On what day is Christmas celebrated? Traditions of celebrating the Nativity of Christ in the Orthodox Church

The history of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ has been known since the emergence of Christianity. Since the 4th century, the holiday was called Epiphany, celebrated on December 25 and was a union of several events, which today are known as three separate holidays: Epiphany (Epiphany), Annunciation and Christmas.

The appearance in the flesh of the Son of God, the remembrance and glorification of this event is the main and original goal of the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ. But there is also a secondary goal, which we will find out in this article.

When do Christians celebrate Christmas?

On what date do Christians celebrate Christmas - in the modern world in different ways. Most people use the Gregorian calendar when calculating the date of the holiday, which was created in the 14th century. Secular society lives according to this calendar in most countries of the world - including Europe and Russia. According to the Gregorian calendar, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 - this is the tradition among Catholics and some other faiths. The Western Church has preserved an amazing tradition of celebrating Christmas at the state level - with street decorations, public celebrations and sincere joy. Europeans celebrate this holiday on the same scale with which they celebrate the New Year in Russia.

In Russia, the tradition of calculating events according to the solar Church Slavonic calendar, which was introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC, and which bears his name - Julian, has remained. According to this calendar, following the leadership of the apostles, Christians of the Eastern Church calculate holidays. The Orthodox holiday of the Nativity of Christ is January 7, although according to the old style this date also fell on December 25. The new style was introduced in Russia immediately after the revolution of 1917; after the innovations, the time shifted 14 days ahead. This holiday is considered the twelfth, starting with Christmas Eve the day before - January 6th. On this day, Christians strictly fast until the first star, and then eat a special dish - sochivo. The Nativity of Christ is preceded by a 40-day fast. On the night of January 7, at a festive service, Orthodox and Christians of other denominations of the Eastern Church celebrate the holiday of Christmas and go home to celebrate it with all the luxury - now the fast is over, and you can have fun all night.

A Brief History of the Nativity of Christ

The history of the Church of Christ knows many discrepancies with the true teaching of the apostles; it was expressed in the distortion of general theology and, as a result, the very teaching about Christ was distorted. This was also the reason that the holiday was separated from the general celebration of the Incarnation, which combined three events, and Christmas was introduced separately.

The separation of the holiday occurred in the 4th century under Pope Julia. By setting the date of celebration on December 25, the Church created a counterbalance to the cult of the sun, which the pagans celebrated on this day. The celebration was so popular that even Christians took part in it, thereby sinning against the second. Thus, the introduction of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ replaced the pagan tradition of celebrating the winter solstice and turned the hearts of people to the true God.

The day for the holiday was extremely symbolic and logical - after all, the symbol of the sun, like no other, befits the remembrance of the event of Christmas, since Christ is the Sun of Truth, the Light of the World, the Conqueror of Death - as the apostles call Him.

According to the great Christian minds of world significance, such as John Chrysostom, Blessed Augustine, St. Cyril of Alexandria and others - the date of Christmas on December 25 really has high historical accuracy in calculating the day of the Nativity of Christ.

The introduction of chronology from the Nativity of Christ occurred in 525 and is associated with the significance it had for all humanity. Two eras - before the Nativity of the Messiah, before the possibility of eternal life and forgiveness of sins - and after. The monk Dionysius the Small, who calculated events to form the basis of the new calendar, made a mistake with the calculations - to be precise, it is now 4 years earlier than is commonly believed and the current calculation of time has this error. But the event, nevertheless, remained the main one in the history of mankind - that is why chronology is carried out from the Nativity of Christ.

Symbols of the Nativity of Christ

The following are the most famous symbols of the Nativity of Christ:

elegant Christmas tree;
present;
Star of Bethlehem;
nativity scene;
angels and shepherds.

The history of the emergence of spruce as an attribute of Christmas comes from the Western tradition, which did not develop immediately, and was associated with people’s ideas about evergreens as a symbol of immortality, eternal life. That is, exactly what became possible with the coming of the Savior to this world.

