Christmas traditions. How Orthodox Christians Celebrate Christmas

Orthodox Christians on January 7 joyfully celebrate one of the most important holidays - Christmas. Even those who do not share the Christian faith know that on this day a special baby was born who was destined to change the world. But not everyone knows the detailed history of the origin of the holiday, and it is not limited to just one event.

How did the holiday

The celebration of Christmas began to be celebrated in the fourth century. Before this, there was no such holiday in the Orthodox calendar, but there was Theophany, symbolizing the Baptism of Jesus and the appearance of the world at that moment Holy Trinity. Initially, this important holiday was called the Day of Enlightenment, personifying God with Light and making it clear that he appeared in the world to make it brighter.

It is clear that the date of January 7 is not the exact birthday of Jesus, but is only approximate, based on assumptions. According to biblical traditions, Christ had to stay on earth for a full number of years, which means that the day of his conception most likely coincided with the date of the crucifixion.

There is also an assumption that it is not by chance that the date of the celebration of Christmas falls on the day of the pagan holiday of the Birth of the Invincible Sun, symbolizing the beginning of the stay of a sunny day. Perhaps, therefore, Christian church wanted to supplant the ancient customs. It is no secret that Christianity replaced pagan holidays with its own in a similar way. For example, this happened with Easter and Maslenitsa.

Traditions of celebrating the Nativity of Christ

Christmas is one of the twelve most significant church holidays. On the night of January 7, it is celebrated by Orthodox churches that adhere to the Julian calendar (including the Russian and Ukrainian churches), as well as some Eastern Catholics. The rest of the Christians adhere to the Gregorian chronology and celebrate the appearance of the Savior on earth on the night of December 25-26.

The Christmas holidays are preceded by a forty-day fast, it is not as strict as the one before Easter great post. Four days a week is allowed to be included in the menu vegetable oil, and on Saturday and Sunday, as well as on church holidays that fall at this time, it is allowed to eat fish.

Christmas begins on the evening of January 6th. Christians call this day Christmas Eve and attach great importance to it. On the last day of fasting, it is strictly forbidden to work and eat. The celebration begins only after the first star lights up in the sky - a symbol of the birth of Jesus. At this moment, everyone sits together at the table and begins to celebrate the great event.

First, there should be exactly 12 lean dishes on the table, the main of which is sochivo - a specially prepared porridge from wheat grains, flavored with honey and fruits. The table is covered with a snow-white tablecloth and a small bundle of hay is necessarily placed on it, symbolizing the manger in which the newborn Savior lay.

Only after midnight is it allowed to bet on festive table meat and fish snacks, sweets and other delicacies. Orthodox begin the meal immediately after the end of the night church service. The Christmas feast is one of the most magnificent and satisfying. With an abundance of food, Christians rejoice at the miracle of the birth of Christ.

Christmas in Russia

In Russia, Christmas began to be celebrated in the 5th century, immediately after the Baptism of Russia. By the end of the 19th century, the holiday became not only church, but also secular. The rulers in every possible way did not approve of the attempts of the people on this day, any mention of a pagan holiday - the Day of the Solstice. It was forbidden to dress up in costumes, walk the streets in them and sing songs. At the beginning of the 20th century, the custom of decorating the Christmas tree appeared, and then the beloved Santa Claus was born with gifts and goodies.

With the coming to power of the atheistic communists, Christmas was made a list of forbidden holidays, which were not even allowed to be mentioned. Long years they tried in every possible way to erase this day from the memory of people, forbidding even decorating houses with elegant Christmas trees. But the people continued to celebrate the great event, jeopardizing career and freedom.

In 1990, Christmas was declared not only a public holiday, but also became an official holiday, for the first time nationwide it was celebrated on January 7, 1991. Now, on Christmas night, beautiful festive services are held in all churches, and services from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the main church of the country, are broadcast on TV all night.

In the week of Christmas, it is customary to go to visit, present each other with gifts and goodies. But until now, pre-Christian traditions are guessed in the holiday - it is customary for people to dress up and go from house to house with songs and games on Christmas time.

Many people know the story of the birth of Christ - the Son of God. His birth is described in the Gospel of Luke and Matthew. The significance of Christmas is so huge that the chronology is started from it and it is called the “mother of all holidays”. During such a long journey, many amazing events took place that will forever remain in our history.

13 Interesting Facts About Christmas

1. How did the date of Christmas

In ancient times, historians argued a lot, trying to figure out the exact date of Christmas. There are two versions.

The first says that before the 5th century all Eastern churches celebrated this holiday on January 6 along with the Epiphany of the Lord which was called Epiphany. But after the instructions of Pope Julius, the Christmas holiday was postponed to December 25th.

Supporters of the second version are inclined to believe that God's son was born on the sixth day of the first month, like Adam, therefore, it is customary to celebrate Christmas on January 6th.

But it was soon decided that such an important event needed a separate date. counting down 9 months from the date of death, which was precisely known (March 25 - Passover) historians have determined that Christmas fell on December 25th. The Gregorian calendar "divided" Catholics and Orthodox: today in Russia, Christmas is celebrated according to the old style - January 7, Catholics celebrate the birth of the Son of God on December 25th.

2. Baptism of Russia

With the adoption of Christianity began new story Kievan Rus. After Baptism, the old pagan traditions begin to gradually recede. Chronicles confirm that the first Christmas after the Baptism of Russia was celebrated in 988, on December 25th. For centuries, Christmas has been the main holiday in winter time year, having greater value, how New Year. Even the reform of Peter I on the obligatory celebration of the New Year could not change the situation. Christmas was the main celebration of winter until 1918, when the Soviet authorities imposed a ban on it.

3. Nativity scene and Christmas

The well-known word "nativity scene" is directly related to the Christmas holiday. Causing now negative associations, a nativity scene in Old Church Slavonic translates to cave. According to biblical tradition, Jesus was born in a cave. At the end of the 17th century, a crib puppet theater appeared in Russia, which later became popular. He represented wooden box, made in two floors in the form of a stage platform. The theater is named after the birth of Christ in the cave that sheltered him from Herod. Scenes from the life of Jesus took place in two parts: domestic and religious. In the future, other stories appear that were traditionally staged before the October Revolution.

