Christmas is a holiday that was established in memory of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Christmas is a public holiday in more than one hundred countries around the world. It is celebrated in Europe, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Australia and other countries.
There are such concepts as "Catholic Christmas" And "Orthodox Christmas".
Catholic is celebrated on December 25, and Orthodox on January 7. So why did it happen that the same holiday is celebrated on different days?
In fact, there is some confusion here.
But since she lives according to the Julian calendar, this date for her falls on January 7 according to the Julian calendar. That is why in Russia it is customary to celebrate Christmas in January. Although, by and large, these dates are very arbitrary.
Christmas story
Let's tell you a little about the history of this amazing holiday. Christians first began celebrating Christmas back in the 4th century. True, there is still no answer to the question of when Jesus was born.
According to one of them, this date was chosen for the reason that Easter and the Incarnation (the conception of Christ) were celebrated by Christians at the same time. And after 9 months were added to the date March 25, it turned out to be December 25.
The most popular version - the church chose this day because of two holidays celebrated in the Roman Empire: Saturnalin (from December 16 to 24) and the Birth of the Sun (December 25). This technique has been well studied by the church.
Very often, the Christian religion replaced or adapted pagan holidays and cults. However, placing Christmas in the middle of winter was a wise decision. If it weren't for Christmas, people would suffer through a long, boring and gloomy winter.
You have certainly heard and about Christmas Eve.
This is the day before Christmas. At this time, it is necessary to observe strict fasting - eat only raw barley and wheat grains, boiled with the addition of honey.
According to tradition, this fast ends when the first evening star appears in the sky. The basis of this tradition was the legend of the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of Jesus. Church and folk customs are intertwined in the celebration of Christmas.
For example, caroling (carols) is very popular. Children and youth wearing masks and animal skins go from house to house, singing songs and saying good wishes. For this they are presented with various gifts - sweets, pies, fruits, etc.
There is also a custom of breaking the so-called “Christmas bread” (unleavened wafers consecrated in the temple). It is eaten before the start of a festive meal and while congratulating each other. In addition, decorated fir trees are installed for Christmas. The spruce tree, decorated with beautiful balls, is a symbol of the tree of paradise with delicious fruits.
Although the Bible does not say when exactly Jesus was born, the main thing is that he was born and lived in your heart.
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The Day of the Nativity of Christ was established by the Church in honor of an event that happened on earth 2015 years ago; This is one of the twelve main holidays of the annual liturgical cycle.
The Nativity of Christ is the great twelfth holiday. On Christmas night from January 6 to 7, a festive Divine Liturgy is celebrated. On Christmas Day itself, believers celebrate and feast - “break their fast” (now it is allowed to eat not only fasting food, but also “meat” food). The twelve days following Christmas are called “holy days” or “holy holidays”.
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ is contained in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. During the reign of Herod in Judea, which was under the rule of Rome, Emperor Octavian Augustus issued an order to conduct a nationwide census. The Jews were recorded by tribe and clan; Each clan had its own places of forefathers. Joseph and Mary, as descendants of King David, came from Bethlehem, they should have been registered only there, and that’s where they headed from Nazareth.
According to the Gospel, in Bethlehem they could not find a place for themselves in a house or in an inn, which is why they were forced to stay outside the city, in a cave where shepherds sheltered livestock in inclement weather. In this cave at night the Baby was born to the Blessed Virgin Mary - the Son of God, Christ. The first to come to worship the Nativity of Jesus were the shepherds, notified of this miraculous event by the appearance of an angel. And a miraculous star appeared in the sky, which led the Magi (wise men) to the baby Jesus. The Magi presented Christ with gifts - gold, incense and myrrh. On the eighth day after the birth of the Savior, according to the law, he was given the name Jesus, which was indicated by the Lord through an angel.
The Christian Church celebrates the great event of the Nativity of Christ on December 25th. The Russian Orthodox Church adheres to the Julian calendar in its liturgical life, in which December 25 corresponds to January 7 according to the Gregorian (modern Russian calendar).
