December 25 is the Catholic Christmas holiday. Nativity of Christ among Western Christians: history, traditions and rituals. Advent is the time to wait for Christmas

When is Christmas celebrated by Western Christians?

Every year on December 25, Western Christians celebrate Christmas. This holiday is established in honor of the birth in the flesh of the Son of God by the Virgin Mary in the city of Bethlehem.

This is one of the most important Christian holidays for both Catholics, Lutherans and other Protestant denominations, as well as for the Orthodox Church, which celebrates this event in the old style a little later, on January 7th.

In 2018, Catholic Christmas falls on a Tuesday. Since 2017, this holiday has been approved in Ukraine at the official level and is a day off.

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Nativity of Christ among Western Christians - the history of the holiday

Presumably, this event is timed to date, which in many cultures was regarded as a rebirth and the beginning of a new life.

In addition, it is believed that the feast of the Nativity of Christ supplanted paganism and originates from the cult holiday "Birthday of the Invincible Sun" held by the Romans on this day.

Another version says that the Nativity of Christ was calculated based on the date of the feast of the Incarnation (the conception of God's Son), which occurred on March 25. If we add 9 months to this day, we get December 25th.

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How Catholic Christmas is celebrated - traditions and rituals

Four weeks before Catholic Christmas, the Advent period begins, i.e. a time of fasting, waiting, preparing and meditating on the subject of the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Also on Christmas Day, 3 Christmas services are performed - in honor of God the Father, the Mother of God and the Christian soul. According to tradition, fasting ends with the appearance of the first evening star in the sky.

Starting from the 13th century, the custom appeared in the temples for the worship of Christians to decorate a manger with the Infant Jesus, the Mother of God, Joseph, shepherds, and also domestic animals.

In the celebration of Christmas, church and folk rituals are closely intertwined. In Catholic countries, house-to-house walking, caroling, songs and holiday wishes are popular. Unfortunately, this custom is condemned by church authorities as pagan.

Many traditions are associated with the holiday period, such as Christmas Eve, the Christmas wreath, the Advent calendar, the Christmas log, the breaking of bread, gifts and others.

The main tradition of the Nativity of Christ is the establishment of a ritual tree in houses, temples and city squares - a Christmas tree decorated with toys, garlands, nuts and sweets. This pagan tradition originated among the Germans, for whom spruce is a symbol of life and fertility, and gradually spread throughout the world.

Recall that we previously said how to make Christmas crafts with your own hands. See tips and photos on.

In most Western European countries accepted christian religion, but Christianity is divided into many different denominations (lat. confessio - ‘confession’) differing in features religion within the Christian religion. Catholics form approximately half of the believing Christian population in Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Catholic Christians live in the countries of Southwestern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta), as well as in some countries of Western Europe (Ireland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg) and Eastern Europe (Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary). Christian denomination Protestantism prevails among believers in northern European countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Iceland), as well as individual countries of Western and Central Europe (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). In the same Western and Central European countries as the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, about half of the believers profess Protestantism in various forms. Catholics and Protestants celebrate Christmas on on the night of December 24-25.

The division of the Christian Church into Catholic and Orthodox took place July 16, 1054 at the Council of Nicaea. Before the split of the Church of Christ into Catholics and Orthodox, all church charters were the same. Rome broke away from the Catholic unity of the Church of Christ, approved by the Seven Ecumenical Councils. Over time, church statutes and rituals of the Catholic and Orthodox churches changed, and the dates of church holidays also changed. The date of the celebration of one of the greatest events included in the list has also changed. 12 main holidays of Christianity, called the Twelfth Feast holy Christmas.

Catholic Christmas Traditions.

The meaning of the feast of the Nativity of Christ remains unchanged for the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. For Catholic denominations Christmas includes not only the celebration of the birth of christ , but also Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary mother of Jesus Christ. For Catholics, this is not only a joyful event, but there is also a certain amount of sorrow in it, for the Virgin Mary knew that the happiness of the birth of her first-born child would turn into difficult life trials for him, and deathly torments, which He would endure with courage and meekness for the salvation of all mankind.

