Original scientific paper

The mystery of Christmas – history and meaning

Marko Matić orcid.org/0000-0003-0613-992X ; Filozofski fakultet Družbe Isusove, Zagreb, Hrvatska

Abstract

The author proceeds from the fact that the liturgical year revolves around two principal feasts of our Catholic faith, Easter and Christmas, and demonstrates that in the first millennium of Christianity Easter took precedence both in the liturgy and in the consciousness of the believer; in the second millennium, however, this was the case only with the liturgy, while in the conciousness of the believer Christmas prevailed. Furthermore, the author speaks of the historical reasons for the feastday of Christmas which prompted the Church to celebrate December 25 with three Masses.
Following this historical survey, the author discusses the message of the mystery of the Incarnation with reference to the Christmas Gospels, thus endeavouring to illuminate the mystery of the newborn babe in the manger and its universal significance for heaven and earth, for God and men. As the feast of the Epiphany is contained in the Christmas mystery, the author makes references to the history and message of this feastday as well, and lays particular emphasis on men's threefold reaction to its message.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

1220

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/1220

Publication date:

3.12.2003.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.479 *