Chirantha Amerasinghe
The Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has officially banned the Christmas tree from the Catholic Church. Issuing a confidential letter to Priests through a the Archdiocesan Bulletin, the Archbishop has banned the placement of the Christmas tree inside the Catholic Church saying that it has “no significance to the Sacred Liturgy” in February 2015. Many Priests had not implemented it to protect the image of the Archbishop and the Church among the people. However this statement was made public on the official Church news paper released on the 20th of December 2015 not by the Archbishop himself but by the Priest in charge of Liturgy due to the controversial situation prevailing and to protect the image of a unpopular Parish Priest who seems to have had proposed the ban to the Archbishop.
The Archbishop who had been living in Rome, Italy for a long duration has obviously forgotten the significance the Christmas tree which plays a major role to bring the message of Christ from the known to the unknown. Buddhists, Muslims, Hindu’s in Sri Lanka join in the celebration of the Birth of Jesus together with the Christians and Catholics through this Christmas tree in religious unity.
The Catholic Church of Sri Lanka has kept the teaching of the Christmas tree hidden from its people and priests, and many rumors had come out instead of real stories thus many Catholic’s are not aware of the true story behind the Christmas tree.
As a tradition initiated by the people, the Christmas tree is kept inside the Catholic Church from the 1st of December to the end of January the next year. This is a tradition in Sri Lanka which was done even before the Second Vatican Council. If we as the Catholic Church say it has “no significance to the Sacred Liturgy” and throws the tree outside, what should then the Buddhists, Muslims, Hindu’s which the tree has no significance to their religion do? I believe this statement by the Catholic Church is an insult to the entire Christian community.
The tradition of the Christmas tree was started by a Catholic Saint called Saint Boniface in 723, he was the Archbishop of Germany whom the then Pagans of Germany worshipped a Tree God called the “Thunder Oak” and gave a human sacrifice every year in Winter (mostly a child). The Archbishop had stopped the ritual and single-handedly had cut down the “Thunder Oak” and had proved it’s Godly powers false to the Pagans. When the mighty tree fell, behind it stood a fir tree (A little Cyprus tree), an evergreen tree which kept green even in the winter. Saint Boniface told “This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree tonight. It is the wood of peace… It is the sign of an endless life, for its leaves are ever green. See how it points upward to heaven. Let this be called the tree of the Christ-child; gather about it, not in the wild wood, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.” and so almost all the pagans were baptized Catholic. So the tradition of the Christmas tree was born. If the Archbishop had understood this, he would understand that the Christmas tree is never to be kept outside as it is against the tradition of the Christmas tree.
The purpose of keeping the Christmas tree inside the Church (but outside the Sanctuary of course) is because the Catholic people as a Parish (one family) gather with it in the Lord’s House. It’s sad to see that religious leaders are the people who are corrupting the religion. Saint Pope John Paul II in his Vatican Christmas message in 2003 called on the world to understand the Christmas tree “The crib and the tree: precious symbols, which hand down in time the true meaning of Christmas!”. The Pope in 2004 also said that “it calls to mind the “tree of life” (cf. Gn 2: 9), a figure of Christ, God’s supreme gift to humanity.”. In the United States, which is one of the only countries which has regulations on Church decorations has avoided any relation with the Christmas tree. Christmas trees are kept inside the church premises and sometimes even inside the sanctuary with the crib (the nativity scene) being placed on the floor in front of the Holy Altar.
On another side a proper natural or artificial Christmas tree can never be kept outside as the wind would damage it. The ornaments would fall around the trees. Kept outside the electrical components become a hazard to children if the tree becomes wet. The dust outside would cause the tree to become dirty. The sun would burn the ornaments; as a result this attempt to put the tree outside has caused people to make alternative looking Christmas tree structures (metal contraptions) outside, which even insults the Christmas tree as seen in the image. Even major businesses agree that the Christmas tree is not suited outside.
In Negombo, north of Colombo the Christmas tree inside the Church allows poor children to place their Christmas requests on it. The rich and having people of the Parish would take these notes and place the gifts around the tree with the child’s name on it on Christmas day.
The decision by the Archbishop of Colombo to ban the Christmas tree is not justifiable under any grounds. If there is a problem with the Christmas tree then the problem should be addressed. The Archbishop of Colombo is behaving like the Sri Lanka Police who banned the full face helmet to curb crime. The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka basing on culture keeps elephant tusks in the sanctuary on the sides of the living Blessed Sacrament, which has nothing to do with the Sacred Liturgy, at many Churches these tusks are fake and artificial, which breaks the laws of the Catholic Church. Yet since these tusks are gifts from the rich and powerful to the Church, the Archbishop turns a blind eye to them. Many accept that the cultural music style for Holy Mass is not suited to the Liturgy, yet the Archbishop does nothing because the people playing them are knowledgeable and hail from big families. When it becomes the Christmas tree of the poor and the innocent people the Archbishop goes straight ahead and bans it. Because he knows, that people that love it are “poor and innocent” and can do nothing to him.
I expect the Holy Father, and Christian communities and the President of Sri Lanka to intervene and resolve this issue to avoid insulting Christianity in a country where we must be careful with our image among the majority non-Christians.
