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A message about the religious holiday of Christmas. Christmas: traditions and history of the holiday

A message about the religious holiday of Christmas. Christmas: traditions and history of the holiday

10.08.2019

Christmas is one of the twelve main, so-called twelve, holidays christian church. Christmas falls on . On this day the church celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Bethlehem.

The establishment of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. Until the 4th century, in the Eastern and Western Churches, the feast of the Nativity of Christ was celebrated on January 6, was known under the name of Epiphany and initially related to the Baptism of the Savior. Later, Christmas was singled out as an independent holiday.
The celebration of the Nativity of Christ on December 25 in the Eastern Church was introduced later than in the Western Church, namely in the second half of the 4th century. For the first time, separate celebrations of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord were introduced in the Church of Constantinople around 377 at the direction of Emperor Arcadius, according to the custom of the Roman Church and thanks to the energy and power of the eloquence of St. John Chrysostom. From Constantinople, the custom of celebrating the Nativity of Christ on December 25 spread throughout the Orthodox East.

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ is preceded by a forty-day fast, which is the preparation of a Christian for this event. Fasting was established for unity with God, it serves so that on the day of the Nativity of Christ, all Christians are cleansed by prayer, repentance and so that their hearts are cleansed before the one who was born and appeared in our world - Jesus Christ.
The duration of the Nativity Fast was not immediately established. Only under the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke and the Byzantine Emperor Manuel was a final fasting period of forty days established for all Christians. The fast begins on November 15 and lasts until December 25 - this is according to the old style, and according to the new style - from November 28 and ends. Also in Church Charter the fast is called Lent.

Christmas is a day of reconciliation, kindness, peacefulness, a day of glorifying Christ. Church services are held everywhere on Christmas night. All the candlesticks and chandeliers are lit, and the choir sings the doxology. And in the old days, when the clock struck midnight, everyone exchanged gifts, congratulated each other, and made wishes. It was believed that at Christmas the sky opens to the earth, and the heavenly forces fulfill all their plans; wishes must always be good.

Since ancient times, the Day of the Nativity of Christ has been ranked by the Church among the great twelve holidays, in accordance with the Divine testimony of the Gospel, which depicts the celebrated event as the greatest, most joyful and wonderful. The Holy Fathers in their writings call it the beginning and basis for other holidays.
The celebration is preceded by the Forever or Christmas Eve - a special service with the reading of the royal hours, at which prophecies and events related to the Nativity of Christ are remembered.
Christmas Eve is a day of strict fasting; it ends the Nativity fast preceding the holiday. The name “Christmas Eve” itself comes from the word “sochivo”. This is a special Lenten dish that is prepared on this day, otherwise called kutya and is a wheat or rice broth with honey and fruit. According to a long-standing tradition, on this day they 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 place of the Nativity of Christ.
On Christmas night, a festive Divine Liturgy is celebrated. On the very day of the Christmas holiday, believers break their fast (they eat fast food, not fast food).

Celebrating Christmas with the family began with listening to the all-night vigil in church. Visiting a temple was considered desirable among peasants, but not strictly obligatory. Peasant families who were unable to get to church for the Christmas service prayed that night in front of their home icons.
Christmas was also celebrated with two meals: on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day itself.
The meal held on the eve of Christmas always had a family character. The arrival of strangers or even close relatives who lived separately in the house during meals was not approved. In some villages it was believed that this could bring misfortune to the house. The meal began with the appearance of the first evening star in the sky. The owner of the house, seeing her in heaven, read a prayer. All family members were baptized and began to eat in solemn silence. The table was served with pancakes or pancakes with honey, Lenten pies with mushrooms, potatoes, porridge, sochni - unleavened pies with berries, as well as kutya made from large grains of wheat with berries. In many villages, porridge cooked in water was also served on the table. All these dishes were considered ritual. They were served in the most important points family life: during weddings, births, funerals, on memorial days.

