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Palm Sunday Observed by Christians Around the World

Noel — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 10:00:15 +0000

Palm Sunday: April 1

Palm Sunday is a religious observance for Christians all over the world.

Palm Sunday is the last Sunday of Lent and marks the beginning of Holy Week. It is a celebration of the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem where he was welcomed by the people of the city with branches from the palm trees days before he was to be crucified.

History of Palm Sunday

Before Jesus entered Jerusalem to meet his death at the hands of the Romans and the Jewish authorities, he stayed in Bethany where he resurrected Lazarus. He sent some of the disciples ahead of him to get a donkey on which he could be carried as he entered Jerusalem. Additionally, he asked the owner of the house to prepare the Upper Room for the Last Supper.

As he was riding the donkey and nearing the city, everybody started to cheer him, for they believed he was the Messiah promised in the Scriptures to save them, and they remembered the recent miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus. While many people laid their clothes on the floor for Jesus to pass riding the donkey, other picked up branches from the palm trees, chanting: “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Christians began to celebrate Palm Sunday as the first day of Holy Week, and they have been doing so since the eighth or ninth century.

Palm Sunday Traditions, Customs and Activities

The main liturgical ceremonies of the day are: the blessing of the palms, the procession of the entrance of Jesus in Nazareth, the daily Mass, and the singing of the Passion during Mass. Palm branches are commonly symbols of joy and victory over enemies, and in Christianity they are signs of victory over the flesh and the world.

There are many traditions on this day. In Roman times, the emperors used to distribute small presents and branches of palm among their nobles and domestic helpers. And form early celebrations of the day, palms have been blessed and used in Mass. On this day, olive branches are blessed as symbols of Jesus prayer on Mount Olive. In some countries the crosses made with palm branches are decorated with flowers and are cut to make beautiful ornaments. In the Netherlands they are decorated with candies and bread. The palm branches are kept after the celebrations and held in front of the houses as sign of welcome to Jesus and all men of good faith.

In Catholic South American countries and in the Philippines, where the Christina faith is still effervescent, it is usual to re-enact the entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem with the priest arriving at the church riding a donkey while people great him with the palm branches and lay clothes on the ground. In other countries, like Portugal, it is a normal day where the ritual of Mass differs from the usual ritual, and the branches are used in the beginning of the Mass, while not much attention is given to these old traditions that seem to fall out of interest for the younger generations.

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St. Joseph’s Day Celebrated by Christians Around the World

Noel — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:00:20 +0000

St. Joseph’s Day: March 19

St. Joseph’s Day is a religious observance for Christians all over the world.

March 19 is the date on which Christians venerate St. Joseph, husband of Mary, mother of Jesus. It is a feast in which Joseph is celebrated as patron of the universal Church; he has another feast on May 1 on which Joseph, the carpenter, is celebrated as a worker.

History of St. Joseph’s Day

Not much is known about St. Joseph; the only biblical stories that mention his presence are before the birth of Jesus and during his infancy. Even so, we do know that he was married to Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, and lived in Nazareth as a carpenter and a man of faith. These are the foundations of the Christian devotion to Saint Joseph.

It wasn’t until 1129 that the first church was dedicated to him. Only later, with appreciation of Joseph as a saint in the gospels, did he become more revered. Finally in 1621, March 19 was made a feast of obligation to Saint Joseph. The devotion to Saint Joseph increased significantly from then on, and in 1870, Pius IX declared him as patron of the Catholic Church.

As Catholic tradition states that Joseph died in the arms of Mary and Jesus, he is considered the patron saint of a happy death, by being able to die peacefully in the presence of his family. Among many other things, he is also the unofficial patron saint against doubt and hesitation, for he did as he was told by the angels when Mary became pregnant and protected her from the Law of the Jews and from persecution by Herod.

St. Joseph’s Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

In countries like Portugal and Spain, Father’s Day is also celebrated on March 19. It is a day in which children prepare gifts to give to their fathers and recognize the value of their presence in their lives. The day is celebrated close to Easter, and some years it occurs during Lent. When it does, it is much more sober feast when fasting and prayer are still observed as ordinances for the Lent Season. If it happens that it falls on the same days as Holy Week, it is moved to the next available date, since Easter takes precedence in the celebrations.