On Christmas Eve, an All-Night Vigil with Great Compline is served, at which prophecies about the Nativity are sung and read. Around midnight, Matins begins, which is performed according to the rites of the great holidays. On it they read fragments of the Gospel about the Nativity and sing the canon “Christ is born...” - one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship. Next they serve the festive Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
The All-Night Vigil is a liturgical service that consists of Vespers and Matins, which received these names based on the time they took place. Before the holidays, morning and evening services are combined into the so-called “all-night vigil,” that is, prayer that continues all night. This prayer happens only twice a year - at Christmas and Easter. Before Christmas in all-night vigil They serve not Vespers, but Great Compline (it is performed after Vespers served on Christmas Eve, hence the name).
Folk traditions of celebrating Christmastide from Christmas to Epiphany are rooted in Slavic celebration customs winter solstice. Mandatory attributes of the holiday were dressing up (massaging using skins, masks and horns), caroling (visits to houses by a group of fellow villagers who performed “well-wishing” sentences and songs addressed to the owners of the house, for which they received treats), carol songs, or carols, youth games and fortune telling.
Christmastide began on Christmas Eve with dinner with Christmas kutya and porridge, pie with pretzels, and for the holiday they baked figurines of animals from wheat dough, which were used to decorate tables, hut windows and which were sent as gifts to relatives and friends. When the family gathered at the table, the elders remembered the year - all the good and bad in the past year. At the end of the meal, the children took part of the remaining kutya to grandparents, as well as to the poor, so that they too could celebrate Christmas. In some places, food and tablecloth were not removed from the table until the morning, believing that the souls of the deceased parents would come to the table to also eat.
Then the mummers, dressed in sheepskin coats with the wool upside down and animal masks, in order to be unrecognized, staged dances in houses and on the streets, staged skits and entire performances. At the end of the 17th century, nativity theater came from Poland to Russia: in a special den-box, scenes about the birth of Jesus Christ and other scenes were acted out with the help of dolls.
Fragment from "Rat Hawks". Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Hvar
Echoes of pagan beliefs were also evident in the fact that it was customary to tell fortunes on Christmastide. In some villages, straw was burned on Christmastide - according to legend, dead ancestors came to warm themselves by the fire at these moments. The Church, not approving of witchcraft superstitions and pagan rituals, assimilated “harmless” customs, and they organically entered people’s life.
For Christmas, the owners always cleaned the house, washed in the bathhouse, laid out a clean tablecloth, and new clothes, which was worn at the beginning of the day, single people were invited to Christmas dinner. But in some places superstitions associated with the holiday were also widespread: they didn’t drink at breakfast plain water, since it was believed that a person who drank water on Christmas morning would be thirsty for the whole summer. On pain of all sorts of troubles, nothing could be bent, weaved or sewed on Christmas Day. Legs dining table They tied each other with a rope so that the cattle would not run away from the herd. The remains of the evening meal were taken outside the fence - “so that the wolves would not harm the peasant cattle.”
Traditional on the Christmas table were a variety of pork dishes: jellied meat, roasted pig, stuffed pig head, roast. Baked birds and fish, fried and baked meat in large pieces were also served on the Christmas table, since the design of the Russian oven made it possible to successfully cook large-sized dishes. Finely chopped meat and offal were cooked in pots along with traditional porridge. A variety of pies were also filled with meat: rolls, cheesecakes, koloboki, kulebyaki, kurniks, pies, etc. They prepared casseroles and pancakes. In addition to meat fillings, a variety of vegetable, fruit, mushroom, fish, curd and mixed fillings were prepared.
The holiday of the Nativity of Christ became a celebration after the baptism of Rus' by Prince Vladimir at the end of the 10th century. Christmas took second place in importance after Easter among public holidays Russian state. And after the victory over Napoleon, the holiday of the Nativity of Christ in the Russian Church is associated with “the memory of the deliverance of our fatherland from the Gauls and with them twelve languages in 1812.”
