Christmas: how the Orthodox celebrate. Why can't you use holy water? Rice kutia with almonds and raisins

Hope ALISIMCHIK

Nothing is as beneficial to our health as water. Unless only breathing and sleep are not inferior to it in importance. And no wonder, because our planet, like our bodies, is two-thirds water. And in our bodies, as in the ocean, there are ebbs and flows.

WATER IS LIFE

Our middle-aged body consists of 70% water, the brain - 85-90%, the skin 70-72%, the vitreous body of the eye - 99%, the liver - up to 69%, the blood - 92%, in the muscles 75%, and in the bones - up to 28%! And all this is bathed in water and renewed!

The same thing happens in the body of our planet. And for all this magnificence, only two chemical elements are used - oxygen and hydrogen! Here the greatness and simplicity of the Prime Creator somehow immediately come to mind.

Once, in a conversation about the Trinity, one person remarked: “The Trinity is the state of aggregation of God.” I don’t know how true his remark is, but the analogy with water involuntarily suggests itself. After all, the state of aggregation of water is also ternary: liquid, solid and vapor.

And each of these states has an incalculable number of different qualities, for example, intracellular water is condensed to a gel state. These qualities of water are constantly changing under the influence of various radiations, temperature and pressure drops, and the ingress of various chemicals. And all this happens in our body as well.

Man and the planet are designed as a single living organism, being in a constant general circulation "Water-Man-Water". All the water from our bodies returns back to the common reservoir of the planet. You can be any kind of cool atheist, but you cannot deny this universal fact!

CHRISTMAS AND EPIPHATION WATER

It is known that Jesus was the first to receive Baptism with water from John the Baptist. We will not go into the etymology of the word "baptized" due to the fact that the concept of the cross appeared in connection with a later event - the crucifixion on the cross, which happened three years after the baptism of Jesus with water.

Nowadays, at Baptism, both infants and weak elders are lowered into an ice font. Everyone is baptized in water - Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics, Orthodox, and - especially massively - atheists.

As a joke, I note that State Duma deputy Zhirinovsky annually publicly plunges into an ice font and regularly wins elections. But not everyone baptized with water is so lucky.

Only a child does not know about the mystical power of Epiphany water: it is able to heal both body and soul. The word “water”, according to the dictionary of Vladimir Dahl, is an elemental liquid that falls in the form of rain and snow, forming springs, streams, rivers and lakes on the ground, and mixed with salts - seas.

Nowadays, more and more researchers claim that water has a memory. Imprinting information and thereby acquiring new properties, water does not change its structure.

The structure of water is how its molecules are organized. Scientists suggest that it is the water molecules that form stable groups of liquid crystals that are a kind of memory cells in which water records everything that it sees, hears, and feels.

But the memory of water at the same time is qualitatively different from electronic memory, it stores, first of all, emotions, both positive and negative. Love increases the energy of water, and aggression sharply lowers it. Pure prayerful ecstasy without words and images is the most powerful way of consecrating water, which is inherent only to saints.

Both Christmas and Epiphany water are considered holy. The water consecrated in the temple is considered healing, but ... if there is faith in its grace.

Water has a special status on January 7 (Christmas) and July 7 (John the Baptist Day). These days, the spiritual portals of Christ and John the Baptist open, sending their spiritual energy to the water. But the universal principle of non-violence allows us to accept or reject this cleansing grace.

The problem is that the center of receiving this energy is not our mind, but our heart. It thinks independently in accordance with the true intentions, most often hidden from us by our minds. There, in the secret annals of the heart, this divine energy is blocked or let through.

Andrei Tarkovsky expressed this idea best of all in Stalker. His heroes go to the Zone where a wish comes true. And along the way, it turns out that only the most secret desire is fulfilled. For example, a person goes to the Zone with the noble intention of getting money to treat a sick person. A receives an incalculable amount of money, which leads him to commit suicide. Because his deepest desire was greed for money.

LIVING AND DEAD WATER

Fairy tales about living and dead water did not appear out of nowhere. As if to confirm this idea, the Japanese researcher Emoto Masaru emphasizes that by drinking water, which carries certain information, a person can significantly change his state. Therefore, before drinking a glass of water, Emoto advises to smile and say words of gratitude.

And the fact that water can carry certain information, Emoto Masaru was able not only to substantiate theoretically, but also practically present it in the form of photographs of extraordinary beauty, which reflect a variety of options for the structure of water (depending on its “impressions”). Our newspaper already spoke about the experiments of Masaro Emoto several years ago (AB No. 29, 2006)

In his laboratory, he examined water samples that were exposed to various types of exposure. "Impressions" of water were recorded by its rapid freezing in a cryogenic chamber, and then examined under a microscope. The results that have been obtained are amazing.

Mystical properties of water

If water from different sources has such a diverse structure and reacts in such an amazing way to various influences, then it can be assumed that by using certain and specially programmed water, a person has the opportunity to significantly improve his health.

In my opinion, the question "Is it possible to jinx the water?" is no different from the question "Is it possible to spoil the water?".

The evil eye is a negative mental energy that people generate with their emotions: anger, envy, hatred, irritation. The evil eye produces a breakdown of the human aura and carries a negative program.

Unlike damage, which is created by targeted magical influence, the evil eye is a spontaneous process, but its consequences can be no less serious.

Someone does not believe in the evil eye and does not succumb to it, but someone believes in it and suffers. The question of personal faith is fundamental. After all, even Jesus himself could not heal anyone in his hometown. Because the countrymen knew him from childhood and did not believe that he was the same Messiah, about whom all the prophets of the Old Testament wrote. Faith in prayer has never harmed anyone. Is it possible to blame those who believe in corruption and the evil eye and suffer? Wouldn't it be better to help?

As our ancestors used to say: "They knock out the wedge with a wedge." Therefore, the evil eye from damage by water was treated by prayer over water. Their methods were quite simple and accessible to everyone, here is one of them.

Pour running water into a jar (ordinary tap water that does not carry any extra information), throw a pinch of salt into the water and, lighting three matches in turn, baptize the water with burning matches, saying: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen". As the matches burn, break off the burnt part and throw it into the water.

Then, twelve times over the water, read the conspiracy from the evil eye: “In the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Save, Lord, protect, Lord, hide, Lord, the servant of God (name) from black, from yellow, from brown, from gray, from white, from male, from girlish, from childish eyes, from thoughts, from rethinks, from conversations , from negotiations, from evil people. It is not I who speak, the Most Holy Theotokos speaks with her lips, with her fingers, with her holy spirit.

Sprinkle this water three times, as well as your clothes and bed, saying: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". Several times a day, you need to drink this water and wash yourself with it without wiping yourself.

