The early Christian thinker Irenaeus of Lyons (2nd century), speaking about the feast of the Nativity of Christ, the mystery of the Incarnation, explained: “God became Man so that man could become God.” The Nativity of the Savior became a single, universal point of reference, which became the goal and meaning for the entire temporary world. The event divided world history into two eras - before and after the birth of Christ.
Saint John Chrysostom called the feast of the Nativity of Christ the beginning of all holidays: “...In this holiday, the Epiphany, the sacred Easter, the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost have their beginning and foundation. If Christ had not been born according to the flesh, he would not have been baptized, and this is the feast of the Epiphany; and would not have suffered, and this is Easter; and would not have sent the Holy Spirit, and this is Pentecost. So, from the feast of the Nativity of Christ our holidays began, like various streams from a source.”
It is known that the birth of Christ was predicted by the Old Testament prophets - this was expected for several centuries. This great event is relevant to each of the living people - this, in particular, is evidenced by church hymnography. For example, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, the most frequently sung hymns are the troparion and kontakion of the Nativity.
The texts of the chants have one characteristic feature - the frequent repetition of the words “today” and “now” regarding the events of two thousand years ago. The Church in its liturgical practice thus introduces a person into a special reality - everyone becomes a spiritual participant and witness of the events of the Nativity of Christ.
Nativity: Bethlehem Cave
The Creator, taking the image of His creation, “humiliates itself”, commits what is called “kenosis” in Greek, and “exhaustion” in Old Slavonic.
Evangelist Luke testifies: “And it came to pass in those days: a decree was issued from the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken throughout the whole earth. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone went to the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went from the Galilean city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was from the family and house of David. He went to the census together with his betrothed Maria, who was expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for Her to give birth, and She gave birth to Her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger for the cattle, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:1- 7).
This is exactly how - in a cave intended for a stable, among straw and hay scattered for feed and bedding for livestock, on a cold winter night, in an environment devoid not only of some earthly greatness, but even of minimal comfort - the God-man, the Savior of the world, was born . Such an untimely journey through all of Palestine for the Holy Family is explained by the fact that the Romans were recorded according to their place of residence, while the Jews were registered according to their place of origin. Joseph and Mary, as you know, were descendants of King David, originally from Bethlehem, located seven kilometers southwest of Jerusalem. It is known that representatives of this dynasty were deprived of the throne back in the 6th century. BC and led the life of private citizens without advertising their origin.
In addition to the brief Gospel testimonies about the Nativity of Christ, a number of details of the birth of the Savior are contained in two apocryphal sources: the Proto-Gospel of James and the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew. According to these apocrypha, Mary felt the onset of labor and Joseph went to look for a midwife. Returning to her, he saw that the birth had already taken place, and in the cave a light shone with such power that they were not able to bear it, and only after some time the light disappeared and the Baby appeared.
According to Cyprian of Carthage, Mary “did not need any services from her grandmother, but was herself both a parent and a servant of birth, and therefore gives reverent care to Her Child.” He writes that the birth of Christ occurred before Joseph brought the midwife, Salome. At the same time, Salome is mentioned in the apocrypha as having witnessed the miracle of preserving the virginity of the Virgin Mary. Her image was also included in the iconography of the Nativity of Christ.
Adoration of the Shepherds and Magi
The news of the birth of the Savior reached the shepherds watching their flock at night. An Angel appeared to them and informed them about this - and it was the shepherds who were the first to come to worship the One who was born that night.
A miraculous star announced the Nativity of Christ to the Magi, the “star-speakers” - in fact, in their person the entire former pagan world knelt before the true Savior of the world. The Magi found the place where the Savior was born, and “fell down and worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:11). They brought Him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold - as for a king, incense - as for God, myrrh - as “one who has tasted death, for the Jews bury the dead with myrrh so that the body remains incorruptible,” as Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria interprets the Holy Scriptures.
He also writes: “They (the Magi - Auto.) from the prophecy of Balaam we learned that the Lord and God and the King and that He has to die for us. But listen to this prophecy. “He lay down,” he says, “and slept like a lion” (Num. 24:9). “Lion” denotes royal dignity, and “lying down” means slaying.”
