Christmas is preceded by a fast that lasts forty days and is therefore called in the Church Charter the "Little Forty Days", just like great post. The feast of the Nativity of Christ has five days of fore-feasts (only this Lord's feast has such a great fore-feast) and 6 days of feasting.
During the five days of prefeast Compline is served. At Compline, a special triode and canons similar to the tripes and canons are sung Holy Week. “These hymns reflect the main theological idea that the incarnation of the Son of God was for Him the Cross, the first Cross, perhaps no less light than the last Cross, i.e. crucifixion." On some days of the Nativity Fast, which are marked with the word "Alleluia", a divine service is performed similar to the Divine Liturgy of Great Lent and a prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian "Lord and Master ..." with bows to the ground. From the Entry into the Temple Holy Mother of God the singing of the Christmas katavasia begins (this is a cycle of irmos that are sung at the end of each song of the canon at the festive service): "Christ is born, praise ...". The Week of the Holy Forefathers precedes the Nativity of Christ, these days we remember those Old Testament righteous who were saved by faith in Christ who was to be born. It is followed by the Sunday of the Holy Fathers. On the Week of the Holy Fathers or the Week before the Nativity of Christ, on which people who belonged to the family from which the Savior came are remembered, an addition to the Sunday service from Oktoechos, a special service from the Menaion, are read, and a special Apostle and the Gospel are read. Christmas Eve is called the Eve of the Nativity of Christ or Christmas Eve from the word "sochivo" - wheat with honey. This is a day of strict fasting. Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of Christ - consists of a series of services performed on the eve, on the night of Christmas and in the evening on the very day of the Nativity of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. These services include: the Royal Hours, Liturgies of Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, Vespers, Compline, Litiya, Matins. The order of services is determined by the day of the week on which Christmas falls.
If Christmas Eve of the Nativity of Christ falls on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, then on this day the following are performed: Royal Hours with Pictorial. After them, great vespers are immediately performed with the reading of proverbs, the Apostle and the Gospel, after which the liturgy of Basil the Great is performed. After entering with the Gospel and "Still Light" is read 8 proverbs:
1. Gen.1:12-14 - the content of this proverb indicates that the incarnation of the Son of God was a new creation 2. Numbers 24:2-18 - Balaam's prophecy about the star from Jacob 3. Mic.4:6-8, 5:2-8 - Micah's prophecy about the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem 4. Isaiah 11:1-10 - Isaiah's prophecy about the rod from the root of Jesse, on which the Spirit of God rested 5. Jer.3:36-38, 4:1- 4 - the prophecy of Baruch about the appearance of God on earth between people 6. Dan.2:31-45 - the prophecy of Daniel about a stone that cannot be cut with hands 7. Isaiah 9:6-7 - the prophecy of Isaiah about the birth of the royal Servant 8. Is.7:11- 15; 8:1-4, 8-10 - Isaiah's prophecy about the birth of Immanuel from a Virgin.
After the first three proverbs, a special troparion is proclaimed, the end of which is “Have mercy on us with them” (sung by a reader), after the 6th proverb, another troparion, the end of which is “Giver of life, glory to Thee”, after the 8th proverb, a small litany is pronounced, then the Trisagion and the usual order Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. (Apostle Heb. 1:1-12; Gospel of Luke 2:1-20) After the liturgy, a festive glorification takes place: a candle is brought to the middle of the temple and a troparion and kontakion for the holiday are sung before it. A lit candle marks the star that appeared in Bethlehem, i.e. in a sense, Christmas is already coming (since Vespers is connected with two days, and the hymns of the feast are already sung at Vespers, in a sense, the day of Christmas is stretched out, becoming a longer church day than all the others). Under the holiday itself, an all-night vigil is served. But it is not ordinary, because. it does not consist of Great Vespers and Matins, but of Great Compline (because Vespers had already been served) and Matins with the first hour. Compline ends with the reading of the Great Doxology, then litiya. At Great Compline, instead of the troparia "Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us," the kontakion of the feast is sung. According to polyeleos - greatness. According to the 50th psalm, instead of “With the prayers of our holy fathers ...” it is sung “Every day of joy is fulfilled, Christ is born of the Virgin”, the verse “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, today Bethlehem will receive Him who sits ever with the Father ...”. Instead of “The Most Honest Cherub…” - the refrain “Magnify, my soul, the Most Honorable and Glorious of the mountain hosts, the Most Pure Theotokos.” At the end of Matins, the holiday “He who was born in a den and a manger reclined ...” is dismissed. On the very day of the Nativity of Christ, which falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday, the liturgy of John Chrysostom is celebrated. (Apostle Gal. 4:4-7; Gospel Matt. 2:1-12). Special festive antiphons are sung, “entrance”, instead of the Trisagion, “Be baptized into Christ…”, instead of “Worthy…” - the Worthy “Magnify, my soul, the Most Honorable and Glorious of the mountain hosts, the Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of God ...”