Cultural aspects in Christian and Islamic religions - unesdoc - Unesco

38
place of the pagan holiday on January 6. With
time, the East and the West exchanged the two
holidays (Epiphany and Christmas) that represent
two stages – each completed by the other – of
one reality. This exchange occurred in the fourth
century, according to John Chrysostom, with the
introduction of December 25 as a Holiday by the
Church of Antioch.
The Eastern Armenian Church is the only one to
maintain the unity of both holidays (Christmas
and Baptism of Christ) to be celebrated on January
6. Coptic and Ethiopian Churches celebrate
the birth of Christ on January 7. On Christmas,
midnight Mass is held in the East and the West,
and the liturgical period around that date is called
Christmas time. Christmas is the celebration of joy
for St. Ephrem, it is ‘Id al-Anwar, The Feast of Lights
for Syriacs, whereas Byzantines celebrate the Feast
of Lights on Epiphany and Westerners celebrate it
on the day commemorating the Presentation of
Christ to the Temple.
The West prepares for Christmas four weeks
in advance, Syriacs five weeks in advance, and
Maronites seven weeks before Christmas. This
preparation starts with the beginning of the
liturgical year, i.e. on the first Sunday of November
and goes on ten days after the Holiday.
Easterners in general and Byzantines in particular,
often fast on this Holiday and abstinence from
eating animal and dairy products for a duration
that varies from one tradition to another. Popular
traditions were derived from the liturgy of the
Holiday. They include exchange of gifts, tolling
of bells, lighting of fire, and building Nativity
scenes. Some rituals have been inspired from
old traditions that have been given Christian
characteristics.