Christmas is the meaning of the holiday for Christians. What is Christmas: history of the holiday, traditions. Why are the dates of Catholic and Orthodox Christmas different?

Since ancient times, the Day of the Nativity of Christ has been ranked by the Church among the great twelve holidays. Its significance is so great that even chronology is calculated from the moment the first star appears in the sky, marking the Birth of Jesus Christ.

The great holiday begins the day before, January 6, with the Holy Evening. For Orthodox Christians, this is the last day of a 40-day fast and a period of intensive preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ.

Christmas

The holiday was established in honor of the Birth in the flesh of the Son of God by the Virgin Mary. According to the Gospel, Jesus Christ was born during the reign of Emperor Augustus in the Jewish city of Bethlehem.

According to the legend of the Gospel, the mother of Jesus Christ Mary and her husband Joseph lived in Nazareth, and came to Bethlehem, fulfilling the order of the ruler Augustus to appear to the entire population for the census.

In Bethlehem, due to the census, all the places in the hotels were occupied, and Mary and Joseph were able to find accommodation for the night only in a cave intended for a cattle stall. There Mary gave birth to the Son of God. The Most Holy Virgin swaddled the Divine Infant and placed him in a manger - a feeding trough for livestock.

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 went to the cave and were the first to bow to the baby. The Star of Bethlehem shone in the sky.

Following the guiding star, the Magi (ancient sages) reached Bethlehem, where they bowed to the newborn Savior and brought gifts of 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).

It was from those ancient times that the tradition came to make the Star of Bethlehem and decorate the New Year tree with it. The tradition of celebrating this event as a holiday appeared much later. One of the first mentions of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ dates back to the fourth century.

history of the holiday

The establishment of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. Until the 4th century, in the Eastern and Western Churches, the Nativity of Christ was combined with the feast of Epiphany and was celebrated on January 6, and was known under the name of Epiphany.

The work of Italian artist Roberto Vanadia "Like a new Bethlehem"

The main and initial purpose of establishing a holiday is to remember and glorify the event of the appearance in the flesh of the Son of God.

The Nativity of Christ was first separated from Baptism in the Roman Church in the first half of the 4th century. 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 has celebrated Christmas on December 25th. The exception is the Armenian Church, which celebrates Christmas and Epiphany as a single feast of Epiphany on January 6.

By moving the holiday to December 25, the Church wanted to create a counterbalance to the pagan cult of the sun and protect believers from participating in it.

The establishment of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ on December 25 had another reason. The church fathers believed that the 25th day of December historically most closely corresponds to the day of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ on December 25 in the Eastern Church was introduced later than in the Western Church, namely in the second half of the 4th century. For the first time, separate celebrations of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord were introduced in the Church of Constantinople around 377. From Constantinople, the custom of celebrating the Nativity of Christ on December 25 spread throughout the Orthodox East.

Icon "Nativity of Christ"

The Georgian, Russian, Jerusalem, Serbian and Polish Orthodox churches, as well as the Athonite monasteries (in Greece), Eastern Rite Catholics and some Protestants who adhere to the Julian calendar also celebrate the Nativity of Christ on December 25, but according to the old style, that is, January 7.

On January 7th, the Nativity of Christ is also celebrated by Orthodox and Greek Catholics in Ukraine, the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt, and Orthodox Christians in Belarus, Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Shoba

The Nativity of Christ in Georgia, like throughout the Christian world, is one of the most important celebrations and is called “Shoba” in Georgian. Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II will serve the Christmas liturgy at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity - Sameba, in Tbilisi, which will begin on January 6 at 23:00.

In each part of Georgia, Christmas is celebrated in its own way, but traditional “Alilo” processions are held in every region of the country.

The Georgian "Alilo" comes from the word "Hallelujah", that is, the praise of God. This is an ancient tradition of a Christmas procession in honor of the birth of the baby Jesus, which has been renewed in recent years by the Patriarchate of Georgia.

In Tbilisi, the procession begins from Rose Square and goes to the Sameba Cathedral, where, according to tradition, the participants are met by the Patriarch and handed over gifts and sweets.

Alilo participants walk through the city center, singing Christmas folk and church songs. The costumes of the participants in the procession are reminiscent of Christmas biblical characters: these are angels with wreaths on their heads - “makharobels”, that is, “messengers of joy”, wise men with gifts, and also shepherds.

The procession is also attended by clergy and parishioners of various churches. In the carts drawn by oxen accompanying the participants of the procession, everyone puts their offerings - sweets, fruits, toys, and other gifts, which after the end of "Alilo" will be distributed to orphanages, nursing homes, hospitals and the needy.

Another Christmas tradition introduced in Georgia by Ilia the Second. On Christmas midnight, every resident lights a church candle in the windows of their houses, designed to illuminate the way for the Most Holy Theotokos and the Baby Jesus into their homes and hearts.

