On Sunday, January 7, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Nativity of Christ. The holiday was originally considered a church holiday, but has long become just a folk holiday, because pagan traditions on this day are closely intertwined with the rules established by the church. Many who are not familiar with the prescriptions are wondering if it is necessary to go to church for Christmas and when exactly to go. We will talk about this in our material.

We immediately answer the first question - you must go to church at Christmas. First of all, this is a church holiday that honors the date of the birth of the Son of God, which means that fun and folk festivals should be postponed until later and the holiday should begin with prayer and forgiveness of all sins.

On Christmas night from January 6 to 7, a festive Divine Liturgy is celebrated. On the very day of Christmas, believers celebrate and feast - they break their fast (now it is allowed to eat not only lenten, but also quick food). The twelve following days after Christmas are called holy days, or Christmas time.

When to go to church at Christmas

On Christmas Day, as well as on Easter, services are held in churches and temples all night - from the evening of January 6 until the morning of January 7. Believing people must be present at the service - some stand all the time, and some come after midnight, having met the first star at home with their loved ones at a fast dinner, which, according to biblical legend, told about the birth of Christ, bringing the Magi to him with gifts.

The evening on the eve of Christmas is called Christmas Eve and it must be spent either in church or at home - for prayer, in the circle of relatives.

On the feast of the Nativity, two liturgies are celebrated. Participation in them is considered the main element of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ.

Communion of the Holy Mysteries is the main joy and the main event for those who are preparing for the feast of the forty-day Christmas fast. It is very important to take communion on January 6, the day of Christmas Eve, and to be at the service, if possible, from Great Vespers itself, in order to hear wonderful stichera - the highest example of church poetry.

If you still didn’t go to church for good reasons, you can pray at home. Be sure to light candles, which symbolize the warmth that faith and the blessing of heaven envelops all people on earth.

What to bring to church

On Christmas Day, there is no food or water lighting in the church, and therefore you don’t need to take anything special with you. It is important to have pure thoughts, a bright pre-holiday mood and an understanding of the importance of the holiday in the life of each individual and society as a whole.

Many people take offerings to church with them - giving alms is considered the main tradition of Christmas Eve and Christmas, because on the holiday it is necessary to show all the existing Christian virtues.

On the eve of Christmas, believers do not eat all day - the last day of Philip's fast, which lasted a long 40 days, is considered the strictest. You can have dinner only after the first star in the sky has risen, but all dishes must be lenten. Sochivo is considered the main treat at Christmas - grains of wheat or other cereals, to which all kinds of sweets are added (raisins, dried fruits, honey, fruit syrup, nuts, poppy seeds, etc.).

The end of fasting begins on the morning of January 7 - after the end of church hymns. Here, the bans are already being lifted and believers are breaking the fast with meat, sweets, dairy products and everything that was forbidden.

If you've been fasting, it's a good idea to start eating normally - don't overeat at Christmas, as this can be bad for your health.

By the way, an interesting important sign is associated with food on a holiday - on Christmas Eve you should try a little of all the dishes, but you can’t eat up and eat cooked completely, as this can bring emptiness and hunger to your house for the whole next year.

Christmas for a Christian is much more than a decorated tree and gifts. This day is considered the second most important after Easter, which is called the "Feast of Holidays". The Nativity of Christ is at the same time a global event that does not lose its importance despite the past centuries, and a very personal holiday for every Orthodox person. After all, Christ was born for everyone and for everyone.

Those who are well acquainted with Christianity understand that the incarnation of God on earth is a unique event that brought man closer to the creator. This holiday is filled with amazing joy and peace, but at the same time some sadness, because this baby was born for a difficult mission.

Therefore, the main thing in the celebration of Christmas is by no means a table bursting with dishes, although this is an important part of any holiday, but a Christmas service.

Many who come to this night service for the first time are concerned about how long the Christmas Divine Liturgy lasts, what is read and sung at this service. This article is intended to answer such questions.

What is the Christmas service?

The service begins late in the evening on Christmas Eve, that is, January 6th. At 11 pm, a festive service begins, which lasts until 3-4 am. From the All-Night Vigil, Hours and Divine Liturgy Basil the Great and a Christmas service is taking shape. The liturgy is usually served in the morning, but the festive liturgies take place at night, immediately after the All-Night Vigil and the Hours. The same happens at Easter.

