Advent in the Celtic Church

The Celtic church refers to the ancient church during the period prior to the conversion and evangelizing of Ireland by British missionairies, including St. Patrick, in the 5th century. Advent in the early Celtic church, prior to the time that the Nicene Creed was adopted was a very different observance from our modern day celebration. During the time of ancient Celtic Christianity, Western and Eastern churches observed Advent season as a lesser Lenten fast. Advent would begin on November 15th with a Mass. Converts to Christianity would use this time for atonement, to purify themselves, and to prepare for baptism. Celtic monks in Gaul, which was still a Celtic country, observed Advent. The customs of the Romans and Gauls combined during this period to include the fast which had been observed by the Romans and was anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks. It wasn’t until the 4th century (300’s A.D.) that Advent began to change from a time of fasting and atonement to a period of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. Celtic monks also added the feast of Martin of Tours, who was a Roman cavalry officer who converted to Christianity and founded the Gaul Monasteries. the first was the Liguge monastery in 363 A.D. By the end of the 4th century, Advent was celebrated by the whole church, but it wasn’t until the 6th century that a time was set aside to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Celtic Advent is always celebrated from November 15th until December 24th. The same applies for the Eastern Orthodox Advent, which is the time of the Nativity Fast.

For those who wish to celebrate a more holy season and a non secular Christmas, Celtic Advent provides the opportunity for reflection and contemplation about the coming of our Lord. If you are observing Celtic Advent as a Lesser Lenten Fast, it’s not actually forty days of fasting. Sundays and Feast Days aren’t counted as fasting days, and in some cases, it can mean that you are simply giving up a particular food as you would during Lent. Symbolically, it’s your rite of purification as you prepare for the Feast of the Nativity. Celtic Advent Liturgies are found on this site:

http://www.faithandworship.com/Advent/Advent_Celtic_Christian_Celebration.htm

Blessed Advent.

http://www.isnare.com

http://www.faithandworship.com

http://prayerfoundation.org/advent.htm

 

 

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Everyone knows the familiar carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” but have you ever thought of the meaning behind the lyrics? In fact it’s been said that the carol is about the hidden meanings of the Christian Faith. The Twelve Days refer to the days between Christmas and Epiphany, the day when it is said that the Three Wise Men arrived to pay homage to the Christ Child. Some believe it was used as a way to teach the catechism to children. There’s no concrete proof either way, but it’s an interesting theory. The following is the explanation of the symbolism in this song.

Jesus represents the Partridge in a Pear Tree, symbolically expressing a mother hen protecting her chicks.

Luke 13:34.

The Two Turtle Doves. The Old and New Testaments.

Three French Hens. Three virtues of the Christian Faith:

Faith, Hope, Love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Four Calling Birds. The Four Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Five Gold Rings. The Torah, or the first Five Books of the Old Testament:

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Six Geese A Laying. The Six Days of Creation. Genesis 1.

Seven Swans A Swimming. The gifts of the Holy Spirit:

Prophecy, Ministry, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, leading, Compassion.

Romans 12:6-8 and Corinthians 12:8-11.

Eight Maids A Milking. The eight Beatitudes. Mathew 5:3-10.

Nine Ladies Dancing. The nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit:

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Galatians 5:22

Ten Lords A Leaping. The Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:1-17.

Eleven Pipers Piping. The Eleven Apostles, not including Judas Iscariot. Luke 6:14-16.

Twelve Drummers Drumming. The Twelve principles of The Apostles Creed.

http://www.cresourcei.org/12days.html

Hogmanay Customs

The Scots have many customs surrounding the celebration of Hogmanay. The redding, or getting ready for the New Year is done by cleaning the entire house and making it spotless. It’s considered bad luck to welcome in the New Year in a home that’s not clean and tidy. Customs for good luck include placing pieces of a Rowan tree above a door, putting mistletoe in the house to prevent sickness, holly kept out annoying little fairies out to cause mischief, and yew and hazel were believed to protect everyone who lived in the house. Finally, juniper is burned. then the doors are opened to get fresh air into the house. It’s then ready for the New Year.

New Year’s Bells signify the beginning of the New Year, when people gather together and sing Auld Lang Syne. In Scotland, they go visiting friends and family, and always bring a bottle of “cheer” to toast the New Year. In Aberdeen, the boats in the harbor and on the North Sea sound their horns, and can be heard far and wide.

If company arrives before the bells chime at midnight, they must leave until the chimes have finished to prevent bad luck. At the last stroke of midnight, the back door of the house is opened to let out any bad luck, and the front door is opened to bring in good luck. The custom of making New Year’s Resolutions came from the Scots, and may have started in Victorian times. Although some resolutions are frivolous, something like a resolution to find ways to help others is a meaningful way to start off the New Year.

http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/hogmanaycustoms.php

Celtic Christmas Traditions

Many modern day Christmas traditions were originally of Celtic origin. One of the most ancient festivals is Alban Arthuan, or “The Light of Arthur.” This is in reference to King Arthur, who was presumed to be born during the Winter Solstice. It’s also called Yule. This is where the custom of burning a Yule Log originated. According to the beliefs of the time, what was left of the log from the prior year would be burned to ensure good luck. Some of the customs about Santa Claus, or Father Christmas as he’s called, also derived from Celtic lore.

The custom of using holly came from the Druids, who believed it stayed green when all other trees lost their leaves, so the earth would still be beautiful. One of their customs was to wear it in their hair when they watched the priests gather mistletoe in the woods. They also thought that if they hung holly around their homes, it would keep evil spirits from harming them.

Contrary to the celebrations in other Celtic areas, the Scots most well known celebration of the season is Hogmanay. This is because the church that is most influental in Scotland is the Presbyterian church who saw Christmas as more of a Catholic holiday, and therefore discouraged celebrating in favor of a more subdued holiday. My grandfather was from Scotland and my great grandfather was from Northern Ireland, and when I was a child, Christmas Eve service at our church was the most important part of the holiday, followed by a quiet family dinner the next day. Sometimes we would exchange gifts after the service, however it was much more low key than the way many people celebrate today. Hogmanay was a special time to celebrate with family and friends, and was the day my grandfather always looked forward to, since more focus was placed on that day when he was growing up in Scotland.

The custom of hanging mistletoe came from the ancient Celts, and had a different meaning from the way it’s used today. The Celtic belief was that mistletoe had extraordinary healing capabilities and was sacred. They believed it had healing power, could protect them from witchcraft and all evil, and bring blessings and good luck to them. If they met an enemy in a forest where mistletoe was hanging, they’d put their arms down, greet each other, and agree to stop fighting until the next day. Hanging mistletoe in a doorway is a sign of peace to everyone who enters your home.

http://www.celticattic.com/tips_hints/holidays/christmas_traditions.htm