In each region of Georgia, Christmas is celebrated in its own way and festive dishes typical for it are prepared. The Nativity of Christ is even called differently in different regions of the country. In Samegrelo, for example, this holiday is called “Christ’s Evening”, in Racha and Lower Svaneti - “Chantloba”, in Upper Svaneti - “Shobi” (Christmas), in Kartli - “Christ’s Eve”, and in Mtiuleti - “Tkhiloba” (Time for nuts).

Christmastide

In Rus', Christmastide begins on the eve of the great holiday - on Christmas Eve with dinner with Christmas kutia and porridge, pie with pretzels. For Christmas Eve, churches are decorated in a festive manner with fir branches, garlands of flowers and lights.

In many countries, as in Russia, Christmas was considered one of the main family holidays. For the holiday, figurines of animals were also baked from wheat dough, which were used to decorate tables and hut windows and which were sent as gifts to relatives and friends.

When the family gathered at the table, the elders remembered the year - all the good and bad in the past year. At the end of the meal, the children took part of the remaining kutya to grandparents, as well as to the poor, so that they too could celebrate Christmas.

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. After the service, we ate all kinds of meat and fish snacks, 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.

Folk traditions of celebrating Christmastide from Christmas to Epiphany are rooted in the Slavic customs of celebrating the winter solstice. Mandatory attributes were dressing up and caroling.

In honor of the ancient tradition, boys and girls dressed up in scary outfits, animal costumes and went from house to house singing carols - Christmas carols. They organized dances in houses and on the streets, staged skits and entire performances.

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.

The older generation was not bored either: the old people remembered and told customs, the women told fortunes.

Customs and signs

According to ancient custom, on Christmas night you must make your most cherished wish, and it will definitely come true. It is on this night, according to ancient beliefs, that water, nature itself and the air become magical and this helps your wishes come true.

Christmas traditions also say that during the holidays you should definitely have fun, never be sad and enjoy life.

Chassed icon "Nativity of Christ". 17th century National Museum of Art of Georgia

People believed that on Christmas Eve all evil spirits came out into the world and walked until the Baptism of Christ. It was during this period of time that fortune telling, ceremonies and rituals became popular.

On Christmas night you should definitely look at the sky. A good omen is to see a shooting star on this night.

Heavy snow during the Christmas holidays indicates a warm spring ahead.

If you lost your comb during the holidays, then Christmas signs say that you will find your betrothed.

During the Christmas holidays, be sure to visit the store and buy cute trinkets that will become your amulets until next Christmas.

Reproduction of the icon "Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ". 15th century

If the cat is in a hurry to run away on the morning of a holiday, it means the groom will appear, and the cat means the bride.

At Christmas you should go to visit or receive guests at home, then only good people will come to you all year.

If a clock that you haven’t touched for a long time starts ringing on holidays, it means you’ll soon be going on a trip.

Christmas should be celebrated in clothes of light and bright colors, since it is impossible to be sad on such a bright and cheerful day.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

The Feast of the Nativity of Christ is one of the most beloved holidays of the Church, which even non-believers joyfully celebrate.

Surprisingly, even those who have never thought about the deep meaning of this solemn day happily decorate the Christmas tree, scour the shops in search of Christmas gifts, send colorful Christmas greeting cards, buy kilograms of bright, fragrant tangerines, which have forever given their wonderful smell and taste. this winter holiday. They will not forget about the Christmas table - with a magnificent browned duck in apples, or turkey with figs (a tradition more characteristic of the West!), and they will even buy a “Christmas nativity scene” - a fashionable toy depicting the scene of the birth of the Christ Child. Nowadays, when we all live in conditions of legalized absurdity with dates, and the New Year in the new style falls on the days of the strictest Nativity fast, Christmas itself is perceived by most people simply as a pleasant continuation of the New Year's festivities. And the deep meaning of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ turns out to be unnoticed, unfelt behind all this cellophane tinsel, pre-holiday bustle, Christmas shopping frenzy...

Let's renounce the immediate and talk about the main thing. Let us not be distracted by the unimportant, but let us look closely at the eternal. So, what is the essence of the Christmas holiday?

1. What do we celebrate on Christmas Day?

Incarnation. That is, the birth of God in the human race. Birth of the Savior from the Blessed Virgin Mary.

2. What is the difference between New Year and Christmas?

These two winter holidays and those next to each other on the calendar have completely different meanings. New Year is the beginning of a conventional period of time invented by people, the beginning of a new calendar year. By celebrating this day, we pay tribute to human institutions. This date is not so difficult to shift, which was done in 1918, when V.I. Lenin signed the “Decree on the introduction of the Western European calendar in the Russian Republic.” Celebrating the Nativity of Christ, we relive an event of completely different significance - the birth of Jesus Christ, the appearance of the Savior to our world. The birth of Christ, the coming of the Savior to our world is a turning point in the history of mankind.