Gifts were brought to Christ by the Magi - Persian healers, representatives of Zoroastrianism - the world's first monotheistic religion, intended for all peoples, and not just the Jewish. They practiced astrology and calculated the Birth of the Messiah, which was predicted in their religion. The Magi brought with them gifts to the Christ Child - attributes that symbolized three important qualities that He possessed. It was:

gold - to the King;
incense - to the Priest;
myrrh - To a man who must die.

Myrrh is a very aromatic resin that was used to pray over dead people and was a symbol of burial. After returning to their homeland, the Magi preached the birth of the Savior. The Church honors them as the “three holy kings.” In memory of these gifts, it is customary to give gifts at Christmas - not because the person behaved well, not for any other reason - but out of love, for Christ's sake.

The Star of Bethlehem is a mysterious celestial object that led the Magi to Christ. According to one version, an unusual celestial phenomenon occurred when Jupiter and Saturn converged at one point. According to the calculations of the astronomer Johannes Kepler, who lived in the 17th century, such a phenomenon could have been possible during the events of the Gospels. There are different traditions in the depiction of the Star of Bethlehem - the 5-pointed star, characteristic of the Arab Church, is known, the 8-pointed one is considered a symbol of the Virgin Mary and is depicted in the Orthodox tradition. There are also 6-pointed and other types of the Star of Bethlehem.

It is reliably known from Tradition that there was no place for Christ in the hotels of Bethlehem, where the Holy Family came for the census, and He was born in a cave (den) and was swaddled and laid in a manger - a feeding trough for livestock. Therefore, pious Christians place a figurine of a nativity scene with the Child and the Holy Family under the Christmas tree - in memory of the great event.

According to the Gospel narrative:

“In the vicinity of Bethlehem there were shepherds who lived in the field and, replacing each other at night, guarded their flock. And the angel of the Lord appeared before them. The radiance of the light of the Lord illuminated them. They were very afraid, but the angel told them: “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news - news of great joy for all the people: today in the city of David your Savior was born - Christ the Lord! And here is a sign for you: you will find a Child swaddled, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)

The shepherds saw the angels, heard the Great Doxology, the angelic song that people preserved, believed and came to worship the Creator first.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” (Luke 2:14)

In memory of this event, shepherds and angels became symbols of the Nativity of Christ. They are depicted on Christmas gifts, as Christmas tree decorations, Christmas figurines and other symbols that are traditional attributes of Christmas.

Christmas: traditions and customs

At Christmas, carols are sung, the house and streets are decorated, festive food is prepared - these attributes are present, perhaps, among all nations. But how else do they celebrate Christmas, and what traditions exist?

It should be noted that in European countries, Christmas is taken extremely seriously: this holiday is considered the main holiday of the year, it is celebrated at home in a close family circle and it is not customary to invite anyone. Preparation for the Nativity of Christ includes food and gifts. On the eve of Christmas, the whole city dresses up with Christmas decorations.

On the eve of the Nativity of Christ, Christmas markets are held in Rus', where you can buy everything related to the theme of Christmas. For Orthodox Christians, the holiday begins on Christmas Eve and ends on Epiphany Eve. All this time is a special day of joy, Christmastide.

Christmas Eve is the eve of the holiday, when, according to pious tradition, sochivo is cooked, a sweet dish made from wheat cereals with honey and dried fruits. Sometimes wheat is replaced with rice. On this day, Christians try not to eat anything until the first star, and then, in a pre-holiday atmosphere, they solemnly set the table and eat heartily. The Sochi table is decorated with hay and elements symbolizing Christmas. After the meal, believers prepare for the night Christmas service.

Christmastide is a holy day that runs from January 7 to 18 and is a time of intense joyful prayer, fun time with feasts, singing carols and other happy moments. In Rus', Christmas was celebrated with carols and active attendance at divine services on Christmastide. Today, these traditions are being revived among young people and are becoming a popular form of leisure, as you can see by visiting temples.

Christmas is a great holiday, familiar from childhood. This is the second largest holiday after Easter, and the first children's holiday - a time of magic and miracles. It is filled with an atmosphere of expectation of a miracle. Children whose hearts are always pure feel it better than others. The history of the Nativity of Christ teaches us to rejoice and expect unexpected gifts - for no reason, just like that. Because Christ was born - our common Gift.

The Christmas holiday in Russia is often perceived as one day in a series of celebrations, but in fact it has its own deep meaning.

