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Views from the Choir Loft

“Don’t Cross Out Christ On Christmas” — Wrong!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 24, 2014

OW MANY TIMES have you heard people warn against using the abbreviation Xmas for Christmas? They say things like, “Don’t cross out Christ on Christmas.” But it’s total nonsense! For more than a millenium, Christians have used an X to denote Christ. It comes from the Greek letter “Chi,” and even as late as the 19th century, Abbot Pothier used that abbreviation in the Solesmes books.

I could cite thousands of examples, but consider this one from the 14th century:

524 Christmas X

Did you see how the scribe wrote the word Christe in the KYRIE ELEYSON?

THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS MORE examples could be cited. Here’s one from a famous CHRISTMAS HYMN called Christe Redemptor Omnium:

415 Christe

Here’s one from the Litany of the saints:

557 Litany

In this next example, notice the beautiful passages from Sacred Scripture written in wherever they could be squeezed in:

551 Xste MSS
 

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Chi Greek Letter, Cross Out Christ In Christmas Myth Last Updated: December 15, 2021

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Hymn by Cardinal Newman
    During the season of Septuagesima, we will be using this hymn by Cardinal Newman, which employs both Latin and English. (Readers probably know that Cardinal Newman was one of the world's experts when it comes to Lingua Latina.) The final verse contains a beautiful soprano descant. Father Louis Bouyer—famous theologian, close friend of Pope Paul VI, and architect of post-conciliar reforms—wrote thus vis-à-vis the elimination of Septuagesima: “I prefer to say nothing, or very little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed (with no good reason) Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piddledy, all based on notions of their own devising!”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“To treat harmony and rhythm in this matter was a difficult matter. Facing numerous problems both large and small—that arose constantly—we understood that a flawless harmonization of Gregorian chant cannot be created by improvisation, no matter the competence and ability of the organist or harmonist.”

— ‘Mons. Jules Van Nuffel, NOH Preface’

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