Ref :
http://www.catholic.com/blog/steve-weidenkopf/st-boniface-and-the-christmas-tree
http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/messages/urbi/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_20031225_urbi.html
https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/angelus/2004/documents/hf_jp-ii_ang_20041219.pdf
Spring Koha / December 20, 2015
Shurely shome mishtake!
It’s not April 1st…Is it?
If not, the cuckoos have taken over, well and truly.
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Sinhala_Man / December 20, 2015
Dear Spring Koha,
The Festival of Christmas has pagan origins, so the Quakers used to refuse to celebrate it at all.
I’ve spent a whole wakeful 24 hours writing about that strange lot of “Non-Fundamentalist” people for Izzeth Hussain; even today’s Quakers have dropped such eccentric objections now!
I know it’s got terribly commercialised today; but I wish you, and the Whole World a Happy Christmas, with a few cyprus trees being felled for decoration.
Quakers were never “Fundamentalsists”; here’s one of the earliest Puritans being made fun of, fifty years before they succeeded in closing Shakspeare’s Globe Theatre:
SIR TOBY BELCH (to MALVOLIO)
Out o’ tune, sir. You lie. Art any more than a steward? Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 20, 2015
If you under the impression that the Christmas tree is pagan symbol, then Bells were once used in pagan rituals. Incense was once used in pagan rituals. Candles were used in pagan rituals. Pagans wore robes. Pagans sang songs and chanted during their ceremonies.
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Jen / December 20, 2015
Dictator,Mao loved the `winter blossom` because it was the only flower in bloom during harsh winter and reminded him of his young wife too .
He died now its all gone away.
At x’mas in the south of Europe or at former Spanish Netherlands (where the Roman emperor lived) X’mas is a family affair where the immediate family meets to reflect the past year after midnight mass.(private issue)
In the church
The tree is placed in the crypt which is the basement- its generally the meeting place for all activity and as bomb shelters.
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Jen / December 21, 2015
Togetherness and tolerance at London during Christmas time.
After all the celebrations are complete on the 6th of January some of us not the regular church goers non Catholic’s and regulars go down to meet the priest in the crypt (catholic & protestant) with bottles of wine
(generally we get only the bread and he takes the wine daily)
We get the priest drunk with him having consumed 2 bottles and have great fun discussing comparative religions to anything that matters in the neighbourhood- merry men and women.
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Amarasiri / December 20, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
“Candles were used in pagan rituals. Pagans wore robes. Pagans sang songs and chanted during their ceremonies.”
That is pagan culture. Christians adopted some of the pagan cultures, except human sacrifices. Islam did similar adaptation, like the Haj.
That is cultural adaptation.
As a Catholic, Do you believe in, the core-tenants of Christianity given below? After all, that is what matters to the believer.
Christianity’s main points include:
1. The belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Holy Spirit
2.The death, descent into hell, resurrection, and ascension of Christ
3.The holiness of the Church and the communion of saints.
4. Christ’s second coming, the Day of Judgement and salvation of the faithful.
The Christmas Tree, Cypress Tree or any other tree or Idol is not there.
Does it mean that there is no need to belie in in others things in the bible , such as stoning wrong doers etc. mentioned over 10 times?
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Hamlet / December 22, 2015
Amarasiri:-
“The Christmas Tree, Cypress Tree or any other tree or Idol is not there”.
They copied our Buddhist Customs of the Bo Tree, and the Kapruka, which is the Buddhist Christmas Tree!!
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Hamlet / December 22, 2015
Yes Chirantha, the Proselytising Christians came over to conquer the East, and copied all the Bells and Rituals, which were attracting more people to the so-called ‘Pagan Religions’.
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irobot / December 22, 2015
With this same method we can argue that monkeys eat with their hands so all animals who eat with hands are from monkeys.
The fact is diluting the faith by trying to incorporate culture and traditions. What is not biblical shouldn’t be incorporated to Christianity.
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Amarasiri / December 29, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
RE: Catholic Church Bans The Christmas Tree
The Trees for the Catholic Church Came Much later.
In early fall
We can estimate when Jesus was born by counting backward from his death on Passover, Nisan 14 in the spring of the year 33 C.E. (John 19:14-16) Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his three-and-a-half-year ministry, so he was born in the early fall of 2 B.C.E.—Luke 3:23.
Why is Christmas on December 25?
Since there is no evidence that the birth of Jesus Christ occurred on December 25, why is Christmas celebrated on this date? The Encyclopædia Britannica says that church leaders probably chose it “to coincide with the pagan Roman festival marking the ‘birthday of the unconquered sun,’” at the time of the winter solstice. According to The Encyclopedia Americana, many scholars believe that this was done “in order to make Christianity more meaningful to pagan converts.”
The Council of Nicea in 324 CE “approved” the date.
Chirantha, so you can have your Tree, the pagan tree. After all, Roman Catholicism, Universal, is pagan from 300 BC, from Alexander the Groat’s time.
A Catholic sister asked Yusuf Estes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YRV_LiHIZU
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John Fernando - Negombo / December 20, 2015
Malcom! We followed our Catholic Tamil/Sinhalese traditional custom for centuries and you cannot change it overnight like Bandaranayake’s Sinhale only in 24 Hrs.