4. Ancient rites

Despite the ban Russian Empire to dress up in idol robes, games and idolatrous traditions, and in some regions – pagan rituals and caroling have survived to this day. Christmas is the beginning of Christmas time, which runs until January 19th. During this period, hunting for animals and birds was prohibited. In the villages, a straw stack was built and burned by the whole family so that the dead ancestors could warm themselves by the fire and promote fertility.

5. Preparing for Christmas

Before Christmas they put things in order in the house, bathed in a bath, put on new clothes and covered the table with a clean tablecloth. The floor was covered with fresh straw, thus reminding that Jesus was born in a barn and lay in a manger on straw. A spruce tree decorated with the Star of Bethlehem and various sweets was installed in the house.

6. Traditional food

Christmas dinner traditionally served as an invitation for single travelers or acquaintances. Even the wolves were not left without treats. It was believed that having known human kindness, wild animals would not harm cattle. The main dish of the Christmas table was pork. Jellied meat was prepared from it, fried and stuffed. They also ate fish, game, hares and geese with apples. Dishes were served as baked in the oven as a whole, and with sliced porridge. A variety of pastries in the form of pies, pies, cheesecakes and kurniks were made with different fillings: vegetable, fruit, meat and fish. They drank jelly and compote with honey, marshmallow and brushwood.

7. Old Christmas beliefs

The peasants believed that if on Christmas Day a woman enters the home of strangers first, then in the coming year all female half will hurt at home. Another bad omen was to drink plain water for breakfast. Such a person, according to legend, will be thirsty all summer. On this day it was impossible to sew and weave, and the legs of the table were tied, as they believed that this would help keep the cattle in the herd.

8. The defeat of the Napoleonic army and the construction of the temple

The victory over Napoleon for the Russian Church is associated with Christmas, when on December 25, 1812, Alexander I signed the Manifesto on the creation of the most famous temple - the Nativity of Christ the Savior. The temple was erected in Moscow as a token of gratitude for the salvation from the death of Russia.

9. Banning Christmas

The year 1917 was the beginning of a new life for Orthodox citizens, in which it is forbidden not only to celebrate one of the most beloved holidays, but even to mention it. The spruce, symbolizing Christmas, is banned, and the five-pointed star is replacing the Bethlehem star. Residents furtively carried spruce branches to hide them in the most secluded place. Risking their work, freedom and life, during the years of repression, Christmas was celebrated in incredible conditions conducting secret services in homes.

10. Christmas on Solovki

In prisons and camps, Christmas celebrations could end in death. Boris Shiryaev, an Orthodox writer, in his book "The Unquenchable Lampada" describes the events of the 1920s that took place in the Solovetsky camp. Convicts for such an offense were sent to Sekirka, where not a single prisoner lived for more than two months. If the convicts were not shot immediately, then the existence on Sekirka was painful: they starved, cold, beaten because the prisoner spoke or simply moved. The book describes how believing Christians celebrated Christmas in hard labor, knowing what it could turn into if their conspiracy was revealed.

11. Holiday permission

Although the New Year was recognized as a secular holiday in 1935, and the ban was lifted, the decorated Christmas trees became New Year's trees, and the star at the top remained five-pointed. Officially, Christmas was revived at the legislative level only at the end of 1990. On January 7, 1991, Christmas becomes a non-working day. Perhaps the all-Union 24-hour telethon of the Soviet Children's Fund served as a prerequisite. It was held on January 7, 1990 and collected a record amount for those times - 102 million rubles, proving that Christmas is a special day for Russians, which everyone remembers, despite the ban. After the collapse of the USSR, the New Year remained the main family holiday, and only Orthodox believers celebrate Christmas.

12. Rejection of old traditions

For that not for a long time, when Orthodox holiday Christmas was banned, many traditions were lost. Currently, they are trying to revive old customs, restoring them bit by bit. One of them is the belief that the dead should be commemorated with fire, and sheaves of straw in front of the icon will attract prosperity to the house. Christmas water was considered healing, so they not only washed themselves in it, but also kneaded the dough for pies and loaves.

13. Complaining about Christmas

It is hard to imagine that not all Russians delight and delight in Christmas - it is known that it has opponents. Such incidents occurred in 1999 and 2008. Atheists and neo-pagans have repeatedly filed complaints with the Constitutional Court. The Constitution of the Russian Federation was cited as an argument, which states that no religion is mandatory, which means that Christmas cannot be a day off for every citizen. Fortunately for all the other millions of residents, such complaints are rejected with the explanation that the legislator has the right to decide who and when to rest.

Christmas is a special holiday. And even people who have never crossed the threshold of the church are enthusiastically preparing for its celebration. And for true Christians, this is one of the most significant church holidays. According to tradition, the holiday is celebrated on a grand scale. But few people know why the Orthodox celebrate Christmas on January 7th. Since there are other dates for the holiday, and Christmas falls on different dates for Catholics and Orthodox.

The story of the miraculous birth of God's baby is well known to every believer.

The Holy Virgin Mary gave birth to him, without experiencing torment and fear. The event took place in Bethlehem. This city in the kingdom of Octavia, where at that time the census of the entire population took place, belonged to the family of David.

Therefore, all who belonged to this oldest family were forced to appear for the census. The Virgin Mary and her husband, the righteous Joseph, were no exception.

Despite the pregnancy of the wife, who conceived immaculately, the family came to Bethlehem in the evening.

But, unfortunately, there were no places in the hotel for the couple. And they had to seek refuge in the cold night in the caves. In the place that was intended for the cattle stall, many people have already found shelter.

But Mary and Joseph did not join them, but found a secluded corner for themselves. It was here that Mary began giving birth. The Virgin Mary gave birth to a beautiful baby who was destined to change the fate of millions of people. To warm the baby, a caring woman put him in a manger with sheep.

