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| Christmas in Bethlehem from Father Spiridon Sammour of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, occupied Palestine. |
Ray Hanania
"Merry
Christmas Eve to all of the Orthodox and Arab Christians who celebrate
Christmas tomorrow, Jan. 7. It's a complicated story as there are three
different celebrations (Dec. 25, Jan. 7 and Jan. 18 depending on your
religion.) The Greek Orthodox Christians maintain the old tradition
using the Julian Calendar rather than the Gregorian Calendar or the
"revised Julian Calendar"
MERRY CHRISTMAS ... "He is Risen"
"Many Orthodox Christians fast before January 7, with the exception of meat and dairy products.
"Foods
may include: Lenten bread, fresh nuts and dried fruits, vegetables and
herbs such as potatoes, peas and garlic, mushroom soup, beans slow
cooked with potatoes, garlic and spices, bobki (small biscuits mixed
with sauerkraut or poppy seeds with honey). Honey. cod. Christmas Day,
on the other hand, is a day to feast and enjoy the company of friends
and family members.
"The Christmas meal usually includes meat and
various types of pastries. One of the traditional Russian Christmas
dishes is a goose baked with apples. The type of food and activity may
vary depending on the culture and traditions of the country. In some
Orthodox Christian cultures, people walk in procession to the seas,
rivers, and lakes as part of the Mass on Orthodox Christmas Day. They
make holes in the ice to bless the water if it is frozen. Not much
importance is given to gift-exchange and business Christmas. Some
Orthodox Christians celebrate the birth and worship of the shepherds
(those who visited the baby Jesus) on January 6, followed by the worship
of the Magi (three wise men or kings) on January 7. It may be longer
than usual but many people find it inspiring."
~
From Arab News
Fr. Spiridon Sammour, the pastor of the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem, delivers a sermon on Christmas Eve. (Fr-Spiridon Sammour)
"Muslims also recognize Jesus as a great prophet and that shared respect brings Christians and Muslims together. Easter commemorates the time when Christians believe Jesus was crucified by the Romans in Jerusalem and then resurrected."
Why do Orthodox and Arab Christians celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7?
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1999461/middle-east
“The Church of the Nativity includes the Grotto of the Nativity and nearby caves, the Greek Orthodox Monastery, the Armenian Monastery, St. Jerome’s School, St. Catherine’s Church and St. Jerome’s Church,” Fr. Sammour said.
“When we visit the Grotto of Nativity, we find in the place where Jesus was born a star with 14 points. This denotes the 14 generations from Adam to Abraham, from Abraham to David the prophet and king, from David to the captivity to Babylon, and from the captivity to Babylon to Joseph, the husband of Mary and of whom Jesus was born.
“But most important is the inscription on the star. It reads in Latin, ‘Hic natus est Jesus Christus ex Maria Vergine,’ which translates as, ‘Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.’” Fr. Sammour said.
“The key is the word ‘here’ as it means that the great mystery of the incarnation took place in this particular place, and this means that this geographical point is central because it is a meeting point between heaven and earth, God and man.”