Christmas traditions. Divine service of the Nativity of Christ. Christmas service in the temple: history and features
Many Orthodox people are interested in when to celebrate Christmas. It is celebrated from December 4 to 25, and from January 6 to 7 - when to visit the temple and what traditions to observe?
Christmas service from January 6 to 7 - when to visit the temple
Many Orthodox people are interested in when to celebrate Christmas. In fact, Christmas is celebrated from December 4 to 25, and from January 6 to 7 - so when to visit the temple and how to do it, what traditions to observe?
We will talk about this in our article.
Why is Christmas celebrated on different days?
The main Christian Churches are divided church calendar: The Orthodox Church celebrates holidays and days of remembrance of saints according to the old style (Julian calendar), the Catholic Church - according to the Gregorian calendar (this is due to astronomical phenomena).
Regarding the Nativity of Christ, the Gregorian calendar is more convenient: after all, the week of holidays begins on December 24-25 with Christmas and continues with the New Year, but the Orthodox should celebrate New Year modestly, calmly, to observe the fast. However, an Orthodox person can also have fun on New Year's Eve, trying not to eat meat or any particularly tasty things (if he is visiting). Likewise, children in Orthodox families should not be deprived of the New Year holiday and the joy of Santa Claus. Just many Orthodox families try to emphasize the significance of Christmas more expensive gifts, more active joint visits to events, etc.
Note that Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and a number of Orthodox Local Churches, but all Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on the same day (this holiday shifts depending on the phases of the moon). The fact is that only on Orthodox Easter does the convergence take place Holy Fire in Jerusalem.
Christmas - the twelfth holiday
Each church holiday has a special edifying, educational meaning. Church holidays preserve the true purpose of holidays - a renewal of life, a reminder of special events, and not just drunken fun, unbridled fun.
Many church holidays have become truly popular, signs were associated with them, people began to bring certain seasonal fruits for consecration, that is, God’s blessing in the church, and to pray for certain things related to the holiday.
In the annual church circle there are twelve holidays, called “twelve” (in Church Slavonic duodecimal). These are the days dedicated the most important events earthly life of Christ and Holy Mother of God, as well as the most important historical events Churches.
The traditions of their celebration have developed over centuries, and today they are celebrated all over the world, and, due to their prevalence, even cover the lives of non-religious people. This is a church sermon, the glory of the name of Christ, which goes beyond the church fence.
In every Orthodox country, these holidays reflect traditions, national mentality and historical culture. Thus, in Russia and Greece, on various holidays, earthly fruits are brought for blessing. Elements of Slavic ritualism have been preserved, for example, in the traditions of caroling on Christmas Day in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.
Thanks to the tolerance and love of the Orthodox Church, many good ancient traditions have survived to this day.
These days are like spiritual bright milestones of the year. Remembering this or that event, praising the Lord and the Mother of God, we rejoice in God’s love for people and again look at ourselves from the outside, trying to be worthy of this love. Believers try to confess and receive communion on the twelve feasts.
The twelfth holidays are divided by content:
- Lord's (God's) - eight holidays,
- Theotokos - four,
- days of remembrance of sacred events.
It is interesting that Christmas refers to the Lord's holidays, and the priests' vestments on this day are the Theotokos, that is, blue and silver. This is a tribute to honoring the Mother of Christ, because this is also Her holiday.
What is celebrated on Christmas - history
On Christmas Day the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is celebrated. The Gospel tells that because of the population census, Joseph the Obrochnik and the Most Holy Theotokos were forced to come to Bethlehem, Joseph’s homeland. Due to a simple everyday detail - hotels for the poor were overcrowded and there was no money for expensive rooms - they were forced to take refuge in a cave along with their livestock and pets. Here the Virgin Mary gave birth to the Son of God and laid him in a manger, in straw. Simple shepherds, called by the Angels, came here to worship the Baby, and wise wise men led by the Star of Bethlehem.
It is historically testified that at the time of the Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ there was a certain new star in the sky, a celestial phenomenon - perhaps a comet. However, it lit up in the sky as a sign of the coming into earthly life of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The Star of Bethlehem, according to the Gospel, showed the way to the Magi, who, thanks to it, came to worship the Son of God and bring their gifts to Him.
On Christmas, they ask the Lord for the gift and upbringing of children, remember the simplicity of the Birth of the Infant God, and try to do good deeds during Christmastide - the week between the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany.
Christmas Eve before Christmas
The day before Christmas, January 6, is Christmas Eve. On this day, until the “evening star”, that is, until twilight, according to the Charter of the Church, they did not eat at all; they could only drink water or tea. Nowadays it is difficult to perform such a strict fast. Try, especially if you did not fast during the Nativity Fast, to make a small sacrifice to the Lord - abstain in the morning on this day from meat and dairy products, from fish (even from at least one thing, including sweets). Interestingly, there was a historical joke when Count Suvorov did not eat anything during dinner with Catherine the Second before Christmas. When she asked why, the courtiers explained that it was impossible to reach the first star. The Empress called the servants and bestowed an order - “a star to Count Suvorov.”
