Orthodox Christmas service from January 6 to 7 takes place in churches and temples around the world.

Christmas services begin on January 6th in the morning, ending at 1-3 am on the 7th, but from time to time already at dawn - with a Liturgy with the singing of carols...

On Christmas Eve, parishioners go to church for evening service, confess, and receive communion. The ministers in the church know approximately their own parish; the duration of the service depends on the number of people.

Therefore, the start time is determined differently - the All-Night Vigil occurs on the eve of major church holidays, the beginning in various Temples is from 17:00 to 23:00.

Great Vespers (Great Compline) begins with hymns, after which from time to time they confess almost until midnight, and then at 00:00 the night Christmas liturgy, and from time to time, on the contrary, first the whole service, then confession and communion, there are no strict rules...

The service for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ begins late in the evening on January 6th. Usually at 11 o'clock after midnight in all Orthodox churches a special festive service is held, which lasts until approximately 3 - 4 o'clock in the morning.

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, on the night of the event, an all-night vigil, hours and the Divine Liturgy of John Chrysostom are served. The All-Night Vigil begins not with the usual Vespers, but with Compline. Most of the liturgical texts of this service are proofread. However, at Christmas Compline there is a main solemn festive hymn. It involves singing in chorus verses from the prophetic book of Isaiah about how God himself is now present with people, who is great and mighty. The Lord is called in this hymn the Father of the future age. This chant begins with the words “God is with us, understand the pagans and repent, for God is with us.” The holiday chant itself is briefly named after the first words of Isaiah’s prophecy - “God is with us.”

noname writes: I went to church this morning and asked what time the Christmas service would start, they told me it was at twelve. Wow! I have never been to a Christmas service, and in connection with this the question is: how long does it last? 2 hours? Or more? Who was?

As I understand it, at 12 at night, not at 12 in the afternoon. You have two options: 1) from 12 at night the Christmas all-night vigil is served, consisting of Great Compline, Matins and the 1st hour, then, as usual: 3, 6 o’clock and Liturgy, 2) or the all-night vigil is served in advance, in the evening , and at 12 the hours, confession and Liturgy begin. I'm almost sure that you have option 1, although anything can happen in our kingdom. According to the 1st option, 3-4 hours minimum, according to the second - 1.5-3...

I’m telling you, we had something to do - we finished in the morning, an hour before transport, but we had to leave the entrance to the monastery and the Great Cathedral open - many without cars, and there was no way to leave. Then they stopped doing this - apparently, they decided that it wasn’t a big deal after all when strangers were hanging around the monastery at night.

When we had a smaller parish, we always served at night and finished in the morning. And before the first transport, everyone just had time to break their fast together. But now there are a lot of people, it’s more difficult to organize a general breaking of the fast. In addition, previously those who prepared tea and sandwiches were actually unable to fully participate in the service (and these were not other people’s mercenaries, but our parishioners and church employees). Therefore, now the general holiday no longer takes place after the night service, but in the afternoon of the next day, when people have already rested and slept well.
But if someone does not have time to leave at night for some reason (for example, traveling far and with transfers), they calmly stay overnight in the temple, there is no one in the cold...

At night, festive services were held in all churches and temples in Russia. The center of these celebrations was the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. Over 5 thousand people gathered there last night. Despite the fact that entrance to the temple was free, it could not accommodate everyone.

An icon of the Nativity was installed in the center of the temple; this was a gift from Bethlehem for the 2000th anniversary of Christianity. The Christmas service was led by Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II. He served Compline, Matins and the Divine Liturgy.

On the night of January 6th to 7th, the Nativity Fast also ends. Therefore, all believers have a festive meal in the morning. Usually they bake a goose with apples, and instead of dessert they bake a cake in the shape of a clock with hands approaching midnight.

In the villages they sing carols and exchange gifts. But, perhaps, the most important tradition of Christmas is to do good deeds on these days, so that no one on this bright holiday feels...

The solemn liturgy also took place in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Poikovsky.

Nikolai Savin is always on duty on Christmas Eve. Helps lead the service. For him, this holiday gives special joy.

When a child is born in the house - what feelings can there be? Anticipation of the birth of a new man, and here Christ himself appeared. Life itself has appeared for all of us, believers and non-believers. Savior of all who are waiting for salvation, - Nikolai Savin, head of the household of the Church of the Holy Trinity, shares his joy

Dozens of Poikovo residents came to the all-night vigil to pray for the birth of the savior of the world. But it is precisely on this world-saving holiday that there are always a lot of young people in the church. Moreover, they come to the temple of the urban settlement even from other cities.

On this bright holiday, it is customary to wear white clothes and give Christmas gifts. And also go caroling.

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ...

yesterday at 02:15

RIA "Voronezh

About 1.5 thousand people came to Christmas services in the churches of Pavlovsk

Festive services dedicated to the Nativity of Christ were held in the Kazan and Intercession churches of Pavlovsk on Thursday, January 7. ...In the churches, the Christmas messages of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, the head of the Voronezh Metropolis, Bishop Sergius, and the ruling bishop of the Rossoshan diocese, Bishop Andrei, were read out.

