On the Eve of the great feast of the Nativity, in the media there is a lot of information about how the Orthodox Russians spend the Holy night of January 6 and how to prepare for it. One gets the impression that these rules somewhere fixed, and all the believers perform them, or at least strive to do.
Coming into the world of God – Creator of heaven and earth, the visible and the invisible world – an event of universal scale. In the Bible there is a story: Ilya, whom we now honor for the great prophet, was persecuted by the Israelis. In a moment of despair he turned to God for help. And he was given this response: “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And behold the Lord passes, and a great and strong wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord but not the Lord of wind; after the wind an earthquake, but not in the earthquake the Lord; and after the earthquake a fire, but not in the fire Lord; and after the fire a still small voice, and there the Lord”.
No One has ever seen the Creator of all things, because He never appeared in a tangible form. One time He came into the world a man – a weak and helpless baby, who had to hide, because he could be killed. In the Holy supper the Lord came to the people, to show that he loves them, not in Him a single drop of evil that He understands their hardships, dangers, and temptations. Whatever we were, He will save everyone and will help those who needs His help and asks for it. All newborns of helplessness similar to each other. The Lord came into the world a baby has given each of us to understand, and the Nativity of Christ has confirmed that he separates Himself from us, that created us all in His image and likeness.
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The Humanized God in Jesus Christ we celebrate on 6 January after sunrise in the sky the first star. For Orthodox – it is a joyful and Holy night. Congratulations and gifts are prepared in advance for him. Often the symbols of Christmas. The story of the birth of the Divine child described in the gospel, popular rumor and talented writers painted a touching detail, which is sometimes given mystical and superstitious sense.
In the Holy night before dark people start to go outside and watch the sky. It is considered bad luck to look out this day from the window. Christians are looking for the first star, and when he accepted to rejoice, to congratulate each other on a holiday, then hurry back home to the family table to begin the festive meal.
What is the Holy night? The traditions of his changed and changing still. There are reasons for this. Before the separation of the churches Catholic and Orthodox, Christmas is celebrated in the spring in may. In the fourth century Pope Julius I moved the celebration to winter time. Before transferring to the Julian calendar to the Gregorian in Russia, Christmas is celebrated before New year. This holiday was more meaningful, but the Soviet government quashed it.
The Orthodox have begun to prepare for Christmas in advance. Not only that, they diligently attended Church services, fasting and doing charity work, they also pre-planned what to cook on Christmas eve. Believers specially fattened livestock – geese, chickens, calves and pigs, churn butter, to gratify his generous family feast this holiday.
Changing the calendar, Communist rule, the decline of Orthodox culture – all this was destroyed by the Patriarchal traditions of our ancestors. The Church changed the order of worship, and in the last year or two was allowed in the most restrictive period of the Nativity fast, which lasts only one week, to eat fish, vegetable oil and alcohol. The priests explain this by the fact that modern humans are much weaker than their ancestors, and Christmas table, and a table on the Holy night, is not without these products.
From this point of view very difficult to accept. After all, our contemporaries to restore the destroyed temples, built churches and resumed worship. And this despite the severe trials that have befallen our nation in recent decades. Whatever it was, and all Christians love and every year I look forward to when the Holy night. Traditions have changed and are changing constantly, but if you understand the sacred meaning of Christmas, that any changes will not be able to overshadow this holiday. But the changes that are associated with Christmas, the history of Christianity knows so much.
In former times, before the changes that came with the revolution of 1917, the Orthodox churches and monasteries all day with small breaks during worship. Now they have decreased significantly. The monks and priests there is no tradition to eat only after the rising of the stars. And this is understandable. If in an average strip of Russia, in Holy evening's first star appears in the interval from 17 to 18 hours, inthe polar regions at this time of year the polar night lasts. The clergy on this day, like others, taste your food before communion. Well, since January 6, prescribed a strict fast, then after communion they strengthen their forces only sochivo (meager meal). A festive meal is arranged for the next day – 7 January.
Laymen very rarely the whole pre-holiday spend in the temples to worship, as they await the appearance of the first star. Up to this point, Christians do not allow themselves to even eat poppy-seed.
Sochivo – raw grains or beans are soaked in water. In pre-Petrine times in Russia the most common grain was amaranth. Peter the great forbade its cultivation, so as to introduce new crops. Today amaranth can be found in stores. This is a useful grits can again become the basis for sochivo. In wealthy parishes and monasteries to the sochivo add honey and vegetable milk – ceramic pots porcelain pestle grind poppy seeds, hemp or nut and add a small amount of water. This is the vegetable milk. The laity at the Christmas table is always a dish of sochivo. His first taste of all the holiday dishes.
