Christmas is one of the most important, peaceful and intimate holidays in the Christian calendar. Yet, sometimes life or politics dictates otherwise, and strange events occur at the time of this holiday. Below are a handful of examples when the focus shifted from celebrations to other events. Here are some of the pleasant ones that have taken place in the course of history.
The world does not stop, even at Christmastime. On 24 December 1492, Columbus reached the Punta Santa, called Cap-Haitien (Haiti Cape) today, the day his flagship, the Santa María, was wrecked. In 1799, the French Constitution was amended, and Napoleon Bonaparte was elected consul for a ten-year term. (Napoleon was the target of an unsuccessful bomb attack just one year later.) Albania became a republic on this day in 1924, and Libya achieved independence in 1951. Luna 13 landed on the Moon on 24 December 1966. West Berlin residents were first free to travel to the eastern part of the city at Christmas in 1989. In 1991, Christmas saw Mikhail Gorbachev step down and the Soviet Union, the world's largest state, break up.
Several popes were declared at Christmas: John IV in 640, Leo II in 795, John XVIII in 1003, Clement II in 1046, Boniface VIII in 1294 and Pius IV (more widely known as Giovanni Angelo del Medici) in 1559.
Many heads of state have chosen to take office during the holiday: Charlemagne was crowned on this day in 800, Ottocar I had his son Ottocar II crowned associate ruler in 907, and Stephen I became Hungary's first king in 1000. Clement II, who took office on that very day, officiated at the coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry III in 1046, putting an end to centuries of war. William the Conqueror was crowned King of England in 1066. Hirohito became Emperor of Japan in 1926.
Christmas has also marked changes in time systems. December 25 was made the start of the year in 476. In the Middle Ages, the year started on "the day Our Lord Jesus Christ was born" rather than in January. In 597, England adopted the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was introduced in Turkey in 1925.
Christmas has also seen the premieres of a number of operas. The first Hungarian opera, Béla's Run by József Ruzitska, was premiered in Kolozsvár in 1822. Milan residents celebrated Christmas with opera premieres both in 1830 and the following year, with Anna Bolena by Donizetti and Norma by Bellini. Christmas 1871 saw the premiere of Verdi's Aida.
Technology made significant leaps around Christmas, too. Gas lighting was introduced into the streets of Pest in 1856. Trams starting running between the former Horthy Miklós körtér (Móricz Zsigmond körtér today) and Déli pályaudvar (southern railway station) at Christmas 1924.
Additional events coinciding with Christmas include the first documented Christmas mass in 352. Stille Nacht (Silent Night), composed by Franz Joseph Gruber and Joseph Mohr was first performed in Oberndorf, Austria, in 1818. In Cuba, Christmas was once again celebrated following a long pause between 1969 and 1998, after Fidel Castro announced that Jesus's birth was once again a celebration.
The above examples go to show that life does not stop at Christmas. People are born and others die. Countries are established and perish, while kings come and go…
In spite of all this, all of us here would like to wish a Merry Christmas to all our readers.
