The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-12-23
Some Church Feast DAYS.

Christmas day commentaries the
birth of Christ and is one Of the great
est festivals in the ecclesiastical year.
1t recalls the: coming of Jesus Christ
in the flesh and His birth at Bethle-
hem. From the earliest days of Chris
tianity, a feast similar 10 Christmas
was observed, but the date was no uni
Versally the same. st. John Chrysos-
tom, in 3S6, said:
1t IS not ten years since Christmas
day, on Dec. % was clearly known to
us, but it has been familiar from the
beginning to those who dwell in the
west"
He also tells us that Pope julius
caused strict Inquiries 10 be made as
10 the proper date and thus settled
authoritatively on Dec % as the day
OF the anniversary.
The Feast of the Circumcision is the
day on which Our Lord received in
His flesh the mark of the children OF
Arabian and is Identical with the LIST
of January. Our Lord submitted TO
this ceremony to show that He was
man, and descended from Abraham and
David. according to the prophets; also
TO show us by example the respect
We must have for the laws Of God ana
the Church.
On the day of His circumcision the
Son Of God received the name of Je-
sus, which signifies Savior. This name
was made known TO Mary by the An
gel Gabriel, when he announced TO her
that she was to be the mother Of God.
The circumcision was made q solemn
feast in the sixth century the Church
wishing 10 eXpiate the wicked orgies
OF The pagans on this day, it being
New Years day.
The Church celebrates the feast of
the Epiphany on the 9Th of January.
Three times, in the space of fifteen
days. she calls her children to the
stable of Bethlehem to teach the rich
detachment from wealth. and charity
to the cor; and the poor, resignation
IN their poverty and trails.
Epiphany is the day ON which Our
Lord was adoTed by the kings from
the east. They We're learned men. en-
gagged in the study Of astronomy. when
4 miraculous star appeared, and the
kings. enlightened by grace, went to
Bethlehem, Frustrated themselves be-
fore the Infant Jesus, and offered His
presents Of gold, frankincense and
myrrh.
This is a very ancient feast. having
been observed in the early ages of
the Church. il is a solemn feast, and
being connected with the feast of
Christmas we do not fast on the
vigil
Fair as the snowdrops which mark
her feast on Feb. ,. gentle as the doves
which are its symbol, the Maiden
Mother, guarded by st. Joseph, enters
the temple with her babe who is Lord
of the temple. coming to fulfill in
deepest humility and answering obedi-
ence, the ancient Jewish law of puri-
fication.
The law forbade mothers to appear in
public after childbirth, or to partici-
pate in holy things, for certain length
of time. This time was forty days
for male children, and eighty days for
females. This period elapsed, the
mother was TO present herself at the
temple, bringing a lamb TO be sacri-
feed to God in acknowledgement of
His supreme dominion and in thanks
giving for the happy delivery. and a
young pigeon or dove for her legal
publication. The poor were permitted
to present a second dove instead of
lamb.
The Blessed Virgin was not bound by
this law, but she wished to submit to
it, through the spirit of obedience and.
humility. Her example teaches all
Christians the respect with which they
ought to conform to the usages of the,
Church, and it teaches. Christian moth-
ers how careful they should be to come
tC the church after the birth of their
cildren, to return thanks to the Lord
This feast is sometimes called Cam
d!emas. Lighted candles are distributed
to represent Jesus Christ who is the
light Of the world. This feast demands
of as great humility. ardent charity
and angelic purity of heart.-The Mon,
i ".