Kommersant-Online

Christmas in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

On January 7, Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the most important Christian holidays - the Nativity of Christ. How the service took place in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior - in the Kommersant photo gallery. On January 7, Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the most important Christian holidays - the Nativity of Christ.

Festive services were held across the planet

Festive services...

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When the bronchi are inflamed, the work of the cilia goes astray, and coughing will be the main symptom of a disease such as bronchitis. A cough is the body's response to cope with irritants and infections. It also prevents the accumulation of excess mucus in the bronchi and helps expel it from the air passage.

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One of the most distinctive signs of bronchitis is an expectorant cough that produces an excess of yellowish phlegm.

Other symptoms include:

A sore throat; Slight increase in temperature; Dyspnea; Headache; Cough followed by chest pain; Chills; ...

Druzhinina Elena, 2-"B" class, MBOU Secondary School No. 4, Lensk

Head: O.N. Plakhova, primary school teacher, Municipal Budgetary Educational Institution Secondary School No. 4

Orthodox holidays. Nativity.

One of my favorite Orthodox holidays is the great twelfth feast of the Church, the Nativity of Christ.

At the time when Mary was destined to give birth to a baby, a census of the population of the Roman Empire was taking place by order of Emperor Augustus. Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, because according to the same decree of the emperor, in order to facilitate the census process, each resident had to come to “their” city. Both Mary and Joseph were from the line of David, so they had to go to Bethlehem.

After Mary and Joseph were unable to stay at the inn because all the places were occupied, they were forced to spend the night in a cave intended to shelter livestock for the night. It was in this cave (later called the Cave of the Nativity) that Mary went into labor. She gave birth to a son, whom she named...

For Orthodox Christians who celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar, Christmas Eve began on Wednesday. By tradition, the Orthodox Church celebrates it two weeks later than representatives of other Christian denominations.

Christmas Eve is the eve of the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and the Epiphany, respectively. On Christmas Eve, Christmastide begins - two weeks of winter holidays, continuing until Epiphany, which is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on January 19. According to tradition, on Christmas Eve it is customary to refuse food until the first star.

In Lithuania, services began on the morning of January 6th, and on the night from the 6th to the 7th, an All-Night Vigil service will be held at the Prechistensky Cathedral in Vilnius.

In the morning, the service of the Eve of the Nativity of Christ began in Orthodox churches. In different temples it begins at different times.

In Lithuania today there are about 130,000...

Nativity of Christ is the largest Orthodox holiday after Easter (Resurrection of Christ). Celebrated on the evening of January 6th (this day is called “Christmas Eve”) and on the afternoon of January 7th. (These dates correspond to December 24 and 25, old style).

The Nativity of Christ is preceded by the Nativity Fast, which lasts 40 days; from November 28 to January 6 (according to the new calendar). January 6—Christmas Eve—is a day of strict fasting, during which one is supposed to completely abstain from food “until the first star.” The fast ends with the end of the service on January 7th.

The story of the birth of Christ. During services, readings and songs mention the Birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world (Luke 2:1-21), which was predicted by many prophets. In particular, it is mentioned how this historical event took place: “The Roman Emperor Augustus ordered that...

On the night of January 6 to 7, according to the new style (December 25, according to the old style), the Orthodox Church celebrates with a solemn service perhaps the most joyful Christian holiday - the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. This great holiday is dedicated to the remembrance of the coming to our earthly world of the Limitless and Beginningless Divinity - one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity - God the Son.

The assignment of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ to December 25 according to the old style is not due to the historical correspondence of this date to the true birthday of the Lord, which remains unknown both in antiquity and to this day.

Christ was born more than two thousand years ago from the Most Pure and Immaculate Virgin Mary, overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, who lived in the town of Nazareth with her imaginary husband, but rather a guardian,...

Many Orthodox people are interested in when to celebrate Christmas. It is celebrated from December 4 to 25, and from January 6 to 7 - when to visit the temple and what traditions to observe?

Christmas service from January 6 to 7 - when to visit the temple

Many Orthodox people are interested in when to celebrate Christmas. In fact, Christmas is celebrated from December 4 to 25, and from January 6 to 7 - so when to visit the temple and how to do it, what traditions to observe?
We will talk about this in our article.

Why is Christmas celebrated on different days?

In the main Christian Churches, the church calendar is divided: the Orthodox Church celebrates holidays and days of remembrance of saints according to the old style (Julian calendar), the Catholic Church - according to the Gregorian calendar (this is due to astronomical phenomena).

Regarding the Nativity of Christ, the Gregorian calendar is more convenient: after all, the week of holidays begins on December 24-25 with Christmas and continues with the New Year, but Orthodox Christians must celebrate the New Year modestly and calmly in order to observe fasting. However, an Orthodox person can also have fun on New Year's Eve, trying not to eat meat or any particularly tasty things (if he is visiting). Likewise, children in Orthodox families should not be deprived of the New Year holiday and the joy of Santa Claus. It’s just that many Orthodox families try to emphasize the significance of Christmas with more expensive gifts, more active joint visits to events, etc.

Let us note that Christmas is celebrated on December 25 by a number of Orthodox Local Churches, but all Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on the same day (this holiday shifts depending on the phases of the moon). The fact is that only on Orthodox Easter does the descent of the Holy Fire take place in Jerusalem.

