Eucharistic adoration for children is a delicate and important matter. Let’s see how we should introduce them to it in the right way, what prayers are most appropriate for the youngest ones before the Most High and how Eucharist should be explained to kids.

Eucharistic adoration is one of the most solemn moments of a mass and, in general, of a Christian’s practice of faith. That moment accompanies the presentation of the bread after its consecration, so that the faithful can adore it. More generally, we talk about Eucharistic adoration every time we turn our prayers and attention towards the tabernacle that stores the Most Holy Sacrament, symbol of Jesus’ presence in every church.

It’s a very special kind of adoration, because it celebrates the Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

Divine and real presence within the consecrated bread is the foundation itself of the Eucharistic celebration and the Devotion to the Most Holy Sacrament. Jesus Christ, true man and true God, became a real and tangible presence thanks to the Eucharist. He renovates his own sacrifice through the renovation of the Eucharistic celebration, descending among men once again through the Most Holy Sacrament.

Through the Eucharistic adoration, we turn our adoration towards God himself, showing him all of our love, faith and gratitude.

Eucharistic adoration as we know it dates back to 1226, when King Luis VII of France wanted to celebrate the win against the Cathars: the Eucharist was displayed in the cathedral of the Holy Cross of Orléans so that the many faithful could see it and adore it.

The initiative was so successful that he decided to make it a fixed event. Before that, Eucharistic celebration did not include adoration from the faithful. The importance of Eucharistic adoration grew more and more with time, until it reached the so-called perpetual Eucharistic adoration in chapels where people can go at any time, day or night.

There are also religious orders that have been continuously dedicating themselves to such devotional practice for more than a hundred years.

The importance of the Eucharistic adoration makes us understand how important it is to teach children how they should pray before the Most High in the right way and full awareness.

How can we teach children to pray before the Eucharist?

During the last few years, eminent priests organized many conferences to try to answer this question and debated on the subject of Eucharistic adoration for children and parents.

First, we need to concentrate on the Eucharist told to children.

It is not easy to explain such a complex and important concept without creating some confusion. Depending on the age of the child, we will have to choose the right words and way to let the kid know how Jesus is within the Eucharist and, consequently, how important it is to turn our prayers towards it.

We could begin by talking about Jesus, how happy he was to spend time with his friends and the people that loved him, so happy and fond of all of them that he wished he never had to leave them. That is why he chose to put a little bit of himself inside the Eucharist, so that his friends could always feel his presence even when he was no longer with them. Not just a simple memory, but also a real and tangible presence.

So, one night, while they were having dinner, he showed them what they should do to feel him close again.

He took a piece of bread and a glass of wine and said that each time they would find themselves at the table to eat bread and drink wine he would be with them.

That is how he invented Eucharist, giving himself to those he loved and becoming bread and wine: by eating and drinking, everyone could become a bit like Him and He could be within all of them. Such wonderful thing happens again each time we celebrate the Mass and the priest blesses bread and wine. In that very moment, Jesus comes back among us.

Then, a little bit of the consecrated bread goes into the Tabernacle: that way, Jesus stays with us even after the Mass in case we have something important to tell him. With these few easy words, we explained the mystery of the Most Holy Sacrament to children.

The next step will be to make children understand what adoration means. It’s not a banal concept even for adults.

Adoring God means pray for him, exalt him, praise him and homage him as Father and Creator.

It’s not just a simple prayer, nor a form of devotion we can address to Mary or the Saints. Adoration is only for God.

How to adore God is another important concept we will have to make children understand. There is not just one way to do it. Everyone must find their own.

We can adore God in church, in a wood, on a beach, or even in our own bedroom. We can adore him in silence or with music, singing or even dancing. Our heart will tell us the best way.

For many children, recognizing Jesus in the Eucharistic bread is almost natural.

Unlike adults, their minds are open to wonders, free and light; therefore, they can embrace such immense mystery with enthusiasm and full confidence. Some of them just need to enter the chapel of adoration to understand that it is a special place, a special moment.

Children’s minds and hearts are far more open to welcome Jesus; it is almost as if there was a direct communication between them and God. After all, Jesus showed his predilection for the young ones many times, he often asked to be visited by little ones. Jesus himself asked for that to his disciples, and still asks for that to all of us today.

Among the many proposals on how to teach Eucharistic adoration to children, one suggestion to bring the youngest ones near it is music, since it can help keeping children still and silent, making them understand the importance of silence in such a solemn moment of prayer.

Music can help them concentrate and understand the solemnity of what they are taking part in, encouraging an appropriate atmosphere that can convey warmth, unity and safety.

The dim light of candles, lights illuminating the Ostensory and white and gold drapes are also other good things.

Of course, one of the first thing we’ll have to take care of while taking the youngest ones to the Eucharistic adoration is that they can easily see the Eucharistic bread. That is where their eyes have to be turned to, the Most Holy Sacrament, so that their concentration will not falter.

The Ostensory must be placed at the same height of their eyes, clearly visible, even better if illuminated by a light that makes it brighter and shinier.

The priest that will guide the little ones in the adoration will have to speak with easy words, using simple formulas about Jesus’ love, of how He is a friend and a Father: I love you Jesus, stay in my heart Jesus, forgive me Jesus, I promise I will be good Jesus, thank you Jesus for the love you feel for me.

He must do that turned towards the Ostensory, so that the children know that Jesus is there, listening to their prayers. Prayers before the Most Holy will have to be child-friendly, using the very same words children would use and will use on their own.

They will have to be declarations of love, of gratitude, of commitment to be better, of hope and thanksgiving.

Of course, we cannot expect that very little children stay still in adoration before the Most Holy for hours. Depending on age, we will have to understand how long they can actually be concentrated on it.

