Newspaper Page Text
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PAGE 3—The Georgia Bulletin, December 20,1979
Christmas Cheer
IT’S A BIG JOB decorating 14 Christmas
trees for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cancer
Home, but there are always plenty of workers
on hand for the annual day set aside by the
Auxiliary for the big task. At left, Pauline
Mollands works on a tree decorated with
peaches and most appropriate for Georgia.
Hard at work in the Cancer Home lobby are
Sister M. de Porris Connor, Superior of the
Dominican Sisters who staff the home, and
Father Patrick Connell, Cancer Home Chaplain.
JENNIFER CAREY
Traditional Byzantine Holy Supper
No White Christmas For Kenya Nomads
KAKUMA, Kenya (NC) - The Turkana nomad never
dreamt of a white Christmas nor of any of the other
acculturations of Christmas developed in the Western
world. They would mean very little to him.
As he leads his camels and cattle across the rolling hills
of Turkanaland in northwestern Kenya under a blazing
sun that raises temperatures to more than 100 degrees, the
Nilo-Hamitic Turkana shepherd gazes out over a panorama
of withered grasslands, dehydrated thorn bush and
scorched mountains.
In search of water and pasture for his herd somewhere
in the 26,000 square miles of Turkanaland, a region
somewhat larger than West Virginia, he presses onward.
With spear in hand, he thinks of the dangers that will face
him and his herd during the long night ahead. He knows
he is not alone. Hyenas, lions, snakes and human enemies
share this wasteland with him.
As dusk falls and he is enveloped in the dark of night,
he urges his herd forward toward the crest of the last hill.
There he will find his one hope in an otherwise hopeless
night - the light of a distant fire in the thorn bush
enclosure of the corrals and huts which he calls his home,
or manyatta. As he approaches it, he thinks of his wife
who will soon give birth to a child who will be security for
his old age.
The Turkana nomads symbolically unite hope from a
newly lit fire and security from a newborn baby. When a
mother gives birth, two women kindle a fire at the
entrance to the goat corral. It is a sign of hope to the
distant herdsman and to the family. The fire is then
carried into the mother’s hut and it becomes for her and
her family a symbol of security, life, light and warmth as
its light flickers over the face of her newborn child.
This symbolism, very important to the Turkana
nomads, becomes part of the Christmas celebration at the
Kakuma Mission in the Diocese of Lodwar. Most of the
180,000 Turkana herdsmen are awaiting first
evangelization and have not effectively heard of Christ,
but some have. For those who have Mass is often offered
near the corrals of the manyatta because there are very
few churches.
Under the star-filled dome of a perfectly clear sky, the
Turkana nomads sit on the sandy ground as the celebrant
begins the midnight Mass. They are a religious people who
have traditionally prayed often according to their
customs.
Now in the liturgy, they pray new prayers of hope:
“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great
light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light
has shone.” “Father, you make holy this night radiant
with the splendor of Jesus Christ our light. We welcome
him as Lord, the true light of the world.”
Once the birth of Christ is proclaimed during the
Gospel of the Mass, all the women run into the manyatta
with shouts of joy to kindle a fire as they would do when
a child is born, but with greater jubilation. According to
their custom, they should now bring the fire into the
mother’s hut. Instead, in symbolic welcome to the birth
of Christ, they bring it into the house of the oldest
woman. The women then invite in the men who have been
waiting outside in the darkness. Entering with great joy,
they greet the child symbolized by the new fire.
The Mass continues as a thanksgiving celebration for
the birth of Christ, “the true light of the world.” A
cheerful traditional feast and the Christmas blessing
follow it.
During these celebrations, two old women tend the
new fire, which remains the focus of attention for all the
Turkana nomads. It is symbolic of their one hope in an
otherwise hopeless night. It is a sign of their security, for a
Savior has been born to them.
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“CHRIST IS BORN!
GLORIFY HIM!
Christ came from
heaven, welcome Him
Christ is on earth,
exalt!
Sing to the Lord all the
earth,
Joyfully praise Him all
you nations,
For He has become
glorious!”
Christmas is a very
special time for the people
of the Byzantine Church.
The Holy Supper requires
special preparation and
setting. The dining room
table is lightly strewn with
hay or straw and then
covered with a white linen.
In the middle of the table,
a large round loaf of white
bread decorated with
traditional symbols similar
to the Paska of Easter and
called the “Krachun” is
placed between two
candles which are lit
during the dinner. This
explains the derivation of
our popular name for
Christmas. “Krachun”
means Nativity.
This traditional setting
of the Christmas table,
devoid of all pagan or
superstitious implications,
symbolically represents
the scene of Bethlehem.
The round white bread
represents the newly born
Savior Who called Himself
“the Bread of Life.” The
table covered with straw
or hay represents the
manger in which He was
laid; the white table cloth
His swaddling clothes, and
the lighted candle the star
of Bethlehem.