In fact, in the Charter and the saying “it’s impossible until the first star” does not mean the appearance heavenly stars, and singing in church the words of the troparion, prayers in honor of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, where the word star is mentioned.
“Your Nativity, our God of Christ, shone to the world as the light of reason: in it those who served the stars (magi) learned with the star to worship You, the Sun of Truth, and to know You, Coming from the heights of the East. Lord, glory to You."
That is why on Christmas Eve it is advised to fast until the evening Christmas service, visit the temple, and then break the fast at the festive table.
This is not as difficult as it seems: after all, this is exactly how many spend December 31, forcedly fasting: the wife, busy in the kitchen, does not have time to eat, and the family, looking into the refrigerator, hears from the mother: “Don’t touch it, this is for the New Year!” But fasting on Christmas Eve in the run-up to Christmas has deep meaning, a spiritual goal different from simply “creating a festive mood.”
How to get ready for Christmas?
While waiting for Christmas, you should pay more attention to meaningful preparation for the holiday, and not to dinner. Prepare, for example, for Confession and Communion with prayer and remembrance of sins. Confess the day before, because on the night of January 6-7 and even in the morning of January 7, churches are crowded. It will be difficult to confess, but to receive communion is a double holiday, double grace.
If you do not plan to receive communion, read the Gospel aloud with the whole family or tell your children about the worship of the Magi, the singing of the Angels and the joy of the shepherds looking at the Infant Christ - the King of the World, humbly lying in a manger. The writer Ivan Shmelev wrote about the traditions of preparing for Christmas and festive pre-revolutionary customs in his amazing novel “The Summer of the Lord,” written from the perspective of a child. You can also read the Christmas chapters from it yourself on Christmas Eve.
How to enter the church
Many people who don’t yet know much about the Church get used to being “goers” - coming in when it’s convenient, lighting candles and not praying during services. However, the Lord Himself speaks of church prayer for general worship: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”
The original meaning of the word “Church” is a meeting of Christ’s disciples, Christians; translated as “meeting”. It is interesting that the first Christians often gathered not only in buildings; it is important that they were together even under open air and could perform the Sacraments and pray.
Therefore, try not only to come to church on Christmas, but also to pray, and even better, to prepare and receive communion during the Liturgy. Main service in the church, the main sacrament is the Liturgy. The most strong prayer- this is any commemoration of a person during the Liturgy and, of course, communion itself. The whole Church prays for a person during the Sacrament of the Eucharist. By receiving communion, people receive great power and grace from God.
The Church blesses us to receive communion at least once a year: preferably about once a month.
Duration of church service
Please note that not every Orthodox church holds night services from January 6 to 7. There may be options, and you can go to the temple that is more convenient for you to visit, according to the schedule for which you are ready. Be sure to check at the temple stand
It must be said that temples and cathedrals open in different time, services are performed at different times depending on
- Region, location;
- Is it a church or a parish church at the monastery?
- Seasons - in small, rural churches.
Before Christmas there will definitely be a solemn Vespers service - All-night vigil. The name is only a tradition; the service does not last all night, but for about 2-3 hours in different churches.
The all-night vigil begins either at 17:00 or 18:00. Sometimes - in rare cases, in a village, in a remote monastery - at 16:00. In monasteries, services for both the Liturgy and the All-Night Vigil last longer.
The next day in the morning, at approximately 9 or 10:00, the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated, during which you can partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Accordingly, you can go to both services, or just one.
However, there is another option. On the evening of January 6, the service of the saint will begin at 23:30. Then during the night an all-night vigil, hours and Divine Liturgy will be celebrated.
The all-night vigil begins with Compline, at which prophecies and psalms are read, and in the middle the choir sings the solemn holiday chant “God is with us.” It includes singing verses from the prophetic book of Isaiah about how the great God himself, the Father of the next age, is now present with people. This chant begins with the words “God is with us, understand the Gentiles (that is, nations) and repent (submit to the power of God), as (because) God is with us.”
Immediately after Great Compline, the festive Christmas Vespers is celebrated. It begins with a litia, a part of the service in which bread is consecrated, vegetable oil(oil), wheat and wine. Then the service of festive matins is performed, at which the choir performs many solemn chants. At Matins, a passage from the Gospel is read, telling about the event of the Nativity of Christ. The “hours” are added to Matins ( short services, consisting of the reading of three psalms and some prayers). Thus ends the festive All-Night Vigil. It will take about one and a half hours.
You will know that the All-Night Vigil has ended because afterward the priest will exclaim, “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” This is how the festive Liturgy will begin. It will last about another hour and a half to two hours. If you get tired, you can leave the Liturgy.
Star of Bethlehem
Initially, the eight-pointed star on the icons signifies the Nativity or Bethlehem. It is historically testified that at the time of the Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ there was a certain new star in the sky, a celestial phenomenon - perhaps a comet. However, it lit up in the sky as a sign of the coming into earthly life of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The Star of Bethlehem, according to the Gospel, showed the way to the Magi, who, thanks to it, came to worship the Son of God and bring their gifts to Him.