. If Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, then the Royal Hours are not performed on that day, they are transferred to Friday. At the same time, the liturgy is not performed on Friday. The Liturgy is served on Saturday or Sunday, on the day of Vespers, during which the Liturgy of John Chrysostom is served, after which the 9th Hour and Great Vespers are served with the reading of Parimias. The Trisagion is not sung at Vespers, because there is no liturgy behind it, the Apostle (Gal. 3:15-22), the Gospel (Lk. 2: 1-20), a special litany, a petitionary litany, the usual dismissal are read, after which the troparion and kontakion are sung. All-night vigil takes place on Christmas Eve evening and consists of Great Compline (the usual Vespers had already been served after the Liturgy), Matins with 1 o'clock. After the All-Night Vigil on the night of January 6-7, the Liturgy of Basil the Great is served. The next day after the holiday, January 8 is celebrated - the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos. Vespers is great with an entrance and a great prokeimon: Who is a great god, like our God, You are God, work miracles, but Matins is only glorifying. On the next Saturday, called Saturday after the Nativity of Christ, a special Apostle and Gospel are laid. The next week (Sunday) is called the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of God. In it, the memory of the saints and righteous Joseph the Betrothed, King David, Jacob, the brother of the Lord is committed. Twelve days after the Nativity of Christ are called Christmastide, i.e. holy days because these days are consecrated to the events of the Nativity of Christ and Theophany. Since ancient times, the Church has sanctified these days, according to the Charter, on the days of Christmastide: “no fasting, there are below the kneeling, below in the church, below in the cells,” and it is forbidden to perform the sacrament of Marriage. The content of proverbs, the Gospel and the Apostle, some holiday hymns.
When the All-Night Vigil begins with Great Compline, the solemn song of the prophet Isaiah is sung: “God is with us, understand, Gentiles, and repent, for God is with us!” Frequent repetition in this song: God is with us! - testifies to the spiritual joy of believers who recognize the Lord God among themselves.
The book of the prophet Micah (4:6-8, 5:2-8): “And you, Bethlehem-Ephratha, are you small among the thousands of Judah? out of you will come to me the one who should be the ruler in Israel, and whose origin is from the beginning, from the days of eternity. Therefore He will leave them until the time when she has to give birth; then the rest of their brothers will return to the children of Israel. And he will stand and feed in the power of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they will live in safety, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.” This proverb, read at the first hour, is dedicated to the prophecy of Micah about the birth of Christ in the city of Bethlehem. Bethlehem, one of the oldest cities - the birthplace of David. It is located 10 miles south of Jerusalem. Initially, it was called the house of Ephrath, since one of the founders of the inhabitants of this city was Ephrath, the great-grandson of Judah (1 Chronicles 4: 1-4). The prophet predicted the birth of the Savior 700 years in advance so that people would live in hope. This prophecy is read both at the first hour and at Vespers, where a few more lines are added about mercy to the "daughter of Zion", that is, to all the people of Israel.
The book of the prophet Isaiah (7:11-15; 8:1-4,8-10):
“... So the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, the Virgin in the womb will receive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name: Emmanuel ... ... before the child can say: my father, my mother, - the riches of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria will be carried before the king of Assyria . And he will go through Judea, flood it and rise high - it will reach the neck; and the spread of her wings will be in all the breadth of your land, Emmanuel! Fight, you peoples, but tremble, and listen, all distant lands! Arm yourself, but tremble; arm yourself, but tremble! Plot ideas, but they collapse; speak the word, but it will not take place: for God is with us!” This proverb, read at the sixth hour, includes the prophecy of Isaiah about the birth of the Virgin Emmanuel, which means “God is with us!”: God will be with His people, God will be a descendant of David, God will be the Son of the Virgin, His appearance in the world will be marked miraculously. Given name The Redeemer is Jesus. Emmanuel is a common noun and has many other meanings (for example, "Great Council Angel" or "Father of the Future Age", etc.). "God is with us!". These words and those following them sound like a hymn, which is especially close to those who hope for God's help. This must be remembered both by those who rise up against those who are faithful to God, and by those who seek this fidelity, which is not in words, but in the power of faith.
