BORN UNDER THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

 

THE GREEK ORTHODOX OF AMERICA : AND THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

GOARCH : THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM This article by Rev. Dr. Eugen J. Pentiuc, who is Archbishop Demetrios Professor of Biblical Studies and Early Christianity and Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. explores the controversy and includes some notions based on modern astronomy but also takes in the Jewish prophecy.

Excerpts: Nevertheless, in a continuous and thrill-driven rush for a scientifically accurate and definitive identification of the “star of Bethlehem,” we are often inclined to overlook some important prophecies of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), prophecies which would place securely the New Testament proclamation (kerygma), in our case the episode of the “star” travelling along with the magi from the East, in its cultural-religious setting so necessary to understand the gospel narratives that refer to natural phenomena or historical events by wrapping them up in the time-honored, mystically smelling / perfumed garment of old prophecies. ...

The case in point for such a scriptural contextualization of the “star of Bethlehem” is an old prophecy found in the book of Numbers—a prophecy that was traditionally labeled as “The Star of Jacob.” ... According to Matthew 2:11, the three magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Each gift was telling Jesus’ fate on earth from a particular viewpoint: Gold indicated that he would be a king; frankincense that he would be a God; and myrrh that he would die, emphasizing his humanity.

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I'm not too familiar with the differences between Roman and Greek Catholic theology, but I do know that Greek Catholic means the missionaries who brought Christianity to certain ethnicities were from Greece, which is reflected also in the recognized saints and sometimes the names given to children in baptism...

VENI VENI EMMANUEL : ZOLTAN KODALY

THE FIREPLACE

 

MEDIEVAL CHRISTMAS MUSIC - HUNGARY (HOLY EVENING - SZENTESTE)

posted by Bigas Daddy... go to the video on YouTube to read about this classical music form and how it may be a like or different from Bohemian or German music.

Christmas Eve is called Holy Evening in Hungary.

VENI VENI EMMANUEL : ZOLTAN KIDALY (O COME O COME EMMANUEL)

A STAR

 

REMAINS OF SAINT NICHOLAS? CHURCH OF SAINT NICHOLAS ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE

DAILY MAIL SCIENCE - TOMB OF SAINT NICHOLAS FOUND?  Go to the article to see some terrific photos

Excerpt: The second church was found after researchers conducted electronic surveys under St. Nichoas church, finding gaps between the floor and the ground.

Then, in 2022, the team announced they may have found the tomb, but were still working to remove the Byzantine church's flooring to not damage it.

Osman Eravsar, the head of the provincial cultural heritage preservation board in Antalya, told Demiroren News Agency that year: 'The first church was submerged with the rise of the Mediterranean Sea, and some centuries later, a new church was built above.

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On January 2nd 2025 I removed the video but you may still find it at the link....

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN HUNGARY : CHRISTMAS EVE (SZENT-ESTE) IS THE MOST IMPORTANT and ACTIVITY FILLED DAY

Because Hungary is officially a Christian country - though there Hungarians with a variety of beliefs and non-beliefs, Christmas turns out to be the most important holiday to celebrate. The emphasis is on religion.  And so, Christmas Eve is called Holy Evening.  The holiday is far less commercial than in the United States, and perhaps purchasing from the equivalent of a crafts fair or farmer's market is part of that. Doing so as a tourist or citizen helps keep the local economy and micro-businesses afloat.

For instance, a Christmas tree (a Germanic custom) is put up in the family home by the family on the Eve. Traditionally, the Christmas Tree was lit with candles. Candles, as well as sparklers (!) may be placed on the tree, something that most Americans would fear doing in case of fire.  If the children are small and not participating, the tree can be a surprise to see. They may be told that the angels brought the tree. They will get their gifts that evening and will be told that they were brought by Jesus, or Jezuska (little Jesus). If they did not participate in decorating the tree and it's meant to be a surprise, they may be told to wait until their parents ring a little bell to announce the time to enter the room, glowing tree and presents awaiting. The presents are wrapped to make the discovery of what's inside more exciting.

Candles are also used to decorate around the house, but are not lit until Midnight (the first moments of Christmas Day) and this moment is called Silent Night.

All day during Christmas Eve the household is bustling with activities. Christmas carols may be sung. Food may be prepared.

A favorite desert is called beigli, which is called a nut roll.  The beigli can be filled with walnuts, almonds, chestnuts, pistachio - or poppy seeds, which are seeds and not nuts. Fish soup or stuffed cabbage rolls are popular choices for meals. Pork, however, is not eaten in the lead-up to Christmas, advent, so it is not until Christmas Ever that it can be used as a filling for the stuffed cabbages.

On Christmas Eve the last candle of the four used in an Advent wreath is lit.  Four candles, for four Sundays are used in the wreath. The first symbolizes faith, the second hope, the third joy, and the last one is for love. The first three candles are purple, the final one pink, in Catholic homes. Usually the candles are arranged in a circle among some pine branches.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE A HUNGARIAN-AMERICAN CHRISTMAS?

Do you continue or include Hungarian traditions into your Christmas time celebrations?

Leave me a comment!

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

 

BY THE BOOK

 

OF HUNGARIAN HERITAGE? TRY THESE CUSTOMS FOR YOUR AMERICAN CHRISTMAS!