Massacre of the innocents
The Jewish king Herod had serious concerns about the Nativity of Christ, since he believed that a new king had been born who would take the royal throne from him. So he told the wise men to return from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to tell him where the Child was. But the Magi received a revelation in a dream - not to return to the oppressive ruler. That's what they did. Herod became enraged and gave the order to kill all male children under the age of two in Bethlehem and its environs. Bethlehem was surrounded by troops, as if in wartime, soldiers carrying out orders burst into houses, snatched babies from the arms of mothers, threw them to the ground, trampled them with their feet, hit their heads on stones, lifted them on spears, cut them with blows of the sword.
“A voice is heard in Rama, weeping and weeping and great crying; Rachel cries for her children and does not want to be consoled, for they are not there.”- Evangelist Matthew testifies, Matt. 2:18.
14 thousand is the number of children killed. However, Herod failed to carry out his plans. Saint Joseph the Betrothed received a revelation in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and the Child. Which was saddled that same night.
Blessed Theophialakt of Bulgaria, explaining the Gospel of Matthew, writes: “Moreover, the babies did not die, but were awarded great gifts. For everyone who suffers evil here endures either for the remission of sins or for the multiplication of crowns. So these children will also be crowned.”
Saint John Chrysostom interpreted this monstrous event as follows: “If someone took a few copper coins from you and gave you gold coins in return, would you really consider yourself offended or disadvantaged? On the contrary, wouldn’t you say that this man is your benefactor?”
Time and date of Christmas
Attempts to establish the year of the Nativity of Christ based on the dates of related events (the years of the reign of emperors and kings) did not lead to any specific single date. Apparently, the historical Jesus Christ was born between 7 and 5 AD. BC e. The date December 25 was first indicated by Sextus Julius Africanus in his chronicle written in 221. In various modern research The dates of Jesus' birth fall between 12 BC. e. until 7 AD e., when the only known population census was conducted during the period described.
Establishment of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ
The first Christians were Jews and did not celebrate the Nativity of Christ (according to the Jewish worldview, the birth of a person is “the beginning of sorrows and pains”). For Christians, the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ (Easter) was and is more important from a doctrinal point of view. After the Greeks (and other Hellenistic peoples) entered the Christian communities, under the influence of Hellenistic customs, the celebration of the Nativity of Christ began. The ancient Christian holiday of Epiphany on January 6 ideologically combined both Christmas and the Epiphany of the Lord, which later became different holidays. The Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated separately from the 4th century.
Russian Orthodox Church, which uses the Julian calendar, celebrates the Nativity of Christ on January 7 according to the Gregorian calendar. Christmas is one of the twelve holidays and is preceded by a forty-day fast.
The feast of the Nativity of Christ was first mentioned by Clement of Alexandria. During the time of John Chrysostom, as can be seen from his conversations, in the East the day of the holiday was determined to be December 25th.
The Feast of the Nativity of Christ is preceded by a forty-day fast, known as Rozhdestvensky or Filippov. The eve or day of the eve of the Christmas holiday is called Christmas Eve or Sochevnik, since, according to church charter, on this day it is supposed to eat sochivo, that is, dried bread grains soaked in water. According to established custom, the fast of this day is kept until the evening star. Already in the 4th century. it was determined how to celebrate the eve of the holiday if it falls on Sunday. At this time, the royal hours are celebrated, so called because they are supposed to proclaim many years to the king, the entire reigning house and all Orthodox Christians. During the hours, the church remembers various Old Testament prophecies and events related to the Nativity of Christ. In the afternoon, the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated, unless Vespers occurs on Saturday or Sunday, when the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated. The All-Night Vigil begins with Great Compline, at which the church expresses its spiritual joy about the Nativity of Christ by singing the prophetic song: “For God is with us.”
Christmas... I would like to hope that in our country no one needs to explain what event this holiday is dedicated to - unlike, for example, Great Britain, where (according to a sociological survey) the majority of people celebrating Christmas do not know this: the tree is decorated, postcards were sent out - and in honor of what? What a difference - it’s accepted! Paradoxically, 70 years of militant atheism helped us: when participation in holy holidays could have had very serious consequences, it certainly could not “become a habit” and therefore depreciate... And yet, over the last 20 years extra years and we got the opportunity to “relax” - and therefore, just in case, let’s remind you what kind of holiday this is after all.
This is the day that happened impossible. When God became Man. Nowadays, we often hear: “All appeals to God are an illusion; does the Supreme Mind, which created the Universe, really care about our petty problems?” Perhaps such thoughts could have visited a person of the pre-Christian era (maybe that’s why he preferred to worship the elements: the Creator of the Universe - and somewhere He is there, and the sun, fire, water - here they are, nearby, close and understandable) - but now such doubts no longer have any basis. No one sees anything special about communicating with a person - asking for help, thanking, and just having a heart-to-heart talk... and what does it matter if this Man is God!