Contents of the Gospel (Utr. - Matt. 1:18-25). “The birth of Jesus Christ was like this: after the betrothal of His Mother Mary to Joseph, before they were combined, it turned out that She was pregnant with the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to publicize her, wanted to secretly let her go. But when he thought this, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: Joseph, son of David! do not be afraid to accept Mary as your wife, for what is born in her is from the Holy Spirit; she will give birth to a Son, and you will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. And all this happened, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would come true, who says: behold, the Virgin in the womb will receive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which means: God is with us. Rising from sleep, Joseph did as the Angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife, and did not know her. [How] at last she gave birth to her firstborn son, and he called his name: Jesus. Contents of the Apostle (Lit. - Gal. 4:4-7)
“…but when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his [only-begotten] Son, who was born of a woman, subjected to the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption. And since you are sons, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of His Son, crying out: “Abba, Father!” Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Jesus Christ.”
The words of the Apostle Paul, addressed to the Christians of Galatia, indicate the door to salvation for every person through adoption by God, through His Son in communion with the Holy Spirit.
Contents of the Gospel (Lit. - Matt., 2:1-12).“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, magicians from the east came to Jerusalem and said: Where is the King of the Jews who has been born? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him. On hearing this, King Herod was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. And, having gathered all the high priests and scribes of the people, he asked them: where should Christ be born? And they said to him: In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet: and you, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, are in no way less than the governorships of Judah, for out of you will come a Leader Who will shepherd My people Israel. Then Herod, secretly calling the Magi, found out from them the time of the appearance of the star and, sending them to Bethlehem, said: Go, carefully inquire about the Baby and, when you find it, inform me so that I can go and worship Him. They, having listened to the king, went. [And] behold, the star that they saw in the east went before them, until at last it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with a very great joy, and, entering the house, they saw the Infant with Mary, His Mother, and, falling down, worshiped Him; and having opened their treasures, they brought him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another way.”
In those days, the wise men of the East, whom the Gospel calls Magi, saw a new star shining in the firmament. According to their teachings and legends, this meant the coming into the world of a great man. The Magi knew that the Jewish people were waiting for the appearance of the Messiah, their true King and Savior, and therefore they went to Jerusalem to ask where they should look for Him. The words of the Evangelist Matthew are read on the feast of the Nativity of Christ as evidence of the birth of the true Messiah - the Savior. The Magi brought gifts to the Infant Christ: gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts had a deep meaning: they brought gold as a tribute to the Tsar, frankincense as to God, and myrrh as to a person who should die (myrrh was anointed in those distant times for the dead).
Great Compline on Christmas Day. Stichera on lithium.
“Heaven and earth unite today, I will be born to Christ. Today God has come to earth, and man has ascended to Heaven. Today to see is the flesh, invisible by nature, for the sake of man. For this sake, we, glorifying, cry out to Him: Glory to God in the Highest, and peace on earth, for the gift of Your coming, our Savior, glory to You. Translation: Heaven and earth were united this day at the birth of Christ. On this day God came to earth, and man ascended to heaven. Today we see the Invisible by nature in the flesh for the sake of man. Therefore, we, glorifying, will exclaim to Him: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace: Thy coming has granted us; Our Savior, glory to Thee!"
The main theme of this text is the appearance of the Savior on earth in the flesh. Dogmatic idea: Christ became man while remaining God. He came into the world to save people and for this he became a man (the meaning of Christ's coming to earth is revealed). The words “heaven and earth united” serve as an artistic image, showing the connection of two seemingly distant concepts, the connection of God and man, and these same words show the connection of the Divine and the human in one Person. If the Lord had not come to earth, no man could have ascended to heaven. "On this day God came to earth, and man ascended to heaven." It was only with the coming of Christ that it became possible to enter the Heavenly Kingdom. The next sentence explains what God did to make this possible, He became a man.
Irmos of the canon of the Nativity of Christ.
Song 1. “Christ is born, praise: Christ from heaven, sing: Christ on earth, ascend. Sing to the Lord, all the earth, and sing with joy, people, as if you were glorified. Translation: “Christ is born, praise! Christ from heaven - meet! Christ on earth, rise up! Sing to the Lord, all the earth, and sing with joy, people: for He is glorified.”
