As a pastor, I love it when people write Xmas instead of Christmas. Here’s why: So That X you’re looking at actually isn’t the English letter X. As in Latin, X is the Greek letter Chi that looks like an X, and Chi is the first letter of the Greek word Christos (Χριστός), which means ‘anointed one’ or ‘Messiah’ and is where we get the English word ‘Christ.’
Christians who were being martyred for their faith in the 3rd century started the practice of using Chi as an abbreviation for the word Christos on the graves of martyrs. Over time, Christians, inspired by their faith, carried the practice through the medieval period (Age) and into English in the 16th century, and it continues today every single time you see somebody write Xmas.
So, the next time you see somebody write Xmas whether they know it or not, they’re keeping the Christos in Christmas. And maybe, instead of throwing fits about people taking the ‘Christ’ out of Christmas, calm down, become people of grace, and keep the ‘Christ’ in Christians.
By Josh Howerton,
Senior Pastor of Lakepointe Church
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