Christmas - the twelfth holiday

Each church holiday has a special edifying, educational meaning. Church holidays preserve the true purpose of holidays - it is a renewal of life, a reminder of special events, and not just drunken fun, unbridled fun.

Many church holidays have become truly popular, signs were associated with them, people began to bring certain seasonal fruits for consecration, that is, God’s blessing in the church, and to pray for certain things related to the holiday.

In the annual church circle there are twelve holidays, called “twelve” (in Church Slavonic duodecimal). These are days dedicated to the most important events in the earthly life of Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as the most important historical events of the Church.

The traditions of their celebration have developed over centuries, and today they are celebrated all over the world, and, due to their prevalence, even cover the lives of non-religious people. This is a church sermon, the glory of the name of Christ, which goes beyond the church fence.

In every Orthodox country, these holidays reflect traditions, national mentality and historical culture. Thus, in Russia and Greece, on various holidays, earthly fruits are brought for blessing. Elements of Slavic ritualism have been preserved, for example, in the traditions of caroling on Christmas Day in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

Thanks to the tolerance and love of the Orthodox Church, many good ancient traditions have survived to this day.

These days are like spiritual bright milestones of the year. Remembering this or that event, praising the Lord and the Mother of God, we rejoice in God’s love for people and again look at ourselves from the outside, trying to be worthy of this love. Believers try to confess and receive communion on the twelve feasts.

The twelfth holidays are divided by content:

• Lord's (God's) - eight holidays,


• Theotokos - four,


• days of remembrance of sacred events.

It is interesting that Christmas refers to the Lord's holidays, and the priests' vestments on this day are the Theotokos, that is, blue and silver. This is a tribute to honoring the Mother of Christ, because this is also Her holiday.

What is celebrated on Christmas - history

On Christmas Day the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is celebrated. The Gospel tells that because of the population census, Joseph the Obrochnik and the Most Holy Theotokos were forced to come to Bethlehem, Joseph’s homeland. Due to a simple everyday detail - hotels for the poor were overcrowded and there was no money for expensive rooms - they were forced to take refuge in a cave along with their livestock and pets. Here the Virgin Mary gave birth to the Son of God and laid him in a manger, in straw. Simple shepherds, called by the Angels, came here to worship the Baby, and wise wise men led by the Star of Bethlehem.

It is historically testified that at the time of the Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ there was a certain new star in the sky, a celestial phenomenon - perhaps a comet. However, it lit up in the sky as a sign of the coming into earthly life of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The Star of Bethlehem, according to the Gospel, showed the way to the Magi, who, thanks to it, came to worship the Son of God and bring their gifts to Him.

On Christmas, they ask the Lord for the gift and upbringing of children, remember the simplicity of the Birth of the Infant God, and try to do good deeds during Christmastide - the week between the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany.

Christmas Eve before Christmas

The day before Christmas, January 6, is Christmas Eve. On this day, until the “evening star”, that is, until twilight, according to the Charter of the Church, they did not eat at all; they could only drink water or tea. Nowadays it is difficult to perform such a strict fast. Try, especially if you did not fast during the Nativity Fast, to make a small sacrifice to the Lord - abstain in the morning on this day from meat and dairy products, from fish (even from at least one thing, including sweets). Interestingly, there was a historical joke when Count Suvorov did not eat anything during dinner with Catherine the Second before Christmas. When she asked why, the courtiers explained that it was impossible to reach the first star. The Empress called the servants and bestowed an order - “a star to Count Suvorov.”

In fact, in the Charter and the saying “it is impossible until the first star” does not mean the appearance of heavenly stars, but the singing in the church of the words of the troparion, a prayer in honor of the feast of the Nativity of Christ, where the word star is mentioned.

“Your Nativity, our God of Christ, shone to the world as the light of reason: in it those who served the stars (magi) learned with the star to worship You, the Sun of Truth, and to know You, Coming from the heights of the East. Lord, glory to You."

That is why on Christmas Eve it is advised to fast until the evening Christmas service, visit the temple, and then break the fast at the festive table.

This is not as difficult as it seems: after all, this is exactly how many spend December 31, forcedly fasting: the wife, busy in the kitchen, does not have time to eat, and the family, looking into the refrigerator, hears from the mother: “Don’t touch it, this is for the New Year!” But fasting on Christmas Eve on the eve of Christmas has a deep meaning, a spiritual purpose that is different from simply “creating a festive mood.”

How to get ready for Christmas?

While waiting for Christmas, you should pay more attention to meaningful preparation for the holiday, and not to dinner. Prepare, for example, for Confession and Communion with prayer and remembrance of sins. Confess the day before, because on the night of January 6-7 and even in the morning of January 7, churches are crowded. It will be difficult to confess, but to receive communion is a double holiday, double grace.

If you do not plan to receive communion, read the Gospel aloud with the whole family or tell your children about the worship of the Magi, the singing of the Angels and the joy of the shepherds looking at the Infant Christ - the King of the World, humbly lying in the manger. The writer Ivan Shmelev wrote about the traditions of preparing for Christmas and festive pre-revolutionary customs in his amazing novel “The Summer of the Lord,” written from the perspective of a child. You can also read the Christmas chapters from it yourself on Christmas Eve.