Nativity - it's a bright holiday salvation of mankind , because immediately after the birth of Christ, the pagans, who did not believe in the appearance of the Son of God, tried to find him and kill him. Not knowing where the newborn Savior is hiding, the Jewish King Herod ordered to kill all babies under two years of age. The forces of heaven guarded the newborn Jesus and the angel of heaven appeared to his parents of the baby Jesus Joseph and Mary to warn them of danger and quickly leave the city of Bethlehem, after the census. The Holy Family hastily left Bethlehem and left the country for Egypt in order to avoid the death of the infant Jesus.

On the Catholic Christmas of Christ, Catholics celebrate the miracle of the preservation of the innocence of the Holy Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. who swore an oath to keep her integrity until the end of her days. As the scripture says, as the birth approached, Joseph went to the midwife, but when they returned, they saw a bright light coming from the cave. Entering the cave, they saw the Virgin Mary holding the holy baby in her arms. Mystery and Miracle of the Birth of Jesus Christ and Catholics and Orthodox Christians have come to venerate the miracle of the birth of the Savior, they are always waiting for him and devote their lives to this event. prayers and hymns in the Advent.

The main tradition of Christmas among Catholics is a post starting with 4 weeks before Christmas . During the entire fast, people pray more and attend church more often, limit themselves in entertainment. The last week of Advent is the most important. IN the night of December 24-25 begins the Catholic Christmas Eve. It is on this day that Catholics are forbidden to eat animal food.

At Christmas in Catholic and Protestant countries there are traditions and customs reminiscent of Russian carols - chants glorifying Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. Namely, in the Catholic countries of Europe, a tradition arose to decorate the Christmas tree - an evergreen tree, symbolizing the eternal life of the Savior. The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree was picked up by all countries of the Christian world, and even Muslim countries decorate Christmas trees.

Catholics traditionally build nativity scenes, in which they create sculptural scenes from the biblical historical events of the Nativity of Christ. The nativity scene depicts a cave and a manger where Jesus was born, next to it are placed figures of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, at the entrance to the cave they have the holy Magi with holy gifts and a guiding star, who brought them here to this secret place.

After the Nativity of Christ - on December 25, Catholics will immediately begin to celebrate the onset of the new year 2018. It turns out that the new year for Catholics comes at the same time as Christmas, although according to the calendar it will come only on January 1. This is the tradition of the Western Catholic world. Catholics congratulate each other: "Merry Christmas!" and Happy New Year!

Not only Catholics, but also Protestants live on. On October 4, 1582, Pope Gregory XIII reformed the Julian calendar and corrected the error that had accumulated over the years. In different countries, the Gregorian calendar was introduced at different times. In Russia, the Gregorian calendar was introduced January 24, 1918. G the rigorian calendar became known as the "new style" calendar, and the old b began to be called - "old style". The difference between the old and new styles of the calendar is: for the 18th century - 11 days, for the 19th century - 12 days, for the 20th century - 13 days - that's why the "Old New Year" holiday appeared in Russia, which is celebrated according to the Julian calendar after 13 days after New Year's Eve according to the Gregorian calendar.

In 325 a.d. e. At the Nicene Council, the united Church of Christ adopted the Julian calendar. The main annual circle of divine services of the Russian Orthodox Church has been conducted according to the Julian calendar since 1693! In Russia, the church is separated from the state, so in Russia the Gregorian calendar was introduced on January 24, 1918, and the Orthodox Church honors its traditions and celebrates Christmas according to the old Julian calendar, that is, exactly 13 days after the Catholic Christmas.

- one of the main Christian holidays, established in honor of the birth in the flesh (incarnation) of Jesus Christ. The Roman Catholic Church and most Protestant churches celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar - on the night of December 24-25.

The decision to celebrate the Nativity of Christ on December 25 was made at the Ephesus (Third Ecumenical) Church Council in 431.