Nativity

The Christmas holiday is a church event, the full name of which is the Nativity of Christ. Thus, this day represents the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, born of his mother, the Virgin Mary. According to legend, the Virgin Mary was married to Joseph at the time, and one day an angel appeared to him in a dream, who announced that as a result Mary would become the mother of the son of God. Maria herself received similar news.

According to Christian texts, during the period when Jesus was supposed to be born, the ruler Caesar Augustus ordered a census of the population, and everyone had to be in the city where he himself was born at the time of the census: therefore Mary and Joseph went to their native settlement - Bethlehem. As a result of the census, there were many people in the very house where they stayed, and Mary retired to the sheep manger, where she gave birth to a son.

Simple shepherds, who at that moment were guarding their flocks in a field nearby, also received news of this. According to legend, an unusually bright star appeared in the sky above them, which led them to the manger, where Mary and the newborn were. Thus, it was these shepherds who turned out to be the first people who came to worship the son of God on earth.

Christmas celebration

In Catholic and Lutheran traditions, the Feast of the Nativity of Christ is usually celebrated on December 25th. The Russian Orthodox Church, which counts important religious dates according to the Julian calendar, celebrates Christmas on January 7. In most Christian communities, Christmas is considered the second most important religious holiday after Easter. In honor of this event, solemn services are held in all churches and parishes. In many Christian religious movements, the onset of Christmas is preceded by strict fasting. For example, in the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Nativity fast lasts from November 28 to January 6.

In many countries where it is customary to celebrate Christmas, one or more days are considered holidays. In particular, in addition to Russia, these include most European countries, the USA, Canada, the countries of the former USSR and many others. At the same time, citizens of Bulgaria, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Estonia have three whole days off for Christmas.

Orthodox Church.

According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Christ was born from the Virgin Mary during the reign of Emperor Augustus (Octavius) in the city of Bethlehem. Augustus ordered a nationwide census of his entire empire, which then included Palestine. The Jews had the custom of conducting national censuses by tribes, tribes and clans; each tribe and clan had their own specific cities and ancestral places, therefore the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph, descended from the line of David, had to go to Bethlehem (the city of David) to register and their names in the list of Caesar's subjects. In Bethlehem, due to the census, all the places in the hotels were occupied; Mary and Joseph were able to find accommodation for the night only in a limestone cave intended for a cattle stall. When they settled down there, the time came for Mary to give birth. Among the hay and straw on a cold winter night, the baby Jesus Christ was born. The Holy Virgin, who painlessly gave birth to the Infant of God, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and placed Him in a manger—a feeding trough for livestock. But in the midst of midnight silence, when all humanity was engulfed in sleep, the news of the birth of the Savior of the world was heard by the shepherds guarding the flock. An Angel appeared to them and said: “Do not be afraid: I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people. Today the Savior of the world was born - Christ the Lord! And here is a sign for you: you will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly a large heavenly army appeared with the Angel, praising God. When the Angels disappeared, the shepherds said to each other: let's go to Bethlehem and see what happened there. And, hastening, they found a cave where Mary, Joseph and the Child were lying in a manger. The shepherds told the holy family what had been announced to them about the Child.

At this time, according to the Gospel of Matthew, the Magi (ancient sages) from the east came with gifts to the Infant God. They expected that the great King of the world would soon come to earth. The Magi, according to legend they were called Gaspar, Melchior and Belshazzar, headed to Jerusalem to ask where to look for the Savior of the world. Hearing about this, King Herod, who ruled Judea at that time, became agitated and called them to him. He found out from the Magi the time of the appearance of the star - the possible age of the future king, whom he feared as a rival to his reign. Herod hypocritically asked the wise men to inform him of the place of birth of the baby, “so that I too could go and worship Him.”

Following the guiding star, the Magi reached Bethlehem, where they bowed to the newborn Savior and brought gifts from the East: gold, incense and myrrh. These gifts had a deep meaning: they brought gold as a tribute to the king, incense as a tribute to God, and myrrh as a person who was about to die (in those distant times, myrrh was anointed with the dead). Then, having received a revelation from God not to return to Jerusalem, they went back to their own country by another route.

