Many people among the huge number of holidays is particularly isolated and considered their most favorite New Year and Orthodox Christmas.And this is connected, first of all, to the fact that since childhood these celebrations envelops some special mystique.Frosty freshness, tree, seductive scent of orange and, of course, is a premonition of exciting gifts that some completely incomprehensible reason for children's way is sure to come under the decoration Christmas trees.
The beginning of the Christmas celebration was preceded by a wonderful event - the birth of Jesus Christ, as it is told in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke.When the Virgin Mary with Joseph came to Bethlehem on the night they had to stay in a cave (cave), where local cattle herders hid during a thunderstorm, because all the hotels were full.There is the Mother of God, and gave birth to our Savior, swaddle the baby, she put him in a manger for animals, right on the hay.First learned about the birth of the Divine Child shepherd, and notified them of the joyous event as angels from heaven which were the then shepherds and bowed down to him in a cave.At the same time, as described by the evangelist Matthew, he shone in the sky unusually bright new star, testified about a long awaited event of the Old Testament of the Jewish people - the birth of the Messiah, the Son of God.
Currently, winter holidays coincide with a meeting of the New Year, blends in preparation for the second-largest after Easter, great holiday Orthodox Christmas, which is preceded by Christmas Eve.On this day, a kind of signal the beginning of the feast is the appearance of the first star in the heavens, which is called Bethlehem.Take food and drink throughout the day for believers entirely impermissible, because Christmas Eve is necessary to keep a particularly strict fasting.Incidentally, it is imperative that this evening the table was crammed with holiday meatless dishes, which in total shall be of twelve.It symbolizes the 12 days following Christmas time and the memory of the 12 Apostles.
On Orthodox Christmas is the main ceremonial dish sochivo - porridge which is prepared mostly from whole grains of wheat, barley or rice, richly flavored with honey, add the jam, raisins, nuts, poppy seeds and other components.Orthodox people know that precede these exciting events connected with the preparation for the celebration of forty days of fasting, adhering to which the faithful have once again confirmed their agreement with the teachings of the Church.Orthodox Christmas symbolizes the reconciliation of man with God, foreshadowed the redemptive work of Christ, and to update the nature of man, which was struck by the fall of its progenitors.
Few people know that the tradition of decorating the church and homes Christmas fir branches or linked to the abundance of the fruits of paradise tree symbolizes eternal life.
Christmas service lasts throughout the night and causes a real delight and jubilation in the hearts of Orthodox Christians in the words: "Jesus was born!", After which they congratulate all with Merry Christmas and a stop position, in other words - break their.January 7 in Russia have long been made to arrange a lavish feast has Skoromniy dishes.Children go from house to house with humorous carols, congratulated the owners, wished them prosperity, good health, they carried with them "den" - a small colorfully decorated box, which played out scenes from biblical stories using puppets attached to the axis.After these presentations, charging all around fun and accompanied by singing and rhymes, children's gifts to sweet gifts.At the present time, particularly in Ukraine, this custom is preserved to this day.
This belief has it that Christmas night gives miracles and dreams come true, make a midnight can be carried out, the only condition is the fact that they must come from the heart, to be really honest and bright.
For all its solemnity Christmas and New Year holidays are homemade, with lit candles (symbolizing mind) family at full strength going to the table.And the essential attributes must be, above all, the reigning atmosphere of love, understanding, harmony and peace in the house, and only indirectly: for wealth - gold jewelry, for a quiet life and prosperity - Christmas gingerbread cookies.