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Amarasiri / December 23, 2015
John Fernando – Negombo
Threaten to have a Bo Tree and revert Back to Buddhism, the religion before the Portuguese Parangios came.
Then Malcom will not have a flock to preach and save the Soils. All the Souls will attain Nibbana or Nirvana, and there will be no Soul.
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Amarasiri / December 20, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
RE: Catholic Church Bans The Christmas Tree
Issac Newton was born on December 25, 1642, on “Christmas” Day.
Was it really the day Jesus was born? Not in the Spring?
Let’s not cut trees.They are living “beings”. They have more or less the same bases in the DNA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=373F2SGDpow
Published on Dec 31, 2014
Christians react to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Christmas tweet.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson defends science to Bill Maher against his right wing critics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sClOP52DAig
Published on Jul 26, 2014
Scientist and Cosmos presenter Neil deGrasse Tyson defends science to Bill Maher on Real Time after he appears on the cover of a critical right wing magazine
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
RE:Catholic Church Bans The Christmas Tree
Chirantha Amerasinghe
The True Core Of The Jesus Myth … and the Trees..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXAGpCTiGlQ
The whole Catholic Theology is built on Quick Sand.
Does the presence or absence of a tree inside or outside a church matters? No.
No investment…Abandon your family, follow me .. a maniac?
Fakery of the story House of David
Nazareth born in Bethlehem No census. Fabrication..
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
RE: Catholic Church Bans The Christmas Tree
Ask the question : What is the Whole Point of Christianity? Eternity of Constant Torment and Fire! Eternity in Heaven after Jesus? Double Standards. Cruel and Unjust? Gods will, a human understanding.
Where does the “Christmas’ Tree, Cypress Tree, stand in this Theology? Not relevant.
Sam Harris simply destroys Christianity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcO4TnrskE0
Uploaded on May 28, 2011
That’s how to look at things as they really are.
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
Catholic Church Bans The Christmas Tree
Didn’t the Catholic Church also Ban Evolution? Just use the Tree, but don’t cut it! The Church, the pope, The cardinals and the Priests do not know the facts. They are all brainwashed in Faith and belief.
Defensing Catholic Theology is Complicated, because the Bible, the Old Testament and New Testament are full if Contradictions and flaws.
This is Why Every Scientist Accepts Evolution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgyTVT3dqGY
Uploaded on Sep 7, 2009
READ DESCRIPTION: Please watch the video in its entirety- I know it starts off slow and technical. I discuss the actual, oft unmentioned reason every scientist accepts evolution. Ignorance is no longer an excuse.
Special thanks to Greenman3610 for providing the audio track in the background. If you’re remotely interested in global warming, subscribing to him is not an option, its a requirement.
-The C14 tree/etc example is just to show the strengths of independent methods.
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
RE: Catholic Church Bans The Christmas Tree.
Why get lost among the trees?
Tell the Church it does not matter, because the Noah’s Ark, from 4,000 years ago is all incorrect. There is no way only 2 species can repopulate the Earth.
Noah’s Ark and the Cheetah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIlWKp44T50
Uploaded on Mar 24, 2008
Same as before, only with the actual data, results, images, etc added.
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Hamlet / December 22, 2015
Spring Koha:-
Hash the Chrishtmas Shpirit Hit Home already?
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Spring Koha / December 22, 2015
Ho Ho Ho How Cheeeeky! (But we you your right. It hash!)
Happeee Chrishmash.
Cheers!
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Hamlet / December 22, 2015
Merry Chrishmash to you too Shpring Koha! Heresh to you and Yoursh, Raishe our Glashshes!!Cheersh!
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Amarasiri / December 23, 2015
Spring Koha
This is what happens when people try to imitate Parangios Blindly.
In Sinhala, there is word for it: Anada-Anukaranaya, Blind-Following.
There must be a similar word in Tamil as well.
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Amarasiri / December 25, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
RE: Catholic Church Bans The Christmas Tree
Good, they did not ban the Holiday that allows to have a Holiday, a non-working Day.
So what is really Christmas? A Pagan Culture and Tradition, hijacked by the Christian Church?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, meaning “Christ’s Mass”) is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ,[7][8] observed most commonly on December 25[4][9][10] as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.[2][11][12] A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is prepared for by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night;[13] in some traditions, Christmastide includes an Octave.[14] Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world’s nations,[15][16][17] is celebrated culturally by a large number of non-Christian people,[1][18][19] and is an integral part of the holiday season.
The celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and origins.[20] Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving, completing an Advent calendar or Advent wreath, Christmas music and caroling, lighting a Christingle, an exchange of Christmas cards, church services, a special meal, and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly. In addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, and Christkind, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore.[21] Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.
While the month and date of Jesus’ birth are unknown, by the early-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church had placed Christmas on December 25,[22] a date later adopted in the East,[23][24] although some churches celebrate on the December 25 of the older Julian calendar, which, in the Gregorian calendar, currently corresponds to January 7, the day after the Western Christian Church celebrates the Epiphany. The date of Christmas may have initially been chosen to correspond with the day exactly nine months after the day on which early Christians believed that Jesus was conceived,[25][26] or with one or more ancient polytheistic festivals that occurred near southern solstice (i.e., the Roman winter solstice);[27][28] a further solar connection has been suggested because of a biblical verse[a] identifying Jesus as the “Sun of righteousness”.
