Pope Francis says Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Dec. 24, 2021 / Vatican Media
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 5, 2022 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
“And I keep my Christmas lights on, on my front porch all year long/and I know all the words to every Charlie Daniels song…”
While Gretchen Wilson was probably (hopefully?) not being literal in the lyrics to her 2004 Grammy Award-winning single “Redneck Woman,” she actually has a bit of a point. There’s nothing wrong with keeping the Christmas decorations up longer than December and keeping the Christmas spirit flowing past December 25.
But just how many days is Christmas? When should you finally take those lights off the porch, or remove the tree? Read on for some of the arguments for and against commonly agreed-upon end dates for Christmas.
“Christmas is one day”
This, of course, is the simplest answer. Christmas is typically celebrated on Dec. 25 for most of the world, and on Jan. 7 for Churches using the Julian calendar, and on Jan. 6 for yet another, considerably smaller, part of the world. On this day, the liturgy celebrated is the “Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.” Priests wear white vestments on Christmas, which is different from the violet they wear during Advent.
So there you have it. Christmas is one day, either at the end of December or in the first week of January.
Or is it?
“Christmas is eight days”
There’s also an argument to be made that Christmas is eight crazy nights eight days long. The Church regards Christmas as an octave, or eight-day celebration. The octave of Christmas begins on the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and concludes on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on Jan. 1.
During the eight days of Christmas, clergy wear white, except during the St. Stephen’s Day and the Feast of the Holy Innocents, when they wear red.
In a liturgical sense, Christmas is eight days.
But wait, there’s myrrh!
“Christmas is 12 days”
We’ve all heard the Christmas carol “Twelve Days of Christmas.” While it’s unclear as to why someone would give someone 23 separate birds, a pear tree, and the services of 50 people over a 12-day period, there actually is a liturgical precedent for claiming that Christmas is 12 days long.
Twelve days after Christmas is the Feast of the Epiphany. This day marks when the Magi arrived to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and gave Jesus the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God. It focuses primarily on this revelation to the Three Wise Men, but also in his baptism in the Jordan River and at the wedding at Cana.
In the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, Theophany – as Epiphany is known in the East – commemorates the manifestation of Jesus’ divinity at his Baptism in the River Jordan.
But here’s where it gets a little confusing: While the traditional date for the feast is Jan. 6, in the United States, the celebration of Epiphany is moved to the second Sunday after Christmas in the Novus Ordo.
During the 12 days of Christmas, clergy wear white, except during the St. Stephen’s Day and the Feast of the Holy Innocents, when they wear red.
So, there. By the liturgical calendar, one can argue Christmas is also 12 days.
“Christmas ends January 13”
In the usus antiquior of the Roman rite, per the general rubrics of the Roman Breviary, “Christmastide” includes both “the season of Christmas” – the 12 days seen earlier – and “the season of Epiphany” – the eight days from the Epiphany on Jan. 6 to the commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord on Jan. 13.
And what is now called the season of Epiphany was, until 1955, observed as the Octave of the Epiphany.
What do the U.S. bishops say?
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the liturgical season of Christmas ends with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord.
The Baptism of Christ, which the USCCB states is the end of Christmas, is observed on the first Sunday after Jan. 6 in the Novus Ordo.
After the Baptism of Christ, clergy are to wear the green vestments of Ordinary Time.
What about other customs?
“Christmas is from the day after Thanksgiving until Jan. 15”
In the eyes of my condominium association, that is.
While most places do not have a hard-and-fast date like my complex, it is not uncommon for regions to have either secular or religious traditions centered around Christmas decorations.
For instance, in Colorado, it is supposedly customary to keep Christmas lights up until after the National Western Stock Show, which goes until the third week of January.
In parts of the world that do not observe Thanksgiving in November, Christmas markets open around the second week of November, kicking off the holiday season.
In these cases, Christmas is synonymous with “start of winter. Ish.”
In the liturgical calendar, clergy wear violet and rose vestments during Advent, followed by the white and red of the Octave of Christmas.
Does the celebration of Christmas always have to start in winter?
Here’s looking at you, Southern Hemisphere.
“Christmas goes from mid-October until after the first week of January”
This is only true if you are decorating a Disney theme park.
There is no liturgical or traditional basis for this timeline. However, the decorations are nice, the mood is festive, and I’m not going to complain.
What’s the absolute last possible concrete day of Christmas?
“Christmas is until Candlemas”
Now we’re talking.
Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, is Feb. 2. On this day, many Catholics bring candles to the church to be blessed. They can then light these candles at home during prayer or difficult times as a symbol of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
Candlemas is the last day that the Alma Redemptoris Mater is the Marian antiphon appended to hours of the Divine Office. The Alma Redemptoris Mater is used from the beginning of Advent through Feb. 2, and so Candlemas has come to be associated with the close of the Christmas season.
