Christmas among Eastern Christians (07/01)

The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ — is one of the most important Christian holidays and a public holiday in more than 100 countries around the world. In Orthodoxy, the Nativity of Christ is celebrated on January 7 (unlike Catholics, who celebrate this holiday on December 25), is one of the twelfth holidays and is preceded by the Nativity Fast.

This great holiday was established in remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ. On this day, an unprecedented event took place in the small town of Bethlehem — The Infant of God, the Son of God, was born into the world. Jesus Christ was born supernaturally from the Virgin Mary, the Virgin.

When Christ came to earth, he was not greeted with honor, nobility and wealth. He didn’t even have a cradle, like all children, and there was no shelter — He was born outside the city, in a cave and was placed in a nursery where animal food is placed.

The first guests of the divine child were not kings and nobles, but simple shepherds, to whom the Angel announced the Nativity of Christ: «I proclaim to you great joy that will be to all people: for now the Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born to you in the city of David! And here is a sign for you: you will find a Child in swaddling clothes lying in a manger» (Lk 2:10-12).

The shepherds were the first to hasten to bow to the newborn Savior. At this time, the Magi (ancient sages) from the east came with gifts to the King of Peace. They expected that the great King of Peace would soon come to earth, and the wonderful star showed them the way to Jerusalem.

The Magi brought gifts to the Child: gold, incense and myrrh. These gifts had a deep meaning: gold was brought as a tribute to the King, incense as God, and myrrh as a person who must die (the dead were anointed with myrrh in those distant times).

But was this really how the born Christ was greeted? The Holy Church sings that all the creation of God met the Savior: the angels brought Him singing, the Magi — gifts, the shepherds met the Child, the earth prepared a nativity scene cave, and the Virgin Mary became the Mother of the Lord.

The Nativity of Christ ends the forty-day Nativity Fast (Holy Pentecost); on the eve of the holiday, strict fasting is observed. On the night of January 6-7, Christmas services are held in Orthodox churches. After Christmas, Christmastide begins — holy days or 12 days during which the holiday is celebrated.



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