How wealthy people in Rus' celebrated Christmas. Natasha's personal diary…. Where did the gifts under the Christmas tree come from?
Christmas is the second most important holiday in Orthodox calendar. January 7 is celebrated not only at the church, but also at the state level. One of the most ancient holidays that have survived to this day. Over the past centuries, the celebration of Christmas has acquired many traditions, rites and rituals.
It is worth noting that the date of the celebration is set according to the Julian calendar, which is also commonly called the "Old Style", on December 25th. That is, the Orthodox tradition suggests that Christmas opens the festive cycle, and already New Year, January 1, closes. Now we use the Gregorian calendar, in which the date has shifted to January 7th.
A bit of history
Christmas came to our lands along with Christianity. After St. Vladimir baptized Rus', they began to celebrate at the state level. In those days, the holiday symbolized the end of the old and the beginning of the year. Therefore, in the period from Christmas to Maslenitsa, annual agreements were concluded between merchants, last year's business ended and new ones began. In those distant times, almost no one knew about civil calendars, people measured the time from one church holiday to another.
Christmas in the X-XVIII centuries
During the time of the Ancient Russian state and the Russian Empire, the traditions associated with the Christmas holidays did not change much. For the peasants, this date was the most convenient. All autumn field work came to an end, in winter agriculture froze. Therefore, the festivities could last a whole week.
In high society, Christmas was no less popular. Great fairs and festivities were held in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Skating rinks and original "amusement parks" were built.
By the beginning of the 18th century, the Nativity scene came to us from Western Europe - a small theater in which biblical scenes were played. In some regions, this theater was a puppet theater, in others the roles were played by live actors. The tradition of putting up a nativity scene lasted almost until the middle of the 20th century. During the persecution of religion, it died out and in our times has hardly been revived. And the very word "nativity scene" has become synonymous with the concept of "amateur theatre".
Folk rituals and traditions associated with Christmas
Preparation for the holiday begins long before it starts. Russian peasants, although they professed Orthodoxy, retained many pagan traditions. Most of them are related to agriculture and the future harvest.
To the first star
Christmas was preceded by a strict fast of the same name, which lasted about a month. At this time, it was impossible to consume fast food - meat, eggs, milk and other high-calorie foods. It was believed that a bright star announced the birth of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the end of the fast was timed to coincide with the appearance of the first star in the evening sky on the eve of the holiday. On the last day of Lent, up to this point, it was not customary to eat at all.
sheaf burning
Christmas also marked the end of the agricultural year. During the harvest, the head of the family chose the best sheaf of wheat and placed it under the icons as gratitude to God for a good harvest. On Christmas Eve, this sheaf was burned, thus symbolizing hope for the next harvest. At this time, it was customary to change as much as possible in your life - to put on new clothes, shoes, buy expensive things.
Nativity scene, mummers and carols
The tradition of creating festive theaters, nativity scenes, came to us only at the beginning of the century before last. For the peasants, the theater was a novelty, so they called the actors "mummers." Nativity scenes came out on the evening before Christmas and performed in squares or entered houses. Their repertoire included scenes from the life of the family of Jesus Christ, other biblical scenes and stories. Characteristically, both the images of the characters and the storylines were maximally saturated with topical themes.
There was one strict rule for puppet dens. It was impossible to make a doll of the Virgin or Jesus, they were replaced with consecrated icons.
For performances, the participants of the den, as a rule, were given food. Simple people money was rarely seen in those days. Families specially baked pies or prepared other treats to reward the artists.
During the performance, songs were often performed - carols. The words of these songs almost completely corresponded to the Gospel texts, the music was folk. Unfortunately, very few of these songs and nativity scenes have come down to us.
In some regions of Russia, carols were called "glorification". The essence of the ceremony was the same - to come to your neighbor or acquaintance and with a song announce the joyful news - the birth of the Savior. In the Russian Empire, the patriarch, the head of the Orthodox Church, came with glorification to the emperor. Together with him, a whole procession entered the palace. After congratulating the head of state, the patriarch went to the queen and other members of the imperial family.
Present
At all times, it was customary to give gifts at Christmas. According to the gospel texts, Jesus was born in a barn, in poverty and suffering. One of the first to come to him were three wise men or three kings from eastern countries. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Therefore, Christmas gifts are given not only to children, but also to adults.
Lenten table and rich table
In wealthy families, a tradition arose to put twelve dishes on the Christmas table, according to the number of apostles at the Holy Supper. And it was also customary to remember the dead relatives - for them, cloves of garlic lay on the edges of the table.
Christmas Eve
The day before Christmas is called Christmas Eve. This term comes from the name of the dish that was traditionally prepared on this day in peasant families - sochiva. Porridge was brewed, usually from cut wheat or barley, hence the name. Honey, poppy seeds, nuts and other sweets were added to the porridge. There is no single recipe, in each village they cooked juicy in their own way.