Candlemas is still observed with public, Christmas-esque celebrations throughout the world, including in Peru, Puerto Rico, France, and Belgium.
On the other hand, Septuagesima Sunday – which is definitely not part of Christmas – has been known to fall before Feb. 2, giving the lie to the ‘Christmas is until Candlemas’ party.
Is that all, though?
“If there is love in your heart and your mind, you will feel like Christmas all the time”
Now you’re just singing the lyrics to Faith Hill’s “Where Are You Christmas.”
To be clear, this song is a bop, but it is not exactly relevant for this discussion. Using this line is an excuse, albeit a very creative excuse, for why there’s still a wreath on your door in June. By this point, you’re well into Ordinary Time, and it’s time to put the decorations away.
There should, however, be love in your heart and in your mind at all times, as you are a child of God and loved by your creator.
So when does Christmas end? When should the decorations come down?
That is largely a personal call, based on your own traditions, customs, and other factors. For safety reasons, CNA recommends that you take your tree down as soon as it starts shedding a ton of pine needles, but other than that, there’s an argument for leaving things up as late as Feb. 2. Of course, your neighbors may disagree, but that’s a them problem, not a you problem.
Merry Christmas!
[…]
We read: “The Vatican warned: ‘It would not be permissible to introduce new official structures or doctrines in dioceses before an agreement had been reached at the level of the universal Church…’.”
Permissible? An Agreement? Proceduralism over content; this is a secular game plan…
Before we know it, we’ll be notified in the footnotes that truth is constructed rather than discovered, and that even the Council of Nicaea was only a synodal/consensus sort of thingy, rather than a recollection of what the Church has lived and believed from the beginning in the incarnate Christ. Arius was not “synthesized” (synodal jargon!) into the top-level package; he was rejected.
Can’t see the kind of clarity demonstrated at Nicaea ever coming under Cardinal Hollerich–grand-poobah relator for the 2023 Synod on Synodality–who through the media has already joined with Germania’s Marx and Batzing in calling for the deconstruction of human sexual morality as clearly articulated in the Catechism.
Instead of the Trinity, the triumvirate. What a joke.
Attacks against the church are common in any era. The church stands against all unrighteousness and those who espouse ungodly paths do infiltrate the church in order to destroy their critics.
It appears that Papa is reluctant to stamp out heresy. Some will argue that he sows the seeds of disunity and wishes a church to be a soup kitchen and hostel.
Jesus Christ is our spiritual food and drink. To those who would steal away the essence of the church, let them be excommunicated as a warning to all.
Thank you for steadfast love of truth and proclaiming Christ crucified.
Since this matter has become as serious as stated [most would agree], would not the more effective response to the German Synodal Way be for the pontiff to call an ecumenical council of world bishops, the pontiff in attendance, and required attendance by all German bishops with a set agenda of the issues? If some bishops remain obstinate they may be penalized, if necessary a new German bishops conference and president to replace the former.
That’s a great idea of how to proceed if we had the episcopate of 40 years ago. Currently, I not only don’t trust Francis, but after watching how many of the Cardinals swayed in tune to the trash music of the “Youth Synod” several years ago, I don’t trust an assembled Church leadership to not end up embracing rather than disciplining the Germans.
Alas, so it may be.
I keep asking myself, “Who’s on first.”
No, that would not be the most effective response at the moment Fr. Peter. At the moment, they – the German Bishops – are merely voicing their opinion. Next year, the Bishops will meet, as planned, and then the Germans will know that their views have been totally rejected by the universal Church. Pope Francis has already stated that this journey is not about doctrine.
Fr Peter, why in the world would he do that when he is very much the head of the German Synodal path? This is the symphony he is conducting, the play he is writing and directing.
Just a wild guess.
That tittering sound we hear is Tetzel laughing, possibly in hell.
Instead of him tin-cupping indulgences in the 16th century, the Church in Germany in the 21st century excommunicates those who refuse to pay the federal church-tax, AND, sells out to those who would exchange the entire Church for a “synodal” mess of pottage.
Way back on February 25, 1296, before fledgling nation-states had become radically secularized, Pope Boniface VIII prohibited (in Clericis laicos) “all prelates and in general all persons belonging to the Church” (without the consent of the Holy See) from paying to laymen [today read the ZdK: the lay Central Committee of German Catholics] any ‘imports, taxes, tithes or half tithes or even a one-hundredth part”—on the penalty of ipso facto excommunication.
This penalty of 1296 A.D. was incurred automatically in 1955 by the lay-Catholic, Argentine dictator, Juan Peron. Butt, what will later history say of today’s clerical money-changers and proposed flesh markets in Germania?
The Vatican has issued another warning
Warning, or rather projection?