Whether we believe in it or consider it complete nonsense and ignorance, but we are all on this planet, men and women, oligarchs and patients with leprosy, participate in the general water cycle. And none of us knows in whose body the H2O molecules visited before appearing in ours. What information did they bring to our bones, blood and brain? After all, no filter and distiller will clear them of this.

We polluted rivers, springs, seas and oceans out of greed and selfishness, covering it up with concern for the good. And now we just as eagerly ask these rivers, seas and lakes to heal us on Epiphany days from our misfortunes. And we are angry that God does not hear us.

He hears us, but we do not hear His call to all earthlings - to clean our reservoirs. And if we do not do this, He himself will fulfill the prayer of mother earth for the purification of water. And it will be just retribution.

For that Christmas, to remember not about our plans, but about God's plan for us. Are our prayers in line with his plans? Indeed, in order to fulfill not our, but God's plan, the Savior was born on earth.

Let's ask this day a simple question: "What does He want from each of us and all of us together?"

Hope ALISIMCHIK

How to properly celebrate Christmas. What can't be done. Christian traditions and customs. Notes for Christmas. How to say Merry Christmas.

On the night of January 6-7, the entire Orthodox world celebrates Christmas, one of the most important Christian holidays. This is a holiday that symbolizes renewal. After all, it was the birth of Christ that proclaimed a new, bright era for mankind.

It is known from the Gospel story that the Mother of God came to Bethlehem on the eve of the birth of the Son. Together with her betrothed Joseph, she participated in the census of citizens. Bethlehem is a small city, there were not enough places in the hotel for everyone. Therefore, Mary and Joseph stopped for the night in a cave. There were many such places in those parts - shepherds drove cattle there for the night. On the same night, Christ was born. The baby was placed in a manger - a feeder for livestock. The shepherds were the first to bow to the incarnate God.

The Magi also came to bow to the Savior. These wise men lived far to the east. They foresaw the birth of the Messiah, and when they saw a guiding star in the sky, they went after it. This star in Christian history is called Bethlehem. The Magi had to cross the borders of several states before they came to the poor Bethlehem manger. The sages brought gold, frankincense and myrrh as a gift to the Divine Infant.

It is no coincidence that a new chronology was even established - from the Nativity of Christ. The birth in the flesh of Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary is one of the miracles revealed by the Lord to mankind. Therefore, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, everyone expects a miracle and prays that the next year will be better and happier than the outgoing one. This bright holiday in Orthodoxy is one of the master's twelfth holidays and is preceded by a 40-day Christmas fast.

The celebration of Christmas begins on January 6 with the appearance of the first star in the sky. As you know, after the birth of Jesus, the first of the people to bow to him were the shepherds, who were notified of this event by the appearance of an angel. According to the Evangelist Matthew, a wonderful star appeared in the sky, which led the magi to the baby Jesus.

Christmas is not celebrated in the same way in different countries of the world. This was influenced by the customs of those local peoples who lived on those lands when it was just laid.

It is celebrated by both the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church, and is also honored by many related religious denominations.

In Russia, Christmas began to be celebrated only in the 10th century. And her baptism itself was, for the most part, forced. The pagan beliefs of the local peoples were too strong.

Already closer to our time in the villages, Christmas time was celebrated "by the whole world", moving from one hut to another. This custom has been preserved to this day. Merchants in those days rode in troikas, and noble nobles liked to arrange balls.

1.Festive table

The Christmas table in Russia was represented by twelve dishes. They were distinguished by simplicity, preference was given to lean and vegetarian food. Kutya, cooked from a large number of grains, personified the connection of generations, the continuity of life and well-being in the family. Knyshi, kalachi, palyanytsia were prepared from corn or rye flour and were intended to treat relatives and friends: godfathers, godparents, grandmothers and others.

Pies were baked or fried mainly with poppy seeds, boiled or crushed dried plums, beans, peas, viburnum berries, buckwheat porridge, potatoes, cabbage. A delicacy on the table was the fish allowed by the church on that day, and the obligatory dish was lenten borscht, a symbol of wealth and a good harvest. They approached the table setting with particular care: a bundle of straw was necessarily placed under the tablecloth - a symbol of the manger in which Christ was born, and an iron object was placed under the table, which everyone present had to touch with their feet during the evening, thereby attracting good health.

2 House and life

It is very good to celebrate Christmas in a new outfit, it is believed that this is for profit. The more candles you light at Christmas, the more money you will have all year. Be sure to light a special candle in honor of the deceased relatives - then they will definitely help you in the coming year, attract good luck and prosperity to the house. If there are pets in the house, then on this day it is customary to feed them to the full, which will attract financial luck. It’s good to make purchases on Christmas, things purchased on this day will serve faithfully for many years - “Young and old, go to the market, buy more fun, don’t spare rubles.” And yet, be sure, on the night of January 6 to January 7, take a bucket of water and say everything bad and unpleasant that happened during the year into the water, then throw this water over the threshold, out of the gate, out of the front door, from the balcony or from the window, saying goodbye to evil, attracting good.

3 Fortune telling the day before

Great writers devoted many works to this tradition, describing divination as something mystical, intriguing, frightening. Every unmarried Russian beauty was looking forward to telling fortunes about her betrothed, to go out onto the porch at midnight and ask the name of the first man she met. Whatever he calls, this will be with the spouse. And even such a bride will throw a felt boot over the fence, and run to see where the felt boot fell: if it is buried in a snowdrift, then a fateful meeting will not happen this year, and if it is to the forest with a toe, then you can lure the devil into the house. It happened that the suitors themselves were hit with felt boots if they were standing under the fences.

Traditional divination is still happily accepted by contemporaries to this day. The most common of these is wax casting. Wax from a melted candle was slowly poured into a basin of water, and the future was predicted from bizarre frozen figures. Also, attracting the fantasy and complacency of Christmas miracles, they guessed by tea and coffee grounds, the shadow of burning paper or filled bowls. Each cup was filled symbolically: a ring - for the wedding; coin - to wealth; bread - to prosperity; sugar - for fun; onion - to tears; salt - unfortunately, and a cup of water - to life without much change. Fortune-tellers in turn, with their eyes closed, chose a bowl that symbolizes their future in the coming year.

4 things to avoid

It is believed that working on Christmas is a sin. You can not do household chores: clean, wash and do other hard and dirty work. It is especially worth avoiding sewing, as it is believed that this will attract unclean forces into the house and even lead to the blindness of one of the family members. In no case should you go hunting until Epiphany, January 19, otherwise misfortune may happen to the hunter. They didn’t celebrate Christmas in black, because “to come to the feast in sad clothes” means to bring misfortune in the coming year. If a woman visits the house first on Christmas, then this will attract illnesses to women in the family, and during the Christmas dinner you can’t drink, because it was believed that you would want water all year when there was nowhere to get it.

