When do people go to church on Christmas Day? Night service at Christmas - how to "hold out"

Christmas is a special holiday. The preparation lasts the whole post, and incl. the last few days. It is especially important to be able to prepare for the service on the day of the holiday itself. Or rather, at night… After all, in many of our churches the Liturgy (and it happens that both Great Compline and Matins) is served precisely at night.

How not to be frightened by the difficulties of a real “all-night vigil” and feel the joy of the holiday at a long Christmas service - we have already written about this: Night service at Christmas - how to “endure”?

Read the advice of the archpastor on how to prepare for the Christmas service, set yourself up for a long service and spend time in the church with dignity.

If possible, attend all statutory festive services. I want to emphasize that you must be at the festive all-night vigil ....

The service on the feast of the Nativity of Christ begins late in the evening of January 6th. Usually at 11 o'clock after midnight in all Orthodox churches a special festive service is performed, which lasts until approximately 3-4 o'clock in the morning.

On the feast of the Nativity of Christ, on the night of the event, an all-night vigil, the Hours, and the Divine Liturgy of John Chrysostom are served. The All-Night Vigil begins not with the usual Vespers, but with Compline. Most of the liturgical texts of this service are proofread. However, at Christmas Compline there is a main solemn festive chant. It includes singing in chorus of verses from the prophetic book of Isaiah that God himself is present with people today, who is great and strong. The Lord is called in this hymn the Father of the future age. This hymn begins with the words "God is with us, understand the nations and repent, for God is with us." The holiday chant itself is briefly named after the first words of Isaiah's prophecy - "God is with us."

On major holidays, the so-called Twelve, every Orthodox Christian tries to visit the church and take part in the solemn divine service.

Are there long services in Orthodox churches?

On holidays, even the smallest temples and chapels open their doors to believers. Services, with short breaks, go one after another. They sometimes start very early, even before seven in the morning, and end after midnight. There are plenty of people. It is very difficult for an unaccustomed person to spend the whole day in church. Even those who are churched, and they do not always defend all services. But the Byzantine tradition assumed round-the-clock service to God, without interruptions. For a long time in Russia, the rites of liturgies were preserved, which lasted for 8-10 hours. Gradually, the readings of prayers, canons and Holy Scripture were significantly reduced, now even the longest service does not last longer than three to five hours. After it, a break is made, followed by another, laid down according to the rule.

As everybody…

Christmas is a special holiday. And the service on this day is special. Or rather, at night… After all, in many of our churches the Liturgy (and it happens that both Great Compline and Matins) is served precisely at night. How not to be frightened by the difficulties of a real “all-night vigil” and feel the joy of the holiday at a long Christmas service - this was told in an interview for the Nachalo magazine by the abbot of the Kiev Trinity Ioninsky Monastery, Bishop of Obukhovsky IONA (CHEREPANOV).

Where did the expression “do not eat before the first star” come from, and to whom does this establishment not apply? How many hours before Communion should you not eat? If all the days on the eve of Christmas are Lenten, then when should you take the time to prepare dishes for the festive table?

The answers to these and many other questions...

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 as an 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 Easter. In order to properly prepare for it, you need to find out when Christmas 2016 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 to gather in large ...

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).

*** 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 also needs to be said that the Christmas service begins…

Orthodox Christmas service from January 6 to 7 takes place in churches and temples around the world. Christmas services begin on January 6 in the morning, end at 1-3 am on the 7th, but sometimes already at dawn, with Liturgy with carol chants ... On Christmas Eve, parishioners go to church for evening service, confess, take communion. The ministers in the church approximately know their arrival, the duration of the service depends on the number of people. Therefore, the start time is determined differently - the All-Night Vigil happens on the eve of major church holidays, the beginning in different Temples - from 17:00 to 23:00. Great Vespers (Great Compline) begins with chants, after which they sometimes confess almost until midnight, and then at 00:00 the nightly Christmas Liturgy, and sometimes vice versa, first the whole service, then confession and communion, there are no strict rules here - but all the Christmas service in large churches can last 6-8 hours, in small parishes 1.5-2 hours, on average, count on 3-4 ...

Nativity

January 6 - The Eve of the Nativity of Christ, or Christmas Eve - the last day of Advent, the eve of the Nativity of Christ. On this day, Orthodox Christians especially prepare for the upcoming holiday, the whole day is filled with a special festive mood. On the morning of Christmas Eve, at the end of the Liturgy and the evening after it, a candle is brought to the center of the church and the priests sing the troparion to the Nativity of Christ in front of it. The services and fasting of Christmas Eve have a number of features, so it is on these days that many questions come to our site about how to spend Christmas Eve correctly. We asked Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko to answer these questions.