How to enter the church

Many people who don’t yet know much about the Church get used to being “goers” - coming in when it’s convenient, lighting candles and not praying during services. However, the Lord Himself speaks about church prayer during general worship: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”

The original meaning of the word “Church” is a meeting of Christ’s disciples, Christians; translated as “meeting”. It is interesting that the first Christians often gathered not only in buildings; it is important that they were together even in the open air and could perform the Sacraments and pray.

Therefore, try not only to come to church on Christmas, but also to pray, and even better, to prepare and receive communion during the Liturgy. The main service in the church, the main sacrament, is the Liturgy. The most powerful prayer is any commemoration of a person during the Liturgy and, of course, communion itself. The whole Church prays for a person during the Sacrament of the Eucharist. By receiving communion, people receive great strength and grace from God.

The Church blesses us to receive communion at least once a year: preferably about once a month.

Duration of church service

Please note that not every Orthodox church holds night services from January 6 to 7. There may be options, and you can go to the temple that is more convenient for you to visit, according to the schedule for which you are ready. Be sure to check at the temple stand

It must be said that churches and cathedrals open at different times, services are held at different times depending on

• Region, location;


• Is it a church or a parish church at the monastery?


• Seasons - in small, rural churches.

Before Christmas there will definitely be a solemn vespers service - the All-Night Vigil. The name is only a tradition; the service does not last all night, but for about 2-3 hours in different churches.

The all-night vigil begins either at 17:00 or 18:00. Sometimes - in rare cases, in a village, in a remote monastery - at 16:00. In monasteries, services for both the Liturgy and the All-Night Vigil last longer.

The next day in the morning, at approximately 9 or 10:00, the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated, during which you can partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Accordingly, you can go to both services, or just one.

However, there is another option. On the evening of January 6, the service of the saint will begin at 23:30. Then, during the night, an all-night vigil, hours and Divine Liturgy will be celebrated.

The all-night vigil begins with Compline, at which prophecies and psalms are read, and in the middle the choir sings the solemn holiday chant “God is with us.” It includes singing verses from the prophetic book of Isaiah about how the great God himself, the Father of the next age, is now present with people. This chant begins with the words “God is with us, understand the Gentiles (that is, nations) and repent (submit to the power of God), as (because) God is with us.”

Immediately after Great Compline, the festive Christmas Vespers is celebrated. It begins with a litia, a part of the service in which bread, vegetable oil (oil), wheat and wine are blessed. Then the service of festive matins is performed, at which the choir performs many solemn chants. At Matins, a passage from the Gospel is read, telling about the event of the Nativity of Christ. Matins is joined by “hours” (short services consisting of the reading of three psalms and some prayers). Thus ends the festive All-Night Vigil. It will take about one and a half hours.

You will know that the All-Night Vigil has ended because afterward the priest will exclaim, “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” This is how the festive Liturgy will begin. It will last about another hour and a half to two hours. If you get tired, you can leave the Liturgy.

Star of Bethlehem

Initially, the eight-pointed star on the icons signifies the Nativity or Bethlehem. It is historically testified that at the time of the Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ there was a certain new star in the sky, a celestial phenomenon - perhaps a comet. However, it lit up in the sky as a sign of the coming into earthly life of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The Star of Bethlehem, according to the Gospel, showed the way to the Magi, who, thanks to it, came to worship the Son of God and bring their gifts to Him.

The Star of Bethlehem is an elongated rhombus inscribed in a square, this is how its eight rays are formed. Such a sign was theologically meaningful on the “Savior in Power” icon, becoming a sign of the power of Christ - it is no coincidence that the star of Bethlehem became His star.

The eight-pointed star of the Virgin Mary, the octogram is an equal-pointed star. She can be seen on most images of the Mother of God. On the one hand, this is an image of the Star of Bethlehem, on the other -

Most often, the icon of the Mother of God is painted on a golden background, symbolizing the Divine Light, or on a heavenly background - symbolizing Heaven, where She is located. The dark cherry outer robe of the Virgin Mary, maforium, has an image of gold embroidery of the three stars of the Virgin Mary: above the forehead and along the shoulders. They mean that the Mother of God, before, during and after the Birth of Her Son of God, remained and remained a Virgin, shining with the virtue of chastity and others.

On the icon of the Virgin Mary “The Burning Bush” Her image with her Son is inscribed in an eight-pointed star (but this is not the “star of the Virgin Mary”). This is a fairly late iconographic type; it carries the same symbolism as the icon of the Savior in Powers.

DIY Christmas or New Year's toy

Today, the eight-pointed star is one of the most beautiful and bright symbols of Orthodoxy. She illuminates and sanctifies many icon cases, church utensils, and jewelry of pious Christian women. There is no sin in using it in home decoration for Christmas; on the contrary, it is a very pious and beautiful custom. You can make it yourself by gluing, for example, a paper icon of the Nativity of Christ in the center.

The eight-pointed star reminds us of the power of God, and of the radiance of the Kingdom of God, and of our path in life, along which we must follow the Bethlehem guiding star, like the Magi towards the Infant Christ. You need to be able to become a guiding star for people in this world with the help of good deeds.

May the Lord protect you with His grace, may the Infant Christ bless you!

