The true story of the greatest holiday Christmas

Christmas is a story that still inspires millions of people around the world to seek light even in the longest night. It all began more than two thousand years ago, in a modest cave in Bethlehem, when the seemingly mundane journey of Mary and Joseph, at the behest of the emperor, forever changed the spiritual path of mankind. This night brought into the world not only a new king, who was proclaimed by the angels and dreamed of by the magi, but also an unprecedented testimony of the power of faith, humility and love, opposed to the anxieties and threats of that time. Izvestia tells how the greatest Christian holiday was born and what meaning believers put into Christmas.

Christmas: the story of an important celebration

Christmas is a day that changed the course of human history and became a symbol of hope for believers around the world. According to the Gospel, on this day in the small town of Bethlehem, the Virgin Mary and her husband Joseph arrived to participate in the population census, as required by the Roman emperor. Unable to find shelter in the city, they had to spend the night in a shepherd's cave, where the baby Jesus was born. His mother swaddled the baby and put him in a manger — a cattle feeder, a symbol of modesty and simplicity of the savior's coming into the world.

The appearance of Christ was accompanied by miraculous signs. According to the biblical narrative, on the same night, an angel appeared to the shepherds and announced to them the good news of the birth of the Messiah. The shepherds hurried into the cave to worship the baby. Shortly after that, wise men from the east came to Judea, who were led to Christ by an extraordinary star in the sky. The Magi worshiped the Baby and presented gifts: gold as a king, frankincense as a God, and myrrh as a man facing suffering.

However, the news of the birth of a new "king of the Jews" worried the ruler Herod. When he learned that the magi had not told him where the baby was, he ordered the extermination of all boys under the age of two in Bethlehem. The holy family had to flee to Egypt, where they remained until the death of Herod, thereby fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament and demonstrating the hardships of Christ's earthly life from the first days of his appearance.

In the early centuries, Christians did not single out the date of Christmas as a separate holiday — all the most important events of the incarnation were celebrated on the feast of the Epiphany. Only since the fourth century, when Emperor Constantine the Great granted freedom to the Christian faith, December 25 has been established as a special day to celebrate the Birth of Christ according to Western tradition, in order to contrast it with the Roman holiday of the solstice and the victory of light over darkness. In the East, Christmas began to be celebrated separately only decades later, and in Russia the holiday appeared together with the Baptism of Russia in the 10th century and was closely intertwined with the traditions of Yuletide.

Already in the Middle Ages, a special liturgical order of the holiday was formed. In Russia, the glorification of Christ was combined with folk festivals, nativity scenes — theatrical dramatizations of the Christmas story, carols and a good tradition of congratulating each other and especially supporting those in need with kindness and gifts in memory of the gifts of the Magi to the savior.

The Spiritual Meaning of Christmas

The spiritual essence of the holiday is revealed through the main Christian message: God became man for the sake of saving all mankind. Christmas symbolizes light, hope and the possibility of spiritual rebirth. For a believer, this day is a time of rethinking their own lives, gratitude and striving for goodness and mercy, because Christ came into the world not in luxury, but in poverty, in order to be close to everyone. In the Orthodox tradition, Christmas opens Yuletide, a period of joy and spiritual renewal after a strict forty—day fast. ​

When is Christmas celebrated in 2026

In 2026, Orthodox Christians will celebrate Christmas on January 7 according to the new Gregorian style. Catholics and Protestants will celebrate this day on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar. It is noteworthy that the holiday begins on the evening of January 6, Christmas Eve, when the first star in the sky reminds of the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Magi to the Christ child. On this evening, it is customary to prepare symbolic dishes, fast until the first star appears, and then a festive divine service is held.