Tag: christianity

Origin of Christmas tree: From Pagan roots to modern tradition
Yes, there is no mention of a Christmas tree in the narrative surrounding Jesus’ birth. And the early Christmas trees did not appear until the 15th century. When Martin Luther and other reformers claimed the Christmas tree for the Protestants, the Nativity scene had hitherto been associated with Christmas only in the Catholic tradition. The habit of adorning the home with evergreens is traced to the Germans, and it finally spread to the United States in the 1830s. The custom didn’t fully take off until German Prince Albert offered one to his wife, Queen Victoria of England. Royal fever was propagated through illustrations of the couple in 1848 in front of a Christmas tree.
Christmas tree has been around for at least 4,000 years
The Samhain festival of the Celts is at least 4,500 to 5000 years old.
The Christmas tree custom, which has been around for at least 4,000 years, has its roots in Northern Europe, notably among the Celts. This is due to the Samhain festival of the Celts which is at least 4,500 to 5000 years old. The winter solstice represented the sun’s rebirth and renewal, hence its symbolism was significant. In the past, on December 24, it was usual to adorn the Christmas tree with edible items like fruit and ears of wheat. In order to compete with this pagan event, the Christian Church in the 4th century decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on the same day.
The Celts attributed a tree to each month of the year, and December’s tree was the one they identified with the celebration of the winter solstice. This custom predates Christianity by at least 2,500 years. In the 11th century, men used red apples as a garnish to represent the heavenly realm of Christianity. In Europe, an ordinary festive tree first made its appearance in Alsace, France, in the 12th century. The tree was given the moniker “the Christmas tree” only for the first time in 1521. Apples, chocolates, and miniature cakes were placed within, and the star of Bethlehem was carefully placed atop the tree as a symbol of the celebration.
Was the first Christmas tree a palm tree?
Probably not but the Christmas tree’s Arabic origin appears in the Koran in a passage with Maryam (or Mary), where she is astonished by childbirth pangs and rests against a tree. Arabic for “Jesus” is “Isa,” and he is born beneath a (Christmas) tree in this story. But this tree wasn’t your average tree; it was a palm tree.
The Pagan origin of the Christmas tree
A Pagan ritual with Donar’s oak (or Thor’s oak) behind.
The Christmas tree is an ancient custom and it seems likely that the modern Christmas tree has its roots in a more Pagan observance. Pagan people traditionally welcomed winter into their houses at the time of the winter solstice. These living, verdant branches were thought to ward off evil winter spirits while also promising safety and fruitfulness.
The custom of putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it dates back to ancient pagan customs. An evergreen tree was decked up with paper ornaments, candles, fruit, and nuts at the time. For this purpose, apples were employed more than any other fruit.
The Christmas tree also dates back to Saturnalia in ancient Rome when the Romans celebrated their god Saturn. In order to celebrate the arrival of spring at the winter solstice on 17–23 December, Pagan Roman families always brought their homes evergreen branches and adorned trees which later became the base of today’s Christmas tree.
Many of the customs we identify with Christmas originated in Saturnalia festivities which also originated in Pagan traditions such as candles, dancing, eating, wreaths, and gifts.
The Romans were familiar with the practice of using green branches to mark the New Year’s Eve celebration, since they did it themselves during the Kalends (the Roman New Year festival) by decorating their homes with laurel.
Evergreen branches were also utilized as a symbol of perpetual life when the Druids, ancient Celtic priests, decorated their temples in Northern Europe. As the “barbaric” Vikings venerated Balder, the sun god, evergreen trees were honored throughout Scandinavia.
Ra was a hawk-headed deity in ancient Egyptian religion who was crowned with a solar disk. The Egyptians celebrated the victory of life over death by decorating their dwellings with green palm rushes on the solstice, when Ra started to recover from his curse.
The Christian origin of the modern Christmas tree
Boniface felling the Donar Oak, painting by Heinrich Maria von Hess in 1834.
An Englishman named Saint Boniface (675-754) traveled to what is now Germany to share the gospel with the native Pagan tribes. The great tree known as Donar’s oak (Thor’s oak), which the new Christians had been worshiping and using for sacrifices, was knocked down by him in 723 or 724 with one mighty blow of his axe. A fir tree sprang from the hole where the tree had split in two.