- Father Alexander, the most frequently asked question by our readers is how to fast on Christmas Eve, until what time should one refrain from eating food? What does "post to the first star" mean? Is the measure of abstinence the same for those who work and those who do not work on this day? How long is fasting before communion?

At 9, the traditional Christmas evening service begins in all Orthodox churches on the evening of Christmas Eve on January 6th. Vespers take place at midnight. And the Christmas Liturgy itself has been celebrated since the morning of January 7th.

The evening Christmas service will begin in most churches at 5:00 p.m. today - AT on Christmas Eve, January 6th. At midnight, with a joyful exclamation "God is with us! In", an all-night vigil will take place.

The very same Christmas liturgy will be ruled on January 7 in some churches from nine in the morning, and in some from ten in the morning. It sings in full one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship B - the canon "Christ is born".

In Kyiv on Christmas, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr will serve the Christmas Liturgy at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. His Holiness Patriarch Filaret will hold a festive Liturgy at the Vladimir Cathedral.

In all churches on Christmas Eve - January 6 - lights are lit at nightfall. Traditionally, at 17:00, a service begins, during which mournful motives and calls for a worthy meeting of the born Savior are gradually replaced by joy and exultation over the birth of Christ.

At midnight, the all-night vigil begins in the churches with the joyful exclamation of the prophet Isaiah: “God is with us!”. And the Christmas liturgy itself is already ruled on January 7, traditionally it starts at 9:00. For the first time, the canon "Christ is born ..." is sung in full at it - one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship, during which believers venerate the icon of the Nativity of Christ.

So that you do not miss one of the most important Orthodox events of the year, we have compiled a list of churches that you can visit on Christmas Day, taking part in festive services.

KIEV-PECHERSK LAVRA

WHERE: Pechersky district, st. Lavrskaya, 25.

WHEN: Evening worship begins...

On January 7, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Nativity of Christ, the second most important twelfth holiday after Easter. On that night, the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, led a festive service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where thousands of believers gathered.

Festive services are held in all existing churches in Moscow, of which, together with chapels, there are more than 800. In total, there are more than 29 thousand parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the world.

Together with the Russian Orthodox Church, Christmas on the night of January 6-7 is celebrated by the Jerusalem, Serbian and Georgian Orthodox churches, as well as Athos monasteries, Eastern Rite Catholics (in particular, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) and some Protestants living according to the Julian calendar.

According to the charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the holiday is preceded by a multi-day Christmas fast, which begins on November 28 and lasts for 40 days until January 6 ...

Christmas post

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ on January 7 begins with a preparatory period. Forty days before the celebration of the event of the birth of our Lord, we begin the Advent fast, purifying our soul and body in order to properly enter the feast and participate in the great spiritual reality of Christ's coming. The period of the Nativity Fast is reflected in church life by a number of liturgical features that indicate the coming feast.

Christmas Eve

On the eve of January 6, Vespers takes place in all Orthodox churches, which usually follows the hours, directly begins the celebration, because, as we know, the liturgical day begins in the evening. The tone of the holiday is set by the five stichera on “Lord, I have called…” They are truly an explosion of joy about the gift of Christ's incarnation, which has now taken place. Eight biblical readings show that Christ was the fulfillment of all prophecies, that His Kingdom is the Kingdom of "all ages", that all ...

Christmas 2019 is celebrated on January 7th. This is a public holiday, an official day off. It is customary to celebrate in the family circle. In the Orthodox calendar, Christmas is one of the 12 main holidays of the annual liturgical cycle.

history of the holiday

In the Christian church in the II-IV centuries, Christmas was celebrated on January 6th. The holiday was called Epiphany and was associated with the Baptism of the Lord. In the 4th century, the celebration of Christmas was moved to December 25th. After switching from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1918, the Orthodox Church began to celebrate it on January 7th.

During the Soviet period, the celebration of Christmas was forbidden. Customs spread only in a narrow circle of people. Their guardians were patriarchs and, to some extent, residents of the countryside. Many adherents of religious practices were persecuted. The traditions of the Nativity of Christ began to be revived only in the 90s of the twentieth century.

Traditions and rituals for Christmas

The Christmas season begins with…

Holy Annunciation Cathedral

Blagoveshchenskaya Square, 1,

Kharkiv, 61003, tel.: 712-47-37, tel. 777-00-83

16:00 pm

06:30 liturgy

08:30 liturgy

Holy Intercession Monastery

st. University, 8/10,

Kharkiv, 61003, phone: 731-50-30

17:00 pm

00:00 liturgy

07:00 liturgy

09:00 liturgy

Church of the 2000th Anniversary of the Nativity of Christ

Ave. Scientific, 65,

Kharkov, tel.: 343-74-26

16:00 pm

08:00 liturgy

Holy Dormition Cathedral

st. University, 11,

Kharkiv, 61003

St. Panteleimon Church

st. Klochkovskaya, 94, Kharkov,

tel.: 705-15-07, 705-15-06

16:00 pm

Christmas Eve is a holiday that repeats year after year. It falls on Christmas Eve and is associated with church as well as folk traditions and customs.