The angry Herod, discovering that the wise men did not listen to him, sent soldiers to Bethlehem with orders to put to death all male infants under two years of age. The Gospel tells that Joseph, having received a warning about danger in a dream, fled with the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child to Egypt, where the Holy Family remained until the death of Herod.

In remembrance of the birth (nativity) of Jesus Christ, the church established a holiday - the Nativity of Christ. The beginning of its celebration dates back to the time of the apostles. The Apostolic Decrees say: “Keep, brethren, the feast days, and, firstly, the day of the Nativity of Christ, which shall be celebrated by you on the 25th day of the tenth month” (from March).

In the first three centuries of the new era, during the persecution of Christians, in some churches the feast of the Nativity of Christ was combined with the feast of Epiphany on January 19 (January 6, old style) under the common name of Epiphany. The reason for this was probably the belief that Christ was baptized on the day of his birth.

The date of Christmas - December 25 - has been accepted by the Church since the 4th century. Until the 70s of the 1st century, the overwhelming majority of Christians were Jews, and among them the question of the date of birth of the Savior was not raised, because it was generally not customary for Jews to know exact birthdays. The first attempts to establish the date of the Nativity of Christ and celebrate this day as one of the main Christian holidays date back to the 2nd-3rd centuries.

In 337, Pope Julius I approved the date of December 25 as the date of the Nativity of Christ. Since then, the entire Christian world celebrates Christmas on December 25 (the exception is the Armenian Church, which celebrates Christmas and the Epiphany as a single feast of Epiphany). The Russian Orthodox Church also celebrates the Nativity of Christ on December 25, but according to the old style - according to the Julian calendar (since the Russian Orthodox Church did not accept the calendar reform of Pope Gregory XIII), that is, on January 7 - according to the new Gregorian style.

The Feast of the Nativity of Christ precedes the Nativity Fast, so that the soul of Christians is cleansed by prayer and repentance, and the body by abstinence from food. Lent begins on November 28 (November 15 according to the Julian calendar) and lasts until January 7 (December 25 according to the old style). The last day of the Nativity Fast is Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, when the fast becomes especially strict and Vespers (evening worship) of the Nativity of Christ is served. For Christmas Eve, churches are decorated in a festive way - with spruce branches, garlands of flowers and lights.

Since the festive vespers have already been served, the all-night vigil begins with the joyful cry of the prophet Isaiah: “God is with us!” Matins is performed according to the rite of the great holidays. On it, for the first time, one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship is sung in full: “Christ is born, glorify! Christ is in heaven, hide (meet)! Christ is on earth, ascend! Sing to the Lord, all the earth!”

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ concludes with the Divine Liturgy - a service at which the sacrament of Communion is performed.

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 Feast of the Synaxis of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Christian tradition is the most ancient holiday in honor of the Virgin Mary, the beginning of Her church veneration.

The period from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany is called Holy Days, or Christmastide. In fact, this is a continuation of the Christmas holiday.

For Christmas, many families have a custom of decorating a Christmas tree and giving each other gifts. Christmas tree branches are decorated with various sweets and glowing lights.

On the holiday, after the service, they broke their fast with all kinds of meat and fish snacks, jellied and baked goose with apples. Roasted poultry was a decoration on the Christmas table. Chicken was served cold, goose or duck was served hot. Cold poultry was garnished with pickles, tomatoes and herbs, hot poultry was garnished with fried potatoes. At Christmas, pies, gingerbreads, and carols (small-shaped products made from rye unleavened dough with various fillings) were baked in every house, which were also treated to those who came to carol - sing folk songs about the Nativity of Christ.

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

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

How is fasting related to casting out demons in the Bible? Did Christ himself fast?

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

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

Why is it customary to decorate a spruce tree at Christmas? Isn’t this a secular New Year’s tradition with roots in paganism? Did the spruce stand next to the Christmas manger? Which Christian was the first to decorate a tree?

In this article, we tried to collect for you answers to the most important questions for a Christian about the holiday of Christmas, interesting facts and postcards with which you can congratulate your loved ones.

