Christmas Miracle Night: the secret meaning of the great day on January 7th
Christmas is one of the main Christian holidays, which is celebrated on January 7 and combines the gospel history, liturgical traditions and centuries—old folk customs. The holiday is dedicated to the birth of Jesus Christ and has deep spiritual significance for believers. About the meaning of Christmas and its traditions — in the material of Izvestia.
The history and meaning of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
The holiday is based on the gospel narrative set forth in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Gospel of Luke says that on the eve of Christmas, Joseph, who came from the family of King David, went to Bethlehem with the Virgin Mary, who was betrothed to him. There, according to the gospel story, there was no room for them in the hotel, and the newborn Jesus was placed in a manger. According to church tradition, Christmas took place in a cave where cattle were usually sheltered.
According to the Gospel of Luke, the first witnesses of Christmas were not nobles and scribes, but shepherds of Bethlehem. It was to them, as the gospel narrative says, that the angel announced the good news: "I declare to you great joy, which will be to all people: for today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David."
The Star of Bethlehem and the Gifts of the Magi
A new, extraordinarily bright star shone in the sky as a guiding sign that showed the world the miracle that had happened. The star of Bethlehem led not only shepherds to the cave, but also the magi, who, following a heavenly sign, came to worship the newborn King. They presented the Baby with precious gifts, each of which had a deep prophetic and symbolic meaning.
These gifts foreshadowed the future ministry and fate of Christ: gold was brought to Him as the King of Kings, frankincense as God, and myrrh (an aromatic resin used to anoint the bodies of the deceased) as the Savior who was about to die for the sins of mankind.
Christmas Eve: strict fasting and waiting for a miracle
Preparations for the celebration of the great holiday begin 40 days before the observance of the Christmas fast. However, the most rigorous and significant day of this preparation is Christmas Eve, which falls on January 6.
The name of this day comes from the traditional lenten dish sochiva (kutya), which is prepared from boiled wheat, barley or rice with the addition of honey, nuts, poppy seeds and dried fruits. Sochivo symbolizes the sweetness of a future blissful life and the unity of the family.
According to an ancient church tradition, on Christmas Eve, believers abstain from food "until the first star." This custom was established in memory of the Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of the Savior to the world.
In practice, this means that the first meal of the day begins after the end of the evening service, when a lighted candle symbolizing the very star is brought to the center of the temple. On January 6, a special sequence is performed in Orthodox churches — the Royal Clock, on which texts from the Old and New Testaments are read, prophetically revealing the meaning of the celebrated event.
Festive worship on Christmas Day
The culmination of spiritual expectation is the solemn all-night vigil, which begins late in the evening on January 6. This long and joyful service smoothly flows into the festive Christmas Liturgy, which takes place at night or in the morning on January 7.
Churches can be crowded on this night: thousands of believers gather together to share a common spiritual joy, become participants in the great sacrament and symbolically worship the newborn Christ together with shepherds and magi.
The Patriarchal Divine Service, which traditionally takes place in Russia at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, is particularly solemn. The entire service is accompanied by the singing of church choirs, and its center is the reading of the Gospel of Christmas and the singing of the festive troparion: "Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hast raised up the light of reason in the world...".
After the end of the liturgy, the fast officially ends, and the faithful can have a conversation before starting the festive meal.
Traditions and rituals of Russian Christmas
Over the more than a thousand-year history of Christianity in Russia, the Christmas holiday has been enriched by many folk traditions, in which church canons and ancient Slavic customs are intertwined.
One of the most beautiful and recognizable traditions is the establishment of a nativity scene in houses and temples. The nativity scene is a model of the cave of the Nativity with figures of the Infant Christ in a manger, the Virgin Mary, righteous Joseph, shepherds, animals, and later the Magi. It serves as a visual reminder of the gospel events.
Caroling was and still is another vivid and lively tradition, especially loved by children. This tradition dates back to the pre-Christian customs of winter rounds of courtyards with benevolent songs.
After the Baptism of Rus, these songs were filled with Christian content — they began to praise the born Christ, wishing the owners of the house health and prosperity in the new year. Carolers who walked with a homemade star on a pole were lavished with treats: pies, gingerbread, sweets or even small money. It was believed that giving gifts to carolers attracts good luck and prosperity to the house.