But since the events underlying the NG and XX are completely incomparable in their significance, then the traditions that are attached to these holidays are also incomparable in their depth. The Soviet tradition of celebrating the New Year can only include Olivier salad, champagne, Blue Light and a Christmas tree, which migrated here from Christmas. The traditions of Orthodox Christmas have the deepest roots and symbolism. We’ll talk about them later, but for now let’s talk about the very birth of the Savior.

3. How did the birth of Jesus happen?

We remember that nine months before the birth of Christ, and, therefore, the Nativity of Christ, an event occurs called the “Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos,” when the Archangel Gabriel brings the Good News to the Mother of God (hence the “Annunciation”) that she will become the Mother of God : "Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with you, blessed are you among women." Mary was embarrassed by these words, but the Angel continued: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God, you will give birth to a Son and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and His Kingdom will have no end.” Name Jesus means "Savior". Mary asks the Angel in bewilderment: “How will this be when I don’t know my husband?” And the Angel answers: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You, and the one who is born will be called the Son of God.” This is how the story of our salvation begins, the story of the coming of God into our world, the story of the Incarnation.

At that time, Judea was conquered by the Roman Empire and became part of its eastern provinces. In order to streamline the taxation system, the sole emperor of the Roman Empire, Octavian Augustus (63 BC - 14 AD), decides to conduct a census of his eastern provinces. Moreover, the Jews must be registered at their place of origin. Both Joseph, who became engaged to Mary and cared for her, and the Virgin Mary herself were descendants of the famous biblical king David (died about 970 BC), who came from Bethlehem. The descendants of King David were deprived of the throne in the 6th century BC. e., and for a long time already lived the same way as the rest of the Jews, not standing out among them in any way. However, long before the Nativity of Christ, the prophets announced that the Savior, the Messiah, would come from the line of David, and that is why we focus on such an important fact. So, since the Virgin Mary and Joseph come from the family of King David, and their distant ancestor was from Bethlehem, then the expecting child Mary and Joseph are forced to make a long journey from the Galilean city of Nazareth, where they live, to Bethlehem - a city foreign to them . Census, how can you disobey the emperor's decree?

Due to the influx of people, there is no room in the hotels of Bethlehem for the Holy Family, and they stay outside the city, in a cave - here shepherds drive their cattle in bad weather. In this cave, at night, near the Virgin Mary, the Baby is born - the Son of God, Christ the Savior of the world. Mary swaddles Her Son and puts her in a manger - where they usually put feed for livestock. And the animals warm the Infant God with their breath. As they sing in churches on these holidays, the manger has become “the container of the incontainable God.” On the one hand, there is God, inconceivable in His Greatness, but, at the same time, a helpless Baby. In this indissoluble unity of divine nature with human nature lies the secret of the incarnation. A secret that we humans are not given the opportunity to know, but which we can feel - with our hearts.

4. How did the world learn about the birth of the Savior, how did the world perceive it?

The Bethlehem shepherds are the first to learn about the birth of the Savior. That night they are grazing their flocks in the field, when suddenly an Angel of God appears before them: “Do not be afraid!” he says, “I announce to you great joy that will be not only for you, but for all people: today I was born in the city David (i.e. in Bethlehem) Savior! Here is a sign for you: you will find a Child wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." As soon as the angel said this, suddenly many other Angels appeared, singing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace "There is good will among men." These words begin the so-called Great Doxology, which is sung today during Divine services.

But the shepherds were not the only ones who worshiped the Infant God. The Mother of God and Joseph, together with the Infant Jesus, were still remaining in Bethlehem, when wise men and astrologers came from the distant east to Jerusalem. They, too, had long been expecting the birth of the One who would become the Messiah - the Savior. In Jerusalem, strangely dressed strangers from the east begin to ask: “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw His star rising, and we came to worship Him!” Hearing this, the suspicious and cruel king of Judea Herod “was agitated, and with him all Jerusalem.” From experts in the Holy Scriptures, frightened Herod learns that the prophets foretold the birth of the King of the Jews, the Savior, in the line of David, in the city of Bethlehem. Suspicious Herod cannot even imagine that the kingdom of the newborn Ruler of Israel will be “not of this world,” that we are not talking about an earthly kingdom, but about the Kingdom of Heaven. This is all too difficult for the cruel impostor Herod. And Herod is truly a monster - he ordered the execution of his wife and children only out of suspicion that they intended to deprive him of power. So, having heard that a possible competitor had already been born, Herod calls the unsuspecting magi to himself, finds out from them the time of the birth of the Messiah and sends them to Bethlehem with an insidious order: “Go, carefully investigate about the Baby and, when you find it, notify me.” so that I too can go and worship Him."
The Magi head to Bethlehem, and a new star shows them the way.