In Italy this is an important day, especially in Sicily, where St. Joseph is the patron of the city. It is said that at one point, the city went through a serious drought and food was lacking. The people of Sicily prayed to St. Joseph and promised to build a big altar of food every year for him if it rained, and soon it did.

Every year in the city, and also in many other parts of Italy, a table is set with plenty of food to offer to St. Joseph, gathered by everyone from the city. The food cannot have meat, and it always has fava beans, since this was the food in abundance at the time of the drought that saved the city from famine. The table is blessed by a priest and the feast begins. At the end, the table is destroyed and three children dressed as Joseph, Mary, and Jesus as a child go from door to door asking for shelter, staying at the home of the third knocked door. This tradition was brought to the United States by Sicilian immigrants who organize city-wide events, give food to charities, and hold parades in the Italian communities all over the US.

Also in the US, something beautiful happens in the Mission of San Juan Capristano in San Juan Capristano, California. The mission was founded in 1776 by the Franciscans and a small city grew around it. A legend says that one day a shopkeeper was destroying the nests of swallows, and a Franciscan priest stopped him in defense of the birds. On St. Joseph’s Day, the swallows return to the city year after year, after spending the winter in the warm cities of the south.

In other parts of the world there are processions in the streets with the image of the saint and everybody recalls his example of sainthood and faithfulness to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

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Ash Wednesday Observed by Christians

Noel — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:00:46 +0000

Ash Wednesday: March 9

Ash Wednesday is a religious observance for Christians all over the world.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the season of Lent. The holiday’s name exists because on this day, Christians attending Mass will be marked by a cross of ash on the forehead as a sign of penance. The date changes according to the date set for Lent, and it comes 46 days before, not counting Sundays.

History of Ash Wednesday

The tradition of celebrating Ash Wednesday comes from Roman times. It is known to be celebrated as early as the fifth century, and it was called dies cinerum (day of ashes). Well before the celebrations of Ash Wednesday were institutionalized by the Catholic Church, there were many penitents that in sign of repentance and penance would cover themselves with ashes and seek forgiveness from God for their sins. As the period of Lent reflects a time period focused on repentance, it was decided to that a proper ritual should be used during first Mass.

Before Mass begins, the priest blesses the ashes, which are created from the palms used from the previous year on Palm Sunday. The ashes are blessed with holy water and incense; this creates a kind of paste that then is used to make the sign of the cross on the forehead of all those attending Mass who wish to receive it. The priest will repeat the words “remember man that you are dust and unto dust you shall return” as he places the ash on the forehead.

Ash Wednesday Traditions, Customs and Activities

Since Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the churches are decorated with purple colors in penance. Fasting must be observed, and privilege must be given to prayer and self examination. The traditions and customs do not vary much from country to country. Ash Wednesday isn’t celebrated as much today as it falls in the shadow of the celebrations of the preceding extravagant celebrations of Mardi Gras, Carnival, or Maundy Tuesday.

On this day, Christian communities gather in a special worship service to receive the ashes on their foreheads. It is a day that traditional meals being served do not include meat. Fasting begins when only one full meal and two snacks can be observed during the day.

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Shrove Monday Celebrated by Christians

Noel — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 11:00:04 +0000

Shrove Monday: February 20

Shrove Monday is a religious observance for Christians all over the world.

Shrove Monday is celebrated by all Christians on the Monday before Ash Wednesday. It is mostly celebrated in Anglo Saxon countries as part of Shrovetide celebrations that comes before the sober Lent season and in contrast is marked by opulent festivities. In Latin countries it is known as Carnival or Mardi Gras.

History of Shrove Monday

Shrove comes from the verb to shrive, or hear confessions. Shrove Monday is part of the celebrations of Shrovetide that come just before Ash Wednesday that is the first day of Lent season. The days of Shrovetide were meant to be days of preparations for the upcoming season of Lent, so people would prepare themselves by going to confession and doing away with eating any meat. From this also derives the term Carnival—carne levare or “taking away the flesh.”

Yet as faithful Christians were to be 40 days away from returning to daily pleasures, Shrovetide became more and more an opportunity to have opulent festivities. Anything from sports to luxurious meals seemed to be permitted before Lent. In many countries, the church tried to contradict this. During the days of Shrovetide, The Church promoted the passage of the Blessed Sacrament in the streets of the cities to keep people away from the many opportunities of sin that appeared during these days.

