The Sunday Mail
Theseus Shambare
TOMORROW, Zimbabweans will join the rest of the world in celebrating Christmas Day. The mood has already set in.
The day is largely associated with Christianity, although celebrations are not limited to Christians.
For the faithful, the day symbolises the birth of Jesus Christ and festivities are expected to be holy.
Origins of Christmas Day trace back to ancient times, as far back as AD 273.
Bishop Nyaruvenda
Interestingly, the historical significance of December 25 intersects with two pagan festivals that honoured the sun.
Some historical accounts suggest the choice of December 25 for Christmas was deliberate, aiming to counteract the influence of these pagan celebrations. But at the heart of the Christian faith lies the belief that the gospel not only transcends cultural influences but also has the power to transform them. Christmas Day now appears to have no boundaries, as everyone can mark it whichever way they wish. This leads to the question: Is Christmas a “holy day” or just a “holiday”?
Reverend Dr Josias Mudenda, the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe superintendent for the Epworth Circuit, bemoaned how the day has been turned into a “black day” by some elements of society.
“Why has Christmas Day been taken away by those in the world, rather than the Church? Churches will be nearly empty on the day, yet we are saying it is the day the Saviour was born.
Elder Masanzu
“Everything that is associated with our Saviour must be defended by Christians by practising good deeds,” said Dr Mudenda.
Although there is no specific mention in the Bible about Christmas, Dr Mudenda said people should focus on doing good on this day.
“What is bad is calling the day by the name of the revered name but practise evil,” he said.
Pastor Ratidzo Matsikidze, of Kadoma Tabernacle Church, said Christmas Day is holy and must be treated with respect.
“We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of Him who made it.
“Jesus is above everything and this is the day we celebrate that he has been given to us to redeem us from our sins. We cannot sin on the day our Saviour is born,” said Pastor Matsikidze.
However, Elder Jubilant Masanzu, of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, holds a different view.
“Christmas Day is just a holiday to us because we do not find instruction in the Bible to celebrate either Christmas or Easter as distinct holy days.
“However, believers are free to celebrate Christmas and Easter if they choose. But the church does not feel obliged to recognise those days. The only day that we were instructed to keep holy is the weekly Sabbath,” said Elder Masanzu.
Poet and social commentator Tatenda Chinoda also does not recognise December 25 as a holy day.
“This is the time of the year to celebrate achievements in life, promotions and generally the gift of life, after a long year of toiling around. It is not necessarily a celebration of holiness of mankind because during this same holiday, you find that holidaymakers flout the 10 commandments, as they indulge in fornication and infidelity, sometimes leading to the breakdown of families and marriages. There is nothing holy about the holiday,” said Chinoda.
He said the holiday cuts across religious lines and lets everyone rest from their occupations.
Zimbabwe National Practitioners Association president Bishop Cuthbert Nyaruvenda, a faith and traditional healer, said the day has lost its essence.
“This may also be due to the fact that this holiday was imposed on the world regardless of one’s faith,” said Bishop Nyaruvenda.
This, he said, presents an opportunity for non-believers to take it as idle time to use for whatever benefit they may see fit.
“The rise in road accidents is due to reckless driving, whereby people under the influence of alcohol make reckless decisions on the roads. Also, thieves take advantage of unmanned houses. This is proof that not everyone celebrates the holiday as it was intended, but they see it as an opportunity to further their own selfish intentions,” he said.
While December 25 is not the original birthdate of Jesus because, during the time of his birth, the world was not using the Gregorian calendar that starts from January to December, but the Jewish calendar, the holiday is meant to be a season of joy and celebration.
Whether one prefers to call it a holiday or holy day, Christmas remains a day that creates the opportunity for people to gather with family and friends to celebrate the end of the year and look forward to the forthcoming calendar.
X: @TheseusShambare
