Christmas Tree as a symbol of Christ - Met. Moses, Dec. 2013

[joasia]

CHRIST IS BORN!

I like the story of the fir tree. I don't think it's a detriment to have one in the basement of a church. After all, it comes from the tradition of St. Boniface. And many Orthodox decorate their homes with bows of fir branches. The green living color symbolizes everlasting life in the dead of winter. It certainly does brighten up a home and I personally, feel joy when I see all that green decoration. For some reason, green is a soothing color for me. And green is the color of Pentecost. Why is that?

Don't we put effort into preparing eggs with decorations or at least the red color dye for Pascha? Why not forbid that in the baskets when we have them blessed? Are people too focused about the eggs?

Things that were pagan were Christianized and converted many to the faith. So now, it becomes part of our tradition. If an individual chooses to put all his/her focus on the symbol, then that is their spiritual struggle. But, if we keep it in perspective, it is a beautiful part of nature that God has given us for the sake of celebrating the Feast day.

Let's not make too much of it. Here's an idea. What say instead of putting commercialized bulbs, on the tree, hang little icons of saints or of the Nativity or icons of the Theotokos. Fill it up. Then, when you look at the tree, you will see the icons and it will look like a church on a tree which is a great symbolism of the Tree of faith. Glory be to God!

Make that a suggestion to your priest for next year and have the parishioners participate in volunteering an icon or an ornament that is Orthodox. The decorations on the tree can be a reflection of the Orthodox faith and it won't take away from the meaning of the Feast Day.

In Christ,
Joanna

GLORIFY HIM!

Yes, having a tree in the Church hall or basement is okay, but having a huge tree in church that obstructs the view of the altar is not okay. The Antiochian Cathedral where I live has a tree that almost touches the ceiling. The beautiful tree is trimmed with pretty white lights and lots of crosses. Every year, more beautiful crosses are added. However, this monster tree is immediately in front of the chanter's stand and blocks the view of the altar. Chanters need to know when the priest comes out to serve Communion or when he finishes serving Communion, so that they can sing the appropriate hymn.

I've never seen that. In the Church? Well, that's ridiculous...to have it in the Church. Now, I understand the context. A Christmas tree in the Church. That boggles my mind.

[Barbara]

Well, I'll be different. I just LOVED the Christmas trees in my ROCOR parish.
I didn't think there was the slightest problem with that. They were tastefully arranged with little or maybe not even any decoration, did not block any view
and gave the feeling of Nativity to the fullest with that heavenly fir or evergreen smell.
I was picturing the treees in my mind's eye this year particularly, for some reason,
well before this thread came up.

[jgress]

At St Markella's they make a creche out of fir tree branches, with an icon of the Nativity scene in the center. I like that since it interprets the Christmas tree custom in an Orthodox way. We place it in the usual place where we put the large icons for veneration on major feast days. The structure does obscure one of the chanter's stands from the point of view of the congregation, though the Royal doors and the bishop's throne are still visible.

This time I went to the St Nicholas mission in Crofton, MD. They didn't have a tree or creche there, and my impression there is no Christmas tree tradition in Greece (not sure about Russia); it seems to be a northern European/Germanic custom to begin with (hence the St Boniface association).