What is free will? What implications does it have for a man’s life in general, and for the Christian’s in particular? Let’s get to know this philosophical and theological concept a bit better, since it influenced the history of ethical, religious and human thinking.

If we ask: “What is free will?” many would probably say it is the freedom to choose what to do in a specific circumstance. This is not wrong, even if it is a bit limited in order to explain such a crucial aspect of history and humankind development. In fact, the concept of free will is prior to the advent of Christianism, although it has always been subject of discussions and debates within the philosophical and theological sphere throughout centuries.

So, what is free will?

Looking up the definition of free will in the dictionary, the first explanation is: The power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one’s own discretion.

Therefore, free will is the condition of thinking by virtue of which each one of us can determine the scope of their action with total autonomy. No external forces are involved, no superior entity is driving nor controlling fate. Each aspect of men’s actions and thoughts is down to an act of will.

How can we conciliate such a claim of freedom with the concept of omniscient and omnipotent God that characterizes Christianism? What is free will for a Christian?

Fate or free will?

The issue is not only related to religion. The history of philosophical thinking is full of debates about what determines men’s fate, about a possible presence of supernatural factors, such as destiny, or natural factors, in such case called determinism. Not to mention predestination or fatalism.
Throughout history, many philosophers and thinkers questioned the possibility that part of the human life, or even all of it, might be established before the human being is even born.

In a religious sphere, we should question ourselves about the existence of a deity, a superior will that grants the freedom to choose to all of its creatures; in an ethical sphere, we should question ourselves on the concept of responsibility, that is, whether a man should be responsible for his actions in case they are determined by something external. Under a scientific point of view, the analysis should focus on determining whether the human mind has any interference on the events or whether everything relies completely on randomness.

Free will in the Bible

What is free will according to the Sacred Texts? In the Bible, we can read that God, in his omnipotence, chooses not to establish every event. In particular, He created men in His image and likeness, giving them the chance to go beyond their instincts and choose where to address their actions. It is exactly the chance to choose, the free will, which makes us complete men, because it is up to us to turn our thoughts and our actions towards God and His will, without obligations. Many quotes from the Bible underline the importance of free will, which is seen as a great responsibility in the Old Testament, other than a gift from God to his beloved children. Therefore, free will within the Bible implies the freedom to choose on one side, and the responsibility to choose what is right on the other side.

The concept of free will according to Dante

From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked (Lk 12,39-48). Such statement from the Gospel of Luke is emblematic to understand the vision shared by Dante Alighieri, the poet who wrote the Divina Commedia, concerning the issue of free will. Dante was a man of intelligence, but also action; he had the most profound contempt for a particular category of men: the indolent ones, those who do not choose how to act and let others decide for them, even though they have the freedom and faculty to do so. He despises them so much that he uses very harsh words in the canto III of Inferno, where he meets them in the so-called Vestibule of Hell. There we find the Uncommitted, men and women who never took sides in their lives, who just followed the masses keeping neutral. The sentence the poet establishes for them is simple: since they were never too bad to deserve the pains of Hell, but not too good to be allowed into Heaven, they are forced to run naked forever, chasing a white sign (their incapability to take sides), while wasps and big flies sting them and worms eat their blood and tears. Virgil, while taking Dante far from those sad figures, encourages him:

These have no longer any hope of death,
and this blind life of theirs is so debased,
they envious are of every other fate.

No fame of them the world permits to be;
misericord and Justice both disdain them:
let us not speak of them, but look, and pass.

Dante’s sentence for them is clear and strict: woe to those who, having received the free will, the freedom to choose, as a gift, give it up to follow the easiest way. Giving up the freedom and the responsibilities related to it is the same as giving up our own human dignity.

Free will for Saint Augustine

As god made you without your interference, he will certainly not save you without your interference (Saint Augustine, Sermon CLXIX, 13)

According to Saint Augustine, Divine grace plays a much bigger role in a man’s fate than free will, although the philosopher recognized its existence. That is, God created men with freedom to choose. Men chose evil and committed the Original Sin.

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Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine with heart in coloured wood of Valgardena

God is omniscient and has always known that men, if left free, would sin; however, he keeps leaving them complete freedom, without interfering with their free will. Therefore, God leaves men free to sin. Anyway, since God knows who will be saved and who will not, enlightens men showing them what is good and what is evil, and gives them the strength to act well through Grace.
Therefore, men are free according to Saint Augustine. God, with His divine prescience, allows them the freedom to act well or bad, giving some of them the chance to save themselves with Grace. God’s will comes before men’s will without obligations, and therefore it is the human will of wanting to do good that makes every man worthy to be saved or not.

However, no man can be saved only thanks to his will. The Divine grace helps them out. ““Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19,25-26)

How does God choose those to enlighten with His Grace? This goes beyond men’s possibility of judgement. Men surely cannot dare to criticize God, since they don’t have the instruments to understand His will and plans, as Paul the apostle reminds: “Who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? (Letter to Romans 20-21).

According to Saint Augustine then, free will requires help from Grace, since men can choose to do good, but they lost the ability to act so from the moment they split from God.

Free will according to Luther

Martin Luther, father and advocate of the Protestant Reformation, based his concept of free will on the words by Saint Augustine, or better, its denial: an un-free will. The protestant schism attacked the concept of free will since the beginning. In fact, according to the fathers of Protestantism, the human existence is based on an absolute predestination.