Even so, the celebrations were already such a part of the traditions of populations that there was no way to contradict the importance that those days had for the faithful. Inevitably, the clergy found ways to minimize the impact of the excesses of the initial celebrations by incorporating them in the proper traditions of the church. Today there are many traditions that show signs of over-indulgence as the people prepare themselves for the more sober days of Lent and Easter.

Shrove Monday Traditions, Customs and Activities

Shrove Monday traditions are mostly observed in the meals that are prepared. Since Lent was a season that no meat could be eaten, Shrove Monday was then a day to eat all the meat that was around the house, not to be spoiled during the 40 days of Lent.

In England, the British name is Collop Monday, in which the traditional dishes of the day are slices of leftover meat with eggs. In other countries the tradition for Shrove Monday is the Carnival Parade, the most famous in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Different samba schools compete with luxurious costumes and giant floats decorated along one of the avenues, called the Sambódromo, to be the winner of the festival.

In Germany there are also parades, and the festival is called Rozenmontag, when people wear costumes and make fun of politics and public figures. In Greece the day is called Kathari Deftera, and the tradition there is to fly kites. Like Greece, most of Mediterranean Catholic countries celebrate Shrove Monday during Carnival with parades and parties.

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Epiphany Observed by Christians

Noel — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:00:38 +0000

Epiphany Day: January 6

Epiphany is a religious observance for Christians all over the world.

January 6 is the date of the Epiphany Feast for Christians all over the world. It is the celebration of the revelation of God as human in the person of Jesus Christ. Western churches celebrate the visit of the Magi to the newborn Jesus, and Eastern Christians celebrate his baptism as the moment of Christ’s revelation as the son of God.

History of Epiphany

This feast had its origin in the Eastern Christian churches related to the baptism of Jesus Christ in the river Jordan. However, it soon became contested by many theologians that disagreed with the date for the celebration of the baptism of Jesus, noting that the Epiphany or manifestation of God could be celebrated under different feasts like the miracle in Cana or the visit of the Magi. Before Christmas existed, the feast of Epiphany was celebrated, and many thought that the birth of Jesus could be celebrated on this day since there was no other day at that time.

But, as the Christian calendar took form in the West, December 25 was the date chosen for Christmas and the Eastern celebration of Epiphany was kept at the beginning of January. Yet there was more significance given to the visit of the Magi for this feast than that of the baptism of Jesus. Both biblical stories demonstrate that Jesus was God who manifested himself to the world through Christ. During the visit of the Magi who come to adore the newborn King of Jews, they met baby Jesus and recognize him as the promised King and therefore an incarnation of God. During the baptism of Jesus at the river Jordan, it is God himself that opened the skies and revealed that Jesus is his son, and also a manifestation of himself. So, both moments are Epiphanies, or manifestations of God through Jesus Christ.

Epiphany Traditions, Customs and Activities

There are many traditions around the world for this day. Usually it is the day that the Christmas season ends and all decorations are taken down from houses. Concerning the Three Kings, or Magi, the traditions revolve around gift giving—just as they brought gifts for Jesus—and eating the King cake, a festive cake that is filled with dried fruits and sweets.

In Spain it is the most important holiday of this season. Spaniards call it El Dia de los Reyes, and it is followed by many South American countries influenced by the colonial presence of Spain in past centuries. On this day, everyone leaves their socks outside the house for the Three Kings to leave gifts. In Mexico children leave letters to the Three Magi asking for toys near the nativity scene that was built for Christmas. In Puerto Rico the same is done but with a box filled with hay.

In other countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, or the Philippines, children sing songs from house to house, visiting the newborn baby Jesus at the house of Christian families and they receive candies and gifts. In Ireland it is called the Little Christmas or Women’s Christmas. It is a day for women to be treated as queens. Many years ago when average families were much bigger then today, and men did as much to help around the house as today, this was the day for Irish women to get a break from house work.

As for Eastern Churches, since it is a day that the baptism of Jesus is celebrated, water is the center of celebration and tradition. In Greece there is the Great Blessing of the Waters, where not only boats but also the seas, fishermen, and sailors receive blessings.

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Feast of the Immaculate Conception Celebrated by Christians

Noel — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:00:51 +0000

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Date: December 8

Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a religious observance for Christians all over the world.

On December 8, Christians all over the world celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is a day to celebrate the dogma of the conception of Mary, mother of Jesus, without any stain of the original sin.

