The Evangelist

A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Pastor’s Corner Archdiocese of North America Metropolitan JOSEPH, Archbishop of New York Put the Dickens Back in Christmas and Metropolitan of all North America Fr. Stephen Freeman 17840 Sky Park Circle Irvine, CA 92614-6407 In the late 1600’s in colonial Boston, the celebration Tel: (949) 851-8933 of Christmas was against the law. Indeed, anyone Fax: (949) 851-0010 evidencing the “spirit of Christmas” could be fined Email: [email protected] five shillings. In the early 1800’s, Christmas was Website: www.st-mark-church.org better known as a season for rioting in the streets and civil unrest.1 However, in the mid-1800’s some Very Rev. Father Michael Laffoon, Pastor interesting things changed the cultural response to Residence phone: (949) 559-6133 the feast and, in 1870, Christmas was declared a Rev Fr. Patrick Irish, Attached federal holiday (which is to say that prior to 1870, Rev. Protodeacon George Moubayed Christmas was not a day-off in America). What Rev. Deacon Nicholas Mamey happened? Sub-deacon: Athanasius Fakhouri Choir Director: Barbara Scholl American Christmas demonstrates the amazing Chanters: Jacob Bahbah, Mark Ellis, Theresa influence of literature on a culture. The first Joubran & Karim Youssef, Perry Ioannides, important book was by the author, Washington Jason Ioannides Irving (of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winckel Teen Advisor: Fatin Fakhouri fame): 2019 – 2020 PARISH COUNCIL In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving Chairman Kristin Chala {22} wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., a Vice Chairman – Penny Skaff {22} series of stories about the celebration of Christmas Secretary –Jerri Lynn Mamey {21} in an English manor house. The sketches feature a Treasurer – Osama Kishek {23} squire who invited the peasants into his home for Assistant Treasurers- Michael Khoury {21} & the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in Imad Alchammas {23} American society, the two groups mingled Gisele Awayjan {23} effortlessly. In Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a Lew Malouf {21} peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups Barbara Scholl {22} together across lines of wealth or social status. Tammy Qutami {21} Irving’s fictitious celebrants enjoyed “ancient [Number in brackets is the member’s last year of his customs,” including the crowning of a Lord of or her current term] Misrule. Irving’s book, however, was not based on Church School Co-Directors: Tammy Qutami and any holiday celebration he had attended – in fact, Kristin Chala many historians say that Irving’s account actually Men’s Club President: Ghassan Awayjan “invented” tradition by implying that it described Antiochian Women of St. Mark President: Vera the true customs of the season. Bahbah Teen SOYO President: Nadim Youssef 1 The second book, however, was, by far, the more Christmas was as absent as the “feast” of anything influential: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. else. It was not part of their consciousness. Thus, When Dickens is dubbed, “the man who invented the growth of a popular Christmas in the mid to late Christmas,” it is not far from the truth. For the 19th century took place outside the walls of the American cultural celebration of Christmas largely Church. It became a cultural holiday, with an began through the popularity of Dickens’ classic emphasis on family and the home. story. That same fact, though, accounts for much of the non-religious aspects of America’s celebration. Surprisingly, Christmas is probably far more a part of Protestant Church life in America today than at Dickens’ A Christmas Carol does not overlook the any time in our history. But the echoes of cultural birth of Christ. It presumes the religious aspects of Christmas remain strong. When Christmas Day falls the day and its presence is woven throughout every on a Sunday, Christianity in America revisits its part of the story-line. There is a brief mention of conflicted past. It is not unusual to see Churches of Bob Cratchett and his son, Tiny Tim, attending a more Evangelical background cancelling Sunday Church on the day. But it was not this part of the services, deferring to Christmas as a “family” story that caught the popular imagination. All told, celebration. For liturgical Churches (Catholic, it was the “spirit” of Christmas that sold America Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, etc.) such a practice on the importance of the day. seems scandalous in the extreme. Dickens wrote in the depths of the Victorian era. I might note, however, that the “power” of That period was marked, both in England and Christmas as an event in our culture, is rooted in the America, by a rise of romanticism, a popular culture rather than the Church. In the