Day 16

Beginning with chapter 7 of our book, Archimandrite Vassilios begins to look at the Katavasia of Christmas. These hymns are chanted starting at the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God. Indeed, as is tradition in our Diocese, parts of the Canon (Katavasia) of Christmas are sung prior to the start of Divine Liturgy from the Feast of Entry until Christmas. It is an audible way for us to remember that we are in a period of preparation for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As Archimandrite Vassilios tells us, the name for these hymns, Katavasia, means to descend. This is because the cantors would come down from where they were singing to gather in the center of the Church to sing these hymns. 

The importance of the Katavasia being sung comes from the fact that they are prophetic in nature. The Katavasia of Christmas speak to us, in prophecy, about the birth of Christ: through appearances of God, through people, objects and actions and actual words of prophecy themselves. Over the next couple of days we will look specifically at a few of these Katavasia:

Christ is born, glorify Him. Christ comes from heaven, meet Him! Christ is on earth, be exalted! O all the earth, sing to the Lord, and sing praises in gladness, all peoples, for He has been glorified. (Irmos One)

In this first Katavasia (Irmos), the church proclaims the birth of Christ, the Son of God. We see that He comes from heaven and that He is born on earth. Most importantly, we are called to be glad, sing and rejoice. Why? Because salvation is at hand.   

To the Son Who was begotten of the Father without change before all ages, and in the last times was without seed made flesh of the Virgin, to Christ our God, let us cry aloud: You have raised up our horn, holy are You, O Lord! (Irmos Three)

Here we see directly that the babe born in a manger in Bethlehem was the Son, begotten of the Father, before all ages. This speaks to us about the theology of the Holy Trinity, that Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that all have existed before all ages. And that in these last times in which we live, the Son has become flesh "without seed", born of a Virgin. 

These Katavasia, which we continue to explore, spell our for us the fulfillment of the prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the salvation that is born with Him! 

Indeed Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

In Christ

Fr. David