TO end of the 19th century century, the holiday of Christmas has become not only a religious, but also a secular celebration. IN Russian Empire The law prohibited “on the eve of the Nativity of Christ and throughout the Christmastide, according to ancient idolatrous legends, starting games and, dressing up in idol robes, dancing through the streets and singing seductive songs.” By the beginning of the 20th century, a decorated Christmas tree, under which Father Frost, the Russian analogue of the Western Santa Claus, brought gifts, became an indispensable attribute of Christmas in both the city and the countryside.
During the Soviet period, Christmas, like other religious holidays, was eradicated by the state. The Christmas tree and its associated festivities became part of the secular celebration of the New Year. The “Christmas” tree in modern Russia has become a “New Year’s” tree; gifts from Santa Claus have also become part of New Year’s traditions. After the breakup Soviet Union no reverse transformation occurred - New Year remained the main traditional holiday.
In modern Russia, Christmas became an official holiday in 1991, when January 7 became a non-working day. In subjects of the Russian Federation whose population professes other religions, instead of January 7, another holiday may be established - in this case, January 7 is a working day for these subjects of the Russian Federation.
On January 7, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. This is one of the most important Christian holidays; in its importance it ranks second after the bright holiday of Easter.
Its name speaks for itself - Christmas means the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to our world to save human souls.
According to Christian beliefs, Jesus was sent by God to earth to atone for sins and save humanity. The day of his birth divided history into “before” and “after”: from that moment the modern calendar began - “our era”.
In the small town of Bethlehem, not far from Jerusalem, the Virgin Mary was born into a family of pious parents. From the age of three she was raised in the temple. After leaving the temple at the age of 14, she promised never to marry and to serve only God. The priests entrusted her to an 80-year-old man, widower Joseph from Nazareth, who had adult children, and Mary took the place of her father.
Soon the Archangel Gabriel appeared at Joseph’s house, where Mary lived, and told her: “You will give birth to a son and call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him a throne...”
The country of Judea was then ruled by King Herod, subject to Rome. By decree of the Roman Emperor Augustus, a population census began in Judea, and everyone had to take the census where his ancestors lived. Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to their parents' homeland, Bethlehem.
Because of large cluster people who arrived in the town, they were forced to take refuge outside the city, in a cave where shepherds kept their cattle in inclement weather. At night, the Virgin Mary gave birth to a baby - the Son of God. Mary swaddled him and put him in a manger where they put feed for livestock.
The Bethlehem shepherds were the first to know about the birth of the Savior of the world. In the field where they were grazing their flocks, an angel appeared in a bright light. He told the frightened shepherds: “Do not be afraid! I bring you great joy: today a Savior has been born, who is Christ. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
The shepherds found a cave and bowed to the baby lying in the manger, and then, joyful, returned to their flocks. On the eighth day after the baby was born, Joseph and Mary gave him the name Jesus, which means “God saves,” or “Savior.”
Everyone looks forward to the eve of the Nativity of Christ all year long, called Christmas Eve, which ends with the holy night (December 24/January 6). According to tradition, it is on Christmas Eve after the first star in the sky (in memory of the wonderful Star of Bethlehem, which announced to the whole world about the birth of the “divine child”) that the strict Nativity fast ends, which begins on November 28 and ends on January 7.
Since the last day before fasting falls on the day of remembrance of the Holy Apostle Philip, the fast itself is usually called Filippovka (Pilipovka). The Nativity Fast was established so that by Christmas people would be physically and spiritually cleansed by repentance, prayers and abstinence from food, passions, vices, insults, evil and other sins.
In general, the holidays of the Christmas cycle begin on January 2, Ignat Day. The girls clean the house carefully. By January 4, Anastasia's Day, the house should be festively decorated. It is on this day that everything is prepared for preparing the future festive dinner. Often they stabbed a pig on Anastasia, that is, they carried out a “fresh” test. And, in the end, the culmination of the holiday is Christmas Eve or, in other words, Rich Kutya (January 6).
