How to celebrate Orthodox Christmas

Many people among the huge number of holidays are especially distinguished and consider their favorite New Year and Orthodox Christmas. And this is due, first of all, to the fact that from the very childhood it is these festivities that envelop a certain special mystery. Frosty freshness, a Christmas tree, a charming orange smell and, of course, such an exciting presentiment of gifts that somehow absolutely incomprehensible to the child's mind invariably appear under the decorated New Year tree.

The beginning of the celebration of Christmas was preceded by a wonderful event - the birth of Jesus Christ, as described in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke. When the Virgin Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem, they had to stop for the night in a cave (den), where local shepherds hid cattle during a thunderstorm, because all the hotels were overcrowded. There the Mother of God and brought forth our Savior, swaddling the baby, she put it in a nursery for cattle, right on the hay. The first to learn about the appearance of a shepherd in the light of the God-Bearer, and the angels who appeared from heaven showed them about such a joyous event, after which the shepherds bowed to him in the den. At the same time, as the evangelist Matthew describes, an unusually bright new star shone in the sky, testifying to the long-awaited event of the Old Testament Jewish people - the birth of the Messiah, the Son of God.

Currently, the winter holidays coincide with the New Year's Eve, smoothly flowing into preparation for the second most important after Easter, a great and bright holiday Orthodox Christmas, preceded by which Christmas Eve. On this day, the appearance of the first star in heaven, which is called Bethlehem, is considered a signal to the beginning of the feast. To take food and drink throughout the day for believing people is completely impermissible, since on Christmas Eve it is necessary to withstand a particularly strict fast. By the way, the obligatory condition is that this evening the table should be full of fasting festive dishes, which in total should be twelve. This symbolizes the next 12 days of Svyatok and the memory of the 12 apostles.

On Orthodox Christmas, the main ritual dish is Sochi - porridge, which is cooked most often from whole grains of wheat, rice or barley, abundantly flavored with honey, jam, raisins, nuts, poppy and other ingredients are added. Orthodox people know that these exciting events, connected with the preparation for the celebration, are preceded by forty days of fasting, adhering to which the believers once again confirm their agreement with the teaching of the Church. Orthodox Christmas symbolizes the reconciliation of man with God, foretelling the redemptive feat of Christ and the renewal of the nature of man, which was struck by the fall of his ancestors.

Few people know that the tradition of decorating churches and houses with Christmas firs or branches is associated with the abundant paradise tree and symbolizes eternal life.

Christmas service lasts throughout the night and causes real enthusiasm and exultation in the souls of the orthodox at the words: "Jesus was born!", After which they congratulate everyone on the brightest holiday of the Nativity of Christ and stop fasting, in other words - breaking up. On January 7, it was customary to arrange lavish feasts with already fast dishes in Russia. The children went home with playful carols, congratulated the owners, wished them well-being, health, they wore a "den" - a small colorfully designed box in which scenes from biblical stories were played with the help of puppets attached to the axis. After such presentations, charging everyone around with fun and accompanied by singing and jokes, children were presented with sweet gifts. At present, in particular in Ukraine, this custom has been preserved to this day.

The belief says that the Christmas night gives real miracles and the most cherished desires, conceived at midnight, can come true, the only condition is that they must come from the heart, be really sincere and light.

For all its solemnity, New Year and Christmas holidays are home, with lighted candles (which symbolizes the mind) the whole family gathers at the table. And the indispensable attributes must be, above all, the reigning atmosphere of love, understanding, harmony and peace in the house, and already indirect: for wealth - gold jewelry, for quiet life and prosperity - Christmas gingerbread.