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Keynes! / December 20, 2015
It’s Cypress tree, not Cyprus. Dumb-ass.
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Sinhala_Man / December 20, 2015
Dumb-ass apologises, Keynes!
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Amarasiri / December 20, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe,
Yes, Cypress the Tree, not Cyprus, the Island.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypress
Humans are related to the Cypress Tree, genetically. Check the DNA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sClOP52DAig
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Amarasiri / December 20, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
RE:Catholic Church Bans The Christmas Tree
1. “The Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has officially banned the Christmas tree from the Catholic Church. “
“The decision by the Archbishop of Colombo to ban the Christmas tree is not justifiable under any grounds. If there is a problem with the Christmas tree then the problem should be addressed. The Archbishop of Colombo is behaving like the Sri Lanka Police who banned the full face helmet to curb crime”
It is all belief, no support one way or the other. No problem as long as it does not cause harm to others or the environment.
Wow!. Finally, the Catholic Church bans the Christmas Tree. Well done Reverend. You have earned it. Now you have become the Environmental Wahhabi of the Catholic Church. No tress. Good this is green. No trees will be cut.Yes, trees cannot do much, in belief, but they do take out the Carbon Dioxide, the green house gas, that will prevent the good Earth being turned into a Hot Hell, like Venus.
Please do not cut trees down. At least the Buddhists do not cut down tress, especially the Bo Trees, and they pray, even though Buddha said nothing about it it Icons.
Can you take the next step and get rid of all those Icons you have inside the Church, like the images of Jesus on the Cross, the statues, the statues of Mary and the Child, as well? Just like the tree, the Icons cannot do anything. It is All in in the brainwashing. What did Martin Luther say? Remember Abraham. He showed that that Icons cannot do anything for you. Prophet Mohamed did the same.
Can an invisible God help you? It is all in the Belief, Faith, but please do not cut downtown trees, as we need a CO2 sink. The oceans can only so much without changing the pH.
After all, the Catholic Church accepts that the Earth spins and around the Sun and that Galileo was RIGHT! Better late than never!
2. To begin with it has pagan origins, and pagan beliefs, just like the Abraham beliefs, Buddhist beliefs, Hindu beliefs, Greek beliefs etc. with no convincing support, but ample to disagree and kill each other.
“The tradition of the Christmas tree was started by a Catholic Saint called Saint Boniface in 723, he was the Archbishop of Germany whom the then Pagans of Germany worshipped a Tree God called the “Thunder Oak” and gave a human sacrifice every year in Winter (mostly a child).”
3.. “When the mighty tree fell, behind it stood a fir tree (A little Cyprus tree), an evergreen tree which kept green even in the winter. Saint Boniface told “This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree tonight. It is the wood of peace… It is the sign of an endless life, for its leaves are ever green. See how it points upward to heaven. Let this be called the tree of the Christ-child; gather about it, not in the wild wood, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.” and so almost all the pagans were baptized Catholic”
Then they were Baptized Protestant after 1517 onward, Martin Luther tradition, and should have given up this pagan tree tradition.
4. “United States, which is one of the only countries which has regulations on Church decorations has avoided any relation with the Christmas tree”
The beauty of the separation of Church and State. Must thank Thomas Jefferson, one one of the founding fathers of USA.
Even the Christmas Tradition around Dec 25th is a pagan tradition of Winter solstice. If you can change the Birthday of Jesus, this tree business should not be a big deal.
Amnarasiri fully supports the decision of the The Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. He has earned his His Eminence Status.
Next, the Icons. When will it happen?
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malathi perera / December 20, 2015
A rocket about to leave from the church. VOW LOOK UP IN MORATUWA
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bo / December 20, 2015
Title misrepresents the guidelines, which states “avoid” that is different from “not permitted” in the first line item. I cannot see anything wrong with the guidelines. People can have Christmas Trees at home where they could place their gifts. Church has donation boxes, and collection baskets, where devotees can deposit donations.
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 20, 2015
Whether it be avoid or ban the end result is the same. People cannot put Christmas trees in churches. Don’t come to tell me the language. Priests cannot allow it under no circumstance.
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
“Whether it be avoid or ban the end result is the same. People cannot put Christmas trees in churches. Don’t come to tell me the language. Priests cannot allow it under no circumstance.”
This is an Opportunity to form your own Christian sect, just like Martin Luther from Catholicism.
1. Masochistic Tress Allowed, inside the Church and Outside the Church.
2. There is No Pope. No human is infallible.
3. If the “Revelations” in the Bible come into conflict with the Reason, Observation and facts, Revelation takes a secondary position.
Example: Joshua Stopping the Sun.
4. There is no compulsion in Religion.
5. If you do Good, you end up in “Heaven” with God. Guaranteed.
6. If you do Bad, you end up in “Hell” with Satan. Guaranteed.
7. There is no racism. People with Common Sense and Idiots are found among all races, and sexes.
8. The Earth is 4.5 Billion years old.
9. Humans were formed by evolution.
10. Add yours… to the above list.
We can get some Catholics to convert.