On the eve of the Nativity of Christ on January 6, it is customary to sit down to a generous but Lenten table. One of the main traditions of celebrating Christmas is the Holy Evening. After putting the house in order, twelve holiday dishes in honor of the twelve apostles.
Our ancestors prepared borscht, fish, cabbage, dumplings and pies with apples (cabbage), as well as other Lenten dishes on Christmas Eve. According to tradition, only when January 7th comes can meat be put on the table. So homemade sausage, boiled pork, ham, stuffed goose, duck or pig, jelly, gingerbread, etc. were served on the table.
According to folk beliefs To ensure that your loved ones are happy and healthy throughout the year, on the Nativity of Christ on January 7, ask the eldest member of the family to treat all relatives with milk. When bringing milk to someone, he must say every time: “The Lord was born, the people were baptized. May you be cheerful and healthy. Amen".
On the eve of Christmas in the old days, food was taken out and left for people in need or treats were distributed - it was believed that in this way all deceased ancestors who did not have time to eat before their death satisfied their hunger.
These days were considered special, since the fragile, unbaptized world was inhabited by spirits ready to tell people about the future, about their fate. Therefore, since ancient times, Christmastide has been accompanied by fortune-telling, following omens and magical rituals.
Caroling
From December 25th, for a whole week, children walked around with a star made of paper and a nativity scene. A star the size of an arshin was made of paper, painted and illuminated from the inside with a candle. A nativity scene is a two-tiered box in which wooden figures depicted scenes associated with the birth of Christ.
Arriving under the windows of the house, they sang first the troparion and kontakion for the holiday, and then the grapevine; Meanwhile, the star was constantly spinning in a circle - Having sung the grapes, the owner and hostess were congratulated on the holiday, and finally, they exclaimed to the glory of God, thereby asking for a donation. Then the owner allowed one of the famers to come into his house and gave him money.
Mummers
Mummers walked from house to house. Fortune telling and other entertainments were held. Everyone dressed up - young and old, men and women. They dressed up as a soldier, a peasant, a gypsy, a lady, a coachman, etc.
Carols
“Carols” were also called cookies that were baked in the form of figures of animals and birds - “cows”, “roes”, etc.
There are a lot of Christmas signs:
When is Catholic Christmas celebrated?
The Orthodox celebrate the Nativity of Christ after the Catholics due to differences in the calendars: the old Julian and the new Gregorian. It is generally accepted that the Gregorian calendar more accurately reflects the movement of the Earth around the Sun, and therefore is more consistent with the changing seasons and seasonal changes in temperature.
Society did not immediately accept new calendar, since at first it was perceived as an incomprehensible papal idea. It was only in the 18th century that the Gregorian calendar was adopted by Protestant countries. The Orthodox adopted a new calendar at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, and to many such a transition to the “Catholic” chronology seemed practically an apostasy.
Today, the Gregorian calendar is perceived by us as an ordinary, generally accepted calendar. In our country a new style introduced Soviet authority, however, the Russian Orthodox Church, remaining in the old calendar, deliberately did not want to submit to the laws of a non-Christian state in those days.
Therefore, historically it happened that public holidays, such as February 23, March 8 or May 1, we celebrate according to the new calendar, and religious holidays, as well as fasting, are observed according to the old calendar.
is a great Christian holiday celebrated all over the world.
This is a holiday of peace and tranquility. Christmas is officially the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God in Bethlehem.
The first information about the holiday dates back to the 4th century. It is from that time that the great holiday has been celebrated. Although the birth itself, its date and place of birth of Jesus is a controversial issue even among church people.
Until the 5th century, all Christians of different denominations celebrated the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany on January 6th. This was caused by persecution and restrictions on the freedom of all Christian worship.
In many churches in the east, this holiday was called by the general name -. The reason for this was that it was believed that Christ was baptized on the day of his birth.
