Seasons & Saints is a weekly devotional blog by the Reverend Susan Montague Koyle. Drawing on liturgical notes and the commemorations of the saints, Rev. Susan offers teaching and inspiration for Anglicans across Algoma and beyond.
A Liturgical Note for You
What We Say Matters…
“Christmas Eve morning”?
“Christmas Eve day”?
These are common expressions in mainstream culture for December 24 — but in the world of Christian liturgy, this way of speaking simply does not exist.
Why? Because Christians follow the ancient biblical understanding of time:
A new day begins at sunset — at the eve.
Whereas contemporary culture defines a day from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., the Jewish tradition — which the Church inherited — understands a day as running from sunset to sunset. This is why the liturgical day changes at Evening Prayer.
If you look at a church calendar, you’ll notice that December 24 is blue, because it is still Advent. In brackets you’ll see that the colour shifts to white or gold only after sunset, when the day becomes Christmas Eve.
It may seem like a small detail, but in terms of formation, it’s enormous:
how we speak about the days shapes how we understand the days.
Liturgical Notes for the Christmas Season
Here are a few seasonal clarifications that you may find helpful:
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Traditionally, the Church celebrated twelve days of Christmas, beginning on Christmas Day and ending on the eve of Epiphany (January 5).
The Octave of Christmas
In recent decades, the Church has emphasized the octave — the eight-day span from Christmas Day to January 1, the Feast of the Naming of Jesus. This highlights the great significance of the Nativity.
The Christmas Season Today
The Christmas season continues until the conclusion of Evening Prayer on the Holy Day of the Baptism of the Lord.
This:
- includes Epiphany as part of the Christmas season
- highlights the Baptism of the Lord as a climactic observance in the arc from Advent to Lent
About the Crèche
For Epiphany:
- The shepherds and animals are typically removed before the service.
- The Wise Men are added at this time.
The Church of England offers brief acclamations (“Acclamations at the Presentation of the Gifts”) for use with the arrival of the Wise Men:
p.163 here:
www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/times-and-seasons/epiphany
After the final liturgy of the Baptism of the Lord, the crèche is removed from the church.
For Your Devotions
Thursday, December 25 — The Birth of the Lord
The celebration of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us — the central mystery of the Incarnation.
Friday, December 26 — Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr
The Church’s first recorded martyr, often called the protomartyr. One of seven deacons chosen in Acts 6, Stephen was accused of blasphemy and stoned to death.
Luke notes that those who stoned Stephen laid their garments at the feet of Saul, who would later become the apostle Paul.
More: https://www.thoughtco.com/saint-stephen-542519
Saturday, December 27 — Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist
Alternate date: May 6.
Tradition holds that John — son of Zebedee and brother of James — authored the Gospel of John, three letters, and possibly Revelation. Whether or not he wrote these texts, John was a central leader in the early Church and one of Jesus’ inner circle (Peter, James, and John).
More: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-the-Apostle
In Christ,
Rev. Susan Montague Koyle