The shepherds were the first to know that the Savior had come into the world. They were informed about this by an angel descending to earth. The shepherds immediately went to bow to the baby.

But the rising Star of Bethlehem told the wise men of the East about the good news.

She showed the Magi the way to the cave, where they brought for the Savior a gift of gold and incense: frankincense and myrrh.

The news about the birth of the Savior was not joyful for everyone. It was predicted to King Herod that a boy who was born would bring him death. Therefore, he decided to find and kill the baby. Since he did not know the exact whereabouts of the boy, the king ordered that all male infants under the age of two be killed.

The Son of God managed to escape, but on the orders of Herod, 14,000 babies were killed.

They were martyred, not yet knowing that the sacrifice was made to the future Savior.

The Orthodox holiday of the Nativity of Christ has become for believers a reminder of the miraculous appearance of the Savior, of the beginning of a new era of faith and hope.

Ask your acquaintances, friends, when the Orthodox celebrate Christmas, and you will hear the statement that January 7, and the answer will be, oddly enough, not entirely correct.

After all, there are Orthodox churches that celebrate Christmas on December 25th. And there are not few of them, but 10 of the 15 that exist today.

In addition, there are also catholic churches who celebrate Christmas together with Orthodox Christians on January 7th. Why is there such confusion with the day of the Catholic and Orthodox Christmas.

To understand, you have to look into history.

And here, oddly enough, there is no definite answer, since the real date of the birth of Christ has not been established.

Familiar to many, January 6 was long celebrated as the Day of Epiphany, since this event was considered more important in the life of Christians.

When the question arose about the birth of Christ, it was calculated based on the date of the news of the conception of God, which falls on March 25 according to the old style.

In addition, on December 25, many Western countries celebrated a pagan holiday dedicated to the god Saturn.

It was convenient for the Roman church to proclaim Christmas on this date. Such a substitution helped to eradicate pagan holidays, more familiar to people at that time.

The Church of Constantinople joined the celebration of Christmas in the century.

So long time Orthodox Christmas was celebrated on December 25th. And this state of affairs remained literally until the beginning of the 20th century.

In Russia, at that time, a decision was made to switch to the Gregorian calendar, according to which European countries have been living for more than a year. But the church does not support such a decision.

So church calendar Russian church is calculated according to the Julian calendar.

And the dates of the holidays have been preserved precisely in accordance with the old style.

According to the Gregorian calendar, the dates of the holidays have shifted by 13 days.

Therefore, it turns out that Christmas Orthodox calendar and today it is celebrated on December 25, but according to the Julian calendar, which corresponds to January 7 according to the calendar more familiar to the inhabitants.

These are parishioners of the Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Belarusian and Jerusalem Churches.

Since 2014, the Polish Orthodox Church has also joined them.

Together with them, Ukrainian Greek Catholics also celebrate Christmas, but against the backdrop of recent events, the question of postponing the date of Christmas celebrations has begun to be raised.

The date of the celebration of Orthodox Christmas also coincides with the day of the holiday for some Protestants who adhere to the Julian calendar. On the same day, Athos elders celebrate Christmas. So give an unambiguous answer, what number an Orthodox xmas, hard.

Orthodox Christmas: Celebration and Traditions of Orthodox Christmas

Christmas is an Orthodox holiday, and believers experience a meeting with Christ especially sharply and deeply on this day. This is the moment when the awareness of the roots and traditions of the celebration takes place joyfully and colorfully. The holiday gives warmth and faith, kindles light in the souls of people.

Before the birth of Christ, people were far from God and there was simply no opportunity to meet the Creator.

Therefore, God was forced to overcome the line that separates mortal and sinful people from eternal and joyful life, which was manifested by the appearance of God in the form of a man. He sent his son to the people, who was supposed to tell people about the Kingdom of God and lead them to faith. It is this meeting that the Orthodox celebrate at Christmas.

precedes the holiday Orthodox post- before Christmas, Christians adhere to Filippov or. Lent begins on November 28 and lasts until Christmas. The forty-day fast ends on Christmas morning.

The celebration begins on Christmas Eve. Families sit down to dinner only after the appearance of the first star.

Before that, on January 6, it is not supposed to eat. There should be on the tables, each of which has its own meaning and importance. Sochivo is considered the main dish, hence the name Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve begins Christmas time, which lasts another two weeks. Christmas time ends with another important holiday - Water Baptism, which is celebrated by the Orthodox on January 19 or January 13 according to the old style.

All night before Christmas there are festive services in churches. And on the morning of January 7, it is necessary to break the fast, as fasting ends.

Traditionally, rich tables are set for Christmas with, and,.

People congratulate relatives, relatives and just acquaintances on the holiday. Orthodox congratulations on the New Year and Christmas carry good thoughts and wishes of faith.

Churches and houses are necessarily decorated with coniferous branches and other Christmas paraphernalia. Be sure to put up a Christmas tree, which is supposed to be decorated with bright toys, tinsel, lights. This tradition is connected with the origin of the tree of paradise and the "paradise" apples on it.

The Christmas carols are especially interesting. Children and young people from the evening begin to go from house to house with good wishes.

In some villages, when the Orthodox celebrate Christmas, traditions of arranging nativity scenes have been preserved. Figures are attached to a wooden box. Nativity scene participants show with the help of these figures biblical story associated with the birth of Christ. They sing songs, read carols.

In gratitude, the owners thank them with sweets, sweets, sausage, money.

Be sure to give Orthodox gifts for Christmas. This tradition is associated with the wish of good, wealth, happiness to relatives, friends, dear people.

Gifts are placed under the Christmas tree or laid out in special boots and socks.

The holiday is always fun and joyful. With feasts, songs, dances, congratulations and gifts. Therefore, the Christmas holiday is very loved by both children and adults, and even by those who are indifferent or skeptical about Orthodox traditions.