Orthodox Christians traditionally celebrate the Feast of the Birth of Christ starting on January 6th. The Magi were among the first to learn about the birth of the Savior. Seeing a bright star in the sky, they went to bow to the newly-minted Messiah with symbolic gifts. They brought him tree resin as an ordinary person, incense as a messenger of the Lord, and gold as a king. Herod also learned about the birth of the Savior; he could not accept this news with dignity, was afraid of the messenger of God and ordered the death of all babies who were under 2 years old. His parents fled to Egypt with Christ and were thus able to save him.

Christmas is rightfully considered one of the greatest holidays in Orthodoxy. In the established hierarchy, it is in second place in importance, second only to . In order to properly prepare for it, you need to find out when Christmas 2019 is celebrated. Its date is unchanged - all ritual celebrations begin with the rising of a star on January 6th. On this evening, it is customary for large families to gather at one table, which, according to tradition, should have 12 dishes. The main attribute of the holiday is kutia. The basis for it is porridge; nuts, dried fruits, honey, and poppy seeds are also added to it. It is noteworthy that Orthodox believers, although they set rich tables, do not eat until the first star rises.

Many churchgoers do not think about how to celebrate Christmas on January 7, 2019. On the 6th they go to church for the all-night service. It begins with Great Compline and lasts all night. Afterwards, congratulations are heard from everywhere on the arrival of the great holiday and glorification of the born Jesus.

If you want to see all the mystery of the holiday service, then you are wondering what time the Christmas service starts on January 6th. In many churches, the service begins an hour before midnight, and the service itself will last until about 4 am. But in order not to be late, it is better to check the exact time with the servants of the temple you plan to go to.

On Christmas Eve, mummers traditionally walk the streets. They carol under the windows of houses and entertain everyone they meet. This period is considered successful for, despite all church prohibitions, they have always been popular. It’s also good to know the signs from January 6 to January 7. For example, people say that the starry sky on this night means a harvest of berries, frost on the trees means an excellent grain harvest, and warmth on Christmas Day will bring a cold spring.

But on the eve of the holiday, it is important not only to remember the signs and traditions, but also not to forget to say a few kind words to everyone you know. In addition to the traditional glorification of the Savior, you can tell them the following words:

Happy great day! Peace and goodness to you!

Merry Christmas! I wish to live according to the commandments of Christ, because only in this way will grace and peace reign in your soul!

Happy Birth of the Savior! May his teachings on love and forgiveness bring peace to your soul!

Of course, the date is not so important for going to church. But it is on this day that you can feel a special reverence, because the services are held solemnly, in detail, they are filled with prayers. And from the people around there comes joy and happiness from the realization of the arrival of a great holiday.

Forefest of Christmas

January 2the beginning of the pre-celebration of the Nativity of Christ, which lasts until January 6.
In theselast days of fasting - with2 to 6In January, the fast is intensified: fish is prohibited on all days, food with oil is allowed only on Saturday and Sunday.

On Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve), January 6,custom requires not to eat until the appearance of the first evening star, after which it is customary to eat kolivo or sochivo - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins; in some areas sochivo is called boiled dry fruits with sugar. The name of this day comes from the word “sochivo” - Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve
Christmas Carols

January 6 – Forever Nativity of Christ , or Christmas Eve, - last dayNativity Fast , eve Nativity of Christ.

On this day, Orthodox Christians especially prepare for the upcoming holiday; the whole day is filled with a special festive mood.

In the morning on Christmas Eve, at the end of the Liturgy and the following Vespers, a candle is brought into the center of the church and the priests sing a troparion before itChristmas.

On the very same day Christmas Eve fasting is no longer as strict as in the previous days of the strictest week Nativity Fast.

The service of Vespers is connected with the Liturgy and is served in the morning, which is whyWe fast until the moment when a candle is brought into the center of the church and before the candle the troparion to the Nativity of Christ is sung.

Many on this daytake communion. It would be good if those who cannot attend church services and who work honor this day with a stricter fast. We remember that, according to the Russian proverb, “A full belly is deaf to prayer.” Therefore, a more strict fast prepares us for the coming joy of the holiday.

Those who receive communion at the night Liturgy, according to church tradition, eat food for the last time no less than six hours before the time of Communion, or from about 6 pm. And here the point is not in a specific number of hours, that you need to fast for 6 or 8 hours and not a minute less, but in the fact that a certain limit is established, a measure of abstinence,helping us to keep it in moderation.

Sick people, of course, must fast to the extent that this is consistent with taking medications and with doctor’s orders. The point is not about putting a weak person in a hospital, but about strengthening a person spiritually. The disease is already hard post and feat . And here a person should try to determine the measure of fasting according to his own strength.

As a rule, believers try to meet Nativity at the night holiday liturgy. But in many churches there is also an all-night vigil and Liturgy at the usual time - 5 pm and in the morning.

To attend a night service or a morning service - you need to watch it within your strength. Celebrating a holiday at night is, of course, a special joy: both spiritual and emotional. T ceremonial night services contribute to a deeper prayerful experience and perception of the Holiday.

The Apostle Paul commanded us« Always rejoice. Continuously pray. In everything give thanks to the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).If we celebrate the holiday with joy, prayer and gratitude to God, then we are fulfilling the apostolic covenant.