The Star of Bethlehem is an elongated rhombus inscribed in a square, this is how its eight rays are formed. Such a sign was theologically meaningful on the icon “The Savior is in Power”, becoming a sign of the power of Christ - it is no coincidence that the star of Bethlehem became His star.
The eight-pointed star of the Virgin Mary, the octogram is an equal-pointed star. She can be seen in most images Mother of God. On the one hand, this image Star of Bethlehem, with another -
Most often, the icon of the Mother of God is painted on a golden background, symbolizing the Divine Light, or on a heavenly background - symbolizing Heaven, where She is located. The dark cherry outer robe of the Virgin Mary, maforium, has an image of gold embroidery of the three stars of the Virgin Mary: above the forehead and along the shoulders. They mean that the Mother of God, before, during and after the Birth of Her Son of God, remained and remained a Virgin, shining with the virtue of chastity and others.
On the icon of the Mother of God " Burning bush» Her image with her Son is inscribed in an eight-pointed star (but this is not the “star of the Virgin Mary”). This is a fairly late iconographic type; it carries the same symbolism as the icon of the Savior in Powers.
DIY Christmas or New Year's toy
Today, the eight-pointed star is one of the most beautiful and bright symbols of Orthodoxy. She illuminates and sanctifies many icon cases, church utensils, and jewelry of pious Christian women. There is no sin in using it in home decoration for Christmas; on the contrary, it is a very pious and beautiful custom. You can make it yourself by gluing, for example, a paper icon of the Nativity of Christ in the center.
The eight-pointed star reminds us of the power of God, and of the radiance of the Kingdom of God, and of our life path, along which we must follow the Bethlehem guiding star, like the Magi towards the Infant Christ. You need to be able to become a guiding star for people in this world with the help of good deeds.
May the Lord protect you with His grace, may the Infant Christ bless you!
Christmas is a special holiday. Preparation lasts throughout Lent, including the last few days. It is especially important to be able to prepare for service on the day of the holiday itself. Or rather, at night... After all, in many of our churches the Liturgy (and sometimes Great Compline and Matins) is served precisely at night.
How not to be afraid of the difficulties of a real “all-night vigil” and feel the joy of the holiday at a long Christmas service - we have already written about this: Night service for Christmas - how to “stand”?
How to prepare for the Christmas service, prepare yourself for a long service and spend time in church with dignity, read the advice of the archpastor.
If possible, attend all statutory holiday services. I want to emphasize that you must be at the festive all-night vigil...
The service for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ begins late in the evening on January 6th. Usually at 11 o'clock after midnight in all Orthodox churches A special festive service is held, which lasts until approximately 3 - 4 o'clock in the morning.
On the feast of the Nativity of Christ, on the night of the event, an all-night vigil is served, hours and divine liturgy John Chrysostom. The All-Night Vigil begins not with the usual Vespers, but with Compline. Most of the liturgical texts of this service are proofread. However, at Christmas Compline there is a main solemn festive hymn. It involves singing in chorus verses from the prophetic book of Isaiah about how God himself is now present with people, who is great and mighty. The Lord is called in this hymn the Father of the future age. This chant begins with the words “God is with us, understand the pagans and repent, as God is with us.” The holiday chant itself is briefly named after the first words of Isaiah’s prophecy - “God is with us.”
On major holidays, the so-called twelve, every Orthodox Christian tries to visit the temple and take part in the solemn service.
Are services long in Orthodox churches?
IN holidays even the smallest churches and chapels open their doors to believers. Services, with short breaks, go one after another. They sometimes start very early, before seven in the morning, and end after midnight. There are a lot of people. It is very difficult for an unaccustomed person to spend the whole day in church. Even churchgoers do not always defend all services. But the Byzantine tradition assumed 24-hour service to God, without breaks. For a long time in Rus', liturgical rites were preserved, lasting 8-10 hours. Gradually reading prayers, canons and Holy Scripture have been significantly reduced, now even the longest service does not last longer than three to five hours. After it, there is a break, followed by another, as prescribed by the rule.
As everybody…
Christmas is a special holiday. And the service on this day is special. Or rather, at night... After all, in many of our churches the Liturgy (and sometimes Great Compline and Matins) is served precisely at night. How not to be afraid of the difficulties of a real “all-night vigil” and feel the joy of the holiday at a long Christmas service - the abbot of the Kyiv Trinity St. John’s Monastery, Bishop of Obukhov IONA (CHEREPANOV), spoke about this for the magazine “Nachalo”.
Where did the expression “not eat until the first star” come from, and to whom does this rule not apply? How many hours before Communion can you eat? If all the days before Christmas are fasting, then when should you devote time to preparing dishes for the festive table?
Answers to these and many other questions...