The All-night Vigil includes Matins and Compline. Do not be surprised that the names of the services do not correspond to the time of day. There is a daily cycle of services in the church, but on great holidays, the morning and evening services are combined into the All-Night Vigil. Matins is celebrated according to the order of the great feasts. It sings the canon "Christ is born ..."

Actually, the liturgy does not last so long and completes the entire cycle of festive services. Most likely, people who ask the question how long the Christmas Liturgy lasts in the temple have in mind the Christmas service as a whole. After all, those who pray come all night, and not at the end.

The text of the Christmas liturgy is in many respects similar to the texts of the liturgies on ordinary days. The Christmas one is distinguished by the festive antiphons sung on it: “The Lord sends the rod of power from Zion, and rule in the midst of Your enemies. With Thee began on the day of Thy power in the lordship of Thy saints.

Communion at Christmas

It is celebrated at the Christmas Liturgy and Communion. For many Christians, a very joyful event is not only the presence at the festive services, but also Communion at them.

Confession at this service does not take place in all churches, because it is long and intense, many people come to the church, and in some places only one or two priests serve.

Most often, confession before the Christmas Liturgy is held in advance, 1-2 days in advance. In some churches there is even an opportunity to take communion twice after one confession. For example, confessions are made on the evening of January 3rd, and communion takes place at liturgies on the morning of 4th and at night of 7th. It is important to read the Eucharist to Holy Communion both times.

Getting ready right

How to prepare for the Christmas Liturgy? Christmas Eve is held in strict fasting, it is not necessary to starve to the first star. This tradition has been going on since the time when Vespers began after dinner, and after it the Liturgy of Basil the Great followed, which ended already at dark time. After it, it was possible to eat food, and this is precisely what “until the first star” meant.

So it is much more important to visit the temple on January 6, if possible, and not to starve. The opposite tradition - to cook 12 Lenten dishes on this day - is also not established by the church, and it is better to spend this day calmly, prayerfully and with concentration, and not in a fuss. But you can cook sochivo - a dish of wheat grains and honey. The best preparation for the Christmas Liturgy in the church will be reading spiritual literature, studying the upcoming service. This will give strength in a long service, because everything that is sung and read will become clear.

But putting candles and kissing the icons when the temple is full is not at all necessary.

Holiday symbolism

All the Christmas traditions, which were later transferred to the celebration of the New Year, have a deep meaning. For example, a Christmas tree is a symbol of eternal life due to its evergreen needles. On top of it is put on an eight-pointed star, usually silver or gold, which is reminiscent of Bethlehem. It was in Soviet times that it was replaced with a five-pointed and red one. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to put a burning candle on the windowsill - a sign that we are waiting for Christ, lighting the way in the winter darkness.

Gifts of the Magi

At the Christmas Liturgy, an excerpt from the Gospel of the Adoration of the Magi is read. By the way, the custom of giving gifts at Christmas is connected precisely with this episode of Holy Scripture. Just as the Magi presented their gifts to the Christ Child, so we also give gifts to each other. These gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh (myrrh) - are symbolic. Gold was presented to the Child as a King, frankincense - as God, myrrh - as a Man who will suffer and die, because this substance was used to embalm the buried bodies.

Symbols of preparation for Christmas

To dive deeper into the meaning of the holiday, let's go back a little. The prefeast of Christmas, that is, special church services that precede the holiday, lasts from January 2 to January 6. For other holidays, the prefeast lasts only 1 day. And interestingly, church services in the period leading up to Christmas have a parallel with the texts of the services Holy Week. This reminds us that the Incarnation of the Savior is the first step towards His redemptive mission.

Moreover, the very birth in the form of a defenseless child is a huge step of God towards people, a temporary renunciation of his unlimited power, as it is called in Theology - kenosis (from the Greek. Condescension).

The Baby was born not in the royal chambers, but in a manger; Mary and Joseph did not even find a place in a hotel. The world did not meet him well. Persecution of the future Messiah began from birth. King Herod, who learned from the Magi about who was born in Bethlehem, arranged for the massacre of babies, because he was afraid that the new King would take away his power. Mary and Joseph with the baby managed to escape to Egypt.

Peace in the soul

No one was aware that Jesus was not born for earthly power. “My kingdom is not of this world,” said the Savior. The Kingdom of Heaven will not come on earth until the end of time. But we can open our hearts to Christ, and then He will reign in our hearts and there will be peace. After all, according to Christ, "the Kingdom of God is within you."