The meal that took place on Christmas Day, after the end of the all-night vigil, was already modest and involved a rich and varied lunch, during which many meat and dairy dishes, pies were served, and beer, mash, and wine were served in abundance.
At the end of the meal, the children carried part of the remaining kutya to the homes of the poor so that they too could celebrate the event of the Nativity of Christ. After eating the food, neither the dishes, nor the food, nor the tablecloth were removed until the morning, believing that the deceased parents would come to the table to also eat.

In ancient times, the Christmas Eve feast was a memorial meal and was dedicated to ancestors. They believed that on this day all the deceased ancestors of the family gathered in the house to share a meal with the living. It cemented the sacred union of ancestors and descendants and was a kind of appeal to the dead with a request for help. In addition, the Christmas Eve meal completed the past year, ended the strict Nativity fast and was a kind of transition to the festive feast next days. It was also interpreted as a repetition of the modest meal of the Holy Family on the night of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The day after Christmas is dedicated to the Mother of Christ the Savior, the Most Pure Virgin Mary. From the gathering of believers to the temple to glorify and give thanks to Her, this day is called the Council Holy Mother of God. Glorifying the Mother of God, the Church remembers the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt.

The Nativity of Christ in the peasant calendar was one of the biggest holidays, as evidenced by the popular idea that on this day the sun “plays.” People believed that this phenomenon happens, in addition to Christmas, four more times a year: on the holidays of Epiphany (see Epiphany), Annunciation, Easter and Ivan Kupala.

The twelve days after Christmas are called holy days or Christmastide (until January 17). Fasting is canceled on these days. Christmas, which opened the holidays, was the first day of performing various rituals that were supposed to ensure well-being in the coming solar year, protect home, family, livestock from troubles and misfortunes, and find out the future. On Christmas Eve they began to sing carols (“call autumn”, “sing the grapes”, “call Kolyada”), and guess about fate.

Today Orthodox religious holiday:

Tomorrow is a holiday:

Holidays expected:
15.03.2019 -
16.03.2019 -
17.03.2019 -

To understand the essence of the holiday of the Holy Nativity of Christ, it is necessary to plunge into the history of past years, and this history dates back more than two thousand years ago. The Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, with her husband Joseph, lived in the holy city of Nazareth. Archangel Gabriel appeared as a messenger of the good news and announced the imminent birth of Jesus Christ. The ruler of the Roman Empire, Augustus, in honor of this event, decided to carry out a population census, which every resident had to take in the city of his birth.

Our Virgin Mary and Joseph headed to the city of Bethlehem - their homeland. The road was long and painful, however, already on January 6 they managed to reach their city. There were a lot of people who wanted to participate in the census; all the houses, chambers and hotels were occupied by residents who came to the census. Joseph and Mary had to look for accommodation for the night outside the city. They wandered into a cave outside the city, where cattle usually stayed overnight. But on the night of January 6-7, fortunately for our travelers, the cave gorge was empty. It was in this cave that on January 7th the hour came for Mary to give birth to the Son of God - Jesus. The baby's life began not within the royal walls, and not even in an ordinary house, but in an ordinary country house, later called the Cave of the Nativity, on hard straw.

Shepherds were walking not far from this cave; they received a message from the angels, the bright news about the Birth of Christ. They found this holy place with the goal of worshiping the Savior and brought gifts. With the Birth of Jesus Christ, another new star, full of brightness and life, lit up in the sky. It was she who directed the shepherds to the very place where the Son of God was born. The news of the birth of the Savior instantly swept across all of Judea. The King of Judea, Herod, and the entire people of Jerusalem were alarmed at the thought of the appearance of the Savior of the world.

On the day Jesus was born, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem - wise men who studied and observed the stars. Looking at the starry sky, they saw an extraordinary, new and very bright star. That hour they realized that the Savior of the world, necessary for humanity, had been born on earth. The Magi also wanted to worship Jesus and bestow gifts on him, and King Herod ordered them to set off on a journey to Bethlehem and find out everything about the birth of the Baby. A star that was visible in the east guided them, pointing to the path where the newborn Jesus was.