5 Family and church

On the first day of the Christmas holidays, January 7, there were almost no visits. Only married children were supposed to visit their parents after dinner, and at the same time say that they were bringing "grandfather's dinner." On the rest of the days from Christmas to Epiphany - Christmas time - it was customary to remember the poor, sick, needy people: visit orphanages, shelters, hospitals, prisons. In ancient times, at Christmas time, even kings dressed as commoners came to prisons and gave alms to the prisoners. Christians must visit the church, where they read prayers and requests for “correcting a negligent life to prosperity and happiness,” naming the living for whom the petition is made.

6 Weather signs

Christmas is considered the starting point for the whole year, and much attention is paid to folk signs. It is believed that on the day of Christmas Eve the sun goes to summer, and winter to frost, that is, the days will become longer and the frosts will be stronger. If there is a heavy snowstorm on the eve of Christmas, then spring is expected early this year, and if it is warm on January 7, then expect a cold spring, but clear weather indicates a bountiful harvest. A snowstorm on Christmas Day - you should expect a good harvest of wheat, early greenery and juicy foliage. In addition, a blizzard is a good sign for the beekeeper, because it portends a good swarming of bees. If it snows in large flakes, expect a plentiful harvest of bread, and if the sky is starry, then there will be a good offspring of livestock, as well as an abundance of mushrooms and berries.

7 Seven blessings of Christmas

The number seven is considered sacred. There is a belief that he who has done seven blessings on Orthodox Christmas will live happily all year and even has the right to ask the angels for the fulfillment of his most cherished desire. On this day, it is customary to give seven alms for the sake of happiness in the coming year. Usually these are 7 identical coins, which you need to give to someone who arouses sincere sympathy in the soul, accompanying the alms with a silent prayer. You can also give seven useful gifts. As a rule, these were towels, giving which, the giver necessarily uttered the words: “I give towels, it’s fine to die, I’ll correct evil with good, fortunately I’ll send my family (my family).” At Christmas we greet each other with the words: "Christ is born!" and we answer these words: “We praise Him!”.

Christmas Eve

The day before the holiday is called Christmas Eve. This is a very strict fast day. Christians try not to eat food until evening. The earth is preparing to welcome the Divine Child. But according to the modern tradition, you can fast only until the moment when, after the Liturgy of Christmas Eve, a candle is brought to the center of the temple and the troparion to Christmas is sung.

The evening of this day is called Holy. It is traditionally held in the circle of the closest people. They sit down at the table with the first star. It symbolizes the Bethlehem, which led the Magi to the born Christ. Mistresses prepare twelve Lenten dishes for Holy Evening. Skoromnoe is allowed to eat only the next day. 12 is a symbolic number - this is the 12 months of the year, and the 12 apostles, and the 12 main holidays of the Church. The main delicacy is kutya. A little hay is placed under the plate with it as a reminder that Christ was not born in mansions, but in a poor manger.

Kutia is a dish of boiled grains, usually wheat, with honey and nuts. Only since the 16th century, poppy seeds were added to it, and even later - raisins. Modern housewives add halva or sugar instead of honey. From this, the taste of kutya improves, but its symbolic meaning is somewhat lost. Since honey is the purest product on earth. And God, as you know, is given the best.

At the meal they drink uzvar. It is customary to cook lenten borscht for the holy evening, prepare salads with vegetable oil, dumplings with lean stuffing, pies, fish dishes.

This is justified by the fact that there are the same number of months in a year. And yet, it was the 12 apostles who were directly involved in the famous Last Supper with Christ.

1. Kutia, as already mentioned, is the main dish of this table. This is cereal porridge.

2. Uzvar (var). Special compote, the main ingredient of which are dried fruits.

3. Chilled fish.

4. Cabbage.

5. Boiled peas.

6. Lenten borscht.

7. Fried fish.

8. Lean dumplings.

9, according to the site site. Lenten pies.

10. Pancakes or donuts (for borscht).

11. Millet or buckwheat porridge.

12. Cabbage rolls with vegetables, cereals.

After the meal was over in the family circle, it was possible to wear the supper. At this time, young people could carol, adults, and with them children, old people, young people (everyone who wanted to) began to gather for church. The girls took to fortune-telling. However, they were officially forbidden by the church!

In ancient times, the whole family set to work to prepare this unique dish. Each of its members, from young to old, for several evenings in a row, sorted through wheat in order to use only the best grains in the cooking process. Barley was used a little less often than wheat.

Modern kutya is usually made from rice, but recipes that use wheat and barley are gradually returning to us. The dish is served to the table, seasoned with poppy seeds and bee honey. Sometimes she was refueled and full. This is also honey, only diluted. It's not as sweet and much more liquid.

Poppy milk was gradually added to kutya later. In fact, this is not milk, in its pure form, but pre-steamed and carefully crushed poppy seeds.

If there is no honey, you can simply add sugar to the dish. Also, the trend of modern cooking is raisins and nuts in kutya. Previously, only nuts who had them could be added.

There are a lot of recipes for this dish. Here is one of the most popular, still used by our ancestors.

It uses wheat or barley grains, previously crushed in a wooden mortar. But, they should not be fragmented. The main task is to remove the husk with which they are covered.

Ideally, if the water, after that, did not need to be drained, that is, it was completely boiled out.

The finished grain was poured with dried fruits: pears, apples, plums, sometimes - apricot fruits. The grain is laid out in bowls separately, a bundle is added there, you can put a spoonful of honey. Grain can be poured and full.

In the modern interpretation of kutya, nuts, raisins, sugar are added to it instead of honey (but not necessarily).

Under fear of all sorts of troubles, on Christmas it was impossible to bend, weave or sew anything. The legs of the dining table were tied to each other with a rope so that the cattle would not run away from the herd. The remains of the evening meal were taken out of the fence - "so that the wolves do not harm the peasant cattle."

A popular proverb says: Whoever slaughters cattle on Christmas Day will die in three years. You cannot lend on Christmas Eve anything that is connected with fire, for example, flint, matches, a lighter, a bucket of coal or firewood, etc., otherwise misfortune will befall you. Never sew, wash your hair, wash or lend on the three-day holy holidays (Christmas, Easter and Trinity), otherwise you will make yourself tears and poverty.

On Christmas Eve, bread, salt and money are not borrowed from home, otherwise all good things will go past your hands. Do not cut hair and do not spin wool. Do not wash or boil clothes. Believers must finish all the dirty work by this day on Maundy Thursday, and whoever “pulls” dirt on Christmas Eve will sit in it all year for this. You can’t sit at the Christmas table in mourning, that is, in black clothes - you’ll call trouble.

