Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it those who worshiped the stars,
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness.
And to know Thee the Orient from on high,
O Lord, Glory to Thee!
– Troparion for Christmas Day
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteGot a question - don't know if you're the right person or if this is the right forum to ask in: In the Byzantine Catholic Christmas celebration, what, in the formal prayers, is the role of the animals? I notice in the beautiful icon above that the animals are there, but not prominent, and in the troparion above, the message is Christ's glory, as opposed to his humility, which in the Latin rite is symbolically embodied in the animals, which are mentioned in several of the prayers, especially in the Midnight Mass.
Anyway, I'll google around, see what I can find, but thought it was worth asking here.
Joseph
Thinking over the prayers during this time- I think Jesus' glory/kingship is emphasized in our rite. While we speak about the humble origins (born of woman, born in a cave), we always seem to 'follow up' with a declaration of His glory....I'll think more on this, but you made a good observation
ReplyDeleteA very blessed Christmas to you and your family!
ReplyDelete