When is it customary to celebrate Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is celebrated in many countries, because this day is considered significant by the entire Christian church. Since Christmas is a non-transferable holiday (that is, its date does not change annually), Christmas Eve is also always celebrated on the same day. But the dates of the Catholic and Orthodox Christmas Eve differ, as do the dates on which it is customary to celebrate Christmas.

Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Eve on January 6 (and Christmas, respectively, on the 7th). Catholics celebrate it on December 24, on the eve of Catholic Christmas on the 25th. In 2019, Christmas Eve 6 January falls on a Sunday.

Christmas Eve 2019: how to celebrate

So, how to set yourself up for a long service and spend time in the temple with dignity?

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 in connection with the holidays. 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 are celebrated in churches. It sounds strange: Vespers is in the morning, but this is a necessary deviation from the Rule of the Church. Vespers used to begin in the afternoon and continue…

Christmas Day January 7

On January 7, the Orthodox of Ukraine celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Christ. In general, the holidays of the Christmas cycle begin in Ukraine on January 2, on the day of Ignat.

The girls carefully tidy up the house. By January 4, the day of Anastasia, the house should be festively cleaned. It is on this day that everything is prepared for the preparation of the future festive dinner. Often a pig was pricked on Anastasia, that is, they carried out a “fresh”. And, in the end, - the culmination of the holiday - Christmas Eve or, in other words, Rich Kutia (January 6).

According to tradition, each member of the family should be at home this evening, and you should not be late for the festive table, since it is believed that you will wander all year round. During dinner, you can not leave the table and talk loudly.

The festive table should amaze with its diversity, but we must not forget that fasting is still ongoing, so lovers of a glass will have to wait a bit.

The main dish on the table…

The day of intense preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Christ is considered to be Christmas Eve - the eve of the great holiday, which occurs on January 7 for Orthodox Christians. According to strict rules, believers are advised to refuse food until the first star. Only when the first star appears - the symbol of the star of Bethlehem - can you taste sochivo (lean dish, which is most often prepared from wheat or rice with honey and fruits). Hence the name of this day - Christmas Eve.

The 40-day Advent fast and intense prayer brought Orthodox people closer to the great celebration. However, the ancient Christians did not know him; for them, the Resurrection of Christ overshadowed Christmas. At the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 4th centuries, Christians began to celebrate Christmas and the Epiphany of the Savior on the same day - January 6 according to the Julian calendar. By the way, this tradition is preserved by the Armenian Apostolic Church. And only in the middle of the 4th century did the Christmas holiday separate from Epiphany and began to be celebrated by the Roman Church on December 25th ...

The feast of the Nativity of Christ is one of the greatest Christian holidays, which the Church celebrates especially solemnly. The culmination of the festive preparation is the evening before Christmas - a day of vigil, prayer and fasting. Holy Evening has not only deep church services, but, above all, our people are rich in symbolic rituals and customs, some of which date back to pre-Christian times, says Yulia KOTSAN.

“The time for our salvation has already come.
Get ready, nativity scene, because the Virgin will soon give birth "
(Stichera of Vespers of the Last Supper)

The history of the celebration of the evening on the eve of the Nativity of Christ dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. The eve of the feast of the Nativity has a separate divine service called the Great, or Royal Hours, which was compiled by the Jerusalem Patriarch Sofroniy, where the main prophecies regarding the promised Messiah are collected in the psalms and readings of the prophets from the Old Testament. Reading from the Holy Gospel...

A holy holiday for all people - Christmas - comes on the night of January 6-7. On this most important day for Christians, services are held in all Orthodox churches. Christmas is considered the quietest and most family holiday. Usually the whole family gathers at the table, relatives and guests are invited. Once upon a time, on the day of the Nativity of Christ, anyone could enter your house - the doors were open to everyone. Now the traditions have changed a little, today it’s no longer possible to just come to the house of a complete stranger. Although there is an old belief that under the guise of a beggar, Jesus Christ himself can enter the house. GolosUA learned about the traditions, customs and signs of the Nativity of Christ from clergymen and historians.

Door to blissful eternity

“The Christmas holiday is preceded by a long Christmas fast. Fasting is the most important preparation for the Christmas holidays. In Post, a person can delve into thoughts about what place ...

On January 7, on the first Monday of 2019, Orthodox Christians will celebrate one of the most important holidays - Christmas. Unlike Easter, this day did not immediately become a holiday - all because it is not customary in Jewish culture to honor a birthday. But over time, he took a separate place in the Christian calendar and is considered almost as important a holiday as the Resurrection of Christ.