Because it was a hallowed tree, the Tree of the Christ Child, Saint Boniface explained to the villagers that it held the promise of eternal life. Then, on Christmas, Boniface instructed them to bring a fir tree from the woods into their homes and adorn it with gifts of love and kindness. The result was the origin of the fir Christmas tree.
In the Middle Ages (between the 5th and 15th centuries), Pagan and Christian beliefs began to blend. Church leaders realized early on that they needed to reach out to illiterate members of the community by representing biblical themes in art. This practice gained momentum throughout the Middle Ages.
Among them all, the myth of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden had long been told. So, a “paradise tree” would be instructive for a paradise setting. It was imperative that this tree be evergreen, thus, a fir tree was chosen. Meanwhile, the red apple in the story was the symbol of knowledge, and therefore, it became an indispensable part of the Christmas tree, even today.
The original tale told around the green tree with the apple was not the Christmas story but rather the story of Adam and Eve and the snake. The “tree of paradise” became associated with the Christmas tale throughout time, and thus it may be seen as the progenitor of the Christmas tree that is now adorned with gifts of candy, cookies, and ornaments made of gold.
It is safe to say that the modern version of the Christmas tree with fir was created by Christians. Above all else, though, the actual Christmas tree is an emblem of expectation in many different faiths.
Fir trees in Germany were the first to be decorated
For the modern history of the Christmas tree, a decorated tree is first referenced in 1419 in conjunction with the bakers’ guild of Freiburg in Germany. Though the tree’s origins are still murky. For instance, 2020 marked the 510th anniversary of the adorned Christmas tree in Riga, Latvia.
Therefore, southwest Germany seems to be the birthplace of the decorated fir tree, which evolved from the practice of keeping evergreen branches inside the home, a Pagan tradition. A local legend claims that the Christmas tree trade took place in Strasbourg as early as 1535.
Candles were not offered, but the little yew, holly, and box trees adorned the parlor walls at the time. In 1570, the ritual spread north to Bremen, where guild houses of artisans hung apples, and nuts on their trees. Children were encouraged to take the edible decorations home and devour them.
The fir as a Christmas tree was popularized in the 19th century
In this illustration from December 1848, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children all gather around the royal Christmas tree.
Beginning in 1730, candles were also used to adorn Christmas trees. But initially, only Protestant households decorated trees with lights. During the liberation struggles against Napoleon Bonaparte at the turn of the 19th century, the fir tree became a popular decoration in homes of all faiths. Even non-Christians began to associate the tree with Christmas during this period.
At the tail end of the 19th century, the practice of adorning trees spread across Germany, first to the urban centers and later to the rural areas. Eventually, the Christmas tree made its way throughout Europe, helped by the links of German aristocratic families to other kingdoms.
Although the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree began in Germany, it was made widely known in the 1840s in Britain thanks to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The German Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was Victoria’s mother, therefore the little princess’s upbringing included a Christmas tree and all the trimmings. When the Illustrated London News released a depiction of the royal family gathered around a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle that year (1848), the practice of adorning an entire tree became more widespread in Britain.
Along with emigrants, German troops who participated in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) also helped spread the Christmas tree across the New World in the 1800s. Washington, D.C.’s first “Christmas Tree” was placed in front of the White House in 1891.
Origin of the notable Christmas trees
The National Christmas Tree of 1929. (Image: Congress’s Library)
The tradition of the “Christmas Tree” spread to the United States in the 19th century. In the United States, the Ellipse to the south of the White House has had a Christmas tree every year since November 1923, when First Lady Grace Goodhue Coolidge (1879–1957) approved the idea and gave the go-ahead to the District of Columbia Public Schools in Washington. The tree was officially dubbed the “National Christmas Tree” by its organizers.
Another well-known Christmas tree has its roots in WWII. It is the Norwegian fir that is displayed annually in London’s Trafalgar Square. Since 1947, London’s Trafalgar Square has featured a Christmas tree that has been sent from Oslo. This event is a tribute to the two nations’ resistance against Nazi Germany.
Trafalgar Square Christmas trees. Image: Wikimedia.
Similarly, at Christmastime, the Pope and everyone in Rome marvel at the beauty of a massive tree in St. Peter’s Square known as the Vatican Christmas Tree. It is customary to import the tree from a new nation every year.
The glistening Christmas tree even spread to Latin America after World War II. The ones with the means would buy a tree imported from Europe and adorn it with cotton flakes on Christmas Eve in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia.