The reason why Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem was the census conducted during the reign of the emperor Augustus during the administration of Quirinius in Syria. According to the decree of the emperor, every inhabitant of the Roman Empire had to come "to his city" to facilitate the census. Since Joseph was a descendant of David, he went to Bethlehem.

After the birth of Jesus, the first of the people to come to worship him were the shepherds, who were informed of this event by the appearance of an angel.

According to the Evangelist Matthew, a miraculous star appeared in the sky, which led three wise men (wise men) to the baby Jesus.

They presented Christ with gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh; at that time the holy family had already found shelter in a house (or perhaps in a hotel).

Having learned about the birth of Christ, the king of Judea Herod ordered to kill all babies under the age of two years, but Christ was miraculously saved from death. However, Joseph's family was forced to flee to Egypt and remained there until the death of King Herod.

According to the Roman tradition that developed in the first centuries of Christianity, on Christmas Day, December 25, three special liturgies are served - a mass at night, a mass at dawn and a mass in the afternoon. Thus, Christmas is celebrated three times - as the eternal birth of the Word from God the Father (at night), the birth of God the Son from the Virgin (at dawn) and the birth of God in the believing soul (by day). On the evening of Christmas Eve, Mass is celebrated on Christmas Eve.

At the beginning of the first of the Christmas masses, a procession is performed during which the priest carries and places the figurine of the Christ Child in the manger and consecrates them. This helps believers feel like they are participants in the event that took place on Christmas night.

The celebration of Christmas lasts eight days - from December 25 to January 1 - forming the Octave of Christmas. On December 26, the feast of the holy martyr Stephen falls, on December 27 the memory of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian is celebrated, on December 28 - the Innocent Infants of Bethlehem. On the Sunday that falls on one of the days from December 26 to 31, or December 30, if Sunday does not fall on these days in a given year, the feast of the Holy Family is celebrated: the Infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph. On January 1, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated.

Christmas time continues after the end of the Octave until the feast of Epiphany, which in the Roman Catholic calendar is celebrated on the first Sunday after Epiphany (January 6). During the whole Christmas time, the clergy at the liturgy are dressed in robes of white, festive color.

On the feast of the Nativity of Christ, most residents of Italy and the Vatican serve a roast and panettone Christmas cake, similar to the Easter or "airy" cake from Verona, called pandoro, for a Christmas dinner. At Christmas, in these states they give each other torroncino - delicacies similar to nougat and roasted meat.

In Germany, there are traditional regional types of Christmas pastries - Nuremberg gingerbread, Aachen curly gingerbread, Christmas cake from Dresden, cinnamon stars.

In many European countries, a sweet Christmas log is traditionally present on the festive table - a biscuit roll richly decorated with cream, icing and chocolate.

Lighted candles are one of the main symbols of Christmas. The oscillating flame of a candle reminds believers of the gospel words: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not embrace Him."

Christmas brings Christ to believers in the form of a small child surrounded by the Holy Family, this holiday is celebrated in the family circle and is warmed by special warmth and mutual love.

The clergy, catechists and everyone involved in the preparation and celebration of Christmas in parishes face a difficult task: to do everything possible so that the "external" Christmas traditions (nativity scene, Christmas trees, gifts) do not obscure all the spiritual depth and richness of this celebration both for regular parishioners and for those who come to the church on Christmas by chance, out of curiosity or out of habit, attend church once or twice a year on great holidays.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

December 25, 2018, like every year, Catholics - residents of South and North America, Western Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa - celebrate Christmas. In Orthodox countries, December 25 is called Catholic Christmas. This day is the most important Christian and public holiday in more than 140 countries around the world.

The feast of the Nativity is celebrated in memory of the birth of the innocent Virgin Mary the Son of God Jesus Christ. This event provides an opportunity for the salvation of souls and eternal life for believers.

Why is December 25th celebrated?

The first information about the celebration of Christmas can be attributed to the IV century. The question of the true date of the birth of Jesus continues to be controversial and not unambiguously resolved among church authors.

