May this Christmas Eve be filled with messages of joy, brotherhood and peace Merry Christmas to all
What is the Eucharist? Why do believers go to church on Christmas Eve?
Christmas is a festival of joy that marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Many rituals and traditions are followed by believers on Christmas Eve.  (Midnight Mass) is one such.
The Holy Eucharist or Eucharist is a service regularly held in Christian churches. It is held in commemoration of the Lord's Supper. The Syriac word for 'Kurbana' and 'Kareb' means 'to sacrifice'. In Arabic, 'Qurbana' means 'sacrifice'. The Holy Eucharist is considered a complete worship service because it is performed for all believers. Other rituals are performed for the personal needs of the believers. The Holy Eucharist stands as the consummation of these sacraments. Hence the Holy Eucharist is also known as the Sacrifice of the Whole, or the Royal Sacrifice.
Celebrating midnight mass on Christmas Eve is a tradition followed all over the world. The Pathira Mass is the first liturgy of the Christmas Tide, which begins at midnight. This is a Mass held in honor of the birth of Jesus. This midnight tradition was first recorded by Egeria, a Galician woman who made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 381-384. In Bethlehem, Egeria observes how the early Catholics of Jerusalem celebrated Christmas with great vigil at midnight.
By 430 AD, under Pope Sixtus III, this tradition was adopted by the Western world at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. This liturgy on Christmas morning is followed by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, and the Lutheran Church.
The popularity of the Pathira Mass increased by the 12th century when all priests were permitted to celebrate 3 Masses on Christmas Day. In the middle of the night. The rule was that Masses should be celebrated in the morning and in the afternoon. It is considered a great Mass that lasts until dawn and includes singing. The Holy Mass is a practice long followed by the Roman Catholic Church. However, since 2009, the Pope has started celebrating this Mass at 10pm instead of midnight. The importance of this ritual shows the importance of 'forgiveness'. The Eucharist is a Vigilant Mass that involves joyfully waiting for the coming of the Savior Jesus. Every year families come together to celebrate this christmas all of your family and friends whising you A Happy joyful Christmas