Question first appeared on December 19, 1999
They
need to have the Christmas tree close
to the Virgin Mary! It's hard for people who are in wheelchairs to move! Also,
it needs to be where everybody can see it. Why change now?? Please put it back
in the regular place.
There
is no regular place for a Christmas tree. During the twenty-;four Christmas
seasons that I have served in this parish the tree has been moved several times.
It was first on the right side of the iconostasis near the icon of Christ. Since
it was blocking that icon and the one of John the Baptist we moved it to the
left hand side of the iconostasis. That move resulted in blocking the view of
the icons of the Virgin Mary and St. George, our patron. Until 199 1, with the
expansion of our sanctuary, there was no other space for displaying a Christmas
tree.
This
year we decided to try the new location for the Christmas tree on one side of
the sanctuary and away from the iconostasis. This would permit all of the icons
to be visible to the majority of worshipers. Remember, the icons are a necessary
part of the sanctuary and essential to Orthodox worship, unlike a temporary
decoration.
A Christmas tree is a German custom brought to this country and adopted by
American society. It is not historically a part of Orthodox tradition. However,
Orthodoxy has always adapted local customs into their tradition when it was
deemed appropriate. So it is with the Christmas tree in our sanctuary. But no
adaptation should detract from the sanctuary and Orthodox worship.
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