The history of the feast of the Nativity of Christ and who is Jesus Christ? History of Christmas. Christmas: the history of the holiday
One of the greatest holidays of the Christian world is the day of the birth of the Son of God, baby Jesus. What is the difference between the Orthodox tradition and the Catholic one? Where did the custom of decorating the Christmas tree come from? How is Christmas celebrated in different countries? All this will be discussed in this article.
History of Christmas
The history of the celebration of Christmas begins with the birth of little Jesus in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.
The successor of Julius Caesar, Emperor Augustus, ordered a general census of the population in his state, which then included Palestine. The Jews in those days had a custom to keep records of houses and clans, each of which belonged to a particular city. Therefore, the Virgin Mary, together with her husband, Elder Joseph, were forced to leave the Galilean city of Nazareth. They had to go to Bethlehem - the city of the family of David, to which they both belonged, in order to have their names included in the list of Caesar's subjects.
In connection with the census order, all the hotels in the city were filled. Pregnant Mary, together with Joseph, managed to find lodging for the night in a limestone cave, where the shepherds used to drive their cattle. In this place, on a cold winter night, little Jesus was born. In the absence of a cradle, the Blessed Virgin swaddled her son and laid him in a manger - a feeder for cattle.
The first to know about the birth of God's Son were the shepherds who were guarding the flock nearby. An Angel appeared to them, who solemnly announced the birth of the Savior of the World. The excited shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found a cave in which Joseph and Mary spent the night with the baby.
At the same time, the Magi (wise men) hurried from the east to meet the Savior, who had been waiting for his birth for a long time. A bright star that suddenly lit up in the sky showed them the way. Bowing to the newborn Son of God, the magi presented him with symbolic gifts. The whole world rejoiced at the long-awaited birth of the Savior.
Catholic and Orthodox Christmas: Celebration Traditions
History has not preserved information about the exact date of the birth of Jesus Christ. In ancient times, the first Christians considered the date of the celebration of Christmas on January 6 (19). They believed that the Son of God, the redeemer of human sins, was to be born on the same day as the first sinner on Earth - Adam.
Later, in the IV century, by decree of the Roman emperor Constantine, Christmas was ordered to be celebrated on December 25th. This confirmed the assumption that the Son of God was conceived on the day that fell on March 25th. In addition, on this day, the Romans once celebrated the pagan holiday of the Sun, which was now personified by Jesus.
The difference in the views of the Orthodox and Catholic churches on the date of the celebration of Christmas arose as a result of the introduction into use at the end of the 16th century. Many Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches continued to consider the birthday of Jesus Christ on December 25 according to the old, Julian, calendar - accordingly, they now celebrated it on January 7 new style. The Catholic and Protestant churches chose a different path, declaring the day of Christmas on December 25 according to the new calendar. Thus, the divergence in the traditions of Catholics and Orthodox was fixed, which still exists.
Customs of Orthodox Christmas: Advent
In those days, there was a tradition to decorate the spruce with shiny little things, figures made of colored paper, coins and even waffles. By the 17th century, in Germany and Scandinavia, decorating the Christmas tree had become an unchanging rite, symbolizing the celebration of Christmas.
In Russia, this custom arose thanks to Peter the Great, who ordered his subjects to decorate their houses on holy days with spruce and pine branches. And in the 1830s, the first whole Christmas trees appeared in the houses of St. Petersburg Germans. Gradually, this tradition was picked up by the indigenous people of the country with the inherent Russian wide scope. Spruces began to be installed everywhere, including in the squares and streets of cities. In the minds of people, they have become strongly associated with the Christmas holiday.
Christmas and New Year in Russia
In 1916, the celebration of Christmas in Russia was officially banned. There was a war with Germany, and the Holy Synod considered the Christmas tree "the enemy's invention."
With the formation of the Soviet Union, people were again allowed to put up and decorate Christmas trees. However, the religious significance of Christmas shifted to the background, and its rituals and attributes were gradually absorbed by the New Year, which turned into a secular family holiday. The seven-pointed star of Bethlehem on the top of the spruce was replaced by a five-pointed Soviet star. The holiday on Christmas Day has been cancelled.
