4C Religious identity through diversity in festivals

Question 1

What day does the Western Church celebrate Christmas? Why?

Answer 1

• 25 December
• Thought to be a replacement for the Roman winter festival, Saturnalia (17-23 Dec.) and Dies Natalios Solis Invicti (25 Dec., Winter solace festival)

Question 2

Give an example of a pagan symbol during the Western Advent?

Answer 2

• Lighting candles to anticipate the return of sunlight

Question 3

How long is Advent in the Western Church?

Answer 3

• Four weeks

Question 4

What does Advent mark?

Answer 4

• The beginning of the Church year

Question 5

What does the Latin ‘adventus’ mean? How does this meaning link to Advent?

Answer 5

• Coming
• It anticipates two events:
1) Celebration of J’s first coming
2) J’s second coming at the end of time (parousia)

Question 6

What is the liturgical colour of Advent in the Western Church?

Answer 6

• Violet/purple (or blue, for hope, in some Protestant churches)
• A rose colour may be used in the third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunhday - Latin, ‘rejoice’)

Question 7

Give some Advent customs in the Western Church.

Answer 7

• Wreath
• Calendar (first used by Lutherans in 19th/20th C)
• Decorations
• Fasting

Question 8

When does the Eastern Church celebrate Christmas? Why?

Answer 8

• 7 January (Armenian Orthodox = 6 Jan)

* Corresponds to the Julian calendar, which predates the Gregorian used by the West)

Question 9

What is Advent known as in the Eastern Church?

Answer 9

• The Nativity Fast

Question 10

How long does Advent last in the Eastern Church?

Answer 10

• 40 days, up to the Eve of Nativity (6 Jan), a strict fast day (Paramony - ‘preparation’ when they abstain from red meat, egg, dairy, wine etc - no food until the first star appears

Question 11

What is there no emphasis on in the Eastern Church during Advent?

Answer 11

• Parousia

Question 12

What is the liturgical colour of Advent in the Eastern Church?

Answer 12

• Red, with gold sometimes as the alternative

Question 13

Give some events during the Eastern Advent.

Answer 13

• During the Nativity Fast, feast days celebrate prophets who prophesied the incarnation
• Two Sundays before Nativity, the Sunday of the Forefathers, commemorates the ancestors of the Church
• Sunday before the Nativity, Sunday of the Holy Fathers, commemorates all the righteous men and women who pleased God

Question 14

What does Christingle mean, and what do its symbols represent?

Answer 14

• Scandinavian for ‘the light of Christ’
• Orange = world
• Four cocktails = four seasons/corners of the earth
• Sweets/fruits = fruits of the earth
• Candle = J as the light of the world
• Red ribbon = J’s blood

Question 15

In the Western Church, there are traditionally three Eucharists at Christmas; when do they take place?

Answer 15

• 1st = Midnight C.mas Eve
• 2nd = Dawn C.mas morning
• 3rd = C.mas Day

Question 16

What is threatening the religious observance of Christmas in the Western Church?

Answer 16

• The rampant consumerism

Question 17

In the Eastern Church, what do the services on the Eve of the Nativity run parallel to? Why?

Answer 17

• Those held on Good Friday, to illustrate the theological point that the purpose of the incarnation is to make the crucifixion and resurrection possible

Question 18

Give three examples of services on the Eve of Nativity.

Answer 18

• The Hours: Special psalms, hymns, readings to proclaim the joy and power of J’s birth
• The Liturgy of St Basil the Great: baptismal liturgy at which catechumens are baptised and integrated into J’s body
• Matins: “Christ is born” = sung while the congregation venerates icon of Nativity

Question 19

What happens on Christmas Day of the Western Church?

Answer 19

• Feasting

* Giving of gifts

Question 20

What happens on Christmas Day of the Eastern Church?

Answer 20

• Feasting + enjoying the company of family/friends
• Activity depends on culture
• Little emphasis on sharing of gifts/consumerism
• Candles to represent the light of Christ
• Festive meal to represent the end of fasting

Question 21

Why is Easter the most important Christian festival?

