To hear samples from this CD on your Windows Media Player, just click on SAMPLE.
1. The Birth Of Jesus (SAMPLE)
2. Wonderful Counselor (SAMPLE)
3. What Child is This/ O Come, O Come Emmanuel (SAMPLE)
4. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming (SAMPLE)
Christmas
Christmas is the annual feast commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, over 2000 years ago. For Christians, it is not just a single day (December 25), but an extended liturgical season of joy and celebration, involving many different symbols and traditions, special music and activities, which vary significantly among different countries and cultures. For religiously observant Christians, the Christmas Season begins at sunset on Christmas Eve, December 24, and lasts from 12 days to 40 days. In some ecclesial traditions the Christmas Season might end on January 6 (the traditional date of the Feast of the Epiphany); in others it might last until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (usually the Sunday after Epiphany), or might even last all the way to February 2 (the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, 40 days after December 25). January 6, usually celebrated as Epiphany, carries different significance in various church traditions. Due to different calendars in use in various eras and locations of the church, some cultures and church traditions celebrate Christmas on January 6 (in the older Julian calendar still used as the religious calendar in Eastern Churches, January 6 corresponds to December 24 on the modern Gregorian calendar).
Although we cannot know the exact date of Jesus' birth, it has been celebrated on December 25 since the early fourth century, when most of the Roman Empire adopted the Christian religion. It replaced the mid-winter Roman festival of "the birth of the sun god" ( sol invictus), celebrated just after the winter solstice.
Etymologically, the word "Christmas" derives from Old English " Cristes mæsse" (literally "Christ's festival"). It is similar to Dutch Kerstmis, but is significantly different in derivation and meaning in many other European languages: German Weihnachten ("Blessed Night"), Italian Natale, Spanish Navidad, French Noël (all ultimately derived from Latin natalis, "birth"), and Scandinavian jul (from which is derived the English yule).
The official liturgical color of the Christmas Season for most Churches is white or gold, not green and red, as many people assume because of their prevalence in secular celebrations.
 New design for Little Portion HermitageLittle Portion Hermitage: Berryville, ArkansasThe Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage were founded by Catholic musician John Michael Talbot. Following two albums recorded for Sparrow Records in 1976 and 1977, and intrigued by the life of St. Francis of Assisi, he began studying at a Franciscan retreat center and joined the Secular Franciscans in 1978. A year later he started a house of prayer, The Little Portion, and planned to live as a hermit. But, he says, "People asked for more recordings, and I began doing a music ministry." In 1982 he, along with six others, moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas and founded The Little Portion Hermitage. Today The Brothers and Sisters of Charity has about 40 members in Arkansas and another 500 worldwide. The Brothers and Sisters of Charity is the only community of its kind in North America with canonical status from the Catholic Church. It has been formally recognized as a Public Association of the Faithful and is one of 10 communities around the globe to encompass celibate brothers and sisters, as well as single people, married couples and families. Though the latter are permitted greater latitude, the essentials are the same. All take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience appropriate for their state of life. After a devastating fire in 2008, a new chapel and associated buildings are under construction.  John Michael & Viola Talbot, founders, breaking ground
|
