The Christmas tree, present in thousands of homes and establishments during the December holidays, goes beyond its decorative appearance. With a rich history and deep Christian meaning, it has become one of the most representative symbols of Christmas.
What does the Christmas Tree symbolize?
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According to the Blessing, The official book of blessings in the Catholic Church, the Christmas tree is an invitation to the faithful to remember that Christ, born in Bethlehem, “is the true Tree of life, the Tree from which man was separated because of sin.” of Adam.”
For his part, the Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgypublished in 2002 by the then Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments – today the Dicastery – highlights that the tree has a “Christological meaning.” According to this document, “Christ is the true tree of life, born from our lineage, from the virgin land of Saint Mary, an evergreen tree, fruitful in fruit.”
How did the tradition arise?
The Christmas tree tradition has its roots in a story told by writer Henry Van Dyke in his book The First Christmas Tree. In it, he relates how Saint Boniface, during one of his trips to evangelize what is now Germany, interrupted a sacrifice that was going to be made to Thor, the god of thunder, in front of a sacred oak.
After a wind blew down the oak, Saint Boniface pointed to a small fir tree and declared: “This little tree, this little son of the forest, will be your holy tree tonight. This is the wood of peace… It is the sign of an endless life, because its leaves are always green.”
Thus, the Germans started a new tradition that night, which has extended to this day.
Christmas tree elements
The colored lights, another typical element of the tree, have a symbolism that goes beyond decoration. The Blessing invites the faithful to contemplate in this tree, “full of light, Christ the light of the world, who with his Birth leads us to God who dwells in an inaccessible Light.”
A star is usually placed at the top of the Christmas tree, although in recent times some opt for a bow. The star symbolizes the one that guided the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem, where they found the holy family. According to the Gospel of Matthew, This star settled over the place where the Savior was born, pointing the way to Him.
The gifts that are traditionally placed under the Christmas tree symbolize the gifts offered by the Three Wise Men to the Child Jesus as a sign of adoration: gold, incense and myrrh.
The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy mentions that, according to the evangelizers of the Nordic countries, the Christian decoration of the tree includes apples and sweets hanging from its branches, representing “gifts.” Today, these elements have evolved into spheres and other decorative ornaments that maintain the symbolism of offerings and blessings.
Christmas tree blessing
The Bendicional presents a blessing rite to be done as a family at the beginning of the Christmas holidays. It must be taken into account that when “the minister” is indicated, this may be a priest or deacon or a family member.
The minister, at the beginning of the celebration, says:
Our help is the name of the Lord.
Everyone answers:
What made heaven and earth.
One of those present, or the minister himself, reads a short text from the sacred Scripture, for example: Is 60, 13: “The pride of Lebanon will come to you, Jerusalem, with the cypress and the fir and the pine, to adorn the place of my sanctuary and ennoble my state.”
Then the minister, if he is a priest or deacon, with his hands extended, if he is a layman, with his hands joined, says the prayer of blessing:
Blessed are you, Lord and our Father,
that you allow us to remember with faith
in these days of Christmas
the mysteries of the Birth of Jesus Christ.
Grant us, who have adorned this tree
and we have beautified it with lights,
also live in the light
of the examples of the holy life of your Son
and be enriched with the virtues
that shine in their holy childhood.
Glory to him forever and ever.
Amen