No chance to choose, no variables connected to our decisions or actions. Paradoxically, Luther and Calvin based such statement on Saint Augustine’s thoughts concerning free will. There are some differences though. It is true that Saint Augustine considered the Original Sin as the first wrong choice men made, which led to an estrangement from God, but he never said that the Original Sin annihilated human nature, turning men into animals gripped by instinct and doomed to surrender to God’s or the devil’s will with no chance to choose at all.

“Thus the human will is, as it were, a beast between the two [God and Satan]: if God sit thereon, it wills and goes where God will, […] If Satan sit thereon, it wills and goes as Satan will, nor is it in the power of its own will to choose, to which rider it will run, nor which it will seek, but the riders themselves contend, which shall have and hold it.” (Luther, On the Bondage of the Will).

Martin Luther denies the existence of free will, reducing the whole human life to predestination. Men have no hope; their will to do well is worth nothing. Only faith can save men, faith in a God that pushes them towards salvation rather than towards damnation. After him, John Calvin, another father of the Reformation, developed a vision that was even more determinist, according to which only Providence determines men’s fate, regardless of their merits. Men can only choose to catch the signs of divine benevolence in the good they can do during their lives.

Free will according to Erasmus of Rotterdam

Erasmus of Rotterdam opposed Luther’s thinking. Even though he admitted that the Original Sin had damaged human nature, he claims that every man needs to be free, because if it weren’t so, Grace, justice and mercy from God would make no sense.

According to Erasmus then, men have to be free to accept or discard divine Grace, but also need to acknowledge that they cannot make it on their own. Erasmus took the example of a father and his son. The son wants to take a fruit on a tree, but he cannot reach it if his father won’t help him and lift him in his arms. The father’s help (Grace) allows the son (men) to obtain what he desires (salvation).

Without the father, the son couldn’t even see the fruit on the branches. Therefore, without divine Grace men can do nothing, even if they’re moved by a strong will.

Erasmus states that despite the Original Sin, man still own free will, which lets them decide where they want to go, towards good or towards evil. However, he also states that men can do both good or evil only with God’s consent and God gives men Grace to help them choose.

In particular, Grace acts in the first and in the last phase of the human action, which we can split into: beginning, development and result. Therefore, Grace influences men in intentions, will to act, and lets them accomplish what they chose. However, the how is defined by every man’s free will.

It’s always nice to receive a gift, especially from someone that loves us and during Christmas, symbol of Jesus’ birth. Have we ever wondered where the act of exchanging gifts come from? How was this habit developed?

It is not clear why the habit of this exchange was created, maybe because we attribute sanctified twigs as wealth and abundance wish.

The legend says that the king of the Sabines Titus Tatius asked his subjects to give him a twig of olive or laurus coming from the sacred wood of the goddes Strenia every New Year’s Eve.

Since then, adults began giving each other the so-called Strennas, this twigs picked from a scared wood.

Back to us, Christmas is a holiday with different traditions and habits, that can change according to society, religion and from country to country. It originated from stories about Saint Nicholas, bishop in the IV century, generous and kind to children, and went through many changes. Today we give gifts to children and adults for Christmas, not only to the most needing, this is a holiday for everyone.

Exchanging gifts has much deeper meaning that what we can imagine; of course most of the times they are material objects but the most important point is to give “something” that represents a symbol for our wishes of Love and Hope.

In recent years, unfortunately, we are losing the true meaning of giving a gift. Searching for something to wrap is becoming a mechanical gesture, that can also be cause for anxiety and stress.
Reconnecting to the true meaning of exchanging gifts for Christmas might mitigate our sense of duty, and would make us all go back to the ground and reconnect us to the deep and true meaning that’s hidden behind a box under the tree.

We should tell the difference between giving something to someone and donating a gift.

Giving something (“regalare”) is something that recalls the “idea of regality”, tribute to those who really deserve a recognition for being “regal”, an act made to acknowledge a merit or to compensate for a debt towards someone we show our gratidtude to. Therefore, for many people and not only for Christmas, a gift represent some sort of duty because they have to, even among relatives, friends and acquaintances, and it’s considered praiseworthy.

Donating is something else. Donating comes from give, in its fullest and deepest meaning. It means offering something that proves love and doing it in an unconditioned way and not feeling forced to do it, without asking for something in return from the other person. The donation, oppsed to a gift, is a homage to feelings and not to people. The donation must be more important and meaningful than the object itself, indipendently from its economic value.

From our part, we can suggest some ideas for gifts for Christmas that you can find on Holyart:

A simple but meaningful idea could be a bookmark, useful while reading a book or a sacred text. Reading is a personal moment, a moment for reflection or scapism from the world.

You can find many types on Holyart, with or without crosses, in olive wood, in leather, cotton and linen. A very simple gift, affordable for everyone. The choice is very wide, it’s up to you to pick the one that suits you best.

Another idea we can propose you is a photoframe, ideal for anyone, for any age. A gift you can never go wrong with, it’s always nice to place a picture in our home, whether it was taken during a holiday or during a trip or any other special occasion.

For those who can afford something more expensive, we propose a timeless classic from our catalogue: a jewel. We have a wide variety here as well: earrings, necklaces or bracelets, in silver 925 or gold 750/00, with religious symbols or not, like for example with a heart-shaped pendant.

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Heart necklace in 750/00 gold – 1,60 gr

This jewel is craft made by an Italian goldsmith’s company

You have to remember the concept stated earlier: the gift must be more important and meaningful than the object itself, indipendently from its economic value.

For the youngest ones we suggest coloring books for children from our catalogue.

Christmas is perhaps the most famous holiday in the world. It was born in a religious setting, as celebration for Jesus’ birth, the son of God made man, and with this meaning it is celebrated in all Christian Catholic countries, and protestant and orthodox, with some variations in the date for what concerns the latter.

