The Word "Christ-mas" means Death of Christ so why do we celebrate his birth on this day
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ANSWERS: 5
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He was born to die, for it is fitting. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, which are death rags to be mummified with, which clarifies the situation. Also, I believe it is a catholic thing, for christmas, as I have been told, is a Mass about Christ.
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Christmas is the day we celebrate his birth and Good Friday is the day to remember his death. Easter is to celebrate that HE is risen again.
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I don't know what dictionary you are using but "mass" doesn't mean "death," it means: Mass, n. [OE. masse, messe, AS. m[ae]sse. LL. missa, from L. mittere, missum, to send, dismiss: cf. F. messe. In the ancient churches, the public services at which the catechumens were permitted to be present were called missa catechumenorum, ending with the reading of the Gospel. Then they were dismissed with these words : "Ite, missa est" [sc. ecclesia], the congregation is dismissed. After that the sacrifice proper began. At its close the same words were said to those who remained. So the word gave the name of Mass to the sacrifice in the Catholic Church. See Missile, and cf. Christmas, Lammas, Mess a dish, Missal.] 1. (R. C. Ch.) The sacrifice in the sacrament of the Eucharist, or the consecration and oblation of the host. 2. (Mus.) The portions of the Mass usually set to music, considered as a musical composition; -- namely, the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Credo, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei, besides sometimes an Offertory and the Benedictus.
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Modern Catholic Dictionary CHRISTMAS. Feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. In the early Church the feast was celebrated along with the Epiphany. But already in A.D. 200 St. Clement of Alexandria (150-215) refers to a special feast on May 20, and the Latin Church began observing it on December 25. The privilege of priests offering three Masses on Christmas Day goes back to a custom originally practiced by a pope who about the fourth century, celebrated a midnight Mass in the Liberian Basilica (where traditionally the manger of Bethlehem is preserved), a second in the Church of St. Anastasia, whose feast falls on December 25, and a third at the Vatican Basilica. Many of the present customs in various countries are traceable to the Church's Christianizing the pagan celebrations associated with the beginning of winter and the new year. (Etym. Anglo-Saxon Cristes Maesse, Christ's Mass.) SOURCE:Modern Catholic Dictionary by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. Copyright © 1999 by Inter Mirifica
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Well, if you want to be exact it doesn't mean death. It means dismissal as in 'let go, send'. And no early Christians celebrated Christ's birth because they didn't even know when it was. Christ said to remember his death, not his birth.
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