Christmas is one of the most important feasts of the Orthodox Church. The honor we attribute to the event of the Nativity does not simply derive from the historical significance of Christ's presence on earth, but from the theological interpretation of His incarnation. The Birth of Jesus Christ is the beginning of the salvation of humanity. Christmas is a time of hope and joy; a proof of God's divine providence and affection for His creations.
Christmas Hymns
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Christmas hymns reflect the profound theological depth of the event of Nativity. Through the lyrics and the joyful melody, the mystery of the Divine Incarnation, the extreme humility and the ineffable love of God for humanity are vividly expressed. At the same time, through the faith and spiritual grace of the hymn writers of our Church, every Christian is given the opportunity to participate in the joy of the mystery of incarnation by exclaiming with admiration and awe the words of the Christmas hymns.
Troparion/Apolytikion
Your nativity, O Christ our God, has caused the light of knowledge to rise upon the world. For therein the worshippers of the stars were by a star instructed to worship You, the very Sun of Righteousness, and to know You as Orient from on high. Glory to You, O Lord.
Both lyrics and the musical composition of the apolytikion highlight the grandeur of the event. The birth of Jesus Christ brings light into the world. Humanity, once darkened by passions and sins, finds light in the face of the Savior. Christ's presence on earth brings hope, the revelation of truth and the emergence of man's ontological perspective. The deluded and ignorant world welcomes God, who becomes flesh and blood and is revealed through the majesty of His humility. The magi, wise and cultured individuals who seek knowledge in the material world, find wisdom in the face of the newborn Christ. They recognize and worship Him as the "sun of righteousness" that "rises", as light that comes from the heights of heaven and not from the earth. Through the Christmas apolytikion, the importance of Nativity is underlined as an event that brings to the world the light of the knowledge of God, reveals the face of God and the true source of wisdom.
Kontakion
On this day, the Virgin gives birth unto the Super-essential. To the Unapproachable, earth is providing the grotto. Angels sing and with the shepherds offer up glory. Following a star the Magi are still proceeding. He was born for our salvation, a newborn Child, the pre-eternal God.
The kontakion of Christmas highlights the glory of incarnation, while at the same time it points out the presence of individual people in the event of Nativity, with the most important of all being the Most Holy Theotokos. The Virgin Mary is one of the most important figures of the Orthodox faith. It is due to Her that we were given the possibility of salvation. The incarnation of God would have remained impossible without Her consent, holiness and all-pure will. Theotokos kept the Lord in Her womb, gave Him flesh from Her flesh. She carried Him and, as the Christmas carols testify, brought Him into the world with all the pain and suffering of childbirth. She showed extreme humility and, surrendering Herself to the Lord, gave birth to His Son in a cave..jpg)
She is therefore mentioned in the above hymn to indicate the importance of Her participation in the birth of the "super-essential", the one who transcends nature and material reality. The earth offers to the "unapproachable" Christ a cave, the angels and shepherds praise Him, while the magi are quickening to anticipate His birth. The kontakion closes with a reference to all of us, reminding that the birth of Jesus Christ is present in all of our lives, was made for us and therefore places us before Him. The eternal God is born in the form of a little child in order to offer to the human of all ages the possibility of spiritual salvation.
The Meaning of Hymns
Among other things, passages from Christmas hymns highlight the endless and selfless love of God. The hymn writer stays in wonder before the humility and concession of the divine nature. He praises the Lord who came among the sinners and dwelt in a cave because of His uncompromising love for His creation.
Hymnology is directly linked to the liturgical life of the church. Through the spirituality of the lyrics and the byzantine musical tradition, the believers are invited to participate actively in the joy of the mystery and the celebration of Nativity. Through Christmas hymns every person is urged to experience the salvific significance of the feast, to glorify God and to feel His presence in the world. At the same time, the Church brings in present the miracle and transmits the timeless message of divine love all throughout ages.