Christmas: the history of the holiday

So, let's turn to the history of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ. It would seem that everything is simple here. This day is described by the evangelists; undoubtedly, for a Christian, the birth of the Heavenly King, the incarnation into man, the opportunity to ask for forgiveness of sins and eternal life is a great holiday. Not so simple. As we have already said, the Scriptures do not talk about celebrating Christmas. And even more so, there is no particular promise to decorate the tree or give each other gifts.

The story of the Nativity of Christ is described in the Holy Scriptures, but the celebration of this event appeared later. Christmas is one of the twelve great holidays of the Orthodox Church. In our tradition, they are usually called the twelve holidays; these are the great celebrations of the Church that follow Easter. Birthdays were not celebrated in the Jewish tradition, which is difficult for modern people to believe, and there is no promise in Scripture of a special celebration. The first mention of Christmas dates back to the 4th century. In 360, the Roman bishop Liberius mentioned the feast of Christmas. In the 2nd century, the Birth of Christ was talked about on the day of Epiphany. The Feast of Epiphany celebrated three great events at once - the Birth of Jesus, the bringing of gifts and Baptism. In the old missals, Christmas is called “Winter Easter”; the Resurrection of Christ was a consequence of Christmas. All church practice was formed around them. This holiday is dedicated to the earthly life of Christ. Our Savior was born not in a luxurious castle, but in a barn where cattle were sheltered from bad weather. A piece of Jesus' manger is supposedly kept in the Roman temple of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, and that year the emperor ordered a census of newborns. The Mother of God and Joseph were from the family of King David. There was no place for them in the city hotels on the road to Bethlehem, so the Savior of the World was born next to the stable, and the Infant of God was placed in a cattle feeder - His first manger. The shepherds who were guarding their flocks nearby were the first to learn about the miracle that had taken place, as the Gospel of Luke says. On a starry night, the Angel of the Lord appeared to them to announce Great Joy, “for today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David.” Together with the Angel, a large heavenly army also appeared, crying “Glory to God in the highest!” The first to worship the Lord were ordinary people, and ordinary people became the first preachers of Christ. The angel said to them: “Do not be afraid: behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people, for today a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David,” and the humble shepherds were the first to be honored to bow down for the salvation of people to Him who descended to the level of a “slave’s face.” " What did these words mean? Before the Birth of Christ, God had never incarnated before. Having taken upon himself the sins of the world, Jesus gave people hope for Salvation, commanding his disciples, first of all, to love. The Apostle Paul said that death would be gain for him, because in the body he was separated from the true source of life - Christ.

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

Why did the Son of God become man? God has opened ways of salvation for us. The essence of man united with the Divine essence. Jesus took on man to heal humanity. He brought us the amazing gift of grace and all we need to do is accept this gift worthily and righteously. The appearance of God in the flesh is a sacrifice that atoned for all the sins of mankind. And not only past, but also future sins. Theophan the Recluse writes about “adoption” by God the Father through God the Son: “The Spirit of God makes sons - by regenerating everyone? Not all, but only those who believed in the Lord, decided to follow Him in everything, and for the sake of these dispositions were accepted into God’s favor, as if destined to be sons.”

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

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

The day before Christmas is Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is the “door” that opens the gates to Christmas.

Until Christmas Day, a great holiday, people observe the Nativity Fast. Fasting in the life of a Christian takes up one third of the year. On these special days, Christians try to get in touch with timelessness, Eternity. Believers imitate Christ, because Christ fasted. One must try to become like Christ not only in food, but also in spiritual life. We empathize not even with the holiday of Christmas itself, but with the appearance of Christ in the world, with the fact that God became man. Fasting is a time of purification in spiritual life and one of the main spiritual activities of a person. The holy saints of God fasted, which is mentioned numerous times in Scripture. Many Holy Ascetics spent their entire lives in strict fasting. Jesus spoke about the need for fasting to the Apostles. When the Apostles asked why they were able to cast out demons from a possessed person, Jesus replied that this race can only be driven out by fasting and prayer. Prayer is for the soul, and fasting for the body are important deeds for a Christian. Preparatory Christmas post. We are preparing for the Nativity of the Lord, the day of the great holiday; such a holiday should be celebrated with spiritual purity. To prevent Christmas Day from becoming an ordinary day, fasting is observed, a person repents of sins, so that the soul accepts this holiday.