The main theme of the irmos of the first song is the calling of all to share the great spiritual joy - the celebration of the Nativity of Christ. Dogmatic idea: Those who have accepted Christ should ascend with their minds from the earthly to the Heavenly, meet and receive Christ descended from Heaven and give Him glory as the Savior of the human race. Recognize God's love for you, take courage, fallen ones, and triumph, being carried by your thoughts to heaven, which becomes accessible to you. Artistic images - diverse thanksgiving actions in relation to Christ: glory and singing to Him, joyful meeting with Him, familiarization with His saving path.
Song 3. “Before the age of the Father, born incorruptibly to the Son, and in the last from the Virgin incarnated without seed, let us cry out to Christ God: exalted our horn, holy art thou, O Lord.” Translation: “Before the ages, from the Father to the incorruptibly born Son, and in the last (times) seedlessly incarnated from the Virgin, to Christ God, let us exclaim: You exalted our dignity, holy are You, Lord!”
The main theme of the irmos of the third song of the canon is the foundation of our faith: “in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all time; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, of one being with the Father, whom all things have become.” Dogmatic idea: The timelessness of Christ, the seedless incarnation of the Son of God. The artistic image is the consonance of the words of the irmos with the words of the Creed.
Orthodox Christians traditionally celebrate the feast of Christ's birth starting on January 6th. The magi were among the first to know about the birth of the Savior. Seeing a bright star in the sky, they went to bow to the newly appeared Messiah with symbolic gifts. They brought him tree resin, like ordinary person frankincense as a messenger of the Lord, and gold as a king. Herod also learned about the birth of the Savior, he could not adequately accept this news, he was afraid of the messenger of God and ordered to kill all the babies who were under 2 years old. Parents fled to Egypt with Christ and thus were able to save him.
Christmas is rightfully considered one of the greatest holidays in Orthodoxy. In the established hierarchy in terms of importance, it is in second place, second only to . In order to properly prepare for it, you need to find out when Christmas 2019 is celebrated. Its date is unchanged - all ritual festivities begin with the rising of the star on January 6th. On this evening, it is customary for large families to gather at one table, which, according to tradition, should have 12 dishes. The main attribute of the holiday is kutya. The basis for it is porridge, nuts, dried fruits, honey, poppy seeds are also added to it. It is noteworthy that Orthodox believers, although they set rich tables, do not eat until the first star rises.
Many churched people do not think about how to celebrate Christmas on January 7, 2019. On the 6th they go to church for the all-night service. It begins with Great Compline and lasts all night. Afterwards, congratulations are heard from everywhere on the arrival of the great holiday and the glorification of the born Jesus.
If you want to see the whole sacrament of the festive service, then you are wondering what time the Christmas service begins on January 6th. In many churches, the service begins an hour before midnight, and the service itself will last until about 4 in the morning. But in order not to be late, it is better to clarify exact time from the ministers of the temple to which you plan to go.
On Christmas Eve, mummers traditionally walk the streets. They carol under the windows of houses and entertain everyone they meet. This period is considered successful for, despite all church prohibitions, they have always been popular. It is also good to know the signs from January 6 to 7. For example, people say that the starry sky on this night - to the harvest of berries, frost on the trees - to excellent harvest cereals, and the warmth on Christmas Day will bring a cold spring.
But on the eve of the holiday, it is important not only to remember the signs and traditions, but also not to forget to say a few kind words or to everyone you know. In addition to traditional praises of the Savior, you could say the following to them:
Happy big day! Peace and goodness to you!
Merry Christmas! I wish you to live according to the testaments of Christ, because only in this way grace and peace will reign in your soul!
Happy Birth of the Savior! May his teachings on love and forgiveness bring peace to your soul!
Of course, the date is not so important for going to church. But it is on this day that one can feel special reverence, because the services are held solemnly, in detail, they are filled with prayers. And from the people around comes joy and happiness from the realization of the coming of a great holiday.
The Christmas service in 2019 will traditionally be held from January 6 to 7 in all Orthodox churches with solemn divine liturgy. It is held according to the services of the daily cycle and consists of several parts: morning, evening, compline, midnight, hours and the Christmas Liturgy itself.
Christmas service and television
The 2019 Christmas service will combine the morning and evening services into the All-Night Vigil Prayer. That is, in a prayer that lasts all night. Such a prayer occurs only 2 times a year, at Christmas and the Feast of Holidays - Easter.
