Advent | Description, Meaning, History, & Symbols | Britannica
WebApr 25, 2024 · Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian church calendar, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. In Western churches, Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30 ( St. Andrew ’s Day) and is the beginning of the ...
Holiday | Celebrations, Traditions & Rituals | Britannica
WebMay 20, 2024 · Holiday, (from “holy day”), originally, a day of dedication to religious observance; in modern times, a day of either religious or secular commemoration. Many holidays of the major world religions tend to occur at the approximate dates of more ancient, pagan festivals. In the case of Christianity,
Christmas Truce | Facts & History | Britannica
WebMay 13, 2024 · Michael Ray. Christmas Truce, (December 24–25, 1914), impromptu cease-fire that occurred along the Western Front during World War I. The pause in fighting was not universally observed, nor had it been sanctioned by commanders on either side, but, along some two-thirds of the Anglo-German front, the guns fell silent.
Good Friday | Definition, History, Meaning, Traditions, & Facts
WebMay 17, 2024 · Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, the day on which Christians annually observe the commemoration of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. From the early days of Christianity, Good Friday was observed as a day of sorrow, penance, and fasting, a characteristic that finds expression in the German word Karfreitag (“Sorrowful Friday”).
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) | History & Definition | Britannica
WebApr 19, 2024 · Historically, astronomers used Greenwich Mean Astronomical Time (GMAT), in which the astronomical day began at noon at longitude (0°), in accord with scientific tradition. In 1925 GMT was adopted by astronomers so that the astronomical day began at midnight, the same time as the civil day.
Valentine’s Day | Definition, History, & Traditions | Britannica
WebApr 23, 2024 · Valentine’s Day, holiday (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. It may have had beginnings in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which celebrated the coming of spring and included fertility rites and other activities, but the origin of the holiday is vague at best.
A Christmas Carol | Victorian Era, Ghost Story, Social Criticism
WebMay 10, 2024 · A Christmas Carol, short novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in 1843. The story, suddenly conceived and written in a few weeks, is one of the outstanding Christmas stories of modern literature.
Feast of the Holy Innocents | Description, Observances, & History
WebMay 3, 2024 · Feast of the Holy Innocents, Christian feast in remembrance of the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18). The feast is observed by Western churches on December 28 and in the Eastern churches on December 29.
Magi | Definition, Scripture, Names, Traditions, & Importance
WebMay 10, 2024 · Epiphany, or Three Kings’ Day, is commonly celebrated as the last of the Twelve Days of Christmas in Western Christianity. The Magi are memorialized with special pastries in many countries, often with a toy Baby Jesus hidden inside.
Thalamus | Definition, Anatomy, Function, & Disorders
WebApr 29, 2024 · diffuse thalamic projection system. (Show more) thalamus, either of a pair of large ovoid organs that form most of the lateral walls of the third ventricle of the brain. The thalamus translates neural impulses from various receptors to the cerebral cortex. While the thalamus is classically known for its roles as a sensory relay in visual ...
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