This became possible because a little more than two thousand years ago He was born - how we are born we are all from an ordinary earthly woman... well, not quite ordinary - she, having become a Mother, remained a Virgo - but still, this event was unique, it cannot be denied... And it is even more surprising that no one noticed it!
Yes, people had their own worries - they were rushing to the census, and in general - everyone had a lot to do, and here - some carpenter with pregnant wife... there wasn’t even room for them in the hotel (the “birds” are small and will spend the night in a barn!). True, they were accompanied by a Star... another symbol of Christmas! There have been many attempts to figure out what kind of natural phenomenon it was - they tried to identify it with both a comet and a supernova explosion - but all this looks far-fetched: it is unlikely that a comet (and even more so a supernova) could move after specific people and stop over stable So let's just admit: it was something unusual that we cannot explain - we can only believe.
Why did contemporaries not pay attention to such a heavenly wonder? Maybe they’re just not used to looking at the stars - when was the last time you did that? Apparently, even in those days, people more often looked at their feet than at the sky... And therefore few noticed the star - and these were people located at different “poles” of society.
On the one hand - the sages - “star-speakers” (usually we call them wise men) - scientists of that time, one might say - the “intellectual elite”. On the other hand, people are the simplest and most uneducated - shepherds... these are extremes - apparently, in order to understand events on a universal scale, you cannot be an “average person.”
By the way, about shepherds: skeptics like to say that at the time when we celebrate the Nativity of Christ - January 7 (December 25, old style) - they could not graze the flock - it was not the right time of year (even adjusted for climate). Well, no one claims that this is the date of birth of the Savior, officially recorded in historical chronicles - it could not have been there (as the poet said, “but he noted the calendar that there was such and such a sovereign,” and the birth of God... What did the chroniclers care about such a “little thing”!) - the exact date can no longer be established. This was difficult to do already in the middle of the 4th century, when Christians began to celebrate Christmas on December 25. On this day the birth of the Sun God was celebrated in Rome. Perhaps this was “our answer to the pagans.” Or maybe the meaning is much deeper? “I bow to you - the Sun of Truth!” - sung in a Christmas carol. The sun is a source of light, it gives life, it conquers the darkness of the night every morning... was it not because the pagans worshiped it because they unconsciously saw in it the image of the Giver of Life, who one day would certainly appear to defeat evil? And now, when this happened - why not discover the true meaning of the ancient holiday?
Over time, the “sunlight” of the new faith reached our Earth. Over the more than thousand-year history of Christianity in Rus', the celebration of the Nativity of Christ has acquired traditions... however, not all of them can be considered Christian. For example, girls’ fortune-telling, firmly “fused” into folk tradition Merry Christmas and the holidays that follow, have absolutely nothing to do with the Christian holiday and are even condemned church like any fortune telling.
But no one has ever forbidden a feast on Christmas - after all, the forty-day fast ended - and not only for his family, but also for all relatives and friends, and for everyone who wants to come to the house, be it even the last beggar (who knows - maybe the Savior himself is hiding under his guise?).
And, of course, treats were given to carolers! The custom of going around houses singing special carol songs glorifying the owners, with wishes of happiness and abundance, is of pagan origin - but it fits so organically into the Christian holiday! They caroled from midnight until dawn, carrying a star on a pole in front (in memory of the Bethlehem star, which heralded the birth of the Savior) - and tried not to miss a single house (it was not customary to enter only those houses where someone had recently died): after all, it was believed that trouble will come to the house that the carolers have bypassed.
Today we can observe a revival of Christmas customs - and not only carols, not only feasts. Many of our contemporaries, whom you usually do not meet in church, consider it their duty to visit the temple on Christmas Day. What is this - a tribute to fashion? But on such a day, I want to believe in the best... I want to believe that the meaning of the Event, which went unnoticed 2011 years ago, has become clear to us at least today... that the light of the Star of Bethlehem has not yet faded over the world, which means - as it is sung in the Christmas carol - "there will be a new day, there will be New Year“... there will be a new time when all evil and all suffering will remain in the past.
After all, it was for this purpose that the Divine Child was born more than two thousand years ago in Bethlehem!