If on this bright day a dog howls in your yard, then be in trouble. To get rid of it, you need to immediately go up to the dog, untie it and say: “As the rope does not hold you, so the trouble would not hold on to my house!”. Do not buy ropes on January 8, on the second day of Christmas, so that there will never be hanged or strangled people in your family. Do not cook or eat jelly on this day, so as not to invite the deceased to the house. On the ninth of January, on the third day of Christmas, do not chop wood until sunset.

What to do for Christmas:

According to popular beliefs, in order for your loved ones to be happy and healthy for a whole year, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ on January 7, ask the oldest family member to treat all relatives with milk. Bringing milk to someone, he should say every time: “The Lord was born, the people were baptized. Be cheerful and healthy. Amen".

On the eve of Christmas, in the old days, food was taken out and left for needy people or treats were distributed - it was believed that in this way all deceased ancestors who did not have time to eat before their death satisfied their hunger. After the festive feast, the food was not removed from the table, so that the souls of dead relatives would eat the festive food, and for this they would pray for you. In that family where there is no peace and harmony, on Christmas night they put a bucket in the frost, and in the morning they put it on fire and say: “The ice will melt, the water will boil, and [so-and-so] soul will ache for me.”

This water is given to the husband to wash or in the form of tea / soup, and also wash the husband's linen in it. Holy Christmas water always helps a woman's trouble. Ask God for Christmas what you really need. Ask seventy-seven times and you will be given. Whoever asks God for something on Christmas at three o'clock in the morning, it will be given to him.

If on Christmas night you look out for a flying star in the sky and make a wish, then it will surely come true. On January 7, in the cold, jump out into the street lightly and, as soon as goosebumps appear on your body, say: “There are a lot of pimples on my skin, so that I also have so much money.”

Notes for Christmas:

♦ If a person in a drunken state is the first to show up at your house, the whole coming year will be in noise and quarrels. If a woman crosses your threshold first, then this is to gossip and failure. If a man or a boy - to well-being. If an old man or an old woman - to a long life. If a bird knocks on your window - to amazing news. If a beggar or a beggar comes to you - to loss and need. If several people appear at once - to a rich life.

♦ If a man comes to you on Christmas morning, wear plain clothes that day, if a woman wears a colored dress, so that the whole year goes well.

♦ When the family sits down at the table at Christmas and when the first star appears, it starts to dine, then an unmarried girl or an unmarried guy from this family, taking the first non-lean piece in his mouth, should keep it on his tongue and not swallow until, going out into the street, accidentally will not hear any name from people passing by. It was believed that the groom or the bride would have the same name. People say that this sign has come true more than once.

♦ Cucumbers will be firm and crispy if you pickle them exactly on the same day of the week as Christmas this year. For this purpose, a good housewife keeps in a secluded place the salt taken on Maundy Thursday.

♦ A good, good omen, if during the Christmas feast a domestic cat sits under the table - this means that this year no one will die from all those sitting at the table.

♦ If two people come to your house on Christmas morning, there will be no death, divorce and separation in your house for a year.

♦ If someone spills or breaks something in your house on this day, then the whole year will be restless for your family.

♦ If a person going to church at Christmas stumbles, then in twelve years, to the day, he will get sick. To prevent this from happening, you must immediately say: “I’m not going to the devil, but to God, He will save me.”

♦ On the ninth of January, be sure to visit your godfathers and parents.

♦ A child who takes his first steps on January 10 will be healthy, beautiful and live a long life.

♦ If a sick person sneezes loudly on the third day of Christmas, he will soon recover and live for a long time. If a person who is seriously ill talks about pancakes or horses that day, then he will soon depart to another world.

♦ On the tenth of January, do not put the dough or sourdough. ♦ Don't give your husband a towel on January 11th, otherwise he will start to loosen his hands.

♦ Don't open the door immediately after your doorbell knocks or rings on January 11th. Wait until they knock or call a second time, otherwise you will invite illness into the house.

♦ If Christmas falls on a Monday, many men will die that year. If Christmas coincides with Tuesday, an even number of guests are called to the table so as not to invite poverty into the house. If the Nativity of Christ falls on a Saturday, then many old people will die this year before the next Christmas.

♦ If a midwife was called to a woman in labor and she gave birth to a child at Christmas, then the midwife would never take even a penny for her labors, moreover, she was obliged to become a godmother to the baby. This custom was never violated, the old people knew: whoever takes money for childbirth will spend it on a coffin for himself.

The main signs that they believed in then, and which continue to exist now:

Morning snow on January 7 - for wealth and good luck.
It is forbidden to sew at Christmas so that all family members have excellent eyesight.
A snowstorm that day - early spring and lush foliage on the trees.
The starry sky is a big crop of peas.
Kutia cooked by the main mistress of the house - good health to those who eat it.
On the eve of Christmas, it is better not to take light and fire out of the hut.
Not a single plate should be empty on the table.
And most importantly: as Christmas passes, so will the whole year! These, of course, are not the only signs. A few volumes are not enough to list them all. But, before you, the most interesting of them.

Folk omens

According to popular beliefs, at Christmas you should try to avoid communicating with unpleasant people. Be sure to light a special candle in honor of the deceased relatives - then they will definitely help you in the new year, attract good luck and prosperity to the house. If you have pets, feed them better so that they don’t say that the owner is bad, because on Christmas, according to legend, the cattle talk. All day on January 7, it is customary to visit and receive guests.

You need to communicate at Christmas only with bright and positive people who can bring you happiness. Christmas is considered to be the best time for shopping, big and small. Buying something good for Christmas is a great omen and a sign that the purchase will serve faithfully. There are things that you should not do at Christmas - if you believe the signs, they can bring trouble to your home. If you decide to hunt, then you can’t do this from Christmas to Epiphany (until January 19). At this time, nature patronizes animals, so killing animals is considered a grave sin.

On Christmas Day, girls are not allowed to guess - it will be possible to guess at Christmas time. Also on Christmas you can not clean the house, housekeeping and sewing. You can't drink water at Christmas, so clear all the mineral water off the table. There is coffee, tea and other great drinks. To be honest, this omen is incomprehensible, but it’s better not to drink water than to suffer all year for no reason, people say. If there was a snowstorm at Christmas, expect early leaves on the trees and the end of winter soon.

Frosted trees, starry skies or heavy snow from January 7 to 19 are sure signs of a good, fruitful year. Our ancestors kept a close eye on which week Christmas would fall on. If the holiday falls on a Saturday, as in 2017, this means that the winter will end with prolonged rains.

On January 7, Orthodox Christians celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Christ. This is one of the most important Christian holidays, in terms of its importance it is the second after the bright holiday of Easter.

Its name speaks for itself - the Nativity of Christ - means the birthday of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who came into our world to save people's souls.