You can strive for this at any time of the year and at any period of life, and Orthodox holidays will remind you of the most important thing - about God, about love, about our own soul. If the Nativity of Christ left just such a trace in a person, it means that it was not in vain for him and he met him correctly, regardless of whether he observed any traditions.

On major holidays, the so-called Twelve, every Orthodox Christian tries to visit the church and take part in the solemn divine service.

Are there long services in Orthodox churches?

On Christmas Eve, everyone is waiting for the rising of the star, eating nothing, preparing 12 ritual meals, reading or listening to prayers.

The day off, according to the calendar, falls on January 7, and everyone is looking for the star announcing the arrival of the Savior in the world in the evening of the 6th. There is some strange paradox and some inconvenience in this.

What if you want to bring a child to the festive service?

When they go to church (for Christmas or some other bright holiday), they notice that all the services, although long, are very beautiful and solemn. There are a lot of people in the temples, it can be stuffy, but you want to go with the whole family, with children. If an adult can make an effort on himself and offer the Lord at least such a sacrifice, then children cannot do it. And is it necessary that they have unpleasant sensations from observing Orthodox traditions? Good parents want Christian holidays and temple visits to be the most enjoyable days for their children. And if the kids have to stand for hours on their feet in the crush and dense crowds of people?

During the service, it is not customary to walk, talk and engage in extraneous matters. You need to stand with your head down and listen to church texts. In addition, you should prepare in a special way for visiting the temple. It is very important to plan everything correctly and accustom children to attend church on a big holiday. If you see that the child can not stand it, quietly go outside with him. Let him not perceive visiting the temple as an unpleasant duty. He is not so sinful as to make such a heavy sacrifice, which not everyone can do even adults.

The main thing is that the children understand for what purpose and to whom they come when they go to the temple.

Church visits by unchurched Christians

Unchurched people, when they go to church on Christmas, treat this event with particular reverence. Many even deny themselves participation in a Christian holiday if they desecrated themselves the day before or prescribes a ban on visiting the Abode of the Holy Spirit. Many are stopped by the fear of condemnation because they do not know the text of prayers or do not know how to behave correctly in church. It's a whole science. And on a big holiday, churches are filled with a variety of people, and you can not be afraid that the most zealous and fanatical believers will drive them away or condemn them. It's no secret to anyone that on ordinary days, when there are few people in the church, this happens.

How to find the schedule of worship

If an unchurched person asks in the temple: “When do they go to church on Christmas - January 6 or 7?” - they may not give him a definite answer. After all, those who serve in the temple are present at all services on this day. They have a lot of other worries at this time. After all, it is necessary to quickly turn around behind the candle box, and maintain cleanliness in the House of God, and there are plenty of other, most often voluntary, duties. Those people who work in the temple do not receive a salary for their work. Accordingly, parishioners cannot demand anything from them. So, if you come across an intelligent and free person working in the temple and in this way offering his sacrifice to God, consider yourself lucky.

If you come to the Temple the day before and ask in advance about the order of services, ask when they go to church on Christmas from 6 to 7, then, again, they may not answer you, because usually the schedule appears no more than a few days before the holiday, and services do not start in all churches at the same time.

In post-Soviet times, there were few functioning churches, and there were much more difficulties in participating in festive services than now, when there are so many churches, large and small, as well as chapels, that you don’t need to travel through the whole city to defend the festive lunch.

What affects service life?

What determines the beginning of the solemn service? For example, from such a factor as the sacrament of confession. Before the festive services, so that the parishioners come to them cleansed, the priests conduct a confession. It is impossible to predict how many people will participate in it, and how long they will repent. The duration and time of the beginning of the next service is also affected by the number of communicants. Usually, when they go to church on Christmas, they try to confess and take communion that day. In order for the holiday to bring joy from communion with the great sacrament, peace of mind and well-being for the family, you need to prepare for it in advance.

To understand when people go to church on Christmas, you need to find out what services are held at this time. Moreover, it is impossible to find out once and for all, because this holiday is movable, and it can happen on any day of the week.

Colors of Christmas clothes

In the annual cycle of the most important Christian holidays, there is a certain system and hierarchy. All of them are divided into the Lord's, that is, most of all related to Jesus Christ, and the Theotokos, dedicated to his Most Pure Mother. The Lord's are supreme.

