Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to all Orthodox Christians following the new calendar.
Description of The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations" (Gen.49:10).
Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstace constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3).
But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).
(Source: Iconograms.org)
3 Comments:
Yes. Are not the new Calendarists not heretics?
Most Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas by the Julian Calendar (the "Old Calendar"). However, the Church of Greece (as well as a number of other Orthodox Churches) adopted the Revised Julian Calendar (the "New Calendar") during the last century and follows that. Most Greek Orthodox Churches in the diaspora follow the Revised Julian Calendar. The Serbs follow the Julian Calendar so they, like many other Orthodox Christians, celebrate Christmas on 7 January.
However, the Church of Greece (and all the other Churches that adopted the Revised Julian Calendar) did not "sell out". There is absolutely nothing heretical about following the Revised Julian Calendar. Both Old and New Calendars are legitimate Calendars in the Orthodox Church.
Heresy stems from following doctrines that are against Orthodox Dogma and Orthodox Canon Law and the issue of Calendars is not part of either Orthodox Dogma or Canon Law.
That said, I personally support the revival of the Old Calendar by the Church of Greece.
How would one get in contact with you Hellenic Nationalist, Ime Eleno-Americanos from Staten Island, you got an email?
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