Orthodox Christians traditionally celebrate the Feast of the Birth of Christ starting on January 6th. The Magi were among the first to learn about the birth of the Savior. Seeing bright star in the sky, they went to bow to the newly-minted Messiah with symbolic gifts. They brought him tree resin, like to an ordinary person, incense, as for the messenger of the Lord, and gold, as for the king. Herod also learned about the birth of the Savior; he could not accept this news with dignity, was afraid of the messenger of God and ordered the death of all babies who were under 2 years old. His parents fled to Egypt with Christ and were thus able to save him.
Christmas is rightfully considered one of the greatest holidays in Orthodoxy. In the established hierarchy, it is in second place in importance, second only to Easter. In order to properly prepare for it, you need to find out when Christmas 2016 is celebrated. Its date is unchanged - all ritual celebrations begin with the rising of a star on January 6th. On this evening it is customary to gather in large numbers...
Christmas is a special holiday. And the service on this day is special. In many churches, but not everywhere, the festive service is performed at night. How to celebrate Christmas in order not only to feel the festive mood, but also to experience this event together with the Church - the abbot of the Kyiv Trinity St. John's Monastery, Bishop Jonah (Cherepanov) of Obukhov, spoke about this in an interview.
*** If possible, attend all statutory holiday services.
I want to emphasize that you definitely need to be at the festive all-night vigil. During this service, in fact, Christ, who was born in Bethlehem, is glorified. Liturgy is a divine service that remains virtually unchanged on one holiday or another. The main liturgical texts, the main chants, which explain the event remembered on this day and set us up on how to properly celebrate the holiday, are sung and read in the church during Vespers and Matins.
It should also be said that the Christmas service begins...
Orthodox Christmas service from January 6 to 7 takes place in churches and temples around the world. Christmas services begin on January 6th in the morning, end at 1-3 am on the 7th, but sometimes already at dawn - with a Liturgy with carol singing... On Christmas Eve, parishioners go to church for the evening service, confess, and receive communion. The ministers in the church know approximately their parish; the duration of the service depends on the number of people. Therefore, the starting time is determined differently - the All-night vigil occurs on the eve of big church holidays, start at different Temples- from 17:00 to 23:00 hours. Begins Great Vespers(Great Compline) with hymns, then sometimes confession until almost midnight, and then at 00:00 the night Christmas liturgy, and sometimes vice versa, first the whole service, then confession and communion, there are no strict rules here - but the entire Christmas service in large churches can last 6-8 hours, in small parishes 1.5 -2 hours, on average count on 3-4...
Nativity
January 6 - The Eve of the Nativity of Christ, or Christmas Eve, is the last day of the Nativity Fast, the eve of the Nativity of Christ. On this day, Orthodox Christians especially prepare for the upcoming holiday; the whole day is filled with special festive mood. On the morning of Christmas Eve, after the end of the Liturgy and the following vespers, a candle is brought into the center of the church and the priests sing the troparion to the Nativity of Christ before it. The services and fasting of Christmas Eve have a number of features, so it is on these days that many questions come to our website about how to spend Christmas Eve correctly. We asked Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko to answer these questions.
– Father Alexander, the most frequently asked question by our readers is how to fast on Christmas Eve, until what time should you abstain from eating food? What does “fasting to the first star” mean? Is the measure of abstinence the same for those who work and those who do not work on this day? How long does the fast last before communion?
At 9, the traditional evening Christmas service begins in all Orthodox churches on the evening of Christmas Eve, January 6. At midnight there is an all-night vigil. And the Christmas liturgy itself has been celebrated since the morning of January 7th.
The evening Christmas service will begin in most churches at five o'clock in the evening today - on Christmas Eve, January 6. At midnight, with a joyful cry of “God is with us!” an all-night vigil will take place.
The Christmas liturgy itself will be celebrated on January 7 in some churches from nine in the morning, and in others from ten in the morning. One of the most beautiful canons in the world is sung in its entirety. Orthodox worship B - canon “Christ is born”.
In Kyiv on Christmas, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine will serve the Christmas liturgy at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. His Holiness Patriarch Philaret will conduct the festive liturgy at the Vladimir Cathedral.
In all churches on Christmas Eve - January 6 - the lights are lit after dark. Traditionally, at 17:00 a service begins, during which mournful motives and calls for a worthy meeting of the born Savior are gradually replaced by joy and jubilation over the birth of Christ.
At midnight, the all-night vigil begins in churches with the joyful cry of the prophet Isaiah: “God is with us!” And the Christmas liturgy itself takes place on January 7, traditionally it begins at 9:00. On it, for the first time, the canon “Christ is born...” is sung in full - one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship, during which believers venerate the icon of the Nativity of Christ.
So that you don't miss one of the most important Orthodox events of the year, we have compiled a list of churches that you can visit at Christmas and take part in festive services.
KIEV-PECHERSK LAVRA
WHERE: Pechersky district, st. Lavrskaya, 25.
WHEN: Evening worship will begin...