In arranging the seating,
the father as the head of
the household is seated at
the head of the table and
the family around him.
Besides the seating for the
entire family, there is
always one empty seat
which is reserved for the
unexpected guest for
whom, in the spirit of
Slavic hospitality, there
should always be room for
one more.
Before the supper
begins, the father lights
the candle, symbolizing
the appearance of the star,
and leads the singing of
the festive Troparion,
(liturgical song sung for
Christmas), “Your birth, O
Christ our God”
(Rozdestvo Tvoje Christe
Boze Nas), with the entire
family gathered around
the table.
The father then extends
his Christmas wishes in
words similar to these: “I
greet you with the Feast
of Christ’s Nativity and
wish that the new born
infant Jesus shower upon
all of you His choicest
blessings. May we all live
in health, peace, and
happiness and may we all
celebrate another
Christmas together. A
Merry and Blessed
Christmas! Christ is Bom!
Glorify Him!
The father then
embraces and kisses each
member of the family, and
as he expresses his wishes
for good health and
happiness, he shares a
piece of bread dipped in
honey with them. This
sharing of the bread
symbolizes the sharing of
life with Jesus and the
honey represents God’s
blessings, the source of
true happiness.
Since the Eve of
Christmas is traditionally a
fast day, meat or meat
products are never served
at the Holy Supper. In
many places, custom
dictates that even dairy
products are excluded.
The traditional menu
always contains meatless
dishes but in great variety
and prepared with great
care. The meatless dishes
symbolize the humility
and poverty which
surrounded the Birth of
Christ. The variety and
abundance of food
represent the variety and
abundance of God’s
graces.
During the course of
the supper, served leisurely
and with a certain
solemnity, there prevails a
joyous atmosphere
reminiscent of the angelic
message given to the-
shepherds that first
Christmas Eve, “I bring
you news of great joy to
be shared by all people.
Today, in the town of
David a Savior has been
born to you. Who is Christ
the Lord” (Lk. 2:10-11)
Between the servings of
the traditional foods, the
festive joy is enhanced by
the singing of carols, and
the telling of amusing
stories. The Holy Supper is
concluded with a
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traditional carol.
A certain after-supper
ritual is generally followed
consisting of carolling and
the opening of gifts. It is
not becoming or
customary to retire early
on Christmas Eve.
Emulating the sheperds, all
keep watch (Lk. 2:8) and
then, just before midnight,
all generally go to Church
to meet Emmanuel, “God
with us!”
The Christmas tree is
also a part of the
Byzantine Christmas
Tradition, but it is of more
recent origin, finding its
way into the homes of the
Byzantine Catholics from
Germany at the turn of
the last century. It also
brings with it much
meaningful symbolism.
The evergreen tree reminds
us of the eternal life
brought to us by Jesus
Christ, while the tree
decorations remind us of
His spiritual gifts and
blessings. The exchange of
gifts from under the tree
expresses our mutual love
in imitation of the infinite
love of our Heavenly
Father who “so loved the
world (men) that He gave
His only Son, so that all
those who believe in Him
may not perish, but may
have eternal life” (Jn.
3:15-16).
With a treasury of
traditions such as these, it
is no wonder that the
Byzantine Rite faithful so
earnestly prepare
themselves before the
great Feast of the Nativity
and derive so much joy
and spiritual unction in
the celebration of the
Feast itself.
Christ is Born! —
Glorify Him!
‘South End Santa’
Delights Children
ALBANY, N. Y. (NC) - For kids living in one part of
Albany, Santa Claus comes not from the North Pole but
from the South End.
For eight years now, he has walked up and down the
streets at Christmas time, wearing his red suit and a white
beard as he winds his way among the tenement houses.
Everyone there knows and loves him as the South End
Santa. His real name is Ed Hilton. He lives in an apartment
with his family in one of the poorer sections of the city.
And, when he’s not playing Santa, he works for the
Department of Public Works sweeping streets.
“I treasure being Santa Claus,” Hilton said as he sat in
his living room surrounded by hundreds of toys. “I do it
through my heart,” he said. “If you can’t do something
special once a year for kids . . . well, kids are here to enjoy
life. And to live it yourself, you’ve got to love kids.”
Hilton said he started being Santa because his end of
town never seemed to get one of its own.
“There are always Santa Clauses in department stores
and other places. But a lot of people here can’t go, they
don’t have cars. They’re poor.
“But I’m poor, too. I figure you put poor and poor
together and we can help” one another, he said.
Hilton brings home $89 a week from his job of 18
years. He lives with his wife, their two young sons and his
sister Carol in a cramped flat.
During the first years of his project, Hilton saved
whatever he could to buy candy to give out to the
children when Christmas came.
This year he has been able to expand his operation:
he’ll have sacks full of toys for the children and has
acquired the use of an empty store for his workshop.
Donations from several area churches, businesses and
private individuals are making the difference this year.
Money donated last year for this season totaled $140, he
said.
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