ADVENT TIP OF THE DAY 21: Nativity pageants, crèches, putz; Romanos hymns on the incarnation
I am adding these posts to the previous tip list L/V 10 Tip of the Day
QUESTION: Give a brief history of Nativity pageants, crèches, putz, and similar practices.
ANSWER: from Perplexity:
The tradition of Nativity scenes, crèches, and putz has a rich history spanning centuries, with each evolving to become integral parts of Christmas celebrations worldwide.
Nativity Scenes and Crèches
The origin of Nativity scenes is often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, who is credited with creating the first live Nativity scene in Greccio, Italy, in 1223. St. Francis aimed to make the story of Christ's birth more accessible to ordinary people by setting up a manger with hay, an ox, and a donkey. This event sparked a tradition that spread throughout Europe and eventually across the world.
However, visual depictions of Jesus's early life existed long before St. Francis. The earliest known representations date back to the 3rd and 4th centuries, found in Roman catacombs. Over time, Nativity scenes evolved from simple representations to elaborate displays, both in churches and private homes.
Christmas Pageants
Christmas pageants, or Nativity plays, grew out of the tradition of mystery or miracle plays popular in medieval Europe. These plays, performed in vernacular languages, helped laypeople understand scripture at a time when church services were conducted in Latin. The transition to children performing in these plays may have occurred during the Victorian Era when Christmas was recast as a more family-centered holiday.
Putz
The putz tradition originated in Central Europe, particularly in regions now part of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The term "putz" comes from the German word "putzen," meaning to decorate or adorn. Moravian immigrants brought this tradition to America, founding Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Christmas Eve in 1742.
Putz displays often went beyond the Nativity scene, incorporating elements of the local landscape and rural life. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, these scenes began to include handmade villages and hand-carved figures.
Evolution and Popularization
The Industrial Revolution brought new dimensions to these traditions. Mass-produced cardboard houses and glass ornaments from Germany became popular additions to putz displays. In America, the tradition of opening homes to showcase elaborate putzes became widespread in the early 20th century, particularly in Pennsylvania Dutch communities.
Today, Nativity scenes, Christmas pageants, and putz displays continue to be cherished traditions in many parts of the world, evolving with technology while maintaining their core purpose of celebrating and retelling the story of Christ's birth. There are several traditions similar to crèches, putz, and pageants that celebrate the Nativity story and Christmas season around the world. Here are some notable examples:
Las Posadas
In Honduras and other parts of Latin America, people participate in "Las Posadas," a nine-day reenactment of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. Participants dressed as Mary and Joseph lead processions through towns, stopping at various homes until they are welcomed to stay for the night. This tradition combines elements of both pageants and interactive storytelling.
Pastorelas
Latin American communities perform "pastorelas" or shepherd's plays, which recount the story of shepherds traveling to worship the newborn Christ. These plays often incorporate local cultural elements, satire, and apocryphal events, making them unique to each community.
Living Nativity Scenes
In southern Italy, "presepe vivente" or living nativity scenes are extremely popular. These elaborate displays often feature not just the Nativity scene but also recreations of 19th-century village life, complete with artisans in traditional costumes demonstrating their trades.
Belenismo
In the Philippines, nativity scenes known as "Belén" are a ubiquitous Christmas symbol. The city of Tarlac even holds an annual competition of giant Belén displays in a festival called "Belenismo sa Tarlac."
Krippenspiel
In Germany, many Christmas Eve services include a children's mass called "Weihnachtsgeschichte," which features a "Krippenspiel" or crib play. This is similar to the traditional nativity pageant but specifically performed as part of the Christmas Eve service.
Ķekatas
While not directly related to the Nativity, Latvia has a wintertime tradition called "ķekatas" or masked processions. Participants wear masks representing animals or mythical creatures and visit households to bring prosperity and blessings, similar to how nativity plays and putz displays are shared within communities.
QUESTION: What are the themes of the incarnational hymns by Romanos the Melodist?
ANSWER: from Perplexity:
Romanos the Melodist, a 6th-century Syrian Christian hymnographer, composed several hymns on the Incarnation.
Incarnational Hymns by Romanos
Romanos wrote numerous hymns celebrating the mystery of the Incarnation, which were highly influential and are still sung in Orthodox churches today. His compositions are characterized by:
Simple language that appealed to the hearts of the people
Pleasant meter created through word accentuation
Use of the colloquial idiom of his time
Notable Christmas Hymn
One of Romanos' most famous incarnational hymns is the Christmas kontakion that begins:
"Today the Virgin gives birth to One who is above all living things..."]
This hymn, known in Greek as "I Parthenos Simeron," beautifully expresses the mystery of Christ's birth and the Incarnation.
Characteristics of Romanos' Incarnational Hymns
Romanos' incarnational hymns typically feature:
Celebration of the mystery of God becoming human
Dramatic and pathetic dialogue in their structure
Long metrical homilies arranged in stanza form
Musical settings designed to be sung after scripture readings
Romanos' poetic talent, depth of feeling, and elevation of language in expressing the Incarnation have led some scholars to consider him "the greatest ecclesiastical poet of all ages".1
QUESTION: List some books by Romanos the Melodist available in Logos/Verbum.
ANSWER: from my library:
Mellas, Andrew with Saint Romanos the Melodist. Hymns of Repentance. Edited by John Behr. Translated by Andrew Mellas. Vol. 61. Popular Patristics Series. Yonkers, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2020.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."