Since the renaissance Orthodox faith, over the past 20 years, a tradition has developed in Russia of the congratulatory television address of the Patriarch of All Russia before the start of the Christmas service, and it will be the same in 2019.
The patriarchal service, with an all-night vigil, held in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, is broadcast on Channel One, Russia 1, as well as on Orthodox channels"Spas" and "Union". The time of the Christmas service in 2019 is 23:00, January 6.
It is best, of course, to celebrate Christmas directly at the service, and not at the TV screen. This broadcast, to a greater extent, is organized for believers who do not have the physical opportunity to attend the festive Liturgy. But the circumstances of life are such that the Word of God, even accidentally heard by an unbeliever, sometimes surprisingly begins to change his life.
Pilgrimage at Christmas
If possible, the Christmas service in 2019 can be held in the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery, the famous spiritual monastery that has given many pious elders. Including the famous spiritual elder John Krestyankin. Every year on Christmas, pilgrimage tours are organized from Moscow and St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg) to attend the festive Liturgy.
It is important that believers feel divine grace in the temple
But it is not so important to celebrate the bright feast of the Nativity of Christ in a large spiritual monastery or a small church. It is important that believers feel divine grace in the temple. An example of such a temple is the temple of Sergius of Radonezh in the village of Oktyabrsky, Perm Region. The village itself has an 80-year history, but there was no temple of its own.
By the grace of God, the inhabitants of the village improved the territory on which a small temple complex and on Christmas Eve 2006 rector Fr. Andrei (Vorobiev) conducted the first Christmas service. The place is glorious with a holy spring, to which an increasing number of believers come from year to year.
The exact timetable for holding the Christmas service in 2019 is drawn up and determined in advance by the rector of the church in accordance with the main instructions of the Patriarchal Service.
On January 7, Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas, Catholics celebrate Christmas on December 25, and for them, in the Christmas service in 2019, the address of Queen Elizabeth 2 of England is significant.
For royal family The queen's Christmas address is a traditional gesture, more for organizing the outward trappings of the holiday than for a spiritual farewell.
Christmas is a special holiday. And the service on this day is special. In many churches, but not everywhere, the festive service is performed at night. How to celebrate Christmas in order not only to feel the festive mood, but also to experience this event together with the Church - this was told in an interview by the abbot of the Kiev Trinity Ioninsky Monastery, Bishop of Obukhovsky Jonah (Cherepanov).
1. If possible, attend all statutory festive services.
I want to emphasize that you must be at the festive all-night vigil. During this service, in fact, Christ, who was born in Bethlehem, is glorified. The liturgy is a divine service that practically does not change on one or another holiday. The main liturgical texts, the main hymns that explain the event remembered on this day and set us up on how to properly celebrate the holiday, are sung and read in the temple during Vespers and Matins.
It should also be said that the Christmas service begins the day before - on Christmas Eve. On the morning of January 6, Christmas Vespers is served in the churches (the exception is the days when Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, as this year. In this case, the Divine Liturgy is served in the morning current day, and after it - Vespers. — ). It sounds strange: Vespers is in the morning, but this is a necessary deviation from the Rule of the Church. Previously, Vespers began in the afternoon and continued with the Liturgy of Basil the Great, at which people took communion. The whole day of January 6 before this service was a particularly strict fast, people did not eat food at all, preparing to take communion. After dinner, Vespers began, and Communion was already at dusk. And soon after this came the solemn Christmas matins, which began to be served on the night of January 7th.
But now, since we have become weaker and weaker, solemn Vespers is celebrated on the 6th in the morning and ends with the Liturgy of Basil the Great.
Therefore, those who want to celebrate the Nativity of Christ correctly, according to the charter, following the example of our ancestors - ancient Christians, saints, should, if work allows, on the eve of Christmas, on January 6, at the morning service. On Christmas itself, you should come to Great Compline and Matins and, of course, to the Divine Liturgy.
2. Getting ready to go on night service, worry in advance about not wanting to sleep so much.
In Athos monasteries, in particular, in Dohiar, Archimandrite Gregory, the abbot of the Dochiar monastery, always says that it is better to close your eyes for a while in the temple, if you completely overcame a dream, than to retire to rest in a cell, thus leaving the service.
You know that in the temples on the Holy Mountain there are special wooden chairs with armrests - stasidia, on which you can sit or stand, reclining the seat and leaning on special handles. It must also be said that on Athos, in all the monasteries, the brethren in full force are necessarily present at all divine services of the daily circle. Absence from duty is a fairly serious deviation from the rules. Therefore, leaving the temple during the service is possible only as a last resort.
