Since Today Isn’t March 25th…

… will Jesus be born, and his birth be celebrated, on January 4th, 2017, in the Latin Rite?

Anthony Ruff, OSB

Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, is a monk of St. John's Abbey. He teaches liturgy, liturgical music, and Gregorian chant at St. John's University School of Theology-Seminary. He is widely published and frequently presents across the country on liturgy and music. He is the author of Sacred Music and Liturgical Reform: Treasures and Transformations, and of Responsorial Psalms for Weekday Mass: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter. He does priestly ministry at the neighboring community of Benedictine sisters in St. Joseph.

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Comments

12 responses to “Since Today Isn’t March 25th…”

  1. Liborius Lumma

    He will be born on December 25th as a premie!

    Reply
    1. Jay Taylor

      @Liborius Lumma:
      I was thinking “preemie” too!

      Reply
  2. Liborius Lumma

    @Jay Taylor:
    I had to look in a dictionary what the English word for “Frühgeburt” is, and it said that “premie” is the correct American spelling 🙂

    Reply
  3. John Kohanski

    Nope–in the reformed Roman rite it will be transferred to Sunday January 8th, so He will be late instead of a premie! 😉

    Reply
  4. Alan Griffiths

    I’ve always been intrigued by the way the Latin Rite switches major holy days when they coincide with a ‘more important’ season or day. It always seemed rather cavalier to me. It reminded me of a seminary Rector I remembered who used to swap around the timetable from time to time, and would say ‘So this week, Wednesday will become Tuesday and Friday will be Thursday.’

    I guess this is ok by and large, but the humour in this post suggests that there is more than a merely ecclesiastical connection between Lady Day and Christmas.

    Why, before you know it they’ll be fixing the date of Easter …

    AG.

    Reply
  5. Bryan Walsh

    How do liturgists feel about affixing a NICU to manger scenes?

    Reply
  6. Ronald C Chochol

    Esteemed editor:
    I think you meant his birthday would be on January 4, 2017, not 2016. Even humor needs to adhere to the facts of life!

    Reply
    1. Anthony Ruff, OSB Avatar
      Anthony Ruff, OSB

      @Ronald C Chochol:
      Corrected. Thanks!
      awr

      Reply
  7. Padraig McCarthy

    Since the Orthodox Christmas will be around the projected date, does this mean that Jesus is not a Catholic?

    Reply
    1. Maxwell Johnson

      @Padraig McCarthy:
      It may mean that Jesus is Armenian Orthodox since the Armenians never accepted the new December 25 date for Christmas but keep it still on January 6, unlike the Byzantines who accepted December 25 but celebrate according to the Julian Calendar, with the result that December 25 Julian is January 7 Gregorian. The Armenians celebrate January 6 (Gregorian), and combine birth and Baptism as Theophany. In the “good old days,” when March 25 fell on Good Friday we would have simply commemorated the Annunciation as well since we we did not switch dates around as easily. Even today on the Benedictine Calendar is the transferred March 21 Solemnity of the Passing of St Benedict. So, the Octave of Easter is immediately followed for Benedictines this year by two solemnities: Annunciation and the Passing of Benedict. Just how much joy can anyone take?

      Reply
  8. Jay Taylor

    Maxwell Johnson : @Padraig McCarthy: Just how much joy can anyone take?

    Likely many will be “overcome with paschal joy”! Perhaps “even the heavenly Powers” will sing.

    Reply
    1. Maxwell Johnson

      @Jay Taylor:
      That would be something. Sign me up!!

      Reply

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