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 heavenly army 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 holiday, 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. In the Orthodox Church, on eve, the hours called the Royal Hours are celebrated, because from time immemorial, kings have been 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, he was considered one of the main family holidays. Christmas merged with the ancient Slavic rite - Christmas time. Christmas rituals eventually turned into Christmas ones. The Orthodox family waited for Christmas 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, a 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. Beet soup, a variety of fish, cabbage, mushrooms and "sweet meat" (not real meat, but sweets made from honey and poppy seeds) are traditional dishes for such a holiday. Is it true, meat dishes it will be possible to eat only on Christmas itself - December 25th.

Americans with Hungarian roots pay great attention church service and singing on Christmas Eve and Afternoon. 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 a large number of knots, symbolizing prosperity on 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 the 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 craftsmen They played whole 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. IN 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, others Christian stories which enjoy constant success among 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:

On January 7, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. the site will tell you what kind of holiday it is, what traditions must be observed on this day, what can be done and what cannot be done.

The History of the Nativity of Christ

Christmas is considered one of the greatest holidays, the main purpose of which is to honor the memory of the birth of the savior of mankind in Christianity - Jesus Christ.

The beginning of the holiday was put by a biblical legend: it was on this day in Bethlehem, located south of Jerusalem, that Jesus Christ was born. His birth begins to be celebrated on Christmas Eve, on the evening of January 6th. According to legend, on this day the first star appeared in the sky - the same one that once brought the Magi to Bethlehem.

Source: alter-idea.info

The very first celebration of Christmas was celebrated on December 25, 354 in the ancient illustrated Chronograph calendar. However, the holiday itself was officially legalized at the Council of Ephesus in 431.

In Rus' Christian holiday began to spread in the 10th century. Christmas was combined with the ancient Slavic winter holiday in honor of the ancestral spirits (Christmas Day), the remnants of which were preserved in the "Christmas" rites (mummers, fortune-telling), which at present the church considers unacceptable, since, according to Christian clergy any fortune-telling is a terrible sin.

Why are the dates of Catholic and Orthodox Christmas different?

In some countries, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar or according to the new style, in others it is celebrated on January 7 according to the Julian calendar or according to the old style.

For a long time, the Nativity of Christ was called the Epiphany. Ancient Christians celebrated both Christmas and the Baptism of Christ on December 25, according to the old style. In the 4th century, in order to give greater significance to one and the second holiday and not to confuse the very concepts of celebrations, these days were divided into January 7 and January 19. At the same time, when the division into the Gregorian and Julian calendars appeared, a shift occurred, which in our time is incorrectly called the division into Catholic and Christian Christmas, but in fact this is due only to different calendars.

Traditions and symbols of Christmas

The main tradition of the Nativity of Christ is to forgive everyone on this day. According to the New Testament, God forgave man, his sins. Therefore, the church considers it important to forgive everyone in order to get closer to the mystery of the Incarnation, as well as to cleanse the soul at the Mystery of Confession.

One of interesting traditions Christmas celebrations are considered "Christmas mangers" or nativity scenes depicting the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ. The world's first nursery was created in 1562 in Prague. For a long time they were installed only in churches, later the custom was adopted by aristocrats and rich people. The scene of the manger is as follows: the baby in the cradle is surrounded by parents, the legendary ox and donkey, shepherds, wise men. Important role played characters from common people crowding around: enthusiastic fishermen, a fish saleswoman, a woman with an earthen jar, and others.

Esteban Bartolome Murillo, Adoration of the Shepherds.

Another feature of the Christmas festivities is the scene about the birth of the baby Jesus. The tradition of these scenes lies in the medieval mysteries, "live" scenes of the birth of Christ. Birth scenes were played out in temples and accompanied by church singing. So, one of the well-known symbols of Christmas was the first rising star in the sky, according to which, according to legend, the Magi came to Bethlehem to bow to the baby Christ. But returning to religious symbolism, the first star is symbolized by the very first candle that is taken out after the service. So, it is customary not to eat anything until the first star, and on January 6 it is only allowed to eat, and on January 7, after the liturgy, fasting ends and you can eat everything.

Also, the spruce became one of the symbols of Christmas; among the ancient Romans, this tree was a symbol of eternal life. Once it was decorated only with fruits, most often with apples. And when there was a very poor apple harvest in 1858, Lorraine glassblowers created glass balls to replace the apples—hence the tradition of Christmas tree decorations. In France, with a guided tour, you can visit the glass workshops where the first Christmas tree balls were made.

Also note and. First of all, carols are chants. Previously, these were pagan chants, but now they praise Christ. Singing carols is a kind of folk sermon that tells about Christ and thus more people learn the story of Jesus Christ.

Christmas has always been so tightly woven into life Russian peoples, what after October revolution when faith in God began to be equated with treason and Soviet authority tried to cancel any church celebrations, people had to invent an alternative: it is believed that this is how New Year's morning performances and performances with fairy-tale characters appeared, which are actually converted Christmas scenes.