So, led by the star, the Magi go to Bethlehem. And the star stopped “over the place where the Child was. Seeing the star, they rejoiced with very great joy, and, entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary His Mother, and, falling, they worshiped Him; and, opening their treasures, they brought Him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. And, having received a revelation in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their country in another way. When they had departed, behold, the Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and says: Arise, take the Child and His Mother, and flee to Egypt, and be there until I tell you, for Herod wants to look for the Child in order to destroy Him..."

Thus, with homelessness and wanderings, the life of Christ begins.

When the Savior was born, people reacted differently to this event. Some, like the Magi, with a pure heart went to meet Him to rejoice. Others, like Herod, decided to destroy Him. There were also indifferent people who did not allow the Mother of God into their house to spend the night. They didn’t care, they were incapable of mercy, of compassion. It is with the tacit consent of such people that evil is committed. Both those, and others, and others are among us. And each of us faces a choice every day: who is he with? Where is he? With Christ, or for Herod? Or maybe he just hid in his cozy little world and won’t let someone else’s misfortune and pain in, and, therefore, won’t let the Lord in either.

5. What are the traditions of celebrating the Nativity of Christ?

Firstly, the holiday of the Nativity of Christ itself begins with anticipation. And the main thing in this expectation is fasting, lasting from November 28 to January 6. Fasting prepares the spirit and body for the perception of the very event of the Nativity of Christ, for participation in it. The Church understands how important it is to wait for the holiday. Just as the Magi, the eastern sages, went to Bethlehem and expected to see the born Christ, prepared for this meeting, brought him gifts, so we, while fasting, make a spiritual journey and bring our spiritual gifts to the Lord. This is the anticipation of the holiday. And there is also the approaching holiday. The approach is that on the eve of January 6, Christmas Eve is celebrated, a day of very strict fasting, when sochivo is prepared - a dish of wheat and honey. On this day, people do not eat until the first star appears in the sky in memory of the Star of Bethlehem, which showed the Magi the way to the birthplace of the Savior. Christmas Eve is spent in preparation - people prepare for confession and Communion, to receive communion either on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, or on Christmas Eve itself, and prepare the Christmas meal. This is how we get ready to meet the born Christ, to gather the whole person. And with real preparation, both spirit and body participate in the holiday.

Secondly, understanding how important the external side of events is for us people, the Church prepares us for the holiday and with special Christmas traditions. An evergreen tree is placed in houses - a symbol of the eternal life that Christ gave us.

The star with which we crown our Christmas trees is reminiscent of the Star of Bethlehem, which lit up when Jesus was born, the star that led the Magi to the Infant God, showed them the way.

On Christmas Eve, on Christmas Eve, it is customary to place a burning candle on the window. There is also a deep meaning here. A candle is a symbol of the human soul that burns before God. It burns and lights the way for others. A lit candle in the window before Christmas shows that in this house we are waiting for Christ. Because the most important goal of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ is that our hearts become the Bethlehem manger in which Christ was born. And the meaning of our celebration is the birth of Christ in our hearts.

And finally, when we give gifts at Christmas, we are like the Magi - the eastern sages who brought their gifts to the Infant God: gold, incense and myrrh. These gifts from the Magi were also deeply symbolic: gold, as for the King, incense, as for God, and myrrh, a fragrant ointment used at burial, as for a mortal.

6. What is the meaning of the Nativity of Christ?

The mystery of the Incarnation is inaccessible to the human mind. But this greatest, Divine mystery of the incarnation is connected with two other mysteries that are close to the heart of every person: the mystery of birth and the mystery of love.

Everyone knows the joy that we experience when a person is born, and each of us, at least once, has come into contact with the secret of love. That is why the events of the Nativity of Christ, with all their incomprehensibility, are close to everyone’s heart, and the events of this holiday are understandable even to the smallest children. The Savior is born in the human race, this is not some abstract God sent to us, who has no kinship or connection with people. God takes on human flesh. He, born of the Holy Spirit, takes on our entire psychophysical world. Because in order to save a person, it was necessary to know him to the end, it was necessary to go through the entire earthly path of a person - from birth, through suffering, to death. And God goes through it, and does it out of love for us.

7. Why do we need this Christmas holiday?

He comes into our world in the silence of the Bethlehem night, and the very fact of His birth is already our approach to God, because, in the words of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh: “Every person, by the very fact that he is a person, is introduced to the mystery of Christ.” From now on, man is not alone in this world. “Christ became a Man so that all of us, all of us without a trace, including those who have lost all faith in themselves, would know that God believes in us, believes in us in our fall, believes in us when we ourselves have believed in each other.” friend and in himself, believes so much that he is not afraid to become one of us." “God became Man so that man could become God,” this is how the 2nd century martyr Irenaeus of Lyons formulated the great mystery of the incarnation.