John Chrysostom stated this in his conversations about the Nativity of Christ: “... it is not the day on which Jesus was born that is called the Epiphany, but the one on which he was baptized.” The Evangelist Luke also testified to this.
Evidence of the fusion of the holidays of Christmas and Epiphany to this day is the similarity in the celebration of these dates by the Orthodox Church. Christmas Eve is common, with the same legend that one must fast until the morning star.
Christmas Day is attributed Christian Church for the great holidays, for the greatest and wonderful event. This event is accompanied by the wondrous news, “as the Savior has been born,” and the worship of the Savior.
Christmas began to be celebrated separately from other holidays only after the 5th century. It was then that this holiday reached the West.
With the introduction of two calendars: the Julian and Gregorian, the celebration of this bright day began to be celebrated by different churches on different days.
According to the Gregorian calendar, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. It is on this day that Christians of the Roman Catholic and Protestant Church. It was on this day that the pagan holiday “Birth of the Invincible Sun” was once celebrated.
The remaining churches: Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Jerusalem, Mount Athos, Eastern Catholic and Ancient Eastern; they all celebrate Christmas on January 7th. This corresponds to the date on the Gregorian calendar.
According to the hypothesis of modern historians, the choice of the day to celebrate Christmas was made because of the celebration of the Incarnation (the day of the conception of Christ) and Easter on the same day. If you add 9 months to the date (March 25), you get December 25 - the winter solstice.
Basically, December 25 is the day of Christmas, which is celebrated by most Christians. The holiday itself is quite broad. It is divided into preliminary celebrations, lasting from December 20 to 24, and post-festivities (until the New Year itself).
On the eve or Christmas Eve, strict fasting is observed. According to traditions, on this day you can only eat juice - barley or wheat grains boiled with honey. The fast ends with the appearance of the first evening star in the sky.
On the eve of the holiday, believers remember prophecies old testament, events associated with the birth of Christ. Divine services dedicated to this great holiday are performed by clergy 3 times, symbolizing:
1. At midnight— Nativity of Christ in the bosom of God the Father
2. At dawn- in the womb of the Virgin Mary Our Lady
3. During the day- in the soul of every person.
Only in the 13th century, with the advent of the time of Francis of Assisi, did the custom of worshiping Jesus in a manger come about. Over the years, mangers began to be installed not only in churches, but also in homes on Christmas Eve. Scenes from life were often depicted, where figures of ordinary people were located next to the saints.
In the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, the customs of peoples and church ceremonies. This is clearly seen in caroling.
When children and youth go from house to house, congratulating their residents. For wishes and congratulations, carolers receive delicious gifts: candies, sweets, fruits. Stingy owners are threatened with trouble.
During carols, mummers pass by in different clothes. Church authorities condemned this ritual. Over time, they began to carol when visiting neighbors or relatives.
An attempt to reconcile paganism and Christianity was the burning of a “Christmas log” in the hearth. They brought a log into the house, performed rituals, carved a cross on it and, while praying, burned it.
At Christmas, there was a ritual of eating unleavened wafers, blessed in the church, before the festive meal. Congratulations were offered at the breaking of unleavened bread.
It was with the beginning of the Christmas celebration that the custom of placing decorated coniferous trees in homes was established everywhere.
This tradition was once pagan and originated among the Germanic peoples. Spruce is considered a symbol of life and fertility.
Spruce was first mentioned in the 8th century, when the monk Boniface cut down an oak tree, but when it fell, it broke all the trees in the area except spruce. Seeing this miracle, the monk illuminated the remaining tree and declared the spruce to be the “tree of Christ.” Over time, this tradition acquired new symbolism.
A spruce tree decorated with balls and toys, installed on Christmas Eve, symbolizes tree of paradise with fruits of abundance.
An evergreen wreath with bells and candles, which is usually hung on front door, symbolizes Heavenly Bells, expels evil spirits.
At Christmas, cards are given, candles are lit, carols are sung. During the 12 days of Christmas, it is customary to give gifts and sing joyful songs praising Jesus.
