Advent and Christmas on the Holy Mountain

On Sunday, 30 November, Advent wreaths were blessed in the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary to remind people in their homes and workplaces that the Christmas holidays are approaching, during which, according to Christian belief, the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem is commemorated. Each Sunday until Christmas Eve, another candle is then lit on the wreath, so that as the date of Christmas approaches, more and more light should be added to our communities in the form of forgiveness and kindness that is not afraid of great obstacles.

Our ancestors also learned this by rising early in the morning during Advent and often wading through the snow to church for prayer and hymns, the most famous of which was the Latin text Roratae caeli de super (Rise from on high), from which the Czech name roratae was derived. While on Wednesday morning at 6 o'clock people enter the unlit basilica, where only the light of candles cuts through the darkness, on Saturday at the same time they can hear the old Czech Advent hymns performed by the Svatohorské literati.

For three Wednesdays of Advent, the Basilica will open for concert performances of Advent hymns at 7 pm, so that visitors can hear Advent hymns from some of the Rite Masses as well as from the Marian texts set to music for an entrance fee of 130 CZK. In short, a true and unadulterated Advent.

On Monday, December 22, the Boy Scouts will bring a living light to Holy Mountain all the way from Bethlehem, where Jesus was born more than two thousand years ago, so that people can light their own candle or kerosene lamp and take that light home with them, perhaps for a holiday or Sunday lunch or dinner. Especially this year, the light of Bethlehem can remind us all that peace is not a given, and the Palestinian territories in Israel are clear proof of that.

While we will still be experiencing Advent on Christmas Eve until 4pm, at this time the Chapel with the Nativity scene will open and then at 5pm the first Christmas Mass will be celebrated in the Basilica, to which you and your children are welcome to come or arrive to be reminded by Chaplain Mathew of what Christmas is all about before they sit down to dinner and find their "baby Jesus" under the tree. And shortly before midnight at 10 p.m., we will celebrate Christmas with a "big" midnight Mass and wish each other all that we miss most and that only God can ever give us.

Although the manger will not be open until the evening of 24 December, from 19 December the Mníšek Chapel will host an exhibition of nativity scenes, traditionally prepared by Ján Chvalník and the Příbram Nativity Scene Makers. For a voluntary donation, this exhibition can be seen until 4 January.

The Christmas atmosphere on Svatá Hora can be experienced on various occasions, and the singing of carols at the manger is an unmistakable experience. The most famous and most beautiful ones can be sung together again after a year in the beautiful setting of the Basilica on Christmas Day, on St. Stephen's Day and on New Year's Day, each time at 2 pm.

And carol singing once more, this time in concert on St Stephen's Eve. Specially rehearsed Czech, Russian, French, English or German Christmas songs will be sung in the Basilica from 6pm. Perhaps through this connection we can also help to dampen national passions and pray for world peace in one of the most famous Czech churches.

The Christmas season comes to a close with the blessing of water, chalk and incense on the Feast of the Epiphany, popularly known as the Feast of the Three Kings. This blessing takes place at the evening Mass at 5 pm, and is immediately followed at 6 pm by the Three Kings Concert, organized by the St. Mary's Matins. The fact that this celebration has a long tradition in our countries is evidenced by the rich repertoire of Tristmas songs and melodies. Listeners can look forward to baroque, romantic and contemporary organ pieces. In addition, with your voluntary contribution, you can help return the silver angels stolen years ago to the altar in the basilica.

I hope you will enjoy your stay at Svatá Hora and that we at Svatá Hora will contribute to the festive Advent or Christmas atmosphere in your hearts and in Czech society.

Miloš Szabo, parish priest