Christians all over the world look forward to the brightest holiday every year - the Nativity of Christ. In every corner of the globe where they bow to the name of Christ, this truly great day is celebrated. Not only children, but also adults are looking forward to it. Everyone enjoys pre-holiday chores. This day brings a new ray of light, love and hope into the life of every person. But we should not forget that, first of all, this is a divine holiday on which we honor the name of the Son of God, who accepted death in the name of the salvation of all mankind. Without realizing this thought, the meaning of the holiday is lost. Celebrating this day, everyone needs to pray that His spirit will be reborn in our souls, so that in our hearts there will be a manger that can receive Him, as well as precious gifts that are ready to belong to Him. This holiday personifies universal love and the birth of faith in the soul of every Christian.

The Nativity of Christ: the history of the holiday (Bethlehem Cave)

This bright holiday plays an important role not only in the lives of Orthodox Christians and Catholics, but also for the church itself. According to Saint II, the Nativity of Christ, the celebration of which falls on December 25 according to the Julian calendar, or January 7, is the beginning of all the main church holidays. He said that in this holiday the Epiphany, Easter, the Ascension of the Lord, and also Pentecost have their beginning.

From ancient legends we know that the prophets of the Old Testament knew about the appearance of the Son of the Lord on earth. And this miracle was expected for several centuries. This is how the Nativity of Christ was predicted. The history of the holiday dates back to the fourth century BC. So how did it all begin? The appearance of the Son of the Lord happened on a cold winter night. Mary and Joseph walked from Palestine to Jerusalem. According to ancient sources, the Romans were to be registered at their place of residence, and the Jews - at their place of birth. Mary and David, descendants of King David, were born southwest of Jerusalem. When Mary's labor pains began, they were near a cave in which a cattle stall had been built. Joseph went to look for a midwife. But when he returned, he saw that the baby had already appeared, and the cave was filled with a light of unusual power, which they could not bear. And only after a while the light went out. Mary gave birth to the God-man in terrible conditions, among mangers and straw.

The Adoration of the Shepherds and the Gifts of the Magi

The first to whom the news reached were the shepherds who were on duty at night with their flock. An angel appeared to them and brought the good news of the birth of the Son of God. The Magi were announced about this joyful event by a bright star rising over Bethlehem. The star-speakers (magi) went to look for the place where the baby was born, and by the light of the stars they came to the cave. They approached the baby and knelt before the Savior of mankind. They brought gifts: twenty-eight gold plates, frankincense and myrrh (the incense was rolled into small balls, the size of an olive, and strung on a thread - there were seventy-one balls in total). They presented gold as a king, incense as God, and myrrh as a man who would taste death. The Jews buried their dead with myrrh so that the body would remain incorruptible.

Baby murders

King Herod of Judea awaited the birth of the miracle baby with great fear, because he thought that he would lay claim to his throne. He ordered the wise men to return to Jerusalem and reveal the place where Mary and the child were. But the Magi, who received revelations in a dream telling them not to return to the oppressive ruler, did just that. The story of the Nativity of Christ testifies that the king gave the order to his soldiers to surround Bethlehem and kill all the babies. Warriors broke into houses, took newborn children from their mothers and killed them. On that day, according to legend, more than fourteen thousand babies died. But they never found the Son of God. Mary and Joseph had a vision telling them to immediately leave Bethlehem and go to Egypt, which they did that same night.

Date and time of birth of Jesus Christ

The date of birth of the Son of God has long remained a controversial point in history. An attempt to establish this moment by the dates of the events that accompanied the birth of Jesus did not lead theologians to any specific figure. The first mention of the date December 25 is found in the chronicles of Sextus Julius Africanus, dated 221. Why is the date of the Nativity of Christ determined by this particular number? The time and date of Christ’s death is known for certain from the Gospel, and he must have been on earth for the full number of years. From this it could be concluded that Jesus Christ was conceived on March 25th. Having counted nine months from this day, we concluded that the date of the Nativity of Christ is December 25.

Establishment of celebration

Since the first Christians were Jews, they did not celebrate the Nativity of Christ. Because this day, according to their worldview, is “the day of the beginning of sorrow and suffering.” For them, Easter day was more important. But after the Greeks entered Christian communities, they began to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ based on their customs. At first, the ancient Christian holiday of Epiphany combined two dates: the birth and baptism of Jesus, but later they began to be celebrated separately. From the beginning of the seventh century, they began to celebrate the Nativity of Christ separately. The history of the holiday has reached a new level.