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punchinilame / December 21, 2015
“10. Add yours… to the above list.
We can get some Catholics to convert. “
Follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsMccnb_270
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Amarasiri / December 22, 2015
punchinilame
“10. Add yours… to the above list. We can get some Catholics to convert. ” Follows:”
Yes. There should be the Freedom to convert from one religion or belief to the other. No compulsion in religion or beliefs, just like in Science.
Like from Islam to Christianity, like above, or from Christianity to Islam, Buddhism etc, given below or to belive that the Dun goes around the Earth etc.
Quran vs Bible – Yusuf Estes debate – Christianity VS Islam
What’s Islam? Islam in Brief – Yusuf Estes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsmYQl3xy_Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OnN5MC2rv0
Published on Oct 2, 2012
Yusuf Estes (born in 1944) is an American Muslim preacher and teacher who converted from Christianity to Islam in 1991. He was a Muslim Chaplain for the United States Bureau of Prisons through the 1990s.[1] He was a Muslim Delegate to the United Nations World Peace Conference for Religious Leaders held at the U.N. in September 2000
A journey from Christianity to Buddhism to Islam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oASHmnb4tb4
/
Amarasiri / December 20, 2015
bo
It is all in the Brainwashing.
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ramona therese fernando / December 21, 2015
Anglicans must be smirking.
Guess our good Bishop is stuck in the 1,634-year-old Nicene Creed, when liturgy was invented for the masses- literal body of Christ in the form of a wheat wafer, to the excitation of water molecules that binds an infant into the trajectory towards heaven.
Good Bishop, the Christmas tree is pretty. The Christmas tree is innocent. It represents the greenness of the environs of earthly life. It represents the home and comfort zones of millions of God’s created creatures. In Sri Lanka, it represents Buddhistic values. It represents progression. It represents heaven!
So, merry Bishop : Are we to sit stuck with the Nicene liturgy, that gave rise to e.g. people being burned at the stake for doubting the wafer was the literal body of Christ? Or are we going to remove that gross history and put in a Christmas tree that erases all of the horror the Catholic Church inflicted upon on humanity for over a 1,000 years. The call is yours.
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
ramona therese fernando
“Or are we going to remove that gross history and put in a Christmas tree that erases all of the horror the Catholic Church inflicted upon on humanity for over a 1,000 years. The call is yours.”
Not 1,000 years. 2,000 years!, 20 Centuries, Summary.
Christopher Hitchens vs the Catholic Church
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfqe5kK8z8M
A Dozen Examples over the past 2,000 years.
1. Crusades
2. The Inquisition
3. The persecution of Jewish People
4. Injustice towards women, 1/2 Human Race.
5. Forced conversion of indigenous people, especially in America
6. African Slave Trade
7. Admission that Galileo was right.
8.. Hitlers Final Solution, Shoa.
9. Anti Antisemitism Official Doctrine.
10. Rape, School Children,Regret
11. Institutionalization of Rape- Most Loving Pastoral care!
12. Rwanda.
Shame, Shame, Shame.
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ramona therese fernando / December 21, 2015
Amarasiri,
Guess they can learn from the Buddhists, and evolve.
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timpu / December 21, 2015
ramona therese fernando,
`learn from the Buddhists, ¬ you are puddhu!!
Most people learn from scriptures pertaining to Gautama or Zen.
But bestiality- bred learn from Buddhist or Buddha-
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
ramona therese fernando
“Guess they can learn from the Buddhists, and evolve.’
Let’s ask Amarasinghe, Amera-singhe.
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
Chirantha Amerasinghe
Anglicans must be smirking. and the Catholics Are Confused?
Let me throw another monkey wrench to both. The tree does not matter.Let the tress such in the CO2.
Hitchens vs God (god loses by the way)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nIRJVmZ4K8
Uploaded on Dec 24, 2010
Christopher Hitchens’ opening statement on god during the Hitchens vs Hitchens debate.
Just have your Tree,but don’t cut it.
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
ramona therese fernando
“Anglicans must be smirking.’
Even Obama is Smorking! Is he Anglican? All because of a Tree? [Edited out]
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sinhalese buddhist / December 21, 2015
another ISIS in the making? This time in the name of Jesus instead of Allah?
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
sinhalese buddhist
“another ISIS in the making? This time in the name of Jesus instead of Allah”
Catholic Wahhabism or Wahhabi Catholicism?
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Jim softy / December 21, 2015
In the west, christmus is completely a business.
Besinesses make their money for the whole year during that time. Charities make their money just before Christmus but only 4% goes to the people and all goes to people who collected it and for administrative costs.
Evengelical is like an entertainment business. Singing, dancing and girls showing their thighs and underwear while dancing.
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Geen / December 21, 2015
We have a dumb arch bishop
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Amarasiri / December 21, 2015
Geen
” We have a dumb arch bishop “
Yes.
There are also dumb bishops, Cardinals, Popes, Priests and faithful.
They believe in so many miracles, like anti-gravity and walking on water, Joshua stopping the Sun, Adam and Eve, Jesus dying for all of mankind’s sins, etc. that it is very confusing.
