Truly the Son of Man, Christ our true God is this day given to us by the Holy Spirit through Mary, the Immaculate and Ever-virgin Theotokos
Today is December 25, according to the ancient Julian calendar of the Orthodox Catholic Church, the day of the Holy Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The original five patriarchs of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church followed the Julian calendar that was made the calendar of the Church by the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The Church calendar was later changed by the dictate of the Patriarch of Rome, Pope Gregory. The problem with that was that the Patriarch of Rome had no authority to change the Church calendar, since it had been promulgated by an ecumenical council, only an ecumenical council, according to the canons, could vacate that act. So, for the vast majority of the Orthodox Christians of the East, today is December 25 in the life of the Church, which means today is the Holy Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
With my Orthodox brethren, I salute all Christians, saying, “Christ is Born!” And my Orthodox Christian brethren answer, “Glorify Him!”
Now finally, the Lenten fast of Advent is coming to an end and tomorrow will start the twelve days of Christmas joy.
Many of you know the English song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, but I bet not too many of you know what the gifts given in that song signify.
For any who do not know the religious symbolism of The Twelve Days of Christmas, here they are:
- The one True Love refers to our one triune God
- Two Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
- Three French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
- Four Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
- Five Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the “Pentateuch”, which gives the history of man’s fall from grace.
- Six Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
- Seven Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the sacraments
- Eight Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
- Nine Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
- Ten Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
- Eleven Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
- Twelve Drummers Drumming refers to the points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed
To hear and see some children singing this song on YouTube click here
Joy to the World!
Christ is Born!
Glorify Him!
Related articles
- The Chalcedonian Formula (greatcloud.wordpress.com)
- Russians ready for Orthodox Christmas (rt.com)
- The Glory Of All Things Made New (samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com)
- Christ is Born! Glorify Him! (mpidirect.com)
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