The day we celebrate Christmas (traditions)

When is Christmas celebrated in Russia? Despite the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church uses the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, it is celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar - January 7th. This date is one of the twelve holidays. How is Christmas celebrated? The traditions of celebrating this bright day are rooted in the distant past. Well, firstly, the holiday is preceded by a forty-day fast. Christmas Eve is called Christmas Eve. This holiday got its name because of the main dish - sochiva, which believers eat on this day. Sochivo is soaked dry wheat. In our country this dish is known as kutia. On Christmas Eve, fasting is especially strict; evening services are also held on this day. At Christmas in Russia and other Orthodox countries, godchildren bring the so-called “supper” to their godparents, which consists of sochiv. After the first star rises in the sky, you can sit down to the table, on which there must be twelve Lenten dishes, according to the number of the apostles. Dishes must be lean, since on the eve of the holiday it is still forbidden to eat animal food. Before the festive dinner, everyone present at the table reads a prayer praising God Jesus Christ. On Christmas Eve, people decorate their homes with fir branches. It is the branches of the spruce tree that signify eternal life. They also bring a spruce tree into the house and decorate it with bright toys that symbolize the fruits on the tree of paradise. On this day it is customary to give each other gifts.

Folk traditions

It is believed that on the night before Christmas two forces rule on Earth - Good and Evil. And the power to which a person is more inclined performs various miracles over him. According to legend, one force called people to celebrate the Sabbath, and the other - to the festive table. In ancient times, on this day, young people gathered in groups, dressed up in funny costumes, stood on a pole and went from house to house with cheerful carol songs, notifying the owners that Christ was born. They also wished the owners peace in the house, a good harvest and other benefits; they, in turn, thanked the “carol” and gave various treats. Unfortunately, this tradition has been preserved only in villages.

Christmastide

The holidays continue until January 19th. This day is called the Day of the Epiphany. From January 7 to 19, festive liturgies are held in churches every day. These are called Christmastide. These are the only days on which fortune telling is allowed by the church. The celebrations ended with the Divine Liturgy, at which the Sacrament of Communion was performed.

Who else celebrates this day with us on January 7?

Where else is Christmas celebrated on January 7? The history of the holiday goes back many centuries. And in addition to the Orthodox Russian Church, Christmas is celebrated on January 7 by the Ukrainian, Jerusalem, Serbian, Georgian and Belarusian Churches. As well as Catholic churches of the Eastern rite, Athonite monasteries. The remaining eleven churches of the Orthodox rite, as well as the Catholic Church, celebrate this day on December 25.

Gifts of the Magi

According to legend, shortly before her Dormition, the Mother of God transferred blessed gifts to the Jerusalem Church. There they were passed on from generation to generation. Then they came to Byzantium. In 400, the Byzantine king Arcadius moved them to the new capital - Constantinople, in order to consecrate the city. And before the conquest of the city, sacred gifts were kept in the treasuries of the emperors. In 1433, after the capture of the city, the Turkish Sultan Muhammad II allowed his wife Maro (Maria), a Christian by religion, to take the treasures, which she sent to Athos, to the monastery of Paul after the fall of Byzantium. The gifts of the Magi are kept in the Athos monastery to this day; sometimes they are taken out of the monastery. Gold bars are used to illuminate water and drive out demons.

How Catholics celebrate the Nativity of Christ: the history of the holiday (briefly)

The traditions of celebrating this bright holiday among Catholics are in many ways similar to ours. On Christmas Eve, people decorate their houses with fir branches and build small nativity scenes. On Christmas Eve they strictly observe fasting and eat only juices. Lenten dishes and fish are prepared for the festive table, as well as baked goose or duck, but they are treated to them only for the second meal - December 25th. On Christmas Eve, all Catholics go to church, even those who do it extremely rarely. Before starting the ceremonial meal, all family members pray and then break a piece of unleavened bread (wafer). There is always one empty seat at the festive table. Anyone who comes to the house this evening will be a welcome guest.

Holiday for children

Children should also be involved in the celebration of this event. Bible stories are interesting for both preschoolers and older children. Tell them about what a bright holiday - Christmas. Pictures will complement the story, because the most interesting thing for children is to look at pure images of the baby and the Mother of God. Show them how to celebrate properly and prepare dishes for the evening: let the children become your helpers. At school or kindergarten, play out a nativity scene and learn songs. The main thing is to plant this seed of tradition, which will help the child develop values, including family ones, because Christmas is a family holiday. And let the brightest miracles happen on this day, because it is on this day that we especially acutely feel and experience the meeting with Christ.