The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Nativity of Christ on January 7, the second most important holiday after Easter. On this night, the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, led a festive service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where thousands of believers gathered.
Festive services are held in all operating churches in Moscow, of which, together with chapels, there are more than 800. In total, there are over 29 thousand parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the world.
Together with the Russian Orthodox Church, Christmas is celebrated on the night of January 6-7 by the Jerusalem, Serbian and Georgian Orthodox churches, as well as Mount Athos monasteries, Eastern Rite Catholics (in particular, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) and some Protestants living according to the Julian calendar.
According to the charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the holiday is preceded by a multi-day Nativity Fast, which begins on November 28 and lasts 40 days until January 6...
Christmas post
The celebration of the Nativity of Christ on January 7 begins with a preparatory period. Forty days before the celebration of the birth of our Lord, we begin the Nativity Fast, cleansing our soul and body in order to properly enter the holiday and participate in the great spiritual reality of Christ's coming. The period of the Nativity Fast is reflected in church life by a number of liturgical features that indicate the coming holiday.
Christmas Eve
On the eve of January 6, Vespers takes place in all Orthodox churches, which usually follows the clock and directly begins the celebration, because, as we know, the liturgical day begins in the evening. The tone of the holiday is set by five stichera on “Lord I cried...” They are truly an explosion of joy about the gift of Christ’s incarnation, which has now taken place. Eight biblical readings show that Christ was the fulfillment of all prophecies, that His Kingdom is the Kingdom of “all ages”, that all...
Christmas 2019 is celebrated on January 7th. This is a public holiday, an official day off. It is customary to celebrate it in the family circle. IN Orthodox calendar Christmas is one of the 12 main holidays of the annual liturgical circle.
history of the holiday
In the Christian Church in the 2nd-4th centuries, Christmas was celebrated on January 6th. The holiday was called Epiphany and was associated with the Baptism of the Lord. In the 4th century, the celebration of Christmas was moved to December 25. After the transition in 1918 from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, the Orthodox Church began to celebrate it on January 7.
During the Soviet period, the celebration of Christmas was prohibited. The customs spread only among a narrow circle of people. Their guardians were the patriarchs and partly the inhabitants rural areas. Many religious adherents were persecuted. The traditions of the Nativity of Christ began to be revived only in the 90s of the twentieth century.
Traditions and rituals for Christmas
The Christmas period begins with...
Holy Annunciation Cathedral
Blagoveshchenskaya Square, 1,
Kharkov, 61003, tel.: 712-47-37, tel. 777-00-83
16:00 Vespers
06:30 liturgy
08:30 liturgy
Holy Intercession Monastery
St. Universitetskaya, 8/10,
Kharkov, 61003, tel.: 731-50-30
17:00 Vespers
00:00 liturgy
07:00 liturgy
09:00 liturgy
Temple of the 2000th Anniversary of the Nativity of Christ
Ave. Scientific, 65,
Kharkov, tel.: 343-74-26
16:00 Vespers
08:00 liturgy
Holy Assumption Cathedral
St. Universitetskaya, 11,
Kharkov, 61003
St. Panteleimon's Church
St. Klochkovskaya, 94, Kharkov,
tel.: 705-15-07, 705-15-06
16:00 Vespers
Christmas Eve is a holiday that repeats itself year after year. It falls on Christmas Eve and is associated with church as well as folk traditions and customs.
When is it customary to celebrate Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve is celebrated in many countries, because everyone considers this day significant. Christian church. Since Christmas is an immutable holiday (that is, its date does not change every year), Christmas Eve is also always celebrated on the same day. But the dates of Catholic and Orthodox Christmas Eve differ, as do the dates on which it is customary to celebrate Christmas.
Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Eve on January 6 (and Christmas, respectively, on the 7th). Catholics celebrate it on December 24, on the eve of Catholic Christmas on the 25th. In 2019, Christmas Eve on January 6 falls on a Sunday.
Christmas Eve in 2019: how to celebrate it correctly
So, how can you prepare yourself for long-term service and spend your time in church worthily?
If possible, attend all statutory holiday services.
I want to emphasize that you definitely need to be at the festive all-night vigil.
During this service, in fact, Christ, who was born in Bethlehem, is glorified. Liturgy is a worship service that remains virtually unchanged due to holidays. The main liturgical texts, the main chants, which explain the event remembered on this day and set us up on how to properly celebrate the holiday, are sung and read in the church during Vespers and Matins.
It should also be said that the Christmas service begins a day earlier - on Christmas Eve. On the morning of January 6, Christmas Vespers are celebrated in churches. It sounds strange: vespers in the morning, but this is a necessary deviation from the rules of the Church. Previously, Vespers began in the afternoon and continued...
Christmas January 7
On January 7, Orthodox Christians in Ukraine celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. In general, the holidays of the Christmas cycle begin in Ukraine on January 2, Ignat Day.