After the collapse of the USSR, there were no special changes. The most significant winter holiday in the post-Soviet space is still the New Year. Christmas began to be widely celebrated relatively recently, mainly by Orthodox believers living in these countries. Nevertheless, solemn worship services are held in the churches on Christmas night, which are directly broadcast on television, and the status of a day off was also returned to the holiday.
Christmas holiday in the USA
In the United States of America, the traditions of celebrating Christmas began to take root quite late - from the 18th century. Puritans, Protestants and Baptists, who made up the largest and most influential part of the settlers in the New World, resisted its celebration for a long time, even introducing fines and penalties for it at the legislative level.
The first American Christmas tree was erected in front of the White House only in 1891. And four years later, December 25 was recognized as a national holiday and declared a day off.
Customs for celebrating Catholic Christmas: decorating houses
In the United States, for Christmas, it is customary to festively decorate not only Christmas trees, but also at home. Illumination is hung along the windows and under the roofs, sparkling with all the colors of the rainbow. Trees and bushes in the garden are also decorated with garlands.
In front of the front doors, the owners of the house usually put up luminous figures of animals or snowmen. And on the door itself it is hung from spruce branches and cones intertwined with ribbons, complemented by beads, bells and flowers. These wreaths also decorate the interior of the house. Evergreen needles - the personification of triumph over death - symbolizes happiness and prosperity.
Christmas Celebration Customs: Family Evening
It is accepted that for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ a large family in full force gathered in the parents' house. Before the start of the festive dinner, the head of the family usually reads a prayer. Then everyone eats a piece of consecrated bread and drinks a sip of red wine.
After that, you can start eating. Traditional dishes that are prepared in honor of the celebration of Christmas are different in each country and region. So, in the United States, bean and cabbage soup, homemade sausages, fish, and potato pie are always served on the table. The British and Scots by this day will certainly stuff the turkey, prepare a meat pie. In Germany, goose is traditionally cooked and mulled wine is brewed.
Christmas Celebration Customs: Gifts and Hymns
After a generous and hearty festive dinner, everyone usually begins to give gifts to each other. And the kids are preparing "Christmas socks", which are hung by the fireplace: the next morning Santa Claus will certainly leave a surprise for them there. Children often leave treats under the tree for Santa Claus and his reindeer to keep them from being hungry on Christmas Day.
The celebration of the Nativity of Christ in small American towns has also preserved another pleasant tradition. On Christmas morning people go to visit each other and sing old songs dedicated to this holiday. Children dressed as angels sing Christmas carols, glorify God and the birth of baby Jesus Christ.
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Soon the holiday - Christmas, this year the date when the holiday comes - as usual, the date does not change. Our story is short and clear for children, adults who do not know the background of the holiday should also read it. We will briefly tell the history of the holiday, folk traditions and customs, it is interesting, take a few minutes of your time to read.
The holiday comes on the night of January 6-7, and is preceded by a very long Christmas fast, which lasts for 40 days. Although it is not as strict as Great Lent, except for Wednesday and Friday, the laity is allowed to eat fish, you can modestly celebrate the New Year with your family with a fish table, praying to the Lord and expressing gratitude to Him for all the blessings that He sent us over the past year. And from January 1, fasting becomes more strict, you can no longer eat fish at all, you need to pray more, fast, confess and take communion, prepare for the holiday with a clear conscience and soul.
On January 6 (also called Christmas Eve), traditionally people do not eat anything until the first star appears in the sky. Usually (according to folk tradition) everyone sits down for a family dinner, for which 12 Lenten dishes are prepared (in honor of the 12 apostles). Although the churched people at this time are more in the service than standing near the stove, preparing so many dishes! The main dish is kutya or sochivo, which is often cooked from boiled wheat grains with the addition of honey, nuts and poppy seeds. Everyone takes food, says prayers, in anticipation of the bright holiday of Christmas, which comes at midnight.