Among the great Orthodox holidays there are those that are especially revered by our people. One of such days in Orthodoxy is the Nativity of Christ - a favorite holiday of both adults and children. The traditions of celebrating it have evolved over centuries, and therefore are closely intertwined with paganism. Nowadays, even among Orthodox believers, you can meet people who do not even suspect that at Christmas they are doing non-Christian things. How to celebrate Christmas correctly, what is the history of this holiday and what should not be done on this day - let's try to figure it out in this article.

Christmas Day Events

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, was born on earth by the Virgin Mary. This event took place in the city of Bethlehem, where the Holy Virgin was going with her betrothed Joseph to the census. In those days, the population of cities was counted by birth, so for the census it was necessary to come to the city where all the previous tribes came from.

Icon "Nativity of Christ"

Due to the large crowd of people in the city, Joseph and Mary were unable to find room even in the worst hotel. Seeing that Mary was about to give birth, one man took pity on the couple and offered them a place in the cave where the cattle were housed.

Important! It is difficult to understand, but the Savior of all mankind was born in a barn covered with hay, where there were not only conditions worthy of His Glory, but even basic comfort.

While the Mother of God was laying down the newborn Christ, the shepherds learned about His birth. An angel appeared to them and announced a joyful event. In addition, the star of Bethlehem showed the way to the cave to the eastern wise men. In their person, symbolically, the pagan world of the East was the first to worship the newborn Christ. From them the Lord also received the first gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Interesting! Unlike the tradition of giving gifts on New Year's Day, Christmas gifts have a deeper meaning. In addition to joy, they also symbolize the gifts the Magi brought to Christ.

The history of the formation of the holiday of Christmas in Christianity

Since ancient times, the celebration of this day has differed significantly in different Christian denominations. There is, for example, significant disagreement between the Byzantine churches and the Armenian Church. Thus, Armenians are sure that it is necessary to celebrate Christmas and Epiphany on the same day, January 6, while the Byzantine tradition separated these dates.

As for our Orthodox Church, from ancient times the holiday of Christmas was ranked among the great twelve holidays, in which the Lord God is praised. Initially, the date of celebration was December 25 (now it remains with Catholics), but with the transition to a new style it shifted to January 6 (Christmas Eve) and January 7 (Christmas).

The Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of Christ on the night of January 6-7

Both in historical and liturgical aspects, the celebration of Christmas is closely connected with the Epiphany of the Lord. Both days are preceded by Christmas Eve, and the services themselves are very similar.

Fasting before it is of great importance in the development of the celebration of Christmas. It originates from ancient Christian times, when Christians fasted before great holidays in order to receive communion on the holy day and celebrate the holiday with dignity.

The significance of the holiday led to the fact that the pious tradition of fasting went beyond the scope of one day. Saint John Chrysostom indicates in his writings that during his time the preparation for Christmas lasted for five days. Over time, Christians increased fasting to 2-3 weeks or more.

The duration of the Nativity Fast was finally established in the 12th century by Patriarch Luke, who decreed that all Christians fast for 40 days. Lent has the same duration, only it is more strict.

The Holy Fathers of our Church, according to the Gospel revelation, call the holiday of Christmas the brightest, most joyful and fundamental for all other Christian memorable dates. The attitude towards Christmas largely determines the Christian attitude for all subsequent days of the year.

About other holidays in honor of the Lord:

How do New Year and Christmas relate?

For many believers who grew up in Soviet times, the issue of celebrating the New Year, which falls on the last week of the Nativity Fast, becomes acute. On the one hand, a week before the great holiday, a believer should especially carefully plunge into his spiritual life, strengthen his fast, take communion and repent of sins. On the other hand, the instilled habit from childhood of celebrating the New Year is strong as one of the most favorite holidays among our people. How to resolve this dilemma?

On New Year's Eve, prayers and liturgies are held in many churches and monasteries

Indeed, our people love the New Year so much that the whole of December is literally drowning in the pre-New Year bustle. Gifts are bought, houses are decorated with garlands and snowflakes, and the menu for the New Year's table is drawn up. And few people remember that the main holiday - Christmas - will be only in a week.

Among Orthodox Christians, two main views can be distinguished on the relationship between the New Year and Christmas. Particularly jealous believers have completely crossed out the New Year from the list of holidays and do not single it out at all. In the evening, they have dinner with Lenten dishes, read the usual prayer rule and go to bed, if possible, with the roar of fireworks and firecrackers outside the window.

More loyal Orthodox Christians are trying to find a compromise. Despite the fact that the New Year is a completely secular holiday, the celebration of which was artificially instilled in our people after the 1917 revolution, it is truly loved in many families. And, despite fasting and preparation for Christmas, it becomes sad from the need to completely deny yourself the New Year's joys.

