Miyambo ya Krisimasi—Kodi Ziyambi Zake Nzotani?

PONSE paŵiri mu Northern Hemisphere ndi Southern Hemisphere, zikondwerero za Krisimasi zimakhala pakati pa zotchuka koposa, pakati pa okhulupirira ndi osakhulupirira mofananamo. Mu Japan, unyinji wake wokulira wa Chishinto wosakhala Wachikristu, Krisimasi imachitika limodzi ndi zikondwerero zina ndipo yakhala nthaŵi ya chisangalalo chopambanitsa ndi malonda. Koma kodi mapwando a Krisimasi nthaŵi zonse akhala akudziko? Kodi phwando la pachaka limeneli linayamba motani?

Kuwona mmene Krisimasi inkasangalalidwira m’zaka chikwi zoyambirira za Nyengo Yathu kumatithandiza kudziŵa chiyambi chake kubwerera ku magwero a nthaŵi Yachikristu chisadakhale. Akumalemba m’magazine akuti History Today, Alexander Murray wa pa Oxford University akutsutsa kuti anthu a nyengo zapakati “anaphatikiza mbali zomwe zinalipo za madzoma achikunja a pakati pa nyengo yachisanu ndi maphunziro a zaumulungu omakula kumene a Krisimasi.” Kodi ndimotani ndipo kodi zimenezi zinachitidwiranji?

Ziyambi za Nthaŵi Yachikristu Chisadakhale

Anthu a kutsungula kwakale kwa ku Europe anawona mmene dzuŵa linawonekera kuima chiriri mkati mwa nyengo yachisanu pafupi ndi chizimezime cha kum’mwera lisanakwerenso pang’onopang’ono mu mtambo. Solstice (liwu lotengedwa m’mawu Achilatin kaamba ka “dzuŵa” ndi “kuima chiriri”) ya m’nyengo yachisanu imeneyi, mogwirizana ndi kalenda ya Julian, inali ndi tsiku la December 25. Anthu amodzimodziwo anachipeza kukhala chosavuta kusonyeza kufanana pakati pa dzuŵa ndi Mulungu monga Magwero ndi M’chirikizi wa moyo. Mu 274 C.E., wolamulira Wachiroma analengeza Sol invictus (dzuŵa losagonjetseka) m’chirikizi wamkulu wa ulamulirowo, ndipo ichi chinachitika pa December 25, mwakutero kulemekeza Mithras, mulungu wa kuunika.

Chifupifupi pa kuyambika kwa Dziko Lachikristu monga chipembedzo chatsopano cholamulira, Murray akulemba kuti: “Pambuyo pa kusatsimikizirika kokulira, chilakiko chikapita kwa wolimbana wamkulu [wa chiphunzitso cha Mithras] , Chikristu. Koma m’chaka cha 300 kulimbana kumeneku kudafunikirabe kukhala kwalamulo. Panali pa nthaŵiyo pamene tchalitchi chinasankhapo kuchita phwando la kubadwa kwa Kristu (Latin: nativitas). (Palibe phwando loterolo lomwe laphatikizidwa pa ndandanda ya mapwando kuchokera m’zaka za zana lachitatu, ndipo phwando latsopano lalembedwa choyambirira m’cholembedwa cha 336.)” Kodi ndi deti liti lomwe linasankhidwa kaamba ka kukondwerera kumeneku? December 25, monga chotulukapo cha “kuchenjera ndi chosankha chokangalika ku mbali ya abambo oyambirira a tchalitchi,” mogwirizana ndi bukhu la Discovering Christmas Customs and Folklore. Kodi nchifukwa ninji ziri tero?

Nyengo ya pakati pa chisanu inali itakhazikitsidwa kale kukhala nyengo yachisangalalo yokhala ndi phwando Lachiroma la malimidwe la masiku asanu ndi aŵiri la moto ndi kuunika, Saturnalia. Kenaka panali Calends, phwando la masiku atatu lokondwerera kuikidwa kwa nduna zolamulira Zachiroma zomwe zinatumikira kwa chaka chimodzi kuchokera pachiyambi, kapena calends, ya January. Chotero, pokhala ndi Saturnalia, Calends, ndi tsiku la Mithras la dzuŵa losagonjetseka likumadza mkati mwa nyengo yochepera tero chaka chirichonse, December 25 linakhala deti losankhidwa lokondwerera “Misa ya Kristu” m’kuchonderera anthu akunja kusinthidwira ku chipembedzo chatsopano cha boma la Ulamuliro Wachiroma.