Briefly describing the history of the holiday, it can be noted that the Ever-Virgin Mary carried Jesus in her womb when a decree came from Rome on the census of all the inhabitants of Palestine. People had to come to the cities in which they were born and check in there. Joseph and Mary went to their hometown of Bethlehem. However, there were a lot of people there during this period, that both hotels and houses of local residents were occupied by parishioners, so the owner of one house showed them a cave in which he hides cattle from the cold wind in winter.
It was in this cave on the significant night of January 7 that Jesus was born, and a star shone in the sky, which stood out among the rest for its brightness (hence the name Star of Bethlehem). Herod, the king of the Jews, seeing this miracle in the sky, realized that the Savior had been born and was very worried, because the Child was predicted to become a king! At that time, the Magi came to him, who knew that the Divine Infant had been born, and they wanted to find Him and present gifts to Him. Herod, having learned that the Baby was born, asked the Magi to tell him about the place of birth, as if in order to give Him praise, but in reality - to destroy Him.
The Magi went in search, they were led by a star. When they arrived in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary were no longer in the cave, but in the house. The Magi gave gifts to Jesus: gold (revering the future king in it), frankincense (seeing God in it), and myrrh (suggesting that, as a man, he is mortal).
The angels told the magi not to return to their king, because they knew what he was up to. Herod in anger ordered the destruction of all babies about the age of Jesus, and Joseph and Mary and the child went to Egypt, away from Herod and returned to their homeland after he died.
Since that time, the main holiday of the Orthodox considers Christmas.
Throughout the day and night, services are held in churches, candles are lit, joyful carols are sung. Holidays (called Christmas time) last right up to the Epiphany, which is celebrated by the Orthodox on January 19th.
Christmas was always celebrated among the people cheerfully and brightly - with carols, mummers, songs and dances. They went from house to house, sang carols, the owners gave them treats for this, and the mummers wished them peace and good. It was believed that the more carolers come to the house, the more happiness will be throughout the year for its inhabitants. Nativity scenes are arranged everywhere, which depict the cave where Jesus was born, they sing songs, and everyone joins in the bright and great celebration of the Nativity of the Lord. Children traditionally carry the supper to their godparents. They were wrapped in a handkerchief with gifts - kalachi and sweets, and the godparents, in turn, treated them and gave gifts.
At Christmas, a Christmas goose is usually baked and the whole family sits down at the festive table. In Bulgaria, they bake a pogacha pie, inside of which they put a silver coin - whoever finds it will receive the most happiness! Many people guess at Christmas time - of course, the church is against such things as fortune-telling, witchcraft, magic and flirting with otherworldly forces, people say: today Christ was born, and all evil spirits have their tail between their legs! However, it is better not to play these games, let this custom remain in the past - in ancient paganism!
Every year, Christians around the world look forward to the brightest holiday - Christmas. In every corner of the globe, where they bow before the name of Christ, this truly great day is celebrated. Not only children, but also adults look forward to it. Pre-holiday chores are for everyone. This day brings a new ray of light, love and hope into the life of every person. But do not forget that, first of all, this is a divine holiday, on which we honor the name of the Son of God, who died in the name of the salvation of all mankind. Without awareness of this thought, the meaning of the holiday is lost. While celebrating this day, everyone needs to pray that His spirit will be reborn in our soul, that in our heart there will be a manger that will be able to 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.
Nativity of Christ: the history of the holiday (Bethlehem cave)
This bright holiday plays an important role not only in the life of Orthodox Christians and Catholics, but also for the church itself. According to Saint II, the Nativity of Christ, which falls on December 25 according to the Julian calendar, or on January 7, is the beginning of all major church holidays. He said that the Epiphany, Pascha, and the Ascension of the Lord, as well as Pentecost, have their beginning in this holiday.