What not to do on the night of Christmas

According to the clergy of the church, the most important thing is to be pure in heart and not to sin.

Previously, didukh was prepared in houses for the celebration of Christmas - a symbolic festively decorated sheaf of grain (rye, wheat, oats), which was installed in the corner and it was believed that since that time the souls of patron ancestors have been there. As long as the didukh was in the house, it was forbidden to perform any work, except for the care of livestock.

"Holy" was not only the dinner on Christmas Eve, but also the following dinners until the Generous Evening on January 13th. At the same time, it was forbidden to work for the entire holiday week.

Also, from Christmas to Epiphany, men were not allowed to hunt: the killing of animals during Christmas time is considered a great sin and can bring trouble.

Beginning of January. Every day we are getting closer to the second most important holiday of the Orthodox Church - the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

From this event begins the great story of the salvation of mankind from sin and death, the story of its redemption and reunion with God through the personality of the God-man who came into the world.

That is why the Nativity of Christ is so revered by all Christians that even the reckoning accepted throughout the world, history itself, divides this event in two. There is a time "before", and there is a time "after" the Nativity of Christ.

After the fall of the forefathers, their descendants for centuries experienced torment from the damage of their own nature and because, through their own negative moral choice distanced themselves from God, who is the source of all blessings. People lived only in expectation. Waiting for the coming into the world of the Messiah, Redeemer and Reconciler of mankind with God. And finally, He was born, born of the immaculate virgin Mary.

Here is how the apostle and evangelist Matthew narrates about this great sacrament of the beginning of the earthly path of the Lord: “The birth of Jesus Christ was like this: after the betrothal of His Mother Mary to Joseph, before they were combined, it turned out that She was pregnant with the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to publicize her, wanted to secretly let her go. But when he thought this, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: Joseph, son of David! do not be afraid to take Mary your wife, for what is born in her is from the Holy Spirit; She will give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:18-21).

It is especially important to remember the significance of the coming of the Savior into the world now, when militant secularists are trying in every possible way to obscure the role of the person of Christ in the spiritual life, history and culture of mankind before the mind's eye of people. They are trying to replace the Nativity of Christ simply with “Christmas-it’s not clear who” or, even better, a “holiday” without Christian symbols and semantic content in order to destroy the inner worldview system in each of us and calmly manage the resulting herd.

The Nativity of the Savior is extremely important to us. And this, besides the Church, is evidenced by the history of the world itself, by the very ideas of what our society should and should not, even our culture itself, which is thoroughly permeated with Christian motives.

History of Santa Claus and Santa Claus

A pot-bellied, red-nosed old man in a short red fur coat with a white trim, the same trousers and a black leather belt across his stomach, who lives in Lapland with deer and elves, climbs chimneys at Christmas to distribute gifts to children - that's what modern look Santa Claus's Western culture. (Santa is a saint, Klaus is a reduced form of the name Nikolai)

The real prototype of this folklore character, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, did not look like that at all. He was very ascetic and devoted his life to serving God, although he also loved children very much.

Saint Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in the 3rd century after the Nativity of Christ, and he found the era of the last great persecution of the Church by Emperor Diocletian. However, the fate of the martyrs for the faith passed Nicholas and he headed the local Church, becoming a bishop in the city of Myra in Lycia (modern Antalya region).

Prior to his ordination, Nicholas was a fairly wealthy man, but before his consecration, he used all his property to help the poor, mainly orphans.

Subsequently, he also helped orphans and the poor a lot, allocating money for this from the funds collected by Christians and secretly distributing donations at night. The Christian virtue of mercy was generally characteristic of the saint. Once, in this way, he saved three girls from dishonor by throwing three bags of money into the window of their house - so that they would have a dowry and they could adequately marry.

Later, on the basis of these stories, a belief spread widely in Europe that the saint annually secretly visits children, distributing gifts to the obedient, and rewarding the disobedient with only a pinch of salt. There was even a popular addition to the life, according to which the saint, throwing a bag with a dowry into the house of three maidens, got them into a sock drying over the fireplace (in Asia Minor!) And from here, allegedly, the tradition of preparing Christmas socks for Santa's gifts began.

Over time, the image of the saint in European culture more and more folklorized and now to XVII century in Holland, he is already accompanied by a black man - “Black Peter”, who hides all the naughty children in a bag and takes him away forever, and Sinter Klaas himself begins to undignifiedly descend into the house through the chimney and, unexpectedly, moves from the south of Turkey to Lapland.

In addition, before the Reformation, Santa distributed gifts on December 19 - the day of memory of St. Nicholas, and after, during the period of Catholic reaction, he began to do this much later - on the night of the Nativity of Christ - January 7.

towards the middle 19th century Santa Claus in the USA, through the efforts of a local Sunday school teacher and a well-known cartoonist, first acquired deer and a retinue of elves, and then a short red coat, a huge belly, a red nose and a pointed cap with a pompom, finally losing touch with the holy prototype.