Made of yellow brocade, decorated with gold embroidery and braid, they are associated with power and might and symbolize God. Orthodox, when they go to church on Christmas from January 6 to 7, note that the festive vestments of priests are painted in the colors of the Virgin Mary, symbolizing purity and purity - white and blue. Although this feast of the Lord. It is the second most important. The first is Easter. Sunday of Christ is the main holiday, and Christmas is the largest in terms of the number of days during which festive services are held.

The longest holiday

For the great holidays, the church and the entire Orthodox people are preparing for a long time, sacrificing fasting, purifying the soul with repentance and prayers. A joyful event also does not end in one day. After the most significant dates, the fasts that are obligatory on Wednesdays and Fridays are canceled, entertainment events are allowed. It is no coincidence that weddings are always planned for this time.

By the number of days when a great event is celebrated, the Twelfth Holidays also differ. The Nativity of Jesus Christ is the longest of all. Each celebration is divided into three stages - pre-feast, after-feast and giving. All together continues for almost two weeks.

The pre-celebration of Christmas lasts five days. People go to church at Christmas on the eve of the Great Event, and on the 6th, and on the 7th, and all the next week. The afterfeast lasts from one to eight days, depending on the proximity to the fasts or the next holiday, and ends with giving.

This is the most solemn service. It recalls all the most significant circumstances of the celebrated event.

When is it better to go to the temple - before or after the rising of the Star of Bethlehem?

Do people go to church on Christmas after the appearance of a star in the sky, announcing the birth of the Christ Child? This question doesn't make sense. Of course they do. Visiting temples on Christmas days is like visiting a close relative in a maternity hospital who has successfully delivered or is about to give birth to a child. If it is permissible to draw such a parallel.

The arrival of each of us in the temple is an expression of gratitude to the Creator for the fact that on this day He gave to all of us, to all mankind, to save us from death in fiery hell, His Only Begotten Son. And to the question of whether they go to church on Christmas before the star, and if they do, then what is the point of visiting the temple before the birth of the Divine Infant, we can answer the following.

Preparing for any holiday, we choose smart clothes for ourselves, make a beautiful hairstyle, etc. While waiting for the immaculate child to come to earth (the future sacrifice for our sins), we try to cleanse ourselves of our sins as much as possible, hoping that the less vicious we will be, the purer the soul, the less suffering the Savior will experience in His earthly incarnation.

Thus, the question "when they go to church on Christmas: on the 6th or 7th" cannot be considered significant.

The Lord is stronger, kinder and smarter than we think

Of course, this day is shrouded in many secrets, superstitions and signs. This shows our spiritual immaturity. The Lord sees the soul of each of us individually. And He sees whether we came to the temple to meet and communicate with Him, or because someone said that on this day all the desires of those who visited the church would certainly be fulfilled. Or maybe this is actually true? Because the mercy of God is so great!

When they go to church on Christmas Day on January 6 in the morning, they do not eat or drink anything until confession. Having received the remission of sins and the blessing of Communion, the parishioners participate in the great Vespers and Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. Before communion, nothing should be taken into the mouth, not even water. If you do not take communion on this day, then until the first star in the sky rises, you are allowed to drink only water.

Finally, we note that many prescriptions are announced by the priest who ministers to the church at the end of the sermon. You just need to listen carefully.

Christmas in the Russian Orthodox Church is always celebrated on January 7 in a new style. The history and meaning of the holiday, the tradition of night worship, iconography and troparion of the holiday.

January 7, 2018. Christmas is one of the main Christian holidays. The event is preceded by , which ends on Christmas Eve.

The feast of the Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated quite late - only in the 3rd century. This happened because in Judea it was not customary to somehow specially celebrate a person’s birthday, only events glorifying God were especially honored. That is why Christmas and the Baptism of the Savior were originally celebrated on the same day. And only with the development of Gnosticism, it became necessary to specify the very event of the birth of the Savior from the Blessed Virgin.

The place where, according to legend, Christ was born, can be seen even now. A basilica was built over the cave of the Nativity of Christ, where, near the eastern wall of the crypt, in a small semicircular niche, the place where Christ was born is marked with a star with fourteen rays.

The fact that the Mission will come to the world - the Savior of the world, there have long been prophecies that were later recorded in biblical texts.

It was in the fulfillment of the prophecies that the magi followed the star, accurately calculating the moment of its appearance in the sky. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to the born King. Some people, like the Magi, come to Christ through the mind.

Nativity of Christ - features of worship, history and icon of the holiday

And simple shepherds had an inspiration - an angel appeared to them and ordered them to go to a certain place. It was there, in the cave where the cattle were kept, in the manger from which the lambs were fed, and the newborn King of the Jews met them. And now many people come to Christ with faith in their hearts.