From ancient traditions 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 Christmas was foretold. The history of the holiday goes back to the fourth century BC. So how did it all start? The appearance of the Son of the Lord happened on a cold winter night. Mary and Joseph were on their way from Palestine to Jerusalem. According to ancient sources, the Romans had to be recorded according to their place of residence, and the Jews - according to their place of birth. Mary and David, descendants of King David, were born southwest of Jerusalem. When Mary went into labor pains, they were near a cave in which a cattle stall had been set up. Joseph went to look for the midwife. But when he returned, he saw that the baby had already appeared, and the cave was filled with light of extraordinary 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 hear the news were the shepherds, who were on duty at night with their flock. An angel appeared to them and brought the good news about the birth of the Son of God. The magi, however, were announced about this joyful event by a bright star that had risen over Bethlehem. The Starspeakers (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 golden plates, frankincense and myrrh (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 to a king, incense as to God, and myrrh as to a man who is about to taste death. The Jews buried their dead with myrrh, so that the body would remain incorruptible.
Infant killings
King Herod of Judea with great fear expected the birth of a miracle baby, because he thought that he would claim his throne. He ordered the magi to return to Jerusalem and betray the place where Mary and the child were. But the Magi, who received revelations in a dream that said not to return to the despotic ruler, did just that. The story of the Nativity of Christ testifies that the king ordered his soldiers to surround Bethlehem and kill all the babies. Warriors broke into houses, took newborn babies 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 that told them they were to leave Bethlehem immediately and go to Egypt, which they did that same night.
Date and time of the birth of Jesus Christ
The date of the birth of the Son of the Lord has long been 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 of December 25 is found in the annals of Sextus Julius Africanus, dated 221. Why is the date of the Nativity of Christ determined by this 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, they concluded that the date of the Nativity of Christ is December 25.
Establishing a celebration
Since the first Christians were Jews, they did not celebrate Christmas. Because this day, according to their worldview, is “the day of the beginning of sorrow and suffering.” For them, Easter was more important. But after the Greeks entered the Christian communities, on the basis of their customs, they began to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. At first, the ancient Christian holiday of Theophany combined two dates: the birth and baptism of Jesus, but later they began to be celebrated separately each. Since 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.
Day we celebrate Christmas (traditions)
When is Christmas celebrated in Russia? Despite the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church uses the feast of the Nativity of Christ, it is celebrated according to the Gregorian - January 7th. This date is one of the twelfth 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 - sochi, which believers eat on this day. Sochivo is soaked dry wheat. We know this dish as kutya. On Christmas Eve, fasting is especially strict, and evening worship is also ruled on this day. On Christmas Day in Russia and other Orthodox countries, godchildren bring their godfathers the so-called "supper", which consists of a sochi. After the first star rises in the sky, you can sit down at the table, on which there must be twelve Lenten dishes, according to the number of the apostles. Dishes must be lean, because on the eve of the holiday you can not eat animal food. Before the festive dinner, all those present at the table read a prayer praising God Jesus Christ. On the eve of Christmas, people decorate their houses with fir branches. It is the branches of the spruce that signify eternal life. Also, a spruce tree is brought into the house and decorated with bright toys, which symbolize the fruits on the tree of paradise. On this day, it is customary to give gifts to each other.
folk traditions
It is believed that on the night before Christmas, two forces rule on Earth - Good and Evil. And that power, to which a person is more inclined, performs various miracles on him. According to legend, one force called people to the Sabbath to celebrate, and the other - to the festive table. In ancient times, on this day, young people gathered in groups, dressed up in cheerful costumes, built on a pole and went from house to house with cheerful carol songs, announcing the hosts that Christ was born. They also wished the owners peace in the house, a good harvest and other benefits, the same, in turn, thanked the “carol” and gave various treats. Unfortunately, this tradition has been preserved only in the villages.
Christmas time
Holidays continue until January 19th. This day is called the Day of the Baptism of the Lord. From January 7 to 19, festive liturgies are held in churches every day. These holidays are called Christmas. 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 is celebrating this day on January 7th with us?
Where else is Christmas celebrated on January 7th? The history of the holiday goes back many centuries. And in addition to the Orthodox Russian Church, the Ukrainian, Jerusalem, Serbian, Georgian and Belarusian Churches celebrate Christmas on January 7. As well as Catholic churches of the Eastern rite, Athos monasteries. The remaining eleven churches of the Orthodox rite, as well as the Catholic Church, celebrate this day on December 25th.