A Christmas tree is an essential part of the holiday season, bringing delight to both children and adults. And today, towns and cities fight to have the biggest and best Christmas tree in the middle of their biggest square. A clipped tree usually dies within 40 days. But scientists have found a way to increase their life to 75 days.
December 22, 2022
A preacher called the end of the world 200 years ago
Two hundred years ago, American William Miller was inspired by a Bible text to declare the end of the world was near. Let’s shed light on the events that led to this conclusion. While the beginning and conclusion of religious movements are often recorded, their demise is seldom dated to the minute. Millerites, who predicted the end of the world in 1844 but were wrong, suffered the same fate.
William Miller was the one responsible for starting a religious movement. He completed the standard educational path after being born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1782. There is no indication that he ever went on to receive formal education or training of any kind, yet even as a kid, he read voraciously. And he had plenty of opportunities as a young man to satisfy his need for knowledge by visiting numerous libraries.
Miller settled in the village of Poultney, Vermont, was married at age 21, and quickly rose to prominence among his peers there. He acted as a peacemaker in the community in addition to his other duties. He had a change of heart about religion after talking to many well-read folks in the neighborhood.
William Miller, 1782–1849, the American preacher, often forecasted that a certain day would mark the end of the world. Still, the inevitable conclusion never materialized.
He was raised in a Baptist family but abandoned that faith during college and now considered himself a Deist. There, he still considered himself to be a believer, yet he was firm in his belief that the key to understanding God was rooted in reason rather than in the revelation found in the Bible.
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In light of his new beliefs, he no longer thought that miracles were signs from God. This was an outlook he would have to alter shortly.
Divine intervention
Miller, along with several other local males, went to New York State in 1812 to enlist in the United States Army to fight against the British. He was now exposed to the realities of battle. Miller’s fort was heavily bombarded by cannons during the 1814 Battle of Plattsburgh. Miller attributed his own survival to divine intervention when a shell landed near him, killing four troops and wounding two more.
Miller began to really contemplate the afterlife following the untimely deaths of his father and sister in 1815. He had second thoughts about his deism and started to read the Bible more intensively.
The Bible specifies the year of the end of the world
Miller drew one main conclusion from his reading of the Bible: the end of the world was near. Daniel 8:14 states: “He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”
Miller argued that the days in this passage should be read as years. Then Christ would return and cleanse the planet with fire. This meant that the end of the world was imminent, and it would come either before the year 1843 or in that year. 1822 had begun, so it wasn’t too far away.
But Miller waited nearly a decade before he started sharing his thoughts with the public. First proclaiming the end of the world to a small crowd in 1831, he submitted 16 pieces to the Baptist journal the “Vermont Telegraph” in 1832.
Since the end of the world was obviously not something that occurred daily, he was getting a lot of questions. Miller released a 64-page treatise in 1834 to save himself the trouble of personally responding to each inquiry about his beliefs.
The birth of Millerism
Miller’s estimations for the end of the world’s year, also the Second Coming’s year, in 1843, shown on a chart.
From now on, Miller’s ideas would be spread through an extensive publicity drive. A group of people in Boston, inspired by a clergyman named Joshua Vaughan Himes (1805–1895), worked to spread the word about Miller via a number of brand-new publications.
Numerous new magazines were published for various audiences in both the United States (especially in New York City) and Canada.
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Many of the 48 publications were short-lived, but they all helped to turn Miller’s ideas from a relatively unknown to a national religious movement.
Miller had an immediate obligation to his followers to provide them with a precise date for the end of the world. But he could only provide a window of time: from March 21, 1843, to March 21, 1844.
Kind of disappointing
On this day in 1843, however, nothing of note occurred. Without Jesus’ second coming, there would be no final judgment. Many believers, though, were not concerned since they believed the end of the world was still a year away. A more precise date, April 18, 1844, was determined after some further math.
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Then, nothing happened on that day again.
Therefore, Himes, the Boston preacher and Miller’s follower, conceded in a piece published in the “Advent Herald” on April 24 that he had perhaps overestimated a bit but that the end would really still come.
His argument was backed up by someone named Samuel S. Snow. The “Seventh Month Message” or “True Midnight Cry” was declared by this former skeptic—now a Millerite—in August 1844.
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The article introduced a brand new, unquestionably accurate date for the end of the world: October 22, 1844.