Modern culture perceives Christmas for the most part as an additional day off, which in Russia becomes part of the New Year holidays. This is an occasion to please loved ones with gifts, go on vacation or just stay at home with your family. But every year more and more people are turning to traditions and celebrating Christmas the way our ancestors did 50, 100, 200 years ago - and it's not just about going to a festive service.

Quiet pre-Christmas evenings at the laid table, with a lit candle and waiting for the first star - this also has its own charm. The warmth that...

On January 6, at 12 o'clock in the morning, a solemn service begins in Orthodox churches, and on January 7, it is customary to congratulate friends and relatives on the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ.
Christmas Eve was called "Christmas Eve", and the word comes from the ritual food eaten on this day - juicy, porridge from red wheat or barley, rye, buckwheat, mixed with honey and with almond and poppy juice. Food on Christmas Eve has long been impossible take up to the first star, in memory of the Bethlehem star, which announced to the Magi and the Nativity of the Savior. And with the onset of twilight, when the first star lit up, they sat down at the table and shared the hosts, wishing each other all the best and bright. However, it was impossible to eat everything in a row, not only until the first star, but also later - the fact is that the Christmas meal, although it announces the end of the 40-day Filippov fast, is in fact its finale. The rules of conduct on Christmas Eve are more than one hundred years old , and in recent years, no one has come up with anything new ....

Liturgical instructions for January 6, 2019 Sunday. Prefeast of the Nativity of Christ. For the evening of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas Eve). Prmc. Evgenii.

Prmc service. Eugenia does not have a festive sign, it is performed together with the service of the forefeast.

Calendar Notes:

On this day, the 1st hour is not added to the morning, but the hours for the supper are celebrated separately and are pictorial. Blessed are read.
Liturgy of St. Basil the Great begins the great vespers. Entrance with the Gospel. Great prokeimenon, voice 7: "Who is great God, like our God ...". Reading parimias with singing refrains. Instead of "Worthy" - "Rejoices in You ...".
After the dismissal of the liturgy, the clergy sing the troparion and kontakion of the feast of the Nativity of Christ in front of the priest with a lighted candle.

The order of readings, according to the calendar:

At Vespers Kathisma 15th.

On “Lord, I have called” stichera at 6: fore-feasts, tone 5 - 3, and venerable martyrs, tone 8-3. “Glory, and now” - fore-feasts, tone 2: “Behold the time ...

Prefeast of Christmas

January 2the beginning of the feast of the Nativity of Christ, which lasts until January 6th.
In theselast days of fasting - co2 to 6January fasting intensifies: fish is forbidden on all days, food with butter is allowed only on Saturday and Sunday.

On Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve), January 6,the custom requires not to eat until the first evening star appears, after which it is customary to eat kolivo or sochivo - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins, in some areas boiled dry fruits with sugar are called sochivo. From the word "sochivo" comes the name of this day - Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve
Christmas carols

January 6 - Evening Christmas , or Christmas Eve, - last dayChristmas Lent , eve Christmas.

On this day, Orthodox Christians especially prepare for the upcoming holiday, the whole day is filled with a special festive mood.

In the morning on Christmas Eve, at the end of the Liturgy and the vespers following it, a candle is brought to the center of the church and the priests sing a troparion in front of itChristmas.

On the same day Christmas Eve fasting is no longer as strict as on the previous days of the strictest week Christmas Lent.

The service of Vespers is connected with the Liturgy, it is served in the morning, and thereforewe fast until the moment when a candle is brought into the center of the temple and a troparion to the Nativity of Christ is sung in front of the candle.

Many on this daycommune. It would be good if those who cannot be in the service in the temple, who work, honor this day with a more strict fast. We remember that, according to the Russian proverb, "A full belly is deaf to prayer." Therefore, a more strict fast prepares us for the coming joy of the holiday.

Those who take communion at the night Liturgy, according to church tradition, eat food for the last time at least six hours before the time of Communion, or from about 6 pm. And here it’s not about a specific number of hours, that you need to fast for 6 or 8 hours and not a minute less, but that a certain border is being established, a measure of abstinence,helping us to comply with the measure.

Sick people, of course, must fast to the extent that this is consistent with the intake of medicines and with the prescriptions of doctors. This is not about putting a weak person in a hospital, but about strengthening a person spiritually. Illness is already hard post and feat . And here a person should already try to determine the measure of fasting according to his own strength.

As a rule, believers try to meet Nativity at the nightly festive liturgy. But in many churches, Vespers and Liturgy are also served at the usual time - 5 pm and in the morning.

To attend a night service or a morning one - this must be looked at according to one's strength. Meeting the holiday at night is, of course, a special joy: both spiritual and spiritual. T ornate night services contribute to a deeper prayerful experience and perception of the Holiday.