Gifts of the Magi
According to legend, shortly before her Dormition, the Mother of God handed over the blessed gifts to the Jerusalem Church. There they were passed down from generation to generation. Then they came to Byzantium. In the year 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 Mohammed II allowed his wife Maro (Mary), 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 still kept in the Athos monastery, sometimes they are taken out of the monastery. Gold ingots illuminate the water and cast out demons.
How Catholics celebrate Christmas: the history of the holiday (briefly)
The traditions of celebrating this bright holiday among Catholics are very similar to ours. On Christmas Eve, people decorate their houses with spruce branches and build small dens. On Christmas Eve, fasting is strictly observed and only juicy is eaten. Lenten dishes and fish are prepared on the festive table, as well as a baked goose or duck, but they are treated to them only for the second meal - December 25th. On the eve of Christmas, all Catholics go to church, even those who do it extremely rarely. Before starting the solemn meal, all family members pray, and then break unleavened bread (wafer) piece by piece. There is always one free 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 is Christmas. Pictures will complement the story, because children are most interested in looking at pure images of the baby and the Mother of God. Show them how to properly celebrate and prepare meals for the evening: let the children be your helpers. At school or kindergarten, play a nativity scene, learn songs. The main thing is to plant this seed of tradition, which will help the child form 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 a meeting with Christ.
To understand the essence of the feast of the Holy Nativity of Christ, it is necessary to plunge into the history of past years, and this history dates back more than two millennia. The Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, with her husband Joseph, lived in the holy city of Nazareth. Archangel Gabriel appeared as a messenger of the good news and announced the imminent birth of Jesus Christ. The ruler of the Roman Empire, Augustus, in honor of this event, decided to conduct a population census, which every inhabitant had to pass in the city of his birth.
Our Virgin Mary and Joseph went to the city of Bethlehem - their homeland. The road was long and painful, however, on January 6 they managed to get to their city. There were a lot of people who wanted to participate in the census, all houses, rooms and hotels were occupied by residents who came to the census. Joseph and Mary had to look for lodging for the night outside the city. They wandered into a cave outside the city, where cattle usually stayed for the night. But on the night of January 6-7, fortunately for our travelers, the cave gorge was empty. It was in this cave, already on January 7, the hour came to give birth to Mary the Son of God - Jesus. The life of the baby began not in the royal walls, and not even in an ordinary house, but in an ordinary country, later called the Cave of the Nativity, on hard straw.
Not far from this cave, shepherds were walking, they received a message from the angels, bright news about the birth of Christ. They found this holy place in order to worship the Savior and brought gifts. With the birth of Jesus Christ, another new star, full of brightness and life, lit up in the sky. It was she who sent the shepherds to the very place where the Son of God was born. The news of the birth of the Savior instantly swept over all of Judea. The king of Judea, Herod, and all the people of Jerusalem were alarmed at the thought of the appearance of the Savior of the world.
On the day Jesus was born, the magi from the east came to Jerusalem - wise men who studied and watched the stars. Looking at the starry sky, they saw an extraordinary, new and very bright star. That hour they realized that on earth was born, necessary for mankind, the Savior of the world. The Magi also wanted to bow to Jesus and bestow gifts on him, and King Herod ordered them to set off on their journey to Bethlehem and find out everything about the birth of the Baby. A star that was visible in the east guided them, pointing to the path where the newborn Jesus was.
The news of the birth angered King Herod, and he, as the head and ruler of his kingdom, gave the order to destroy all newborn children. Jesus was saved by the appearance of an angel of the Lord, who warned his father Joseph of the possible danger and commanded him to flee with his family to Egypt. Timely warning of danger saved little Jesus. And the evil King Herod soon paid for his anger, spending the last days of his life in heavy and painful agony. After the death of King Herod, the Mother of God the Holy Mother of God Mary and her faithful husband Joseph, together with the Son Jesus Christ, returned to the city of Nazareth, where they had previously lived until the birth of the Savior Jesus.