Probably, the choice of the date of December 25 is related to the solar pagan holiday "Birth of the Invincible Sun", which fell on this day. It is quite possible that after the adoption of Christianity in Rome, it acquired a new content.

The Nativity of Christ involves five days of forefeast. On the eve of the holiday, a strict fast is observed, which is called Christmas Eve, since on this day they eat sochivo - barley or wheat grains boiled with honey.

On the eve of the holiday, a strict fast is observed

In the 13th century, the custom arose to exhibit mangers in churches, in which the figure of the Infant Jesus is placed. After a while, mangers began to be installed not only in shrines, but also in houses before Christmas. Church and pagan customs - rituals are extremely organically intertwined with each other, complementing each other. For example, lighting a ritual fire in the hearth (“Christmas log”), the custom of breaking “Christmas bread”, caroling.

One of the most popular elements of Christmas is an elegant spruce. This tradition comes from the Germanic tribes, in which spruce symbolized fertility and life.

With the advent of Christianity, the peoples of Central and Northern Europe began to decorate the tree, setting it up in their homes on December 24th. Since then, the coniferous beauty has acquired a new symbolism, turning into a tree of paradise abundance.

Catholic Christmas

Catholic Christmas is "ahead" of Orthodox Christmas by thirteen days. This happened because of the difference in calendars: Pope Gregory XIII introduced a new, "Gregorian" calendar in 1582, which was defined as "new style".

The Julian calendar came to be considered the old style. At the time when Europe switched to the Gregorian calendar, Russia continued to use the Julian calendar. In the Soviet Union, the Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1918, but this decision was not approved by the church. At the initiative of the Patriarch of Constantinople, in 1923, a meeting of the Orthodox Churches was held, where a decision was approved to transform the Julian calendar into the "New Julian" calendar.

Due to historical circumstances, the Russian Orthodox Church did not take part in the meeting. However, Patriarch Tikhon managed to issue a decree on the transition to the "New Julian" calendar, which was perceived rather negatively by the church people. A month later, the decision was cancelled.

Thus, Protestants and Catholics living according to the Gregorian calendar celebrate Christmas on December 25th. And on January 7, the Georgian, Jerusalem, Ukrainian, Serbian and Russian Orthodox Churches, living according to the Julian calendar, celebrate Christmas.

The remaining eleven Local Orthodox Churches of the world celebrate Christmas on December 25, since they do not use the Catholic Gregorian calendar, but the so-called "New Julian", which coincides with the Gregorian.

Christmas customs and traditions

At the heart of the Christmas tradition of giving gifts to each other is the Gospel story of the three wise men who, while worshiping the Infant Jesus, presented him with gifts - myrrh, frankincense and gold. On this day, families gather for a Christmas dinner, and the festive table is decorated with traditional dishes that vary from country to country.

In England, Christmas rum pudding is a must for Christmas.

So, in England at Christmas, Christmas pudding doused with rum and turkey with gooseberry sauce are mandatory dishes. In the US, the Christmas table is decorated with turkey, which is served exclusively with cranberry sauce. In Ireland, a ham or turkey is served at Christmas, in Germany - a roast goose, in Greece - a turkey in wine.

On the festive tables of Hungary, Austria, the Balkan countries there is never a Christmas turkey, chicken or duck. There it is considered that on this evening any bird can carry away family happiness on its wings. In Luxembourg, apples, black pudding and sparkling wine are consumed during Christmas dinner. In Belgium, he consumes traditional cake, sausage with truffles and wine. The Portuguese eat bacalao, a dried codfish dish, for Christmas.

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Christmas is one of the main Christian holidays, established in honor of the birth in the flesh (incarnation) of Jesus Christ.

The Roman Catholic Church and most Protestant churches celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar - on the night of December 24-25.

