Christmas—its Light, its rituals, its traditions—and our contradictions. We celebrate the birth of the Son of God, born in a stable among the humblest and simplest people, yet we gather in our warm homes in a celebration of food and gifts. And we celebrate too in churches with song and prayer, in modest homes, beside the most vulnerable, bringing Light into shadowed corners to share bread and the Glory of the Lord.
It is true that Christmas risks becoming nothing more than a business venture that even we Christians find ourselves drawn to. Yet the power of this feast lies precisely in its universality, its diversity. That for two thousand years people have celebrated the birth of a Child speaks to something extraordinary—a supernatural force that transcends all boundaries. Christmas arrives everywhere in the world, even where there are few Christians, even in places where summer reigns rather than winter snow.
For those who have not had the chance to travel the world, slick media images offer one kind of window. We, with help from Lucia Casella (international coordination team at Foi et Lumière), have connected with Fede e Luce communities across four continents. Like candlelight, we illuminate these days before and after Christmas with stories from around the globe. They warm the heart and open it to hope and to the certainty that Jesus came to this earth with his message of love for everyone—and we must never stop witnessing to it through our actions, not only at Christmas, but throughout the year.
Christmas stories from around the world
Merry Christmas! Christmas in Ireland
Sretan Boži! Christmas in Croatia
Feliz Natal! Christmas in Brazil
C Рождеством! Christmas in Russia
Joyeux Noël! Christmas in Mauritius
メリークリスマス! Christmas in Japan
Joyeux Noël! Christmas in Benin