Thus, in the modern world, the Feast of the Nativity of Christ testifies to a new era in the life of mankind, the era of Christianity. January 7, Christmas - is the most important holiday, revered by all Christians around the world. On this day, God forgives all human sins to ordinary mortal people.
Do not forget to congratulate your loved ones on this holiday
- Chipmunk - message report
The undoubted pride of the squirrel family is a cute animal - a chipmunk. Its name is associated with the word "breaker". This is the sound that is heard from him before the rain.
The meaning of the holiday was forever predetermined in scale after the universal reckoning was divided into "before Christmas" and "after". The Son of God with his coming not only marked the birth of a new religion, but also shaped the worldview of thousands and even millions of people. We do not think, but morality, standards of decency, concepts of good and evil - all this was revealed to the world by Jesus Christ. Not surprisingly, all believers celebrate the holiday on a grand scale. But how did it all start?
How the date was set
From the second century AD to the fourth, all Christians celebrated the Epiphany on the sixth of January. Then they also mentioned the day when Jesus appeared.
You can find information about the double celebration in the primary sources left by Clement of Alexandria. The author shared the point of view that the son of God was born on the twentieth of May.
In his opinion, the winter season was chosen on purpose. Faith in one God no longer wanted to put up with pagan remnants, strong enough in the Empire of Rome. After the adoption of Christianity, they continued to celebrate their holidays.
Before the feast of the Nativity of Christ was moved to the twenty-fifth of December, the Romans organized their festivities in honor of the Invincible Sun. It was the most important celebration. The cult of the pagan deity became an addition to the Christian one, and the story of Christmas began. And the first entry in the "Filokal Calendar" for the year 336 of our era.
Differences in churches
For a long time, the history of Christmas originates on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar by the Roman Catholic Church.
At the same time, the Russian temple, as well as Athos, Georgia, Jerusalem and Serbia, are celebrated at this time, but only according to the old Julian chronology. If we take into account the recalculation of days, it turns out that Christmas is on the seventh of January.
But there are other options for dates. Cyprus, Constantinople, the territory of Hellas, Romania, Bulgaria and the Church of Alexandria celebrate the twenty-fifth of December so far. They follow the New Julian calendar. Until the year 2800, this will continue until the dates no longer coincide.
In Armenia, Epiphany and Christmas are celebrated on the same day. The holiday in many ancient kingdoms was celebrated on the sixth of January. Thus, two celebrations were combined into one.
Date of birth of the son of God
To this day, scholars continue to debate about when the story of Christmas began. The date of the twenty-fifth of December was established by the Roman Church, and approved by the Ecumenical Council. Starting from the fourth century, the first memories of Christmas appear.
Historians cannot establish for certain the existence of such a person as Jesus Christ. And yet, if he existed, then the dates of his life are very vague. Most likely, he was born between the seventh and fifth years BC.
For the first time on December 25, the writer and ancient historian Sextus Julius Africanus recorded in his calendar in the two hundred and twenty-first year of the birth of Christ.
The date was confirmed already in our era by Dionysius the Small, who served as an archivist under the Pope. He took into account the early records of the year 354 and decided that Jesus was born at a time when the Roman Empire was ruled by Caesar. Dionysius placed his reign in the first year of the new era.
Some researchers, using the New Testament as a source, argue that the star of Bethlehem that lit up the sky was Halley's Comet. She swept over the Earth in the twelfth year BC.
It is quite possible that he was born in the seventh year of our era, when the indicated census of the entire population of Israel was carried out.
Dates after 4 years BC look unlikely. Both in the letters of the Evangelists and in the Apocrypha, it is mentioned that Jesus lived during the reign of Herod. And he died only in the fourth year before the birth of Christ.
Late time is also not suitable because there is an approximate time of execution. If we take our era, it turns out that he was killed at a very young age.
The letter from Luke says that at the time of the birth of the son of the Lord, the shepherds were sleeping in the field. This indicates the season: early autumn or summer. But in Palestine, even in February, animals could graze if the year was warm.
History of Christmas
The day of the birth of Jesus Christ is described in several sources, canonical and apocryphal.