Answer 21

• Celebrates the resurrection of J and confirms his ministry

Question 22

What is the agreed formula for working out Easter?

Answer 22

• The first Sunday after the first full moon/after the vernal equinox

Question 23

What is the relation between Jesus’ resurrection and the vernal equinox?

Answer 23

• J’s res. occurred around the time of the Jewish feast of Passover, which was celebrated on the first full moon following the vernal equinox.

Question 24

How does the Eastern Church calculate the vernal equinox/full moon?

Answer 24

• According to the actual, astronomical full moon + actual equinox as observed along the meridian of Jerusalem
• Applies the formula so that Easter always falls after the Jewish Passover, since the crucifixion and res. took place after he entered Jerusalem to celebrate Passover

Question 25

How does the Western Church calculate the vernal equinox/full moon?

Answer 25

* Does not use the astronomically correct date for vernal equinox, but a fixed date (21 March) * Does not use astronomical full moon but the 'ecclesiastical moon', based on tables created by the church * This allows the date of Easter to be calculated in advance rather than determined by actual astronomical observances * Can precede Passover by weeks

Question 26

How long is Lent in both the Eastern and Western churches?

Answer 26

• 40 days - in commemoration of J's 40 days before he began his ministry

Question 27

When does Lent begin in the Western Church?

Answer 27

• Ash Wednesday

Question 28

What do many Christians commit to during Lent?

Answer 28

• Fasting and giving up certain luxuries as a form of penitence/self denial

Question 29

What is the liturgical colour of Lent in the Western Church?

Answer 29

• Purple

Question 30

Give four significant dates during Lent in the Western Church.

Answer 30

• Fifth Sunday: Passion Sunday - beginning of Passiontide • Sixth Sunday: Palm Sunday - beginning of Holy Week • Thursday of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday - commemorates Last Supper; priest may wash feet of 12 • Good Friday: day of atonement to remember J's cruc., res., burial - RCC: fast day, no Eucharist - Anglican Communion: no particular rite - Lutheran: Tenebrae

Question 31

What is the season preceding Easter in the Eastern church called?

Answer 31

• Great Lent/Great Fast

Question 32

In the Eastern Church, when does the first week of Great Lent begin?

Answer 32

• Clean Monday (Clean Week refers to the spiritual cleansing of the faithful - strict fasting)

Question 33

In the Eastern Church, when does Great Lent end?

Answer 33

• Ends with the Vespers on Friday of the sixth week, followed by Lazarus Saturday

Question 34

In the Eastern Church, when do Holy Week services begin? What is special about these?

Answer 34

• Night of Palm Sunday • Each has their own theme - e.g. Holy and Great Saturday: J's burial + descent into Hell; fasting; combination of sorrow and joy; in morning, lit. colour = black, but changes to white after the Gospel is read

Question 35

What happens at Easter in the Western Church?

Answer 35

* A vigil may be held after nightfall on Holy Saturday; a paschal candle is lit to symbolise J's res; statues/images veiled during Lent = unveiled * Easter Day = joyous celebration of J's res - a stark contrast to the solemnity of Lent * Lit. colour = white, often w/ gold * C.chs = brightly decorated w/ white/yellow flowers * Music = joyful; jubilant use of c.ch bells

Question 36

In the Eastern Church, what is the last liturgical service in Great Lent?

Answer 36

• Midnight Office - Priest places epitaphios on altar, which remains there until the feast of the Ascension - End of office: all c.ch lights/candles extinguished + all wait in silence until midnight, when the res. is proclaimed

Question 37

What happens at Easter in the Eastern Church?

Answer 37

* The Easter Matins begin, followed by Easter Hours, then Easter Divine Liturgy * Customary to crack hard-boiled eggs (dyed red to symbolise the blood of Christ) to celebrate the opening of the tomb * Easter Sunday afternoon: Agape Vespers sung w/ portions of John's Gospel read in several languages to demonstrate the universality of the res.

Question 38

In the Eastern Church, what is Easter week known as? What happens during it?

Answer 38

* Bright Week * No fasting * Customary Easter greeting = 'Christ is risen', to which the response is, 'He is risen indeed.'