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Miller’s followers continued to believe that the end of the world would occur on this day (it was a Tuesday) when the time was right. Despite the claims of Miller, Himes, and Snow, the only thing that vanished at the end of that day was the sun, which, in spite of their predictions, returned the next day.
The supporters are turning away
The fact that Miller’s predicted end of the world did not occur was very discouraging for many of his followers. Because most people had gotten rid of or sold their valuables in preparation for the end of the world.
Many farmers had stopped cultivating their land because they thought it was futile. But they were doomed to oblivion now. Miller lost the support of the vast majority of his followers after the “Great Disappointment,” as the incident came to be known, forced them to abandon him and his ideas.
However, Millerism did have repercussions outside the United States. On April 29, 1845, the “Albany Conference” convened, marking the coming together of the movement’s main members under the leadership of Himes and Miller. There, Miller’s ideas were again spelled out in detail and given a dogmatic stance. The Advent Christian Church was established as the offspring of the Evangelical Adventists after the conference.
A group that now numbers over 25,000 people in the United States alone. Another new religious movement developed in the wake of the “Great Disappointment,” and its members codified their beliefs in what is now known as the “Seventh-Day Adventist Doctrine.” Over 19 million people throughout the globe are currently part of it.
On December 20, 1849, Miller passed away, still believing that the end of the world was imminent. It was a fine ride nonetheless.
December 15, 2022
Moses: The Story of a Legendary Character
Rabbinic Judaism, Christian theology, and Islamic belief all agree that Moses existed. He was an Old Testament prophet who led the Hebrews out of Egypt and into the Promised Land and who is credited with receiving the Ten Commandments from Yahweh (God). There is minor information available about Moses’s life outside of the canonical books. To the point that in 1906, historian Eduard Meyer proclaimed that Moses did not exist. Moses, who we mostly know from the Bible and more specifically from the Torah, where he parted the waters of the Red Sea and brandished the Tablets of the Law, has nevertheless played a significant role in the history of the Jewish people.
Who was Moses?
The finding of Moses. (Painting by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665, Italy)
Moses, a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi, was born in the Egyptian province of Goshen somewhere in the 13th century BC. It is one of the twelve Hebrew tribes that settled in Egypt in about the 17th century BC.
Moses’ birth was timed just before the pharaoh (perhaps Ramses II or his successor Merneptah) began killing off Hebrew infants to quell any potential insurrection. Moses’ mother put him in a basket and hid him among the Nile reeds so he would be safe. Pharaoh’s daughter feels sorry for the orphan and decides to adopt him, raising him in the palace as a prince.
She “drew him from the waters,” and therefore, the Bible says, she named him Moses. According to the most plausible theory, the name Moses derives from the Egyptian word mosu (“son” or “child”). The second theory says the name originates from the Hebrew verb, meaning “to pull out” or “draw out” [of water].
Moses and the Burning Bush
Moses and the Burning Bush (by Arnold Friberg).
In his adulthood, Moses learns about his real origin and the plight of the Hebrews while visiting a construction site. As part of his rebellion, he murdered an Egyptian who was oppressing his people. Moses departed Egypt for the land of Midian after committing the crime. To help him feel more secure, the local priest, Jethro, arranged a marriage between Moses and his daughter. During this time, God spoke to Moses in a “burning bush” on Mount Horeb (in Sinai), charging him with rescuing the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt.
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Moses, fortified by God’s message at the Burning Bush, went back to Egypt to lead the Hebrews out of slavery and into Canaan, the Promised Land. With the help of his brother Aaron and the miraculous powers bestowed upon him by Yahweh (God), Moses was able to get a meeting with Pharaoh and convince him to allow the Jewish people to celebrate Passover in the desert.
The Pharaoh still refuses and ramps up his persecution of the Hebrews, despite the miraculous transformation of Aaron’s rod into a serpent. Not deterred, Moses makes another appeal to the king, which is once again denied.
The Nile’s water turns to blood, the plague strikes Egyptian cattle, locusts blanket the ravaged nation, darkness falls for three days, and eventually, all the first-born Egyptians perish in a single night as Yahweh actively intervenes to demonstrate his power. The fact that Yahweh had killed his own son was probably a factor in Pharaoh’s decision to release the Hebrews. This was the start of a forty-year migration known as the Exodus.