About other secular holidays:

The meaning of any holiday is always determined by its essence. Of course, Christmas has much more meaning and spiritual content than New Year. But if an Orthodox Christian uses New Year’s Eve not for overeating and drunkenness, but for meeting with family and friends, communicating with them in the spirit of love and joy, then what’s wrong with that?

Important! Even Orthodox believers, in the midst of the Nativity fast, can find an acceptable format for celebrating the New Year so that it does not violate their spiritual integrity and does not offend loved ones.

Now there are no problems with food, so the New Year's table can be easily covered with both lenten and fast dishes, so that a person can choose what to eat. Alcohol in small quantities is also acceptable during Lent, the main thing is that New Year's Eve does not turn into drinking.

A forty-day strict fast is observed before Christmas.

But of course, the main holiday for any Christian will be Christmas. Having modestly celebrated the New Year, Orthodox Christians begin preparing for the main event. Many believers even decorate the Christmas tree a week after the New Year, and place gifts under it on Christmas Eve, on the evening of January 6th.

Important! The tradition of giving gifts at Christmas indicates a shift in the main holiday emphasis to the Christian date.

What not to do on Christmas

Since the trend of celebrating the Birth of Christ has become popular not only among Christian believers, but sometimes also among atheists, this day has become filled with many traditions. Unfortunately, not all of them are comparable to Orthodoxy.

Interesting! So, a very popular tradition among our people is fortune telling at Christmas and Christmas time.

It must be remembered that the Orthodox Church has always viewed any fortune-telling and similar occult practices with great condemnation. Many people do not take Christmas fortune telling seriously, thinking that it is just entertainment. Such a frivolous attitude towards a sinful matter can greatly harm the soul.

The Orthodox Church has a negative attitude towards fortune telling and occult practices

You can find a lot of evidence of mental disorders that occurred in a person after participating in fortune telling, and even on holy Christian days. Even without special faith in the truthfulness of fortune telling, a person, through his participation in sin, gives access to the soul to dark forces. Therefore, any Christian should in every possible way avoid Christmas fortune-telling and other occult practices.

You can often come across the opinion that singing Christmas carols also refers to paganism. This is not entirely true: it is Christmas carols that glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. But there really is a connection with paganism. For the first time, such chants had a pagan basis and were sung in honor of the sun. With the adoption of Christianity, pagan songs were replaced by the tradition of singing Christmas carols about Christ. These chants are not prayers, however, they can be sung on holidays. In many churches, after the service, you can also listen to the beautiful singing of carols by the church choir.

In addition to fortune telling and the occult, we must remember that Christmas is a spiritual holiday, filled with deep meaning. No one forbids setting the table, inviting guests and celebrating the holiday, but it cannot be completely transferred to the worldly plane. Even with the end of fasting and the permission of fasting food, some moderation in food and drink must be observed in order to prevent overeating and alcohol intoxication.

Important! A Christian must remember on any day of his life that he stands before God, so it is completely pointless to fast and then forget about it on the holiday itself.

Feast of the Nativity of Christ

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

The history of the birth of Christ

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

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

Source: alter-idea.info

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

In Rus', the Christian holiday began to spread in the 10th century. Christmas combined with the ancient Slavic winter holiday in honor of ancestral spirits (Svyatki), remnants of which were preserved in “Yuletide” rituals (mummers, fortune telling), which the church currently considers unacceptable, since according to Christian clergy, any fortune telling is a terrible sin.

Why are the dates of Catholic and Orthodox Christmas different?

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

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

Traditions and symbols of Christmas

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

One of the interesting traditions of celebrating Christmas is the “Christmas manger” or nativity scene, depicting the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ. The world's first nursery was created in 1562 in Prague. For a long time they were installed only in churches; later the custom was adopted by aristocrats and rich people. The scene of the Manger is as follows: the baby in the cradle is surrounded by his parents, the legendary ox and donkey, shepherds, and wise men. An important role was played by characters from the common people crowding around: enthusiastic fishermen, a fish seller, a woman with a clay jug and others.

Esteban Bartolomé Murillo, Adoration of the Shepherds.

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

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

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

Christmas has always been so strongly woven into the lives of Russian peoples that after the October Revolution, when faith in God began to be equated with treason and the Soviet government tried to cancel any church celebrations, people had to invent an alternative: it is believed that this is how New Year's matinees and performances with fabulous characters that are actually remade Christmas skits.

What not to do on the night of Christmas

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

Previously, in houses for the celebration of Christmas, a didukh was prepared - a symbolic, festively decorated sheaf of grain (rye, wheat, oats), which was placed in the corner and it was believed that from that time on the souls of the patron ancestors were there. As long as the didukh was in the house, it was forbidden to do any work other than caring for livestock.

Not only the dinner on Christmas Eve, but also the following dinners until the Generous Evening on January 13 were called “sacred.” At the same time, it was forbidden to work throughout the holiday week.

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