For the Orthodox, this event is celebrated a little later, and everyone is interested in why. The fact is that Catholics, as well as most Protestants, use the Gregorian calendar for church holidays. It is more traditional, but Orthodox believers prefer not to deviate from traditions. In fact, no one knows how to correctly calculate church holidays, because there are no exact dates in sacred texts.

That is why there was such a division - Catholics celebrate Christmas on December 25, and Orthodox on January 7. But for those and for others, this holiday has the same meaning - on this day Jesus Christ was born. This is not only a bright holiday of joy, but also a day of sorrow for the Virgin Mary, who knew that trials after this event would need to be endured with courage. On this day, all over the world, believers pray in the hope of a miracle, because once this miracle happened, when the baby Jesus was born to Mary as a result of an immaculate conception.

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As for all Christians, the main holiday - the "feast of holidays", "the celebration of celebrations" - for Catholics is Easter. Christmas tells us about “the beginning of our salvation”, gives us hope. In order to fully experience Christmas, they begin to prepare for it in advance.

Christmas is preceded by Advent

It begins four weeks before Christmas and is designed to prepare believers for a deeper experience of this holiday.

At the altars in the churches is installed wreath, in which four candles.

Every Sunday of this period, one candle is lit, thus clearly showing how many weeks are left until Christmas.

The wreath - round in shape symbolizes eternity, and its green color - hope, like the branches of the Christmas tree.

In many countries it is customary to decorate entrance doors with such wreaths in the pre-Christmas period as a sign that Christ is expected in this house. In Russia, in recent years, Advent wreaths have been sold in flower shops under the name "New Year's decorations." Unfortunately, the deep Christian meaning of this decoration remains hidden from many.

During Advent, believers participate in spiritual exercises and special pre-Christmas services, trying to do works of mercy.

During the four weeks of Advent, it is necessary to prepare for confession, to participate with a pure heart in Christmas services and receive Communion.

Children, too, are preparing to welcome the Christ Child in their own way. In many countries, it is customary for children, in anticipation of the holiday, to do feasible good deeds, for which they receive in the family bundle of straw or small paper heart. Before Christmas, children hang these hearts on a Christmas tree, and put straw in a manger.

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Manger or nativity scene

A manger in the narrow sense of the word is a feeder for cattle, where the Mother of God laid the newborn Baby Jesus. Manger in the broad sense, or in the Russian tradition - den, they call the image of the cave (nativity scene in Church Slavonic and means cave), where the shepherds drove cattle at night, and where, as the Gospel tells, Christ was born.

In the Western tradition, a manger or nativity scene is a scene depicting Christmas, and consisting of volumetric figures, the number of which can be very different. Only unchanged here figures of the Christ Child in a manger, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. The rest of the participants in the Christmas event - the shepherds, the animals that were in the cave that gave shelter to Joseph and Mary, the angels singing "Glory to God in the highest" - all this depends on the imagination and skill of the author.

The device of the Christmas manger is a tradition laid down by St. Francis of Assisi, who in 1223 in the village of Greccio set up a manger in a cave on the mountainside. They also brought an ox and a donkey there - animals that, according to legend, warmed the newborn Baby with their breath. St. Thomas of Celano, biographer of St. Francis says that when the saint bent over the figurine depicting Jesus lying in the manger, it came to life for a few seconds.

And in our time, in many Catholic families, preparing for Christmas, parents and children begin to build a manger and make figurines that will then decorate the house. Holding exhibitions of mangers has also become a tradition in many countries, allowing us to visualize the moment of the birth of the Bethlehem Baby, experiencing the joy of His coming into the world. And of course, since the time of St. Francis, Christmas mangers have been placed in most of the Catholic churches of the world.

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Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve - December 24 comes Christmas Eve. In Eastern Europe, on this day, families decorate Christmas trees and set up nurseries.

Those of the family members who have not yet had time to start confessions, go to church, which is usually open from early morning.

A festive Christmas Eve dinner is being prepared, traditionally consisting of Lenten dishes. In the center of the table is placed a dish with consecrated unleavened bread - Christmas wafers (not to be confused with the sacrament, when believers eat the bread that has become the Body of Christ).