The Apostle Paul commanded us« Always rejoice. Incessantly pray. In everything give thanks to the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).If we meet the holiday with joy, prayer and gratitude to God, then we fulfill the apostolic covenant.

In the Orthodox Church on eve, the hours calledRoyal, because from ancient times kings were present at this Divine service, worshiping the newbornKing of kings.

Royal clockbegin and take place at the open royal doors, in the midst of the temple, before the Gospel laid on the lectern, as if as a sign that nowSaviorno longer lurks, as once in the darkness of the den, but shines for all peoples. Before the Gospel, censer incense is burned, in remembrance of the incense and myrrh brought by the Magi to the newborn Christ.

the day itself Christmas in the flesh, as the most important and most solemn, in the Liturgical books of the Orthodox Churchcalled Easter, a three-day feast.

On this day, according to the voice of the Church,"All kinds of joys are filled. Angels rejoice in heaven, and people rejoice: the whole creation plays for the sake of the Savior of the Lord born in Bethlehem: like every flattery of idols, Christ reigns forever."

Christmas Eve - the evening meal on the eve of Christmasaccompanied by many traditions and rituals.

Cooked kutya from wheat, peas, rice, peeled barley. Seasoned with honey, poppy, hemp, sunflower or other vegetable oil. The grain was a symbol of resurrecting life, and honey or sweet seasoning meant the sweetness of the blessings of the future blessed life.

The order of eating was regulated by strict rules: first, appetizers (herring, fish, salads) were served, then red (slightly warmed) borscht, mushroom or fish soup. For borscht, mushroom soup, ears or pies with mushrooms were served, and for Orthodox sochni - flour cakes fried in hemp oil.

At the end of the meal, sweet dishes were served on the table: roll with poppy seeds, gingerbread, honey cakes, cranberry jelly, dried fruit compote (uzvar), apples, nuts.

The meal was non-alcoholic. All dishes were lean, fried and seasoned with vegetable oil, without a meat base, without milk and sour cream. Not submitteddishes so that the hostess is constantly at the table.

Traditional ritual and ceremonial dishes
KUTIA

KUTIA. Recipes kuti. Cooking kuti. TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN...

cooking a big family dinner. The whole family set the table.

There should be straw on the table (or hay, in memory of the nativity scene and manger),

and on the straw - a snow-white tablecloth.

It is clear that you cannot bring hay into modern apartments, and it is not so easy to get it in cities.

But recently, beautiful Christmas tablecloths with drawings of spruce paws and bells have appeared in stores.

They will also decorate your table very much.

Kutya is placed in the center.

Then other dishes: pancakes, fish, aspic, jelly, suckling pig, pig's head with horseradish, homemade sausage, roast, honey gingerbread, lomantsy with poppy seeds and honey, uzvar.

Drinks were also attached to this set, which already depended purely on the taste and capabilities of the owner.

Cooking recipes on Christmas, dishes, menu. Kulinar.ru - more than 95...

At the table, kutya should be eaten first, i.e. to start their dinner with them, each of those present at the table must eat at least one spoonful of kutya. According to the legends, then this person will live in health and prosperity for the entire coming year.

Christmas time

Holidays start with Christmas- holidays that lasted until Epiphany (January 19).All this time, Christmastide rites, fortune-telling, entertainment, walking mummers through the yards and streets took place. On Christmas early in the morning, before dawn, the rite of seeding the huts was held. The shepherd walked with a sack of oats and, entering the house, threw a handful of grain on all sides (scattered) with a sentence: "For the living, for the fruitful and for health."

At Christmas, the girls did not guess. There was a sign: if a strange woman enters the house first, the women in this family will be ill all day. In order to avoid any trouble, the peasants observed rather strict prohibitions. On Christmas Day, it was forbidden to engage in household chores. It was impossible to sew, otherwise someone in the family would go blind. You can’t weave bast shoes, otherwise you will be crooked. And you can’t hunt in the forest until Baptism itself, because then misfortune will happen to the hunter.

At noon, the whole family went to watch the sun play. If the sun plays, the dark forces hide from it in the cracks. And if the evil spirits nevertheless climbed into the house, then on this day a short council with her - scald the corners with boiling water, and sweep with a nettle broom.

The father took his son to the barn to the barn with grain. Before that, the heir was solemnly dressed up by the whole family. A sheepskin coat was girded with an embroidered belt, a fur hat was put on the head, and felt boots on the legs. The father raised his son over the barrels with grain, wanting him to grow faster and become an assistant in the household.

