Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-12-25
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY. MORNING, Dec. Is, 1862
Christmas.

OuE PuuI'catiou uay 'hiS se0i iaiS ""
one of the most hallowcd anniversaries in
the calendar-that in commcmoration Of
the birth OF our Redeemcr. We therefore
know Of nothing that will prove more accept
able or interesting to cur readers than
short history of the festival so dear to all
Christians, which We condcnsc from the
american Encyclopedia.
"Christmas, says that authority sis q
festival of the Christian Church observed
on December 25th, as the anniversary of
the birth Of the Saviour. Its institution is
attributed by the decretal letters to Pope
Telcsphorus, who died, A. d. 1873, and
Throughout the subsequent history of the
Church it has been one of the most noted
of Christian solemnites. At first it was
the most movable of the Christian festive
days, often confounded with the Epiphany,
and celebrated by the Eastern churches in
the months of April and May. In the
fourth century the urgency Of St. Cyril Of
Jerusalem obtained from Pope Julius l..
an order far an investigation to be made
concerning the day of Christ's nativity.
The result of inquiry by the theologians
Of the East and the West was an agreement
upon the 25th of December. The chief
grounds for the decision were the tables
of the censors in the archives of Rome g:
and although in the opinion eff some OF
the fathers there was not authentic proof
ofthc Identification Of the day, yet the de-
cision was uniformly accepted, and from
that time the nativity has been celebrated
throughout the Church on that day. 1t
has also been a common tradition that
Christ was born abont the middle Of the
night. The custom in Roman Catholic
countries Of ushering in Christmas day by
the celebration of three masses, one at
midnight, the second at early dawn, and
the third in the morning, dates from the
sixth century. The day was considered in
the double light of a holy commcmoration
and a cheerful festival, and was according
ly distinguished by devotion, by vacation
from business and by merrimcnt. During
the middle ages it was celebrated by the
gay, fantastic spectacle of dramatic mystic
ries and moralities, performed by persona
gcs in grotesque masks aud singular COS
tunes. The scenery usually represented
an infant in cradle, surrounded by tho
Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, by bulls
heads, chcrubs, Eastern magi and manifold
ornaments. The custom Of singing chant.
icles at Christmas, called carols, which re-
called the songs Of the shepherds at the
birth Of Christ, dates from the time when
the common people ceased to understand
Latin. The bishops and lower clergy Of.
ten joined with the populace in caroling,
aud the songs were enliveued by dances
and by the music of tambours, guitars, vio-
Inns and organs. Fathers, mothers, sons,
daughters mingled together in the dance !;
it in the night, each bearing in the hand
lighted taper. During the last days pre-
ccding Christmas, it is still the custom for
Calabrian Ministries to descend from the
mountains to Naples and Rome, saluting
the shrines Of the virgin mother with their
wild music, under the poetical notion Of
cheering her until the birth-time of her
infant at the approaching Christmas. In
picture of the nativity by Raphael he has
introduced a shepherd at the door playing
on sort of bagpipe. Preparatory to
Christmas the bells are rung at dead mid
night throughout England and the CONT
nent; and after the solemn celebration of
the mass, for which the churches in France
aud Italy are magnifcently adorned, it is
usual for the jewellers to partakc ola cola.