The news of the birth angered King Herod, and he, as the head and ruler of his kingdom, gave the order to destroy all newborn children. Jesus was saved by the appearance of an angel of the Lord, who warned his father Joseph about possible danger and ordered him to flee with his family to Egypt. Timely warning of the danger saved little Jesus. And the evil king Herod soon paid for his anger by spending last days life in severe and painful torment. After the death of King Herod, the Mother of God, Holy Mother of God Mary and her faithful husband Joseph, together with the Son Jesus Christ, returned to the city of Nazareth, where they had previously lived until the birth of the Savior Jesus.

Thus, in modern world The holiday of the Nativity of Christ testifies to a new era in the life of mankind, the era of Christianity. January 7, the Nativity of Christ, is the most important holiday, revered by all Christians around the world. On this day, God forgives all human sins to mere mortals.

Don't forget to congratulate your loved ones on this holiday

Chipmunk - message report
The undoubted pride of the squirrel family is a cute animal - the chipmunk. Its name is associated with the word “breaker”. This is the sound you hear from him before it rains.

One of the greatest holidays in the Christian world is the day of the birth of the Son of God, baby Jesus. What is the difference Orthodox tradition from Catholic? Where did the custom of decorating the Christmas tree come from? How is Christmas celebrated in different countries? All this will be discussed in this article.

Christmas story

The history of Christmas celebrations begins with the birth of little Jesus in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.

The successor of Julius Caesar, Emperor Augustus, ordered a general census of the population in his state, which then included Palestine. The Jews in those days had a custom of keeping records of houses and clans, each of which belonged to a specific city. Therefore, the Virgin Mary, together with her husband, Elder Joseph, was forced to leave the Galilean city of Nazareth. They had to go to Bethlehem, the city of the family of David, to which they both belonged, in order to have their names included in the list of Caesar's subjects.

Due to the census order, all hotels in the city were full. Pregnant Mary, together with Joseph, managed to find accommodation for the night in a limestone cave, where shepherds usually drove their cattle. In this place, on a cold winter night, little Jesus was born. For lack of a cradle, the Blessed Virgin swaddled her son and put him in a manger - a feeding trough for livestock.

The first to learn about the birth of the Son of God were the shepherds guarding their flock nearby. An Angel appeared to them and solemnly announced the birth of the Savior of the World. The excited shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found a cave in which Joseph and Mary and the baby had spent the night.

At the same time, the Magi (sages), who had long been awaiting his birth, were hurrying from the east to meet the Savior. A bright star that suddenly lit up in the sky showed them the way. Having bowed to the newborn Son of God, the Magi presented him with symbolic gifts. The whole world rejoiced at the long-awaited birth of the Savior.

Catholic and Orthodox Christmas: traditions of celebration

History has not preserved information about the exact date of birth of Jesus Christ. In ancient times, the first Christians considered the date of Christmas celebration to be January 6 (19). They believed that the Son of God, the redeemer of human sins, was to be born on the same day as the first sinner on Earth - Adam.

Later, in the 4th century, by decree of the Roman Emperor Constantine, Christmas was ordered to be celebrated on December 25. This confirmed the assumption that the Son of God was conceived on the day falling on March 25th. In addition, on this day the Romans once celebrated the pagan festival of the Sun, which Jesus now personified.

The difference in the views of the Orthodox and Catholic churches on the date of celebration of Christmas arose as a result of the introduction into use at the end of the 16th century. Many Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches continued to consider the birthday of Jesus Christ on December 25 according to the old Julian calendar - accordingly, they now celebrated it on January 7 new style. The Catholic and Protestant churches chose a different path, declaring December 25th as Christmas Day according to the new calendar. This established a divergence in the traditions of Catholics and Orthodox Christians, which still exists today.

