I looked up the original reference for this in The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Philip Schaff, of course, has this sermon sequestered safely away under “Dubious or Spurious Writings.” 🙄 Literally gives no reason for doing so…
Interesting, I first read it in another collection and went to the Schaff translation later. If you end up reading any scholarship on it, please share it here.
I don’t know if any further scholarship on this text specifically, but this is what Schaff says about Gregory’s Homily on the Annunciation:
“This very homily has been cited to prove the antiquity of the festival of the Annunciation, observed, in the West, March 25. But even Pellicia objects that this is a spurious work. The feast of the Nativity was introduced into the East by Chrysostom after the records at Rome had been inspected, and the time of the taxing at Bethlehem had been found. See his Sermon (A.D. 386), beautifully translated by Dr. Jarvis in his Introduction, etc., p. 541. Compare Tertullian, vol. iii. p. 164, and Justin, vol. i. p. 174, this series. Now, as the selection of the 25th of March is clearly based on this, we may say no more of that day. Possibly some Sunday was associated with the Annunciation. The four Sundays preceding Christmas are all observed by the Nestorians in commemoration of the Annunciation.”
But when I look up the original reference from Pellicia it seems pretty clear he’s saying the exact opposite:
“OF THE CHIEF FEASTS OF THE YEAR. 353 which has come down to us, each of the two feasts was kept on separate days; for except the case of the Church of Cyprus and the Church of Egypt, and some other peculiar Churches of the East, no argument can be advanced sufficient to prove that the Feast of the Nativity was either not observed at all by the other Churches of Asia, or that was observed conjointly with the Feast of the Epi- phany and Usher's attempt to establish such a proof in his Prole- gomena to the Epistles of Ignatius has altogether failed, as Tillemont in the passage cited above clearly shows by a variety of proofs. Nor are our arguments opposed to the words of Chrysostom, who, as we said, tells us that the Church of Antioch borrowed the observ- ance of this feast from the Church of Rome : for he is speaking of the day, not of the feast itself; and it is quite true that the custom of keeping the festival on the 25th day of December was introduced into the Eastern Churches from the West.”
Our church is studying Hebrews at the moment. Yesterday was Heb 2:14-18 and the great victory over the fear of death. Still an enemy, but thoroughly vanquished.
“Since the hour when Christ defeated Hades, men have danced in triumph over death. ‘O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?’ Hades and the devil have been defeated, and stripped of their ancient armor, and cast out of their special authority.”
I love to think of this image. Christ going down into hell and stripping the devil of his power over dust and death.
If you’ve never listed to it, I highly recommend an episode of the Lord of Spirits podcast in which the host recounts and uncannonical telling of Christ’s storming and defeating of hell. IT’S AMAZING. I’ve provided the link. Thanks for sharing this, Cody. This was a great read!
I looked up the original reference for this in The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Philip Schaff, of course, has this sermon sequestered safely away under “Dubious or Spurious Writings.” 🙄 Literally gives no reason for doing so…
Interesting, I first read it in another collection and went to the Schaff translation later. If you end up reading any scholarship on it, please share it here.
I don’t know if any further scholarship on this text specifically, but this is what Schaff says about Gregory’s Homily on the Annunciation:
“This very homily has been cited to prove the antiquity of the festival of the Annunciation, observed, in the West, March 25. But even Pellicia objects that this is a spurious work. The feast of the Nativity was introduced into the East by Chrysostom after the records at Rome had been inspected, and the time of the taxing at Bethlehem had been found. See his Sermon (A.D. 386), beautifully translated by Dr. Jarvis in his Introduction, etc., p. 541. Compare Tertullian, vol. iii. p. 164, and Justin, vol. i. p. 174, this series. Now, as the selection of the 25th of March is clearly based on this, we may say no more of that day. Possibly some Sunday was associated with the Annunciation. The four Sundays preceding Christmas are all observed by the Nestorians in commemoration of the Annunciation.”
https://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/ANF-06/anf06-23.htm#P1140_281352
But when I look up the original reference from Pellicia it seems pretty clear he’s saying the exact opposite:
“OF THE CHIEF FEASTS OF THE YEAR. 353 which has come down to us, each of the two feasts was kept on separate days; for except the case of the Church of Cyprus and the Church of Egypt, and some other peculiar Churches of the East, no argument can be advanced sufficient to prove that the Feast of the Nativity was either not observed at all by the other Churches of Asia, or that was observed conjointly with the Feast of the Epi- phany and Usher's attempt to establish such a proof in his Prole- gomena to the Epistles of Ignatius has altogether failed, as Tillemont in the passage cited above clearly shows by a variety of proofs. Nor are our arguments opposed to the words of Chrysostom, who, as we said, tells us that the Church of Antioch borrowed the observ- ance of this feast from the Church of Rome : for he is speaking of the day, not of the feast itself; and it is quite true that the custom of keeping the festival on the 25th day of December was introduced into the Eastern Churches from the West.”
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ssd?id=hvd.ah158l;seq=379;num=353
Our church is studying Hebrews at the moment. Yesterday was Heb 2:14-18 and the great victory over the fear of death. Still an enemy, but thoroughly vanquished.
“Since the hour when Christ defeated Hades, men have danced in triumph over death. ‘O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?’ Hades and the devil have been defeated, and stripped of their ancient armor, and cast out of their special authority.”
I love to think of this image. Christ going down into hell and stripping the devil of his power over dust and death.
If you’ve never listed to it, I highly recommend an episode of the Lord of Spirits podcast in which the host recounts and uncannonical telling of Christ’s storming and defeating of hell. IT’S AMAZING. I’ve provided the link. Thanks for sharing this, Cody. This was a great read!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-harrowing-of-hell-read-by-fr-andrew-stephen-damick/id1531206254?i=1000558190608
Thank you and thanks for the rec!