Russian Santa Claus appeared, contrary to popular belief, not in the 1930s, replacing the Christmas image of the saint, but much earlier.

In Russia, it was generally not customary to vulgarize the image of the saint and miracle worker Nicholas, identifying him with Santa. In Russian culture, the saint forever remained within the boundaries of the Church, where they prayed to him and reverently revered him.

In the second half of the 19th century, in the cities of Russia, they began to try to borrow the image of the Christmas giver, widespread in the West, so that children would have another good fairy tale. In order not to reverently confuse it with the image of St. Nicholas, the image of the giver was found in Russian pre-Christian culture, consecrating and ennobling the ancient Grandfather Treskun, the harsh master of the winter cold.

The updated Santa Claus acted as an unambiguously kind character. The gray-haired and majestic old man came to the Christmas tree in a long fur coat, a boyar hat and mittens, with a staff in his hands and a bag of gifts behind his back. He could instructively punish disobedient children, and gave gifts to obedient children and could ride in a sleigh on his troika.

The image of Santa Claus was really widespread already in 1910, and then, just in the 1930s, like many other attributes of the family Christmas holiday, it was transferred by the Bolsheviks to New Year. This was done to shift the focus and leave the form of a winter family holiday, emasculating from it all the deep religious and ideological content.

In general, the tradition of the Christmas giver in Russia has not taken root. Santa Claus has become strongly associated with the New Year, and on the day of the Nativity of Christ, after the service, the Russians themselves give gifts to each other, doing well without fabulous intermediaries.

Why do storks bring children, and put a piglet on the table?

One of the European Christmas legends says that various animals and birds served the baby Christ in the manger. The calf warmed him with his breath, the cat soothed him with a purr, the dog guarded the entrance to the den. The stork also served his Lord, additionally insulating the manger of the Divine Infant with feathers from his chest.

In gratitude for this, Christ called the stork "a blessed bird and friend of all children", giving them the honorable duty to deliver them to their parents.

In the most popular versions of the legend, the stork brings a baby swaying in a diaper, the ends of which he holds in his beak, or in a basket attached to his back. Delivery can be directly in the hands of the mother, or in the chimney. If the future parents are sleeping, then the feathered postman can lightly pinch the mother's leg.

Storks are revered as an example of an exemplary family. According to the same legend, these are the only birds that not only never change partners, remaining faithful to their choice all their lives, but also take care of their elderly parents, supporting them in flight and feeding them on the ground.

Another legend that refers us to the Bethlehem manger concerns the Christmas pig. According to legend, it is eaten ... as a punishment for disrespect.

In “The Summer of the Lord” by the writer Ivan Shmelev, it is described as follows: “It is ordered to eat them at Christmas for punishment! She did not let the baby sleep, she grunted all the time. That's why it's called a pig. He wanted to stroke her, but she, a pig, pricked His hand with a bristle.

Therefore, at Christmas, it is precisely a tender suckling pig with an apple in its teeth and parsley behind its ears that is served at the table.

Holy days and the depravity of divination

On the night of January 6-7 (if according to the secular calendar), the Church celebrates the Nativity of Christ. Two weeks from Christmas to the Epiphany of the Lord are called "Holy days" or "Christmas".

On these days, it is customary to exchange gifts, sing Christmas spiritual hymns and especially praise the born Christ, visiting friends and acquaintances with carols. In some areas, they arrange a kind of Christmas religious procession, only with a star. When the youth church community goes from house to house with a banner in the form of the star of Bethlehem and performs small prayers with the singing of the troparion of the Nativity of Christ.

Many Orthodox Christians dedicate Christmas time to charity, visiting sick or lonely people with songs, gifts, and attention.

Some people resort to help on the holy days of the Christmas holidays dark forces and try to find out from them what awaits them ahead, because it is on these days that fortune-telling is considered “stronger”. Divination is a common superstition that offends magical rites holy days meant to glorify God.

The concept of fate is alien to a Christian - nothing, except for his every minute volitional choice, determines his future. This is exactly what the Church teaches us.

How and why did the spruce become a Christmas symbol?

Even in the pre-Christian period among the Germanic tribes, spruce was a symbol of eternal life, like a tree that never loses its foliage. The Germans decorated their houses with it in order to attract vitality and good luck.

In the 8th century, Saint Boniface preached to the pagans a sermon about the Nativity. In order to convince the idolaters that the sacred oak they revere is not an inviolable tree, the saint cut down one of the oaks. sacred grove. When the felled oak fell, it knocked down all the trees in its path, except for the young spruce. Saint Boniface took the survival of the spruce as a miracle and exclaimed: "Let this tree be the tree of Christ!"

Later, already in the Middle Ages, this symbol was even more Christianized. In 1419, in Freiburg, bakers decorated the tree with delicious decorations that children could take off and eat on Christmas Eve. Since then, spruce has become an indispensable attribute of the Nativity of Christ.

IN XVIII century the Christmas tree also migrated to Russia, where Emperor Peter the Great ordered to decorate houses and public places with fir trees or their branches during the Christmas holidays.