The Feast of the Nativity of Christ is one of the most beloved holidays of the Church, which even non-believers joyfully celebrate.
Surprisingly, even those who have never thought about the deeper meaning of this solemn day, enjoy decorating the Christmas tree, scouring the shops in search of Christmas gifts, sending out colorful Christmas greeting cards, they buy kilograms of bright, fragrant tangerines, which forever gave their wonderful smell and taste to this winter holiday. They won’t forget about the Christmas table - with a magnificent browned duck in apples, or turkey with figs (a tradition more characteristic of the West!), and they will even buy a “Christmas nativity scene” - fashion toy, depicting the scene of the birth of the Christ Child. In our time, when we all live in conditions of legalized absurdity with dates, and New Year according to the new style, it falls on the days of the strictest Nativity Fast; Christmas itself is perceived by most people simply as a pleasant continuation of the New Year's festivities. And the deep meaning of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ turns out to be unnoticed, unfelt behind all this cellophane tinsel, pre-holiday bustle, Christmas shopping frenzy...
Let's renounce the immediate and talk about the main thing. Let us not be distracted by the unimportant, but let us look closely at the eternal. So, what is the essence of the Christmas holiday?
1. What do we celebrate on Christmas Day?
Incarnation. That is, the birth of God in the human race. Birth of the Savior from the Blessed Virgin Mary.
2. What is the difference between New Year and Christmas?
These two winter holidays and those next to each other on the calendar have completely different meanings. New Year is the beginning of a conventional period of time invented by people, the beginning of a new calendar year. By celebrating this day, we pay tribute to human institutions. This date is not so difficult to shift, which was done in 1918, when V.I. Lenin signed the “Decree on the introduction of the Western European calendar in the Russian Republic.” Celebrating the Nativity of Christ, we relive an event of completely different significance - the birth of Jesus Christ, the appearance of the Savior to our world. The birth of Christ, the coming of the Savior to our world is a turning point in the history of mankind.
But since the events underlying the NG and XX are completely incomparable in their significance, then the traditions that are attached to these holidays are also incomparable in their depth. The Soviet tradition of celebrating the New Year can only include Olivier salad, champagne, Blue Light and a Christmas tree, which migrated here from Christmas. Traditions Orthodox Christmas have the deepest roots and symbolism. We’ll talk about them later, but for now let’s talk about the very birth of the Savior.
3. How did the birth of Jesus happen?
We remember that nine months before the birth of Christ, and, therefore, the Nativity of Christ, an event takes place called the Annunciation Holy Mother of God", when Archangel Gabriel brings the Good News to the Mother of God (hence the "Annunciation") that she will become the Mother of God: "Rejoice, Full of Grace! The Lord is with You, blessed are You among women." Mary was embarrassed by these words, but the Angel continued: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for You have found grace with God, You will give birth to a Son and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the son of the Most High, and His Kingdom will have no end." The name Jesus means "Savior." Mary asks the Angel in bewilderment: "How will this be when I don't know my husband?" And the Angel replies: "Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You, and the one who is born will be called the Son of God." This is how the story of our salvation begins, the story of the coming of God into our world, the story of the Incarnation.
At that time, Judea was conquered by the Roman Empire and became part of its eastern provinces. In order to streamline the taxation system, the sole emperor of the Roman Empire, Octavian Augustus (63 BC - 14 AD), decides to conduct a census of his eastern provinces. Moreover, the Jews must be registered at their place of origin. Both Joseph, who became engaged to Mary and cared for her, and the Virgin Mary herself were descendants of the famous biblical king David (died about 970 BC), who came from Bethlehem. The descendants of King David were deprived of the throne in the 6th century BC. e., and for a long time already lived the same way as the rest of the Jews, not standing out among them in any way. However, long before the Nativity of Christ, the prophets announced that the Savior, the Messiah, would come from the line of David, and that is why we focus on such an important fact. So, since the Virgin Mary and Joseph come from the family of King David, and their distant ancestor was from Bethlehem, then the expecting child Mary and Joseph are forced to make a long journey from the Galilean city of Nazareth, where they live, to Bethlehem - a city foreign to them . Census, how can you disobey the emperor's decree?