History of the Immaculate Conception

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX in the Constitution Innefabilis Deus stated that Mary, as Mother of Jesus Christ by a singular privilege and grace granted by God and previewing the merits of Jesus Christ, at the moment of her conception was preserved from all stain of the original sin. Therefore, as many people mistakenly think, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception isn’t about the conception of Jesus, celebrated on March 25. Instead, it is based on the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The first celebrations of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception were organized by the early Church in Palestine during the seventh century, which at the time celebrated it more in focus with the role of the Virgin Mary in the history of Salvation than just the fact that her conception was indeed immaculate from the original sin. Later the feast spread to Christian the world within the monastic communities. Gradually the feast was celebrated in the cathedrals and later was finally approved by the Church and State as a holiday.

For years there was discussion among theologians about the exactitude of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This led to delays in accepting the feast in many dioceses in Europe, and only in 1854 was the case settled and the Feast accepted universally. In 1847, Pope Pius IX proclaimed Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, as patroness of the United States. Since then the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is the patron feast of the United States.

Many Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 9, placing the conception of Mary nine months less one day from the feast of her birth on September 8. The omitted day symbolizes that Mary was not in whole perfect as a human.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Traditions, Customs and Activities

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a public holiday in many countries, and it is a holy day of obligation for all Christians, meaning that they are obliged to participate in Mass and abstain from work that will disturb their focus on God through mind and body.

The predominant color for the day is white, and Christian communities emphasize the day with celebrations dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and spending time with family. In some countries there are processions which initiate the celebrations of Christmas. In Spain there is a tradition called the Dance of the Six in which young children dressed in jeweled clothes run through the streets holding a large figure of Mary as high as they can.

In Nicaragua the faithful set up altars at the entrance of their homes as a sign of thankfulness for the favors that the Virgin Mary has showed them during the year, while this neighbors come to the altar and sing songs to receive gifts and candies. In the afternoon around 6 p.m., people light up firecrackers in the streets in celebration of the day. Around Europe, since this is a non-working day in many countries, there are several cultural initiatives organized by the local dioceses. It is day to celebrate Mother Mary and look forward to Christmas.

For many years this day was celebrated as Mother’s Day, and it still is in Panama. However, it has been recently moved to the second Sunday of May in many Christian countries.

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Advent Sunday Celebrated by Christians Around the Globe

Noel — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 11:00:23 +0000

Advent Sunday: November 29

Advent Sunday is a religious observance for Christians around the world.

Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday before Christmas and is the first day of the liturgical year for Western Christian Churches. It is the start of the season of Advent that will end on Christmas and is the time of preparation for the birth of Jesus and his presence among us. Advent comes from the Latin word adventus (arrival).

History of Advent Sunday

With traditions that started as early as the fourth century, the Advent season in the first Christian communities was seen as a period of penance, just like Lent before Easter. Clergy members usually wear purple colors, like during Lent. Even so, the fasting observed in those years would be broken on the third Sunday of Advent, giving way to the proximity of the joy of Christmas. Therefore on this day by tradition the predominant color isn’t purple, but instead it is pink. Later a change in the focus of the season occurred, becoming more a season to celebrate hope and anticipation for the birth of Jesus and to look forward to the second coming of Jesus.

Advent Sunday Traditions, Customs and Activities

It is custom that on Advent Sunday several preparations are made for the celebration of Christmas. The crown-shaped Advent wreath, with four or five candles in the center, is placed inside the church or in homes. One candle is lit for every Sunday of Advent season, and the fifth is lit on Christmas Day.

Advent calendars are used, marking the number of days since Advent Sunday until Christmas. Each day, one day is crossed from the calendar, counting down the days to Christmas.

Nativity scenes are frequently prepared representing the scene in Bethlehem of the birth of Jesus. Sometimes real live characters are used in more elaborate Nativity scenes.

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Trinity Sunday Celebrated by Christians Around the Globe

Noel — Sun, 29 May 2011 10:00:34 +0000

Trinity Sunday: May 30

Trinity Sunday is a religious observance for Christians all over the world.

Trinity Sunday celebrates among Christians the dogma of the Holy Trinity, the three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Western churches it is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost, and in Eastern Christian Churches on the Sunday of Pentecost.

History of Trinity Sunday

Arius was a church priest that created a non-Trinitarian system of belief among the teachings of the fourth century, and was therefore deemed as a heretic. Many were following his teachings, and the whole concept of the Holy Trinity was denied by Arius and his followers, considering God, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit as not existing together as one.

