Meaning of Christmas unites Christians

Christmas, the Feast of the Nativity of Lord Jesus Christ, is celebrated by the majority of Christians Dec. 25.

(A few still follow the Julian calendar, which places the feast Jan. 7).

The event took place 2,000 years ago in a cave in Bethlehem of Judea.

The Nativity, a royal feast day, better known as Christmas, is the annual celebration of the birth in flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Augustine is the one who speaks for the Church to celebrate the Nativity on Dec. 25.

The feast of the Nativity started being celebrated on Dec. 25 for the first time in the Church of Antioch, around 375, and then in Constantinople in 379.

In time, Dec. 25 was introduced in the Church of Alexandria, then in that of Jerusalem, then in all Eastern Christianity.

The birth of Christ the Savior is the eternal proof of God’s care for mankind.

The hope of salvation and the promise of the coming redeemer never ceased from Adam up to Christ.

It lasted throughout the centuries by those who “prefigured” Christ, the prophets.

Daniel predicted the time of Christ’s birth, prophet Jeremiah calls him “Lord — our righteousness” (Jeremiah 33: 6).

Prophet Isaiah said “Behold the virgin shall conceive in her womb and bear a son, and will call His name Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

About his miracles, Isaiah said, “Then the blind will see and the deaf ears will hear.” (Isaiah 35:3-6).

Not only “the chosen people of Israel,” but all the nations expected the Messiah.

About 550 years before Christ, the philosopher Confucius called the savior “Expected by all nations, the Holy One able to compare with God.”

Philosopher Plato said, “He who shall save us teaching us the true teaching and liabilities that we have toward God and toward men.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero, a philosopher and public speaker, described Him as “Master of all, the Sovereign Monarch, God, whose law, one, eternal and unchanged, will reign over all nations and all times.”

The ancient Greeks even kept him a place between their gods.

St. Paul told the Athenians, “Men of Athens, you are indeed extremely pious and devout faithful. For I was walking in your city and watching what you worship, I found an altar that says: to the Unknown God. So I preach unto you the One you worship without you knowing Him yet.” (Acts 17, 22-23).

The great Christian joy is celebrated at Christmas.

The birth of Christ is the beginning of our salvation and the perfect union of the divine with the human.

The Incarnation of the Word, the second person of the Holy Trinity, is the descent of the Word of God to the fallen creature, for renewal of the man built in the image of God.

Never in history God stood so close to the people, living among them, eating, drinking with them, taking upon himself human nature and all the multitude of sins committed by mankind.

This is the mystery of Incarnation.

God becomes man to bring humans the possibility to become God-like by grace and communion, not by nature.

Nobody imagines winter holidays without carols, Christmas trees, cookies and traditional foods.

In the Orthodox tradition, Christmas follows Easter as the most important religious holiday.

Besides the religious significance, Christmas is also an opportunity for family gatherings and the practice of gift exchange.

Christmas has become more of a social feast and a commercial holiday.

In Eastern Europe, in countries such as Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and Oriental Orthodox communities, Orthodox traditions fight to maintain religious significance and traditional values.

In Russia and in some parts of the former Yugoslavia, Old Rite Orthodox celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7.

In Finland, Santa arrives under cover of half a dozen elves who help him to share the gifts.

In Alaska, everyone is invited to dance.

In homes in Latin America, where Catholicism is deeply imprinted, the Nativity holiday period runs from Dec. 15 to Jan. 6.

Children do not attend school during this time and prepare for Christmas by recreating the nativity scene of Jesus.

Their reward comes on the eve, when parents are preparing a pi ±ata filled with sweets.

Adults will drink a fruit punch seasoned with cinnamon.

In other parts of the world, Lebanese and Egyptian Christians sit at the table for Christmas, serving pita, humus and gourmet chicken or fish.

For Egyptian Orthodox Christians, the custom is to eat fish on Christmas.

The meal is usually eaten after attending church and it means good luck.

In Africa, Nigerians and Ethiopians attend church, then start to visit relatives and friends, serving iyan, a specific dish of stew meat with steamed vegetables.

Though there are many versions of celebrations, with varying food customs, the meaning of Christmas unites all Christians.

Let us keep its values and keep it as a religious celebration.

The Rev. John Dumitrascu is a first lieutenant and chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, with the 88AWB at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.