Featured Article
Christmas
Christmas, which literally means Christ's Mass, is one of the most important feast days in the Christian calendar. It is a holiday specially commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ (also known as The Nativity of the Child Jesus). According to the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches, the birthday of Christ falls on the 25th of December. However, in the Russian, Coptic, Serbian, Georgian, and Jerusalem orthodox churches, it falls on the 7th of January.
The Christian Bible, specifically the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, states that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary. Together with here husband, Joseph, Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register in the Roman census planned by Emperor Augustus. In Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph had a hard time in finding an inn to stay. Instead, they settled in the primeval stable. There, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a manger.
The holy gospel of Saint Matthew also depicts the coming of the three Wise Men, also known as the Three Kings and the Three Magi, from the East. They were ordered by King Herod to follow the location of the bright star; for it is prophesied that a very bright star would signal the birth of the true king. When the Magi reach Bethlehem, they saw the child Jesus in the manger and offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Wise men then told Mary and Joseph to flee the place at once inorder to escape the sinister plan of the King.
Some of the Christmas symbols include the poinsettia, Christmas tree, Christmas ham, Santa Claus, snows, Yule log, holly, mistletoe, candy canes, Christmas carols, gift-giving, and the Christmas lanterns or the Philippine parols.
Around the world, Christmas is interpreted into many dialects. It is known as Kerstmis in Netherlands, Weihnachten in Germany, Pasko in Philippines, Navidad in Spain, and Jul in Sweden.
Copyright © 2005 Internet Holiday Shop. All rights reserved. |