian East the feast of the

Epiphany marked the beginning of the
celebration of the birth of Christ.

• The Feast of Epiphany was later

adopted by the Christian West. Where
it is celebrated together with the
Christmas season.

• Originally, Epiphany marked the end of

the season of Christmas in the
Churches of the West.

• Epiphany was celebrated twelve days

after the beginning of Christmas.
 Did you know?
The Twelve days of Christmas
• Aside from the fact that Epiphany—which comes twelve days after Christmas—used to
mark the end of the Christmas Season, the “Twelve Days of Christmas” are not really any
part of Catholic liturgy.

• The song of that name actually derives from a time in England from 1558 to 1829 when it
was illegal to be a Catholic, and so the song contains a hidden catechism of Catholic
theology.

• A Partridge in a Pear Tree: Jesus Christ

• Two Turtle Doves: The Old and New Testaments
• Three French Hens: The Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity)
• Four Calling Birds: The Four Gospels / The Four Evangelists
• 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 / The Seven Sacraments
• 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 Apostle’s Creed
 Christmas symbols
• The liturgical color of the
Christmas season is white.

Non-liturgical symbols and

celebrations associated with
Christmas are:

• The crib or crèche

• The Christmas tree
• The Posadas
• St. Nicholas
 Scripture
• “Glory to God in the
highest; and on earth
peace to men of good
will.” Luke 2;14
 Infancy Narratives
• There are two infancy narratives in
the Gospels that tell the story of
Jesus’ birth.

• These narratives come from the

Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

• Matthew’s account narrates the visit

of the wise men from the East, the
slaughtered of the Holy Innocents by
Herod and the flight of the Holy
Family into Egypt.

• Luke’s account narrates the story of

Jesus being born in a manger,
because there was no room in the inn
and the appearance of the Angels to
the shepherds.
 Did you know?
• Bethlehem the city where
Jesus was born means
“house of bread”.

• Catholics believe Jesus is the

true Bread from Heaven. John
6:35.

• Catholics believe in the “Real

Presence” of Christ in the
Eucharist. John 6: 53-56

• The city of Bethlehem is home to

one of the largest Palestinian
Christian communities in the Holy The star at the church of
Land. the nativity marks the place
where Jesus was born.
 The Church of the Nativity
• The Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem was built upon the
cave that tradition marks the
birthplace of Jesus.

• The Church of the Nativity is

operated under the patronage
of the Roman Catholic and
Orthodox churches.

• The Church of the Nativity is

considered a sacred place of
worship for both Christians and
Muslims faiths.
Church of the Nativity
 Did you know?
• Christmas was against the Law in
Massachusetts beginning in 1659.

• The ban, established by the

puritans, existed as law for 22
years, but disapproval of
Christmas celebration took many
more years to change.

• Christmas was condemned as an

invention of the Popes.

• In fact, it wasn't until the mid-

1800s that celebrating Christmas
became fashionable in the Boston
region.
 The Christmas Crèche
• The tradition of the Christmas
crib or crèche was started by
St. Francis of Assisi.

• At Christmas 1223 he
celebrated the birth of Jesus in
an outdoor pageant and Mass
in the village of Greccio, thus
giving to the Christian world
ever since the Christmas crib
or crèche.
 Pope Benedict’s Message for
Christmas in 2005
• “At Christmas, the Almighty becomes a child and asks for our help and
protection. His way of showing that he is God challenges our way of being
human. By knocking at our door, he challenges us and our freedom; he calls
us to examine how we understand and live our lives. The modern age is
often seen as an awakening of reason from its slumbers, humanity’s
enlightenment after an age of darkness. Yet without the light of Christ, the
light of reason is not sufficient to enlighten humanity and the world. For this
reason, the words of the Christmas Gospel: "the true Light that enlightens
every man was coming into this world" (Jn 1:9) resound now more than ever
as a proclamation of salvation. "It is only in the mystery of the Word made
flesh that the mystery of humanity truly becomes clear" .
 How to celebrate Christmas?
• Each day of Christmas spend sometime reflecting on the
meaning of the Incarnation. What does it mean to you to be
saved?

• Make plans to attend the Midnight Mass with your family or the
Christmas Mass (Holy day of obligation).

• Read the infancy narratives to your children and explain to

them their connection with the Christmas season.

• Do not take down the Christmas decorations until the Feast of

the Baptism of the Lord (Jan 13).

• Make plans to attend a Christmas recital or play with your

family or friends.

• Practice the corporal works of mercy. For instance, sponsor a

child through a charity.

• Slow down, try to spend more time with your family.

• Make a donation of diapers, formula or baby food to your local

church or pro-life office in your diocese.

• Pray to the Prince of Peace for Peace in the world, but above
all be a peacemaker.
 Prayer
Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every
greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

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