Orthodox Christmas Customs: Nativity Fast

In those days, there was a tradition of decorating the spruce with shiny little things, colored paper figures, coins and even waffles. By the 17th century, in Germany and Scandinavia, decorating the Christmas tree had become an unchanging ritual symbolizing the celebration of Christmas.

In Russia, this custom arose thanks to Peter the Great, who ordered his subjects to decorate their houses on Christmas Day with spruce and pine branches. And in the 1830s, the first whole Christmas trees appeared in the houses of St. Petersburg Germans. Gradually, this tradition was picked up by the indigenous inhabitants of the country with the broad scope characteristic of Russians. Spruce trees began to be installed everywhere, including in squares and city streets. In people's minds they have become firmly associated with the Christmas holiday.

Christmas and New Year in Russia

In 1916, the celebration of Christmas in Russia was officially prohibited. There was a war with Germany, and the Holy Synod considered the Christmas tree an “enemy’s idea.”

With education Soviet Union people were again allowed to put up and decorate Christmas trees. However, the religious significance of Christmas shifted to the background, and its rituals and attributes were gradually absorbed by New Year, turned secular family celebration. The Bethlehem seven-pointed star on the top of the spruce was replaced by a five-pointed Soviet star. The holiday on Christmas Day has been cancelled.

After the collapse of the USSR, no significant changes occurred. The most significant winter holiday in the post-Soviet space is still the New Year. Christmas began to be widely celebrated relatively recently, mainly by Orthodox believers living in these countries. However, on Christmas night, solemn services are held in churches, which are directly broadcast on television; the holiday has also been returned to the status of a day off.

Christmas holiday in the USA

In the United States of America, the traditions of celebrating Christmas began to take root quite late - from the 18th century. Puritans, Protestants and Baptists, who made up the largest and most influential part of the settlers in New World, for a long time resisted its celebration, even introducing fines and punishments for this at the legislative level.

The first American Christmas tree was erected in front of the White House only in 1891. And four years later, December 25 was recognized national holiday and declared a day off.

Customs of celebrating Catholic Christmas: decorating houses

In the United States, it is customary to decorate not only Christmas trees, but also homes. Illumination is hung along the windows and under the roofs, sparkling with all the colors of the rainbow. Trees and bushes in the garden are also decorated with garlands.

In front of the front doors, home owners usually display luminous figures of animals or snowmen. And on the door itself is hung from fir branches and cones, intertwined with ribbons, complemented by beads, bells and flowers. Such wreaths are also used to decorate the interior of the house. Evergreen needles - the personification of triumph over death - symbolize happiness and prosperity.

Customs of celebrating Catholic Christmas: family evening

It is customary to celebrate the Nativity of Christ big family the whole group gathered at my parents’ house. Before the festive dinner, the head of the family usually reads a prayer. Then everyone eats a piece of consecrated bread and drinks a sip of red wine.

After this, you can start eating. Traditional dishes that are prepared in honor of Christmas celebrations are different in each country and region. So, in the USA, bean and cabbage soup, homemade sausages, fish, and potato pie are always served on the table. The English and Scots certainly stuff turkey and prepare a meat pie for this day. In Germany, they traditionally cook goose and brew mulled wine.

Customs of celebrating Catholic Christmas: gifts and hymns

After a generous and hearty festive dinner, everyone usually begins to give each other gifts. And the kids prepare “Christmas stockings”, which they hang by the fireplace: the next morning Santa Claus will certainly leave a surprise there for them. Children often leave treats under the tree for Santa Claus and his reindeer so that they won’t go hungry on Christmas Day either.

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ in small American towns has also preserved another pleasant tradition. On Christmas morning, people visit each other and sing old songs dedicated to this holiday. Children dressed as angels sing Christmas carols, glorifying God and the birth of the baby Jesus Christ.