In our realities, you can’t sleep in the temple, but this is not necessary. On Athos, all services begin at night - at 2, 3 or 4 o'clock. And in our churches, services are not daily, liturgies at night are generally a rarity. Therefore, in order to go out for a night prayer, you can prepare in completely ordinary everyday ways.
For example, be sure to sleep the night before the service. While Eucharistic fasting allows, drink coffee. Since the Lord has given us such fruits that invigorate, then we need to use them.
But if sleep begins to overcome during the night service, I think it would be more correct to go out, make several circles around the temple with the Jesus Prayer. This short walk will definitely refresh and give strength to continue to be in the attention.
3. Fast properly. “Until the first star” means not to starve, but to attend the service.
Where did the custom of not eating food on Christmas Eve, January 6, "until the first star" come from? As I have already said, before Christmas Vespers began in the afternoon, passed into the liturgy of Basil the Great, which ended when, indeed, stars already appeared in the sky. After the liturgy, the charter permitted the eating of a meal. That is, “up to the first star” meant, in fact, until the end of the liturgy.
But over time, when the liturgical circle was isolated from the life of Christians, when people began to treat worship services rather superficially, this grew into some kind of custom completely divorced from practice and reality. People do not go to the service, and do not take communion on January 6, but at the same time they are starving.
When people ask me how to fast on Christmas Eve, I usually say this: if you were present in the morning at Christmas Vespers and at the Liturgy of Basil the Great, then you are blessed to eat food, as it should be according to the Rule, after the end of the Liturgy. That is, during the day.
But if you decide to dedicate this day to cleaning the premises, preparing 12 dishes, and so on, then, please, eat after the “first star”. Since you did not bear the feat of prayer, at least bear the feat of fasting.
Regarding how to fast before Communion, if it is at a night service, then by, the liturgical fast (that is, complete abstinence from food and water) in this case is 6 hours. But this is not directly formulated anywhere, and there are no clear instructions in the charter how many hours before communion one should not eat.
On an ordinary Sunday, when a person is preparing for Communion, it is customary not to eat food after midnight. But if you are going to take communion at the nightly Christmas service, then it would be right not to eat food somewhere after 21.00.
In any case, it is better to coordinate this issue with the confessor.
4. Find out about the date and time of confession and agree in advance. In order not to spend the entire festive service in line.
The issue of confession at the Christmas service is purely individual, because each church has its own customs and traditions. It is easy to talk about confession in monasteries or those churches where there are a large number of serving priests. But if there is one priest serving in the church, and there are a majority of them, then it is best, of course, to agree with the priest in advance, when it is convenient for him to confess you. It is better to go to confession on the eve of the Christmas service, so that during the service you think not about whether you will have time or not, but about how to really worthily meet the coming of Christ the Savior into the world.
5. Don't trade worship and prayer for 12 meatless dishes. This tradition is neither evangelical nor liturgical.
I am often asked how to connect the presence at the services on Christmas Eve and Christmas with the tradition of a feast on Christmas Eve, when 12 Lenten dishes are specially prepared. I will say right away that the tradition of "12 straves" is somewhat mysterious for me. Christmas, like Epiphany Christmas Eve, is a fasting day, moreover, a day of strict fasting. According to the charter, boiled food without oil and wine are put on this day. How you can cook 12 different Lenten dishes without using oil is a mystery to me.
In my opinion, the "12 Straves" is a folk custom that has nothing to do with either the Gospel, or the liturgical charter, or the liturgical tradition. Orthodox Church. Unfortunately, in the media on the eve of Christmas in in large numbers materials appear in which attention is focused on some dubious pre-Christmas and post-Christmas traditions, eating certain dishes, fortune-telling, festivities, caroling, and so on - all that husk, which is often very far from the true meaning of the great holiday of the advent of our Redeemer into the world .
I am always very hurt by the profanation of holidays, when their meaning and significance are reduced to one or another ritual that has developed in a particular locality. We have to hear that such things as traditions are needed for people who are not yet particularly churched in order to somehow interest them. But you know, in Christianity all the same better people give immediately benign food, not fast food. Still, it is better for a person to recognize Christianity immediately from the gospel, from the traditional patristic Orthodox position, than from some kind of “comics”, even if consecrated by folk customs.
In my opinion, many folk rituals associated with a particular holiday, these are comics on the topic of Orthodoxy. They have practically nothing to do with the meaning of the holiday, or with the gospel event.