Scientists contend that the red algae bloom at the time caused a lack of oxygen, which led to the death of fish in the Nile.
The leaving of Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea
The children of Israel crossing the Red Sea. (by Frédéric Schopin (1804–1880), Art UK)
The Hebrews believe they have escaped the Pharaoh’s control, but the Pharaoh changes his mind and sends his chariots after them. The Egyptian army approaches as the Hebrews look out across the Red Sea (also known as the “Yam Suph”).
Moses stretched out his hand to the sea, and the waters parted, creating a channel between the liquid barriers through which the people could pass.
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When the Egyptians passed through, Moses asked Yahweh to bring the sea back to where it was, killing the pharaoh’s army.
The Israelites kept marching forward under Moses’ leadership. The Hebrews now had to cross the desert to get to their ancestral homeland. To appease his people’s hunger and thirst, Yahweh sent quails, then a dew that, once evaporated, turned hard as ice (the manna [an edible substance] of the desert, foreshadowing the Eucharist [the Lord’s Supper]), and lastly, water that Moses mustered from a rock.
Tablets of Stone
On two tablets of stone, God outlines the Ten Commandments for Moses to read on Mount Sinai. (Painting by Joseph von Führich)
The Hebrews arrived in the Sinai desert three months after leaving Egypt. Moses left the people in the care of Aaron and walked to the base of Mount Sinai. After fasting for a total of forty days and nights, the prophet received the Ten Commandments from God.
These rules formed the basis of the covenant between Yahweh and his people.
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When Moses returned to the Hebrews, he found that they had abandoned their trust in God and instead worshipped a golden calf that they had fashioned with the aid of Aaron.
In his rage, Moses destroyed the Tablets of the Law he had received from God and set the idol’s statue on fire after doing that. The prophet, however, begged Yahweh not to turn away from his people and to forgive them, and Yahweh listened to his petition and asked the prophet to renew the covenant atop Mount Sinai. Forty days later, Moses descended from Mount Sinai with two rewritten Tablets of Stone.
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The Hebrew people pledged allegiance to the Law of Moses, which promoted strict monotheism and reverence and awe for a God who is both unseen and almighty. Once in Canaan, Moses led the Israelites to Canaan.
At the age of 120, Moses passed away on the verge of the Promised Land. His legacy transcends Jewish history and has played a crucial role in the development of the early Judeo-Christian Church.
December 15, 2022
Ark of the Covenant: History and Origin
December 14, 2022
Noah’s Ark: The Actual Origin of the Tale
December 14, 2022
History of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and Jesus
As a worldwide Christian holiday, December 25 is widely celebrated as the “Nativity of Mary” or “Nativity of Jesus.” It is a feast honoring the birth of Jesus, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to the Virgin Mary in a stable in Bethlehem, according to the faith. Nativity is, along with Easter, the central feast of the Christian calendar. The origin of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary is in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The development of this feast throughout the Christian community, from its earliest celebrations to the present-day custom of placing Nativity cribs and trees topped with stars, seems to be inspired by the more popular Christmas celebration.
The Story of the Nativity
The birth of Jesus of Nazareth is commemorated annually on the feast of the Nativity of Mary. For Christians, his birth represents the Incarnation of God into a human body, and he is both the Son of God and God. In the story, the angel Gabriel revealed to the young Mary that she would bear the Son of God. This event is known as the Annunciation.
Mary’s carpenter husband Joseph was at first inclined to disown her, but an angel appeared to him in a dream and explained everything. The Gospels state that during the reign of King Herod the Great (72 BC–4 BC), the Roman authorities arranged a massive census, compelling all adult males to return to their hometowns to be tallied. So, Joseph took Mary away from Nazareth, and they set out for Bethlehem. According to the Gospel of Luke, Mary gave birth to Jesus in the city.
A painting of the Nativity of Jesus Christ.
There was a prophecy that a king would come from the line of David, and because Jesus’ birth fulfilled that prophecy, King Herod, afraid for his throne, ordered the slaughter of all the babies in Bethlehem. The term “Massacre of the Innocents” describes this event. However, after receiving a second warning in his dream, Joseph quickly took his family to safety in Egypt. As of now, the Gospels are the sole source for information on this massacre, which has led some to speculate that it was fabricated in order to draw parallels between Jesus’ and Moses’ stories.
