THE P RTAL
January 2017 Page 9
The New Year and Ceremonies
Fr Julian Green examines various customs for the New Year
January takes its name from the pagan Roman god Janus . His name comes from the word for door and he is distinguished by having two faces : one facing backwards , into the past and one facing forwards , into the future . As the god of beginnings and transitions , it was natural that , once the Romans adopted a 12 month year , the beginning of January should be seen as the beginning of that year .
Through Christian history , various feast days have served as ‘ New Year ’ s Day ’, particularly 25th March , or Lady Day was it was known in England . Since the 16th century , 1st January has been observed as the New Year ’ s Day throughout Europe .
The pagan origins of the New Year can be seen in many of the traditions which surround the traditional observance of the eve of the day . Tall dark-haired men , lumps of coal , going in and out of different doors and the singing of Auld Lang Syne all originate from north of the border , but became widespread observances in the Victorian age , when all things traditionally Christmas and German , and New Year and Scottish became fashionable .
Today , first footing has given way , in the consciousness of many , to ‘ Dry January ’: the nouveau puritan fast from alcohol compensating for drinking far too much of the stuff in the previous month . There ’ s no consciousness remaining of the twelve days of Christmas , nor of the wonderful feast of the Epiphany , and so Lent comes to be anticipated in order to give one ’ s liver a rest .
While our liturgical calendar does not recognise New Year , it would be wrong to say that the Church ’ s liturgy gives the coming of a new year no significance . In the older Roman Rite , this day was simply the eighth day of the Octave of Christmas and , being the eighth day from the birth of the Lord , was celebrated as the Feast of his Circumcision .
Although a great deal of Christian art represents this as taking place in the Temple , it would have taken place in the home , and would be the moment at which the angel ’ s injunction , that the child ’ s name be ‘ Jesus ’, was fulfilled . When the Roman Rite was reformed after the Second Vatican Council , the reference to the Circumcision was dropped .
Thankfully , the feast which points to the significance
© Robbie Shade
of this moment , the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus , has been placed back in the Roman Calendar on 3rd January .
The newer form of the Roman Rite has recovered an early liturgical tradition , from prior to the 5th Century , where this day was dedicated to the Mother of God . So it is that Our Lady is given prominence at the door to a new year . Our Lady , who was the door through which Our Lord entered this world , now becomes the door leading us into a new year .
Pagan Rome honoured Janus as the god of new beginnings . For those of us who believe in the one God – Father , Son and Holy Spirit – Our Lady , the Mother of God , is the patroness of new beginnings . As she was the one who allowed herself to become the way by which God brought into the world his only Son , the one who begins the new creation , so she can be our patroness at the beginning of a new year .
We should entrust all our plans , our cares and worries , our projects and aspirations into the prayerful hands of the Holy Mother of God , and ask that all we do in this year be to the glory of God .