Christmas (Traditional Western Festival)
Christmas, also known as Christmas and the birth of Jesus, is translated as "Christ Mass", a traditional western festival, which originates from Christianity and is on December 25 of the Gregorian calendar. Mass is a kind of church service.
Christmas is a religious holiday, because it is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus, so it is called "Christmas".
Most Catholic Churches celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve on December 24, or midnight Mass in the early morning of December 25, while some Christian Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25.
Another major branch of Christianity, the Orthodox Church, celebrates Christmas on January 7 each year.
Christmas is also a public holiday in the western world and many other areas, such as Hong Kong and Macao, Malaysia and Singapore in Asia.
During the Constantine period (313 AD), the Roman Church became accustomed to celebrating the birth of the Lord on December 25.
圣诞节(西方传统节日)
圣诞节(Christmas)又称耶诞节、耶稣诞辰,译名为“基督弥撒”,是西方传统节日,起源于基督教,在每年公历12月25日。弥撒是教会的一种礼拜仪式。圣诞节是一个宗教节,因为把它当作耶稣的诞辰来庆祝,故名“耶诞节”。
大部分的天主教教堂都会先在12月24日的平安夜,亦即12月25日凌晨举行子夜弥撒,而一些基督教会则会举行报佳音,然后在12月25日庆祝圣诞节;基督教的另一大分支——东正教的圣诞节庆则在每年的1月7日。
圣诞节也是西方世界以及其他很多地区的公共假日,例如:在亚洲的中国香港和澳门地区、马来西亚、新加坡。 古罗马教会在君士坦丁时代(公元313年),就逐渐习惯在十二月二十五日庆祝主的诞生。