Video: Orthodox stories for children

Watch the video cartoon about the Nativity of Christ

Nativity
(traditions of celebration)

Day Christmas since ancient times it has been ranked by the Church among the great twelfth feasts. The Gospel describes this great, all-joyful and miraculous event in this way: I announce to you - says the Angel to the shepherds of Bethlehem, - great joy that will be to all people: for today is born to you in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord; and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly, with an angel, a numerous host of heaven appeared, glorifying God and crying out: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men. !»

On this day, a great event for the entire Christian world took place - the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem (Jesus in Hebrew means "salvation"). All Christians are convinced that Jesus Christ was sent by God to earth to atone for sins and save mankind. The Old Testament prophets predicted the place and time of the birth of the Savior of the world - 5508 from the creation of the world. So, January 7 (December 25, old style) is the birthday of the Son of God on earth. From this day begins the countdown. According to the Gospel tradition, the mother of Jesus Christ Mary and her husband Joseph lived in Nazareth, and they came to Bethlehem, following the order of the ruler Augustus, to appear for the entire population for the census. Since so many people gathered for the census of the Roman Empire, Mary and Joseph could not find a place to sleep, and therefore they had to seek refuge in a small cave, where shepherds usually hid due to bad weather. There Mary gave birth to the Son of God. Then an angel descended from heaven and informed the shepherds, who were awake at that moment, that God had been born. The shepherds were the first to come to bow to the baby. shone in the sky star of bethlehem. Focusing on her, three wise men (Magi) came to the cave with Mary and Jesus Christ and brought gifts to God: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold symbolized royal power, incense - the will of God, myrrh - the fate of the prophet. By the way, it was from those ancient times that the tradition came to make the Star of Bethlehem and decorate the New Year tree with it.

The tradition of celebrating this event as a holiday appeared much later. One of the first mentions of the day of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ dates back to the fourth century. Based on historical data, scientists concluded that Jesus was not born in winter, and the date of December 25 was chosen due to the fact that, starting from this moment, daylight hours increase. Among the pagans, this day was referred to as the holiday "Birth of the Invincible Sun", and after the adoption of Christianity in Rome, it became the birthday of Christ - "The Birth of the Sun of Truth." There are several other theories, each of which in its own way explains the choice of this particular day to celebrate the birth of the son of God.

Emperor Aurelian introduced the official cult of the Invincible Sun, establishing the sun god as the chief deity of the empire. On a silver-plated bronze coin of Roman minting (274-275 years) Aurelian in his crown with sunbeams

The Jerusalem, Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Serbian Orthodox Churches, as well as the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, celebrate Christmas on January 7 according to the new style (which corresponds to December 25 according to the old Julian calendar, which these Churches adhere to). This holiday comes to the people of a frosty night at the hour of the midnight temple service in the glow of candles, in the light of the stars and the loud singing of the choir. The sounds of children's voices, praising God, like an angelic voice, fill the Universe with triumph. Heaven and earth glorify the Nativity of Christ. On earth, at least for a short time, peace reigns, and hearts are filled with good will. Within the fore-feast and after-feast, the feast of the Nativity of Christ lasts twelve days. On the last day before the feast, the eve of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas Eve) is celebrated, testifying to the special importance of the upcoming celebration, because eve is only before the most important holidays. V Orthodox Church on eve, the hours called the Royal Hours are celebrated, because from ancient times kings were present at this Divine service, worshiping the newborn King of kings. According to a tradition dating back to pagan times, on Christmas Eve it is forbidden to eat food until the first star. That is why the celebration of the Nativity of Christ begins with the dawn of the evening, which, according to legend, announced to the whole world the time of the birth of the Son of God. The very day of the Nativity of Christ in the flesh, as the most important and solemn. On this day, according to the voice of the Church, all kinds of joy are filled. Angels rejoice in heaven, and people rejoice: the whole creation plays for the sake of the Savior of the Lord, who was born in Bethlehem: like every flattery of idols, Christ reigns forever ".

Christmas - the great day of the whole Christian world - has long been accompanied by colorful folk customs. In many countries, as in Russia, it was considered one of the main family holidays. Christmas merged with the ancient Slavic rite - Christmas time. Christmas rituals eventually turned into Christmas ones. Christmas Orthodox family waited all year, the preparation for it was thorough. Six weeks before Christmas they fasted and ate fish. Who is richer - beluga, sturgeon, pike perch; who are poorer - herring, catfish, bream. In Russia there was a lot of any kind of fish. But at Christmas everyone ate pork.

In Ukrainian culture, Christmas begins to be celebrated on the sixth of January, in Holy evening. The evening meal becomes the end of the strict pre-Christmas forty days of fasting. It is customary to gather at the table with the whole family immediately after the appearance of the first star in the sky, which symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. Be sure to have twelve dishes on the table - in honor of the twelve apostles. The main dish on the lenten table is kutya, which is wheat or rice porridge mixed with poppy seeds, raisins, honey and nuts, as well as uzvar - compote cooked from dried fruits. On the seventh day, they go to visit only relatives, as well as caroling.

Evening meal on Holy Evening, January 6th.
Be sure to have twelve dishes on the table - in honor of the twelve apostles

In Russia, before Christmas on the sixth day, Christmas Eve comes, its name comes from a special food that is traditionally eaten on this day. Sochivo consists of boiled wheat and honey. After the rising of the first star, everyone sits down at a table laid with twelve Lenten dishes, and dine in solemn silence. For the Russian people, one of the most fun periods of the year is Christmas time, during which there are mass celebrations, games, songs are sung, everyone has fun and jokes. Also at this time, young girls are guessing, it is believed that it is at Christmas that you can most accurately predict your future.