The girls clean the house carefully. By January 4, Anastasia's Day, the house should be festively decorated. It is on this day that everything is prepared for preparing the future festive dinner. Often they stabbed a pig on Anastasia, that is, they carried out a “fresh” test. And, in the end, the culmination of the holiday is Christmas Eve or, in other words, Rich Kutya (January 6).
According to tradition, every family member must be at home that evening, and one must not be late for festive table, since it is believed that you will wander all year. During dinner, you must not leave the table or talk loudly.
The festive table should amaze with its diversity, but we must not forget that Lent is still ongoing, so those who like a glass will have to wait a little.
The main dish on the table...
The day of intensive preparation for the holiday of the Nativity of Christ is considered to be Christmas Eve - the eve of the great holiday, which occurs on January 7 for Orthodox Christians. By strict rules Before the first star, believers are advised to refuse food. Only when the first star appears - the symbol of the Star of Bethlehem - can you taste sochivo (a Lenten dish, which is most often prepared from wheat or rice with honey and fruit). Hence the name of this day - Christmas Eve.
The 40-day Nativity fast and intense prayer brought Orthodox people closer to the great celebration. However, the ancient Christians did not know it; for them, the Resurrection of Christ overshadowed Christmas. At the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 4th centuries, Christians began to celebrate Christmas and the Baptism 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 the holiday of Christmas was separated from Epiphany and began to be celebrated by the Roman Church on December 25...
The Feast of the Nativity of Christ is one of the greatest Christian holidays, which the Church celebrates especially solemnly. The culmination of the festive preparations is the evening before Christmas - a day of vigil, prayer and fasting. Holy Evening has not only deep content church services, but, above all, our people are rich in rituals and customs filled with symbolism, some of them go back to pre-Christian times, says Yulia KOTSAN.
“The time for our salvation has now come.
Get ready, nativity scene, because the Virgin is about to give birth."
(Stichera of Vespers of the Evening)
The history of celebrating the evening before the Nativity of Christ dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. The eve of the Christmas holiday has a separate service called the Great, or Royal Hours, which was compiled by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Sophrony, where in the psalms and readings of the prophets from Old Testament collected the main prophecies regarding the promised Messiah. They read from the Holy Gospel...
A holy holiday for all people - the Nativity of Christ - comes on the night of January 6-7. On this most important day for Christians, services are held in all Orthodox churches. Christmas is considered the quietest and most family holiday. Usually the whole family gathers at the table, relatives and guests are invited. Once upon a time, on Christmas Day, anyone could enter your house - the doors were open to everyone. Nowadays, traditions have changed a little; today it is no longer possible to just come into a house to completely stranger. Although there is an old belief that Jesus Christ himself can enter a house under the guise of a beggar. GolosUA learned about the traditions, customs and signs of the Nativity of Christ from clergy and historians.
The door to blissful eternity
“The Christmas holiday is preceded by a long Nativity fast. Compliance with Fasting is the most main preparation for the Christmas holidays. During Lent, a person can deepen his thoughts about what place...
On January 7, the first Monday of 2019, Orthodox Christians will celebrate one of the most important holidays - the Nativity of Christ. Unlike Easter, this day did not immediately become a holiday - all because in Jewish culture it is not customary to honor a birthday. But over time he took separate place in the Christian calendar and is considered almost as important a holiday as the Resurrection of Christ.
Modern culture perceives Christmas for the most part as an additional day off, which in Russia becomes part of the New Year holidays. This is a reason to please your loved ones with gifts, go on vacation, or just be at home with your family. But every year everything more people turn to traditions and celebrate Christmas the way our ancestors did 50, 100, 200 years ago - and it’s not just about going to a festive service.
Quiet pre-Christmas evenings at a set table, with a lit candle and waiting for the first star - this also has its own charm. The warmth that...
On January 6, at 12 o’clock at night, solemn services begin in Orthodox churches, and on January 7, it is customary to congratulate friends and family on the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ.
Christmas Eve was called “Christmas Eve”, and the word comes from the ritual food eaten on this day - sochiva, porridge made from red wheat or barley, rye, buckwheat, mixed with honey and with almond and poppy juice. Food on Christmas Eve has long been prohibited take until the first star, in memory of the Star of Bethlehem, which announced to the Magi and the Nativity of the Savior. And with the onset of dusk, when the first star lit up, they sat down at the table and shared the wafers, wishing each other all the best and brightest. However, it was impossible to eat everything not only before the first star, but also afterwards - the fact is that the Christmas meal, although it announces the end of the 40-day Filippov fast, is in fact its finale. The rules of behavior on Christmas Eve are hundreds of years old , and for last years no one came up with anything new...
Liturgical instructions for Sunday January 6, 2019. Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ. For the Supper of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas Eve). Prmts. Evgenia.
Prmc service Eugenia does not have a holiday sign, it is performed together with the pre-celebration service.
Calendar notes:
On this day, the 1st hour is not added to Matins, but the hours for Vespers and figurative are celebrated separately. Blessed are read.
