Royal Doors

Dec

30

2014

The Real Face of Santa Claus

FaithNicholas of Myra, Santa, Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, St. Nick

When you were a child, how badly did you want to sneak downstairs on Christmas Eve and see what Santa really looked like? You probably imagined him with a big white beard, jolly belly, red cheeks, and fur lined coat. But according to scientific analysis and computer models, Saint Nicholas, the 4th century Bishop of Myra who Santa Claus is based on, would have looked a bit different than the Nordic woodsman of popular culture and more like a 4th century Byzantine Bishop. According to The Saint Nicholas Center St. Nicholas’ remains are buried in the crypt of the Basilica…

Dec

22

2014

By Fr. Michael Winn

Origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas

LiturgyChristmas, domestic church, Nativity of our Lord

by Fr Hal Stockert You’re all familiar with the Christmas song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” I think. To most it’s a delightful nonsense rhyme set to music. But it had a quite serious purpose when it was written. It is a good deal more than just a repetitious melody with pretty phrases and a list of strange gifts. Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from any practice of their faith by law—private or public. It was a crime to be a Catholic. “The Twelve Days of Christmas”…

Dec

21

2014

By UGCC Bishops of Canada

Christmas 2014 Pastoral Letter from Canadian UGCC Bishops

News, UGCC

To the Reverend Clergy, Religious Women and Men, Monastics, Seminarians and Laity Christ is Born! Let us Glorify Him! Jesus is born in a family with challenges Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to…

Dec

21

2014

By His Beatitude Sviatoslav

Christmas 2014 Pastoral Letter of His Beatitude Sviatoslav

News, UGCC

Most Reverend Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops, Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers, Venerable Religious and Monastics, Beloved Brothers and Sisters, in Ukraine and throughout the world Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11) Christ is Born! With these angelic words from heaven, Christ’s Church announces news of salvation. Today for us a Saviour has been born: the Lord descended to earth, appearing in a human body in the…

Dec

19

2014

By Brent Kostyniuk

Christmas Traditions

Both LungsChristmas, Christmas Eve, didukh, kutia, sviat vechir

by Brent Kostyniuk O, Most merciful Lord and You, Son of Righteousness We greet you with holy Christmas Last year You gave us a harvest, You gave us goodness, You gave us health, You gave us wealth Then help us this year so that it will be better. Given Ukrainians’ love for ritual and symbolism, it is no surprise their Christmas celebrations are rich in traditions. Some traditions are purely religious ones, having evolved over the ten centuries since the people of Ukraine accepted Byzantine Christianity in 988. Others are much older. Born in ancient pagan times, they have been…

Dec

18

2014

By Fr. Michael Winn

I Saw Santa Punching Arius

FaithSt. Nicholas

I saw Santa punching Arius in the council chambers at Nicaea. He just couldn’t stand to hear the heretic expand his theory how Our Blessed Lord was not much more than just a man. Then I saw Santa grabbing Arius by the beard to pull him off his chair. The other bishops were justified, in assuming this was undignified throwing Santa in a cell for the night. I saw Jesus and His Mother come to Santa praying in his chains. Christ asked, “Why are you here?” “All for my love of You.” Off fell the chains and to him was…

Dec

18

2014

By Fr. Andriy Chirovsky

Fr. Andriy Chirovsky Speaks About Ukraine and About the Meaning of Christmas

Christian LifeChristmas, Nativity of our Lord

On December 16, 2014 The "Daily Double" radio program on Tucson, AZ, radio station KVOI 1013 AM featured an hour-long conversation with the founder of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies (MASI), Fr. Andriy Chirovsky. The program, hosted by Chris DeSimone, features a daily extended interview with one guest. Fr. Andriy has been the featured guest before. This time the MASI professor was asked to speak about the current situation in Ukraine, after it has largely fallen out of the attention of the Mass Media. He was also asked to speak about Christmas, focusing not only on folk customs…

Oct

18

2014

By His Beatitude Sviatoslav