In most countries of the Christian world (Catholic, Protestant and some Orthodox churches), Christmas is celebrated on December 25 in accordance with the new Gregorian calendar. The religious celebration begins on the night of the twenty-fourth to twenty-fifth of December with a midnight mass. Despite some similarities in the celebration of Christmas in Europe and America, the features of different cultures and peoples complement it with their unique colors. For example, many Americans whose ancestors moved to America from Poland still keep their traditions. Before Christmas on December 24, they spread hay on the floor and under the tablecloth. This should remind them of the inn, stable and manger where Jesus was born. Strict post on this day until the first star. In the evening, as soon as the first star rises, the traditional Polish pre-Christmas dinner begins. Beetroot soup, a variety of fish, cabbage, mushrooms and "sweet meat" (not real meat, but sweetness made from honey and poppy seeds) - traditional dishes for this holiday. True, meat dishes can only be eaten on Christmas itself - December 25th.

Americans with Hungarian roots pay a lot of attention church service and singing on Christmas Eve and Day. Perhaps more than any other American, no matter where their ancestors come from. In the evening, they gather in their yards around decorated Christmas trees and wait for the first star to appear. After that, richly seasoned food is prepared: rolls with walnuts and poppy seeds, dumplings with honey and poppy seeds, cumin, sesame and anise biscuits.

In the south of the United States, Christmas is celebrated especially noisily: with fireworks and fireworks. Early settlers congratulated their neighbors in this way. It was also believed that evil spirits were expelled in this way.

A completely different tradition in cold Alaska. On Christmas night, groups of boys and girls with lanterns in their hands carry a large cardboard star decorated with pieces of colored paper from house to house. The next day, the children dress up in the retinue of King Herod and try to kill the baby Jesus, thus staging the events of two thousand years ago.

The traditions of celebrating Christmas in Ukraine are extremely strong and colorful. In some regions of Ukraine there is a tradition to decorate the table Didukh, a sheaf of wheat or oats of a special form: with four legs and large quantity knots, symbolizing prosperity for the next year. As in the old days, for Christmas, many people cover the floor in village huts with fresh hay, and the table with straw, on which they then lay a tablecloth and put a treat. All this reminds us that the Savior was born not in the royal chambers, but in a sheepshed and was laid in a manger on straw. On the morning of January 7, the whole family or several representatives go to church for a festive prayer, and returning from church, people joyfully greet: - “Christ is born!” They are answered - "Praise him!" Starting from the evening of January 6, they go everywhere christoslavs (carolers) with the Star of Bethlehem. A large star made of gilded paper was fixed on a stick, decorated with a flashlight, paper garlands, sometimes with an icon of the Nativity, the Savior or Mother of God, then with this star, singing Christmas carols go around the surrounding houses. Such visits are called caroling.

carolers

An ancient Christmas custom in Ukraine was (and often remains) walking with den. nativity scene It was a small box depicting a cave where, according to legend, Christ was born. This box was a miniature puppet theater in which folk craftsmen played entire performances on the theme of Christmas. In the 19th century, in many city houses it became fashionable to make a small home nativity scene for children. They put it under the tree. Dolls were skillfully made of paper, cotton wool, wax, dressed up in brocade and silk caftans. There were also Eastern magi and angels who glorified, but the center of the composition was inevitably Mary and Joseph, bending over the manger with the Divine Child. In the western and southern regions of Ukraine, such a nativity scene was often installed in churches. V Lately the tradition of building a nativity scene under the Christmas tree began to revive, dolls for it can be purchased even in the store.

nativity scene

The mummers also went caroling - they acted out Christmas stories in roles, and besides, other Christian stories that are always popular with the people. These usually included Goat, Herod, Shepherds, Tsars, Jews, and even Death. Death is generally an extravagant character. At night, as you see, you can be scared. Everyone has masks and you never know if you know someone under them or not. But with the Jews you should be especially careful, otherwise they will lure you out of all the money. Passing from house to house with the news of the Bethlehem shepherds, the mummers glorified the coming into the world of the Savior, who showed the only way to true happiness - through love for neighbors, opened the doors of mercy and compassion.

Participants in theatrical Christmas nativity scenes and carols

Despite the peculiarities of the traditions of celebrating Christmas in different peoples, at the present time, almost all of them are united by certain common symbols. These include the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas, and the obligatory character of the holiday - Santa Claus (we have Santa Claus), and a Christmas tree decorated with toys and garlands. Almost everywhere at Christmas, festive wreaths and bells are hung, as well as Christmas candles are lit. On this bright holiday, all people praise Christ, greet each other: “Christ is born!”, and send Christmas cards to relatives and friends.

Learn more about New Year and Christmas holidays:

Christmas is a great holiday, a solemn day for all Christians. On this day, God himself, the Savior of the world, incarnated in man. Surprisingly, in Holy Scripture there is not a single indication that the day of the appearance of the Messiah into the world is a church holiday or some special day. In those days, birthdays were not celebrated in principle. Yes and ancient church did not celebrate Christmas. The birth of Christ was celebrated on the day of the Epiphany.

Surely, everyone knows the story about the magi who came to bow to the King of the Jews, seeing a star in the East. But the Magi themselves were not Jews. What did they believe? Why did the birth of the Savior become a great holiday for them too? Why did they prepare special gifts, which included oil for embalming the dead - myrrh?

How does fasting relate to exorcism in the Bible? Did Christ himself fast?

When do Orthodox people celebrate Christmas - December 25 or January 7? Did you know that the first Gregorian calendar “missed out” 10 days on purpose?

How to understand what happens at the festive service on Christmas? What are troparion and kontakion? We have analyzed in detail the composition of the worship service at Christmas.

Why is it customary to decorate a fir tree at Christmas, isn't this a secular New Year's tradition that has roots in paganism? Was there a fir tree next to the Christmas manger? Who was the first Christian to decorate a fir tree?

In this article, we have tried to collect for you the answers to the most important questions for a Christian about the festive day of Christmas, Interesting Facts and postcards with which you can congratulate your loved ones.

Christmas: the history of the holiday

So, let's turn to the history of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ. It would seem that everything is simple here. This day is described by the evangelists, undoubtedly, for a Christian, the birth of the King of Heaven, incarnation into a person, the opportunity to ask for the remission of sins and eternal life is a great holiday. Not so simple. As we have already said, the celebration of Christmas is not mentioned in Scripture. And even more so, there is no particular promise to decorate a fir tree, to give gifts to each other.