6. Don't turn Christmas into a culinary feast. This day is, first of all, spiritual joy. And it is not good for health to leave the fast with a plentiful feast.
Again, it's all about priorities. If it is a priority for someone to sit at a rich table, then all day on the eve of the holiday, including when the festive vespers are already being performed, the person is preparing various meats, Russian salads and other magnificent dishes.
If it is more important for a person to meet the born Christ, then he, first of all, goes to worship, and already in his free time he prepares what he has enough time for.
In general, it is strange that it is considered obligatory on the day of the holiday to sit and absorb various plentiful dishes. It is neither medically nor spiritually useful. It turns out that we fasted throughout Lent, missed the Christmas Vespers and the Liturgy of Basil the Great - and all this in order to just sit down and eat. You can do it at any other time...
I will tell you how the festive meal is prepared in our monastery. Usually, at the end of the night services (on Easter and Christmas), the brethren are offered a small breaking of the fast. As a rule, it is cheese, cottage cheese, hot milk. That is, something that does not require special efforts in preparation. And in the afternoon, a more festive meal is being prepared.
7. Sing to God intelligently. Prepare for the service - read about it, find the translation, the texts of the psalms.
There is a saying: knowledge is power. And, indeed, knowledge gives strength not only in moral terms, but also literally - in the physical. If a person at one time worked hard to study Orthodox worship, to delve into its essence, if he knows what is happening in the church at the moment, then for him the issue of standing for a long time, fatigue is not worth it. He lives in the spirit of worship, he knows what follows what. For him, the service is not divided into two parts, as it happens: “What is in the service now?” - "Well, they sing." - "And now?" - "Well, they read." For most people, unfortunately, the service is divided into two parts: when they sing and when they read.
Knowledge of the service gives an understanding that at a certain moment of the service, you can sit down and sit and listen to what is being sung and read. The liturgical charter in some cases allows, and in some even orders to sit. This is, in particular, the time of reading psalms, hours, kathisma, stichera on "Lord, cry out." That is, there are many moments of service when you can sit. And, in the words of one saint, it is better to think about God while sitting than standing about your feet.
Many believers act very practical, taking light folding benches with them. Indeed, in order not to rush to the benches to take seats at the right time, or not to “occupy” the seats, standing next to them for the entire service, it would be better to take a special bench with you and sit down on it at the right time.
Do not be embarrassed by sitting during the service. Not the Sabbath for man, but man for the Sabbath. Still, at some moments it is better to sit down, especially if your legs hurt, and while sitting attentively listen to the service, than to suffer, suffer and look at the clock when it all ends.
In addition to taking care of your legs, take care of food for the mind in advance. You can buy special books or find and print materials about the festive service on the Internet - interpretation and texts with translations.
I definitely recommend that you also find the Psalter translated into your native language(we recommend finding and downloading translations of psalms on the net. - Note. editions " Kievan Rus» ). The reading of psalms is an integral part of any Orthodox worship, and the psalms are very beautiful both melodically and stylistically. In the temple they are read on Church Slavonic, but even a church-going person finds it difficult to perceive all their beauty by ear. Therefore, in order to understand what is being sung about at the moment, you can find out in advance, before the service, which psalms will be read during this service. This really needs to be done in order to “sing with understanding to God,” in order to feel the beauty of psalmody.
Many believe that it is impossible to follow the liturgy in the church according to the book - you need to pray together with everyone. But one does not exclude the other: follow the book and pray, in my opinion, this is one and the same thing. Therefore, do not be embarrassed to take literature with you to the service. You can take a blessing from the priest for this in advance in order to cut off unnecessary questions and comments.
8. Temples are overcrowded on holidays. Have pity on your neighbor - put candles on or venerate the icon another time.
Many, coming to the temple, believe that lighting a candle is the duty of every Christian, that sacrifice to God that must be made. But since Christmas service much more crowded than a regular service, then there is some difficulty with setting candles, including because the candlesticks are overcrowded.
The tradition of bringing candles to the temple has ancient roots. Previously, as we know, Christians took everything necessary for the liturgy from home with them: bread, wine, candles to illuminate the church. And this, indeed, was their feasible sacrifice.
Now the situation has changed and the setting of candles has lost its original meaning. For us, this is more a reminder of the first centuries of Christianity.
The candle is our visible sacrifice to God. It has a symbolic meaning: before God, like this candle, we must burn with an even, bright, smokeless flame.