According to Christian beliefs, Jesus was sent by God to earth to atone for sins and save mankind. The day of his birth divided the history into “before” and “after”: from that moment the modern chronology began - “our era”.

Gospel story of the birth of Jesus Christ ^

In the small town of Bethlehem, not far from Jerusalem, the Virgin Mary was born into the family of pious parents. From the age of three she was brought up in the temple. When she left the temple at the age of 14, she made a promise to never marry and serve only God. The priests entrusted her to the 80-year-old old man, the widower Joseph of Nazareth, who had adult children, and Mary became the father's place.

Soon, the archangel Gabriel appeared in the house of Joseph, where Mary lived, and said to her: “You will give birth to a son and name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him a throne ... "

In the country of Judea then ruled King Herod, subject to Rome. By decree of the Roman emperor Augustus, a census began in Judea, and everyone had to take a census where their ancestors lived. Joseph and Mary left Nazareth for their parents' homeland, Bethlehem.

Due to the large concentration of people who arrived in the town, they were forced to take refuge outside the city, in a cave where shepherds kept their cattle in inclement weather. At night, the Virgin Mary gave birth to a baby - the Son of God. Mary swaddled him and put him in a manger where they put fodder for livestock.

The Bethlehem shepherds were the first to know about the birth of the Savior of the world. In the field where they pastured their flocks, an angel appeared in a bright light. He said to the frightened shepherds, “Don't be afraid! I proclaim to you great joy: today the Savior, who is Christ, has been born. You will find a baby in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.”

The shepherds found the cave and bowed to the baby lying in the manger, and then, joyful, returned to their flocks. On the eighth day after the birth of the baby, Joseph and Mary gave him the name Jesus, which means "God saves" or "Savior"

How to celebrate Christmas ^

Everyone is looking forward to the eve of the Nativity of Christ, called Christmas Eve, which ends with the holy night (December 24/January 6) all year long. By tradition, it is on Christmas Eve after the first star in the sky (in memory of the wonderful Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of the “divine child” to the whole world) that the strict Christmas fast ends, which begins on November 28 and ends on January 7.

Since the last day before the fast falls on the day of memory of the holy Apostle Philip, the fast itself is usually called Filippovka (Pilipovka). The Advent fast was established so that by Christmas people would be physically and spiritually cleansed by repentance, prayers and abstinence from food, passions, vices, insults, evil and other sins.

In general, the holidays of the Christmas cycle begin 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).

On the eve of the Nativity of Christ on January 6, it is customary to sit down at a generous but fasting table. One of the main traditions of celebrating Christmas is Holy Evening. After putting things in order in the house, twelve festive dishes are prepared in honor of the twelve apostles.

Our ancestors cooked borscht, fish, cabbage, dumplings and pies with apples (cabbage), as well as other Lenten dishes on Christmas Eve. According to tradition, only when January 7 comes, meat can be put on the table. So homemade sausage, boiled pork, ham, stuffed goose, duck or piglet, jelly, gingerbread, etc. were served on the table.

It is not customary to have breakfast and lunch on January 6, only children are allowed a light snack.
It is necessary to sit down at the Christmas table with the appearance of the first star. The Holy Evening begins with a prayer and the lighting of a Christmas candle. In the company of the whole family, including babies, the owner of the house blesses the dinner.
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.
None of the dishes should be left untouched.
You can not clear the table until Christmas on January 7th.

The main dish on the table of this evening is, of course, kutya. Throughout all the holidays, up to Epiphany, kutya should stand in the most honorable place in the house.
After the dinner was over, the children carried the dinner to their godparents, the adults prepared for the evening church service.
Only the girls, who always want to know about their fate, had no peace. The evening gradually ends and a magical Christmas night begins, during which you can’t sleep, as you can “sleep through” all the happiness.
On the morning of January 7, people joyfully greet with the phrase “Christ is born!”, And in response they hear - “We glorify him!”.

What not to do at Christmas

Under fear of all sorts of troubles, on Christmas it was impossible to bend, weave or sew anything.
The legs of the dining table were tied to each other with a rope so that the cattle would not run away from the herd.
The remains of the evening meal were taken out of the fence - "so that the wolves do not harm the peasant cattle."
A folk proverb says: Whoever slaughters cattle on Christmas Day will die in three years.
You cannot lend on Christmas Eve anything that is connected with fire, for example, flint, matches, a lighter, a bucket of coal or firewood, etc., otherwise misfortune will befall you.
Never sew, wash your hair, wash or lend on the three-day holy holidays (Christmas, Easter and Trinity), otherwise you will make yourself tears and poverty.
On Christmas Eve, bread, salt and money are not borrowed from home, otherwise all good things will go past your hands.

Do not cut hair and do not spin wool.
Do not wash or boil clothes.
Believers must finish all the dirty work by this day on Maundy Thursday, and whoever “pulls” dirt on Christmas Eve will sit in it all year for this.
You can’t sit at the Christmas table in mourning, that is, in black clothes - you’ll call trouble.
If on this bright day a dog howls in your yard, then be in trouble. To get rid of it, you need to immediately go up to the dog, untie it and say: “As the rope does not hold you, so the trouble would not hold on to my house!”.
Do not buy ropes on January 8, on the second day of Christmas, so that there will never be hanged or strangled people in your family.
Do not cook or eat jelly on this day, so as not to invite the deceased to the house.
On the ninth of January, on the third day of Christmas, do not chop wood until sunset.

What to do for Christmas

After the festive feast, the food was not removed from the table, so that the souls of dead relatives would eat the festive food, and for this they would pray for you.
In that family where there is no peace and harmony, on Christmas night they put a bucket in the frost, and in the morning they put it on fire and say: “The ice will melt, the water will boil, and [so-and-so] soul will ache for me.” This water is given to the husband to wash or in the form of tea / soup, and also wash the husband's linen in it. Holy Christmas water always helps a woman's trouble.
Ask God for Christmas what you really need. Ask seventy-seven times and you will be given. Whoever asks God for something on Christmas at three o'clock in the morning, it will be given to him.
If on Christmas night you look out for a flying star in the sky and make a wish, then it will surely come true.
On January 7, in the cold, jump out into the street lightly and, as soon as goosebumps appear on your body, say: “There are a lot of pimples on my skin, so that I also have so much money.”

Christmas traditions and signs ^

These days were considered special, since the still fragile, unbaptized world was inhabited by spirits ready to tell people about the future, about their fate. Therefore, since ancient times, Christmas time was accompanied by fortune-telling, following signs and magical rites.

caroling

From December 25, guys with a star made of paper and a nativity scene walked for a whole week. A arshin-sized star was made of paper, painted and lit from the inside with a candle. Nativity scene - a two-tiered box in which wooden figures depicted scenes related to the birth of Christ.