The significance of the holiday was forever predetermined in scale after the world calendar was divided into “before Christmas” and “after”. The Son of God, with his coming, not only marked the birth of a new religion, but also shaped the worldview of thousands and even millions of people. We don’t think about it, but morality, standards of decency, concepts of good and evil - all this was revealed to the world by Jesus Christ. It is not surprising that all believers celebrate the holiday on a grand scale. But how did it all begin?

How the date was set

From the second century AD until the fourth, all Christians celebrated Epiphany on the sixth of January. At the same time they mentioned the day when Jesus appeared.

You can find information about the double celebration in the primary sources left by Clement of Alexandria. The author shared the view that the son of God was born on the twentieth of May.

In his opinion, the winter season was chosen specifically. Faith in one God no longer wanted to put up with pagan remnants, which were quite strong in the Roman Empire. After accepting Christianity, they continued to celebrate their holidays.

Before the Christmas holiday was moved to the twenty-fifth of December, the Romans organized their festivities in honor of the Invincible Sun. This was the most important celebration. The cult of the pagan deity became an addition to the Christian one, and the story of Christmas began. And the first entry in the Philocalian Calendar for the three hundred and thirty-sixth year of our era.

Differences in churches

For a long time, the history of Christmas begins on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar by the Roman Catholic Church.

At the same time, the Russian Temple, as well as Athos, Georgia, Jerusalem and Serbia are celebrated at this time, but only according to the old Julian calendar. If we take into account the recalculation of days, it turns out that Christmas is on the seventh of January.

But there are other date options. Cyprus, Constantinople, the territory of Hellas, Romania, Bulgaria and the Church of Alexandria celebrate so far the twenty-fifth of December. They follow the New Julian calendar. This will continue until 2800, until the dates no longer coincide.

In Armenia, Epiphany and Christmas are celebrated on the same day. The holiday in many ancient kingdoms was celebrated on the sixth of January. Thus, two celebrations were combined into one.

Date of birth of the son of God

To this day, scientists continue to debate about when the story of Christmas began. The date of December twenty-fifth was set by the Roman Church, and approved by the Ecumenical Council. Beginning in the fourth century, the first memories of Christmas appear.

Historians cannot establish for certain the existence of such a person as Jesus Christ. And yet, if he existed, then the dates of his life are very vague. He was most likely born between the seventh and fifth years BC.

For the first time, the writer and ancient historian Sextus Julius Africanus recorded December 25 in his calendar in the two hundred and twenty-first year of the birth of Christ.

The date was confirmed already in our era by Dionysius the Less, who served as an archivist under the Pope. He took into account the early chronicles of the year 354 and decided that Jesus was born at a time when Caesar ruled the Roman Empire. Dionysius ranked his reign as the first year of the new era.

Some scholars, using the New Testament as a source, argue that Star of Bethlehem that lit up the sky was Halley's Comet. It swept over the Earth in the twelfth year BC.

It is quite possible that he was born in the seventh year of our era, when the said census of the entire population of Israel was carried out.

Dates after 4 years BC look unlikely. Both the evangelists and the apocrypha mention that Jesus lived during the reign of Herod. And he died only in the fourth year before the birth of Christ.

The later time is not suitable because there is an approximate time of execution. If we take our era, it turns out that he was killed at a very young age.

The message from Luke says that during the birth of the Lord's son, shepherds were sleeping in the field. This indicates the time of year: early autumn or summer. But in Palestine animals could graze even in February if the year was warm.

Christmas story

The day of the birth of Jesus Christ is described in several sources, canonical and apocryphal.

The first texts tell the story of the Nativity of Christ in sufficient detail. The main sources are the letters of Matthew and Luke.

The Gospel of Matthew talks about why Mary and her husband Joseph went to Bethlehem, even though they lived in Nazareth. They hurried to the census, during which representatives of the same nationality had to be with their own.