But according to Roman historian Flavius Josephus (b. 37 AD), the census recounted in the gospels took place in 6 or 7 AD and was ordered by Governor Quirinus. Nonetheless, Herod’s rule expired in 4 BC; thus, this date presents a dilemma for the story of the Nativity. In other words, Herod’s power predated the Quirinus census. In addition, Quirinus’ census would only apply to Judea (where Bethlehem lies) and not Galilee (where Nazareth is located).
Determining a reliable year for Jesus’ birth
Luke the Evangelist (d. 84 AD) referred to Bethlehem as the City of David. Luke was an apostle of Paul who did not personally meet Jesus during his lifetime. Therefore, there is room for mistake in his gospel.
If Joseph went to Bethlehem to be numbered during the reign of governor Quirinus, then one may be looking at a hybrid of Herod I the Great (72 BC–4 BC) and his successor, Herod Archelaus (4 BC–6 AD), referred to in the story of the Nativity. There are two schools of thought when it comes to determining when Jesus was born: those who believe that the census did not take place and that the event must have taken place just a little before the death of Herod I before 4 BC, and those who believe that Joseph did take the census, but under Herod Archelaus, thus placing the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in 6 or 7 AD.
How December 25 was chosen as the day for Nativity
Roman Pagan festival Saturnalia.
“The Nativity” derives its name from the Latin word for the event, Nativitas or Natalis (which means “relating to birth”). While the feast of the Nativity of Jesus has been going strong since at least the 3rd century, there is no universally agreed-upon date for doing so throughout all of Christianity due to the fact that the date is not explicitly stated in the Gospels and has no historical value.
Today, the Nativity is still celebrated on the date of December 25 because the date was chosen as the feast of the Incarnation by Pope Liberius of Rome in the 4th century for symbolic reasons. Since Christmas is pretty much the rehashing of ancient Pagan celebrations, the date of December 25 was also chosen for Christmas Day for the sake of weakening the Pagan celebrations.
The date was a convenient astrological sign as well. Because the winter solstice (the real basis of many end-of-year celebrations like Christmas) usually occurs in late December.
Just like the Nativity, many faiths use this date to celebrate the triumph of life (light) over death (darkness). The Roman Pagans celebrated Saturnalia (the feast of the god Saturn) on this date; Mithra worshippers celebrated Mithragan (the day of the birth of Mithra) on the same day; Sol Invictus (the “Undefeated Sun”), a solar deity combining aspects of Apollo and Mithra, was born on this day; and the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (commemorating the re-inauguration of the Temple in Jerusalem) also falls at a near date.
Therefore, the 25th of December is a day with the common symbolism of the winter solstice, utilized by different faiths, including Paganism, throughout history. In 425, during his reign, Emperor Theodosius II established the day of the Nativity. Gradually, the Feast of the Nativity gained prominence. Around the end of the 5th century, Clovis was baptized on Nativity Day; in 506, the Council of Agde declared the Nativity a legal holiday; and in 529, Emperor Justinian declared the Nativity a day of rest.
The first Nativity scene was created by Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi, in 1223, at Greccio, Italy, arranged a live Nativity scene (with “the faithful” playing the roles) that looks to be the first known example of the term “Nativity scene” as we know it today. Miniature Nativity scenes, like the ones that are popular now, originated in the 16th century, when they were promoted by the Jesuits.
Finally, Christians give presents on December 6 in honor of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, or on the Epiphany, when they remember the gifts the Magi gave to the infant Jesus. The traditional holiday for exchanging presents during the Feast of the Nativity of Mary again varies throughout time and space. But the presents are often handed out on December 25.
Origins of the customs associated with the Nativity
A number of customs dating back to the early Christian period accompany the feast of the Nativity. First, there is the liturgical season of Advent, which consists of the four Sundays immediately before the Nativity of Mary (and also Christmas). Christians traditionally burn an Advent candle on each Sunday leading up to the Nativity of Mary to represent the light that will be born again on that day.
The same candle tradition appears in the Pagan Saturnalia festival in ancient Rome, which occurs at the same time of year. Again, Christmas gift-giving is reminiscent of the ancient Roman practice of presenting sigillaria.
Moving on, one of the most important Christian holidays, after Easter, is the celebration of Christ’s birth at Midnight Mass on December 24, which is seldom conducted on this day. Because the traditional Christmas Eve celebration with loved ones comes too close to the day of Midnight Mass.