Galileo was right. So is the theory of evolution.
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vishvajith / December 21, 2015
Gosh! a Talib in Christian Garb ?
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Wijith Rohan Fernando / December 21, 2015
Well written Chirantha!
Hope your concise historical explanation of the origin of the Christmas Tree may enlighten these experts on sacred liturgy.
If the Christmas TREE has no liturgical meaning to be kept inside the Churches then first and foremost the Catholic Church should ban celebrating Birth of Jesus on 25th of December, the day of the winter SOLSTICE which had anciently been a time of a festival among hathen peoples of the Roman empire.
Also your argument about placing elephant tusks on the sides of the Holy Eucharist inside the sanctury will help the Church leaders to discern what exacly is not in conformity with the Sacred Liturgy.
Finally big thank you for taking the side of the poor like our Lord Jesus who identified with the oppressed.
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irobot / December 21, 2015
The christmas tree has no religious significance in Christianity nor in the bible. Its a pagan ritual which has found its way into this holiday along with santa claus. Hats off to the catholic church for banning this. Shame on the other denominations who claim to be more spiritual than catholics and yet partake in pagan rituals which are not in the bible. thanks to this tree Christmas has known to become the festival where Christians gather around a decorated tree in drunken folly unwrapping gifts which have been laid there by santa.
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 21, 2015
Did you even read the story?
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irobot / December 22, 2015
Yes this story was read with most interest. Maybe its difficult for you to wrap your mind around the fact that which is not biblical cannot be associated with Christianity. An age old folktale on how the tree came to be significant nor an archbishops misinterpretation of scriptures doesn’t justify making a tree the centerpiece of celebrating Christs birth.
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ramona therese fernando / December 21, 2015
The liturgy is entirely from pagan rituals.
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Spring Koha / December 22, 2015
Peepole
all this ish harmlesh fun! Every religion hash shome fun otherwise it would be imposhible to endure the conshtant strife between good and evil. Even the nice buddhists have the pirith nool. They tie that noola before a cricket tour, before going to war againsht terroshits. They alsho do cloth tied to tree (akshually the nice bo tree in An’pura looks bootiful with cloths decorating it and shurounded by a gold fence and Ramoona Thirish, noo it is not in a ‘pot’. Pot is shomethink else I theenk). The worship lingam dick and yoni….ooh nishe. Even MUshlims do tings that Profet never shaid to do. Hindoos break goganut and do ash. All harmlesh fun peeople. Religion is sutch sherious business that it would be imposhible without these things.
As we Koha’s say, peeople are proper cuckoo.
Happeee Chrishmash all you nice people – up or underneath the tree!
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Goraka / December 21, 2015
Millions of trees are cut every year as Christmas trees and then discarded as trash after Christmas.
Thank God, Catholics at least have realised this folly and this will save the environment.
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ramona therese fernando / December 21, 2015
The can be in a pot!
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ramona therese fernando / December 22, 2015
The tree can be in a pot*
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Girigoris / December 22, 2015
Goraka is added for Ambul Thyal
Christmas tree with its illumination and gifts keeps the children and family happy together on this long awaited day of celebration and joy and Christmas comes only once a year and its a time for even broken up families to get together on this holy day. If the intention is only to celebrate the birth of Christ without associating any Pagan devils then What is wrong?
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Goraka / December 22, 2015
Girigoris, you don’t need to have joy once a year. You can enjoy with your family and friend every day.
Why are we so superficial?
And for your information, Christ was not born on December 25th. The Gregorian calender was not in existence during the time of Christ.
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maalumiris / December 21, 2015
The Archbishop has fired the first salvo in the War On Christmas !!!
Will he ban Breudhers and Christmas Cake also ?
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Upali Wickramasinghe / December 21, 2015
The President want to eliminate alcohol from our society.That had been the theme song since 1977,but the trade grew and the Presidents got involved.Now the Head of the catholic Church in Sl wants to dispose of a practice that had been there over the years.I am sure that he can find many admirers among the BBS.
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Amarasiri / December 22, 2015
Upali Wickramasinghe
“The President want to eliminate alcohol from our society”
There was the 13th Amendment in the US banning alcohol, and later removed.
Islam bans alcohol, and threatens that the followers will end up in hell, but still many faithful get drunk. Did Satan, Iblis get drunk too?
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Premachandra / December 22, 2015
Non of the respondents provided a clear answer to the real issue as to whether the use of Christmas tree is acceptable or not into the church . It is regrettable that their arguments and counter arguments are out of the subject and blabbering nature.
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ramona therese fernando / December 22, 2015
Premachandra,
What part of the pagan rituals that the Catholics included into their liturgy don’t you understand?
They are ancient, traditional church culture that took the religion to greater heights to the masses. A beautiful green thing like the Christmas tree that Catholics have also incorporated into their culture, is also a good thing.
In the absence of finer understanding and decent analysis yourself, you resort to the ad hominem technique. Shame!
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Marius / December 22, 2015
You all fail to understand the motive behind the decision His Eminence had taken.
Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has always been vocal about stopping the commercialized culture behind Christmas. Christmas trees, decorations, feasts etc fade away in importance next to the true meaning of Christmas, that is Christ’s birth. While people are free to have Christmas trees and celebrate the day joyously, the Cardinal wishes to invite the catholic religious to celebrate Christmas, in church, in humility and simpleness, giving prominence to the birth of Christ.
The Cardinal’s decision is in line with the policies of Pope Francis and President Sirisena certainly cannot interfere in an internal decision of the Catholic Church, neither would he wish to. Chirantha fails to understand that while the traditions of Christmas are important, they are insignificant if we fail to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
His Eminence as the head of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has a duty to guide his flock away from the commercialized Christmas towards a holy Christmas.
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 22, 2015
Marius, you have failed to understand what I have said here. The Christmas tree is completely a thing the Catholic Church started. Pope’s have affirmed it.The Christmas tree is a symbol of Christ. A Saint has said so. We keep the Nativity Crib why? wasn’t it also something started by a Saint? His Eminence is clearly not taking decisions here. I know. If you read the article it is clearly mentioned. Allow elephant tusks given by the rich inside the Sanctuary while saying take the Christmas tree outside just because the people behind it are not rich is hardly in line with Pope Francis and President Sirisena’s policies. Tell me did you ask them? This commercialized Christmas also has the Nativity scene in it. How much is a small crib to keep at home? Do does this mean he is going to ban it the next year?
Tell me what do statues have to do with the Sacred Liturgy? Tell why do we have a Blessing from the statue? is it even in the Liturgy books? You see my point? this all because we not fundamentalists, we believe things, we make our own dogma’s. We listen the words of Saints, Our religion is just not about Liturgy it is a living thing which hold dear everything that leads people to Christ. Through tradition or by words of Saints. The tradition of the Christmas tree being put in the Church is older than Vatican II. Please remember that.
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maalumiris / December 22, 2015
as a matter of interest, who is this Saint that said the tree represents Christ ? As I understood, it is a German/Nordic/Protestant thing and not Catholic
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 22, 2015
You are asking questions that I have already said in the article. Which indicates you have not taken an effort to read the entire thing. Its Saint Pope John Paul II on 19th of December 2004.
“it calls to mind the “tree of life” (cf. Gn 2: 9), a figure of Christ, God’s supreme gift to humanity.”
https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/angelus/2004/documents/hf_jp-ii_ang_20041219.pdf
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maalumiris / December 27, 2015
I thought your claim was that the whole idea of the Christmas Tree originated in Catholicism viz. “The Christmas tree is completely a thing the Catholic Church started”
Hence my question, since I am quite sure that it came into use in the UK around 1800 from Germany (where it had a much longer residence), and presumably spread outward to her colonies after that.
My Bad
I see now that you meant the tradition of the Vatican Christmas tree, started in 1982 by Pope John Paul II.
Even that tree sits OUTSIDE the Vatican, does it not ? Is that wrong ?
Not that it really matters whether a tree is outside or inside but considering it’s OK for the Vatican to have one outside, why would it be bad for the SL Church ?
Or is it just a ‘matter of tradition’ and not really of faith ?
Who creates dogma ? Is it the Church or is it the Faithful ?
It may be that the reference to St.Boniface starting the tradition of the Christmas tree is a little misleading. That account seems to stem from story books of recent origin, rather like the Little Drummer Boy who I am sure, did not appear at the Inn, in tow with the Magi.
Pa! RaPa! Pum! Pum !!!
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ramona therese fernando / December 22, 2015
We should look upon those three Kings of Orient are, and all that gold, frankincense and myrrh that they collected out of gross taxation from their subject, and the many bloody wars and slave labour and labour camps of the serfs, and ponder upon Feudalism vs. Capitalism vs. Socialized Capitalism.
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ramona therese fernando / December 22, 2015
And the Christmas tree represents Socialized Capitalism…..unless the Good Cardinal would rather that we become Communists.
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 23, 2015
We can look at everything like that. If you read the article aint Boniface told “This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree tonight. It is the wood of peace… It is the sign of an endless life, for its leaves are ever green. See how it points upward to heaven. Let this be called the tree of the Christ-child; gather about it, not in the wild wood, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.”
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Marius / December 23, 2015
I know exactly what the President’s vision is Chirantha, I’m in his personal staff at the Presidential Secretariat. He will definitely not interfere in internal religious matters. And this is not something he should interfere in.
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 23, 2015
How is the internal religious matter making the spokesperson for the Catholic church say “another reason is because its something being kept in non-christian homes”. The crib is also in many business places. So in this sense it should be banned from being kept inside the church. You are taking sides and trying make false statements. Don’t do that, that is not how the President works.
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Marius / December 23, 2015
Nothing I said was false. The Catholic Church made a decision to remove Christmas trees being kept inside church, that is very much an internal matter to the Catholic Church. People can have Christmas trees anywhere else.
Narrow minded people like you make this an issue failing to understand the true meaning and virtues of Christmas. The Catholic Church has a duty to guide their flock towards greater simplicity and that is what the Pope and His Eminece is trying to gradually.
His Eminence is not making decisions favorable to the rich, he himself is from a very humble background. The ‘recommendation’ to remove Christmas trees is not some attack on poor Catholics, there certainly is not distinguisment between the rich and poor in the eyes of God and of His church.