Joseph, who married the lovely Mary, having learned about the pregnancy before the wedding, was going to annul the marriage. But an angel came to him. He said that this son was a blessing from God, and that Joseph should raise him as his own.

When the contractions began, there was no room for them in the hotel, and the couple had to stay in the barn, where there was straw for the animals.

The first to see the newborn were the shepherds. An angel showed them the way, in the form of a star that shone over Bethlehem. The same heavenly body brought the three wise men to the stable. They generously presented him as a king: myrrh, frankincense and gold.

The evil King Herod, warned of the birth of a new leader, killed all the babies in the city who were not yet two years old.

But Jesus survived because the angel who was watching him told Joseph to flee to Egypt. There they lived until the death of the evil tyrant.

Apocryphal texts add some fragments, and the story of the Nativity of Christ becomes more accurate. They describe that Mary and Joseph spent that significant night in a cave where cattle came to protect themselves from the weather. While her husband was looking for the midwife Solomiya, the woman managed to give birth to Christ herself, without help. The texts indicate that the process was very easy.

Solomiya only confirmed the fact that Maria was previously innocent. The texts say that Jesus was born and the sun blinded those who came. When the radiance stopped, the child came up to his mother and lay down at her breast.

The history of Christmas

For a long time, the Church could not determine when to celebrate such a significant and large-scale religious holiday.

Since the first Christians were Jews, for whom birth is considered the beginning of pain and misfortune, so was the Nativity of Christ. The holiday was not celebrated in any way.

Among church dates, Easter, the moment of resurrection, was more important.

But when the Greeks joined Christianity, they brought with them the tradition of celebrating the birth of the son of God.

Initially, the celebration was called Epiphany. It included both the birth of Jesus and his baptism. Over time, the church divided the events into two.

The first mention of the birth of the Savior was made in three hundred and fifty-four in the Roman source “Chronograph”. The entry in it suggests that Christmas appeared as a holiday after the great council of Nicaea.

Other researchers believe that early Christians celebrated the holiday even before the church schism, that is, even in the third century. It was then that, in their opinion, the exact date appeared.

Christmas: the history of the holiday in Russia

This holiday was persecuted for a long time, exterminated, it was postponed, but still it retained its original sacred meaning. Even in pre-Petrine times, this day was celebrated, and stories about Jesus were passed on from the older generation to the younger.

Pre-revolutionary holiday

Under Tsar Peter the Great, the tradition of installing and decorating in houses came into use. Christmas tree- Christmas tree. It symbolized, like laurel and mistletoe, immortality, a long life in prosperity.

On the twenty-fifth of December a service was held in honor of the birthday of Jesus. Celebrations began in every Russian church. Everyone loved and celebrated Christmas. The history of the holiday tells that young people dressed up beautifully, picked up a star on a stick, as a symbol of the one that showed the way to the Magi to the baby. They carried it from house to house, telling them that Jesus had been born. The children were dressed up as angels in honor of the one who told the shepherds about the miracle that had happened. Some played with animals, which, according to Orthodox tradition, were also in the stable where Mary gave birth to the child. The solemn procession sang Christmas hymns and carols, glorifying mother and child.

These beautiful traditions in the pre-revolutionary Russian Empire were preserved in the memoirs of the writer Ivan Shmelev. While in Paris, in exile, he spoke longingly of the old days.

The empire loved this day so much that at first one Church of the Nativity of Christ appeared, and then the number increased every year. Such shrines appeared in all big cities.

It should be noted that the most famous thematic temple is located in the capital of Russia. It is called in honor of the Nativity - Christ the Savior. He has his own long and amazing story. Years have passed. The Church of the Nativity still stands where it was before.

In 1812, when the army of Alexander the First defeated the French, on December twenty-fifth an imperial decree was issued on the construction of a new temple. It said that it was God who helped save the country from imminent destruction. In honor of this, Alexander ordered the construction of a temple that would stand for many centuries.