Second day of Christmas, which is called the Cathedral of the Virgin,dedicated to the glorification of the Mother of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Glorifying the Mother of God, the Church remembers the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt. It was caused by the fact that King Herod, having learned about the birth of Christ and the worship of the Magi, became angry and ordered all the babies to be beaten in Bethlehem, hoping to destroy the Savior as well. But an angel appeared to Joseph and told him to hide in Egypt. After the death of Herod, Joseph returned with his family and settled in Nazareth.

Girl fortune-telling and the walking of mummers from that day continued until the very Epiphany. The mummers in fur coats turned inside out, in masks or with soot-stained faces, went from house to house, singing songs and acting out various performances, scenes for appropriate rewards. Sometimes they took a horse or a bull with them.

And the girls wondered. They guessed every day in different ways, who knew what methods, he guessed that way.

third day of christmas called Stepan's Day.According to custom, on Stepanov's day, stakes were made, placed in the corners of the yard, sticking into the snow in order to scare away evil spirits. Stepan is hardened in danger, and therefore he is not afraid of any evil spirits, and on this day he is just fenced off with stakes from it. Stepan is associated with the image of a peasant farmer, and therefore a boy born on this day will be a kind, caring, diligent and strict owner. Even on this day, the whole village chose a shepherd, concluded an agreement with him, arranged refreshments.

The Ininsky rock garden is located in the Barguzinskaya valley. Huge stones as if someone deliberately scattered or placed on purpose. And in places where megaliths are placed, something mysterious always happens.

One of the attractions of Buryatia is the Ininsky rock garden in the Barguzin valley. It makes an amazing impression - huge stones scattered in disorder on a completely flat surface. As if someone deliberately either scattered them, or placed them on purpose. And in places where megaliths are placed, something mysterious always happens.

Power of nature

In general, the “rock garden” is the Japanese name for an artificial landscape in which stones, arranged according to strict rules, play a key role. "Karesansui" (dry landscape) has been cultivated in Japan since the 14th century, and it appeared for a reason. It was believed that gods lived in places with a large accumulation of stones, as a result of which the stones themselves began to be given divine significance. Of course, now the Japanese use rock gardens as a place for meditation, where it is convenient to indulge in philosophical reflections.

And philosophy is here. Chaotic, at first glance, the arrangement of stones, in fact, is strictly subject to certain laws. First, the asymmetry and size difference of the stones must be respected. There are certain points of observation in the garden - depending on the time when you are going to contemplate the structure of your microcosm. And the main trick is that from any point of observation there should always be one stone that ... is not visible.

The most famous rock garden in Japan is located in Kyoto, the ancient capital of the samurai country, in the Ryoanji Temple. This is the home of Buddhist monks. And here in Buryatia, a "rock garden" appeared without the efforts of man - its author is Nature itself.

In the southwestern part of the Barguzinskaya Valley, 15 kilometers from the village of Suvo, where the Ina River leaves the Ikat Range, this place is located with an area of ​​more than 10 square kilometers. Significantly more than any Japanese rock garden - in the same proportion as the Japanese bonsai is smaller than the Buryat cedar. Here, large blocks of stone, reaching 4-5 meters in diameter, protrude from the flat ground, and these boulders go up to 10 meters deep!

The removal of these megaliths from the mountain range reaches 5 kilometers or more. What kind of force could scatter these huge stones at such distances? The fact that this was not done by a person became clear from recent history: a 3-kilometer canal was dug here for irrigation purposes. And in the channel channel here and there lie huge boulders, going to a depth of up to 10 meters. They fought, of course, but to no avail. As a result, all work on the channel was stopped.

Scientists put forward different versions of the origin of the Ininsky rock garden. Many consider these blocks to be moraine boulders, that is, glacial deposits. Scientists call the age different (E. I. Muravsky believes that they are 40-50 thousand years old, and V. V. Lamakin - more than 100 thousand years!), Depending on which glaciation to count.

According to geologists, in ancient times the Barguzin basin was a shallow freshwater lake, which was separated from Baikal by a narrow and low mountain bridge connecting the Barguzin and Ikat ridges. As the water level rose, a runoff formed, which turned into a river bed, which cut deeper and deeper into solid crystalline rocks. It is known how torrential streams of water in spring or after heavy rain wash away steep slopes, leaving deep furrows of gullies and ravines. Over time, the water level dropped, and the area of ​​the lake, due to the abundance of suspended material brought into it by rivers, decreased. As a result, the lake disappeared, and in its place there was a wide valley with boulders, which were later attributed to natural monuments.

But recently, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences G.F. Ufimtsev proposed a very original idea that had nothing to do with glaciations. In his opinion, the Ininsky rock garden was formed as a result of a relatively recent, catastrophic gigantic ejection of large-block material.