Due to the influx of people, there is no room in the hotels of Bethlehem for the Holy Family, and they stay outside the city, in a cave - here shepherds drive their cattle in bad weather. In this cave, at night, near the Virgin Mary, the Baby is born - the Son of God, Christ the Savior of the world. Mary swaddles Her Son and puts her in a manger - where they usually put feed for livestock. And the animals warm the Infant God with their breath. How is it sung in these holidays in churches, mangers became “the container of the incontainable God.” On the one hand, there is God, inconceivable in His Greatness, but, at the same time, a helpless Baby. In this indissoluble unity of divine nature with human nature lies the secret of the incarnation. A secret that we humans are not given the opportunity to know, but which we can feel - with our hearts.
4. How did the world learn about the birth of the Savior, how did the world perceive it?
The Bethlehem shepherds are the first to learn about the birth of the Savior. That night they are grazing their flocks in the field, when suddenly an Angel of God appears before them: “Do not be afraid!” he says, “I announce to you great joy, which will be not only for you, but for all people: now born in the city David (i.e. in Bethlehem) Savior! Here is a sign for you: you will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” As soon as the angel said this, suddenly many other Angels appeared, singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace.” "There is good will among men." These words begin the so-called Great Doxology, which is sung today during Divine Services.
But the shepherds were not the only ones who worshiped the Infant God. The Mother of God and Joseph, together with the Infant Jesus, were still remaining in Bethlehem, when the wise men and astrologers came from the distant east to Jerusalem. They, too, had long been expecting the birth of the One who would become the Messiah - the Savior. In Jerusalem, strangely dressed strangers from the east begin to ask: “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw His star rising, and we came to worship Him!” Hearing this, the suspicious and cruel King of Judea Herod “was agitated, and with him all Jerusalem.” From experts in the Holy Scriptures, frightened Herod learns that the prophets foretold the birth of the King of the Jews, the Savior, in the line of David, in the city of Bethlehem. Suspicious Herod cannot even imagine that the kingdom of the newborn Ruler of Israel will be “not of this world,” that we are not talking about an earthly kingdom, but about the Kingdom of Heaven. This is all too difficult for the cruel impostor Herod. And Herod is truly a monster - he ordered the execution of his wife and children only out of suspicion that they intended to deprive him of power. So, having heard that a possible competitor had already been born, Herod calls the unsuspecting magi to himself, finds out from them the time of the birth of the Messiah and sends them to Bethlehem with an insidious order: “Go, carefully investigate the Baby and, when you find it, notify me.” so that I too can go and worship Him."
The Magi head to Bethlehem, and new star shows them the way.
So, led by the star, the Magi go to Bethlehem. And the star stopped “over the place where the Child was. Seeing the star, they rejoiced with very great joy, and, entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary His Mother, and, falling, they worshiped Him; and, opening their treasures, they brought Him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having received a revelation in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their country in another way, and when they had departed, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: Arise, take the Child. and His Mother, and flee to Egypt, and be there until I tell you, for Herod wants to look for the Child in order to destroy Him..."
Thus, with homelessness and wanderings, the life of Christ begins.
When the Savior was born, people reacted differently to this event. Some, like the Magi, with a pure heart went to meet Him to rejoice. Others, like Herod, decided to destroy Him. There were also indifferent people who did not allow the Mother of God into their house to spend the night. They didn’t care, they were incapable of mercy, of compassion. It is with the tacit consent of such people that evil is committed. Both those, and others, and others are among us. And each of us faces a choice every day: who is he with? Where is he? With Christ, or for Herod? Or maybe he just hid in his cozy little world and won’t let someone else’s misfortune and pain in, and, therefore, won’t let the Lord in either.
5. What are the traditions of celebrating the Nativity of Christ?
Firstly, the holiday of the Nativity of Christ itself begins with anticipation. And the main thing in this expectation is fasting, lasting from November 28 to January 6. Fasting prepares the spirit and body for the perception of the very event of the Nativity of Christ, for participation in it. The Church understands how important it is to wait for the holiday. Just as the Magi, the eastern sages, went to Bethlehem and expected to see the born Christ, prepared for this meeting, brought him gifts, so when we fast, we commit spiritual path and bring our spiritual gifts to the Lord. This is the anticipation of the holiday. And there is also the approaching holiday. The approach is that on the eve of January 6, Christmas Eve is celebrated, a day of very strict fasting, when sochivo is prepared - a dish of wheat and honey. On this day, people do not eat until the first star appears in the sky in memory of the Star of Bethlehem, which showed the Magi the way to the birthplace of the Savior. Christmas Eve is spent in preparation - people prepare for confession and Communion, to receive communion either on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, or on Christmas Eve itself, and prepare the Christmas meal. This is how we get ready to meet the born Christ, to gather the whole person. And with real preparation, both spirit and body participate in the holiday.