Arriving under the windows of the house, they first sang the troparion and kontakion for the holiday, and then the grapes; meanwhile, the star revolved incessantly in a circle - Having sung grapes, the owner and hostess were congratulated on the holiday, and finally, they exclaimed to the glory of God, thereby asking for food. Then the owner allowed one of the worshipers to enter his house and gave him money.

mummers

Mummers went from house to house. Fortune-telling and other amusements were arranged. Everyone dressed up - young and old, men and women. They dressed up as a soldier, a peasant, a gypsy, a mistress, a coachman, etc.

Married and young women went disguised to other villages, indulging themselves in what in ordinary times was considered reprehensible and even very indecent.
In order not to be recognized, the face was either painted with soot, or mustaches and beards were glued from tow, or homemade masks were put on.
Necessarily among the mummers were a bear with a guide.
In the evenings, with an accordion and a balalaika, the mummers went to visit friends and relatives, sang, danced, called the hosts.

carols

"Carols" were also called cookies, which were baked in the form of figures of animals and birds - "cows", "roes", etc.

The largest "carol" was taken to the barn and left there until Epiphany.
On Epiphany, they crumbled her into holy water and fed the cattle so that they would not get sick, be fruitful, know the house.
The Komi-Permyaks kept bread "kozulkas" until Baptism in a shrine, and then they also fed them to animals, which this or that "kozulka" depicted.
The rest of the "carols" were awarded to mummers and carolers who came to the house for their songs.

Signs

There are a lot of Christmas signs:

If the weather is good at Christmas, snow is for the harvest year; the day is warm - the bread will be dark, thick.
If Christmas is in the new month, then the year will be lean.
At Christmas, a snowstorm - the bees will swarm well.
What is the weather after Christmas, the same will be after St. Peter's Day (July 12).
At Christmas, it was believed that it was not good if a woman (from strangers) entered the house first - the women in that hut would be ill all year.
At Christmas, they usually put on a nice, clean shirt, but not a new one, otherwise don't wait for the harvest.
It was considered great luck for the whole year if a sheep brought a lamb on Christmas night. Sheep were generally revered in Christianity in memory of the birth of the baby Jesus, who was born in the shepherds' cave and was placed in a sheep's manger.

When is Christmas celebrated

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ among the Orthodox occurs after the Catholics due to differences in the calendars: the old Julian and the new Gregorian. It is generally accepted that the Gregorian calendar more accurately reflects the movement of the Earth around the Sun, therefore it is more consistent with the change of seasons and seasonal changes in temperature.

Calendar reforms, however, like the calendars themselves, were initially perceived by people in a religious context. The discussion of the "new style" took place in 1563 in the Reformed Western Church at the Council of Trent.
The use of the new calendar was prescribed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, and it is with this man that the name of the calendar itself, the Gregorian, is associated. Pope Gregory XIII made an offer to support his innovation to all Christian sovereigns.
When the offset of dates was corrected in 1582, 10 days were immediately added, due to which, after October 4, the 15th immediately followed.

The society did not immediately accept the new calendar, as at first they perceived it as an incomprehensible papal idea. It was not until the 18th century that the Gregorian calendar was adopted by Protestant countries. The Orthodox, on the other hand, adopted the new calendar at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, and for many, such a transition to the “Catholic” chronology seemed almost an apostasy.

Today, the Gregorian calendar is perceived by us as a conventional conventional calendar. In our country, the Soviet government introduced a new style, but the Russian Orthodox Church, remaining in the old calendar, deliberately did not want to obey the laws of the non-Christian state in those days.

Therefore, it so happened historically that we celebrate public holidays, such as February 23, March 8 or May 1, according to the new calendar, and we observe religious holidays, as well as fasts, according to the old calendar.

All our life next to us is a great shrine - holy water (in Greek "agiasma" - "shrine"). Consecrated water is an image of the grace of God: it cleanses believers from spiritual defilements, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God. We first plunge into it in Baptism, when, while receiving this sacrament, we are immersed three times in a font filled with holy water. Holy water in the sacrament of Baptism washes away the sinful impurities of a person, renews and revives him into a new life in Christ.

Holy water is necessarily present at the consecration of churches and all objects used in worship, at the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, and any household item. We are sprinkled with holy water at religious processions, during prayer services.

On the day of Theophany, every Orthodox Christian brings home a vessel with holy water, carefully keeps it as the greatest shrine, praying to partake of holy water in sickness and all kinds of infirmity.

“Consecrated water,” as St. Demetrius of Kherson wrote, “has the power to sanctify the souls and bodies of all who use it.” She, acceptable with faith and prayer, heals our bodily diseases. The Monk Seraphim of Sarov, after the confession of the pilgrims, always gave them to eat from the cup of holy Epiphany water.

The Monk Ambrose of Optina sent a bottle of holy water to a terminally ill patient - and the incurable disease, to the astonishment of doctors, passed away. Elder Hieroschemamonk Seraphim Vyritsky always advised to sprinkle food and food itself with Jordanian (baptismal) water, which, in his words, "consecrates everything by itself." When someone was very ill, Elder Seraphim blessed to take a tablespoon of consecrated water every hour. The elder said that there is no stronger medicine than holy water and consecrated oil.

The rite of consecration of water, which takes place on the feast of Theophany, is called great because of the special solemnity of the rite, imbued with the remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, in which the Church sees not only the mysterious washing away of sins, but also the actual sanctification of the very nature of water through the immersion of God in the flesh into it. The Great Blessing of Water takes place twice - on the very day of Theophany, and also the day before, on the eve of Theophany (Epiphany Eve). Some believers mistakenly believe that the water blessed these days is different. But in fact, on Christmas Eve and on the very day of the feast of Epiphany, one rite is used during the consecration of water.

Even St. John Chrysostom said that the holy water of the Epiphany remains incorruptible for many years, it is fresh, pure and pleasant, as if it had been drawn from a living spring just this minute. This is the miracle of God's grace, which everyone sees even now!

According to the Church, agiasma is not simple water of spiritual significance, but a new being, a spiritual and bodily being, the interconnectedness of Heaven and earth, grace and matter, and, moreover, very close. That is why the great agiasma, according to the canons of the church, is considered as a kind of lower degree of Holy Communion: in those cases when, due to sins committed, a penance is imposed on a member of the Church and a ban on approaching the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the usual reservation is made to the canons: “Yes, drink to the agiasma” .

Epiphany water is a shrine that should be in every home of an Orthodox Christian. It is carefully kept in the holy corner near the icons. In addition to baptismal water, Orthodox Christians often use water consecrated at prayer services (small blessing of water) performed throughout the year. Necessarily, a small blessing of water is performed by the Church on the day of the Origin (wearing) of the Honest Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord and on the day of Midlife, when the words of the Savior, full of the deepest mystery, spoken by Him to the Samaritan woman are remembered: “Whoever drinks the water that I will give him, he will not thirst forever ; but the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water springing up into eternal life” (Gospel of John, chapter 4, verse 14).

