Proclamation of Christmas

[Eliza Thomason]

So much of Christmas Eve Mass I love, and one particular thing is the "Proclamation of Christmas" which is announced, preferably in chant, at the beginning of Mass, placing this day, December 25 (which has just begun - that minute - being we are at Midnight mass, that is: Christmas Eve at midnight, the first minute of the day of Christmas) in time. It makes me feel a part of eternity. Because Jesus, eternal God, came into time on this day, this 25th day of December: a day that was never forgot, and never will be forgot - for all of eternity.

The Twenty-fifth Day of December,
when ages beyond number had run their course
from the creation of the world,
when God in the beginning created heaven and earth,
and formed man in his own likeness;
when century upon century had passed
since the Almighty set his bow in the clouds after the Great Flood,
as a sign of covenant and peace;
in the twenty-first century since Abraham, our father in faith,
came out of Ur of the Chaldees;
in the thirteenth century since the People of Israel were led by Moses
in the Exodus from Egypt;
around the thousandth year since David was anointed King;
in the sixty-fifth week of the prophecy of Daniel;
in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
in the year seven hundred and fifty-two
since the foundation of the City of Rome;
in the forty-second year of the reign of Caesar Octavian Augustus,
the whole world being at peace,
JESUS CHRIST, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to consecrate the world by his most loving presence,
was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and when nine months had passed since his conception,
was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judah,
and was made man:
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

There is a beautiful chant of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h-mYX0lH2E One must skip past the ad but I like this best because of the solemnity of which it is chanted, which is the proper way, IMO. Not too much song. Not too much drama. Solemnity.

[Eliza Thomason]

Well my dh got wondering about the wording. He has a real ear for that kind of thing. He wondered if it were not once different. While I was finding "unknown ages from the time" and "several thousand years" to be rather poetic, and quaintly unweildy, he saw the inconsistency of those phrases with the rest of it. So he looked it up today. Well, it was different. I guess the church is being politically correct, or, not pressing the issue of the age of man for the sake of many who want to believe (despite lack of archeological evidence!) that we are instead millions of years old, not wanting to make that a stumping point. Or something. At any rate, dh was right. There was an old version. The website Unam Sanctum Catholicam (I know that phrase!) details the controversy, and gives the old version, and ends with a humorous proposed "further evolved" proclamation, to be even more politically correct.... http://unamsanctamcatholicam.blogspo...committal.html

[Eliza Thomason]

The old version in full, for comparison:


In the year, from the creation of the world, when in the beginning God created Heaven and Earth, five thousand one hundred and ninety-nine;

from the flood, two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven;

from the birth of Abraham, two thousand and fifteen;

from Moses and the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, one thousand, five hundred and ten;

from the anointing of King David, one thousand and thirty-two;

in the sixty-fifth week, according to the prophecy of Daniel;

in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;

in the year seven hundred and fifty-two from the founding of the city of Rome;

in the forty-second year of the empire of Octavian Augustus,

when the whole earth was at peace,

in the sixth age of the world,

Jesus Christ, eternal God, and Son of the eternal Father,

desirous to sanctify the world by His most merciful coming,

having been conceived of the Holy Ghost,

and nine months having elapsed since His conception,

is born in Bethlehem of Juda, having become man of the Virgin Mary.

THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH

[mikemex]

Winter solstice happens on December 21th. It is the moment the Earth is at the furthest point from the Sun. It is also the moment of the year when nights are longer and days shorter. The ancient observers of the sky noticed this and were concerned that the Sun seemed to act random for a couple of days after that date. Specially the Vikings in the North were concerned that the Sun would not come out again and that our world would freeze as a consequence. Because even if we take the Sun for granted nowadays, it defines our capacity to inhabit our homes and of our crops to grow. It was their relief that on the third day (December 24th evening), the Sun "resurrected" and days began to get longer again. That is what Humanity celebrates on December 25th: that we're blessed with another stable cycle of nature.

It is an event that any of us can observe and celebrate, regardless of our religious faith. It is only a recent development that it's called Christmas by some.