According to his observations, glacial activity on the Ikat Range manifested itself only in a small area in the upper reaches of the Turokcha and Bogunda rivers, while in the middle part of these rivers there are no traces of glaciation. Thus, according to the scientist, there was a breakthrough of the dam of the dammed lake in the course of the Ina River and its tributaries. As a result of a breakthrough from the upper reaches of the Ina, a mudflow or ground avalanche threw a large amount of blocky material into the Barguzin valley. This version is supported by the fact of severe destruction of the bedrock sides of the Ina River valley at the confluence with the Turokcha, which may indicate the demolition of a large volume of rocks by mudflows.

In the same section of the Ina River, Ufimtsev noted two large “amphitheatres” (resembling a huge funnel) measuring 2.0 by 1.3 kilometers and 1.2 by 0.8 kilometers, which could probably be the bed of large dammed lakes. The breakthrough of the dam and the release of water, according to Ufimtsev, could have occurred as a result of manifestations of seismic processes, since both slope "amphitheaters" are confined to the zone of a young fault with thermal water outlets.

Here the gods were naughty

An amazing place has long been interested in local residents. And for the "rock garden" people came up with a legend rooted in hoary antiquity. The start is simple. Somehow, two rivers, Ina and Barguzin, argued, which of them would be the first (first) to reach Baikal. Barguzin cheated and set off on the road that evening, and in the morning the angry Ina rushed after her, in anger throwing huge boulders out of her way. So they still lie on both banks of the river. Isn't it just a poetic description of a powerful mudflow proposed for explanation by Dr. Ufimtsev?

The stones still keep the secret of their formation. They are not only different sizes and colors, they are generally from different breeds. That is, they were not broken out from one place. And the depth of occurrence speaks of many thousands of years, during which meters of soil have grown around the boulders.

For those who have seen the Avatar movie, on a foggy morning, Ina's stones will remind you of hanging mountains around which winged dragons fly. The peaks of the mountains jut out of the clouds of mist like individual fortresses or the heads of giants in helmets. The impressions from contemplating the garden of stones are amazing, and it was not by chance that people endowed the stones with magical powers: it is believed that if you touch the boulders with your hands, they will take away negative energy, instead bestowing positive energy.

In these amazing places there is another place where the gods were naughty. This place was nicknamed "Suva Saxon Castle". This natural formation is located near the group of salty Alga lakes near the village of Suvo, on the steppe slopes of a hill at the foot of the Ikat Range. The picturesque rocks are very reminiscent of the ruins of an ancient castle. These places served as a particularly revered and sacred place for Evenki shamans. In the Evenki language, "suvoya" or "suvo" means "whirlwind".

It was believed that it was here that the spirits lived - the owners of the local winds. The main and most famous of which was the legendary wind of Baikal "Barguzin". According to legend, an evil ruler lived in these places. He was distinguished by a ferocious disposition, he took pleasure in bringing misfortune to the poor and indigent people.

He had an only and beloved son, who was bewitched by spirits as punishment for a cruel father. After realizing his cruel and unfair attitude towards people, the ruler fell to his knees, began to beg and tearfully ask to restore his son's health and make him happy. And he distributed all his wealth to people.

And the spirits freed the son of the ruler from the power of the disease! It is believed that for this reason the rocks are divided into several parts. There is a belief among the Buryats that the owners of Suvo, Tumurzhi-Noyon and his wife, Tutuzhig-Khatan, live in the rocks. Burkhans were erected in honor of the Suva rulers. On special days, whole rituals are performed in these places.

On major Orthodox holidays, all Christians try to visit the church in order to take part in the solemn divine service. Well, since Christmas is considered one of the most significant events in the Christian world, then is carried out literally in all, even the smallest, temples and chapels. Thus, believers get the opportunity to visit the temple at a convenient place and time for them, especially since Christmas service schedule covers the widest time zones, starting very early and ending well after midnight.

It is an unconditional fact that worldly fuss does not allow our contemporary to attend church with the regularity that he needs. Meanwhile, on the most important days, such as Christmas, Easter, Trinity, the Annunciation and others, true Christians must come to church. And in this case Christmas service in the church is one of the most important events that are a priority for an Orthodox person. However, and Catholic Christmas service is for a believer the measure by which he orients himself and builds his plans. In fact, here we are talking about the fact that, regardless of religion, a person always worships God, praying for forgiveness and mercy.

Christmas service at the church

On Christmas Eve, many of our compatriots, who rarely manage to visit charitable places, are wondering if what time is the christmas service starts, when do you have to go to church and how do you plan your day? Indeed, according to tradition, preparations for the feast of the Nativity of Christ begin on January 6, when you need to have time to cook 12 dishes and visit the temple. At the same time, it is important to understand that this is an event that is impossible to look at for a minute, but you have to devote a lot of time to it.