Generally, any strict fast strict fast involves, and no more than once a day. And the Holy supper on Christmas eve – a time of strict fasting. Under the amended canons of strict Orthodox Christmas fast begins in the last week and captures the New year. Neither the fish nor the oil (oil) in this period is impossible.
It is Amazing to read recipes 12 dishes on the Holy night, which is designed in accordance with lean standards, that is, without oil, and heat treatment. If you participate in this day, in the prescribed worship, when to prepare two feasts – lean and skoromnogo? By the way, food without oil, and heat treatment is eaten by the faithful during the long lent, the feast can't cause joyful feelings. Those who observe fasting, this will not be able to disagree. But why spend time and effort on a large Lenten feast, if by Christmas, specially fattened and slaughtered the cattle? Also interested in the question of when and who needs to cook holiday meals Ferial? If tricky and make two large table, whether there will be a time for spiritual preparation for the holiday?
The People to the worship of Christ in the times when Christmas was banned, did the following. After visiting the temple, if the area itself was, people were preparing a small, but hearty 12 dishes. On the Holy night, at the table going all family members. And after the rising of the star, congratulating each other on the occasion and blessed the gifts, they proceeded to the feast. On the table there were sochivo, as a tribute to ritual, and in addition, jellied pork or beef, meat salad, mushrooms in sour cream, roast poultry, boiled potatoes with butter, cold cuts, cheese, cake, candy, bread and wine – that is, 12 courses.
What to cook on Christmas eve in every family decided in their own way. The main thing that it was tasty and welcome. Next day – January 7, was a worker, and ask for time off or day off, meant to cause big trouble for themselves and their families. The close circle of relatives gathered together in the Holy supper, speeches, and gifts did a family more cohesive and friendly. After all, this holiday was impossible to congratulate on the phone and to send mail.
Whether you want to cook meatless meals on the Holy night of January 6? Those who conscientiously refrain for 40 days will not be happy to be at the table, on which lies ritual hay and placed plates with twelve meatless dishes. It may be that the Lord Himself would have accepted it for the senseless bigotry. Why fast after the fast was over?
If you recall the Gospel parable of the miracle in Cana of Galilee, it becomes clear that Jesus Christ was no stranger to worldly pleasures and loved when big holidays are celebrated and fun and widely. Maybe meatless meals on the Holy night, preparing those who could not resist the worldly temptations of the previous forty days? It is no secret that a lot of churched people their rejection of fasting is explained by the weakness of the health. This is the answer in the old Testament book of Daniel about the four young men, who, eating only raw vegetables and water, stronger health and sharper mind than those who ate fast food.
Is There any sense in the posts? Please refer to the history. After Jesus Christ was baptized, He retired into the desert, where in solitude preparing for the missions for which they came into this world. For 40 days He was tempted by the devil, but did not succumb to his provocations and promises. All this time the Lord prayed, and ate only wild honey and locusts. We also have different kinds of temptation, but by God's Providence we are given great power to resist them. Lonely man – nothing. In Union with God through baptism and communion, prayer and fasting, hebecomes similar to the Creator. It should be understood. If you understand the meaning of the humanization of God, if we understand his earthly life described in the gospel, then baptism, communion, fasting and prayer find a simple and clear meaning. We are baptized in order to tell the Creator that deliberately, of their own free will, choose His own guides. Partake with the aim to connect with God in flesh and blood. Happy Christmas, because you got the opportunity to join the Creator and escape from the darkness of worldly misery and suffering.
Post before Christmas – our feat, thanks to God. If He is to save us sacrificed His only begotten Son, Himself, are we not able to bring Him a sacrifice of his worldly addictions? Yes, it's hard, much harder than to give the money to charity. For the generous praise around, but if you are fasting, then no one will notice. The pride that will not amuse. That this is the meaning of abstinence. Post – personal contact with God. He alone can evaluate your efforts. He alone understands how hard you little and eating poorly, limiting yourself in all the pleasures not to go with a sad look, and to work hard and have good spirits.
Everything changes. It is sad, if you imagine that in Orthodox Russia, as in Catholic countries, abolish advent and Christmas eve gala dinner will not be supplemented by another happy – with eating beef aspic, roast suckling pig with horseradish, baked goose with apples and cranberries and sponge cake with chocolate cream and whipped cream. Who retains and maintains the Patriarchal establishment, he knows that after a long abstinence and restraint of the flesh merry Christmas commotion brings with what incomparable pleasure.
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TR: https://tostpost.com/tr/ruhsal-geli-im/30873-kutsal-gece-noel-12-ki-ilik-kutsal-gece.html
Alin Trodden - author of the article, editor
"Hi, I'm Alin Trodden. I write texts, read books, and look for impressions. And I'm not bad at telling you about it. I am always happy to participate in interesting projects."
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