Children write letters to Jesus. Parents will mail them or use their personal connections to get the letters to him. One page only, please!

Your Christmas tree does not go up until Christmas Eve.  The children go to bed.  The tree is delivered by angels.  You may opt to ring a bell when the tree and presents from Jesus are ready.

Take it down mid January.  (Feast of Three Kings.)

Very traditional (18th century) hang a pine bough from a live tree from a center beam or ceiling instead of having a whole tree cut down. More ecological, and the smell of pine will permeate.

Hang your Christmas tree with soft candy.  Soft jelly type candies covered in chocolate and wrapped in foil or perhaps homemade walnut clusters are more traditional but you can be inventive. Also consider apples, fruit, or popcorn.

American variation: home made fudge, popcorn clusters, or fruit can be hung in little net bags that have a bow. Visitors get to take one or two from the tree.

Instead of hanging large stockings, have the children put out their shoes or boots out on the evening of December 5th.  The shoes must be polished and clean. Little presents from the Saint come December 6th. Put the boots out on the porch.

Deliver your presents from Saint Nick instead of Santa.  Tell the children the story of Saint Nicholas.  

Better yet, perhaps it's best if the gifts come from Jesus himself.  Open presents from family after your evening meal on Christmas Eve.  

Go to Midnight Mass.

Visit with family and friends on Christmas day and December 26th.

Instead of a turkey, cook a Hungarian inspired meal; get out your cookbooks. Consider having the children help with the meal, for instance, making fresh egg and flour dumplings. 

Play classical music or Hungarian language carols in the background as you cook.

Leave Christmas Day as a spiritual holiday as it was meant to be. Generosity to others is important; consider a family gift to a charity.

ADORATION

 

OH COME LET US ADORE HIM

 

HUNGARIAN CHRISTMAS MUSIC

ASK YOURSELF THIS

ARE YOU WILLING TO HOLOCAUST THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE HOMELESS?  DO YOU CONSIDER THEM TO BE SUBHUMAN and NOT WORTHY OF BASIC RESPECT or TO BE WITHOUT NEED?  Is it OK with you if they freeze to death?  Starve to death? Die in the street? Give birth in the street? Go hungry? Go without education?  Keep moving?  Do you care if people who not long ago had it all together are now at risk of going crazy? HAVE YOU DUMPED FRIENDS BECAUSE THEY RAN OUT OF LUCK?

If so, please do NOT celebrate Christmas.

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I don't know about your town, but I know that mine has a homeless encampment that keeps getting bigger down by the post office, which happens to have outdoor lighting on all night. There is also a motel that has been temporarily funded as a temporary homeless shelter.  I encounter homeless people everywhere I go, especially in libraries, and I believe the numbers are triple of that counted. I believe this because I believe that a good number of homeless are secretly so.  They have avoided being counted and do not want to go to shelters or other facilities either because they don't want governmental benefits or intrusion into their lives, or because there are horror stories about what it is to be in these places.  In talking to people I meet, I've learned about long wait lists as well and the feeling of despair.  Partners do not want to be separated.  Parents don't want their children put in foster care.  They would rather go on loving each other in a tent.

I thought about this the other day because basically I was reading through my old posts that are genealogy oriented,  I noted that the National Archive of Hungary and the databases that show who owned the land and how many people lived on it - as tenant farmers - as serfs - back in the Queen Marie Theresa's day. As well, the 1828 census counted how many slaves one had. I was thinking about how the land barons who had serfs on their estate owed them some very basics. They were better off than the homeless in the sense that if you were a serf on a baron's estate, you were not expected to be transient.  

You knew where you belonged and you knew what hut was yours for the night.  You probably had a sense of community and some pride in being able to work hard to contribute towards your upkeep.  You may have had rags on your feet, but you had family too. I'm not idealizing serfdom. I'm saying the freeing of the serfs was a great big deal and often they ran for another country and a better life, but how can we free the homeless who are living much like them?

I truly fear what is coming if there is no more governmental help coming, in particular if evictions are allowed to continue.  Even those who have been living on unemployment benefits are at risk at becoming homeless.  So very many here in Southern California live without savings.  And have nowhere else to go.  California has been a destination for people who became homeless in other places, in particular cold places.  You probably won't freeze to death here, but there are still places where you can be overexposed to cold.

I learned that the motel full of homeless people does not house our town's local homeless.  Social workers from all over the city have sent people who are very ill or incapacitated there.  It is full of people with stage four cancer, people who cannot walk without a chair and assistance, people who are recovering from heart surgery who lost their apartments in the process of their illness and recovery.  Some of them are awaiting placement in assisted living or apartments with governmental vouchers.

It was bad before Covid-19 and now it's just horrible.  Though my neighborhood is decorated with Christmas lights, the food bank has been setting up down by the school.  We are all grateful for what all we have but also worried. We have decided on token gifts and donations to charities.

If you are reading this from another place in America or the world, please consider that empathy and understanding of other people's plight is a first step.  Stop protesting the existence of tent cities or the existence of homeless people in your neighborhood. Learn the truth about why they are out there.  I suspect you will find that evil and greed is at the heart of it.

AND TO ALL OF YOU, A GOOD NIGHT!

C 2020 Magyar American BlogSpot

PEACE PALOMA