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Cardinal Slin
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Just curious if there is no X in Christmas, why is an abbreviation for Christmas Xmas and not Cmas?
I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable Fplanation.
I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable Fplanation.
X plain
- Thread starter Cardinal Slin
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ddhicks620
New member
It isn't an "X." That's the Greek letter "chi" which is pronounced about like "ch" was in Old English ... which is to say, about how it's pronounced in German today, or in a few imported words, like "Christ" or "Christmas," for example.
"X" (as in chi) was used as an abbreviation for Christ from early times, perhaps initially as a camouflage for the religion. It was the first letter of the word Christos (meaning "the anointed one," e.g., the Messiah) and fortuitously was cross-shaped, so there seemed to be some symbolism or double meaning. It's been used as a scholarly and not-so-scholarly abbreviation since.
At least thats what I found out -
"X" (as in chi) was used as an abbreviation for Christ from early times, perhaps initially as a camouflage for the religion. It was the first letter of the word Christos (meaning "the anointed one," e.g., the Messiah) and fortuitously was cross-shaped, so there seemed to be some symbolism or double meaning. It's been used as a scholarly and not-so-scholarly abbreviation since.
At least thats what I found out -
Wikipedia is a good thing, eh?
Cardinal Slin
New member
Having said that Chi was discovered close to 5000 years ago where as Chris was born what, 2009 years ago?
L
lartinos
Guest
Well... jebus was born then not st. nick.
Cardinal Slin
New member
but Christmas is the year Chris was born - Christ being Jebus right? and yet the explanation above talks about Chi which was around 3000 years before Christ
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