During the Nativity season, it is customary for religious Christians to display a miniature replica of a cave or stable in their homes, complete with figurines depicting Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus. This is called the Nativity scene. Traditional crib decorations sometimes include a shepherd tending to his flock of sheep to depict the first visitors to the baby Jesus following the angel’s message (angels are sometimes also present around the nativity crib).
However, the donkey and ox that breathed heat into the baby are not recounted in detail in any of the four gospels that are considered canonical. Evidence for them may be found in the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, a late apocryphal document dating back to at least the 6th century.
According to the story, after giving birth in a cave, Mary took Jesus to a stable, where the animals greeted him by submitting to their lord’s care on their knees, echoing a verse from Isaiah: “The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger.” (Isaiah 1:3) While the donkey and ox were banned from the Nativity scene by the Council of Trent in the 16th century, they have since become a part of the popular Nativity custom. The existence of a Nativity scene in the four gospels, which are considered canonical, implies the presence of domestic animals.
October 14, 2022
Edict of Nantes: Signing and Revocation of the Edict of Tolerance
Henry IV signed the Edict of Nantes in 1598, after decades of religious conflict had ravaged the Kingdom of France. Before becoming a Catholic in 1593, Henry IV was a Protestant. As the only survivor of the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre, the monarch was determined to bring about religious harmony in his realm. He was familiar with the devastating effects of such insular disputes.
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Articles in the edict aim to facilitate peace between Catholics and Protestants. Protestants were thus given the right to religious liberty. The latter had sheltered themselves inside fortified cities. Louis XIV, his grandson, was destined to ruin his ancestor’s hard work. The Sun King (Louis XIV), at heart a devout Catholic, issued the Edict of Fontainebleau in 1685, rescinding the Edict of Nantes and forcing the Reformed (Protestants) to leave France en masse.
When Was the Edict of Nantes Signed?
Henry IV of France. Paint: Frans Pourbus the Younger.
The Edict of Nantes was signed by King Henry IV on April 13, 1598. This sovereign act was meant to ease tensions between Catholics and Protestants. Since 1562, followers of the two faiths have been at war with one another. St. Bartholomew’s Day was only one of eight violent civil wars that ravaged the kingdom. There were 92 articles in the Edict of Nantes. It was the result of several years of negotiations to ensure the internal stability of the kingdom. When first issued, the Edict of Nantes was met with resistance from both populations. In 1599, talks were set in motion and eventually concluded.
Was the Edict of Nantes an Edict of Tolerance?
The relationship between the two faiths was the primary focus of the Edict of Nantes. Tolerance was therefore recast as the concept of living together in this context. The Edict of Nantes established a set of regulations that must be followed. A closer look at these regulations, however, reveals that the edict was biased in favor of the Catholic faith. Certainly, civic and political rights, as well as the freedom to practice their religion were guaranteed to Protestants but this was not the case everywhere. In addition, a new tax was imposed on Protestants.
How Did the Edict of Nantes Affect Protestants?
The Edict of Nantes
Among Protestants, conditions varied after the Edict of Nantes was implemented. They were tried in tribunals presided over by fellow Protestant magistrates in more progressive municipalities like Bordeaux. In other cities such as Lyon or Toulouse, Protestants still weren’t allowed to practice their religion openly. There were a total of 150 safe havens, including forts, palaces, and manors, where Protestant nobles and their families could reside. Garrisons could be set up to protect these havens from potential attackers. They provided a safe haven for Protestant academies that educated future pastors.
When Did the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes Take Place?
Louis XIV.
Beginning in 1681, Louis XIV ordered his dragoons to employ violence against the French Huguenots in an effort to win them over. Finally, on October 18, 1685, the Edict of Fontainebleau repealed the earlier Edict of Nantes. Protestantism was outlawed in a new edict approved by King Louis XIV.
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As a devout Catholic, the King had spent years trying to stamp out the practice. Protestants, in his estimation, were a small minority who had an unhealthy obsession with England and Northern Europe.
Protestants, also known as the Reformed, continued to leave France in large numbers after the Edict of Fontainebleau was issued, settling in countries like Germany and the Netherlands. 200,000 Protestants left France between the years 1679 and 1700. Nonetheless, after 1685, they were no longer allowed to leave the country.
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Protestants were pressured into becoming Catholic. Only 45 Protestants were “officially” living in France in 1686. The false conversions could not be counted.