In the first texts, the story of the Nativity of Christ is told in sufficient detail. The main sources are the letters of Matthew and Luke.
The Gospel of Matthew tells why Mary and her husband Joseph went to Bethlehem even though they lived in Nazareth. They hurried to the census, in which representatives of one nationality had to be with their own.
Joseph, who married the lovely Mary, having learned about the pregnancy before the wedding, was going to annul the marriage. But an angel came to him. He said that this son is a blessing from God, and that Joseph should raise him as his own.
When the contractions began, there was no room for them in the hotel, and the couple had to settle down in a barn where straw was laid for the animals.
The first to see the newborn were the shepherds. An angel showed them the way, in the form of a star that shone over Bethlehem. The same celestial body led the three wise men to the barn. They generously endowed him as a king: myrrh, frankincense and gold.
The evil King Herod, warned of the birth of a new leader, killed all the kids in the city who were not yet two years old.
But Jesus survived because the angel who was watching him told Joseph to flee to Egypt. There they lived until the death of the evil tyrant.
Apocryphal texts add some fragments, and the story of the Nativity of Christ becomes more accurate. They describe that Mary and Joseph spent that significant night in a cave where cattle came to protect themselves from bad weather. While the husband went for the midwife Solomiya, the woman managed to give birth to Christ herself, without help. The texts indicate that the process was very easy.
Solomiya only confirmed the fact that Mary was previously innocent. The texts say that Jesus was born and the sun blinded those who came. When the radiance ceased, the child approached the mother and lay down at her breast.
History of Christmas
The church for a long time could not determine when such a significant and large-scale religious holiday should be celebrated.
Since the first Christians were Jews, for whom birth is considered the beginning of pain and misfortune, so was the Nativity of Christ. The holiday was not celebrated in any way.
Among the church dates, Easter, the moment of resurrection, was more important.
But when the Greeks joined Christianity, they brought with them the tradition of celebrating the birth of the son of God.
Initially, the celebration was called the Epiphany. It included both the appearance of Jesus into the world and his baptism. Over time, the church divided the events into two.
The first mention of the birth of the Savior was made in the year 354 in the Roman source Chronograph. The entry in it suggests that Christmas appeared as a holiday after the great council of Nicaea.
Other researchers believe that the early Christians celebrated the holiday even before the church schism, that is, even in the third century. Then, in their opinion, the exact date appeared.
Christmas: the history of the holiday in Russia
This holiday was persecuted for a long time, exterminated, it was transferred, but still it retained its original sacred meaning. Even in pre-Petrine times, this day was celebrated, and stories about Jesus were passed on from the older generation to the younger.
pre-revolutionary holiday
Under Tsar Peter the Great, a tradition came into use to install and decorate a Christmas tree in houses - a Christmas tree. She symbolized, like laurel and mistletoe, immortality, a long life in prosperity.
On the twenty-fifth of December, a divine service was held in honor of the birthday of Jesus. Celebrations began in every Russian church. Everyone loved and honored Christmas. The history of the holiday tells that young people dressed up beautifully, picked up a star on a stick, as a symbol of the one that showed the way for the Magi to the baby. They carried it from house to house, telling that Jesus was born. Children were dressed up as angels, in honor of the one who told the shepherds about the miracle that had happened. Some played with animals, which, according to Orthodox tradition, were also in the barn where Mary gave birth to the child. The solemn procession sang Christmas carols and carols, glorifying mother and child.
These beautiful traditions in the pre-revolutionary Russian Empire are preserved in the memoirs of the writer Ivan Shmelev. While in Paris, in exile, he spoke with longing about the old days.
The empire loved this day so much that at first one church of the Nativity of Christ appeared, and then the number increased every year. Such shrines appeared in all large cities.
It should be noted that the most famous thematic temple is located in the capital of Russia. It is called in honor of Christmas - Christ the Savior. It has a long and amazing history of its own. Years have passed. The Church of the Nativity of Christ still stands where it used to be.