The single subject on which the Pope seems to speak with razor sharp clarity and focus is his intense dislike of the EF of the Mass and those who are attached to it. Everything else is fog and evasion.
Bergoglio’s Synodal Way poses threat to Catholicism by Design.
Pope Francis’s Synodal Way poses absolutely no threat to our Church. The Holy Spirit is present. Respect His presence and guidance. Pope Francis does.
There is absolutely not purpose to these synods other than to attempt to enshrine anti-Catholic bigotry into the Deposit of Faith.
The warning by Pope Francis to the
liberal “German Synodal Way” is significant for another reason. This is bad for Arch-conservative US Bishops because it puts Francis in the middle as a moderate between arch- conservative US Bishops and radical- liberal German Bishops; and makes it more difficult for US Bishops to claim that Francis is “going too far” to the left. Remember the old saying: “play the middle.” Francis can do that now because of the “radical” Germans, who have pushed US Bishops further to the right and placed Francis in the middle now between the two of them.
Is that the story you tell yourself? The radical Germans? They are very much of the heart of Pope Francis. The Pope pretends to excoriate them. That is all. It is a charade, nothing more.
Francis, himself, poses a threat to the unity of the Church. He refuses to stand against “Catholics” who promote an anti-Catholic agenda when it comes to their public defiance of Church teaching to protect the unborn. And, worse, he admonishes those shepherds who seek to bring members of their flocks back into the fold. Add his admiration for James Martin, and the case becomes airtight. Compassion is one thing, but when it silences the teaching of the Church, it is no longer compassionate.
Oh, there is no silence. Pope Francis, our teacher, has made it clear that abortion is an evil act, and those who support it are not in communion with the Church and so should not receive communion.
Donna, St Paul tells us the same thing. BTW, Is there any statement in the Bible that says they should be refused communion?
Steeped in mortal sin….Cordileone’s letter explains it.
Read 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, but don’t get wrapped up in sola scriptura, Mal. Canon 915 also addresses the subject of excommunication, which one does to oneself when denying the teaching of the Church and presenting oneself to receive the Eucharist.
Donna, it is truly our belief that if the teachings of the Church are denied then, when this is done, one excommunicates one’s self. This is exactly what Pope Francis has said on a few occasions.
Does the priest, who is distributing Holy Communion, really know what is lurking in the minds and hearts of all those who come up to receive the sacred bread? It is possible that many of these people do not accept or live by all the teachings of the Church. The onus is on the receiver. St. Paul makes it clear that these people eat and drink judgment upon themselves.
Mal,
Excommunication is used when a transgression is public. Not privately held in the heart.
When the archbishop of New Orleans excommunicated segregationists he only used that discipline for those who loudly and publicly continued unrepentant in error. If holding segregation beliefs silently in one’s heart was grounds for excommunication the archbishop would have need to excommunicate virtually every white person under his jurisdiction. That was the sad condition of civil rights in that time and region.
Where is it in the BIBLE??? Spoken like a Protestant. Are you?? As you must know the Catholic church is based on more than that alone. There is an old saying that actions speak louder than words. Having spoken several times to the Germans no effect, its time for the Pope to actually do something. Call in the particular German Bishops for a session of discipline including a time of quiet reflection on there actions for some extended period of time at some isolated monastery. As for your commentary above to my post, people commit many sins. No matter how bad, they will be forgiven if repented of. In the main those sins are committed by private people of no public note. The actions of the German bishops are much more serious as they threaten the unity of the church. Further they have made statements suggesting it is the church which must change to reflect modern times. Women priest, gay marriage , communion for non catholics are all on their agendA which they defiantly continue to push publicly. Time for Frances to put and end to these ramblings before bigger damage is done.
1 Corinthians 5:11
The Amish reference scripture verses for their practice of shunning which like excommunication is really meant to awaken people to the gravity of their transgressions in hopes they will repent.
Exodus 20:13 – Thou shalt not kill.
Exodus 20:16 – Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Only a hypocrite would support abortion (or another intrinsically evil act) while presenting oneself for Holy Communion. Such a hypocrite is like the Pharisee about whom you often write. His thinking is warped and fossilized. He is a self-styled judge against the word of God and the 2000-year-old Magisterium of the Catholic Church. One who loves God knows Him and keeps His commandments.
Catholic works of mercy compel us to instruct the ignorant and to admonish the sinner. This is the work of the Church and the work of each of the faithful.
Sure, sure. Then he hails the number one abortionist in Italy as one of its greats.
A landmark event happens with the overturning of Roe V Wade and he is mum.
Sola Scriptura? Catholicism, unlike Protestantism, affirms it is a grievance sin to be in grievance sin and receive communion and for a priest or high prelate to knowingly facillitate the act.
