Kalanta - Carols Kalanta (κάλαντα) in contemporary times are traditionally sung on Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and Epiphany. The carols are different for each festivity as they refer to the Nativity of Christ for Christmas, to St Basil for New Years and to the Baptism of Christ at Epiphany. The tradition of the Kalanta however, has its roots in ancient Greece adopted during the Byzantine period. The word itself derives from the Latin calendae which means “the beginning of the month”, and while the form of the custom has changed as we moved from the ancient to the Christian [...]

Christmas . . .  Xmas . . .  ✗!   In the past, perhaps up to the generation previous to ours, Christmas was celebrated with a significant insight into its meaning: that is, we commemorated the birth of Jesus Christ. As a result, the day had a considerable religious significance with corresponding relevant expressions of Church events, carol singing, exuberant Christmas decorations, giving to the poor and the needy, and real expressions of goodwill to one another. That was then. . .  when people celebrated Christmas more or less meaningfully. But things changed, somehow with rapidity. Our "Western" civilisation, discovered [...]

‘He took my body. He offers me His Spirit. He gives me the treasure of eternal life, taking but also giving: He takes my body so that He may sanctify it, He gives me His Spirit so that He may save me.’ (St John Chrysostom, Homily on the Birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ). Christmas has come to be synonymous with gifts, but St John Chrysostom’s above words, delivered to his congregation at a Christmas service in Antioch in the fourth century A.D., remind us about the greatest divine gift of all. Christmas, the Incarnation of our Lord is God’s [...]

What we Hear in Church Ode 9 of the Katavasies of Christmas   The incarnate presence of the God amongst us is not just the greatest event of human history; it is also the greatest mystery for Christians to behold. It is beyond our human understanding to comprehend and interpret. This is the sentiment the hymnographer St Cosmas of Maiouma wishes to impart in this hymn. In doing so, he borrows the opening line from the most well-known of St John Chrysostom’s five Sermons on Christmas, “I see a new and wonderful mystery”.  St Cosmas then attempts to poetically interpret [...]

Glancing at the first line from the first Ode of the Canon of the Nativity, we are reminded of the miraculous nature of birth of Jesus. So miraculous, that the whole universe anticipated it for thousands of years, the heavens offer a dancing star, the earth a welcoming cave, the angels praise Him with the shepherds and the Magi arrive bearing gifts. The Virgin offers her womb and we… well we can do nothing but give glory for ‘Christ is upon earth’, Immanuel, Christ is with us (Isaiah 7:14)! Looking at the icon of the Nativity of Christ, we notice [...]