Festive Christmas service at the church is a special event attended by the whole family. And since we are talking about children here, it is necessary to prepare them for a long and solemn service in advance. On the other hand, it is important to observe silence and humility here, so if the child starts to get tired, then the best option would be to quietly go outside with him. Well, if you find christmas service text, then in this case it is possible to continue worship at home. Of course, this is not as solemn as in the temple, but serving and praying to God is not necessarily a triumph, first of all it is faith and hope.

Start of Christmas service

Christmas is considered one of the biggest Christian holidays, so services on this day are held in each church according to their own schedule. That is, in each particular temple start of Christmas service determined by the rector and corrected with an emphasis on the canons of Christianity. In fact, this means that every believer can come to church at any time convenient for him and stay here for as long as he considers necessary.

On the other hand, since Christmas is a very bright, festive, but also busy day, then Christmas service January 6 may be visited. If we take into account the fact that Christmas falls on different days of the week every year, then the duration of the service will depend on this factor. But, be that as it may, and whenever a person comes to the temple, whether it be on January 6 or 7, or on another date, he will always be able to find support from our Lord Jesus Christ here, light a candle and pray in silence.

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The celebration of the Nativity of Christ on January 7 begins with a preparatory period. Forty days before the celebration of the event of the birth of our Lord, we begin the Advent fast, purifying our soul and body in order to properly enter the feast and participate in the great spiritual reality of Christ's coming. The period of the Nativity Fast is reflected in church life by a number of liturgical features that indicate the coming feast.

Christmas Eve

On the eve of January 6, Vespers takes place in all Orthodox churches, which usually follows the hours, directly begins the celebration, because, as we know, the liturgical day begins in the evening. The tone of the holiday is set by the five stichera on “Lord, I have called…” They are truly an explosion of joy about the gift of Christ's incarnation, which has now taken place. Eight biblical readings show that Christ was the fulfillment of all prophecies, that His Kingdom is the Kingdom of “all ages”, that all human history finds its meaning in Him, and the whole universe was the center of His coming into the world.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is the culmination of the forty days of Advent. The day of the strictest fast. Believers do not eat food until the first star that appears in the sky, which reminds us of the coming of the Savior into the world.

At this moment, Vespers is celebrated in Orthodox churches, after which the All-Night Vigil and the Liturgy of Basil the Great are served. The clergy read passages from the Old Testament, pointing specifically to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to earth as our Savior. After the service, a symbolic image of the Star of Bethlehem, which ascended to heaven at the time of the birth of the Son of God, is brought into the center of the temple.

The All-Night Vigil consists of Great Compline and Matins. The first part lasts over 60 minutes and is divided into 3 parts. Special, festive chants are sung at the service. Then the vigil smoothly turns into Matins.

All-night Vigil and Liturgy

Since the festive Vespers has already been served, the All-Night Vigil begins with Great Compline and the joyful exclamation of the prophet Isaiah: “God is with us!” Matins is celebrated according to the order of the great feasts. For the first time, the canon “Christ is born…” is sung in full, one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship. During the singing of the canon, believers venerate the icon of the Nativity of Christ. This is followed by stichera on Praise, in which the whole festive theme is joyfully combined:

Rejoice, righteous ones,
Heaven, rejoice
Jump, mountains, I will be born to Christ!
The virgin sits like a cherub,
Carrying in the bowels of God the Word is embodied;
Shepherds marvel at the born,
Volsvi bring gifts to the Lord,
The angels chant:
Incomprehensible Lord, glory to Thee!

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ concludes directly with the Liturgy of the day with its festive antiphons, which proclaim:

The Lord will send the rod of strength to Thee from Zion, and rule in the midst of Thy enemies. With Thee began on the day of Thy power in the lordship of Thy saints.

afterfeast

The next day is the celebration of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos. Combining Christmas hymns with hymns glorifying the Mother of God, the Church points to Mary as the person who made the Incarnation possible. The humanity of Christ—concretely and historically—is that humanity which He received from Mary. His Body is first of all Her body, His life is Her life. The feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos is probably the most ancient feast in honor of the Virgin Mary in the Christian tradition, the beginning of Her church veneration.

The six days of after-feast continue until January 13th and end the Christmas period. During these days, at divine services, the Church repeats hymns and hymns glorifying the incarnation of Christ, reminding us that the source and foundation of our salvation can only be found in Him Who, being the eternal God, came into the world for us and was born as a little Baby.

Presence in the temple on the night of January 6-7 is an individual matter. Some families come to the temple with small children, experiencing special awe and respect for the great holiday. Someone, due to their health, simply cannot attend the service and watches everything that happens on TV. Fortunately, broadcasts from temples that are broadcast live are not prohibited these days. Therefore, if there is a desire to take part in the service, but there is no opportunity to visit the temple, then this can be done in absentia, using a television broadcast.