Mistake of Dionysius the Lesser or how Christ was born later than his birth

2015 2016 2017 from the Nativity of Christ. This is how we count time all over the world today. This system of chronology was proposed by the Roman abbot of Scythian origin Dionysius the Small in the 6th century.

Dionysius was a learned monk, and left behind many of his own works and translations of ancient authors. Among other things, he was engaged in compiling and clarifying Paschalia, as well as calculating the date of birth of the Savior. This work was entrusted to him by Pope John the First.

In his work, Abbot Dionysius was guided by the Alexandrian Paschalia and biblical information that chronologically limits the date of the birth of Christ. However, he did not take into account that some emperors had co-rulers, reigned under different names etc., which is why an error crept into his calculations. They began to contradict the Holy Scripture, which says that the Lord was born in the time of Herod the Great, although according to Dionysius' calculations, he died in the 4th year before the birth of Christ.

Byzantine and modern researchers considering more quantity factors, refer the date of birth of the Savior to 3, 4 or 5 years before the birth of Christ according to the chronology of Dionysius the Lesser. Thus, the future Christmas may not fall in 2017, but, say, in 2020 from the real birth of the God-man.

December 5 as the Day of Christmas first appears in the annals of the Christian writer of Greek origin Sextus Julius Africanus in 221. This date coincided with the pagan celebrations of the Day of the Invincible Sun - the winter solstice.

Salome, who doubted the virginity of the Mother of God

According to one apocryphal legend, Joseph the Betrothed brought two midwives to the bed of the Mother of God. But they were late for the birth of the baby and entered the cave when the mother herself swaddled her son in a manger.

Having examined the Mother of God, one of the midwives, Geloma, declared that She remained a virgin, and her friend Salome did not believe this miracle and impiously expressed her doubts. For this, according to the Gospel of pseudo-Matthew, she was struck either by a terrible pain in her hand, or by dry hand.

Frightened, Salome publicly brought heartfelt repentance, and the angel who appeared after that informed her that she could be healed: “Salome, Salome, the Lord listened to you, put your hand to the baby and hold him, and salvation and joy will come for you.”

As soon as the midwife touched the Savior, she was miraculously healed and believed in the coming of the Messiah into the world.

Nativity Scene and Nativity Theater

Come to Christmas in any temple of the Russian Orthodox Church. What will you see next to the temple? Right! Nativity scene, symbolizing the cave where the Savior of the world was born.

In this cave, there will often be a manger with a symbolic baby, as well as figures of the Mother of God, Joseph the Betrothed, shepherds and animals. She will be adorned spruce branches, garlands and Christmas star.

This tradition went on for almost the third century. IN XVII century Nativity scene entered Russia from Europe puppet show, the organizers of which, in the form of a colorful performance, told children at fairs and squares about gospel events the birth of the Savior, the adoration of the Magi, the massacre of the infants by Herod, and the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt.

Cathedral of Christ the Savior

How is the main temple of the Russian Orthodox Church connected with the Nativity of Christ? Very simple. This temple is dedicated specifically to the Nativity of Christ and, at the same time, is a huge monument to the heroes Patriotic War 1812.

After the successful expulsion of the enemy from the borders of our country, Emperor Alexander I ordered that on this day to celebrate the deliverance of the Fatherland "from the invasion of the Gauls and with them twelve languages" - i.e. Napoleon's army, which included the French army and regiments of 12 states.

house of bread

In parables, the Savior sometimes speaks of bread. The Lord performed two miraculous feedings of the people with nothing but bread. The Sacrament of Communion was established by Christ through the breaking of bread. Finally, in His Lord's Prayer, we call on God to give us daily bread.

Elsewhere in the Gospel of John, the Lord directly tells the Jews about himself: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven (John 6:51)". And this is no accident, because "Bethlehem" is translated from Hebrew as "House of Bread" (Beit - house, Lehem - bread).

Christmas cards

In 1843, Sir Henry Cole sent the first ever Christmas card from London. The sketch for her was drawn by the artist John Gersley, who was familiar to Cole. A total of one thousand copies were printed. However, Cole and Gersley could not find a thousand recipients, and the surplus circulation was put on sale.

At first, the innovation was greeted by society coolly. The real boom in such postcards did not begin until twenty years later, when printing fell in price and the postal system was improved. Publisher Louis Prang popularized Christmas cards in 1875. He organized a nationwide competition in the United States for the best design of a Christmas card.

Over time, Christmas cards have spread all over the world and today each of us gives them to friends and acquaintances.

Christmas Eve and Sochivo

Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas night, is the culmination of the pre-holiday fast and the strictest part of it. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to completely abstain from food, which can only be tasted with the appearance of the first star.

It is customary to eat this evening sochivo, which is why, in fact, the name "Christmas Eve" comes from. Sochivo is a special dish of grains soaked in water and honey with nuts, as well as raisins and other fruits.

