Festivals (Theme 4)

Question 1

Why was the date for Christmas chosen?

Answer 1

No one knows the exact date of Jesus’ birth and the date chosen was suggested that it was chosen to replace the Roman Winter Saturnalia

Question 2

What is Christmas preceded by in the Western Church?

Answer 2

It is preceded by four weeks of preparation known as advent which is the beginning of the Western Church year

Question 3

What does advent allow Western Churches to anticipate?

Answer 3

• The celebration of Jesus’ birth
• Parousia

Question 4

What colours are used during the Western Churches advent?

Answer 4

The liturgical colour during advent is violet and purple although, blue represents hope and is becoming popular in Protestant churches. On the third Sunday, Gaudette Sunday a rose colour may be used

Question 5

What are the Western Churches advent customs?

Answer 5

• An advent wreath (one white candle in the middle. First candle is hope, second candle is the prophets, the third candle is joy, the fourth candle is annunciation and the fifth candle is the Christ candle and is lit on Christmas Eve)
• An advent calendar
• Christmas decoration
• Used to be a season of fasting but is kept as a season of penitence
• From 17-23 of December is the great advent ‘OAntiphons’ may be sung at evening prayer each day

Question 6

What are the Christingle services in the Western Church?

Answer 6

Refers to the word meaning the ‘light of Christ’ became increasingly popular. An orange, representing the word and four cocktail sticks in it with fruit representing the four seasons and the fruits of the earth, has a candle on top that is lit to represent the light of Jesus, and a red ribbon representing saving blood

Question 7

What is done on Christmas in the Western churches?

Answer 7

On Christmas, there are typically three Eucharists, midnight, dawn and on Christmas Day. The rest of the day is spent feasting and exchanging gifts with families and friends

Question 8

When do Orthodox Christians celebrate Jesus’ birth?

Answer 8

The 7th of January which corresponds to the old Julian Calendar

Question 9

What is advent in the Eastern chruches?

Answer 9

Advent is now known as the nativity fast which lasts 40 days until the end of nativity. It entails abstaining from red meant, poultry, eggs and dairy products, fish oil and wine

Question 10

What colours are used during advent in the eastern Church?

Answer 10

The liturgical colour is red is used with gold as an alternative

Question 11

What are the feast days in the nativity fast?

Answer 11

During the course of the nativity fast, a number of feat days celebrate the old testament prophets who prophesied the incarnation of

Question 12

What are two other significant events in the Eastern Church’s advent?

Answer 12

• Two Sundays before the nativity, the Sunday of the forefathers commemorates the ancestors of the church
• The Sunday before the nativity, known as the Sunday of the Holy Fathers, commemorates all the righteous men and women who pleased God from the creation of the world up to Saint Joseph, husband of Jesus’ mother Mary

Question 13

What events are held of the eve of nativity in the eastern church?

Answer 13

• The hours: special Psalm, hymns and biblical readings prescribed for each hour proclaim the joy and power of Christs birth
• Vespers: eight biblical readings celebrate the incarnation and show that Christ is the fulfilment of all prophecies
• The liturgy of St Basi the great: in the past the baptismal liturgy at which catehumens were baptised
• The vigil which begins with the great compline
• Matins: how for the time the words ‘Christ is born’ are sung while the congregation venerates an icon of the nativity

Question 14

What is Christmas Day for in the Easter Church?

Answer 14

Christmas Day is for feasting and enjoying the company of friends and family. White linen is placed on the dinner tables represent the cloth Jesus was wrapped in, and straw to represent the stables

Question 15

What do both Eastern and Western Churches agree on regarding Easter?

Answer 15

Easter is on ‘the first Sunday after the first full moon on o after the vernal equinox’

Question 16

What is the vernal equinox and when does it take place in the Churches?

Answer 16

• The Eastern Church defines it as the astronomical full moon as observed along the meridian of Jerusalem
• The Western Church uses a fixed date (March 21) for the vernal equinox,and uses the ‘ecclesial moon’

Question 17

What is Lent in the Western church?

Answer 17

Fourth days in commemoration of the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the desert. Begins on Ash Wednesday. Many Christians commit to fasting or giving up of luxuries . There is the service of the stations of the cross, a devotional re-enactment of Christs passion is observed. The liturgical colour is purple

Question 18

What is Laetre Sunday of Lent in the Western Church?

