Christmas address

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In the Christian cultural area, a Christmas address is a traditional address given by political or church leaders (state presidents, bishops, etc.). The traditional Christmas blessing of Pope Urbi et Orbi is usually preceded by a speech. This tradition has been adopted in Christian states by heads of state or government. But also at the local level, incumbents address the public in special texts. Christmas speeches by management to employees are also common in companies.

background

The Christmas address has its roots in CIC (1983), Can 389 of canon law, which stipulates that bishops are to be present at their place of office and hold services on high Christian holidays. A homily, i.e. an address for the interpretation of the respective written text, is also provided.

Dissemination and reception

Christmas speeches are often broadcast and distributed in the media via television, radio or the Internet or (in excerpts) printed in print media.

In addition to general texts, Christmas speeches usually contain fundamental formulations that reflect social or political developments. That is why they are also received in the media. The Christmas address is often used as an occasion to review the year.

Christmas speeches in Germany

In Germany, the Federal President has given an annual Christmas speech to the population since 1970 , which is broadcast on television on the evening of Christmas Day ; From 1949 to 1969 - based on an agreement between Theodor Heuss and Konrad Adenauer - the Federal Chancellor was responsible for the Christmas address and the Federal President for the New Year's address. In the Christian churches, the Christmas speeches given by the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference and the chairman of the EKD council are particularly noted.

Christmas speeches in Belgium

In Belgium the monarch gives an address to the population every Christmas. Two versions of the address are usually recorded: in Dutch and in French. Since King Philippe's accession to the throne in 2013, however, it has also been spoken entirely in German, the country's third official language. Philippe wanted to set an example and emphasize the unity of the country.

Christmas talks in the Commonwealth

In the United Kingdom (and in other states of the Commonwealth of Nations ) the head of state (king or queen), who is also the secular head of the Church of England, has addressed the population regularly on Christmas Day since 1932 . Queen Elizabeth II gave her first Christmas address on television in 1957 and also on the video portal YouTube since Christmas 2007.

Christmas speeches in other countries

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christmas address by the head of the town hall , December 19, 2008, in: OV Kappel Info Archive 2  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.freiburg.de   , Freiburg i. Br. 2008, p. 185
  2. ↑ Document Christmas celebrations in companies ( Memento from December 23, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ Exemplary evidence of media reception ( memento from June 20, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  4. ↑ See Reinhard Kiehl (Ed.): Every year again: History in Aspik. Düsseldorf 2001, ISBN 3-936143-17-X .
  5. ↑ Belgian King gives Christmas speech in German. Die Welt , December 24, 2013, accessed December 31, 2013 .
  6. ↑ Receipt of the Queen's Christmas address

literature

  • Ernst Christoph Suttner: The Effects of Pope Pius XII's Christmas Address. in 1944 on the churches of Eastern Europe united with Rome, in: Ostkirchliche Studien 57 (2008), No. 2, pp. 310-330