The history of the Nativity of Christ is described in the Holy Scriptures, but the celebration of this event appeared later. Christmas is one of the twelve great holidays of the Orthodox Church. In our tradition, they are usually called the Twelfth Feasts, these are the great celebrations of the Church that follow Easter. The Jewish tradition did not celebrate birthdays, which is hard to believe modern people and there is no promise in Scripture of a special celebration. The first mention of Christmas dates back to the 4th century. In 360, the Roman bishop Liberius mentioned the feast of the Nativity. In the 2nd century, the birth of Christ was spoken of on the day of Theophany. The Feast of the Epiphany celebrated three great events at once - the birth of Jesus, the bringing of gifts and Baptism. In the old breviaries Christmas is called "Winter Easter", the Resurrection of Christ was a consequence of Christmas. All church practice was formed around them. This holiday is dedicated to the earthly life of Christ. Our Savior was born not in a luxurious castle, but in a barn where cattle took refuge from the weather. In the Roman temple of Santa Maria Maggiore, presumably, a particle of the manger of Jesus is kept.

Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, in that year the emperor ordered a census of newborns. The Mother of God and Joseph were from the family of King David. There was no place for them in city hotels on the road to Bethlehem, so the Savior of the World was born next to the stall, and the Divine Infant was placed in a cattle feeder - His first manger. The shepherds who guarded their flocks nearby were the first to learn about the miracle that had happened, as the Gospel of Luke says. On a starry night, the Angel of the Lord appeared to them to proclaim the Great Joy "for today the Savior is born to you in the city of David." Together with the Angel, a numerous host of heaven appeared, crying out “Glory to God in the highest!”. The first to worship the Lord were the common people, and the common people became the first preachers of Christ. The angel said to them: “Do not be afraid: behold, I bring you great joy, that it will be for all people, as if today the Savior was born to you, Who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David,” and the humble shepherds were the first to bow for the sake of saving people to the One who descended to the “slave of the ". What did these words mean? Before the birth of Christ, God had never been incarnated before. Taking upon himself the sins of the world, Jesus gave people hope for Salvation, commanding his disciples above all - love. The Apostle Paul said that death for him would be an acquisition, because in the body he was separated from the true source of life - Christ.

Magi Melchior, Balthasar and Gaspard (in the Latin tradition) saw the Star of Bethlehem in the East and also understood that this meant the birth of the Savior of the world. They probably came from Persia. Despite the fact that the Magi were pagans seeking the truth, the sun of truth was revealed to them. In those days, astronomy was often combined with astrology and pagan practices, so in the modern sense, the Magi were something like magicians. Although the Persians and Jews believed that they believed in the One God and perceived each other favorably, the Magi, of course, could not be considered God's chosen people. They brought their gifts to the Divine Infant (gold is a sign of royal power, incense is a sign of priesthood and myrrh (spicy incense) - they anointed the bodies of the dead, a symbol that Jesus Christ will die and rise again. Zoroastrian teaching about the Saoshyants (three saviors who will teach The appearance of the Magi on the day of the feast meant that the Savior had come not to one nation, but to all people.

Why did the Son of God become man? God has opened the way for us to be saved. The essence of man united with the Divine essence. Jesus put on a man to heal mankind. He brought us an amazing gift of grace, and we are only required to worthily and righteously accept this gift. The manifestation of God in the flesh is a sacrifice that atoned for all the sins of mankind. And not only past, but also future sins. Theophan the Recluse writes about “adopting” by God the Father through God the Son: “The Spirit of God makes sons - regenerating, is it all? Not all, but only those who believed in the Lord, were appointed to follow Him in everything, and for the sake of these dispositions were accepted into the good pleasure of God, as if destined to be sons.

The place where God came into the world is now the Basilica of the Nativity. The basilica was laid by Empress Helen Equal to the Apostles. The basilica operates continuously, the building of the basilica suffered from wars and fires. There is a cave under the basilica, its place is marked with a silver star with fourteen rays. This is the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hegumen Daniel the Pilgrim is the first to describe the cave of the Nativity in Russian. This happened at the beginning of the 12th century.

On the eve of the Nativity of Christ, the pre-holiday day is Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is the “door” that opens the gate to Christmas.

Until the day of Christmas, the great holiday, people observe the Advent fast. Fasting in the life of a Christian takes up one third of the year. On these special days, Christians are trying to get in touch with timelessness, Eternity. Believers imitate Christ, because Christ fasted. Trying to become like Christ is necessary not only in food, but also in spiritual life. We empathize not even with the feast of Christmas itself, but with the appearance of Christ into the world, with the fact that God became a man. Fasting is a time of purification in the spiritual life and one of the main spiritual activities of a person. The holy saints of God fasted, as there are numerous references in Scripture. Many Holy Ascetics spent their whole lives in a special fast. Jesus spoke about the necessity of fasting to the Apostles. To the question of the Apostles - why they managed to cast out demons from a demoniac, Jesus answered that this kind is cast out only by fasting and prayer. Prayer is for the soul, and fasting for the body are important things for a Christian. Preparatory Christmas post. We are preparing for the Nativity of the Lord, the day of the great holiday, such a holiday should be met with spiritual purity. So that Christmas day does not become an ordinary day, fasting is observed, a person repents of sins, so that the soul perceives this holiday.

Symbols of the Nativity

On the eve of Christmas, on Christmas Eve, festive dishes are prepared - sochivo and kutya. The word "Christmas Eve" is just associated with the preparation of juicy. These are dishes from steamed cereals with honey. They eat only once on Christmas Eve, after the festive service.

The main symbol of
Christmas, of course, remains the Christmas tree. It occupies a special place in the Orthodox tradition, we will talk about it in detail.

The sacred gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh – still remain symbols of Christmas.