Orthodox sentimentality for “old things,” “traditions,” and Church, Christmas is but one of twelve major feast “customs.” The century before had been dominated days. If those feast days fall anytime other than a by the Enlightenment, when all things rational ruled Sunday, attendance at Church will be thin indeed. the day. Indeed, it is not incorrect to see the And though Christmas is one of the three greatest of sentimentality of the Victorian period as a reaction the twelve (Pascha, Christmas, Theophany), only to the coldness of reason. It was a swinging of the Christmas and Pascha (always on a Sunday) receive cultural pendulum. great attention in America. Those of us who feel a certain superiority in our Church’s celebration of America’s religious history has been a conflicted the Christmas feast, would do well to reflect on our mix since the very beginning. The New England own neglect of the other feasts. colonies (among the earliest) were settled largely by Puritans, dissenters from the Church of England, This is not an article about what “should” be. who wanted a radical reform of English Cultures are what they are and got that way by their Christianity. Unable to achieve their desires in peculiar history. If America were an Orthodox or England, they came to America and established Catholic country in its beginning, many of the other their Churches here. They opposed Church festivals major feasts would likely be national holidays and and frivolities of almost every sort. Their strict and their customs would be widespread. Such is the case dour form of Christianity waned and morphed over elsewhere in the world. the decades, becoming a fairly moderate version of generalized Protestantism. The lower colonies There are protests against the secular Christmas that (Virginia and to the South) were settled (officially) say, “Put the Christ back in Christmas!” From a by Anglicans. However, migrations quickly liturgical point of view I’ve wanted to add, “And populated those areas with dissenters, particularly put the Mass back in Christmas!” It is, after all, a the Scots-Irish who were largely Presbyterian with feast of the Christian Church. Neither of these, Baptists as well. Catholics were a tiny minority, however, will likely be dominant in a culture that restricted, for the most part, to Maryland. once had little Christmas at all. English Churches outside of the Catholic and Another suggestion I might make is to “put the Anglican were non-liturgical. The “feast” of Dickens back in Christmas.” I can think of no better 2 homage to the man who “created” the modern Nativity (Birth) of Jesus Christ, commonly known celebration of the holiday than to read his delightful as Christmas. During this season we are reminded A Christmas Carol. If you do not want to read, the that the Christian life style must include alms giving single most faithful movie presentation of the book (acts of charity), prayer and fasting. Therefore, we is (to my mind) the version with Jim Carrey . are asked to intensify these efforts. During Advent we should be praying more, giving more time and But, more than this, would be the moral of Dickens’ resources to those in need, eat less and more simply, story: Christmas is well-kept by a life of generosity and above all, seek to fast from sin. and kindness. That dear story is one of profound repentance, the healing of relationships and the The fasting rules are as follows: on all days we righting of wrongs. Dickens’ Christmas was abstain from meat, poultry, dairy (milk, cheese etc. synonymous with a life lived in accordance with the Fish, oil and wine may be eaten on Saturdays and gospel. He said it well at the end of his story: Sundays (some also allow this on Tuesdays and Thursdays). The last four days of the Fast are strict Bob Cratchett was very surprised, and so were fasting days (as in Great Lent). Fasting should many people who found Scrooge so changed. always be combined with increased giving to the Scrooge became a better person. To Tiny Tim, who needy. did not die, he was a second father. Scrooge became Last, but not least we should strive to fast from sin as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a and come to Holy Confession before Christmas. man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city or town in the world could know. It was always said of Scrooge, that he knew how to keep Feasts, Special Services and Events for Christmas well. May that be truly said of us, and all December 2020 of us! Sunday December 6, Feast of St. Nicholas I absolutely think that Christmas should be a time for Christians to gather in Church to give thanks for Wednesday December 2, 9 & 16, 6:00 p.m., the birth of Christ. But outside its doors, no one of Friday December 4, 11 & 18, Advent Paraklesis us could do better than Scrooge.

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