Liturgy of St. Basil the Great begins with Great Vespers. Entrance with the Gospel. The Great Prokeimenon, tone 7: “Who is the great God, even as our God...” Reading parimations with singing choruses. Instead of “Worthy” - “He rejoices in You...”.
At the end of the liturgy, the clergy sing the troparion and kontakion of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in front of the candlestick with a lit candle.
Order of readings, according to the calendar:
At Vespers, Kathisma 15th.
On “Lord, I cried” stichera on 6: forefeasts, tone 5 – 3, and the Holy Martyr, tone 8 – 3. “Glory, and now” – forefeasts, tone 2: “Behold the time...
Christmas in Russkaya Orthodox Church January 7th is always celebrated according to the new style. The history and meaning of the holiday, the tradition of night worship, iconography and troparion of the holiday.
January 7, 2018. Christmas is one of the main Christian holidays. The event is preceded by which ends on Christmas Eve.
The holiday of the Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated quite late - only in the 3rd century. This happened because in Judea it was not customary to specially celebrate a person’s birthday; only events that glorified God were especially honored. That is why Christmas and the Baptism of the Savior were originally celebrated on the same day. And only with the development of Gnosticism, the need arose to concretize the very event of the Birth of the Savior from the Blessed Virgin.
The place where, according to legend, Christ was born can still be seen today. A basilica was built above the cave of the Nativity, where, near the eastern wall of the crypt, in a small semicircular niche, the place where Christ was born was marked with a star with fourteen rays.
There have long been prophecies that the Mission, the Savior of the world, will come to the world, which were later written down in biblical texts.
It was in fulfillment of the prophecies that the wise men followed the star, accurately calculating the moment of its appearance in the sky. They brought gold, incense and myrrh to the born King. Some people, like the Magi, come to Christ through reason.
The Nativity of Christ - features of the service, history and icon of the holiday
And the simple shepherds had an inspiration - an angel appeared to them and commanded them to go to a certain place. It was there, in the cave where the cattle were kept, in the manger from which the lambs were fed, that the newborn King of the Jews met them. And now many people come to Christ, having found faith in their hearts.
This event became so significant that they began to count years from the time of the Savior’s birth. Thus, we can always know how many years ago Christ was born. He was born exactly as many years ago as what year it is on the calendar.
Christmas is one of the few holidays whose services are often celebrated at night. This is not necessary, so which church will host the night service and where the morning service will be held, you need to find out in advance.
The Nativity of Christ - features of the service, history and icon of the holiday
If you intend to attend a night service and receive communion, then you need to additionally find out about the time when confession will be held in the church. Particular attention should be paid to the time of the last meal. It should be no later than 19-20 pm, although many do not eat even after a single Christmas Eve meal.
Rozhdestvenskaya night service quite long, since prophecies about the birth of the Messiah are read on it, the canon “Christ is born...” is performed at Matins, and festive antiphons are sung at the liturgy. The length of the service depends on several factors, which are determined in each church by the rector, so it is better to check the time of the Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve services in advance.
The Nativity of Christ - features of the service, history and icon of the holiday
The canonical icon of the Nativity of Christ depicts the entire event of the holiday. On it you can see the wise men with gifts, shepherds, angels praising the Lord and, of course, the Star, walking behind the star. Of course, the central place on the icons is given to the Holy Family - the Virgin Mary, the Righteous Joseph and the Infant of God himself.
The Troparion of the Nativity of Christ is performed in 1 tone.
The Kontakion of the Nativity of Christ is performed in the 3rd tone. This is a song of praise where you can hear a description of the entire event of the holiday.
The Kontakion of the Nativity of Dmitry Bortnyansky is often performed in churches.
Orthodox Christians traditionally celebrate the Feast of the Birth of Christ starting on January 6th. The Magi were among the first to learn about the birth of the Savior. Seeing a bright star in the sky, they went to bow to the newly-minted Messiah with symbolic gifts. They brought him tree resin as an ordinary person, incense as a messenger of the Lord, and gold as a king. Herod also learned about the birth of the Savior; he could not accept this news with dignity, was afraid of the messenger of God and ordered the death of all babies who were under 2 years old. His parents fled to Egypt with Christ and were thus able to save him.
Christmas is rightfully considered one of the greatest holidays in Orthodoxy. In the established hierarchy, it is in second place in importance, second only to . In order to properly prepare for it, you need to find out when Christmas 2019 is celebrated. Its date is unchanged - all ritual celebrations begin with the rising of a star on January 6th. On this evening, it is customary for large families to gather at one table, which, according to tradition, should have 12 dishes. The main attribute of the holiday is kutia. The basis for it is porridge; nuts, dried fruits, honey, and poppy seeds are also added to it. It is noteworthy that Orthodox believers, although they set rich tables, do not eat until the first star rises.
Many churchgoers do not think about how to celebrate Christmas on January 7, 2019. On the 6th they go to church for the all-night service. It begins with Great Compline and lasts all night. Afterwards, congratulations are heard from everywhere on the arrival of the great holiday and glorification of the born Jesus.