At Christmas people often tell fortunes and make wishes. This is also part of paganism that has passed into Christianity. There is a belief that if you rearrange things in your closets and change their places on the eve of Christmas, your family will have plenty all year round.
The tradition has reached our times of congratulating all relatives and friends on Christmas, wishing them every possible well-being.
CHRISTMAS
a church holiday dedicated to the memory of the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated on December 25 (in the Orthodox Church - December 25, old style). English word Christmas dates back to the Old English Cristes maesse (Mass of Christ) and first came into use in the 11th century. In Germany the holiday is called Weihnachten (Holy Night); a similar name is used in some Slavic languages. IN Romance languages usually derivatives from the Latin Dies natalis Domini (The Lord's Nativity Day) are used, for example, Il Natale in Italian, La Navidad in Spanish. The French Nol is probably also derived from the Latin natalis. Neither the Gospel evidence nor any reliable tradition allows us to determine the exact date of Christ's birth. During the first three centuries of Christian history, the church opposed the pagan custom of celebrating birthdays, although there are indications that the purely religious remembrance of the birth of Christ was included in the rite of the feast of the Epiphany. Clement of Alexandria mentions the existence of such a practice in Egypt at the turn of the 2nd and 3rd centuries; There is evidence that this holiday was celebrated in other lands. After the victory of Constantine the Great, the Roman Church established December 25 as the date for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ (c. 320 or 353). Already from the end of the 4th century. all christian world celebrated Christmas on this day (with the exception of eastern churches, where this holiday was celebrated on January 6). The choice of date may also be due to the fact that on December 25 the Mithraic festival of the Sun God (natalis solis invicti) was celebrated in Rome and the Saturnalia was also celebrated at this time. The Church thus used the opportunity to distract the people from observing the pagan holiday of the winter solstice, turning this day into a holiday of worship of Christ. Indications of this can be found in the writings of Cyprian and John Chrysostom. In Northern Europe Germanic tribes They also celebrated the winter solstice, which was associated with many customs and traditions, which later, after the conversion of these tribes to Christianity, became part of the circle of Christmas customs. As a result, during the Middle Ages, Christmas became the most popular holiday: it was celebrated both in church and at home, and Christian piety was closely intertwined with pagan elements. The abandonment of the Mass during the Reformation in many countries led to a change in the nature of Christmas celebrations. In England, the Puritans condemned this holiday, and in 1642-1652 a number of decrees were issued prohibiting the celebration of this day with church services and festivities. These sentiments were brought with them to America by people from a Puritan environment, and only after the influx of a new wave of immigrants from Ireland and Germany into America, the custom of celebrating Christmas began to spread. All objections were forgotten, and the old traditions were revived among not only Catholics, but also Protestants.
Christmas carols. The oldest of the hymns that have come down to us dedicated to the Nativity of Christ, Jesus illuminated everyone (Jesus refulsit omnium), belongs to Hilary of Pictavia (d. 368). Up to the 13th century. Christmas carols were mostly solemn and strictly religious in nature. Authentic Christmas carols, lighter, livelier and informal, were born in Italy in the Franciscan environment. The most beloved of these hymns, Come, ye faithful (Adeste fideles), has sometimes been attributed to Bonaventure (d. 1274), although the earliest manuscript of this hymn dates from 1790 and is signed by J. F. Wade, who was a cantor in the Catholic colony at Douai (France). . The origin of the hymn God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen is also unknown; some researchers associate it with Cornwall and date it to the 16th century. The hymn Listen to the Herald Angels Sing (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) was written by Charles Wesley in 1737. Luther owns the hymn From Heaven I come to you (Vom Himmel hoch da komm "ich her). The inspirational hymn Joy to the World ( Joy to the World) was written by I. Watts in 1719, and its modern music was composed by L. Mason on themes from Handel's Messiah. Quiet night, holy night (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) was composed in 1818 by J. Mohr, a parish priest from Oberndorf in the Tyrolean Alps.
