For days, Elise and Tony Karnegis have abstained from meat, dairy and other animal products. They have sought to be more spiritual through both prayer and deed.Tuesday, they will celebrate what Elise laughingly calls ''our big fat Greek Christmas'' with traditional kourabiéthes and melomakárona cookies, spinach pie, roast beef, stuffed grape leaves and a delicious round loaf of Christopsomo bread braided just the way Tony's mother taught Elise.
At Mass at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Kendall, they will greet friends with centuries-old salutations.
''Kalá Christoúyena'' (Good Christmas.)
''Chróniapollá'' (Many years.)
''Ke tou chrónou'' (And to next year.)
Like the Karnegis, thousands of South Florida Orthodox Christians will observe Christmas with rituals that date to the earliest Christian times. But not all will celebrate Tuesday.
DIVERSITY OF CUSTOMS
The diversity of customs and cultures in South Florida means we fast and feast at different times and in a variety of ways: Nochebuena for some, Three Kings Day for others, and the Feast of Theophany for a few traditional Orthodox churches.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity is among the most traditional of faiths. As the second largest Christian community in the world, it is comprised of autonomous congregations, each led by a synod of independent bishops who are theologically unified with other orthodox churches. Its faithful maintain ancient rituals that date to the earliest days of Christianity.
During the first centuries of Christianity, both the Greek-speaking East and Latin-controlled West were united in faith, yet they were also in frequent conflict because of differences in culture, language and doctrine.
THE GREAT SCHISM
It wasn't until the 11th century, however, that the Great Schism took place between Rome and Constantinople over, among other issues, the authority of the pope. This led to separation of the Church of the West, now known as the Roman Catholic Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The final split came when the Fourth Crusade captured and sacked Constantinople in 1204. Many holy relics and other valuables were stolen during the sacking of the Church of Holy Wisdom.
Three years ago, Pope John Paul formally apologized for the Crusades; the apology was accepted by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
FORGOTTEN HISTORY
This history, however, is long forgotten among the local adherents of the faith as they prepare to celebrate the Nativity. At St. Mary Armenian Church in Cooper City, parishioners -- some recent arrivals but most second and third-generation Armenian Americans -- welcome the seasonal celebration Jan. 6, a holy day known as the Feast of the Theophany, which means ``divine manifestation.''
At his home, Father Vartan Joulfayan, wife Gayane and 4-year-old son Michael will break their week-long fast with rice pilaf and fish. There is no gift exchange on Jan. 6 -- most Armenian-Americans will do it Tuesday morning, according to the Western tradition -- but a long Mass marks the birth and baptism of Jesus as well as his divine revelation.
At St. Mary on Jan. 6, Father Joulfayan will lead his congregation in the ancient ritual of ''Blessing of Water,'' to symbolize Jesus' baptism and resurrection. When the ceremony is over, parishioners are given small cups of the blessed water to drink.
''The whole celebration is around Jesus,'' Father Joulfayan says. ``It is about God becoming man to bring man back to God.''
BLENDING CULTURES
At another Russian church, St. Vladimir in Miami, the Nativity is celebrated Jan. 7 because the church follows the old Julian calendar as opposed to the revised Julian or the Gregorian, which is what the West follows.
A handful of St. Vladimir's 40 families are ''mixed marriages'' -- that is, Cuban men married to Russian women -- and their Christmas traditions reflect a blending of cultures.
Jose Valmana, a mortgage broker who came to the United States in 1990, grew up as an atheist in Cuba. But with his Russian wife Katya, he attends St. Vladimir and observes Russian Christmas traditions.
Though he has no memories of his childhood to draw upon, ''it's very comforting to be in a community like St. Vladimir. It's like a large family,'' he says.
True to his Cuban heritage, however, Valmana also spends Nochebuena with his mother and brother's family. In an only-in-Miami concession to diversity, ''I do fish instead of pork,'' he says. ``It is out of respect for the [Orthodox] fasting.''
THE DODECAMERON
The Greek Orthodox observe Christmas today, but Dec. 25 is, by no means, the end of seasonal festivities. Greek families combine the holidays of Christmas, New Year and Epiphany into a 12-day celebration called the Dodecameron, which culminates Jan. 6, with the commemoration of Christ's baptism.
''It's a very beautiful time,'' Elise says. ``It is all about family and about spirituality.''
Says Tony: ``It's about giving more than taking.''
That spirit of generosity and goodwill is repeated at the Christ the Savior Russian Orthodox Cathedral in northwest Miami-Dade, where Father Philip Reese will lead -- mostly in English but also in classic Slavonic -- his parishioners in liturgical hymns and then give out the sacramental unleavened prosphora bread.
Some will say: ''Xristos Rozhdaetsya!'' (Christ is born.)
And others will respond, ''Slavite ego!'' (Glorify him.)
Though Russians, as well as other Orthodox Christians, traditionally exchange gifts Jan. 1, or St. Basil's Day, the American tradition has made inroads into the lives of most emigres. Father Reese's family, like the Karnegis, will open presents tomorrow morning. Some might leave a few token gifts for Jan. 1, but ''among my parishioners the American custom is pretty much the norm,'' Reese said.
Christ the Savior's big celebration, though, takes place tonight. On Christmas Eve, the church hosts a 12-course Holy Supper, a Lenten meal interspersed with prayer and hymns. The parish hall is bathed in candlelight and straw is scattered on table tops.
''We are re-creating the Christmas story,'' Father Reese explains. ``Even the candles are a symbol of how on this night Christ brought light and hope into this world.''
In a country where rituals are transplanted and cultures merge and mingle, some religious leaders believe that when a holiday is celebrated should not be as important as why it is observed.
''Regardless of the date,'' says Father Reese of Christ the Savior, ``the message is that God loves us and that He sent His son as a gift to us. Christmas is the gift of life, of reconciliation, of truth.''
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce