In Istanbul, 17,000 police officers were put on duty, some disguised as Santa Claus and others as street vendors, Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported.Is Santa Claus popular in Turkey because the real St. Nick lived and died there in the 5th century? It's well after Christmas now. Does Christmas come later over there or does he coincide with Epiphany as in the story of La Befana?
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Questions For You Wise Guys
This struck me as weird:
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Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas later. January 7. The Eastern christian/catholic church is the orthodox version as opposed to the Roman Catholic Church. The Russian Orthodox church is the largest sect of the Eastern Orthodox religion.
My birthday is Epiphany. I feel so important :-)
My understanding of that difference is that it has to do with the Gregorian vs. Julian calendars. So why don't they celebrate New Year's later as well?
We are so hegemonic -- shouldn't we atone for our Gregorian privilege?
If you look at a map Turkey is a bridge between Asia and Europe. And mentally, the Turks seem to carry that bridge within them. The only reason I know this is that I read a book about Turkey written by a Turkish journalist recently. Okay, I didn't read more than twenty pages but the idea was pretty strong that the Turks have this attraction repulsion thing with Europe and with the Arab world. So they probably love Santa....but also hate him. Messhugah, yes?
@Ricpic: The Krauts nurtured relations with the Turks for related reasons. The Danube river gives Germany barge and shipping access to the Black Sea. From there through the Bosporus meant a warm port for Kaiser Willy. The trains (Orient Express) run along that river bed as well. That the whole reason the Germans are so love/hate with Islam.
Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman, later Byzantine, Empire.
They celebrate Xmas as Epiphany. Latin america gets the best of both worlds. They celebrate Dec 25 as the feast of Christ's birth and epiphany as the day for all the goodies.
If you celebrate the 12 Days, you go from sundown on the 25th to sundown on the 6th. In the immortal words of Hedy Lamarr, "Too Jewish".
Dust Bunny Queen said...
My birthday is Epiphany. I feel so important :-)
You should, oopsy, you are God's gift to us all.
Since I'll be away on your natal day, allow me to wish you Happy Birthday now.
As noted above, The Orthodox Calendar would have Christmas falling with the Western Epiphany. So yes, Christmas is later there.
I guess we should atone for our Georgian privilege!
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