It certainly is a laudable decision taken by the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka to stop churches spending money on unnecessary pomp on this solemn feast.
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 23, 2015
I have contacted the personal staff division of the Presidential Secretariat, I have also contacted the Secretary to the President and yet they do not know anyone in your name “Marius”. Anyhow, if have read the article you would realize the bitter truth. I was just on the phone with a Professor of the Liturgy in Sri Lanka and he also told me that Elephant Tusks should not be kept in side the Sanctuary. Even in my church they are kept. Not only is keeping fake tusks against the laws of the Catholic Church it is also against the laws on the Sanctuary. Yet His Eminence does nothing because those are gifts from the rich. Tusks have nothing to do with our religion at all.
Also you are talking about wasting money, are your saying spending 100,000 on elephant tusks is ok and buying a Christmas tree for 9,000 (for ten years of use) is wrong? Did you know Catholic Churches spend on average 100,000 rupees on decorations for Feasts like Christmas (Church lights). Did you know that Churches celebrate so many Feasts? Did you know that Catholic Churches spend around 20,000 rupees on sounds for just ONE feast just because they want to show big? Our church sound system was designed so that we wouldn’t need to buy external sounds (For feasts).
You clearly don’t know what waste the Catholic Church does. A Priest I know replaced the entire sound system of the entire church just because he couldn’t find someone to configure the sound system correctly, he wasted 700,000 on new sound system. I spoke against it, and I was threatened with law suits by the company. I know a lot because since 18 years I have been a dedicated social worker in the Roman Catholic Church, not earning a sent, helping the church with what I have. So please. You are in no position to about these things. Buying a Christmas tree every year is not a waste. Actually by telling people to put it outside people have now spent even more money. If wish you can contact me 0773083479
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ramona therese fernando / December 24, 2015
It is the taming of the masses against the indulgence in exchange commercial goodies.
Replaced, instead by the church till, where tithed earnings, must go to instead, to the Priest, the local representative of god on earth.
Thus will the Priest have the glory of his own personal distribution of what was supposed to be, by the people and for the people, and under the Christmas tree.
One powerful major distributor (the Priest) vs. bits of contributions and distributions of the masses, where the blessings will be scattered away from the Priestly hierarchical aspiration.
Thus does the grand panjandrum, will the Priestly Cardinal, act as one of the three Monarchs/Oligarchs that was entitled to visit the Holy Infant with gifts that came off the backs of the hard work of the masses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ZOGTPsxng
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ramona therese fernando / December 24, 2015
I don’t mean any particular cardinal…..just used the word to denote grandness….should have said Pope.
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maalumiris / January 1, 2016
Dear Chirantha
As the author of this piece, you are obliged to use your real name
As people who opine on your piece, we have the freedom to use whatever handle/nom-de-plume that we choose and what “Marius” has clearly done
You won’t find a “Marius” no matter how many calls you make to the PS.. anymore that a search of the Sri Lanka telephone directory will turn up the family name “maalumiris”
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carlos / December 22, 2015
whose ass is he trying to kiss now?
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Tungsan Yu / December 24, 2015
The archbisop has obviously lost his marbles. Why in the world anyone would listen to this dickhead is beyond me.
It is no wonder the catholics are losing most of their congregation to the new evangalists.
What harm is a tree? What pleasure it brings to people to see a well decorated tree. It brings a feeling of warmth, love etc:
Which is all about Christmas.
The Clown should first remove all the pagan statues in the catholic churches.
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Tissa Meepe / December 25, 2015
“The archbishop has obviously lost his marbles”.
This is true he has no business to stop traditions of Christmas.He not Jesus or even the POPE.
It is like Buddhists been banned the vesak lanterns and Pandols in Sri Lanka.
He should be requested to step down as the mistakes he made are many this is the “Straw the kills the camels back”.
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Tissa Meepe / December 25, 2015
“The archbishop has obviously lost his marbles”.
This is true he has no business to stop traditions of Christmas.He not Jesus or even the POPE.
It is like Buddhists been banned the vesak lanterns and Pandols in Sri Lanka.
He should be requested to step down as the mistakes he made are many this is the “Straw the kills that breaks camels back”.
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ramona therese fernando / December 26, 2015
Well….the Vatican had 2 live 6-foot Christmas trees in pots, on either side of the Crib, inside St. Peter’s Basilica. They were not decorated, but added to the greenery of the manger. The Basilica at Washington DC, had plentiful of lighted Christmas trees around the alter(though not decorated with ornaments). Guess the Christmas tree does not need to look commercialized, and needs no gifts at the bottom of the tree (unless they are essentials for the needy, in a poor catholic diocese).
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Chirantha Amerasinghe / December 29, 2015
When was this? The tree’s in the Vatican which year?
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ramona therese fernando / January 1, 2016
This year, 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxD2mt7TPEs
From 1:45:36
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maalumiris / January 1, 2016
@ramona therese fernando
Now you’ve done it !! You have put the poor Archbishop in a Great Deal Of trouble with Chirantha !!
The AB will NOT have a Happy New Year 2016 !
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