Symbols of the Nativity of Christ

On the eve of Christmas, on Christmas Eve, festive dishes are prepared - sochivo and kutia. The word “Christmas Eve” is precisely associated with the preparation of sochi. These are dishes made from steamed cereals with honey. They eat only once on Christmas Eve, after the festive service.

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

The symbols of Christmas still remain the Sacred Gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh.

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

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

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

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

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

In those days, not only church choir singers, but also parishioners took part in Christmas celebrations. A statue of the Virgin Mary was placed on a special table above the throne. A boy from the church choir, portraying an Angel, announced the birth of the Messiah. And the priests portrayed the Bethlehem shepherds. After the announcement they entered the altar. This was followed by a small performance on a Biblical theme, which was called “Nativity Scene,” or in Western Ukraine simply “Nativity Scene.”

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

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

Why do different churches celebrate Christmas dates?

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

In the ancient world there was no single calendar. Julius Caesar was one of the most enlightened people of his time. He realized that there was a need to create a calendar. The Julian calendar was established by Julius Caesar, as follows from its very name. Greek science of that time already knew that the Earth makes a full revolution around the sun in 365 days and 6 hours. In fact, these are not entirely accurate figures - for 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes. Julius Caesar demanded that the calendar combine Roman names and Greek scientific discoveries. This calendar, like the Gregorian calendar, has 12 months, leap years, 365 days a year. An additional day appears every four years. Unfortunately, the 11 minute discrepancy became critical. So in 128 years a whole extra day would appear on the calendar. In 1582 it became obvious that a new calendar had to be developed. Pope Gregory XIII introduced a calendar, which is called the Gregorian calendar, which has fewer leap years. Years that are divisible by 100 but not divisible by 400 began to contain 365 days. Why did the controversy arise if the new calendar was perfect? Ten days were deliberately omitted from it. Countries adopted the new calendar at different times, which led to several confusions regarding important historical dates.

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

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

Festive service

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

Matins of the Nativity is sung at night. This night we hear the Angel's song: Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will toward men. This is gratitude to God for being incarnate and saving us. We also hear polyeleos, verses from these psalms glorifying the mercy of the Lord. Next comes majesty, a short song praising God. The composition of the festive matins includes a sedate and sedate antiphon. The antiphons imitate the choir of angels praising the Lord. The names refer to the way these chants are performed. So the Antiphons are sung alternately. Next comes the prokeimenon, which precedes the reading of a passage from Scripture dedicated to the Nativity of Christ. This is followed by the Gospel stichera, explaining the words of Scripture.

Troparion and Kontakion for Christmas

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

Troparion for Christmas

Kontakion for Christmas

Christmas tree: Orthodox meaning

The spruce has always been a symbol of Christmas. This is due to the fact that Herod ordered the killing of all the babies, fearing for his position, when the Magi reported that the King of the Jews had been born, meaning the Savior. It is believed that to save Jesus, Mary and Joseph closed the entrance to the cave with spruce branches.

Why was Herod so afraid? In the time of Jesus, everyone was waiting for the coming of the Messiah. He was expected as a powerful King, whose enemies would be defeated. Jesus, as we remember, was born not in palaces, but in a stable, and His first manger was a bowl for feeding livestock. Herod was not a deeply religious Jew, so the coming of the Messiah interested him only from the point of view of political ambitions. Not only was Herod not a descendant of David, and, therefore, his position as an official ruler was already precarious, but it was not he who accepted Judaism, but his grandfather Antipas, because the Hasmonean Kingdom of Judah demanded it. Antiparus, Herod's father, seized the royal throne by cunning and force. He himself became a victim of betrayal and deceit. Herod punished the traitors and ascended to the kingdom. Power passed from hand to hand. By taking the granddaughter of Hyrcanus II as his wife and reconstructing the temple, Herod tried to strengthen his position. But, being a cruel and suspicious man, he later killed his wife and three sons, suspecting them of conspiracy. Against the backdrop of these events, wise men appeared in Jerusalem demanding to show them the King of the Jews, and they clearly did not mean Herod. After this, he ordered all the babies to be killed. This terrible event was one of Herod's worst crimes.

