Liturgy and Worship Reflections

This year, holy Church celebrates the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, held from May to August in the year 325 in the modern-day city of İznik, Turkey. One of the main topics of discussion at the council was who Jesus is metaphysically, especially in relation to God the Father.

“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.”

Today, the Church celebrates Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent. The name of this Sunday comes from the first word of the above Entrance Antiphon, sung at the start of the Mass today, which in Latin is Gaudete.

The nativity scene or crèche arose out of ancient piety and the medieval theater. Christians were honoring the cave in Bethlehem where Jesus Christ is believed to have been born even before St. Helen built the Basilica of the Nativity over it around A.D. 330. Medieval mystery plays later reenacted the Nativity, but when they got out of hand, Pope Honorius suppressed them.