Kentucky Irish American., 1906-12-22

The history of Christmas is the his
tory of the Incarnation, which has
proved the hope of every age. The
story of the Nativity is one of which
the world never wearies. 1t puts into
the hearts of vast multitudes a cheer
that lasts all the year round.
Christmas seems to have its earliest
mention by st. Clemens, of Alexandria,
born about the middle of the second
century, and st. Chrysostom says that
from the very commencement the
Western churches had kept December
25th as the feast of the Nativity.
In the fourth century the Eastern
churches which/had observed January
accepted the December date, thus
making the feast of the Nativity
coincide with Epiphany. st. Chry-
sostom writes that in A. d. $50 the
Nativity had been observed at An
tioch. This change was affected by
the Holy Roman See while the Roman
Emperors declared that separate days
should be set apart for the two great
festivals of Epiphany and the Nativity.
In the days of Charlemagne Christmas
tide was observed for forty days and
Alfred the Great was another who was
distinguished for his love of the sea-
son.
ireland was never behind in the OBJ
servance of the day. In Iona the
monks in early ag0s kept the season
rellgiously and the Spaniards, Portu-
guese and French have observed the
Nativity for ages.
In America the Nativity was first
observed by the French. The English
first observed the day on the Ken
nebec in 1907 At Plymouth on
Christmas Day, 1922, it is recorded by
Bradford that the people found it
against their conscience" to work,
and so went to play in English fashion.
In Massachusetts in early days the
people being severely Puritanical legis-
lated against all observance of the
day. Recognition of the day directly
or indirectly was rank "Popery." How
things have changed Now in the
metropolis of Boston over half the
population are Catholic and to be sure
Christmas is observed religiously, not
only by Catholics, but by many of
the descendants of the Puritans. On
May IL, 1869, the Legislature of Massa.
chusetts passed law obliging men to
labor on Christmas Day and infiicting
a heavy fine on all who might observe
the feast. At that time there were a
few Episcopalians who wanted to OBJ
serve the day. 1t was not until 1851
that the law was repealed.
Thank the Lordl we never have had
any such laws as this in Kentucky.
Christmas has been observed in the
Dark and Bloody Ground since the
time of Daniel Boone. The Irish
pioneers who came to this State OBJ
served the day as was fitting. Their
descendants continue to do so.
On Christmas Day, 1906, the great
festival of Christmas will be observed
more generally than it ever was before
by all denominations.
There are in the great city of Louis
Vile thirty-three Catholic churches.
The regulations Of the church permit
a priest to offer up the holy sacrifice
of the mass three times on Christmas
Day. On no other day in the year is
this permitted to be done.
On Christmas Day 1t is customary
to be liberal with aims giving and as
the times are prosperous contributions
this year will be more generous than
ever. 1t is a season when good will
toward men should truly prevail.
The usual Christmas services will
be held in the Catholic churches with
a high mass at o'clock in the morn
ing. At the Cathedral, st. Louis Ber
trands, st. Patrick's, St. Boniface
St. Martins, st. Anthony's and the
other large churches there will be
masses every hour until 10 o'clock
but in the smaller churches thret
are the most that will be celebrated.