In 1812, when the army of Alexander the First defeated the French, on the twenty-fifth of December, an imperial decree was issued on the construction of a new temple. It said that it was God who helped save the country from inevitable death. In honor of this, Alexander ordered the construction of a temple that would stand for many centuries.
Christmas ban
But there came a time when religion became banned. Since 1917, it has been forbidden to talk about Christmas. Churches fell one after another. They were robbed. Marauders stripped the gilding from the naves. It was customary to work on religious holidays to prove one's devotion to the party.
The star has become five-pointed. Even the Christmas tree on the bright Nativity of Christ was at first persecuted as a symbol of faith. And in 1933, a Decree appeared that this tradition could be returned. Only the tree has become a New Year's tree.
It would be wrong to say that after the ban on the Christmas holidays, they were not celebrated. People secretly brought spruce branches into the house, saw the clergy, performed rituals, baptized children. They sang Christmas carols at home. Even in political prisons or in exile, where many priests were kept, the traditions were quite strong.
The celebration of a forbidden event could end not only with dismissal from work, but also with years of repression, deprivation of liberty, and execution.
People secretly entered dilapidated churches to listen to the service on Orthodox Christmas.
New time in the history of Christmas
In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the celebration of the day of the birth of Christ was officially allowed.
The force of habit, the upbringing of people who were forbidden to celebrate religious events for a long time, was so great that even now many people associate the holiday with a secondary one. It is inferior in popularity to the New Year.
Since the formation of the Russian Federation, the traditions of Christmas carols and the use of certain symbols on the holiday have been revived.
Features of Christmas
There is a lot of meaning in this ancient sacred act. It has many symbols that the church interprets. Each of them completes the whole picture.
The most common symbols of Christmas:
Light is what first appeared at the time of birth. The path that the messenger of God traveled to go down to sinful people was illuminated.
Star - according to the New Testament, a sign appeared over Bethlehem during the birth of Jesus. He was like a bright star in the sky. Only true believers could understand it correctly.
Census of people. Under Augustus, who at that time led the Roman Empire, a recount of all citizens was carried out. He did this in order to introduce an orderly system of taxation. Those who lived in other cities at the time of the census had to return and register. So did Joseph and Mary.
Winter. It is debatable whether Christ was born in winter. However, for the church, this time of the year has become a symbol of darkness, which was illuminated by the son of God. He also appeared at the moment when winter began to wane.
Shepherds. The whole city was asleep at the time when the savior came into the world. No one noticed this, except for the ordinary poor shepherds who guarded the flock on Christmas Day. An angel descended from heaven to tell them the good news. Shepherds personify pure souls, not corrupted by wealth or vanity. They mostly interacted with animals.
Bethlehem is a city that many believers associate with spiritual blindness. All the people in it were so obsessed with their own problems that they did not even notice how Christmas came to them in Bethlehem. And then they failed to recognize the Savior.
Magi. The first to appear before Jesus with their gifts were wise men, philosophers. They were not kings, they did not possess great wealth. Magi are those believers who constantly searched for wisdom in the sacred writings. They knew the truth. The long road to self-knowledge, faith, was crowned with a blessing.
Gifts. Jesus received frankincense, gold and myrrh for his birth. Precious metal was a symbol of power, incense was a sign of divinity, and myrrh meant the future of Christ, his self-sacrifice for the human race and death with a further resurrection.
World. With the birth of the son of God, peace reigned on Earth for a whole year. After that, people themselves began to spoil the idyll and fight.
Cave. When the hotel closed the doors to Mary and Joseph, they found a new refuge. The couple came to the house where the cattle lived. According to church beliefs, the souls of animals are absolutely innocent. They warmed the baby Jesus with their breath. Animals gave up their own food so they could make a makeshift baby bed out of hay.
Night. This time of day is still associated with the decline of faith. At that moment, the Savior appeared, as if giving hope to all people for the future.
Expectation. Mankind suffered for its own sins. After the expulsion of Adam and Eve, people could not hope that God would be favorable to them. But the Lord took pity on his creatures and sent them his own son to atone for their sins. Jesus took upon himself all the suffering. According to the biblical canon, he atoned for Adam's original sin.
