How and when is Christmas celebrated in Russia

Russia celebrates the Orthodox Christmas on January 7. In this review, you will learn about the tradition of celebrating Christmas in Russia.

Christmas in Russia

Christmas is celebrated on the night of January 6-7. Christmas is the second most important Orthodox holiday, after Holy Easter. This day marks the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary. The exact date of Jesus' birth is not known, from the 1st to the 4th century it was celebrated on the same day as epiphany - January 6. Mass celebrations in Russia began at the end of the 10th century. In the middle of the 20th century, celebrations stopped due to anti-religious propaganda, but 70 years later, the holiday began to be revived.

The birth of Jesus Christ – a few days before the birth of Jesus Christ, an announcement was made about the census and residents had to return to their places of permanent residence. Mary and her husband Joseph were forced to return to Bethlehem. On the fifth day they came. In search of a place to sleep, they wandered into a cave where shepherds drove cattle in bad weather. That night, the Savior Jesus Christ was born. Maria swaddled him and put him in a manger filled with hay. At the time of birth, a new star shone above the cave, which was named Bethlehem. After that, an angel descended from heaven and informed everyone about the birth of God's son.

How to celebrate Christmas – the holiday begins with the expectation of Christmas night. A lot of candles and a Christmas tree are traditional in celebrating Russian Christmas. Usually the holiday is held quietly and calmly with family and close relatives.

Orthodox Christmas – according to the Orthodox canons of the Russian Orthodox Church, the celebration is preceded by a Christmas fast. With the beginning of the festive day, a solemn divine service begins, in which the memory of the Mother of God and Jesus Christ is honored. With the advent of the holiday, Christians exchange the words: "Christ was born!", and in response: "Praise him!"

What is not customary to do at Christmas – Christians are not recommended to do sewing, knitting, weaving, needlework, put on old and dark clothes, guess, on the eve of the holiday, you should not go to the bath and wash, they also try not to work.

Christmas Holidays are holidays that last during the Yuletide week in the period from the feast of the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany Eve (January 7-17). They are also called holy evenings. The Church began to sanctify the twelve days after Christmas from ancient times.

What is customary to prepare for the table at Christmas – there are many dishes that are prepared for the festive table. Here are the main 5 dishes of Orthodox Christmas: kutya, goose with apples, roe deer, kulebyaka with fish, Christmas stollen.

Friends, share your impressions with us – how do you usually celebrate Christmas? What do you give each other, what dishes do you have on the table? We will be waiting for your comments.