Another important symbol of Christmas is the Star of Bethlehem. People have always looked at the stars and admired the view of the night sky. But the Star of Bethlehem holds a special place. This is the star that led the magi with gifts to the cradle of Jesus. Its rays showed the way to the birthplace of the Savior. It is believed that after that the Magi themselves converted to Christianity and preached Christ. This star in the houses is attached to the top of the Christmas tree. The eight-pointed star is also present on the icon of the Mother of God "The Burning Bush". Previously, it was also installed on the domes of the first churches. The history of the star from the East was described by the Evangelist Matthew. The Magi knew the map of the starry sky well and believed that the stars are not just space objects, but also signs that tell about the fate of people. The Pentateuch of Moses contains the prediction of the prophet Balaam. This man did not belong to the Israelite people, he was of pagan origin. He proclaimed "a new star from Jacob," so the magi were waiting for a special star to appear in the East. The worship of Jesus from the pagans, the Magi, says that all times and peoples, all earthly kings will bow before Christ sooner or later.

The angel and bells remind us of the announcement of the birth of the Lord to the shepherds. The ringing of bells glorifies the Lord.

In many countries it is customary to light candles at Christmas. Their light symbolizes the Divine radiance of the joy of the Nativity of Christ.

The traditions of celebrating Christmas differ in different countries. Accordingly, the symbols of Christmas can be different. The tradition of the Christmas nativity scene has taken root in Russia. The nativity scene is a cave of the Nativity, it is made with their own hands and installed in temples, on city squares and in the homes of believers. The nativity scene “came” to Russia from the medieval Western Europe. In those days, they actively fought against pagan traditions and rituals. Many Christians, due to their weakness, participated in the feast of the god Mithras, pagan god Sun. This refers us to the history of the establishment of the feast of Christmas itself. Christmas Day coincided with the day of the Solstice, which also had some symbolic overtones. The Church began to celebrate Christmas separately from the day of Theophany, in order to replace the pagan holidays with Christian ones.

Even if many Christians did not organize pagan holidays, even becoming unwitting participants in the feast, they harmed their souls. So one might think that there is no essential difference between the veneration of Christ and the veneration of other non-existent gods. The Church had to either excommunicate the “half-pagans” or come up with a way to establish a real Christian holiday, reminding us that Christ the Savior had come to us. Despite the fact that there was an undoubted benefit in distinguishing Christmas from the feast of the Epiphany, a number of theologians believe that there were certain disadvantages for Christians in this. Christmas has become less closely associated with the appearance of God in the world. Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus said: “... The Existing God and the Son of God, having an invisible nature, when he became man, became manifest to all”.

In those days, not only church choir singers, but also parishioners took part in the Christmas holidays. On a special table above the throne, a statue of the Virgin Mary was installed. A boy from the church choir, portraying an angel, announced the birth of the Messiah. And the priests portrayed the Bethlehem shepherds. After the proclamation, they entered the altar. This was followed by a short presentation bible theme, which was called "Nativity scene", and in Western Ukraine simply "Nativity scene".

In Europe of the 16th century, such mysteries were performed by puppet theaters. Such theaters had decorations reminiscent of today's nativity scenes. They were cut out of paper, wood, molded from clay. Now dens are often simply installed at the entrance to a temple or house.

Catholics and Protestants also make advent calendars. Advent is the four weeks before Christmas. Small gifts are left for children in such calendars.

Why do different churches celebrate Christmas?

Many are wondering when to celebrate Christmas - December 25 or January 7? In some countries, for example, in Moldova, both days of Christmas are widely celebrated - in the old and in the new style. This is due to the confessional diversity in the country. In Russia, the celebration of Christmas is also becoming a tradition.

In the ancient world, there was no single calendar. Julius Caesar was one of the most enlightened men of his time. He realized that there was a need to create a calendar. Julian calendar established by Julius Caesar, which follows from its very name. Greek science of that time already knew that the Earth makes a complete revolution around the sun in 365 days and 6 hours. In fact, these are not entirely accurate figures - for 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes. Julius Caesar demanded that the calendar combine Roman and Greek names. scientific discoveries. In this calendar, as well as the Gregorian, 12 months, leap years, 365 days a year. An extra day appears every four years. Unfortunately, the inaccuracy of 11 minutes has become critical. So for 128 years a whole extra day would appear in the calendar. In 1582 it became obvious that it was necessary to develop new calendar. Pope Gregory XIII introduced the calendar, which is called respectively the Gregorian, it has fewer leap years. Years that are divisible by 100 but not divisible by 400 now contain 365 days. Why was there controversy if the new calendar was perfect? It deliberately skipped ten days. Countries adopted a new calendar in different periods, which gave rise to several confusions about important historical dates.

This question is not as unambiguous as it seems, and it's not just about calendars. Today our Church lives according to the Julian calendar, although in some countries the Gregorian calendar is considered the most accurate. The difference between these two calendars is in calculus. The Julian and Gregorian calendar is a matter of theology. After the October Revolution, the Julian calendar was considered “obscurantist”, all secular holidays are celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, in 1923 the Church tried to switch to a new style under pressure, but the Russian Orthodox Church remained faithful to the Julian. Catholics and Protestants celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar, as do a number of Orthodox Churches abroad.

We know quite accurately the date of the conception of the mother of John the Baptist, Elizabeth (September 23, old style). We know when Zechariah left Jerusalem, we know that in the sixth month after the conception of John the Baptist, an angel appeared to the Most Holy Theotokos. This day became the day of the Divine Conception of Jesus Christ. We cannot know exact date, but we can calculate that the birth of Christ was in the middle of winter.