As a general line, Christmas is on December 25th, the day of the winter solstice, the same day when, in the past, the rebirth of the Sun was celebrated.

Regarding the ways Christmas is celebrated in the various countries of the world, their variety is such that it is very hard to connect them all to just one holiday. Throughout the centuries, in every country, multiple habits have grown, some coming from ancient beliefs and local legends, mixed with the Christian cult, while others are the outcome of cultural contaminations among different people, heritage of old and recent migration flows. Today, if we look at how Christmas is celebrated in our country, we can immediately see that many of the traditions we are used to have few or nothing to do with the religious holiday, with the spiritual feeling that it should carry.

It is true anyway that, as we discussed in other articles, the image of Santa Claus, the decorated spruce, the luminaries, all have their roots in beliefs that are connected to religion, but it is also undeniable that, too often, this magical, colorful dimension, and unfortunately the consumer aspect of Christmas, risk taking over the true meaning that this holiday should have for believers.

Among all holidays, Christmas is the one that celebrates the presence of God the most. It’s a holiday that comes at the peak of a wait, the eager wait of those who believe and discover that God is not far anymore, but he made himself a man and chose to live among His sons, to bring them an eternal hope. The period before Christmas should be dedicated to prepare your heart to receive the Lord, not just to buy gifts and decorate your house.

That’s exactly so in many places.

In some countries the preparations for Christmas begin with large advance. Houses and streets are decorated; there are parties, parades, shows. Many countries celebrate holidays for particular beloved and adored Saints, such as Saint Lucy in Scandinavian countries, or Saint Nicholas in Germanic countries. In other countries Christmas and the weeks before that are all dedicated to Baby Jesus, to whom prayers, songs, novenas and fasts are addressed. The tradition of gifts exchange is common anywhere, but it’s not always Baby Jesus who brings them, sometimes it’s the Wise Men, or Saint Nicholas, or other characters.

We thought it could be interesting to find out some of these traditions spread all over the world together. Some you’ll find very curious, others will maybe help us live our Christmas with a bit more attention to its deepest and spiritual meaning.

Not only Santa Claus: Northern traditions

In Northern countries there are many fascinating traditions connected to the Christmas time.

In Germany the celebrations begin already at the end of November, with the celebrations connected to Saint Martin. On November 11th there are parades of kids along the streets that carry lanterns in their hands to light up the way for the Saint. That same light is brought where it’s usually missing, like cemeteries.

On December 6th German and Austrian kids wait for Saint Nicholas, the saint that inspired the character of Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas brings gifts and especially sweets to good kids, who dedicate poems and songs to him in exchange. According to the tradition, gifts will be placed inside the shoes that kids leave next to the window on purpose, but this nice custom has a creepy counterpart. In fact, Saint Nicholas has a helper, a demon similar to a horrific goat called Krampus. While the Saints reward the good ones, Krampus takes the bad kids away. That is why, close to December 6th, men dressed up as Krampus walk around admonishing kids so that they behave well, threatening to take them away with their chains. German children better be good!

On December 24th children wait for Christkind’s arrival, Baby Jesus who brings them gifts under the Christmas tree.

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Santa Claus, Christmas tree decoration in blown glass

In Scandinavia celebrations begin earlier than Christmas as well. A very popular holiday is Saint Lucy, on December 13th in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, and it marks the beginning of Christmas celebrations. Saint Lucy is known to be the protector of light, because it is said that she secretly brought food to the Christian hidden in catacombs, lighting her way with just one candle tied to her forehead to have her hands free.

That is why in Scandinavia young girls wear a crown of candles on their heads and white clothes, and offer sweets to relatives and friends.

Another much cherished event in all Scandinavian countries is the celebration of the Advent, that is, the 24 days preceding Christmas. In every house there is an Advent Wreath, with four candles that are lit one after the other on the four Sundays before Christmas, or an Advent candle, decorated with 24 signs, one for each day. Children often receive an Advent calendar, with 24 slots that hide a sweet or a small surprise. On Christmas Eve they gather to celebrate eating good food, singing songs and exchanging gifts under the tree. The Christmas tree is a very cherished and loved tradition: in Sweden it is decorated mainly with ornaments made of straw, red, pink and white flowers, spicy sweets; in Denmark there are red balls, Danish flags and lights, and possibly real candles. Finland, where it is said Santa Claus lives, is particularly tied to this magic and good natured character that brings gifts to children on his sledge during Christmas night. Curious fact: it is believed in Denmark that the night of December 24th some witches sneak into the houses to steal brooms, and that is why, before going to bed, everyone hides all the objects needed for cleanings!

Great Britain and Ireland attribute great importance to Christmas. Houses and streets are decorated since the beginning of December; children receive the Advent calendar and, on Christmas, wait for the gifts brought by Santa Claus. In Ireland he is still called Saint Nicholas. Besides the multitude of lights and candles that decorate houses and are symbols for wait and faith, Irish people use to place a big white candle next to the door or on the windowsill and have it lit on Christmas Eve by the youngest child. It is a way to welcome Joseph and Mary, to give them a reference point in the dark of night and let them understand that they are welcome in that house and family.

Spain, South America, Africa and Philippines, all the warmth of Christmas

In the countries under Spanish and Portuguese domination there are many Christmas traditions of great spiritual suggestion.

In Spain the real holiday is on January 6th, when the Wise Men arrive to worship Jesus and bring him precious gifts. In Spanish cities there are parade floats that evoke the long trip made by the Wise Men to get to Bethlehem. Sweets and candies are thrown from the floats and children pick them up; on the night of January 6th, friends and relatives exchange gifts. Curious fact: the Nativity scene in Catalonia hides a surprise. Among the shepherds that run to celebrate Jesus birth there is the “Caganer”, a shepherd with his pants down and crouched in an unmistakable position! It is said to be a great lucky charm.