Christmas ban

But times came when religion became prohibited. Since 1917, it has been forbidden to talk about Christmas. Churches fell one after another. They were robbed. Looters tore off the gilding from the naves. It was customary to work on religious holidays to prove one's loyalty to the party.

The star became five-pointed. Even the Christmas tree was initially persecuted as a symbol of faith. And in 1933, a Decree appeared stating that this tradition could be returned. Only the tree became New Year's.

It would be wrong to say that after the ban, Christmas holidays were not celebrated. People secretly brought into the house fir branches, saw clergy, performed rituals, baptized children. They sang Christmas carols at home. Even in political prisons or exiles, where many priests were kept, traditions were quite strong.

Celebrating a prohibited event could result not only in dismissal from work, but also in years of repression, deprivation of liberty, and execution.

People secretly entered dilapidated churches to listen to the service on the Orthodox Nativity of Christ.

A new time in the history of Christmas

In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the celebration of the day of the birth of Christ was officially allowed.

The power of habit, the upbringing of people who were for a long time forbidden to celebrate religious events, was so great that even now many people associate the holiday with a secondary thing. It is second in popularity to New Year.

Since its inception Russian Federation The traditions of Christmas carols and the use of certain symbols during the holiday are being revived.

Features of Christmas

There is a lot of meaning in this ancient sacred act. It contains many symbols that the church interprets. Each of them complements the whole picture.

The most common symbols of Christmas:

Light is what first appeared at the moment of birth. The path that the messenger of God took to descend down to sinful people was illuminated.

Star - according to the New Testament, during the Birth of Jesus, a sign appeared over Bethlehem. He was in the form of a bright star in the sky. Only true believers were able to understand him correctly.

Census of people. Under Augustus, who at that time led the Roman Empire, a recount of all citizens was carried out. He did this in order to introduce an orderly taxation system. Those who lived in other cities at the time of the census had to return and register. This is what Joseph and Mary did.

Winter. It is controversial whether Christ was born in winter. However, for the church, this season became a symbol of the darkness that was illuminated by the son of God. He also appeared at the moment when winter began to wane.

Shepherds. The whole city was asleep at the time when the savior came into the world. No one noticed this, except for the ordinary poor shepherds guarding the flock on Christmas Day. An angel came down from heaven to tell them the good news. Shepherds represent pure souls, not corrupted by wealth or vanity. They interacted most with animals.

Bethlehem is a city that many believers associate with spiritual blindness. All the people in it were so obsessed with their own problems that they did not even notice how the Nativity of Christ came to them in Bethlehem. And then they failed to recognize the Savior.

Magi. The first to appear before Jesus with their gifts were the wise men and philosophers. They were not kings and did not own great wealth. The Magi are those believers who constantly sought wisdom from the scriptures. They knew the truth. The long road to self-knowledge and faith was crowned with blessing.

Gifts. Jesus received frankincense, gold and myrrh for his birth. The precious metal was a symbol of power, incense was a sign of divinity, and myrrh meant the future of Christ, his self-sacrifice for the human race and death with further resurrection.

World. With the birth of the son of God, peace reigned on Earth. whole year. Afterwards, people themselves began to spoil the idyll and fight.

Cave. When the doors were closed to Mary and Joseph at the inn, they found a new refuge. The couple came to the house where the cattle lived. According to church beliefs, the souls of animals are completely innocent. They warmed the baby Jesus with their breath. The animals gave up their own food so that the hay could be turned into a makeshift children's bed.

Night. This time of day is still associated with the decline of faith. At that moment the Savior appeared, as if giving hope to all people for the future.

Expectation. Humanity suffered for its own sins. After the expulsion of Adam and Eve, people could not hope that God would be favorable to them. But the Lord took pity on his creatures and sent them his own son to atone for their sins. Jesus took upon himself all the suffering. According to the biblical canon, he atoned for the original sin of Adam.

For example, this is what we offer you.

