A local church Pastor James Gasana of Church of hope, Samuduha Kicukiro District has put clarity of emerging arguments that tends to bend the meaning of celebrating Christmas.
Christmas or Christmas Day literally Christ’s mass is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated generally on December 25 as a religious or cultural holiday by all Christians around the world.
The precise day of Jesus’s birth, which historians place between 7 and 2 BC, is unknown. In the early-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church first placed Christmas on December 25, a date later adopted also in the East.
The original date of the celebration in Eastern Christianity was January 6, in connection with Epiphany, and that is still the date of the celebration for the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia, where it is a public holiday.
As of 2011, there is a difference of 13 days between the modern Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar.
Those who continue to use the Julian calendar or its equivalents thus celebrate December 25 and January 6 on what for the majority of the world is January 7 and January 19.
For this reason, Ethiopia, Russia, Ukraine and Macedonia celebrate Christmas, both as a Christian feast and as a public holiday.
“we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our savior, we Christians believe that Jesus Christ was born, what is important to us that Jesus Christ was born to us, it does not matter to me the actual date, because I don’t worship the date anyway I only worship the Lord so the date should not get control over me,” Pastor Gasana James of Church of Hope, has said.
In a cell phone interview with Igihe.com, Gasana said some people have spent lots of energy debating on the actual date other than knowing the importance, reason and the mighty of the one who was born on that date.
“The fact is that HE was born, all of them who debate about the date believe HE was born which is a huge success to all of us who believe in HIM, Had HE not born we would not have a reason to celebrate,” Gasana added.
” This is a time to look back in 2011 and say thank you lord. It is also the time to look forward and say lord I need your favor, blessings, protection, and guidance in 2012,” He noted.
He also called upon all Christians to pray and work for them to grab their destiny noting that having faith to pray for provision from God and noting is faith without action which is dead referring to holy book, The Bible.
Pastor Bruce Muhoza of Jehova Shalom Church, Kacyiru Gasabo District said on Rwanda Television that Jesus Christ was born to bring salvation to mankind adding that he had a mission to redeem mankind.
Quoting the bible in the book Isaiah 9:6-7, Pastor Muhoza Christmas should be celebrated with intent to understanding who Jesus Christ is and what HE came to on this planet earth.
Apostle Moses Muhumuza of Prayer Palace Church, Remera said that Jesus Christ is the only reason for celebrating this festive season whether Christmas or New Year days quoting the book of Luke 1:26-38 in the bible.
Christmas is a feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide.
Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world’s nations,celebrated by an increasing number of non-Christians,and is an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season.
The precise day of Jesus Christ’s birth, which historians place between 7 and 2 BC, is unknown.
In the early-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church first placed Christmas on December 25, a date later adopted also in the East.
Theories advanced to explain that choice include that it falls exactly nine months after the Christian celebration of the conception of Jesus, or that it was selected to coincide with either the date of the Roman winter solstice or of some ancient pagan winter festival.
The popular celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian and secular themes and origins.
Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving, Christmas music and caroling, an exchange of Christmas cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations, including Christmas trees, lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly.
In addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas and Kris Kringle among other names, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore.
Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses.
The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.
ENDS
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