Yes, and back in olden times we even had the following from the Council of Trent:
“CANON XI. If any one saith, that faith alone is a sufficient preparation for receiving the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist, let him be anathema. And for fear lest so great a sacrament may be received unworthily, and so unto death and condemnation, this holy Synod ordains and declares, that sacramental confession, when a confessor may be had, is of necessity to be made beforehand, by those whose conscience is bothered with mortal sin, how contrite even soever they may think themselves. But if any one shall presume to teach, preach, or obstinately to assert, or even in public disputation to defend the contrary, he shall be thereupon excommunicated.”
Today, more complicated than abortion, because regarding the possible psychological complexity of aberrant sexual activities, in individual cases, the new Catechism carefully recognizes mitigating circumstances affecting subjective guilt (those individuals (!) whose consciences might be aware of “grave” but not fully deliberate “mortal” sin).
But it is precisely this so-called (!) “grey area” of mitigation—in individual cases—which Marx, Batzing, Hollerich and Grech would like to expand and exploit into a morally exempt category (!) for a contrived category of (LGBTQ) persons. And, indeed, even for unmarried and non-celibate heterosexuals as well (equity!).
Alchemy by a new name: synodality.
Thanks. Well said.
Well, well.
Tepid, but maybe a beginning.
Pope Francis cannot avoid being drawn out in this. Schism is a real possibility considering the declarations coming from the German Synod.
As promised by Christ, the Holy Spirit will have the final say on the Deposit of Faith.
As he has said before he is ok with schism. He is likely enjoying this.
It sounds as though the devil is alive and well in Germany. What is our Pope waiting for? Excommunicate those responsible.
James, you can wait until pigs fly if you are waiting for the Pope to do anything about it. They are merely executing his playbook.
The warning by about the liberal “German Synodal Way” is significant for another reason. This is bad for Arch-conservative US Bishops because it puts Francis in the middle as a moderate between arch- conservative US Bishops and radical- liberal German Bishops; and makes it more difficult for US Bishops to claim that Francis is “going too far” to the left. Remember the old saying: “play the middle.” Francis can do that now because of the “radical” Germans, who have pushed US Bishops further to the right and placed Francis in the middle now between the two of them.
“The Roman Pontiff has
full, SUPREME and universal POWER over the WHOLE Church, a power which he can always exercise UNHINDERED.” Cathechism # 882.
Yet ANOTHER “warning”???? How ineffective and banal. When is the Vatican ( aka the Pope) actually going to DO something about the German Church? Endless meetings and warnings have evidently resolved NOTHING and the fact that the German church roars on toward their goal of schism unimpeded ( for that is the only explanation which makes sense) is an indictment of the Pope. He refuses to protect the church from being publicly injured. Instead , crazed liberal clerics are deluding scores of Catholics that their way is fine and dandy. It would seem the pope has had too many “who am I to judge” moments and has abdicated his role. SOMEBODY has to judge, and that somebody is HIM. Tip-toeing around the truth will serve no one.
Wow! What if somebody else was to judge? He would kick out these Germans for merely expressing an opinion, kick out those who have had abortions, who take contraceptive pills, who have lustful thoughts, who have Pharisaical attitudes (our Lord denounced them) who allow some form of bigotry to reign in their lives etc. etc.
I don’t think the Germans are merely expressing an opinion. They are making up changes specifically to sacraments contrary to Magisterium. And if acts are no longer recognized as sin then what’s the point of the confessional. Self and pride certainly does not examine conscience. And I wonder how does the Holy Family hold as an image? It ain’t Joseph, Joseph and Jesus or Mary, Mary and Jesus. Will even that sacred image be tossed aside for wokeness?
Mal, don’t you know that abortion is an automatic excommunication?
Pope Francis has made it clear to this group – which is not the whole German Church – “If they find themselves separated from the entire ecclesial body, they weaken, rot and die. Hence the need always to ensure communion with the whole body of the Church.”
Here is another strong statement: “In order to safeguard the freedom of the People of God and the exercise of the episcopal ministry, it seems necessary to clarify that the ‘Synodal Way’ in Germany does not have the power to compel bishops and the faithful to adopt new forms of governance and new orientations of doctrine and morals.”
Natural calamities like droughts, forest fires, thunderstorms, floods, earthquakes, landslides, diseases, hunger, joblessness, homelessness, air and water pollution – are making life difficult for people in different parts of the world.
Yawn. Surely.
Well put Meiron.
The changes that the German “Bishops” proper with special regard to homosexuality, blessing same sex marriages. etc is a\particulatly grievous and deserving of a harsh warning to defrock and even excommunicate priests that participate in such activity…..I am moved to ask what good comes out of Germany after Martin Lither, Karl Marx, Adolph Hitler and now this!