putting the "chi" back in chiMas

I offer this followup to yesterday's rant.

It's written by Father Jim Tucker, "generation X, priest of the Diocese of Arlington, in Northern Virginia."

My father makes this same point so often I didn't even think to mention it:

Xmas -- Here is one of my pet peeves: people who take it upon themselves to oppose the supposedly un-Christian and secular use of "Xmas" as an alternative to "Christmas."

The "X" in question is not, in fact, the usual Latin letter, but rather the Greek letter "chi." This is the same chi that you see in church joined to a "P" -- which is, of course, not a "P," but rather the Greek letter "rho." The chi, usually together with the rho, is an ancient monogram for Christ, inasmuch as these are the two letters that begin the word Christ -- Messiah -- in Greek. You find it in digs from Christian antiquity, you see it used in mediaeval religious manuscripts, and you find it in the modern "Xmas."

By all means, withstand the secularization of Christian solemnities, but please be sure that you know what you're talking about first.

:: Posted by Jim Tucker 12/17/2004 09:24:14 AM -- email me ::

(Tip o' the Hat to a certain Misesian with the same last name as the good padre.)