Traditional 12 Days of Christmas:
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves
and a partridge in a pear tree.
Faith-filled 12 Days of Christmas:
Happy Fest of the Epiphany! Time to reflect on the gifts God has given us and fill our hearts with gratitude!
PRESS RELEASE:
AMDG Productions and Arizona Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums sent the Holy Father, Pope Francis, a Video Epiphany Gift
The First Christmas Sermon entitled “Homily on Christmas Morning”
by St. John Chrysostom (c. 386 A.D.)
Phoenix, Arizona – Today, on the eve of the 12th Day of Christmas, AMDG Productions LLC and the Arizona Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums sent Pope Francis and the whole world a video Epiphany Christmas card of what is considered to be the first Christmas homily.
In 326 A.D., the Church determined that the sacred feast of the Nativity would be celebrated on December 25th. Sixty years later, on December 25, 386 A.D., St. John Chrysostom delivered what is considered to be the first Christmas Sermon entitled “Homily on Christmas Morning”. Rebecca Even, the author of the “The 12 Days of Christmas, Our Father gave to Us” (LiveThe12Days.com), read the text of this homily while she was preparing for a recent interview. Even stated: “The language of St. John’s sermon is so eloquent and elevated, I knew when I read it we had to produce it in a format for people to receive it today. I hope it gets shared with all Christians of good will.”
The text of the homily is proclaimed by Nathan Hester, the Fine Arts Director at Brophy College Preparatory, a Jesuit high school in Phoenix, Arizona. The proclamation is animated by sacred images from ancient text procured from Pepin Publishing. Finally, the video production was done by Grant Hall and Elizabeth Hall, and the project was produced by Rebecca Even.
The video was created for Pope Francis and all Christians! Bradford Kidd, Board President of the Arizona Patrons of the Arts said: “Using YouTube to communicate the truth about the incarnation helps the Gospel reach the digital continent, as those who may never have heard of Jesus.” In addition, he stated: “Christmas is not a single day; it is a 12-day season, with the first day being Jesus’ birthday and the twelfth day being January 6th, the Epiphany.”
According to Even, a majority of Christians today do not know that there are 12 Days of Christmas, and even less know how to celebrate them. “If we as Catholics embrace the celebration of Christmas, all 12 Days at the very least, we will collectively put Christ right back into the middle of the Christmas celebration. In the process, we will cut through the chaos of consumerism and will be able to enter into the miracle of Christmas – that God became man and was born to save us.”