Fathers of the Church, like Saint Gregory the Great, dedicated many hymns and Mass canticles to the Holy Trinity and tried to give more importance to the teaching of this doctrine of the Holy Trinity to all Christian believers. Many parishes began to have their own celebrations of the Holy Trinity, and it was not until 1911 that Pius X elevated the feasts to a primary of the first class.

Although it is one of the most debated dogmas of the Christian faith, the idea of the Holy Trinity is much appreciated by Christians all over the world as a representation of their most revered and adored persons: the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.

Trinity Sunday Traditions, Customs and Activities

Trinity Sunday is also called The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. On this day there are no special celebrations; it is mostly a day for reflection on the teachings of the Church about the Holy Trinity. There are special readings during Mass, and the rituals are all focused on the Holy Trinity.

It is a Sunday to reflect with joy and thanks in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in all that they have done for Christians and for humanity. The Father is remembered as Christianity’s creator, the Son as its savior, and the Holy Spirit as its comforter. The day is marked by the profession of the Athanasian Creed, a Christian statement of belief that focuses on the Trinitarian doctrine and Christology.

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Ascension Day Celebrated by Christians Around the World

Noel — Thu, 12 May 2011 10:00:16 +0000

Ascension Day: May 13

Ascension Day is a Christian holiday celebrated around the world.

In Christian doctrine, Ascension Day marks the day that Jesus ascended into heaven after he was resurrected. Also known as the Feast of Ascension, this day is generally observed by Catholics and Anglicans, and in most cases, it occurs 40 days after Easter. As the calculation of forty days after Sunday falls on a Thursday, it is also known as Holy Thursday. However, in some countries, the Roman Catholic Church has received permission to move the observance to the following Sunday as a way to encourage more Catholics to participate in the most important feasts.

History of Ascension Day

Historians have no documents earlier than the fifth century that directly indicate that Ascension Day was celebrated. However, analysis of words from St. Augustine indicates that observance of the feast was common well before his time. Analysis of the controversial canon 43 of the Council of Elvira leads some to believe that the canon is earlier proof of existence of the Ascension Day feast.

Looking to the Bible, the Ascension of Jesus is referenced on three different accounts, and the action is either predicted or spoken of as fact in many other references. Outside Biblical Canon, the Ascension is discussed in the Pistis Sophia, a Gnostic text that is considered the primary source of the Odes. A text from the second century called Against Heresies makes reference to the Ascension, its author, St. Irenaeus, describing the event as occurring 18 months after the Resurrection.

The celebration of Ascension Day has taken slightly different turns between Eastern and Western Christianity. In Western Christianity, the terms used for the feast (ascensio or ascensa) are derived from Latin, promoting the idea that Jesus rose on his own volition. The official date of the feast can only lie between April 30 and June 3. In Eastern Christianity, the terms for the feast (analepsis or episozomene) are derived from Greek, promoting the idea that by rising up, Jesus finished his work of redemption for all. The feast can fall between May 14 and June 17.

Ascension Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

For Roman Catholics and Anglicans, Ascension Day is among the six holy days when attendance at Mass is necessary. It is also a public holiday in many European countries.

In England, there was an old Ascension Day tradition in which the parishioners carried a banner with the symbol of a lion at the start of the procession followed by a banner with a symbol of a dragon at the rear. This was done to display the victory of Christ over the devil.

Across the world, different traditions are performed by different churches, such as blessing the First Fruits. Some churches hold outdoor processions with banners and torches, while others describe the Ascension of Christ by lifting a statue of Jesus above the altar and raising it through a special door in the roof.

Portugal’s Ascension Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

At the time that Portugal became a republic, in 1910, the Republican Government placed emphasis on the religious holidays, including the one used to celebrate the Ascension of Christ. Today, the Ascension Day is a public holiday only in select regions. However, Christian communities around the country gather to celebrate the Ascension of Christ into heaven with Mass and organized prayer meetings within the Easter spirit of the season.

Also celebrated on this day is the Dia da Espiga (Day of the Corn) in Portugal. Traditionally, boys and girls go out into the fields in the early morning to pick corn and flowers to make flower arrangements, symbolizing wealth, peace, and happiness in their lives. This bouquet is kept inside the house until the next year. Today this tradition has been lost since many people live within the city limits away from corn fields.

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