Pamene nthaŵi inapita, phwando lachikunja la ku Germany la pakati pa nyengo yachisanu, Yule, linachirikiza miyambo ya kupanga phwando ndi kusangalala, limodzinso ndi kupatsa mphatso. Mataper (kapena, makandulo), nthambi, zokometsera zokhala zobiriŵira nyengo zonse, ndi mitengo idakhala yotchuka m’zikondwerero za Krisimasi. Koma, ena angalingalire kuti, kukondwerera kubadwa kwa Kristu motsimikizirika kuyenera kukhala kunali kotchuka pakati pa Akristu pasanachitike kugwirizana kulikonse ndi miyambo yachikunja ya pambuyo pake. Kodi izi ziri tero?

Sinakondwereredwe ndi Akristu Oyambirira

Baibulo silimavumbula deti lenileni la kubadwa kwa Yesu. Chokulira chiri chakuti, “Akristu oyambirira sanakondwerere kubadwa Kwake,” inachitira ndemanga tero The World Book Encyclopedia. Ndipo kodi nchifukwa ninji sanatero? “Chifukwa chakuti iwo analingalira kukondwerera kwa kubadwa kwa aliyense kukhala mwambo wachikunja.” Augustus Neander, mu The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries, akuvomereza kuti: “Lingaliro la phwando la tsiku lakubadwa linali kutalitali ndi lingaliro la Akristu a nyengo imeneyi mwachisawawa.”

Kuchokera pa kusanthula kumeneku, inu mungawone kuti zikondwerero za Krisimasi zikupeza magwero ake m’miyambo yachikunja. Monga mmene The Economist ikulongosolera, kunali kokha pambuyo pake pamene “obukitsa achipembedzo anayeneretsa ‘phwando limeneli la kuunika [tsiku lakubadwa kwa dzuŵa losagonjetseka], pakuti Kristu ndiye kuunika kwa dziko’, ndi kulingalira (popanda umboni womwe sukavomerezedwa ndi Chowonadi m’Kulengeza kwa andawala) kuti khanda Yesu linabadwa mu December. Chimenecho ndicho chifukwa chake Scotland ya Presbyterian inakana Krisimasi, monga mmene America ya puritan inachitira kufikira zikondwerero za zamalonda zinaikonzanso iyo.”

Miyambo ya Krisimasi Ibwezeredwanso

Pa chiyambiyambi cha kulamulira kwa Mfumukazi Victoria (1837—1901), mogwirizana ndi Gavin Weightman ndi Steve Humphries, akonzi a Christmas Past, “palibe ana a ku Britain omwe anakoloweka masitokini awo kumbali kwa moto pa Krisimasi ya M’madzulo; palibe aliyense yemwe anamvapo za Santa Claus; kunalibe obukitsa Krisimasi; anali anthu ochepera amene anadya nkhukundembo pa Tsiku la Krisimasi; kupatsa mphatso sikunali kofala; ndipo mitengo yokometseredwa ndi yowalitsidwa ya Krisimasi sinadziŵike nkomwe kunja kwa bwalo lachifumu. M’chenicheni, Tsiku la Krisimasi silinali deti lofunika kwenikweni mu kalenda kaamba ka mtundu uliwonse wa mwambo wa mayanjano.” Pamenepa, kodi nchiyani chomwe chinachitika kubwezeranso kutchuka kwa mapwando a Krisimasi?

“Kukonzedwanso kumeneku kwa mapwando akale kukhala chochitika chimodzi chachifupi, cholemekezedwa cha banja kunayamba chifupifupi mu ma 1830 . . . ndipo kunali komveka kapena kosatero podzafika mu ma 1870, imene inali nthaŵi pamene chophiphiritsa cha Santa Claus chinawonekera choyambirira mu Britain,” ikunena tero Christmas Past. Pa nthaŵi imodzimodziyo, bukhu la Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, nkhani ya kutembenuzidwa kwachisoni kwa Scrooge ku lingaliro la Krisimasi, linayambitsa mkhalidwe wachisangalalo kwa osauka. Mikhalidwe yoipirako ndi kuvutika kwa zachuma cha kakhalidwe m’matauni kodzetsedwa ndi Industrial Revolution kunafulumiza nzika za Victoria kuyamba mtundu winawake wa nkhondo yachipembedzo ya makhalidwe, imene m’nyengo ya pambuyo pake ya Edward, inakonzedwanso kubweretsa ulemu kokha kwa osauka “olemekezeka.”