Secondly, understanding how important the external side of events is for us people, the Church prepares us for the holiday and with special Christmas traditions. An evergreen tree is placed in houses - a symbol eternal life which Christ gave us.
The star with which we crown our Christmas trees is reminiscent of the Star of Bethlehem, which lit up when Jesus was born, the star that led the Magi to the Infant God, showed them the way.
On Christmas Eve, on Christmas Eve, it is customary to place a burning candle on the window. There is also a deep meaning here. A candle is a symbol of the human soul that burns before God. It burns and lights the way for others. A lit candle in the window before Christmas shows that in this house we are waiting for Christ. Because the most important goal of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ is that our hearts become the Bethlehem manger in which Christ was born. And the meaning of our celebration is the birth of Christ in our hearts.
And finally, when we give gifts at Christmas, we are like the Magi - the eastern sages who brought their gifts to the Infant God: gold, incense and myrrh. These gifts from the Magi were also deeply symbolic: gold, as for the King, incense, as for God, and myrrh, a fragrant ointment, used at burial, as for a mortal.
6. What is the meaning of the Nativity of Christ?
The mystery of the Incarnation is inaccessible to the human mind. But this greatest, Divine mystery of the incarnation is connected with two other mysteries that are close to the heart of every person: the mystery of birth and the mystery of love.
Everyone knows the joy that we experience when a person is born, and each of us, at least once, has come into contact with the secret of love. That is why the events of the Nativity of Christ, with all their incomprehensibility, are close to everyone’s heart, and the events of this holiday are understandable even to the smallest children. The Savior is born in the human race; this is not some abstract God sent to us, who has no kinship or connection with people. God takes on human flesh. He, born of the Holy Spirit, takes on our entire psychophysical world. Because in order to save a person, it was necessary to know him to the end, it was necessary to go through the entire earthly path of a person - from birth, through suffering, to death. And God goes through it, and does it out of love for us.
7. Why do we need this Christmas holiday?
He comes into our world in the silence of the Bethlehem night, and the very fact of His birth is already our approach to God, because, in the words of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh: “Every person, by the very fact that he is a person, is introduced to the mystery of Christ.” From now on, man is not alone in this world. “Christ became a Man so that all of us, all of us without a trace, including those who have lost all faith in ourselves, would know that God believes in us, believes in us in our fall, believes in us when we ourselves have believed in each other.” friend and in himself, believes so much that he is not afraid to become one of us." “God became Man so that man could become God,” this is how the 2nd century martyr Irenaeus of Lyons formulated the great mystery of the incarnation.
The history of the Nativity of Christ, even briefly for children, is of interest not only to them, but also to adults. This interest has not disappeared for 2000 years. Once you hear the name of Jesus Christ, you will not be able to forget it. The sooner children are told about the Son of God, why he was born, the easier it will be for them in the future to understand and feel how much God loves people.
Once you hear the name of Jesus Christ, you will not be able to forget it.
The story of the Nativity for children
For children, a brief history of the Nativity of Christ should be told in an adapted way so that they remember the meaning of the celebration and the significance of this day. What is special about the birth of Jesus Christ and why did this baby become the most famous person all over the world.
If you are parents of preschool children, you can tell a brief story of the Nativity of Christ in this format:
Once upon a time on Earth, a special boy was born. His mother, the Virgin Mary, named the baby Jesus. A bright star in the sky announced His birth to the whole world. The star was so unusual that three ancient scientists decided to go to the place over which it shone and find out what kind of event happened there. When they arrived there, they saw that in a small cave, next to his mother, a baby was lying in the manger on the hay, and they realized that the prediction about the birth of the Savior for all people had come true. This is how Jesus Christ was born.
The coming of Jesus into the world was accompanied by a bright celestial phenomenon - a moving star in the sky
Below is brief history Christmas for schoolchildren.
The history of the Nativity of Christ began a long time ago, 2000 years ago. This day is celebrated every year on January 7th. The night before Christmas is the most magical. It's called Christmas Eve. On this day, songs are sung glorifying the birth of the Mission.
The coming of Jesus into the world was accompanied by a bright celestial phenomenon - a moving star in the sky, which was visible from everywhere. She was named Star of Bethlehem, named after the town near which Jesus was born. She helped the three wise men find the birthplace of Jesus Christ.
