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6 - Sermons for Christmas and the New Year’s Feasts

from Part II - Augustine’s Sermons on the Scriptures and Liturgical Feasts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2025

By
David Vincent Meconi
Edited by
Andrew Hofer, OP
Andrew Hofer, OP
Affiliation:
Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC
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Summary

This essay examines the sermons of St. Augustine (mainly nos. 184–96, ranging in date from 391 to 420) where he preaches on the nature as well as the effects of Christ’s birth. Augustine relates this revolutionary event to the festivities of January 1 as well as to the Solemnity of the Epiphany. As argued herein, Augustine’s homilies for each of these celebrations (1) stress how they fall and relate to the rest of the liturgical year, (2) focus on how the lowliness of God’s birth achieves humanity’s salvation, and (3) highlight Mary’s role in uniting heaven and earth.

Keywords

Christmasbirth of ChristMaryNew YearEpiphanygreat exchangesalvation

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Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Companion to Augustine's Sermons , pp. 116 - 132
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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References

Further Reading

Bradshaw, Paul. 2011. The Origins of Feasts, Fasts, and Seasons in Early Christianity. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.Google Scholar
Drobner, Hubertus. 2004. “Christmas in Hippo: Mystical Celebration and Catechesis.” Augustinian Studies 35, no. 1: 55–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nothaft, C. P. E. 2012. “The Origins of the Christmas Date: Some Recent Trends in Historical Research.” Church History 81, no. 4: 903–911.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roll, Susan. 1995. Toward the Origins of Christmas. Leuven: Peeters Publishers.Google Scholar

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