It is customary to use holy baptismal water on an empty stomach along with prosphora after the morning prayer rule with special reverence as a shrine. “When a person uses prosphora and holy water,” said the recluse Georgy Zadonsky, “then the unclean spirit does not approach him, the soul and body are sanctified, thoughts are illuminated to please God, and the person is inclined to fasting, prayer and to every virtue.”

Good afternoon, friends, the New Year was noisy with night festivities, firecrackers, phone calls from friends and acquaintances. And another holiday came - quiet, family, gracious - the Nativity of Christ. The article is devoted to Christmas traditions and customs that have been formed for many centuries and have become an integral part of this holiday. You will learn how it was customary to celebrate Christmas in Russia - with family and closest people, how the entire Orthodox people prepared for it. These traditions and signs that have survived to this day will help you plunge into the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ. And observing all the divine canons associated with the advent of this wonderful holiday, prosperity, good luck and happiness will appear in your home! Before you learn how to celebrate Christmas, a little reminder is a calendar of holidays from Christmas on January 7 to Epiphany on January 19.

advent calendar

Christmas Eve - January 6th. On the eve of Christmas Eve - January 6 was the last and strict day of fasting! If you are fasting, then treat yourself on Christmas Eve only without oil - nuts, vegetables, fruits and herbs. In the evening, go to the Christmas service in the temple or watch it broadcast on TV.

Christmas is January 7th. Christmas is a great day for the Orthodox! According to tradition, it is customary to spend it in the circle of close people, as well as attend church. Meet the holiday at the family table and go to the church for a Christmas service (check the schedule in your parish).

Christmas time - January 7-18. It is customary to guess at Christmas time (you will learn about this in the next article of Your Zest, stay tuned for announcements). After all, it is believed: it is at this time that you can open the veil of the future. In addition, on holy days, according to tradition, you need to help the poor and the weak. Therefore, do not bypass such people, help them.

Baptism - January 19. On a holiday, be sure to go to church for holy water. In addition, it is customary to plunge into the hole at Epiphany. But the priests assure: in order to be cleansed of sins, it is not necessary to dive into icy water. It is enough to sincerely repent and come to confession in the temple.

How to Prepare for Christmas - Orthodox Traditions and Customs

How to celebrate Christmas? For Christmas, which came on January 7, as well as for, the entire Orthodox people in Russia always carefully prepared. Because these are the two most important events in the life of any Christian. We even trace the course of modern history and our reckoning from the Nativity of Christ. This holiday was preceded by a fast that lasted more than a month (40 days). In addition to dietary restrictions, which led to spiritual cleansing of the body itself, cleansing was also carried out in the house - they put things in full order.

The Orthodox traditions of the Nativity of Christ in Russia were observed from year to year and consisted in preparing for the holiday of the home and putting it in full order, preparing a festive dinner, visiting the church with the whole family for a service dedicated to the Bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ.

How to prepare the house before the holy day?

It is customary to celebrate Christmas in a clean and comfortable home. On the eve of the great holiday, put your apartment in perfect order. Get rid of not only dust and dirt that are visible to the naked eye! Clean out debris from under cabinets, sofas, etc. And also free your home from everything that is superfluous. The ideal option would be to distribute unnecessary things to poor people (collection points are located at many churches).

Decorating your home is part of the tradition before Christmas, so when you've finished cleaning your home, decorate your rooms with angel or star figurines that symbolize the bright holiday. Place candlesticks with candles or beautiful arrangements of them - let their fire bring light and joy to your home!

How to Prepare Spiritually for the Holidays

In the traditions of the bright holiday, it was to meet him with pure thoughts and a heart free from resentment. Therefore, if you are now in a quarrel with someone - and take a step forward, even if the fault in what happened is not yours. Leave all grievances in the past and have time to ask for forgiveness from those to whom you are to blame!

How to prepare a holiday table

The forty-day fast ended with Christmas Eve, the name of which was given by the ritual food that is customary to eat on this day - sochivo.

The first dish on the festive table, which breaks the fast after the end of the Advent, is sochi or kutya. This is porridge, which is cooked from cereals and generously flavored with spices and sweet seasonings. If you want to follow the original traditions, then try at least a spoonful of this treat! Your Raisin published the recipe for this Christmas dish, you can pick it up.

By the way, according to popular belief, if you start the Christmas meal with kutya, peace and tranquility will reign in the house!

Advice: it’s good if you take kutya and cahors with you to serve in the temple - then the priest will bless them during the service.

Church service on the night before Christmas

In the harsh January frosts, the souls and hearts of all Orthodox believers are warmed by the piercing bell ringing that is heard from churches on Holy Christmas - January 7! He notifies us that Christ has been born! On the eve of the great celebration, festive services are held in all the churches of the country - beginning on January 6, no later than 22:00. Divine services usually last until the morning.

On Christmas night, traditionally the whole family went to church for a service and all together celebrated one of the most important Christian holidays. Temples were decorated ahead of time with spruce and pine branches and a manger was installed - a prototype of the cave in which, according to legend, Jesus Christ was born.

If your health allows, be sure to go to church, put candles, pray, and feel how God's grace will descend on you ... For some, it will become peace, for others - hope for the best!

Tip: if for some reason you cannot get to the evening liturgy, go to the service in the morning - January 7, which starts at 10:00. In your temple, at the place of residence, it may begin at a different time, check in advance.

No strength to stand the festive service? Then go to the temple at least for a while. And sincerely pray!

Festive meal after the service

After the service, they started a festive meal, and the owner of the house always opened the door or window wide open, inviting frost and wind to taste treats in order to appease them for the future.

The table at Christmas was decorated with a beautiful tablecloth, under which they always put a little straw (as a recollection of the manger of little Jesus). As mentioned above, the Christmas meal began with kutya - porridge flavored with sweet spices: honey, dried fruits, nuts, poppy seeds ... In addition to the main dish, there was a place on the table - jelly with horseradish, baked whole bird, fish or piglet. Most often, the housewives prepared Christmas.

All these dishes symbolized the unity of the family in the new year!

The table was bursting with different types of dishes and snacks:

piglets stuffed with buckwheat porridge;
hare baked in a pot;
porridge stewed in pumpkin,
all kinds of salads and cold appetizers;
homemade pies and honey cakes;
red beet borscht.

