Zurich Citizens News, 1974-12-23, Page 18PAGE 18
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1974
Italy Celebrates Re ligio us Ch ris tmas
Festivities Representing- Many Origins
ZAMPOGNA AND (:ENNASna.L.A are played by Italians dressed as shepherds in front of
the Christmas manger at the Piazza Navona in Rome. Similar to a 1)agpipe, and matte
of sheepskin, the zampogua was used in the days of ancient Romans. The centta-
niella is a small flute. In a custom nowfast disappearing, bagpipers from mountains
of the Abruzzi and Latium come to Ronin to play traditional tunes at the start of
the Christmas season celebration, usually on NON ember 29. the tlav commencing
the Novena of the Immaculate Conception, Photo courtesy Italian State Tourist Office.
The celebration of Christ-
mas in Italy, perhaps more
than in any other country,
illustrates the multiple ori-
gins of the festivities we
observe in modern times.
Christmas in Italy is pri-
marily a religious festival,
highlighted by the Christ-
mas Novena, a series of
church services on nine
nights preceding Christmas
and culminating ifs a Mid-
night Mass on Christmas
'Eve.
A feature of the obser-
vance is the display, usually
from Christmas Eve to Epi-
phany (January 6th) of
the creche or Persepio (the
word means manger or
stable) , a Nativity scene
with more or less elaborate
landscaping and figures of
sheep, cattle, and shep-
herds, as well as Mary,
Joseph and the Christ
Child. At Epiphany, figures
of the Three Kings with
their retinues, bringing
gifts to the Child, are added.
These Nativity scenes
originated in the thirteenth
century with Saint Francis
of Assisi, who decided to
make the Christmas Eve
Mass are-enactment of the
birth of Christ, and for
many centuries they re-
mained essentially an eccle-
siastical presentation, with
local churches vying for
the most decorative creche,
In more recent times, Nativ-
ity scenes have moved in-
to private homes as well.
In the early years of the
Christian faith, persecution
made public observation of
Christmas impractical, and
it was not until several
hundred years had passed
that the birth of Christ was
given an official date for
celebration. It is by no
means certain that Decem-
ber 25th is the actual anni-
versary of the birth of Jesus,
but it was an appropriate
date for the observance.
It coincided with the Winter
Solstice celebrations of long
standing throughout the
northern world, with the
Roman Saturnalia, and
with the Jewish Hannukah,
Festival of Lights, providing
a firm historical base, fa-
miliar to everyone in the
then -known world, for a
major festival.
EARLY CUSTOMS
It is not surprising, there -
Santa's on
the job relaying
good wishes and thanks to . our friends.
Grand Bend Cleaners
Thelma and Jack Waldron and Staff
GRAND BEND
fore, that many customs
derived from earlier cele-
brations have become a part
of the Christmas observ-
ance in Italy. The coming
of the Winter Solstice,
marking the beginning of
longer days, was observed
in pre -Christian times by
the decoration of houses
with greens, and this cus-
tom, taking on added signi-
ficance as a symbol of the
rebirth of hope in the con-
ing of Christ, is observed in
Italy with sprigs of holly
and mistletoe.
Similarly, the seasonal
giving of gifts, already
traditional in the Roman
custom of giving branches
picked in the grove of the
goddess Strenia was appro-
priately converted to the
giving of "Strenne," Christ-
mas or New Year's presents,
following the later tradition
of the gifts of the. Magi to
the Christ -Child and sym-
bolizing the gifts to man-
kind brought by Jesus' birth.
CHRISTMAS 'I'IREE ORIGIN
The Christmas tree,
which originated in Ger-
many, has come slowly into
popularity in Italy, espe-
cially in the north, but it
had its forerunner, espe-
cially around Florence, in
the Ceppi, or Christmas pyr-
amids, composed of shelves
of various sizes fixed to a
pole. (The word "ceppo"
means tree trunk and, by
usage, a Christmas gift).
On the shelves were placed
decorations of greens and
small toys and presents.
It is possible that the
ceppo may have been a
replacement for the Yule
log, But the burning of the
Yule log, another custom
of pre -Christian origin, is
not unknown in Italy, where
there is the pleasant legend
that the Virgin Mary enters
the homes of the humble
at midnight, when the
household is at Mass, to
waren her newborn Child
before the blazing log.
I'T'ALY FOC:11. POINT
The fact that Italy con-
tained the capital of the
Roman world and, as a
logical result, the head-
quarters of the Christian
Church, has given Christ-
mas in Italy a particularly
rich observance.
ST. NICK
RESTORED
When Queen Victoria
married German Prince Al-
bert, Christmas visits of
St. Nicholas (and the gift-
giving) came back to Eng-
land, three centuries after
Henry VIII had banned the
traditions whtrn he broke
away from the Catholic
faith and formed the
Church of England.
POPE'S YULE
I VSTRUCTIONS
Pope Gregory I in his
instructions to missionaries
on Christmas festivities
sent out from Rome in the
year 601: "The people . .
should celebrate a religious
feast and worship God by
their feasting, so that still
keeping outward pleasures,
they may more readily re-
ceive spiritual joys."
CIIRISTMAS GREET1Nqs
Trim the tree with these holiday
wishes! May joy, peace and
contentment be yours. JVith thanks .. .
STADE HARDWARE
Harold Stade Doug Stade
ZURICH
FO's' A 'JOYOUS
rri
May the .light of joy and good will shine
brightly into the hearts of all mankind, as on the
Holy Night when the Prince of Peace was born. During
this Christmas season, we wish you and yours
an abundance of holiday blessings. And at this time
we say a special "Thank You" for the privilege of serving you.
SHARON and ALLAN BROKENSHIRE
A. 13. lrintiri g OFFSET and LETTERPRESS
BOX 12 ZURICH, ONTARIO