Christmas decorations. The custom of decorating and lighting the Christmas tree probably dates back to medieval German mysteries, where the so-called. The Tree of Paradise (Paradeisbaum) symbolized the Garden of Eden. After these mysteries were banned, they began to place the tree in homes, and gradually the custom developed of decorating it with sweets, fruits, and then candles. Some researchers see here a relic of the pagan cult of the tree, dating back to Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt. By the beginning of the 19th century. this Germanic custom spread to most of the Northern European countries. In England it was introduced in 1841 by Duke Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. Immigrants from Germany brought it to the USA. The custom of installing Christmas trees decorated with lights in in public places originated in this country. Decorating homes for Christmas with evergreens has pre-Christian origins. During the celebration of the Saturnalia in Rome, branches of laurel and other plants were widely used in ceremonial processions and to decorate houses. In the countries of Northern Europe, evergreen plants that do not shed their leaves for the winter were perceived as a symbol eternal life and were objects of religious worship. Mistletoe was considered sacred by the Druids of the British Isles, who attributed many magical properties to it. For the Romans, it was a symbol of peace: if enemies met under its shade, it meant that they had laid down their arms and concluded a truce (hence the custom of kissing under the mistletoe). Another popular Christmas decoration was and remains the holly, which was also credited with miraculous properties. According to one legend, before the crucifixion, a crown of thorny holly was placed on Christ’s head; hence the custom of decorating houses with Christmas wreaths. In the Middle Ages, the Christmas log among the Germanic tribes of Northern Europe was an element of rituals associated with the winter solstice. A log (and sometimes an entire tree trunk) was chosen for Candlemas and carefully preserved so that it would have time to dry properly over the summer. On Christmas Eve, the log was burned in the hearth along with coals from last year's log. Christmas candles owe their origin to the Jewish holiday of Chanukah (commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, 164 BC). In the Middle Ages, there was a custom to place a candle in the center of a wreath of laurel branches and light it on Christmas Eve, and then every evening of the Christmas week. This custom was especially widespread in Ireland, where on Christmas Eve, Catholics during the period of persecution placed candles on the windowsills of their houses so that a priest nearby could find this house and celebrate Mass in it. Irish immigrants brought this custom to America in the 19th century. It was he who laid the foundation for the modern custom of decorating houses and public buildings illumination. In Catholic countries, the symbol of the holiday and an element of festive decoration is not so much the Christmas tree as the Christmas manger (French crche, Italian presepe, Spanish nacimento, German Krippe). They are usually a smaller version of the den (cave) in which Christ was born, with figures of Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men and animals surrounding the manger containing the baby Jesus. According to legend, this custom was established by St. Francis of Assisi in Greccio (Italy): on Christmas Eve 1223 he set up a manger with real people and animals in the role of gospel characters.
Gifts and cards. The custom of exchanging gifts at Christmas dates back to Ancient Rome custom called "strena". During the Saturnalia holiday, the Romans gave gifts to friends on New Year's Day "for good luck" (strenae) - fruits, sweets or gold. This custom has been preserved - without even losing its name (trennes) - in France. In England it is St. Stefan, December 26, is called Boxing Day (“Boxing Day”). In the Middle Ages, on this day, priests used to open donation boxes and distribute their contents to the poor people of the parish. Subsequently, this developed the custom of distributing Christmas cash gifts ("boxes") to servants and government officials. In Germany, Christmas gifts are called "Christ's bundles". In most Christian countries, children believe that the Christ Child brings them gifts at Christmas, although in some countries it is believed that St. Nicholas on the eve of his holiday (December 6). The origins of Christmas cards remain unclear. According to one hypothesis, the English artist W. Eagly drew the first such postcard in 1842 and, having reproduced it, sent it to friends. Other historians claim that Eagly drew the card in 1849, and give the palm to the artist J. Horsley, who was commissioned by Sir Henry Cole for a Christmas card for himself in 1846.