What Were the French Wars of Religion, and How Did They Lead to the Edict of Nantes?
The French Wars of Religion were a series of conflicts between Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots) in France during the 16th century. These wars resulted in significant bloodshed and instability. King Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598 to grant religious tolerance and end the violence by allowing Huguenots to practice their religion in certain areas.
October 14, 2022
All Saints’ Day: Origin and History
The Catholic Church commemorates All Saints’ Day, a feast honoring God and all the saints, on November 1st. Since the beginning of the Church, Christians have honored the lives of the saints who died as martyrs.
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Many cultures are familiar with All Saints’ Day because of the time off from school that it often coincides with. Despite its apparent name, All Saints’ Day is often confused with the subsequent All Souls’ Day and, to a lesser extent, with the preceding Halloween celebration.
Origin of All Saints’ Day
Origin
Before the 16th-century notion of devotion to the saints by the Pope, there were already several kinds of canonizations by various Christian groups. The origin of this day dates back even before the 12th-century canonization process. It’s believed that All Saints’ Day has been celebrated since at least the 5th century. Since no one date had been chosen during that period, most countries (including Syria and Rome) celebrated All Saints’ Day around Easter.
History
The Intercession of St. Francis Xavier, France, 17th century.
All Saints’ Day has been celebrated annually on May 13 since 610, when Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Roman Pantheon, rechristened as the Church of St. Mary and Martyrs. Some believe that the date of November 1 was chosen in the 8th century, during the dedication of a chapel to all the saints in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by Pope Gregory III. However, others believe that this date was first chosen in 830, when Pope Gregory IV ordered the universality of All Saints’ Day, making it common to all of Christendom.
Unlike the next day’s All Souls’ Day, which is not a public holiday in some countries, All Saints’ Day is celebrated by many countries on November 1. For this reason, many Christians actually commemorate All Saints’ Day by doing rituals often associated with All Souls’ Day, such as paying respects at graves.
How Is All Saints’ Day Commemorated?
During All Saints’ Day, the believer does not pray to the saint, as is commonly assumed, but simply to God (in his three forms). The faithful person is “pleased” with expressing his or her appreciation for the saint and asking for the saint’s intercession with God. Therefore, the saint is not a god but rather a mediator between the believer and God.
In response to Protestant accusations that Catholics worshiped saints, this distinction was hammered out especially strongly at the Council of Trent (1545–1563). Protestants still don’t put much stock in saints, even today. The doctrine of the communion of saints is still not accepted by Protestants.
The Catholic Church glorifies persons who they believe had a direct connection with God by canonizing them and designating a day after them. However, the Catholic Church does not make the claim that they know all there is to know about all the saints who have lived and made it to heaven. This leads the church to believe that there are more saints than it is aware of, all of whom are worthy of worship.
The celebration of All Saints’ Day is an answer to this issue; it serves to reaffirm the connection between contemporary Christians and the many saints who have come before them, both those commemorated in the calendar and others who have been all but forgotten by history. All Saints’ Day is not only a day to honor the dead but also a time for Christians to reflect on how their own lives may emulate the sacrifices of the saints they honor.
The saints serve an important pedagogical purpose. A portion of Saint Mark’s Gospel read on All Saints’ Day is seen as crucial; it serves as a guide to holiness in its most distilled form.
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What Exactly Is a Saint?
According to Catholic teaching, a saint is an outstanding human being (or an angel) who lived a good life on Earth. Actions that are totally consistent with what Jesus of Nazareth preached. Some of the saints were martyred because of how dedicated they were to their religion. According to the Catholic canon, others have worked miracles as well. Of course, seeing a miracle or dying a martyr is not required to become holy.
Popes have been bestowing this level of sanctity through the beatification and canonization processes since the 13th century. It seems that people who have been canonized are those who have achieved everlasting bliss and are now at peace with God. The Catholic Church established a martyrology to honor the lives of its martyrs and assigns each saint a special day of the year on which to be prayed.
Both Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe that the communion of the saints of the Church Triumphant in heaven with the Church Militant or the Church of the Living, is unbroken. Christians believe in a form of solidarity that transcends place and time, a bond known as the communion of saints, which connects both the living and the dead (Church Penitent). If one subscribes to this doctrine, he or she may address the saints as if they were right by his or her side during All Saints’ Day.
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October 14, 2022