Christmas Celebration
The history of Christmas
The then Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar ordered a new census. Mary had conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit at that time. Because of this, she had to go to Bethlehem, the city of David’s family where he was born, along with her betrothed Joseph. By the time we reached Bethlehem, it was almost late at night. They were tired from the journey. Had to find a place to stay for the night, but the lodges and inns were full of people who had come from far away. There was no space in houses full of relatives and friends.
Finally, as Maria’s labor pains intensified, they found a place where cows were grazing.
During the cold night, they sheltered among the hay in a shed full of cows, goats and sheep. One shooting star (star of wonder) that lit up that cold starry night in the eastern sky gave hints about the coming of the Son of God to three Eastern scholars. On that beautiful day in the month of ‘Unduwap’(December), that brave nobleman who saw the light of this world from the womb of the Virgin Mary began to sleep soundly in the manger.
The first group of outsiders to hear about Jesus’ birth were some shepherds who were watching over their flock that night. According to our Christian belief, the Archangel Gabriel, the messenger of God, appeared to a group of shepherds who were watching over their flock that night. He shared the good news with them. He told them about the Savior who would bring comfort and hope to the downtrodden. Shepherds also belonged to a section of society at that time that had a very low social status, which is why they were shepherds. If so, a new hope arose among the shepherds about the one who brings liberation to the oppressed.
The news of the birth of baby Jesus spread rapidly throughout Judea. It was as if a new king had been born who would reign over all the kings. The first people who came to see the baby Jesus were shepherds who came to look for him according to the orders of the Archangel Gabriel. They are believed to have brought incense as offerings. Then three kings of three kingdoms near Judea came to see the baby Jesus. They offered gold as an offering before him.
Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus, the only begotten son of God, from the womb of the Virgin Mary as a human being. This is to pay for the sins of everyone in the world, including the Catholic people. Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas with various.
The true meaning of Christmas
The true meaning of Christmas is sacrifice. Jesus proved it by his actions. We Christians are witnesses that He left His Sonship to redeem man from sin and turned to fulfill His Father’s plan as a man among men. Also, during his lifetime, he sometimes said that if you have two clothes, give one of them to someone who does not have one. If someone is thirsty and hungry, give them the food and drink they need. Moreover, He blessed the sick. In the end, he died on the cross for not sacrificing his life for justice. So, during the Christmas festival, which commemorates the birth of Jesus as a human being, who was a symbol of sacrifice throughout his life, whether you are a Christian or not, if you are someone who loves Christmas, it is imperative to resolve to be more charitable for the needy and stand up for justice.
Christmas season
At this time, every Christian home has artistic depictions of the cow cave where Jesus was born and the related figures, and among these images, the Raja Thun Kattu, where Jesus came to visit, has an important place. They followed the comet known as the Star of Bethlehem and offered gold, myrrh and incense to Jesus. Also, various decorations can be seen in this Christmas season. Among them, the Christmas tree takes center stage and is decorated with Christmas trees, lights and ornaments. Regarding the Christmas tree, which is especially decorated during the Christmas season, one encyclopedia states that “many of the superstitions of Europe worshiped evergreen trees.” Although they later converted to Christianity, many people kept a Christmas tree in front of their homes during the winter and worshiped those trees. Evergreen trees became so popular that in 1841, the British royal family used the spruce tree to decorate it for Christmas. Since then, this tree has become known all over the world as the Christmas tree. Artificial trees that look like spruce are in high demand during Christmas. The Christmas festival is also marked by a special exchange of food and gifts among family members, friends, relatives, and neighbors. It represents peace, happiness, love and sharing.
Christian religious background in Sri Lanka
According to Christian belief, the first missionaries came to Sri Lanka in the first century. After his arrival, Christian settlements began in small numbers in the coastal areas of Sri Lanka. However, no clear growth of Christians was seen until the migration of the Portuguese in the 15th century. With the invasion of the Dutch in the 17th century, the Christian population rose to 21%. The year 1722 marked the year when Christianity became the state religion of Sri Lanka. After driving out the Dutch in 1796 and taking control of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka became a British colony in 1802. Even before the 19th century, Protestant missionaries belonging to the Church of England and other Protestant missionaries had arrived in Ceylon. As soon as the Dutch were driven out and the British took over, the Christian preaching work was assigned to the Baptists, Protestants and Methodists. During this period, the Salvation Army was also in a very strong position in Sri Lanka. Under this condition, Christianity was firmly rooted in Sri Lanka during colonial rule. By 1980, the Christian population was about 1,283,600. Of the 8% Christian population, 88% are Roman Catholics and the rest are Church of England and Protestant.