In the Orthodox Church, in the evening hours are celebrated, calledRoyal, because for a long time kings were present at this service, worshiping the newbornTo the King of Kings.

Royal watchbegin and take place with the open royal doors, in the middle of the temple, in front of the Gospel, placed on a lectern, as if as a sign that nowSaviorno longer lurks, as it once did in the darkness of the den, but shines for all nations. Before the Gospel, incense is burned in remembrance of the incense and myrrh brought by the Magi to the newborn Christ.

The day itself Nativity of Christ in the flesh, as the most important and solemn, in the liturgical books of the Orthodox Churchcalled Easter, a three-day holiday.

On this day, according to the voice of the Church,“All kinds of joy are filled. The angels rejoice in heaven, and men rejoice: all creation plays for the sake of the Savior of the Lord born in Bethlehem: as all flattery of idols ends and Christ reigns forever.”

Christmas Eve - evening meal on the eve of Christmas, accompanied by many traditions and rituals.

Kutya was cooked from wheat, peas, rice, and peeled barley. Seasoned with honey, poppy seed, hemp, sunflower or other vegetable oil. Grain was a symbol of resurrection life, and honey or sweet seasoning meant the sweetness of the blessings of a future blessed life.

The order of meals was regulated by strict rules: first, appetizers (herring, fish, salads) were served, then red (slightly warmed) borscht, mushroom or fish soup. Borscht and mushroom soup were served with abalone or pies with mushrooms, and the Orthodox sochni served flour tortillas fried in hemp oil.

At the end of the meal, sweet dishes were served on the table: roll with poppy seeds, gingerbread, honey cakes, cranberry jelly, dried fruit compote (uzvar), apples, nuts.

The meal was non-alcoholic. All dishes were lean, fried and seasoned with vegetable oil, without meat base, without milk and sour cream. Didn't servedishes so that the hostess is always at the table.

Traditional ritual and ceremonial dishes
KUTIA

KUTIA. Recipes Kutya. Preparation Kutya. TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN...

preparing a big family dinner. The whole family sets the table.

There should be straw on the table (or hay, in memory of the den and manger),

and on the straw there is a snow-white tablecloth.

It is clear that you cannot bring hay into modern apartments, and it is not so easy to get it in cities.

But recently, beautiful Christmas tablecloths with patterns of spruce paws and bells have appeared in stores.

They will also greatly decorate your table.

Kutya is placed in the center.

Then other dishes: pancakes, fish, aspic, jelly, suckling pig, pork head with horseradish, homemade sausage, roast, honey gingerbread, lomantsi with poppy seeds and honey, uzvar.

This set also included drinks, which depended purely on the taste and capabilities of the owner.

Culinary recipes for Christmas, dishes, menu. Kulinar.ru - more than 95...

At the table, kutya should be eaten first, i.e. to start their dinner, each of those present at the table must eat at least one spoon of kutya. According to legends, then this person will live in health and prosperity throughout the coming year.

Christmas Holidays

The holidays began with Christmas- holidays that lasted until Epiphany (January 19).All this time, Christmas rituals, fortune telling, entertainment, and mummers walking through the courtyards and streets took place. On Christmas Day, early in the morning, before dawn, the ritual of seeding the huts was carried out. The shepherd walked with a bag of oats and, entering the house, threw a handful of grain in all directions with the sentence: “For the living, for the fertile, and for health.”

Girls didn't tell fortunes at Christmas. There was a sign: if a stranger’s woman enters the house first, the women in that family will be ill all day. To avoid any troubles, the peasants observed fairly strict prohibitions. On Christmas Day it was forbidden to do household chores. It was impossible to sew, otherwise someone in the family would go blind. You can’t weave bast shoes, otherwise you’ll end up crooked. But you cannot hunt in the forest until Epiphany, because then a misfortune will happen to the hunter.

At noon the whole family went to watch the sun play. If the sun plays, the dark forces hide from it in the cracks. And if the evil spirits do get into the house, then on this day there is a short order with them - scald the corners with boiling water and sweep them with a nettle broom.

The father took his son to the barn to the barn with grain. Before that, the heir was solemnly dressed by the whole family. A sheepskin sheepskin coat was girded with an embroidered belt, a fur hat was put on the head, and felt boots were put on the feet. The father raised his son above the sap with grain, wanting him to grow up faster and become an assistant on the farm.

Second day of Christmas, which is called the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary,dedicated to the glorification of the Mother of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Glorifying the Mother of God, the Church remembers the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt. It was caused by the fact that King Herod, having learned about the Birth of Christ and the worship of the Magi, became angry and ordered all the babies in Bethlehem to be beaten, hoping to destroy the Savior as well. But an angel appeared to Joseph and ordered him to hide in Egypt. After the death of Herod, Joseph and his Family returned and settled in Nazareth.

From that day on, girls' fortune-telling and mummers' rituals continued until Epiphany. Costumers in fur coats turned inside out, wearing masks or with faces stained with soot walked from house to house, singing songs and acting out various performances and scenes for an appropriate reward. Sometimes they took a horse or a bull with them.

And the girls were guessing. They guessed differently every day, and whoever knew what methods guessed that way.