In Mexico and other Latin American countries the Advent period, especially the nine days before Christmas, are characterized by the so-called Posadas. They are processions and religious representations that evoke the journey of Mary and Joseph towards Bethlehem, and their vane pursuit for an accommodation (in Spanish “accommodation” is called posada). During the nine days before Christmas, families alternately celebrate a Posada in their own house with common prayers, and at the end they celebrate offering sweets and fruits to the children. It is a poetic way to get ready and welcome the Sacred Family and to celebrate the birth of the Savior in their own home, with their beloved ones. Symbolically, welcoming Mary and Jesus in their homes, they welcome the coming of Jesus in their souls. That is way the soul has to be adequately prepared.

In Colombia, on December 7th, the day before the Immaculate Conception, people celebrate the Day of the Candles, which represents the beginning of Christmas holidays. Streets, yards, balconies are lit by thousands of candles and paper lanterns. All that light is to celebrate both Mary and the Immaculate Conception, and the beginning of the wait for Jesus’ birth. Nine days of prayers around the Nativity or the tree precede Christmas. In those days of the Novena people try to teach kids about the true meaning of the Holiday, on what the birth of Jesus meant for all men. On Christmas Eve the Midnight Mass is celebrated, and Baby Jesus brings gifts to those who deserve them. Before going to bed they eat ajiaco, a typical dish made of potatoes, chicken and almonds, and drink sabajòn, a typical drink with milk and eggs, but also tequila, wine and whiskey.

In Venezuela, from December 31st to February 2nd, the Paraduras take place; they are celebrations dedicated to Baby Jesus that originated from the episode where he was lost and then found in the Temple. It is a popular and heartfelt holiday, celebrated with processions where the main character is Baby Jesus.

In El Salvador on the contrary, the main characters of Christmas are the shepherds, first witnesses of Jesus birth, and the first ones to worship him. It is a feisty occasion, celebrated with dances and songs, some sort of sacred representation of Nativity, full of rhythm and life, interpreted by people wearing costumes of the Nativity characters.

Also in Costa Rica celebrations go from December 1st to February 2nd, commemorating the Nativity and the introduction of Jesus at the Temple. Forty days after Jesus birth they celebrate the Candelero, with solemn processions and lighting of candles, symbols for light and salvations.

In Ethiopia they celebrate the birth of Jesus with the Ganna on January 7th. It is a religious holiday, which involves a fast and the participation to the morning mass all dressed in white.

In the Philippines they begin preparing for Christmas already in September! Houses and streets are decorated and filled with bright lights, and there are shows, feasts and processions with songs. From December 16th to 24th they celebrate the beginning of the Holidays with a Novenario, nine night masses called “Gift Masses” or “Roster Masses”. On January 6th, when the Wise Men arrive and bring gifts to children, the holidays are over.

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Blown glass Christmas ornament, Santa Claus around the world

Hungary, Romania, Poland: Eastern Christmas

On December 6th Saint Nicholas, or Mikulàs, brings sweets to Hungarian children. Only to the good ones, of course… On the Eve, called Holy Night, they decorate the tree altogether with their family, using sweets wrapped into shiny paper and knick-knacks. Baby Jesus brings gifts to children under the tree.

In Poland the dinner on Christmas Eve is very important, and includes 12 servings, as 12 were the Apostles! They usually fast all day, and there is no meat served, but only light food, such as fish and vegetables. Before dinner they read the Bible, sing together, and pass the Oplatek, the Christmas host, eating a small bit before giving it to the one sitting next. A small bite of Oplatek is given to pets as well. It is a way to celebrate the sense of sharing and reconciliation that should be associated with Christmas, a symbol for harmony and union with the closest ones.

In Romania there are many traditions connected to Christmas, some have a religious origin, others historical, or legendary or folkloristic. Sometimes the two worlds mix up, as it happens for Saint Ignatius on December 20th. It is Moş Nicolae, “Old Nicholas”, the one that brings gifts to Romanian children on the night between December 5th and 6th. As it happens in Germany, gifts are put in the shoes left outside the house. On the night between December 24th and 25th, it is Moş Crăciun that brings gifts, who is some sort of Santa Claus.

Curious fact: in Ukraine some use spider webs as Christmas decorations. In fact, it is widely believed that they are lucky charms! In Serbia, children “kidnap” their mothers and ask gifts as ransoms, which are opened two weeks before Christmas.

What is the meaning of the seven Deadly Sins? Where do they come from and how were they defined throughout history? Why are they seven? Let’s find out together.

In order to understand the meaning of the seven Deadly Sins, first we need to clarify that it is actually wrong to call them ‘deadly sins’. What we know as deadly sins are more accurately the capital vices, that is, those imperfections of our personalities and inclinations of our souls that determine harmful behaviors for human beings and those surrounding them. For Christians, those vices are exactly the cause of the sin, hence the confusion that makes us consider capital sins and vices as the same thing. In fact, a sin is an effect, a consequence, of the vice. The opposite of vices, in the Christian sphere but not only, are virtues.

Il Latin, the word vĭtĭum meant the lack of something, whether a physical or a moral flaw, or a deviated habit, that is a flaw of the spirit. The concept of the seven capital vices is prior to the advent of Christianism.

But why ‘Capital Sin’? The adjective capital comes from ‘capitalis’, head, and indicates how these flaws in particular are the worst, the most serious deviances that alter the human nature itself.