January 7 - Christmas

Today will be Christmas

The whole city is waiting for a secret,

He sleeps in the crystal frost

And waits: the magic will happen.

Christ was born

Alyonka and Sasha’s mother prepared a huge bag of sweets. “Who is this for?” - asked Sasha. “This is for carolers! Tonight a star will shine in the sky and be the first to tell about the Christmas miracle. And then the carolers will bring this news to us, and we will give them candy,” Alyonka laughed.

Sasha thought: “I also want to hear the news from the star!”

Mom heard their conversation and said: “Children, I will tell you a Christmas story. Just listen carefully..."

Christmas is a holiday in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on January 6th. The night before Christmas is considered magical. If you make a wish and ask God, it will come true. Only the desire must be kind and wise. Jesus Christ taught people kindness and wisdom. Do you know how he was born? This story is very interesting...

The miracle of Christmas is that for the first and only time, forever and ever, the immaculate Virgin gave birth to a Child. An angel brought the news about the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. Mary and her betrothed Joseph were eagerly awaiting God's child. That year, the Roman Emperor Augustus wanted to know how many people lived in his country.

He ordered all residents to go to the census. Mary and Joseph went to the city of Bethlehem. They walked for a long time, night was already approaching. We had to look for accommodation for the night. Nearby they found only a cave - a den where shepherds drove their flocks in bad weather. We spent the night there. It was that night that Mary's Son was born. She wrapped the Messiah (Savior) in a hem and placed him in a manger with hay.

Nearby, shepherds were guarding their flock. Suddenly they saw a bright light. An angel descended from heaven to them:

- Do not be afraid! I bring you good news. The news has spread all over the world! God sent His Son to earth to save people from their sins. Go to Bethlehem. There you will see Him swaddled in a manger!

At that moment, many angels appeared in heaven. They praised God by singing: “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace, and good will to men.” Everything around was glowing. When the angels returned to heaven, the earth was once again enveloped in darkness.

The second message about the birth of the Son of God was a star. She appeared in the sky and was the brightest. The eastern sages - the Magi - saw her. They guessed that the star was a harbinger of a true miracle. And then they decided to follow her. An amazing star led them to Jesus. They saw Mary with the Child in her arms and gave the Child gifts: gold, incense and myrrh. And then they called Him the King of Heaven and Earth. Thus was born Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Once upon a time, Christmas began to be celebrated on January 6th. While mom was preparing a 12-course festive dinner, the children were waiting for the first star to appear. As soon as she appeared in the sky, Christmas Eve began. Then the father brought hay into the house. The hostess laid it on the table. (After all, it was on the hay that little Jesus was laid!) A nest was made from this hay, in which a pot of kutya was placed.

Before dinner, they lit a wax candle and everyone prayed out loud together. It was joyful and solemn at that moment. And only after prayer could dinner begin.

The most important dish on the table is kutia. It was prepared from wheat, poppy seeds, nuts, raisins and honey were added. They said it was the true food of God. In addition to kutya, according to custom, they served fish, cabbage rolls with mushroom sauce, pies with cabbage, buckwheat, pancakes... The food was washed down with uzvar - dried fruit compote. For dessert they served crumpets filled with fruit jam and grated bread or poppy seed filling.

After Christmas Eve at home, the children went to their godparents. This was their sacred duty. The kids brought dinner (kutya, bread and salt, rolls), and the godparents were looking forward to their little godchildren. They treated them, gave them candy and money.

On Christmas night it is customary to carol until the morning. Children and youth sing songs - carols. They wish the owners goodness, prosperity, and health. And the hospitable hosts in return give the carolers sweets and ringing coins. The more carolers who visit the house, the more joy there will be this year.

And that evening they showed a nativity scene - a performance about the birth of Jesus. Children in groups walked from house to house with a small chest covered with colored paper, which depicted the cave where the Son of God was born. Christmas plays were performed using homemade dolls attached to sticks. The subjects of the nativity scenes were associated with the birth of Christ.