On these Christmas dates, Christians commemorate the birth of the Child Jesus and non-believers celebrate the secular festivals typical of these days, while around the world many villages, towns and villages are decorated with nativity scenes and fir trees, immersed in the joyful luminosity. … decorations typical of this era. Everything invites collective joy in a celebration whose essence is Christmas, even if Christians share the festive atmosphere with everyone, whatever their religious beliefs.
Those who observe an excessive secularization of the holidays are not without reason, to the point of fearing that their meaning risks being distorted, but I believe that no one of good will has this intention. It is about living together in common joy, united by the desire for peace between men and exalting family ties and friendship. These values are so important that they alone would justify these happy holidays.
But the truth is that in Andalusia, and especially in Seville, the popular demonstrations are stopping the wave of secularism and highlighting in a very significant way the fundamental reason for the celebration: more than two millennia ago, God wanted to become a Child to be born from the womb of the Virgin Mary and to be our Savior. For this reason, nativity scenes are multiplying everywhere, including live ones; The zambombas commemorate the wonder of birth and the choirs of bell ringers ring out joyful Christmas carols in our streets.
It must be recognized that in this blessed Andalusian land, the so-called popular religiosity manifests itself overwhelmingly in the two fundamental commemorations of the faith that we profess, Christmas and Holy Week, authentic alpha and omega of our redemption. The popular experience of the Christian faith is fundamental, it is expressed in gestures, symbols and cultural traditions, through the feelings of the people beyond official worship.
Fortunately, nativity scenes, pictures and many other traditional handicrafts that make a decisive contribution to these passionate Christmas celebrations are still thriving here. In an age of secularism and the commodification of festivals, the popular expression of our collective beliefs and the maintenance of their authentic, above all religious, meaning are extremely valuable. Andalusia and Seville know how to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the true light of the world among so many empty speeches and artificial luminaries.
We enjoy the month of December every year in the villages of Andalusia with the songs of bell ringers in the early morning; just as months later we will do it with the Machadian song of the Andalusian people who, every spring, ask for stairs to climb to the cross. Beginning and end of the Christian faith, which on this earth is lived publicly with particular intensity and beauty.
In Seville, choir bells and nativity scenes multiply in the streets of many temples and convents, and even under the arch of the Town Hall, which significantly underlines the religious motivation of the festivities. We Sevillians must be aware of this and rejoice as believers, because in this way we will be able to show our great winter celebration to all people of good will.
It would be good to immerse ourselves in such a great mystery and maintain the good wishes that we now share all year round. Let us try to transform our lives so that it is always Christmas in them, because only this individual spirit of peace, kindness and love can achieve global change towards a less unjust and more united world. The message of happy holidays is not enough. From this land, where we live with spirituality and overflowing joy the inherited sacred tradition, let us proclaim a joyful and holy Christmas for all.
About The Author