History of the seven Deadly Sins

Already in the IV century BC, in his essay Nicomachean Ethics, the Greek philosopher Aristotle stated that every virtue or good quality turns into a vice, a flaw, if brought to an excess. That is the origin of the idea that the virtue should be exactly halfway between the lack of a feeling or inclination and its excess. It’s the theory of the golden mean, which medieval philosophers describe as ‘In medio stat virtus’, Virtue stands in the middle, close to what Aristotle stated indeed:“μέσον τε καὶ ἄριστον”, The middle is best.

For example, if we consider the sphere of pleasure and pain, the virtue we examine here is Temperance, the lack of which will lead to Insensitivity, while its excess will lead to Dissoluteness.

Aristotle is the one who defined the capital vices as the clothes of evil. That’s because people who indulge in the same vice over and over are actually weaving some sort of dress, which pushes them to sin more and more. The same happens to those who cultivate a virtue, even though the results are of course opposite.

Concerning the capital vices in the Catholic sphere, the first monks made a list. In particular, Evagrius Ponticus, Greek writer and ascetic who lived in the IV AD, still appreciated today as theologian in the Christian West and adored as a father of monastic life; he was the first to list eight capital vices:

• gluttony
• lust
• greed
• wrath
• sorrow
• sloth
• vainglory
• pride

Later, sorrow, which does not allow appreciating the work of God, will disappear and will be absorbed by sloth or envy, added later, while vainglory will be an element of pride.

Evagrius defined the eight vices as evil spirits or thoughts and even suggested a few methods to fight them.

During the age of Enlightenment, the concepts of vice and virtue went lost, like many other moral principles tied to the past. In fact, according to the illuminist view of human progress and development, both on a mental and a material level, but especially towards the industrial, commercial and financial development of the society, both vices and virtues were necessary.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, and still today, capital vices became subject of interesting studies and considerations among moral philosophy, human psychology and theology; they became object of many essays, starting from Kant‘s Pragmatic Anthropology, who considered vices as an expression of human typology.

Why are the deadly sins seven?

According to different ancient cultures, number 7 symbolized perfection, wholeness. Let’s just think of the seven Egyptian plagues, the seven branches of the Jewish candelabra Menorah, but also the seven fundamental attributes of Allah (life, knowledge, power, will, hearing, sight and word), the seven Gods of happiness in Buddhism and Shintoism, just to name a few.

Even Catholicism made number seven its own, recognizing the powerful symbolism in it. It is the divine number per excellence, because it recalls God’s rest after the Creation. Seven are the sacraments as well (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penitence, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, Matrimony), as the gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord), the seven pains of Mary and many others.
Even in the Apocalypse by John, we read of 7 broken Seals, 7 trumpets played by 7 Angels, 7 Prodigies and 7 Cups of the Wrath of God.
In this symbolical frame, the fact that there are seven virtues (3 are theological: faith, hope and charity, and 4 are cardinals: justice, temperance, prudence and fortitude) and seven capital vices is surely not accidental.

We saw that according to Evangrius Ponticus and other Western monks, sins were eight and not seven. That’s because the symbolism of numbers in the past used to vary a lot between Western and Eastern world.

Saint Thomas Aquinas identified seven main temptations triggered by the desire of men towards four goods and their will to escape from three of them.

Here are the goods men desire:

The first good is spiritual, and is self-awareness, awareness of our own excellence: if desired too much, it generates pride.

The two other goods are related to the body: body preservation and conservation of the species.
Consumption of food and drinks, if exasperated, leads to gluttony, while sexual desire brought to an excess causes lust.

The fourth good is wealth: when desired too much, it results in greed.

Here are the goods men spurn:

The spiritual good: if neglected because of laziness, it leads to sloth.
The good of your neighbor, which men spurn because it threatens to cast shadows upon their self-awareness, generates envy.
The good of others, which men run away from when looking for damage and revenge, unleashes wrath.

What are the seven Deadly Sins?

Let’s get to the list of the 7 capital vices or 7 deadly sins.

Pride

The proud diminishes others to claim his superiority, real or presumed, in any field. Strong of such awareness of superiority, he does not respect people and laws because he is convinced that he is worth more than anything else. Pride shows in different ways. It can imply submission of other people, or rather the demand of their admiration. It comes from a desire to excel, to be recognized as the best compared to the others, thanks to real or just demanded merits. It is considered as the most deadly sin, because the proud believes he is so much better even than God, that he acts as a judge towards others.

From pride come:
– Vanity
– Delusions of grandeur
– Judgment
– Omnipotence
– Will to subdue

Envy

The envious hates his neighbor because he owns something he doesn’t. Envy comes from the awareness that someone else owns qualities or goods one does not have. It implies the comparison to others, and the hatred for what they have. As a result, the envious person enjoys other people losses and disgraces, because only that would make the envious feel higher than his misery. In fact, he does not pursue to improve his conditions; he just waits for others’ to get worse.

From envy come:
– Jealousy
– Constantly comparing with others
– Negative self-judgement

Lust

Lust is related to pleasure (whether sexual or not) end in itself, exasperated in impulses and longings. A fruitless pleasure that does not imply love nor desire for reproduction; it is just the urge to enjoy the act itself, with no respect nor consideration for oneself or the other person. While sex between lovers is an experience that elevates love and physical and spiritual union, lust leads to separation from each other, and even from one selves, in some kind of beastly blur, only to pursue physical satisfaction.

From lust come:
– Incapability to welcome others
– Internal emptiness
– Insatiability

Gluttony

Gluttony is not just an excessive desire for food, but for anything. Objects, experiences, money, even emotions, insatiably and avidly pursued.
Those who indulge in gluttony live in a constant state of dissatisfaction, devoured by their insatiable hunger, be it material or spiritual. Even a hyperactive mind, which consumes itself in its same, hectic thinking, can be a symptom of gluttony, such as an excessive sexual desire that also results in lust.