Christmas dishes. By tradition, Christmas is celebrated all over the world with a special treat. In medieval England, the culmination of a festive feast was the moment when the cook and servants brought in a boar's head on a platter, and everyone present sang the song "I carry the boar's head." Another favorite Christmas dish was roasted peacock. The traditional Christmas drink in England was made from ale, baked apples, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, cloves and ginger and served hot. (It has now been replaced by punch.) Special oblong-shaped pies with a sweet filling were baked, symbolizing the manger. The traditional English Christmas dish was roast goose or capon, but from the end of the 16th century. they were supplanted by turkey, imported from Mexico. In almost all Christian countries, special pies, rolls, cookies and gingerbreads are baked for Christmas.
Christmas customs. Some customs are widespread, others are local. In some Slavic countries, on Christmas Eve, children go to bed on beds of hay and straw, imitating the Baby Jesus in the manger. In Holland on the eve of St. Nicholas, the children fill their wooden shoes with straw for the saint's white horse in the hope that in return he will fill them with toys and sweets. In Italy, children put their shoes outside for the female form of Santa Claus, Befena, to fill them with gifts. In the Czech Republic, it is customary to place a branch of a cherry tree in water at the onset of Advent, and if it blooms on Christmas Day, this is considered a good omen. IN Central America children play a game centered on a clay vessel filled with sweets and suspended on a rope from the ceiling. The child is blindfolded and must break the vessel with a stick after three attempts. The one who succeeds becomes the hero of the day, and the sweets are shared among everyone. In the southern hemisphere, the fact that Christmas falls on summer period, left its mark on the nature of its celebration. In Brazil, on December 24, the atmosphere of a summer carnival reigns with flowers, picnics, fireworks, relaxation and excursions. Processions of priests heading to churches to celebrate Christmas mass add special color and solemnity to the holiday. In the USA, descendants of settlers from Moravia in Pennsylvania remained faithful to the Christmas crèche. On Christmas Eve and every evening of the Christmas week, they still come to bow to the manger, dressed in national costumes. Representatives of other national groups also preserve the customs that existed in the homeland of their ancestors. Some open gifts (which are placed under the tree or other Christmas tree, tucked into hanging stockings, etc.) on Christmas Eve, while others open them on Christmas Day itself. But almost everywhere in the United States, large choirs sing Christmas carols in the streets on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day people go to church and then celebrate the holiday with a family gathering for a traditional Christmas dinner.
LITERATURE
Rashkovsky E.B. From the heights of the East... The twelfth holiday cycle in Orthodox worship. M., 1993 Christianity. encyclopedic Dictionary, vol. 1-3. M., 1993-1995
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Synonyms:- “The Nativity of Christ”, icon by Andrei Rublev The request “Christmas” is redirected here. See also other meanings. Nativity of Christ (modern full name in Russian Orthodox Church According to the flesh, the Nativity of the Lord God and our Savior... ... Wikipedia
CHRISTMAS, ah, Wed. 1. (P capitalized). One of the Christian (Orthodox one of the twelve main) holidays in memory of the birth of Jesus Christ (December 25/January 7). Night service under R. Solemn service on R. On the night before Christmas... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
Noun, s., used. infrequently Morphology: (no) what? Christmas, why? Christmas, (see) what? Christmas, what? Merry Christmas, about what? about Christmas 1. In Christianity, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas. | Light candles … Dmitriev's Explanatory Dictionary
Hristovo, bozhich Dictionary of Russian synonyms. Christmas noun, number of synonyms: 5 bozhich (2) noel ... Synonym dictionary
A; Wed [With capital letter] IN Christian religion: holiday of the birth of Jesus Christ (celebrated on December 25 (January 7); in the Orthodox Church: one of the twelve holidays). Merry Christmas. Light candles on R. ◊ Christmas. =… … encyclopedic Dictionary
Wed. One of the main Christian church holidays, established according to church doctrine in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ (celebrated by the Orthodox on December 25 according to the old style or January 7 according to the new style, and by other believers on December 25); ... Modern Dictionary Russian language Efremova