This event became so significant that from the time of the birth of the Savior they began to count the chronology. Thus, we can always know how many years ago Christ was born. He was born exactly as many years ago, what year is now according to the calendar.

Christmas is one of the few holidays whose service is often performed at night. This is not necessary, so in which church there will be a night service, and where a morning service, you need to find out in advance.

Nativity of Christ - features of worship, history and icon of the holiday

If there is an intention to attend a night service and take communion, then you need to additionally find out about the time when confession will be held in the temple. Particular attention should be paid to the time of the last meal. It should be no later than 19-20 pm, although many do not eat even after a single Christmas Eve meal.

The Christmas night service is quite long, as the prophecies about the birth of the Messiah are read on it, the canon “Christ is born ...” is performed in the morning, and festive antiphons are sung at the liturgy. The length of the service depends on several factors that are determined by the rector in each church, so it is better to specify the time of the Christmas Eve and Christmas services in advance.

Nativity of Christ - features of worship, history and icon of the holiday

The canonical icon of the Nativity of Christ depicts the entire event of the holiday. On it you can see the Magi walking behind the star with gifts, shepherds, angels praising the Lord and, of course, the Star. Of course, the central place on the icons is given to the Holy Family - the Virgin Mary, Righteous Joseph and the Divine Infant himself.

The troparion of the Nativity of Christ is sung to 1 tone.

Kontakion of the Nativity of Christ is performed on the 3rd voice. This is a song of praise, where you can hear a description of the entire event of the holiday.

The Kontakion of the Nativity of Dmitry Bortnyansky is often performed in churches.

The Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of Christ: Traditions, the Sequence of the Liturgy, and the History of the Feast of the Nativity. Read more on the Pravmir portal.

Christmas Traditions: The Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of Christ

Κοντάκιον. Ποίημα Ῥωμανοῦ τοῦ Μελῳδοῦ.

Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν ὑπερούσιον τίκτει, καὶ ἡ γῆ τὸ Σπήλαιον, τῷ ἀπροσίτω προσάγει. Ἄγγελοι μετὰ Ποιμένων δοξολογοῦσι. Μάγοι δὲ μετὰ ἀστέρος ὁδοιποροῦσι. Δι´ ἡμᾶς γὰρ ἐγεννήθη, Παιδίον νέον, ὁ πρὸ αἰώνων Θεός.

(E parfenos semeron ton uperousion tiktei, kai e ge to spelaion tw aprositw prosagei. Angeloi meta Poimenon doxologousi. Magoi de meta asteros oidoporousi. Di emas gar egennete Paidion neon, O pros aiwnwn Teos.)

Today the Virgin gives birth to the superexistent, and the earth brings a cave to the Unapproachable; The angels glorify together with the shepherds, while the wise men travel after the star, because for our sake the young Infant, the Eternal God, was born.

Kontakion, the creation of Roman the Melodist

Christmas is a holiday celebrated by people all over the world. Why are they happy? Only because on this day a new era “from the Nativity of Christ” began, because the Christmas tree was decorated, because we receive gifts? But what does this event, which happened 2000 years ago, have to do with people living today? What are the traditions of celebrating Christmas.

Christ is the Savior, but do we need to be saved from something, do we face any danger? And can we really meet God? How the liturgical tradition of the Church answers these questions, says Nikolai DERZHAVIN, who has been commenting on television broadcasts of festive services for 20 years.

What is the meaning of Christmas

The great ecumenical teacher calls the Nativity of Christ "the beginning of all holidays." “Whoever calls this holiday the mother of all holidays will not sin ... In this holiday, both the Theophany, and the sacred, and have their beginning and foundation. If Christ had not been born according to the flesh, then he would not have been baptized, and this is the feast of the Epiphany; and would not have suffered, and this is the Passover; and would not send the Holy Spirit, and this is Pentecost. So, from the feast of the Nativity of Christ, our holidays began, as from the source of various streams.

The birth of Christ - the Messiah - the Anointed One, who will save the world, was predicted by the Old Testament prophets and was expected for centuries. This joyful event took place more than 2,000 years ago: Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea. We, Christians, annually again and again experience this joy, proclaimed by the Angels to the shepherds: “I proclaim to you great joy that will be for all people: for today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, has been born to you in the city of David,” says the Holy Gospel.