It is customary to eat sochivo in imitation of the fast of Daniel and the three youths, remembered before the feast of the Nativity of Christ, who ate from the seeds of the earth, so as not to be defiled by a pagan meal (Dan. 1, 8).

The legend of the fourth magician

Three Eastern sages came to bow to the Savior, who was born in a small Jewish town - Bethlehem. The Magi were the wisest and most educated men of their time. According to legend, their names were Melchior, Gaspard and Belshazzar. They brought symbolic gifts to baby Jesus: gold - as a king, myrrh - as a man, and frankincense - as God, and bowed to Him on behalf of all the wise people of the Earth.

Three is the biblical number of fullness. However, there is a legend that there were not three Magi, but four. The last of them was called Artabanus. And he could not worship the Savior with a word, because all the way to Him he served his earthly children with deeds.

Artaban was a very rich nobleman and sold all his property in order to go to Palestine and give Christ three beautiful precious stones.

His path lay through the forest, where the sage met a seriously ill Jew. Arguing that God should be served with love, Artaban used one stone for the treatment and maintenance of a traveler he met in an inn. He personally nursed the sick until he recovered and was late for Bethlehem.

When the sorcerer arrived at the birthplace of the Messiah, the soldiers of Herod the Great were just killing the Bethlehem babies on the orders of their king. In order to save at least one child - in the house where he stayed, Artaban gave the head of the detachment of soldiers the second of the gifts prepared for the Lord.

Later, he followed the Savior for many years, helping people everywhere, until he finally saw him 30 years later, already going to Golgotha. Here he saved the girl from dishonor by using the last of his jewels to pay her father's debts.

During the earthquake, after death on the cross Gentlemen, Artaban was struck by a stone that fell from the wall of the house and died. But before his death, Christ appeared to him, greeting him with the gospel words: “Truly, truly, I say to you, everything that you did to one of the younger brothers, you did to me.” and announced that the gifts of the sage had been accepted by Him.

Pravoslavie.fm and the author personally congratulate all our readers on the New Year and the upcoming celebration of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ! We wish you in the new year God's help, small miracles for your souls, health, family warmth and happiness!

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The day of intensive preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Christ is considered to be Christmas Eve - the eve of the great holiday, which comes on January 7 for Orthodox Christians.

According to strict rules, believers are advised to refuse food until the first star. Only when the first star appears - the symbol of the star of Bethlehem - can you taste sochivo (a lean dish that is most often prepared from wheat or rice with honey and fruits). Hence the name of this day - Christmas Eve.

40-day Advent fast, intensified prayer approached Orthodox people to a great celebration. However, the ancient Christians did not know him; for them, the Resurrection of Christ overshadowed Christmas. At the end of the III - beginning of the IV centuries, Christians began to celebrate Christmas and the Epiphany of the Savior on the same day - January 6 according to the Julian calendar. By the way, this tradition is preserved by the Armenian Apostolic Church. And only in the middle of the 4th century did the feast of the Nativity separate from Epiphany and began to be celebrated by the Roman Church on December 25 according to the Julian calendar.

It is on this night before Christmas, according to popular belief, that two forces dominate: good and evil. Whichever person adjoined, she worked wonders with him. One called out to carol and glorify the birth of Christ for festive table, and the other gathered witches for a sabbath. In the evening, a carol (wicket) went from house to house - disguised guys in turned-out fur coats and with animal masks on their faces. Magnified the owners, not sparing generous words. Signs: "If the weather is snowy on Christmas Eve, there will be a harvest for bread." It was believed that on this day, the last before Christmas, snowfall is a sure sign of the prosperity of the economy in the new year. And if it's frosty that day, there will be advice and love in the family. Of course, these signs and prejudices are just an "echo" of pagan celebrations and traditions that have nothing to do with the essence of the great Christian holiday.

“The feast of the Nativity of Christ is one of the days when, with the greatest depth and joy, we experience a meeting with God. Before this solemn and marvelous day, the world and God were separated by sin, and a person, no matter how eager he was to meet God, could not fulfill it on his own, without Him. And God, in His immeasurable love, in His mercy, became a man, He passed the line that separated a fallen man from eternal life and from eternal joy,” Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh said in one of his sermons. On Christmas Eve, Christmas time begins - two weeks of winter holidays that continue until Epiphany, which is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on January 19th.

January 7 - Christmas - the second most important after Easter, the great twelfth holiday.

Together with the Russian Orthodox Church, Christmas on the night of January 6-7 is celebrated by the Jerusalem, Serbian and Georgian Orthodox Churches, as well as Athos monasteries, Catholics of the Eastern rite (in particular, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) and some Protestants living according to the Julian calendar. All other 11 Local Orthodox Churches world celebrate Christmas, like Catholics, on the night of December 24-25, as they use the so-called "New Julian" calendar, which so far coincides with Gregorian calendar used by Catholics.

According to the gospel tradition, when the Roman emperor Augustus, who ruled Judea, announced a census of the population and everyone had to register exactly where they came from, righteous Joseph went with the Blessed Virgin Mary betrothed to him to his hometown Bethlehem.

