Holiday date
The feast of the Circumcision of the Lord is fixed, it is celebrated on the eighth day after Christmas, that is 14 January.
history of the holiday
The Lord Himself spoke to the righteous Abram when he was 99 years old. And his wife, Sarah, is 90. The Lord predicted to Abram that he would have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. It was the family of Abram that the Lord wished to especially patronize. In honor of this, the Lord changes the names of Abram and Sarah to Abraham and Sarah. The Lord commanded Abraham, as a sign of their agreement (covenant), to establish the rite of circumcision. Everyone who wants to be a member of the community, which is called God’s chosen people, must have their foreskin circumcised. This should be done on the eighth day after birth for all male children. Abraham accepted this condition and instituted obligatory circumcision for all males of his kind. Jesus Christ was also a descendant of Abraham and Sarah. Therefore, like all Israelite boys, He had to be circumcised on the eighth day.
The meaning of the holiday
In the New Testament circumcision of the flesh is replaced by circumcision of the heart. That is, in order to serve God, to belong to God’s chosen people, the rite of circumcision is not necessary. Jesus Christ institutes instead of Circumcision, Baptism with water and the Spirit.
Why did the Lord Jesus Christ get circumcised?
Having humbly passed the rite of Circumcision, our Savior Jesus Christ showed all his disciples that the New Testament, which He brought to us, does not cancel or destroy the Old Testament, but observes it. And, thus, brings it to perfection, abolish the gross carnal and affirming the primacy of the spirit. In order to preach among the people of Israel, Jesus had to be a full-fledged member of society: go to the temple, pray, live in an Israeli family. All this was absolutely impossible for the uncircumcised.
Eighth day – the day of naming
On the day of Circumcision, according to tradition, the Lord received the name that was predicted by an angel even before His conception. It was on the eighth day that they called His name – Jesus. The tradition of naming the baby on the eighth day after birth has been preserved among Christians. There is a rite of naming on the eighth day and special prayers for this occasion.
Circumcision among Christians has been officially abolished
In 49, at the Apostolic Council, circumcision was officially abolished for those wishing to be baptized. Since that time, only the rite of “Circumcision of the Heart” – Holy Baptism – has remained in the Church.
Circumcision as a covenant
Many ancient peoples had a tradition of circumcising babies. For example, the Egyptians. People mistakenly believed that since their foreskin was circumcised, they would certainly be saved and would always be pleasing to God, no matter what sin they committed. The Apostle Paul rebukes the Jews for being circumcised, behaving unworthily and sinning. The fact is that circumcision is not a magical ritual that makes a person chosen, it is a covenant, that is, an agreement, a contract between God and a person, similar to a military oath. Circumcision was a sign that a man was obligated to fulfill all the laws prescribed by God in the Old Testament. Likewise, baptism does not automatically make a person righteous, but means his desire to serve God.