God becomes Man so that man becomes God by grace. But, at the same time, the Creator, taking the image of His creation, "is humiliated." What is being done is what in Greek is called "kenosis", and in Slavic - "exhaustion" of the Son of God. And it reaches its highest point on the Cross. And yet, at Christmas we rejoice, for we know what rich fruits this exhaustion has borne. We rejoice, for the day has dawned for the beginning of our salvation, salvation from sin and death. And salvation from death and meeting God, the source of life, is the greatest reason for thanksgiving and joy.

Christmas and Magi

According to the teaching of the Church, the fact that “for our sake a young child, eternal God was born” is a cause of joy for those who love God. By the fact that God wanted to be born in the form of a man, He gave deliverance from corruption and death, “healed the wounds of Eve”, “forgave sins”, “gave immortality”, “fulfilled the prophecies”, “attracted the fallen primordial Adam”, “replaced lies with faith” in the truth, “led everyone to the life-giving light,” as the Christmas service says.

So, what does this event have to do with each of the people living today? The Church speaks about this through the lips of her poets in church hymnography. The main and most frequently sung hymns on the holiday are. Troparia - short hymns glorifying the holiday, belong to the most ancient type of church hymns, from which Christian hymnography began its development in ancient times. The troparion of the Nativity could have been created as early as the 4th century. In Russian, the text of this chant sounds like this: Your birth, O Christ our God, shed light of knowledge on the world: for those who served the stars were taught by the star to bow to You, the Sun of Truth, and to know You, the East from on high. Lord, glory to Thee".

Kontakion "The Virgin Today" was written by St. Roman the Melodist, and is considered one of the pinnacles of church poetry. In ancient times, lengthy theological poems that were part of the Christian liturgy were called kontakions. But, over time, they were replaced by another genre of church hymnography - the canon. Kontakions were preserved in worship in the form of the initial stanzas of previous poems (and also gave rise to – a hymn during which one is not supposed to sit, "non-saddle singing").

Let's get acquainted with the text of the kontakion : “Today the Virgin gives birth to the super-existent, and the earth brings a cave to the Unapproachable; The angels glorify together with the shepherds, while the wise men travel after the star, because for our sake the young Infant, the Eternal God, was born. The invisible God became incarnate and became a Man - this is what the feast of the Nativity of Christ, the feast of the Incarnation, proclaims.

If we turn our attention to the texts of the hymns, we will notice one characteristic feature: the frequent repetition of the words "today" and "now". Today, now, "The Virgin of the Substantial gives birth." The event happened more than 2000 years ago, but what happened then has a direct bearing on us living today. Therefore, the Church, with her hymns and all her divine services, introduces us into a special reality. We become spiritual participants and witnesses of events taking place before our mind's eye.

Birthday of Christ

Christians have been celebrating Christmas since ancient times. How did they do it before? Modern liturgists believe that the Nativity of Christ is one of the oldest Christian holidays, along with the Annunciation and Easter. It is celebrated exactly 9 months after the Annunciation, on December 25, according to the old style. Initially, it was connected with the feast of the Epiphany, which appeared in the 3rd century, and this common feast was called the Feast of Lights in a different way. Christmas has separated from the West. In the ancient Roman calendar, dating from the year 354, under December 25 (or January 8 calendar) it is written: “ Birthday of Christ in Bethlehem».

The church charter calls Christmas the "second Easter" and gives it an exclusive place among the days of the liturgical year. This is a holiday twelfth, belonging to the category of the most important 12 Christian holidays. Usually before these holidays one day of forefeast is supposed, before Christmas there are five such days. For the sake of the Nativity of Christ, fasting is canceled, even if the holiday falls on weekly fast days - Wednesday and Friday. After the holiday comes "", which will last until Epiphany Eve (January 18). The period of Christmas time, from the point of view of the liturgical charter, is, as it were, one day, joyful and jubilant. On Christmas time, however, as at any other time, and on these holidays - especially, people are called to "sanctify", to sanctify the holiday with good deeds.

Our history knows many examples of truly Christian celebration of holy Christmas days. In pre-Petrine Rus', pious sovereigns visited prisons on the very night of the Nativity of Christ and freed repentant criminals, distributed alms with their own hands, but did all this in such a way that royal mercy was not made public. The exits of the sovereign from the palace these days were called "secret".

The feast of the Nativity of Christ, perhaps like no other, brought to life many folk customs. Christmas, the glorification of the Divine Infant, the arrangement of nativity scenes - likenesses and images of the Bethlehem cave - all these are indispensable signs of the holiday, and it is wonderful that many of these customs are being revived today.