Third day of Christmas called Stepan's day.According to custom, on Stepanov's day they cut stakes and placed them in the corners of the yard, sticking them into the snow to scare away evil spirits. Stepan is seasoned in danger, therefore he is not afraid of any evil spirits and on this day he uses stakes to fence himself off from them. Stepan is associated with the image of a peasant farmer, and therefore a boy born on this day will be a kind, caring, zealous and strict owner. Even on this day, the whole village chose a shepherd, concluded an agreement with him, and arranged a treat.

For every Orthodox person, Christmas is the brightest and most significant holiday of the year. Perhaps only Easter can equal it in terms of importance. Christmas is both a warm family celebration and one of the main church holidays. Therefore, most Orthodox Christians strive to visit the temple on this day and spend time with their loved ones. However, many simply have no idea how to combine both. They are especially concerned about going to church on Christmas. After all, the service on this great day in some churches lasts almost a day and can be very tiring. Today we will tell readers what date they go to church on Christmas and how to do it correctly, separating the original Christian traditions from those that were invented much later by ordinary people.

The history of the formation of Christmas

All Christians know that on this great day it is customary to glorify the coming of the baby Jesus into this world. That is why believers go to church on Christmas night and stand for long services to pay tribute to the Savior and end a long fast that lasts for forty days.

However, modern inhabitants do not even suspect that for the first Christians Christmas was not such a significant celebration as it is now. They focused all their attention on the Resurrection of Christ and tried on this day to pray to the Savior for as long as possible and thank him for everything he had done for humanity.

Around the fourth century, Christians combined Christmas and Epiphany into one celebration. It was celebrated on the sixth of January, and this day became very significant for the church. However, after several decades, the need arose to separate these dates. After much doubt, Christmas was moved to the twenty-fifth of December, which has remained the case among Catholics to this day.

It is interesting that our ancestors firmly believed in certain oddities and miracles accompanying this date. For example, everyone believed that at Christmas two opposing forces reigned on earth - good and evil. They are waging a battle for human souls, and only the Christian himself is responsible for how it ends. If he joins the forces of good, he begins to glorify Christ, sing carols and spend time at a festively set table with loved ones. Otherwise, the person became part of the dark forces, and the witches could take him to the Sabbath.

Today Christmas is a holiday of man's unity with God and the glorification of what he has done for each of us. Therefore, it is believed that on this day we must visit the temple in order to thereby bring a gift to Christ in the form of prayer and gratitude. Despite the fact that this celebration is always celebrated on the same day when they go to church on Christmas, few people know. We will talk about this in the following sections of the article.

The duration of the Christmas service, where this tradition came from

We think we have already explained why they go to church on Christmas. But nevertheless, let us repeat once again - on this day it will be correct to pray, take communion and thank God for everything that he has given us this year. But not all Christians can stay on their feet during the entire service. Many believers doubt whether they can stand in the temple all night. After all, leaving the service is considered an unacceptable sin.

People, when they go to church on Christmas, often complain that it is quite difficult for them to withstand the lack of food due to fasting and the long service. However, in fact, previously the holiday service could last for 24 hours. This is exactly how the first Christians glorified the Lord at the dawn of the formation of religion.

By the way, this tradition has its own quite understandable reasons. The fact is that Christians were harshly persecuted by the authorities of all the cities where they appeared, so they could only pray at night, away from prying eyes.

Moreover, during that period of time, Christians were so passionate about their faith that they could spend more than a day in prayer. It was in a common impulse that they achieved unity with God, which is inaccessible to most modern Orthodox Christians. The clergy say that the tradition of long, solemn services has been preserved in many monasteries. For example, on Mount Athos, when they go to church on Christmas, they are prepared for the service to last at least twenty-one hours. Of course, the brothers are given a short rest, but still the service never ends earlier than eighteen hours later.

Do people go to church for a short time at Christmas? Until the beginning of the twentieth century, no one even asked such a question, since believers were accustomed to long services. However, after the revolution, this tradition completely lost its relevance and has not yet been revived. After all, the clergy themselves do not consider the night service to be long, and besides, it is not the most important thing on this holiday.

Is it possible to go to church before Christmas?

Most believers believe that it is imperative to attend the service, which begins on the night of January 6th to 7th. However, in fact, this opinion is wrong, because the holiday begins on 6. When do they go to church on Christmas in this case? It is believed that this day precedes the holiday.

If you want to do everything according to the rules, then keep in mind that the Christmas service begins on the morning of January 6th. It is in the morning hours that Vespers is served, followed by the Liturgy. On it a person can take communion and then proceed to other matters. Therefore, if for some compelling reason you cannot defend the night service, then visit the church before Christmas - on the morning of January 6th. This visit will be much more beneficial for your soul and is in accordance with ancient Christian traditions.

Where did the custom of starting celebrations on the morning of January 6th come from?

If our contemporaries cannot accurately answer whether they go to church on Christmas from the very early morning, then in pre-revolutionary times this question did not even arise in the minds of the Orthodox. They were ready to spend the entire day of the sixth of January in prayerful work and did not even eat food, since the fast ended only on the seventh.