If you want to see the whole mystery festive service, then you're wondering what time the Christmas service starts on January 6th. In many churches, the service begins an hour before midnight, and the service itself will last until about 4 am. But in order not to be late, it is better to clarify exact time from the servants of the temple you plan to go to.
On Christmas Eve, mummers traditionally walk the streets. They carol under the windows of houses and entertain everyone they meet. This period is considered successful for, despite all church prohibitions, they have always been popular. It’s also good to know the signs from January 6 to January 7. For example, people say that the starry sky on this night means a harvest of berries, frost on the trees means excellent harvest grains, and warmth on Christmas Day will bring a cold spring.
But on the eve of the holiday, it is important not only to remember the signs and traditions, but also not to forget to say a few kind words to everyone you know. In addition to the traditional glorification of the Savior, you can tell them the following words:
Happy great day! Peace and goodness to you!
Merry Christmas! I wish to live according to the commandments of Christ, because only in this way will grace and peace reign in your soul!
Happy Birth of the Savior! May his teachings on love and forgiveness bring peace to your soul!
Of course, the date is not so important for going to church. But it is on this day that you can feel a special reverence, because the services are held solemnly, in detail, they are filled with prayers. And from the people around there comes joy and happiness from the realization of the arrival of a great holiday.
The celebration of the Nativity of Christ on January 7 begins with a preparatory period. Forty days before the celebration of the birth of our Lord, we begin the Nativity Fast, cleansing our soul and body in order to properly enter the holiday and participate in the great spiritual reality of Christ's coming. The period of the Nativity Fast is reflected in church life by a number of liturgical features that indicate the coming holiday.
Christmas Eve
On the eve of January 6, Vespers takes place in all Orthodox churches, which usually follows the clock and directly begins the celebration, because, as we know, the liturgical day begins in the evening. The tone of the holiday is set by five stichera on “Lord I cried...” They are truly an explosion of joy about the gift of Christ’s incarnation, which has now taken place. Eight biblical readings show that Christ was the fulfillment of all prophecies, that His Kingdom is the Kingdom of “all ages,” that all human history finds its meaning in Him, and the center of His coming into the world was the entire universe.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the culmination of the forty-day Advent fast. Day itself strict fasting. Believers do not eat food until the first star appears in the sky, which reminds us of the coming of the Savior to the world.
At this moment, Vespers is celebrated in Orthodox churches, after which the All-Night Vigil and the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great are served. The clergy read passages from the Old Testament, specifically pointing out the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to earth as our Savior. After the service, a symbolic image of the Star of Bethlehem, which ascended into the sky during the birth of the Son of God, is brought into the center of the temple.
The All-Night Vigil consists of Great Compline and Matins. The first part lasts more than 60 minutes and is divided into 3 parts. During the service, special, festive chants are sung. Then the vigil smoothly transitions into Matins.
All-night Vigil and Liturgy
Since the festive Vespers has already been served, the All-Night Vigil begins with Great Compline and the joyful cry of the prophet Isaiah: “God is with us!” Matins is performed according to the rite of the great holidays. For the first time, the canon “Christ is born...” is sung in full - one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship. While singing the canon, believers venerate the icon of the Nativity of Christ. This is followed by stichera for Praise, in which all the festive themes are joyfully combined:
Rejoice, righteous ones,
Heavens rejoice,
Leap up, O mountains, Christ is born!
The virgin sits, looking like a cherub,
Carrying in the depths of God the Word is embodied;
Shepherd They marvel at the Born,
They bring gifts to Volsvi the Lady,
The angels say chantingly:
Incomprehensible Lord, glory to You!
The celebration of the Nativity of Christ concludes directly with the Liturgy of the day with its festive antiphons, which proclaim:
The Lord will send a rod of power from Zion, and rule in the midst of Your enemies. Beginning with You in the day of Your power in the brightness of Your saints.
Afterfeast
The next day, the celebration of the Council of the Blessed Virgin Mary takes place. By combining Christmas hymns with songs glorifying the Mother of God, the Church points to Mary as the person who made the Incarnation possible. The humanity of Christ - concretely and historically - is the humanity that He received from Mary. His Body is first of all Her body, His life is Her life. The Feast of the Synaxis of the Blessed Virgin Mary is probably the most ancient holiday in the Christian tradition in honor of the Virgin Mary, the beginning of Her church veneration.
The six days of post-festival last until January 13 and conclude the Christmas period. During these days, during divine services, the Church repeats hymns and chants glorifying the incarnation of Christ, recalling that the source and basis of our salvation can be found only in Him who, being the eternal God, came into the world for our sake and was born as a little Child.
Presence in the temple on the night of January 6-7 is an individual matter. Some families come to the temple with small children, experiencing special awe and respect for the great holiday. Some people, due to their health, simply cannot attend the service and watch everything that happens on TV. Fortunately, these days broadcasts from churches that go to live. Therefore, if there is a desire to take part in the service, but there is no opportunity to visit the temple, then this can be done in absentia using a television broadcast.