The reflection of the Star of Bethlehem lit up our secular culture. And today it is especially appropriate to recall the lines of our wonderful writer, who in his book “The Summer of the Lord” showed Christmas morning in old Moscow through the eyes of a child: “Christmas ... This word seems to have strong frosty air, icy purity and snowiness. The very word seems bluish to me. Even in the church song - Christ is born - praise! Christ from heaven - hide!- a frosty crunch is heard. The bluish dawn turns white. The snowy lace of trees is as light as air. The church rumble floats, and in this frosty rumble the sun rises like a ball. It is fiery, thick, more than usual: the sun at Christmas. Floats out in flames behind the garden. The garden is in deep snow, brightens, turns blue. Here, it ran along the tops, the hoarfrost turned pink, the checkmarks turned black pink, they woke up; splashed with pinkish dust, the birch trees turned golden, and fiery golden spots fell on the white snow. Here it is, the morning of the Holiday - Christmas.

On the Slavic and Russian languages ​​in worship

We will repeatedly refer to liturgical texts dedicated to the Nativity of Christ, both in Church Slavonic and in Russian. And in this regard, I would like to say a few words about ours. The whole world knows the beauty of Orthodox iconography, this “theology in colors”, and our churches have become national symbols of harmony and perfection.

These masterpieces are joined by a huge poetic heritage - hymnography and Ancient Rus'. The works of Byzantine religious poetry, such as canons, stichera, troparia and kontakia, are distinguished by a special theological depth and expressive language. Indeed, their perception is often hampered by the language barrier. And in connection with these difficulties, some people have a question: “Why doesn’t the Church abandon the Church Slavonic language, why doesn’t it switch to Russian?” But the easiest way is not always the best one. The Slavic texts were themselves translated from Greek by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius, but they are consecrated by the thousand-year tradition of Slavic book-writing.

To solve the language problem, it is not necessary to sit down at a desk, it is enough to visit the temple regularly and participate in divine services. After all, many of the texts that we heard today are constantly present in our worship. Gradually, these texts will become recognizable to us. Then you can turn to translations, clarify incomprehensible words and expressions. The texts of the festive services are also quite accessible today. They come out in separate editions, with a parallel text in Russian. It would be useful and correct if our preparation for the holiday (and most people go to church on holidays) included a preliminary acquaintance with the liturgical texts and their deep theological content. And you can start with those prayers that are read daily: from the morning and evening rules.

All-night vigil

How is the Patriarchal Christmas Liturgy celebrated?

Let's say a few words about the order and sequence of its celebration on Christmas Day using the example of the main Christmas service performed by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in Moscow. The patriarchal service is slightly different in form from the usual parish service, but in essence it is one and the same service, so our story is also applicable to the parish service. We will talk about these differences in those places where they will appear.

worship Orthodox Church consists of daily circle services: Matins, Vespers, Compline, Midnight Office, Hours And liturgies. Before the holidays, morning and evening worship is combined into the so-called "", that is, a prayer that continues all night. In practice, such a prayer occurs only twice a year, on the greatest holidays - Christmas and Easter. The All-Night Vigil is a liturgical service that consists of Vespers and Matins. These church services got their name from the time they were performed. But today the composition of the All-Night Vigil is changing: the place of Vespers is taken by great compline- a service that takes place after Vespers, hence its name.

According to the tradition that has developed over the past 20 years, before the start of the service, the Patriarch, who is in the altar, addresses the viewers with Christmas greetings.

Here the veil and the holy gates open, we see how the clergy, led by the Patriarch, come out of the altar into the middle of the temple. The archdeacon with candles goes to the pulpit and proclaims: Bless the lord". Vladyka blesses those assembled and exclaims: Blessed be our God always now and forever and forever and ever The all-night vigil begins.

The primate, who is preceded by an archdeacon or protodeacon with a candle, burns the feast icon, which is located in the center of the church on the lectern. The prayer "King of Heaven" is addressed to. This prayer begins many liturgical services of the Orthodox Church. The patriarch burns the throne and the altar incense. This ancient form worship of God, which existed in the Old Testament, before the coming of the Savior into the world. spiritual meaning censing reveals to us verses from the Psalms: May my prayer be corrected, like a censer before you”- let my prayer, like incense smoke, ascend to heaven, and the prayerful uplift of hands will be like the evening sacrifice.