Mlembi mu Catholic Herald ya ku Britain ananena kuti: “Pang’onopang’ono, ndi kuwonjezeka kwa kulemera kwachisawawa, mbali zambiri za mwambo wapakati wa Krisimasi zafalikira. Kupeputsa ndi kuwoloŵa manja kwalakidwa ndi kulimbanirana ndi kupikisana. Phwando lapanyumba lomwe linali kumvana kwenikweni laloŵedwa m’malo ndi unyinji wadzawoneni wa chakudya chokometseredwa. Mabanja akukakamizidwa ndi mwambo watsopano umenewu kuthera masiku pamodzi kaya akuchifuna icho kapena ayi, akumachita maseŵera amene ena a iwo amawada, kupenyerera wailesi ya kanema imene ena a iwo amaida, kuchepetsa kusachezera anansi ndi akunja pa nthaŵi ina pamene ubwino ndi ubwenzi wachisawawa ukufunikira kuchitidwa.

“Ndipo ngati winawake anena izi, ngati winawake ayamba kusuliza kaya zamalonda kapena zochitachita za mayanjano, ameneyo amatchedwa Scrooge. Ku maganizo anga Krisimasi yalakwika moipitsitsa m’zaka zaposachedwapa.”

Kaya ngati inu mumavomerezana ndi kusanthulako kapena ayi, kodi nchiyani chimene chingachitike kwa okuzungulirani pa nthaŵi ya Krisimasi?

Krisimasi—Nthaŵi ya Ngozi

Kodi mumapeza kuti anthu ena amagwiritsira ntchito nyengoyi kumwerekera mopambanitsa m’kudya ndi kumwa? Kodi uchidakwa, mkhalidwe wamwano umasokoneza mtendere wa m’mudzi mwanu? Ngakhale kuti anthu owona mtima ambiri amasonyeza chikondi chapadera ndi kulingalira pa Krisimasi, kuyesayesa kwawo sikumaletsa kuwononga unansi wa banja womwe uli wofala tero pa nyengo imeneyi.

Inu mungafunse bwino lomwe kuti, ‘Kodi nchifukwa ninji Krisimasi imadzetsa kupambanitsa koteroko kwa mikhalidwe yoipa?’ Kwakukulukulu, chifukwa chakuti iri yosakhala Yachikristu, iri yachikunja. Kodi inu mungalingalire Kristu kukhala akusangalatsidwa ndi zimenezo? Kutalitali. Ndithudi, m’mawu osapita m’mbali, Baibulo limalingalira kuti: “Chilungamo chigawana bwanji ndi chosalungama? Kapena kuwunika kuyanjana bwanji ndi mdima? Ndipo Kristu avomerezana bwanji ndi Beliyali [Satana]?”—2 Akorinto 6:14, 15.

Malingaliro Osiyana

Mkati mwa nyengo imeneyi ya Krisimasi, inu mungachezeredwe ndi mmodzi wa Mboni za Yehova. Inu mudzawona kuti iwo samagwirizana m’kukondwerera Krisimasi. Mwinamwake inu muli odera nkhaŵa ponena za ana awo, kukhulupirira kuti iwo, koposa zonse, amaphonya mapwando. Koma pofunsidwa mu Southampton (England) Southern Evening Echo, tate wa ana aŵiri yemwe ali Mboni anapereka chitsimikiziro ichi: “‘Ndikutsimikizirani kuti mowona mtima iwo samadzimva kuti akuphonya,’ akutero John. ‘Mboni za Yehova ziri zofunitsitsa kwenikweni m’kuchirikiza moyo wabanja wachimwemwe. Chotero kuphatikiza pa kupereka mphatso zambiri kwa ana athu m’chaka chonse, timawapatsanso chinachake cha mtengo kwenikweni [, chotchedwa,] nthaŵi yathu ndi chikondi.’”

Motsimikizirika, chikondi chopanda mpeni kumphasa choterocho ndi chikondwerero zimathandizira mokulira m’moyo wabanja wachimwemwe. Chotero m’malo motsatira miyambo ya Krisimasi ya chiyambi chachikunja, kodi sichikakhala chabwinopo ngati aliyense alemekeza Yesu mwa kusonyeza mzimu weniweni wonga Kristu kwa achibale, mabwenzi, ndi achifupi, inde, ndi kwa alendo omwe, m’chaka chonse?