There were no empty rooms in the hotel, so Joseph and Maria found shelter in a cave where they drove pets (in Old Slavonic - a nativity scene). In this den, the Savior was born. The Mother of God placed the baby in a manger.

The first to bow to the incarnate God came the shepherds, informed by an angel. After them came the Magi (Eastern pagan sages), who learned about the miracle that had happened by the appearance of an unusual star in the sky. This star led the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus and therefore is called Bethlehem.

The Feast of Christmas, according to the teachings of the Church, symbolizes the reconciliation of man with God. Christmas heralds the redemptive feat of Christ and renewal human nature afflicted by the fall of the forefathers.
The holiday is preceded by a multi-day Advent fast, which begins on November 28 and lasts for 40 days through January 6, inclusive.

After the festive night service on January 7, the Orthodox congratulate each other on the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ and break the fast (break the fast).

On this day in Rus', magnificent feasts were traditionally held. Children went from house to house with a "nativity scene" - a small box pasted over with colored paper, in which, with the help of dolls mounted on an axis, scenes were played out on gospel story about the birth of Christ. For this performance, accompanied by singing, the children received gifts. In some places, in particular in Ukraine, this custom is preserved to this day.

At Christmas, houses and churches are decorated with firs and coniferous branches, symbolizing eternal life, and the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree is associated with the image of a paradise tree abounding in fruits.

Festive services in churches on January 7 continue until late in the evening.

Among the peoples of Europe, the days of Christmas celebrations coincided with the twelve-day cycle of pagan festivities dedicated to the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of a new life and the renewal of nature (saturnalia among the Romanesque peoples, winter Christmas time - among Russians, carols - among Ukrainians, etc.). Therefore, in different countries The Christmas holiday absorbed many of the rites and customs of these festivities. These include carols - costumed processions with a star and chants, an evening meal on Christmas Eve, consisting of 12 Lenten dishes. Ukraine

In Ukraine, the celebration of Christmas begins on Holy evening - January 6th. The evening meal on the eve of Christmas is accompanied by many traditions and rituals. On the eve of Christmas, the church prescribed a strict fast - the whole Christmas day, believers were not allowed to eat or drink. Supper on Holy Evening was the first meal of the day for them - it was the end of the 40-day Advent fast. It was possible to sit down at the table with the appearance of the first star in the sky, in memory of the Bethlehem star, which announced to the shepherds the birth of Christ.

The main dishes for the Ukrainian Holy evening are "kutya - wheat or rice porridge with honey, poppy seeds and raisins, and uzvar - dried fruit compote. In total, there should be 12 lenten dishes on the table on Holy evening, among which in the old days they prepared lean borscht with mushrooms, peas, cabbage soup, fish dishes, dumplings with cabbage, buckwheat porridge, cabbage rolls with rice, lean pancakes, mushrooms, pies.

On the first day of Christmas - January 7, they almost did not go to visit. Only married children (with a daughter-in-law or son-in-law) were supposed to visit their parents after dinner, they said that they were bringing "grandfather's dinner." From time immemorial, in Ukraine, caroling was performed - they sang carols. Carols - laudatory ritual songs of the winter cycle - are also popular in modern Ukraine.

Christmas divination is also common among young people. In Ukraine, it is believed that it is on “holy” days that one can most accurately predict the future. Therefore, girls take advantage of the moment and try to predict their fate.

In Belarus, as in Ukraine, Orthodox Christmas celebrated as a public holiday. Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve is celebrated on January 6th. The name "Christmas Eve" comes from a special food prescribed for this day by the church charter - sochi: soaked and boiled grains of wheat or rice, often with honey, as well as beans, peas and vegetables.

According to tradition, the Christmas Eve dinner is lavish but fast, consisting of 12 courses in honor of the twelve apostles. On this day, upon arrival from the temple after the morning service, believers refrain from eating until the first star appears in the sky, which symbolizes the star that rose over Bethlehem at the time of the birth of Christ.

On the night of 6 to 7 January at Orthodox churches Christmas services are held. Traditionally, since pre-Christian times in Belarus, January 6-7 is the First Kolyada - the end of the six-day fast, the beginning of holidays and evenings. This holiday is known to everyone under the name "Big Kutia", which was celebrated in honor of the winter solstice (December 24, old style).

The second kutya (Generous or Rich Kutya) was celebrated a week later on the eve of the New Year on December 31, according to the old style. The third Kutia completed the holidays of Kolyada on January 6, according to the old style.

In Armenia, Christmas is celebrated on January 6, and the Epiphany of Christ is also celebrated on the same day. Preparations for Christmas begin on the evening of January 5, when the Liturgy of Christmas Eve is served. On this day, believers light a candle in the church and carry it home to illuminate the house and prepare for the feast of the Nativity of Christ. The next day, January 6, the Christmas Liturgy is served in the morning. Then they carry out the feast of the baptism of Christ with the ceremony of blessing the water.
Traditionally, at Christmas in Armenia, rice pilaf with raisins, fish and red wine are served on the table.