Usually Orthodox Christians came to church early in the morning, but the solemn service began only after lunch. During this period, the priests began to serve vespers, and with the onset of dusk it turned into the liturgy. Until this moment, no one could afford to leave the temple or start eating. After communion, Christians began to serve Matins, which became the most festive moment of the past day. At the end of the service, the Orthodox congratulated each other and went to the festive table, which also served as a symbol of the end of a long fast.

When do they go to church on Christmas Day?

So, modern Christians have long ceased to adhere to ancient customs. They find hundreds of reasons for this, including being unusually busy at work. But you can go to church on Christmas according to modern traditions. If you want to do everything right, then you should follow these rules:

• attend the morning service on the sixth of January;
• defend the liturgy and receive communion;
• attend the solemn vespers, which ends on the morning of January 7th.

Of course, it is difficult to sustain such prayerful work. But some clergy give a number of tips to help cope with long services on the holiday.

You can and should go to church on Christmas, but this visit requires careful preparation. The clergy are ready to give all Orthodox Christians some advice on this matter:

• Be sure to rest before the service. You should not come to church after hard work, because you will still struggle with sleep and will not be able to stand through the entire service. Such an attitude is displeasing to Christ, so if possible, sleep for a few hours and only after that go to church.
• Fast correctly. If you attend the morning service on January 6th and take communion before the evening, you can start eating in the evening. Those who plan to attend only the night service from January 6th to 7th will have to wait until the end of the service.
• Confess on the eve of Christmas. You should not hope for confession on the holiday itself; in an ordinary church this is impossible, since there is usually only one priest who serves there, who physically cannot do everything at the same time.
• Read your prayers consciously. Prepare for the service: select psalms, find their translations and information about the service itself. It is necessary that every person consciously perceives everything that happens around him. Otherwise there will be no point in being present in the temple.
• Do not try to light candles in churches and venerate icons on Christmas Day. Since there are always a lot of people in the church on holidays, there is no need to push aside the crowd and make your way to the icons. It is better to do this on another day and not overshadow the celebration by causing discontent among the parishioners.

Priests also advise believers to take communion. This point cannot be omitted, even if you are very busy.

Children and going to church

Is it possible to go to church on Christmas with children? Believers often ask clergy about this, because if it is difficult for adults to endure a solemn service, then it will be even more difficult for children to do this.

So what if you want to take your child with you? First of all, ask his opinion. If your baby’s eyes sparkle and he sincerely wants to go with you to pray at night, then be sure to fulfill his wish. However, keep in mind that the child will not be able to withstand the entire service, and you need to take a soft bedding with you so that the baby can take a nap. You can wake him up immediately before communion.

What can and should be done for Christmas?

Very often people get confused about the customs and rules of church holidays. Sometimes they take actions that they consider correct and limit themselves in many ways. However, in reality everything turns out to be much simpler. So, for Christmas, everyone can:

• visit the temple;
• glorify Christ;
• perform daily work that is necessary to ensure the livelihoods of the whole family;
• work if it is extremely important to acquire something;
• sew and knit, but only when you are preparing a gift for your loved ones;
• give alms;
• go for any shopping;
• Marital relations are not prohibited if the couple really wants to have a child.

What should you not do on this holy holiday?

There are not so many Christmas prohibitions, so it’s not difficult to remember them:

• Under no circumstances should you swear or let any negativity into your life;
• You can’t wear dark-colored clothes;
• Drinking alcohol and participating in entertainment events are not encouraged on this day;
• The clergy condemn visiting cemeteries and fortune telling.

On the last point, there is often debate in society, because it is believed that Yuletide fortune-telling belongs to the most ancient Slavic tradition. However, the church categorically condemns the occult, which includes any attempts to look into the future.

The “12 Strav” tradition: is it necessary to cook so much for Christmas?

Almost every housewife knows about the need to prepare twelve dishes for the holiday, and they are ready to spend a lot of time to strictly adhere to this tradition. However, the clergy themselves consider this ritual to be invented and have nothing in common with Christian rituals. To understand the inconsistency of the “12 Strava” tradition, it is necessary to remember that fasting still lasts on the sixth and seventh. Therefore, housewives should cook only lean dishes, and without adding oil. How many recipes for similar dishes can you name? Most likely the minimum amount.

Therefore, you should not neglect visiting church for the sake of the festive table. Don't forget that Christmas is first and foremost a spiritual holiday.

If you really observed fasting, then ending it with a rich feast is not only harmful, but also dangerous to your health. Therefore, the first meal after communion should be as light as possible. In the monasteries, the brothers make do with fresh bread, cheese and warm milk. This was quite enough to fill up and calmly begin preparing the ceremonial meal.

The clergy advise not to focus much attention on this. After a long service, you shouldn’t waste your last energy on a multi-course festive table. Involve everyone at home in cooking and then sit down at the table with simple and tasty food in a good mood.

Schedule of services

Before you plan to go to church on the sixth or seventh of January, be sure to find out what time the service is scheduled for in your church. In each church, services follow their own schedule; there is no uniform regulation on this matter. Therefore, be careful and visit the temple on the eve of the holiday.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the Lord sees the soul of each of us and reads in it not only actions, but also intentions. Only He knows how difficult it was for you to cancel all your affairs, endure the liturgy and pray with everyone. But only such actions make us better, purer and closer to Christ. Don’t forget about this either on the bright holiday of Christmas or on weekdays.