Festive worship

The grandeur of the holiday is reflected in at Christmas. On this day, the prayer “To the King of Heaven” is read. This is how we call Christ, honoring Him as the Lord God. This prayer is not read only in the period from Easter to Pentecost, and many services are opened to it, and not just festive ones. Next comes the litany and the hymn "God is with us." This hymn reminds us of the prophet Isaiah, who, 700 years before the birth of Christ, announced the coming of the Savior of the world, born of the Virgin. He described the events of His earthly life, death and resurrection. This is followed by the song of Simeon the God-Receiver, which speaks of the bringing of the Divine Infant to the Jerusalem Temple, which was traditionally performed on the fortieth day of life. At the festive divine service on Christmas, irmos is sung - the title of the Christmas canon. There are nine songs in the canon, the beginning of the ninth song (irmos) is the thread that connects the Old Call with the New Testament. He says that it is better for us Christians to love silence. Many preachers cannot find words to convey the essence of the mystery of the Birth of Christ. The service is held in Church Slavonic. hymnography Ancient Russia and Byzantium is huge. As we know, all divine services go on a daily cycle. On the eve of the holidays, the morning and evening services merge into one “all-night vigil”. Such services are held only twice a year - at Christmas and Easter. The Patriarchal Christmas service is held in the Russian Orthodox Church, when the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addresses the flock.

Christmas Matins is sung at night. This night we hear the angelic song: Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, goodwill towards men. This is gratitude to God for the fact that he was incarnated and saved us. We also hear polyeleos, verses from these psalms glorify the mercy of the Lord. Next comes majesty, a short chant praising God. The composition of the festive Matins includes the power and power antiphon. Antiphons imitate the choir of Angels, praising the Lord. The titles refer to the way these chants are performed. Thus the Antiphons are sung alternately. Next comes the prokeimenon, which precedes the reading of a passage from Scripture dedicated to the Nativity of Christ. This is followed by the gospel stichera, explaining the words of Scripture.

Troparion and Kontakion for Christmas

The troparion and kontakion for Christmas are the most important components of the divine service. They are created by Christian poets - hymnographers. Troparion and kontakion are not just prayers, but also explanations of the essence of the Christmas holiday.

Troparion for Christmas

Kontakion for Christmas

Christmas tree: Orthodox meaning

Spruce has always been a symbol of Christmas. This is due to the fact that Herod ordered to kill all the babies, fearing for their position, when the Magi announced that the King of the Jews was born, meaning the Savior. It is believed that in order to save Jesus, Mary and Joseph closed the entrance to the cave with spruce branches.

Why was Herod so afraid? In the time of Jesus, everyone was waiting for the coming of the Messiah. He was expected as a mighty King whose enemies would be defeated. Jesus, as we remember, was born not in palaces, but in a barn, and His first manger was a bowl for cattle feed. Herod was not a deeply believing Jew, so the coming of the Messiah interested him only in terms of political ambitions. Not only was Herod not a descendant of David, which means that his position as an official ruler was already precarious, but it was not he who accepted Judaism, but his grandfather Antipas, because the Hasmonean Kingdom of Judah demanded it. Antipar, the father of Herod, seized the royal throne by cunning and force. He himself became a victim of betrayal and deceit. Herod punished the traitors and ascended to the kingdom. Power passed from hand to hand. Having married the granddaughter of Hyrcanus II and reconstructed the temple, Herod tried to strengthen his position. But, being a cruel and suspicious person, he later killed his wife and three sons, suspecting them of conspiracy. Against the backdrop of these events, magicians appeared in Jerusalem, demanding to show them the King of the Jews, and they clearly did not mean Herod. After that, he ordered to kill all the babies. This terrible event was one of Herod's worst atrocities.

In Europe, for a long time there was a legend that when the trees brought their gifts to the Divine Infant - fruits, they had nothing to offer him, and she modestly stood on the threshold of the barn, not daring to approach. Then Jesus smiled and held out his hand to her. But this story is more of a good story.

There was another version of this tale: it said that two other trees, a palm tree and an olive tree, did not let the spruce to Christ, mocking her. Hearing this, the Angel of the Lord adorned the modest tree, and she entered the manger of the Divine Infant in all her grandeur. Jesus rejoiced at the fir, but she was embarrassed, and not proud, because she remembered that an angel dressed her up, and she owes her transformation to him. For modesty, it was the spruce that became the symbol of Christmas Day.

In Russia, the tradition of decorating a fir tree for Christmas came only in the 18th century. By the way, in many countries, this tradition also became late: in England, France and America, only in the middle of the 19th century, spruce at Christmas became a widespread practice.

Spruce is also decorated for the New Year, but this is a secular tradition. For Orthodox Christians, spruce is, first of all, a symbol of Christmas. In ancient Russia, spruce was not favored, it was a gloomy tree growing in a swamp.

Decorated tree - an echo of paganism. In those days, people endowed nature with human, if not divine, properties. According to legend, forest spirits lived in coniferous trees. To save their homes from evil spirits, people dressed up forest beauties, trying to appease them. Attitudes towards coniferous trees, by the way, were constantly changing. They either kept evil spirits in themselves, or guarded the dwelling. However, at all times spruce was endowed with mystical properties.

In Europe of the 15th-16th centuries, for the first time, there are references to decorating spruce. It is believed that the custom of decorating a fir tree in the Christian tradition was discovered by Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism. He put candles on the branches of a fir tree to show the children the symbol of the Lord's love and mercy - the beauty of the heavenly stars on the day when the Lord became incarnate and descended to people. Peter I “brought” the decorated spruce to Russia, but initially it was placed only in drinking establishments, and the elegant tree appeared in houses already in the 19th century. In the house of Emperor Nicholas I in St. Petersburg, there was a decorated Christmas tree.

A little later, the spruce appeared as an illustration for the book Nutcracker by Hoffmann, which spoke of the deeply rooted tradition of decorating a spruce at Christmas. Already in 1916, the Holy Synod saw the influence of the Germans in the tradition and banned it, and in 1927, after an anti-religious campaign, the Christmas tree was attributed to the “remnants of the past” ...

Now the evergreen spruce, also reminiscent of eternal life, is experiencing a rebirth. In 1935, the spruce returned to government offices, but returned, alas, as a secular symbol of the New Year. It was decorated with a red star on top. It is known that during the years of the fight against God, people dressed up the fir tree secretly in their homes. People began to remember that this is, first of all, a symbol of the Nativity of Christ.