In Europe, for a long time there was a legend that when the trees brought their gifts to the Infant God - fruits, the spruce had nothing to offer him, and she modestly stood on the threshold of the stable, not daring to approach. Then Jesus smiled and extended his hand to her. But this story belongs, rather, to good fairy tales.

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

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

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

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

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

A little later, the spruce appeared as an illustration for the book “The Nutcracker” by Hoffmann, which indicated a tightly rooted tradition of decorating the spruce for Christmas. Already in 1916, the Holy Synod saw German influence in the tradition and banned it, and in 1927, after an anti-religious campaign, the Christmas tree was classified as a “relic of the past”...

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

Merry Christmas

Your loved ones with vintage Christmas cards.

Dates of Christmas:

About the Nativity of Christ on Pravmir:

About the Nativity of Christ: the history of the holiday

Bishop Alexander (Mileant)
Protodeacon Andrey Kuraev
Archimandrite Iannuariy (Ivlev)
Prot. Alexander Shmeman

Christmas calendar

Hymns and service of the Nativity of Christ

Nikolai Ivanovich Derzhavin: and

Christmas carols and songs

Video

Christmas in the family: traditions and customs

Christmas icon

Hieromonk Ambrose (Timrot)

Sermons

St. Basil the Great
St. John Chrysostom
St. Leo the Great,

Christmas: history and traditions of the holiday of goodness and light

On January 7, Orthodox Christians will celebrate one of the most important and solemn holidays in the church calendar - the Nativity of Christ.

history of the holiday

According to Scripture, the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ in Bethlehem during the then census. The city was crowded with people who had arrived for the census, and no one had a place to stay in their houses. Mary and Joseph settled down in a stable, where they spent the night with their domestic animals. At the moment of birth, a star appeared in the sky, which showed the wise men the way to the baby. The wise men entered the stable and presented their gifts to the future Savior: gold, incense and myrrh (a special fragrant oil).

When is the holiday celebrated?

Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7, unlike Catholics, who celebrate it. This tradition arose in connection with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in Europe in 1582. In Russia, only in the 20th century did they begin to use the European chronology. The Church did not accept the new calendar at all and continues to count Christian holidays according to the Byzantine calendar partially reformed by Peter I.

What happens before Christmas?

Before the holiday, Orthodox Christians observe a 40-day fast, one of the longest in the church calendar.

On Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve) everyone gathers at the festive table. It is customary to spend this quiet pre-Christmas evening with your closest people and wait for the first star to appear in the sky, which will herald the beginning of the holiday.

Photo: Bobylev Sergey/TASS

What to cook for Christmas?

Believers usually set a table of 12 dishes. The main thing on the night of January 6-7 is sochivo - wheat grains with honey, nuts, raisins or dried fruits. After the first star appears in the sky, Orthodox Christians should begin the meal with it, and then move on to the main dishes.

Kissel is an important and symbolic item on the holiday table. It is prepared exclusively from the ripest and sweetest fruits or berries. If desired, it can be supplemented with broth - dried fruit compote. In addition, there must be a fish dish on the table - a symbol of Christianity and Christ.

The main rule that all Orthodox Christians try to adhere to is that the Christmas table should be especially generous and rich. In addition to sochiv, jelly and fish, you can add aspic, goose with apples, chicken, young stuffed pig, pancakes and much more. For dessert, it is customary to serve gingerbread, sweets, nuts and fruits.

How to receive guests?

It is customary to invite and let everyone who needs it into the house for Christmas dinner. On this day we need to bring joy to those who cannot afford a traditional holiday. There is a belief that the Lord himself may come to dinner in honor of the Nativity of Christ, but it is not known in what guise he will appear. It is quite possible that this will be a needy person, so wanderers must be received with great respect.

Photo: Smertin Pavel/TASS

What is Christmas caroling?

In some villages in Russia, the tradition of caroling at Christmas is still widespread.
This custom has its basis in Christmas songs, which in the old days were called carols. Believers went from house to house and sang ritual songs - this is how they glorified the Nativity of Christ. Such songs can not only talk about Christmas, but also praise the Almighty, family, children and human life itself. It is customary to treat carolers to gingerbread, sweets, fruits, and also give them a small amount of money.