In Georgia, on Christmas, believers make the procession "Alilo" in accordance with a tradition that has a long history. Main actors of the festive procession are "bearers of the good news." They are dressed in white clothes and hymns notify all passers-by about the birth of the Savior. Serbia and Montenegro

In Serbia and Montenegro, Christmas Eve, January 6, is called "Badnidan". Among religious holidays, it takes an honorable second place after Easter, but among family holidays, Christmas for Serbs is in first place. Christmas in Montenegro (the so-called Bozhich) is a holiday of parents and children.

On this day, before sunrise, the head of the family and his eldest son, with a shot from a gun in front of the house, announce a trip to the forest for "badnyak". Badnjak is a log of a felled young oak, which every Serbian family must have in their home during the Christmas holidays. The log is chosen in such a size and weight that the head of the family himself, on his shoulders, could bring it into the house. According to tradition, it should burn in the family hearth during all three days of the holiday.
At dawn, the family members left in the house kindle a fire and start roasting a specially fattened pig for Christmas on a spit - “cookie”, women prepare a Christmas pie, cakes and other dishes.

On the night before Christmas, dinner should be fast. At dawn, church bells ring, people put on festive clothes and go to church for the Christmas Liturgy. After the service, prosphora is taken into the house. Everyone greets each other with the words: “Christ is born!”, And in response they hear: “Truly born!” This greeting is observed until the feast of the Epiphany (January 19).

All members of the family, in anticipation of the Christmas dinner, are treated to hot brandy and dry fruits. Then the owner brings a cookie to the table. The cookie should bring health and well-being to the house. Sauerkraut, stewed cabbage with smoked pork meat, pie with kaimak, “prebranac” - boiled beans with vegetable oil and onions, etc. are served at the table.

The culmination of the celebration of Christmas is the refraction of "pogacha" - a homemade Christmas flat cake made from unleavened dough. The hostess kneads the dough for the pie in the morning and puts a gold or silver coin into it.
The owner cuts off the left side of the biscuit, takes out the heart from it and distributes it in pieces to all family members who immediately eat it. Before the start of dinner, the owner of the house lights a candle that is on the table, or a censer, and surrounds the icons and all those present with them, and the children carry the censer around the house. Then everyone sings the festive troparion or "Our Father".

Then it's time to break the pogacha. It is first twirled in a circle, then an incision is made in the form of a cross and wine is poured into the resulting incision, only after that it breaks. Everyone gets a piece of the pie, and whoever gets the coin in the piece is said to be happy for a whole year.

In cities where there are no open hearths, stoves and badnyaks, small “bouquets” of oak branches tied with a bunch of straw are sold in the markets and on the streets before the holiday.

In Albania, a significant percentage of the population in the country professes the Orthodox type of Christianity, so Christmas is celebrated quite widely. There are all the attributes characteristic of the holiday - a Christmas tree, gifts, feasts. The holiday is celebrated on January 7th. Greece

Greek Christmas (Christogenna) also absorbed popular superstitions and folk beliefs. Carols are common on Christmas Eve. Greek children go from house to house and sing songs announcing the coming of the Savior.

Christmas in Greece is celebrated with family, the main part of the holiday is a plentiful table. According to the Orthodox tradition, the Christmas holiday is preceded by a post lasting several weeks.

Greece is one of the few countries where there are malicious Christmas spirits. According to legend, the Kallikantzaros, malevolent elves with an unpleasant appearance, bring chaos to the house for 12 days after Christmas. Protection from spirits is bestowed by burning incense or a small offering. Also, in many families, a small wooden cross is decorated with basil and dipped in a flat bowl of water. According to legend, the water becomes holy after this procedure, and then it is sprinkled in the corners of the house to scare away evil spirits.

These holidays fall into two categories:

Fixed (non-movable) holidays: they always fall on strictly certain number month, regardless of the day of the week, which changes annually. These include nine twelfth church holidays:

Twelfth fixed holidays

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary	September 21
†Exaltation of the Holy Cross (40 days from the Transfiguration)	September 27
Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary	December 4
†Nativity	Jan. 7
	January 19
†The Presentation of the Lord (40 days AD)	February, 15
Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (9 months BC)	April 7
†Transfiguration	August 19
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary	August 28

Movable (movable) holidays. moving part church calendar moves along with the date of celebration, which changes from year to year. All "mobile" holidays are counted from Easter and move in the space of the "secular" calendar along with it.

The Twelfth Passing Holidays:

The twelfth feasts each have one fore-feast day, with the exception of the Nativity of Christ, which has 5 days of fore-feast, and Theophany, which has 4 pre-feast days.

The number of afterfeast days is not the same - from 1 to 8 days, depending on the greater or lesser proximity of some holidays to others or to the days of fasting.
Some of the Lord's feasts, moreover, are preceded and concluded by special Saturdays and weeks (Sundays).

The services of the twelfth feasts of the fixed circle are in menstruation. Services of the twelfth holidays of the moving circle are located in Lenten and Colored.