Answer 18

The fourth Sunday of Lent. Priests have the option to wear rose coloured vestments. This is also known as Mothering Sunday

Question 19

What are the fifth and sixth Sundays of lent according to the Western Church?

Answer 19

• Fifth Sunday is passion Sunday: the beginning of passiontide
• Sixth Sunday is Palm Sunday: marks the beginning of Holy Week. Commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem

Question 20

What is the Thursday of Holy Week in the Western Church?

Answer 20

Known as Maundy Thursday is a day in commemoration of the Last Supper

Question 21

What is Good Friday in the Western Church?

Answer 21

Good Friday commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion death and burial

Question 22

What are the different Western Churches take of Good Friday?

Answer 22

• Roman Catholic Church: treats it as a fast day. The celebration of the passion of the Lord takes place at 3pm and the vestments used are red or black
• The Anglican Church: has a popular service of a 3 hour meditation on the cross that begins at 12pm
• Lutheran Church: part of the one liturgy of the Holy Tridium which commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus. Holds a Tenebrae service which is held by candlelight and consists of passion accounts of the four gospels

Question 23

What happens on Holy Saturday in the Western Church?

Answer 23

A vigil may be held after nightfall on Holy Saturday when a paschal candle symbolising the resurrection of Jesus is lit. Statues and images that may have been veiled during lent are unveiled

Question 24

What happens on Easter Day in the Western Church?

Answer 24

A joyous celebration of Christs resurrection, wearing white as liturgical colour often with Gold

Question 25

What happens in the first week of Lent in the Eastern Church?

Answer 25

The first week of Great Lent starts on clean Monday referring to the spiritual cleansing of the faithful. There is strict fasting

Question 26

What happens in the second week of Lent in the Eastern Church?

Answer 26

The second week commemorates St Gregory Palomas one of the great saints

Question 27

What happens on the Sunday of the third week of lent in the Eastern church?

Answer 27

The veneration of the cross is celebrated. During an all-night vigil the priest brings a cross out into the centre of the church

Question 28

What happens in the fourth week of lent in the Eastern Church?

Answer 28

An extension of the veneration of the cross

Question 29

What happens on the Saturday of the fifth week of lent in the Eastern Church?

Answer 29

Dedicated to the Theotokos (mother of God) known as Akathist Sunday because a hymn to Mary is sung during Matins with everyone standing

Question 30

When does Great Lent end in the Eastern church?

Answer 30

Ends with vespers on the Friday of the sixth week and is followed by Lazarus Saturday, which celebrates the resuscitation of Lazarus as a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Jesus

Question 31

What are the themes of each day of the Holy Week in the Eastern Church?

Answer 31

- Holy and great Monday: Joseph as a type of Christ; the cursing of the fig tree - Holy and great Tuesday: the parable of the 10 virgins - Holy and Great Wednesday: the anointing of Jesus at Bethany - Holy and Great Thursday: the mystical supper - Holy and Great Friday: Jesus’ passion. A strict fast day - Holy and Great Saturday: Jesus’ burial and descent into hell. Another day of strict fasting the good news of his resurrection has however, will only be proclaimed during the paschal vigil

Question 32

What is the last liturgical service in the Eastern Lent?

Answer 32

The midnight office which forms the first part of the Paschal vigil. During this service the Priest pleases the epitaphios on the altar, where is will remain until the feast of ascension. At the end of the office, al the church lights are extinguished and al wait in silence and darkness for the stroke of midnight, when Jesus is proclaimed and resurrected

Question 33

What happens at midnight on Lent in the Eastern Church?

Answer 33

A priest lights a candle. He them lights candles held by assistants, who in turn lights candles held by the congregation. They al then process around the church chanting ‘At thy resurrection o Christ our saviour, the angels in Heaven sing, enable us who are on earth, to glorify thee in purity of heart’. The procession halts in front of close door of the Church bells and percussion instruments are sounded. Then Easter Martins begin, followed by the Easter hours and the Divine Liturgy

Question 34

What happens following the liturgy on Easter in the Eastern Church?

Answer 34

The priest may bless Paschal eggs and baskets containing food forbidden during the great fast and the congregation may share an agape meal. It is also customary to crack open hard boiled, dyed red eggs, to symbolise the blood of Christ, to celebrate the opening of Jesus’ tomb

Question 35

What happens on Easter Sunday afternoon in the Eastern Church?

Answer 35

Agape vespers are sung. During this service a portion of the gospel of John may be read in several languages to demonstrate the universality of the resurrection