What is "Christmas" called in the East?

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Armenian_cpa said:
Just for everyone… you have the wrong day for Christ’s birth… Armenians have always kept the orginal date

Just for those interested

projects.ascp.am/holidays/xmas/why%20armenian_celebrate%20eng.htm

ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS

Why Armenians Celebrate Christmas on January 6th?
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Thanks Armenian_cpa. This is a question that have perplexed me for some time. So this may not be the right thread but here are my questions on the Eastern Christmas. Not to instigate a debate but just curious and love to know.

(1) This explains why Armenians stick to January 6th. Does the Chaldeans & Assyrians whose original church was also similarly outside the Roman Empire also stick to January 6th?

(2) Why was it January 6th in the first place? I understand that the Epiphany predated the celebration of the Nativity and if I understand your explanation, the Feast of the Baptism is also on the same day. Why three separate events (Nativity, Epiphany and Baptism) celebrated on the same day?

(3) Do Armenian Catholics celebrated the Nativity on December 25 or January 6? Gregorian or Julian? Does the Armenian Diaspora celebrate on the same day all over the world?

(4) Do any of the Eastern Catholic churches use the Old Calendar? If so which ones? For those that switched to Gregorian, are there any holdouts using the Julian?

(5) For those Eastern Catholics celebrating using the Julian calendar, how do you receive the Pope’s Christmas homily as well as the President’s/Queen’s Christmas speech on December 25th (Gregorian)? Basically how do you reconcile to being out of sync with the Gregorian world, particularly if you are living in a country where the majority around you celebrate according to the Gregorian? Or do you celebrate Christmas twice (eg., do your kids receive presents twice)?

A blessed season of the Nativity.
 
jimkhong said:
(2) Why was it January 6th in the first place? I understand that the Epiphany predated the celebration of the Nativity and if I understand your explanation, the Feast of the Baptism is also on the same day. Why three separate events (Nativity, Epiphany and Baptism) celebrated on the same day?
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Theophany included the birth of Christ as part of what was being observed. Later, it was separated into its own observance.

The early Church avoided birthdays, as they were a very pagan observance, including “deified” Emperors. Eventually, birthdays, including Nativity, weren’t a problem.
 
We just call it Christmas. Tho Santa is called Christmas Papa.
 
jimkhong said:
Thanks Thomas. I have many Malayalee friends and all are very Westernised. I assume the Malakarese are also the same.
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Back in the day, Christmas Qurbana is at 1 A.M and there are many great processions. From what I’ve heard, now a days in Kerala retailers have adopted the tree, some people do gift giving, and the Qurbana is a lot earlier like 10 P.M instead of 1 A.M. The great processions still take place, however now including many Christmas Papas.

The diaspora community follow the Western Christmas with the tree and the gift giving. We keep the tradition of going to a late Qurbana anywhere from 8 P.M to 10 P.M.

During our Christmas Qurbana, the icon of Baby Jesus is taken outside to a live fire where the entire congregation gathers. The priest walks around the flame with Christ in hand while the patrons chant liturgical hymns. There is often a processional canopy held above the priest and deacons by the lay people. After the ceremony the priest walks back inside and lays the icon of Christ in the manger. After the Qurbana has ended, the patrons go in line formation to kiss the icon of Christ.

As for specific community traditions, the Knanaya (I cannot say for all Syrian Christians because some of our practices differ) eat rice pancakes known as appam in Malayalam the morning of Christmas with either beef or chicken, in reverence to the feasting and celebratory nature of Christmas. I think the rest of the St. Thomas Christians do this as well, tho I am not certain.

There are no other specific Kerala Syrian Christian traditions that are relevant to Christmas I can think of. There is much more emphasis for our tradition during Holy Week and Easter.
 
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