In Russia, until 1925, the Twelfth Holidays were both church and civil.

Great non-twelfth holidays:

At the feasts of the Nativity and the Beheading of John the Baptist, the Circumcision of the Lord, the Intercession Holy Mother of God There is no fore-feast, after-feast and giving away of the Holy Primate Apostles Peter and Paul.

• Bishop Alexander Mileant
• Y. Ruban
• Holidays of the Christmas cycle Y. Ruban
• Twelfth holidays arch. Alexander Men
• Troparion of the Twelfth Feasts

Christian holidays

Christian holidays- certain days of the church calendar, celebrated with divine services that have an individual liturgical character. This is fixed in the names of the holidays and "penitent times", the dates and order of their celebration, as well as in the content of the texts performed during the service. Their purpose and meaning is the remembrance, glorification and theological interpretation of the key stages in the history of Salvation, which is embodied mainly in the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ (the Savior), and the Virgin Mary, the real accomplice of this divine-human process. Hence - an exceptional place in the calendar of holidays dedicated to Them.

The holidays are distributed within two overlapping annual cycles - (menaion) and (triode, or Easter-Pentecost). Celebrations and memorable events of the first cycle are strictly fixed only by the days of the month (for the dates of the Julian calendar in relation to the modern civil one, an amendment is necessary: ​​n - 13 days, - for the XX-XXI centuries). The holidays of the second are fixed only by the days of the week, being rigidly correlated with Easter, which is the starting point for the entire moving annual cycle. The date of the latter moves within 35 days (“Easter limits”): from April 4 (March 22, O.S.) to May 8 (April 25, O.S.).

The most important holidays of the modern Orthodox calendar are called "twelfth", or "twelve" (from the Slavic twelfth - "twelve") (see). , as "holidays holiday", is outside this classification.

The second step in the festive hierarchical ladder is occupied by holidays, which are called “great” in liturgical word usage. These include: the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos (October 1/14), the Circumcision of the Lord and the memory of St. Basil the Great (January 1/14), the Nativity of John the Baptist (June 24/July 7), the memory of the supreme app. Peter and Paul (June 29 / July 12), the Beheading of John the Baptist (August 29 / September 11), and also, according to some old calendars, the repose (death) of St. John the Theologian (September 26/October 9), commemoration of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Mir of Lycia (December 6/19) and the transfer of his relics from Mir to the Italian city of Bari (May 9/22).

All other numerous holidays are dedicated to incorporeal forces (the common holiday is the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, November 8/21), Old Testament and Christian saints, commemoration of significant events of the Holy Biblical and Christian history, phenomenon miraculous icons, the discovery of relics.
The constant canonization of new saints means the continuous replenishment of the Christian calendar.

The Church Charter (Typicon) provides for the gradation of all holidays into five categories according to the degree of solemnity of their worship, which is fixed by special signs (the sixth category has no sign). The patronal feast of any church (whose name it bears) is equated for it in the liturgical aspect with the Twelve Feasts. The same degree of solemnity can be inherent in "locally honored" holidays, even those that have a modest liturgical status at the general church level.

Holidays common to all Christians are, first of all, Easter and Christmas (the latter, as a special calendar celebration, does not have the Armenian and other Monophysite churches). The most important annual holidays are mostly the same for Orthodox and Catholics (because they are based on the same events of sacred history), but differ in dates, often in names and semantic nuances, as well as in the nature of the celebration.
Many saints of the one Church are equally revered: eastern ones in the West, western ones in the East (Basil the Great - Ambrose of Milan, etc.). But the saints of one Church who lived after the division of the Churches (1054) can be venerated in another Church mainly at the local level, with the permission of the church authorities. The official Catholic calendar, for example, includes the names of Sts. Cyril of Turov (May 11), Anthony of Pechersk (July 24), Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga and Vladimir (July 27 and 28), Boris and Gleb (August 5), Sergius of Radonezh (October 8); honored also Vladimir icon Mother of God (September 7).
Protestants, rejecting the veneration of the Mother of God, saints, relics and icons, do not have their respective holidays in their calendars.

The study of holidays in the context of the general process of the formation of the church calendar is engaged in (lit. "holiday studies") - an auxiliary historical discipline, one of the sections of academic liturgy.

Liturgical texts are contained in the Service, in 12 volumes (for fixed feasts), the Lenten and Colored (for mobile feasts), the Festive Menaia, as well as in numerous editions of services for individual feasts, often containing historical references, comments, notation and other applications.

“How to celebrate the holiday? We celebrate the event (to understand the greatness of the event, its purpose, its fruit for believers) or a person, such as: Lord, Mother of God, Angels and Saints (to delve into the attitude of that person towards God and humanity, into his beneficent influence on the Church of God, in general). It is necessary to delve into the history of an event or person, to approach the event or person, otherwise the holiday will be imperfect, unpleasing. Holidays should have an impact on our lives, should enliven, kindle our faith (hearts) in future blessings and nourish pious, good morals.