Before dinner begins, the head of the family reads aloud from the Gospel of Luke about the birth of Jesus Christ. Then all those present take the wafers from the dish and share them with each other, wishing each other peace and good. After that, the Christmas Eve dinner begins. After dinner, the whole family goes to the liturgy (mass).

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If we talk about Catholic Christmas traditions, then we can say that an unchanging, common tradition for all Catholics on this day is the obligatory presence at the liturgy.

According to the Roman tradition established in the first centuries of Christianity, there are three festive liturgies on the very day of Christmas - a mass at night, a mass at dawn and a mass in the afternoon.

Thus, Christmas is celebrated three times:

as the eternal birth of the Word from God the Father (at night),

the birth of God the Son from the Virgin (at dawn)

the birth of God in a believing soul (in the afternoon).

In addition, Mass is celebrated on Christmas Eve on Christmas Eve.. At the beginning of the first of the Christmas masses, a procession is made to the manger, a kind of Christmas mystery, during which the priest carries and puts the figurine of the Infant Christ into the manger and consecrates them. This helps believers to feel like they are participants in the Event that took place on Christmas night, to realize more fully that Christ came into the world to save each of us. The presence at the Christmas Mass is the dominant feature of the Catholic Christmas tradition and the main event of the holiday.

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The rest - the whole order of a home holiday - decorating the house, caroling, special holiday dishes - each country has its own.

Christmas traditions from different countries

Christmas table dishes are different in each country and sometimes even in every locality. Somewhere it's a goose, somewhere a carp, somewhere Christmas muffins or donuts with pink jam.

Not being a confession of any one people, Catholicism incorporates different customs of different peoples and different cultural traditions giving them a new Christian meaning.

So ancient Germanic Christmas tree decorating custom gradually spread throughout Europe, and then throughout the world, reminds us today of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, having tasted the fruits of which people fell into original sin, and of the tree of the cross, on which the atoning sacrifice of Christ took place.

Green branches of a Christmas tree talk about the hope that the Coming of Christ brings into the world.

The celebration of Christmas lasts eight days - from December 25 to January 1 - forming the Octave of Christmas.

On Sunday, falling on one of the days from December 26 to December 31, or December 30, if Sunday does not fall on these days in a given year, the feast of the Holy Family is celebrated: the Infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

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Christmas time continues after the end of the Octave until the Feast of the Epiphany , which in the Roman Catholic calendar is celebrated on the first Sunday after Epiphany (January 6). During the whole Christmas time, the clergy at the liturgy are dressed in robes of white, festive color.

Most residents of Italy and the Vatican for Christmas dinner, they serve roast and Christmas cake panettone, similar to Easter, or "airy" cake from Verona, called pandoro. At Christmas, in these states they give each other torroncino - delicacies similar to nougat and grillage.

In Germany there are traditional regional types of Christmas pastries - Nuremberg gingerbread, Aachen curly gingerbread, Christmas cake from Dresden, cinnamon stars.

In many European countries on the festive table there is traditionally a sweet Christmas log - a biscuit roll, richly decorated with cream, icing and chocolate.

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Lighted candles are one of the main symbols of Christmas. The oscillating flame of a candle reminds believers of the gospel words: "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend Him"

Maybe because Christmas shows us Christ in the form of a small child, surrounded by the Holy Family, this the holiday is usually celebrated with family and warmed by special warmth and mutual love.

“This night is bright as day, and sweet for both people and animals. The people gather and rejoice with hitherto unseen joy, welcoming an extraordinary mystery. The grove fills with voices, and the grandiose rocks echo the celebratory choirs. The brothers sing, giving due praise to God, and it seems that the whole night responds with jubilation” - this is how Thomas from Celano, already mentioned above, describes Christmas night. Almost 800 years have passed since the night he describes, but even today's Christians are well aware of that joy, that jubilation that even today fills our hearts, awaiting the Savior with love and trembling.

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