After the exclamation follows the litany and the famous hymn " God is with us". This song is based on the prophecy of Isaiah. This prophet, who lived 700 years before the birth of Christ, announced the future birth of the Savior from the Virgin, prophesied about the events of His earthly life, as well as about the suffering that the Son of God would have to accept for the salvation of the human race. The prophet, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, saw with spiritual vision the coming events of the New Testament so clearly that he is often called the "Old Testament Evangelist." At the end of Compline, the troparion and kontakion of the Nativity are sung.

A hymn is heard in the temple, completing the rites of Compline. This is the song of the holy righteous Simeon the God-Receiver, sung by him at the time of the Infant Jesus, brought by the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph on the fortieth day after his birth to the Jerusalem temple for consecration to God, as custom required. The righteous Simeon and the prophetess Anna are an example of the last righteous of the Old Testament era, who lived in the hope of the coming into the world of the Messiah - Christ, and at the end of the day they saw this hope come true. The text of the hymn is taken from the Gospel. In Russian translation, it sounds like this: “Now you release Your servant, Lord, according to Your word in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a Light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people, Israel.” This episode from the Gospel narrative - the meeting of the Divine Infant in the Jerusalem Temple, due to its special significance, is celebrated by the Church as great holiday. It is celebrated on February 15 according to the new style. And the event itself, according to the Gospel chronology, took place after the worship of the shepherds to the Born Divine Infant, but before worshiping Him, Eastern sages came from a distant country.

people of good will

Meanwhile, Matins begins in the temple. It, of course, should be performed in the morning, but since the Church prays to God at night on Christmas, it begins around midnight. At the beginning of the Six Psalms, the famous words of the Angelic Song are sung, which we will hear many times today in a variety of hymns both in the gospel and in the sermon: Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, goodwill towards men.

Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria, Father of the Church, who lived in the 12th century, interprets this part of the Gospel of Luke in this way: “What does the song of the Angels mean? Without a doubt, the gratitude of the high ranks and the joy that we, who live on earth, have been blessed. For they say: thank God, peace has now come on earth. Previously, human nature was at enmity with God, but now it has become so reconciled that it has become in union with God and united with Him in incarnation. So, do you see God's peace with man? It can be understood in another way. The Son of God Himself is the world, just as He speaks of Himself. And so, the very world, the Son of God, appeared on earth. And “good will in men,” that is, the repose of God. For now God has rested and found pleasing God in people, while before He did not favor and did not find pleasing in people.”

These words of an angelic song have the most interesting fate in the history of mankind. The fact is that in different Christian traditions of recording these gospel verses, the word "favor" - good will - was used in two forms - in the nominative case, and then the words meant that God's favor is in people, as we just read. But this word can be in the genitive case, and then the meaning changes a little, it turns out “in people of good will”, or in another way, in people of good, good will, there is peace. This expression "in people of good will" has become winged. It is used by both Christians and non-Christians, and even people far from religion.

After the solemn proclamation and singing of "God the Lord and appear to us" begins polyeles(in translation - "many mercy"). This part of Matins got its name from the content of Psalms 134 and 135, which glorify the mercy of God. The verses from these psalms are sung by the choir during the polyeleos: Praise the name of the Lord, praise the servant of the Lord. Alleluia. Blessed be the Lord from Zion, who lives in Jerusalem. Alleluia.

Majesty sounds under the vaults of the temple - a short chant glorifying the celebrated event: “We magnify, we magnify Thee, Life-Giver Christ, for the sake of us now in the flesh Born of the Blessed and Most Pure Virgin Mary.”

Patriarch Kirill descends from the pulpit - a special elevation in the middle of the temple, where he has been since the beginning of the service, to burn the icon of the holiday.

The image of the Nativity of Christ, which is now on the lectern, is special. In the jubilee year of the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ, he was brought by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II from Bethlehem, the city where Christ was born. This icon is an exact copy of the image located in the cave of the Nativity of Christ.

We see how the deacon enters the altar and takes the Gospel from the throne. Choir performs degree And power antiphon. These hymns are part of the festive matins. They are compiled in imitation of the so-called. "powerful psalms" (Ps. 119-133), which in the days of the Old Testament were sung by pilgrims on the steps of the Jerusalem temple. antiphons- chants performed alternately, in imitation of the incessant angelic choir that glorifies the Creator, the name indicating the way the chants are performed (from the Greek - “to sing alternately, alternating into two choirs”).