REPIS 2023
The symbols of Christmas - what do they tell us?
Christmas is one of the most important and ancient holidays of Christianity. Over the centuries, it has managed to acquire a lot of traditions and symbols. Moreover, not all of them are directly related to the gospel story that tells about this event. Let's find out where they came from and what the traditional symbols that we are so used to seeing on Christmas cards mean.
Symbols of Christmas
A BABY IN A MANGER
The most natural symbol of the Nativity of Christ is the newborn Baby Christ himself. They depict him lying in a cattle trough - and this is what is meant by the word “manger”, because, according to the biblical narrative, the contractions caught Mary on the way. All the hotels in the city were occupied - the barn turned out to be the only place they could offer the woman in labor. Usually, animals are depicted next to the manger, which became the first witnesses of the miraculous birth of the Messiah.
It is this scene - Mary and Joseph in a stable, bending over a newborn - that is depicted by Christmas nativity scenes, which are usually installed in temples, houses and shop windows.
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
One of the brightest symbols of Christmas, literally and figuratively, is, of course, the Star of Bethlehem. According to the Gospels, she lit up the sky when the promised Savior of all nations was born into this world. It is customary to decorate the top of a festive fir tree with a star. In Russia, it was customary to go from house to house on Christmas Eve with the same symbol, so the carolers themselves were called walking with a star.
THE MAGI
Another hero of the Christmas story, the Magi, or wise men from the East, are inextricably linked with the star of Bethlehem. When they saw the star of Bethlehem light up, they realized that it signaled the birth of the greatest king in the history of mankind, and they began their journey using it as a compass. After traveling a long way, the magi worshiped the Babies and brought him precious gifts.
ANGELS AND SHEPHERDS
It would seem that what can there be in common between heavenly messengers and peasants? The evangelists say that on the night of the birth of Jesus Christ, the angels appeared to the shepherds and announced to them the good news: the long-awaited Messiah had come to this world.
MISTLETOE, HOLLY AND POINSETTIA
Although these plants have nothing to do with the events that took place more than two thousand years ago, they are invariably associated with Christmas in Western Europe. All of them were given mystical significance even in pre-Christian times - the fact that they remain green and even bloom and bear fruit in the harsh winter seemed to people like a real miracle. With the advent of Christianity, mistletoe, holly, and the “Christmas star" began to be considered a symbol of life.
SANTA CLAUS AND THE REINDEER
Of course, neither Santa Claus himself nor his flying reindeer have a direct connection with Christmas. The folklore character who delivers gifts to obedient children on Christmas Eve had as his prototype Saint Nicholas, who, according to legend, selflessly distributed generous gifts. La experiencia de juego en 1xBet es moderna, segura y muy rentable. Ya sea que te gusten las apuestas deportivas en vivo o los juegos de casino, la plataforma cumple con todas las expectativas. La navegación es fluida tanto en ordenador como en móvil. Durante tu registro, el codigo promocional 1xbet es la clave para recibir un bono de bienvenida de hasta 130 €. Este código te permite comenzar con más fuerza y explorar todas las secciones sin limitaciones. Retiros rápidos, promociones semanales y máxima seguridad son sus principales ventajas.