This is also our sacrifice to the temple, because we know - from Old Testament that people in ancient times necessarily paid tithes for the maintenance of the Temple and the priests serving under it. And in the New Testament Church this tradition was continued. We know the words of the apostle that those who serve the altar eat from the altar. And the money that we leave by purchasing a candle is our sacrifice.
But in such cases, when the temples are overcrowded, when whole torches of candles burn on the candlesticks, and they are all passed and passed, it may be more correct to put the amount that you wanted to spend on candles in the donation box than to embarrass the brothers with manipulations with candles and sisters praying nearby.
9. When bringing children to the night service, be sure to ask them if they want to be in the temple now.
If you have small children or elderly relatives, then go with them to the liturgy in the morning.
This practice has developed in our monastery. At night at 23:00, Great Compline begins, followed by Matins, which turns into Liturgy. The liturgy ends at about half past five in the morning, so the service lasts about five and a half hours. This is not so much - the usual all-night vigil every Saturday lasts 4 hours - from 16.00 to 20.00.
And our parishioners who have small children or elderly relatives pray at night at Compline and at Matins, after Matins they go home, rest, sleep, and in the morning come to Liturgy by 9.00 with small children or with those people who, for health reasons, could not attend the night service.
If you decide to bring the children to the temple at night, then, it seems to me, the main criterion for attending such long services should be the desire of the children themselves to come to this service. No violence or coercion is allowed!
You know, there are status things for a child, which are the criteria of adulthood for him. Such, for example, as the first confession, the first visit to the night service. If he really asks adults to take him with them, then in this case this must be done.
It is clear that the child will not be able to stand attentively for the entire service. To do this, take some kind of soft bedding for him, so that when he gets tired, you can put him in a corner to sleep and wake him up before communion. But so that the child is not deprived of this joy of night service.
It is very touching to see when children come with their parents to the service, they stand joyful, with sparkling eyes, because the night service is very significant and unusual for them. Then gradually they subside, turn sour. And now, passing through the side aisle, you see children lying side by side, immersed in the so-called "liturgical" dream.
How much the child can stand - so much can stand. But to deprive him of such joy is not worth it. However, I repeat once again, getting into this service should be the desire of the child himself. So that Christmas would be associated for him only with love, only with the joy of the born baby Christ.
10. Be sure to take communion!
Coming to the temple, we often worry that we didn’t have time to light candles or didn’t venerate some kind of icon. But that's not what you need to think about. We need to worry about how often we unite with Christ.
It is our duty at divine services to pray attentively and, as often as possible, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. The temple, first of all, is the place where we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. This is what we must do.
And, indeed, attending the liturgy without communion is meaningless. Christ calls: “Take, eat,” and we turn away and leave. The Lord says, "Drink from the Cup of Life, all of you," and we don't want to. Does the word "everything" have any other meaning? The Lord does not say: drink 10% of me - those who were preparing. He says: drink from me all! If we come to the liturgy and do not receive communion, then this is a liturgical violation.
INSTEAD OF AFTERWORD. What basic condition is necessary to feel the joy of a long all-night service?
It is necessary to realize WHAT many years ago happened on this day. That "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth." That “no one has ever seen God; The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed. That an event of such a cosmic scale took place, which has never happened before, and will not happen after.
God, the Creator of the universe, the Creator of the infinite cosmos, the Creator of our earth, the Creator of man as a perfect creature, the Almighty, who commands the movement of the planets, the entire cosmic system, the existence of life on earth, Whom no one has ever seen, and only a few in the entire history of mankind have been able to see only part of the manifestation of some kind of His power… And this God became a man, a baby, completely defenseless, small, subject to everything, including the possibility of murder. And this is all for us, for each of us.
There is a wonderful expression: God became a man so that we become gods. If we understand this - that each of us got the opportunity to become a god by grace - then the meaning of this holiday will be revealed to us. If we are aware of the scale of the event we are celebrating, what happened on this day, then all culinary delights, caroling, round dances, dressing up and fortune-telling will seem to us a trifle and a husk that is completely not worth our attention. We will be absorbed in the contemplation of God, the Creator of the universe, lying in a manger next to the animals in a simple barn. This will exceed everything.
Prepared by Julia Kominko
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 is very personal for everyone. Orthodox person celebration. 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 eternal life thanks 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's in Soviet time it was replaced by five-pointed and red. 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. 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 of 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
Nobody knew 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 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.
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