Gàidhlig / English
An Aidbhein

An Aidbhein

Posted by Garry on 7 December, 2017

As every child and every parent knows fine well, we are now drawing close to Christmas Day,
the day of the year on which the boys and the girls who have been good throughout the
year will be receiving a present or two (or three or four!) from “Santa Claus”.
 
According to the tradition in the western countries, it is after Saint Nicholas that “Santa
Claus” is named; and it was yesterday, on the sixth day of December, that the Feast of Saint
Nicholas was celebrated in the Western Church.  But, in some countries, instead of giving out
presents on Christmas Day, it is on the Eve of Saint Nicholas — the night before the saint’s
feast — that they will be given out.  Either way, the presents will indeed be coming.
 
But it is not “the coming of the presents” which is the reason for the name which the Church
gives to this time of the year:  Advent.  From the Latin noun, adventus, and, before that,
from the Latin verb, advenīre, the word “Advent” is used by the Church each year in order to
show that it is the birth of Jesus Christ which is coming.  And perhaps this news is the greatest
present which anyone will ever receive ?
 
Your comment has been submitted for moderation
There are no comments for this post