Churches cause Santa Claus to work overtime

In the world of Christianity, the cloaks, calpacs, armbands and belts worn by priests contain traces of thousands of years of mysticism.

The Catholic Church, made an indelible impression in the middle ages with glorious adornments, followed by a simpler style over time. Long, white gabardines and black cloaks replaced baroque style dressing. As the Catholic world became plainer, the Orthodox churches of Christians living in Anatolia, the Caucasians and the Balkans drew attention with the alacrity and dynamism of their colours and their adornments. On Christmas Eve, the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review spoke with Zakeos Ohanian, a theology expert, graduate of the Vatican Urbanian University and an Orthodox priest, on church garments and why Christmas was celebrated on different dates in the Christian world by different doctrines.

Ohanian, chancellor of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople in Kumkapı and a religious functionary from the Surp Asdvazsazsin (Holy Virgin Mary) church, said, "As is known in history, the churches in the Christian world divided over disagreements and different doctrines appeared. The differences in the doctrines was the basis for Christmas to be celebrated at different times."

Solar Holiday became Christmas
Ohanian said that unlike the rest of the world, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic (Egypt) and Abyssinian (Hindu) churches celebrated Christmas not on Dec. 24, but on Jan. 6. Another reason for Christmas being celebrated on different dates goes back to the second century. "Apostles of Jesus, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, travelled through Athens and Rome to Portugal and from there to inner and northern parts of Europe to spread Christianity," said Ohanian. "Northern Scandinavian countries worshipped the sun before Christianity and the holiday was celebrated on Dec. 24. With the acceptance of Christianity, Christmas replaced this holiday. Therefore, Christmas happened to be celebrated on Dec. 24 in Europe."

The prototype for the cloaks is from the Torah and the Psalms
As to religious garments worn by Christian churches, Ohanyan said despite differences in doctrine and culture, there was a common tradition in the garments of clerics. "Starting with preachers and cassocks, from priests and priestess with the vow of celibacy, to bishops, all garments were long and loose. The appearance of the garments was not considered, the purpose was to hide body shape." Ohanian said the cloaks and calpacs’ prototypes had come from the Torah and the Psalms. "If we put cultural reflections to the side, the truth is, all garments worn by clerics of the churches of the world are one to one with Jewish culture."

Cloaks processed with golden fibres

Ohanian’s area of expertise is the Armenian Church, part of the Eastern Orthodox Church of which he is a member. Omanyan said until the 1900s there was over 2,000 Armenian churches and more than 150 monasteries in Anatolia. "Garments of the Anatolian clerics differed greatly according to the area they were from. The craftsmen used to process every garment with golden fibres manually. The results were garments that were lifelike and flamboyant." Ohanian added, "Unfortunately, we had nothing left from the legacy of Anatolia which we can use an example."