Fr. Richard Simon is at it again, clearing up misunderstandings like a theological superhero. Here’s the deal: people get all riled up about “Xmas” as if someone’s canceling Christ. But surprise! The “X” in Xmas isn’t about erasing Jesus: it’s actually an ancient Greek abbreviation for Christ.

In Greek, the letter “X” (chi) is the first letter of Christos (aka Christ). So, when you see “Xmas,” it’s not lazy shorthand. It’s actually rooted in the Christian tradition. 🧑‍🎓✝️

Father also threw in some trivia about abbreviations in icons (because why not?). For example, you might see “MR” on an image of the Blessed Mother. That’s short for Maria in their funky, ancient style of abbreviating. And honestly, their abbreviations make ours look boring. 🖌️

So next time someone gets mad about “Xmas,” you’ve got the perfect comeback: “Relax, it’s Greek!” Merry (X)mas! 🎄

P.S. Fr. Simon also said Yiddish is like medieval German and phlegm. 😂 Don’t say he doesn’t keep it real.

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