圣誕節由來（英語版）

　　do you know? origin of chdstmas 圣誕由來

　　the name christmas is short for“christ’s mass”.a mass is a kind of church service.christmas is a religious festivai.it is the day we celebrate as the birthday of jesus.

　　there are special christmas services in christian churches all over the world.but many of the festivities of christmas do not have anything to do with religion.exchanging gifts and sending christmas cards are the modern ways of celebrating the christmas in the world.

　　the birth of jesus had a story：in nazareth，a city of galilee.the virgin’s name was mary was betrothed to joseph.before they came together，she was found with child of the holy spirit.joseph，her husband was minded to put her away secretly.while he thought about these things，gabriel，an angel of the lord appeared to him in a dream and told him did not be afraid to take mary as wife.and mary，will bring forth a son，and he shall call his name，jesus,for he will save his people from their sins.

　　before jesus births.joseph and mary came to quintus was governing syria.so all went to be registered，everyone to his own city.joseph also went up out of galilee.out of the city of nazareth.into judea，to the city of david.which is called bethlehem，because he was of the house and of the lineage of david，to be registered with mary。his betrothed wife，who was with child.so it was that while they were there.the days were completed for her to be delivered.and she brought forth her firstborn son.and wrapped him in swaddling cloths.and laid him in a manger.because there was no room for them jn the jnn.and that.christmas is the feast of the nativity of jesus.is on 25th，december every year.but nobody know the acluai birthday of jesus.and the christmas has become popular when christmas cards appeared in 1 846 and the concept of a joily santa claus was first made popular in nineteenth century.

　　“圣誕節”這個名稱是“基督彌撒”的縮寫。彌撒是教會的一種禮拜儀式。耶誕節是一個宗節我們把它當作耶穌的誕辰來慶祝，因而又名耶誕節。這一天，世界所有的基督教會都舉行特別的禮拜儀式。但是有很多圣誕節的歡慶活動和宗教并無半點關聯。交換禮物，寄圣個誕卡，這都使圣誕節成為一個普天同慶的日子。

　　圣誕節是基督教世界最大的節日。4世紀初，1月6日是羅馬帝國東部各教會紀念耶穌降生和受洗的雙重節日、稱為“主顯節”epiphany，亦稱“顯現節”即上帝通過耶穌向世人顯示自己。當時只有耶路撒冷的教會例外，那里只紀念耶穌的誕生而不紀念耶穌的受洗。后來歷史學家們在羅馬基督徒習用的日歷中發現公元354年12月25日頁內記錄著：“基督降生在猶大的伯利恒。”經過研究，一般認為12月25日伴為圣誕節可能開始于公元336年的羅馬教會)約在公元375年傳到小亞細亞的安提阿，公元430年傳到埃及的亞歷山大里亞，耶路撒冷的教會接受得最晚，而亞美尼亞的教會則仍然堅持1月6日主顯節是耶穌的誕辰。

　　12月25日原來是波斯太陽神(即光明之神)密特拉(mithra)的誕辰，是一個異教徒節日，同時太陽神也是羅馬國教眾神之一。這一天又是羅馬歷書的冬至節，崇拜太陽神的異教徒都把這一天當作春天的希望，萬物復蘇的開始。可能由于這個原因，羅馬教會才選擇這一天作為圣誕節。這是教會初期力圖把異教徒的風俗習慣基督教化的措施之一。

　　后來，雖然大多數教會都接受12月25日為圣誕節，但又固各地教會使用的歷書不同，具體日期不能統一，于是就把12月24日到第二年的1月6日定為圣誕節節期(christmas tide)，各地教會可以根據當地具體情況在這段節期之內慶祝圣誕節。自從12月25日被大多數教會公認為圣誕節后，原來1月6日的主顯節就只紀念耶穌受洗了，但天主教會又把1月6日定為“三王來朝節”，以紀念耶穌生時東方三王(即三位博士)來朝拜的故事。隨著基督教的廣泛傳播，圣誕節已成為各教派基督徒，甚至廣大非基督徒群眾的一個重要節日。在歐美許多國家里，人們非常重視這個節日，把它和新年連在一起，而慶祝活動之熱鬧與隆重大大超過了新年，成為一個全民的節日。12月25日的主要紀念活動都與耶穌降生的傳說有關。