Exactly 13 dishes were placed on the table - this ritual number was strictly observed. At the same time, the number of eaters at the festive table should be even, if one was not enough, an extra device was placed on the table. During the meal, all eaters had to taste each dish, the main of which was juicy or kutya. This porridge was made from rye and wheat, barley and buckwheat, peas and lentils, and was certainly seasoned with honey. Kutya seasoned with raisins, cream, almonds and spices was also considered “rich”. Kutya was usually washed down with a "broth" or sweet thick compote, which was boiled from berries and dried fruits.

A special sign - a guest for good luck

There was a long-standing custom - according to who enters the house first at Christmas (man or woman), the future was determined. If a man entered, especially a dark-haired one, the year would be successful, and if a woman entered, then there would be no luck in the year.

Christmas signs: what is prohibited

Our ancestors strictly adhered to Christmas signs and prohibitions. What can not be done on Christmas January 7 - on this holy day:

Needlework is not allowed. It is believed that the one who sews on this big holiday can invite blindness on himself or someone close to him.
You can not tidy up the house and take care of the housework. So, according to popular belief, there is a danger of attracting evil spirits into the house. Therefore, the order was restored on Christmas Eve. And on the holy day they just celebrated!
You can not offend anyone, get drunk or overeat without measure! This is a big sin on a holiday!
You can’t give loans - otherwise you will be in debt all year.

Christmas time - revelry for two weeks!

After the meeting of Christmas on January 7, the holiday did not end there, and the real revelry began. Christmas time! Twelve days a year, when you can do anything and whatever you want, without fear of punishment. As they say, "winter is for frosts, and a man is for holidays."

Fires were lit everywhere. Not just to keep warm - in this way people helped the sun to defeat the darkness. This custom has been preserved since pagan times, when fire symbolized rebirth, the beginning of a new life. Bell ringing is also an ancient tradition. People tried to drive away evil spirits with noise, shouting, ringing bells. The custom has been preserved, but its meaning is somewhat different - they greet and glorify the birth of Christ with the ringing of bells.

At Christmas they tried to dress up. If there were a lot of new things, they measured everything - so that they could walk around in a rich elegant dress all year round. Ate, as they say, from the belly. And everyone entering the house was obliged to feed hearty and give money. But they didn’t take a loan these days, otherwise you will sit in debt all next year. And it was not supposed to work these days - to rest is to rest!

Caroling - attract happiness

Not a single Christmas Eve was complete without carols in Russia. Have fun for the year ahead!

Young people dressed up in funny costumes, covering their faces with “mugs and mugs” (as various masks were officially called), putting on sheepskin coats inside out, going from house to house caroling with songs and dances. Headed the company "girl-furrier". It was she who carried the bag, where generous hosts sent all kinds of food - bread, and pies, and sausages, and sweets. She then divided the booty into the whole cheerful company. For those who were not distinguished by generosity, they could wish in carol songs any ailment, or even scatter the woodpile and prop up the gate from the outside: these days such hooliganism was forgiven.

It was believed that this way you can “carol” good luck, happiness, a chic harvest, etc. Agree, great fun! So why not resurrect the good old custom. And do not come to the houses of friends and acquaintances with fervent songs. Everyone will definitely have fun! And with such a good attitude, good luck and happiness will really be within reach!

Christmas divination

Having walked up, in the evening they gathered for gatherings, where they drank and ate, told magical stories, and closer to the night the most interesting began -. Looking into the future is a dangerous, demonic business, and therefore it was allowed to guess only these days, when the evil spirit, having grown bolder, comes close to human habitation. They tried to find out what the next year would be, fruitful or not, calm or vain. The girls guessed at the betrothed - they went to listen under the windows, asked the name of the first person they met, dragged a log, scattered cards, poured tin or wax - there were so many ways that they were enough for all Christmas time. But few made the right decision. Alone, without a cross, in an empty bathhouse, by candlelight, one could see the groom in the mirror, or even the horned devil ...

Saint Basil's Day

And so the days went - in satiety, merry revelry and various pranks. One of them stood out in particular. On the first of January according to the old style (the 14th according to the new one) they celebrated the day of St. Basil. They cooked porridge in a special way and always put a roasted pig on the table.

It was believed that Vasily hides a month at night to prevent the witches from having fun at the Sabbath. For us, this day has turned into a unique holiday - the Old New Year. Not a single foreigner understands how something new can be old, but this does not prevent Russians from continuing to have fun, and TV channels from repeating the festive “Lights” for those who overslept them on New Year's Eve.

And all this reckless revelry lasts until January 19, when another great day comes - Epiphany. Then grace descends to earth, evil spirits hide, and each person can wash away - Jordan - all sins, voluntary and involuntary, committed in these two merry weeks.

How to sprinkle an apartment with holy water

Before you sprinkle the house, clean up! Then fill a clean container with water. Keep in mind - this must be a vessel that has not been in contact with animals!

They sprinkle the whole dwelling with holy water, including indoor flowers and plants (they just need to be sprinkled a little, without watering the earth).

You need to act in the following sequence:

Dip your right hand in holy water and walk around the corners of the room, moving clockwise.
Then sprinkle the walls and floor.
During the ritual, say aloud the words: "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen."
Then spray the rest of the rooms, bathroom, hallway, kitchen in the same way. But not the toilet! They don't sprinkle it with holy water!

How to drink holy water

All believers know that holy water on Epiphany days has a special power, and therefore on such days there are queues to the temple. People stand with empty bottles and canisters to stock up on consecrated water for a long time.

By its grace and healing properties, holy water is equated with the holy water of the Jordan River, in which Jesus Christ was baptized. That is why people keep the water brought from the church throughout the year and use it on special occasions.

In addition to decorating your home on a holiday, you can drink blessed water several times during the day. And on other days it is better to use on an empty stomach. At the same time, they drink holy water during a serious illness, take a sip when some important event is coming.

In addition, she can decorate all the new things that appear in the house.

If, due to improper storage, holy water has become unfit for drinking, it should never be poured into the sewer. It is necessary to take it out of the house and pour it into a place where a person’s foot cannot walk, for example, into a stream, river, lake, pond or other body of water. You can water her bush, which grows in a deserted place.

folk calendar

Today you learned how to celebrate the bright holiday of Christmas, what traditions, customs, signs were associated with it in Russia. And at the very end - a folk calendar with signs for the whole year and name days of those born on this day.

A clear and starry night promises safety and health to people in the current year, and vice versa. Soft snow falls - for the harvest, and if it's warm - the summer will be rainy.

Severe frost and light snow on this day - to the harvest of bread, the health of animals and people; if it is warm and there is no snow - by a cold summer. "Vasilyeva's night is a star - summer is berry."

The sky is clear on Feoktistov day, with a full moon - to a strong flood.

If a blizzard breaks out on this day, the same will happen on Maslenitsa; if strong winds blow from the south, then the summer will be formidable.