From gluttony come:
– Cupidity
– Waste
– Worries

Sloth

Those who practice sloth refuse life. The sloths drags themselves in constant boredom and passiveness, which lead them to do nothing. A form of sloth can also be living in a mechanical way, refusing evolution, change, development of things and situations. Those living in sloth wish that everything were plain, always the same and neutral, with no joys nor pains. Of course, those suffering from it also neglect spiritual and divine matters, and that is why sloth is an abominable sin.

From sloth come:
– Mechanicalness
– Scarce opening to new things
– Paralysis
– Boredom

Wrath

Wrath makes minds blind and unleashes a beastly rage into men, something unstoppable. The heart is empty, the reason is blind, and only negative thoughts fuel the mind instigating hatred, resentment and desire for revenge. This vice is also implacable, because even if those suffering from it are able to destroy their enemy, it will not cease to torment them.

From wrath come:
– Petulance
– Meanness
– Violence
– Rage
– Frustration

Greed

Greed is the excessive and morbid attachment to material goods, and in that, it is similar to gluttony, but the greedy is also obsessed with never having enough, and the fear others can deprive him from it. The greedy lives as a prisoner of what he owns and is never tired to amass. He puts the goods and wealth he already owns and those he desires above anything else, and that is why greed is considered as a form of idolatry, because the greedy loves his goods more than he loves God.

From greed come:
– Morbid attachment
– Spiritual blindness
– Avidity

The miracles of Saint Gerard Majella let the world know the human and spiritual story of this exceptional young man. Let’s find out more about the saint Patron of Basilicata, protector of pregnant women, mothers and children.

Gerard Majella was born in a modest family in Muro Lucano, Potenza, in 1726. His father was a tailor and died early, leaving him with his mother, a pious woman who imparted him the awareness of the love of God for all the creation.

For some time as a young boy, Gerard worked for the bishop of Lacedonia, Claudio Albini, a despotic and authoritative man, but the boy was able to learn to know and appreciate him. About Gerard, people used to say that he was a bit eccentric, had no skills, no talents, and doomed to fail at any job he would do.

Saint Gerard and the religious call

Anyway, Gerard heard the religious call since he was young, which pushed him to find his way in the world. At the beginning, he tried to enter the convent of the Capuchin Friars in his town, but his delicate health pushed the friars to reject his request. Refusing to be discouraged, in 1748 Gerard met a group of redeemer priests.

They belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer also known as the Redemptorists, founded in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, whose mission was missionary evangelization. The Redemptorists wished for the mystery of redemption and merciful salvation of God in Jesus, and lived imitating Jesus and his disciples. Gerard joined them, and to do so, he ran away from home and sneaked out of the window with a rope made of sheets. He left a note to his mother: “Mother, forgive me, I am going to become a saint.“

Gerard insisted for a long time because of the fear that a certain lifestyle would be too risky for his fragile health; he finally made it into the Congregation and on July 16 1752, feast of the Most Holy Redeemer, he pronounced his solemn vows. He began moving from convent to convent as useless Brother and engaged in various works: gardener, sexton, door attendant, cook, and stable cleaner. He showed a joyful spirit and a tireless will, besides obedience, mortification and devotion. He gave all he had to the poor with joy and love, and people everywhere began loving him. He faced life with bravery, patience and endurance, even when he was unjustly accused of conducting an illicit relationship with a girl (the accuser herself will set him free later) and when tuberculosis forced him into bed. On the door of his cell, he had the writing: “Here the will of God is done, as God wills, and as long as God wills.”

He died in 1755 at only 29 and after only a few years of religious life, but those years were enough to make him beatified by Pope Lion XIII in 1893 and sanctified by Pope Pious X in 1904. Saint Gerard Majella became soon the patron of pregnant women and children. His existence was shaped on obedience, humiliation and hard work, on the will to live in Christ and for Christ, doing His will every day and with joy. Those who knew him told about inexplicable healings happened thanks to him, and soon he was famous as a thaumaturge, healer of body and soul.

In Materdomini, fraction of Caposele, Avellino, there is the sanctuary of Saint Gerard Majella, also dedicated to Maria SS. Mater Domini. The sanctuary rises up in place that is famous for the apparitions of Mary during the Middle Age. After Saint Gerard Majella died on October 16 1755 in the College of the Redemptorists Father next to the chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it was decided to associate the cult of the Saint to the cult of Mater Domini.

The Saint is celebrated on October 16, day of his death.

Miracles of Saint Gerard

Since he was a child, Saint Gerard loved to find shelter in places of cult. One was particularly dear to him, the Chapel of the Virgin in Capodigiano. Gerard said that in that place the son of a mysterious beautiful Lady used to give him a piece of white bread, leaving his mother to go meet him. Once the saint was grown up, he will understand that the boy was Jesus.

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Gerard began following the solemnity of liturgical bread and consecrated hosts straight away. When he was eight, he tried to obtain the First Communion, even though he was still too young for that. The priest denied it, but the boy said that the following night he received the visit of Saint Michael Archangel, who went to him to offer him the Eucharist he longed so much.

Another miracle happened when the Saint was still very young was the burning hay barn. At that time Gerard, who lost his father short before, worked as an apprentice in the workshop of a tailor, Martino Pannuto; there, the other apprentices constantly persecuted him. One night a hay barn burst into flames and Gerard, who was inside with the young child of his employer, crossed himself and muttered a prayer. The flames ceased immediately.