[Bokosi/Chithunzi patsamba 14]

BAMBO WA KRISIMASI, KOMABE WODZIŴIKA KUKHALA SANTA CLAUS

Bambo wa Krisimasi walongosoledwa kukhala “nkhani yachipambano koposa yopititsidwa patsogolo chiyambire Yesu Kristu.” Koma kodi iye anali yani? Mogwirizana ndi The Customs and Ceremonies of Britain, iye wafikira “kudziŵika monga munthu wosatsimikizirika wa nyengo ya [Krisimasi] chiyambire chifupifupi zaka za zana la 15 . . . ndipo amawonekera m’zovala zake zamakono m’chithunzi chosemedwa cha mu 1653: koma maulendo a M’madzulo a Krisimasi a ‘Santa,’ chizoloŵezi chake cha kutsika mu chimuni kudzaza masitokisi (kapena, monyadira kwenikweni, nsalu za ntsamiro) ndi ngolo yake yokokedwa ndi nyama yotchedwa reindeer zonsezo zimachokera ku mphika wa miyambo yomazimiririka, U.S.A. Mkhalidwe wake kumeneko unatengedwa kuchokera ku nthanthi za ku Europe chifupifupi zaka za zana la 4 ndi St Nicholas wa ku Myra (yemwe anapulumutsa asungwana atatu kusakhala adama mwa kuwapatsa mwachinsinsi mphatso ya pakati pa usiku ya ndalama zachikole, ndi amene monga Sinte Klaas anadzaza nsapato za ana Achidutch okhala ku America pa 6 December, tsiku la phwando lake); Krisskringle wa ku Germany wokhala ku America (yemwe anafupa ana abwino ndi kulanga ana oipa); ndi nthano za ku Scandinavia kapena ku Russia zonena za mfiti zazimuna zokhala ku North-Pole. . . . Santa wa ku America wa mbali zambiri ameneyu mwachinsinsi anawolokanso Atlantic mkati mwa ma 1870: chiyambire nthaŵiyo, mbiri yake mwachidziŵikire sinawonongedwe ndi unyinji wa oimira amalonda, iye mowonjezereka wapereka chisamaliro chakudziko chotheratu cha ‘Krisimasi ya ana’.”

[Bokosi/Chithunzi patsamba 15]

MITENGO YOBIRIŴIRA NYENGO ZONSE YA KRISIMASI

Zokometsera zotchuka pa Krisimasi ndizo holly, ivy, ndi mistletoe, zolongosoledwa kukhala “zomera zamatsenga zobala zipatso nyengo yake isanafike.” Koma kodi nchifukwa ninji mitengo yobiriŵira nyengo zonse imeneyi? Ngakhale kuti ena amakhulupirira kuti zipatso zofiira za holly zimaimira mwazi wa Kristu ndipo masamba ake a minga amaphiphiritsira “chisote cha minga” chimene asilikali a Pontiyo Pilato anaika pamutu wa Yesu momunyazitsa, akunja anawona masamba obiriŵira a holly ndi zipatso zake monga chophiphiritsira chachimuna cha moyo wosatha. (Mateyu 27:29) Iwo amawona ivy monga chophiphiritsira chachikazi cha moyo wosakhoza kufa. Holly ndi ivy zonse pamodzi zinakhala chophiphiritsira chawo cha kubala. Kugwirizana ndi chikunja kwa mistletoe kudakali kwamphamvu kotero kuti bukhu lakuti The Customs and Ceremonies of Britain linalongosola kuti: “Palibe wokongoletsa m’chalitchi amene angalekerere izo—kusiyapo kokha pa York Minster.” Wodziŵika koposa pa mitengo yobiriŵira nyengo zonse uli mtengo wa Krisimasi, wowonetsedwa kwa nthaŵi yaitali m’miyambo ya ku Germany ndi kutchukitsidwa mu Britain ndi mwamuna wa Mfumukazi Victoria, Prince Albert, ndipo womwe unakhala maziko a kukondwerera Krisimasi kochitidwa ndi banja. Chiyambire 1947, likulu la Norway, Oslo, lakhala likutumiza mphatso ya mtengo wa Krisimasi kukasonyezedwa mu Trafalgar Square mu London.

[Chithunzi patsamba 16]

Mphatso ya mtengo wa Krisimasi yapachaka ya Norway yopita ku Britain