Advent and Christmas traditions

• Notes on the lessons:

Lesson 1: Advent Season

• Advent marks the arrival/coming of Jesus Christ.
• It starts on the Sunday closest to November 30.

Advent Wreath

• It symbolizes the everlasting love of God,
• Also, it symbolizes the promise of everlasting life brought by Jesus.

Candles and their meaning

• Lit on the first week: Hope - purple
• Lit on the second week: Peace – Purple
• Lit on the third week: Joy - Pink
• Lit on the fourth week: Love – Purple
• Lit on Christmas Eve: Christ candle (purity, light, restoration, and holiness) – White

Christmas Tree

• Symbolizes the birth and resurrection of Jesus.
• The branches symbolize the crown of thorns of Jesus

Christmas Lights

• Symbolizes that Jesus is coming and is the light of the world, and we are the light of others.

Christmas Caroling

• Purpose is to spread the spirit of Christmas.
• Symbolizes the Joy of the coming of Jesus.

Star/Parol/Lantern

• Symbolizes the star that guided the three kings/wise men/magi to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.

The Three Kings

• Melchior's gift was Gold.
  • The Gold is a symbol of loyalty and represents Christ's Kingship.
• Gaspar's gift was Myrrh.
  • The Myrrh represents Christ's humanity, particularly in his passion and death.
• Balthasar's gift was Frankincense.
  • The frankincense is used in worship, which points to his divinity.

Belen

• Symbolizes Humility
• The love of God is inclusive. It is for all

Lesson 2: Sto. Niño

• The Fiesta is celebrated on the third Sunday of January.

Definitions Related to Fiesta

• Sinulog festival – Dance prayer
• Saulog - Celebrate
• Sulog – Water currents
• The Santo Niño, or Holy Child Jesus, holds immense significance for the Cebuano people.
  • Santo Niño deeply ingrained in their cultural identity, history, and daily life.

Historical and Spiritual Symbol

• The Arrival of Christianity
  • Is to extend Christianity and spread spiritually.
• The Santo Nino, gifted by Magellan to Rajah Humabon and Queen Juana on 1521, marked the arrival of Christianity in Cebu and the Philippines.
  • Symbolizes the star of Christianity.

Miraculous Icon

• The Santo Nino survived calamities reinforcing status as a protector and source of divine grace for Cebuanos.
  • The Catholic Church states it is not a Saint represents Jesus.

Cultural Importance

• Sinulog festival
  • Annual festival celebrating Santo Nino with parades, dance competitions, and religious processions.
  • Showcases Cebuano faith, culture, and heritage.
• Devotion and Tradition
  • Cebuanos have personal altars showcasing the Santo Nino, pray to him for blessings and miracles.
  • Practices like "pasas"(offering) and “panaad”(vows)

Arts and Crafts

• Santo Nino's image inspires artisans to create intricate jewelry, watches, and artworks representing him, embedding him in Cebuano artistic expression.

Community and Identity

• Shared Bond
  • The Santo Nino unites Cebuanos across generations and social classes, giving a sense of shared history, culture pride, and community.
• Resilience and Hope
  • He serves as a symbol of hope, resilience, and divine intervention, strengthening the spirit of Cebuanos.
• Values and Teachings
  • His image promotes faith, humility, forgiveness, and compassion, influencing values and everyday life.

Lesson 3: Christology

• Jesus Christ is the fullness of God's Revelation
• Adherents are called "Christians" because they believe and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Deals with the person and attributes of Christ and in the particular union with Him of the divine and human natures.

Finding the historical life of Jesus.

• The Christian scriptures are our sources in proving the existence of the historical Jesus.
• The New Testament tells of Jesus of Nazareth who preached, performed miracles, was crucified and rose from the dead.

Non-Biblical writings that point to the existence of Jesus Christ

• Tacitus (AD 56-116)
  • A Roman historian who wrote of "Christ" who began a "pernicious superstition". He said that this Christ was crucified when Pontius was governor of Judea and Tiberius was emperor, and that his followers were responsible for the fire in Rome during the reign of emperor Nero. He called Christianity "plague" which began in Judea
• Suetonius (AD 69)
  • The chronicler of the emperor Claudius, wrote of an event when the emperor expelled the Christians from Rome in 49 AD to riots instigated by the "chrestus"
• Flavius Josephus (AD 38-100)
  • A Jewish historian who wrote of Christ as a wise man put to death by Pontius Pilate, having been accused by Jewish authorities
  • Also wrote of the putting to death of James, the brother of Jesus.
• Pliny the Younger (AD 61-112)
  • Wrote of the Christians in Bithynia, who sang hymns and chanted verses to Christ "as if to God".
• Luciano of Samosata (AD 120-180)
  • Is a sophist rhetoric who wrote about Jesus Christ as a man crucified in Palestine for introducing a new CULT
  • The Christians, according to Luciano, "worshipped the crucified sophist and lived under his laws."
• Babylonian Talmud
  • In this, a baraita spoke of a certain Yeshu who practiced magic and led his followers into apostasy
  • This Yeshu was "hanged on the eve of the Passover."

Terms

• apostate - person
• apostasy - act of renounce faith
• Stephen - first martyr
• Orthodox - Catholics but aren't roman based on their culture
• Roman Catholics – People who follow the teachings of the Vatican City (Rome)

Lesson 4: Symbols of the Early Christians

• Ancient Christians had a deep appreciation for the power of a symbol
• Many things can be packed with a sign, mark or object.

Symbols

• FISH (Ichthus)
  • The Greek word for fish served as anagram for a primitives Christian Creed.
  • FISH: “lesous Christos Theou Hyios Soter” means “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior” in Greek
• CHI-RHO
  • Is the monogram of the name Christ
  • Combination of the Greek letter chi(x) and rho(p), which are the first two letters of the Greek word for “Christ'"
• IHS
  • The monogram of the name JESUS
  • Is from the first two letters and the last letter of the Greek name Jesus: IHSOYS
  • It has rays of light shining to emphasize Jesus' divinity as a holy name
  • Designed in the fifteenth century by St. Bernard of Sienna.
• JHS stands for the first three letters of the Greek word for Jesus, (iota-eta-sigma)
  • Interpreted as a Latin acronym standing for “lesus itominum Salvator: which means “Jesus' savior of mankind.”
• ALPHA AND OMEGA
  • In the book of Revelation, Jesus says "I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" (Revere 2:13)
  • Alpha is the first letter of the last Greek alphabet
  • Omega is the last one.
  • Together, they represent the eternity of Christ as Son of God
• LAMB
  • Stands for Christ who is the Lamb of God
  • Sacrificed for the sins of the world
  • Is shown triumphant and holding a banner because the Lamb has risen
  • Exalted in heaven as seen in the Book of Revelation.
• INRI
  • The initialism for Latin: lesus Nazarenus Rex Indaeorum
  • Represents the Latin (cross) inscription in John 19:19
  • Translates to “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews" in English
  • Stated in John 19:19 that this has written in three languages – Hebrew, Latin, and Greek – During the crucifixion of Jesus.
• CROSS
  • The first Christians were not comfortable with representing Christ with a Cross.
    • Because crucifixion was still being practiced as capital punishment in the Roman Empire, since the cross was a symbol of shame
  • During Constantine's reign, he viewed and converted the Cross to strengthen Christianity
  • When emperor Constantine won the battle of the Milvian Bridge and Constantine attributed his victory to the sign of the cross
  • The cross consequently became a sign of Christ's victory over the Roman's symbol of shame.