Yuletide days: from Christmas to Epiphany
The holiday itself on January 7 opens a special, joyful period in the church and national calendar — Yuletide. Yuletide continues until the feast of Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 19th. It is a time of spiritual joy, celebration, good deeds and mercy.
In Russia, on Christmas Day, it was customary to visit relatives, especially lonely old people, help the sick and needy, and do charity work. Common festivities, fairs, sledding and snow slides were organized in the villages.
At the same time, Yuletide was traditionally considered a "magical" time when, according to popular beliefs, the line between worlds is blurred. Despite the church's categorical condemnation of such practices as remnants of paganism and appeals to dark forces, Yuletide divination was widespread among the people, especially among girls who wanted to know their fate and the name of their future betrothed.
The most famous were fortune-telling on wax, mirrors, rings, or objects thrown into water. The Church has always reminded us that a true Christian should trust in the will of God, and not try to find out the future through questionable rituals.
Christmas table: from sochiv to goose with apples
The culinary traditions of Christmas are connected with the spiritual meaning of the holiday. The meal on Christmas Eve (January 6) was lenten and, according to custom, consisted of 12 dishes in honor of the 12 apostles.
It always began with eating sochiva. In addition, the table was served with lean borscht or mushroom soup, dumplings with cabbage or potatoes, cabbage rolls with mushrooms, fish (often baked), vegetable salads and stews, pickles, lean pancakes and pies, as well as a compote of dried fruits — uzvar.
With the advent of the Christmas holiday on January 7, the gastronomic restrictions were lifted, and the table became truly festive and plentiful. The central place on it was traditionally occupied by a baked bird — goose or duck, often stuffed with apples, buckwheat porridge or prunes. This dish symbolized prosperity and fertility.
Jelly (jelly jelly), various meat dishes, homemade sausages, pies with various fillings, gingerbread and other sweets were also served. Well—to—do peasants could kill a piglet for the holiday, and in the north of Russia they baked special ceremonial shaped biscuits - "goats" - in the form of sheep, cows or deer.
The symbolism of the Christmas tree
The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree for the holiday is strongly associated with Christmas, although in Soviet times it became the main symbol of the New Year. The custom of decorating a Christmas tree in Russia was introduced by decree of Peter the Great, who borrowed this fashion from Europe. However, its symbolism is much older and deeper.
Among many pagan peoples, including the Slavs and Germans, spruce, pine or fir, remaining green in the harshest winter, were revered as a symbol of eternal life, the unfading power of nature, the victory of life over death and darkness.
In Christian culture, the custom of decorating a fir tree has received a new symbolic interpretation. The evergreen tree began to be perceived as a way of life that overcomes death, and a reminder of the Nativity of Christ. At the same time, many interpretations of the Christmas tree, including associations with the tree of life or the sufferings of Christ, belong to the later theological and journalistic tradition and have no direct basis in the Holy Scriptures.
In the early European tradition, the decorations of the Christmas tree were formed gradually and eventually received a symbolic interpretation. Apples reminded of the biblical story of the fall, candles were associated with the light brought to the world by Christmas, and the star at the top referred to the Gospel story of the Star of Bethlehem. Sweets and nuts originally served as treats, and their symbolic meaning was formed later in the folk tradition.
What you can and can't do on Christmas Day
The Orthodox Church does not prescribe excessively strict household prohibitions for the day of the Christmas holiday itself, since the period of strict fasting has already been completed by this time. The main emphasis is on spiritual content.
However, the clergy give believers a number of recommendations to help them not lose the meaning of the celebration in the daily hustle and bustle. On a holiday, it is undesirable to engage in heavy physical labor, routine housework (cleaning, washing, sewing), unless it is absolutely necessary. These chores can distract from prayer, communication with loved ones and spiritual joy.
Also, you should not devote the day to frivolous entertainment, overeating or alcohol abuse, which contradicts the idea of a spiritual holiday. Any conflicts, quarrels, condemnation, and profanity are specifically prohibited.
Christmas is a time of peace, love and forgiveness. The Church reminds us that the best way to spend this day is to attend divine services, pray, perform acts of charity (visiting the sick, helping those in need), and communicate with family in the spirit of Christian love and cordiality.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