During the three years he spent as worker for Monsignor Claudio Albini, Bishop of Lacedonia, Gerard suffered from mortifications and punishments that the strict prelate used to inflict him for any lack he might show. One day, while he was fetching some water from a well, the keys of his master’s house fell into the well. Instead of getting upset for the punishments he could face, the boy ran to the nearer church, took a statuette of Baby Jesus and lowered it into the well. When he took it back up, the statuette was holding the lost keys in its fist.

Before fleeing with the Redemptorists priests, while he was working as a tailor, Gerard used to go talk to Jesus before the tabernacle very often. The sweet nickname he addressed the Savior was nutty, for he chose to stay locked in that tight place for the love of humankind.

He was encouraged by his fellow citizens to find a woman to marry, so he jumped on the platform for the parade on the third Sunday of May, and put a ring on the Virgin Mary’s finger. By doing so, he showed his will to consecrate himself to her with a vow of chastity. Sometime later, though, a girl named Nerea Caggiano, whom he’d helped when she was in need, accused him of having an illicit relationship with Nicoletta Cappucci, seduced and abandoned by a troublemaker noble man. Nerea publicly accused Gerard even before Alfonso Maria de Liguori. Summoned by his superiors and invited to clear his name, the young man did not speak. He silently accepted the accusations and punishments given to him, which included not being able to receive the Eucharist and being isolated. Gerard behaved so in order to be faithful to the rule that imposed him to suffer any mortification in silence. Shocked by his modesty and acceptance of God’s Will, later Nerea converted and cleared his name.

Gerard was also famous as discerner of hearts, able to find the good hidden in the souls of those above suspicion, as it happened with the game warden of the Duke of Bovino: he beat the saint to death, and he endured the massacre without saying a word. Later, the warden regretted his actions and followed him to the convent to begin a new life.
Even a well-known sinner, who was unable to change his life and give up the pleasures of flesh, was convinced when he saw Gerard lifting up a crucifix that began bleeding and then turned into Baby Jesus.

Many and varied were Saint Gerard’s miracles. Here, we want to tell the one of the handkerchief of Saint Gerard Majella, which made the saint become patron of pregnant women and children.

It is said that while the young man was in Oliveto Citra for health reasons, he went to meet the Pirofalo family. While he was leaving, the youngest of the daughters ran after him to give him back the handkerchief he forgot. He smiled to her and told her to keep it, that one day she might need it.

Many years later, the girl became a woman and was having a risky delivery. Remembering Gerard’s words, she asked for the handkerchief he gave her. The women with her laid it on her belly, the pain stopped and she gave birth to a healthy infant. Since then, pregnant women invoke Saint Gerard and the sanctuary of Materdomini is blooming with colorful bows that recall the pregnancies that ended well thanks to his protection.

Prayer to saint Gerard Majella

Every year on October 16, at the sanctuary of Materdomini, people recite the act of entrustment of women and children to the Virgin Mary and Saint Gerard. We propose it here, reminding you that there is also a novena dedicated to him.

O Mary, Virgin and Mother of God, who chose this sanctuary to grant favors together with your faithful servant Gerardo Maiella, (on this day dedicated to life,) we turn to you with confidence and invoke upon us your maternal protection. To you, O Mary, who accepted the Lord of life, we entrust the mothers and their spouses so that in welcoming life they may be the first witnesses of faith and love. To you, Gerard, the heavenly patron saint of life, we entrust all mothers and especially the fruit they bear in their womb, so that you may always be close to them through your powerful intercession. To you, attentive and caring Mother of Christ your Son, we entrust our children to grow up like Jesus in age, wisdom and grace.  To you, Gerard, the heavenly protector of children, we entrust our children so that you may always guard them and defend them from the dangers of body and soul. To you, Mother of the Church, we entrust our families with their joys and sorrows so that every house may become a small domestic Church, where faith and harmony reign. To you, Gerard, defender of life, we entrust our families so that with your help they may be a model of prayer, love and hard work and may always be open to welcome and solidarity. Finally, to you, Virgin Mary, and to you, glorious Gerard, we entrust the Church and Civil Society, the world of work, young people, the elderly and the sick, and all those who promote your worship so that, united to Christ, Lord of life, they may rediscover the true meaning of work as a service to human life, as a witness of charity and as a proclamation of God’s love for every person. Amen.

O glorious Saint Gerard, who saw the living image of Mary in every woman, the wife and mother of God, and you wanted her, with your intense apostolate, up to her mission, bless me and all the mothers of the world.

Make us strong to keep our families united; help us in the difficult task of educating our children in a Christian way; give our husbands the courage of faith and love, so that, following your example and comforted by your help, we can be an instrument of Jesus to make the world more just and good.

In particular, help us with illnesses, pain and any need; or at least give us the strength to accept everything Christianally, so that we too can be the image of Jesus crucified as you were.
Give our families joy, peace and love of God.

O Lord Jesus, who was born of the Virgin Mary,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who were obedient to your mother Mary,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who sanctified childhood,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who suffered from poverty when you were a child,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who have suffered persecution and exile,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who welcomed and loved children,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who gave them a new life in baptism,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who give yourself to them as food in the Holy Communion,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who have loved St. Gerard from an early age,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who played with the young Gerard,
– protect and bless our children.
You, who brought him white bread,
– protect and bless our children.
In sickness and in suffering.
– protect and bless our children.
In hard times and dangers.
– protect and bless our children.

We pray.
Ord Jesus Christ, hear our prayers for these children,
bless them in your love and guard them with your constant protection,
so that they may grow in Christianity and come to give you full witness
with free and sincere faith, with fervent charity and with persevering hope in the coming of your kingdom.
You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.