The Magi were ancient magicians, sorcerers, in those days their opinion was the main thing, both for ordinary people, and for kings. History has preserved the names of these wise men: Caspar, Melchior and Belshazzar. As expected, on his birthday, they brought gifts (gifts) to the baby Christ, thereby recognizing that little Jesus is a special person and has an important saving mission for all people. In those days, gold, frankincense and myrrh were considered the most valuable gifts.
The Magi were ancient magicians
The mother of Jesus Christ is called Mary. She was also an unusual person, because God chose Her to give birth to His Son, which is why Mary is called the Virgin. And the Virgin Mary was helped by a very kind and good man named Joseph. He was the earthly father of Jesus Christ and cared for the Virgin Mary and the son of God. Joseph knew that the Lord had given him great responsibility.
Jesus Christ's mother's name is Mary
When the time came for the baby to be born, Joseph and the Virgin Mary were on their way to the city of Bethlehem. It was already late and they had to stop in a cave for the night. Where, usually, shepherds hid with animals if they were caught in bad weather. Little Jesus was born in unusual conditions; instead of the usual playpen, little Christ was placed in a feeding trough where they put hay for animals. By the way, it is called a nursery, just like the group in kindergarten for the little ones.
Christmas: listen, watch, feel
The icon “Nativity of Christ” displays all these events. And although the situation is very different from traditional conditions birth of children, this did not stop his parents from surrounding the baby with maternal care and paternal warmth. And the fact that Jesus was born in a cave suggests that it is not so important where you were born, it is important for what. Jesus Christ became the Savior of all people who want to be with God forever.
The icon “Nativity of Christ” displays all these events
It will be interesting for children to watch a video that briefly shows the history of the Nativity of Christ. Before telling a gospel event, it is advisable for parents to know how better baby perceives information: by hearing, viewing it or tactilely sensing it.
Today there are Orthodox board games dedicated to the holiday of the Nativity of Christ. There are figurines of the heroes of this celebration and in game form children learn the information necessary for the development and salvation of the soul.
If a child learns information better by ear, then he will be interested in listening to the online version of the Gospel story. Very good shape, briefly tell the story of the Nativity of Christ with the help of poems, Christmas stories, riddles dedicated to this great day.
One of the most revered and magnificently celebrated holidays among Christians is undoubtedly the Nativity of Christ. Orthodox Christians celebrate it on January 7, Catholics and Protestants celebrate it on December 25. Regardless of the date of celebration, already a few days before Christmas itself, a bright and joyful mood arises in every Christian, which only intensifies every day.
According to the Bible, December 25 (January 7, New Style) is a holiday because on this day Jesus Christ, sent by God to save mankind, was born. According to biblical legend, an Angel appeared to the Savior’s mother at night, indicating to her that she would give birth to a son. Having gone to Bethlehem, the mother of Jesus was forced to stop for the night in a stable, where Christ was born. The Magi came to visit the newborn, who learned about the birth of the Savior when a bright star appeared in the sky, showing them the way. They brought gifts to the baby as a sign of recognition of him as the King and Savior of the entire human race.
Later, it was this fact that was transformed into the tradition of ending the Nativity Fast. After all, you can start the Christmas meal only after the first star rises in the sky.
The significance of the Christmas holiday cannot be underestimated. First of all, for Christians this is a holiday called to remember the bright event of the birth of the messenger of God. However, today this holiday has acquired its significance even for those who do not consider themselves believers. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet your relatives and spend a wonderful time together. In an age when there is often not enough time to tell loved ones about your feelings or visit relatives, holidays are often the only opportunity to see elderly parents and spend time with children. Indeed, Christmas is for real family holiday when all big family, starting from children and grandchildren and ending with cousins and second cousins, gathers at one table, wishing each other happiness, health and wealth. For Catholics, the significance of the holiday - Christmas - is much higher than the significance of the New Year.
For every person, Christmas is a time of gifts. This applies to a greater extent to Catholics and Protestants, but recently the tradition of giving has also been consolidated among Orthodox Christians. Therefore, this is another reason to please your loved ones with a cute present that will remind them of the Christmas atmosphere. It is likely that this development of this tradition was prompted by the custom according to which godchildren visit their godparents on Christmas evening, bringing with you kutya (boiled rice with honey, raisins or dried apricots). It is customary for godparents to give gifts to children in return.