Dinner on Christmas Eve was customary to do lenten. Mostly porridges, pickles and mushrooms were put on the table. The peasants did not have any alcohol that day. The evening before the holiday was given great sacred significance. And, although the church opposed superstition, young girls gathered that night to guess. The topic of divination has always been the same - the date of the wedding and the identity of the betrothed. But the methods were different.
After the family finished dinner, the owner would collect the leftovers from the table and go to the barn. Christmas was considered such a big holiday that everyone, even pets, should have felt the joy of it.
The table at Christmas was completely different. It was for this holiday that cattle were slaughtered, and the peasants ate meat. It is interesting that the dishes consisted of large pieces, this is due to the peculiarity of baking in a Russian oven. In addition, they cooked poultry and fish. Traditional pastries were also made with meat filling - kalachi, kulebyaki, pancakes and pies.
Christmas time
In pre-Christian Rus', some pagan holidays fell at the same time as modern Christmas. After the Baptism of Rus', the church often closed its eyes to the ritual liberties preserved from the old Slavic beliefs. One of these traditions is Christmas time - festivities that lasted several days in a row. After December 22, the amount of daylight hours began to increase, people perceived this as a victory of good over evil. At Svyatki, peasants dressed up in strange costumes, visited each other, sang and danced. Animal masks were also used, symbolizing evil spirit.
Unlike most Christian countries, in Russia Christmas is not celebrated on December 25, but on January 7. This is due to the fact that, unlike the state, which switched to the Gregorian calendar back in 1918, the church continues to adhere to the Julian, which is 13 days behind the generally accepted Gregorian. According to church calendar December 25th just falls on January 7th.
Together with Russia, on January 7, Christmas is also celebrated in countries that are part of the zone of canonical influence of the Russian Orthodox Church - Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, as well as the Russian population of countries near and far abroad. In addition, two other Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas at the same time - Georgian and Serbian, as well as some groups of believers in other Orthodox countries - Greece, Bulgaria and Romania. And the Armenian Apostolic Church, according to tradition, will celebrate Christmas at the same time as the baptism - on January 19th.
In turn, the official church organizations of Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, like the majority of Orthodox believers in these countries, celebrate Christmas together with Western Christians - Catholics and Protestants - on December 25th.
Note that Christmas has almost merged with pagan holiday Christmas time, celebrated back in the days when our distant ancestors were pagans. Many Christmas rituals have become an integral part of the celebration of Christmas in Rus'. Under Soviet rule, during the reign of official atheism, almost all the traditions associated with the celebration of the Nativity of Christ were lost. Thank God, not irrevocably, and below we will try to restore the picture of how the Russian people celebrated the coming of the Savior into our world.
They waited a long time for Christmas, preparations for it were
very meticulous and thorough. In the old days, they prepared ahead of time for the holiday: they carried out general cleaning in the house, set up and decorated the Christmas tree, and made preparations for the festive table.
Christmas was preceded by a four-week strict fast, ending on the eve of the holiday - Christmas Eve, on which people usually abstained from food until late in the evening, "until the first star." Dinner on Christmas Eve was Lenten, Lenten if possible. They ate only fish and vegetables. Fortunately, there were a lot of fish in Russia - beluga, sturgeon, pike perch, navaga, herring, catfish, bream ...
A real feast with meat dishes began on Christmas - after attending a nightly festive service in the church.
The Christmas table was decorated in a special way: they usually put a little hay or straw under the tablecloth (a memory of the manger of little Jesus), and under the table - some kind of iron object, on which everyone sitting at the table should put their feet in turn in order to maintain health during the coming years (iron symbolizes health and strength).
After the appearance of the first star in the sky, the whole family gathered at the table. On the holiday, family and guests were regaled with all kinds of snacks, meat and fish, aspic and jelly. And, of course, it was hard to imagine a Christmas meal without a baked goose with apples. Fried bird - decoration of the Christmas table. Chicken is served cold, goose or duck - hot. Chicken was eaten with pickles, tomatoes and herbs, hot poultry with fried potatoes. Salads of cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, fresh and pickled cucumbers, pickled apples and lingonberries are served separately. At Christmas, pies and pies were baked in every house, which were also treated to those who came to “carol”. Carols are cheerful songs that glorified the birth of Christ, but after the glorification of the Savior, their content became quite ordinary, festive in a secular way.
At the table they ate, drank, wished each other happiness, congratulated each other on Christmas, and then distributed gifts, bringing great joy to children. The next day, everyone received guests and went to visit themselves.
Dmitry Kostromin
The holiday of the bright day of the Nativity of Christ returned to Rus' and since 1991 has become a "real" holiday - by the Decree of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, the day of January 7 was declared a day off. The holiday itself is surprisingly "childish", perhaps even the most "childish" of all Orthodox holidays. See how children perceive Christmas! And all of us on this day and on the eve of it are a little children. It is clear that the long persecution of Christianity in the USSR led to the oblivion of many traditions and ritual ceremonies...
Why is Christmas celebrated on January 7th in Orthodoxy? How do people celebrate Christmas in Rus'? Divine Liturgy at Christmas. Food for Christmas.
Our city sweeps with powder,
Christmas is coming again...
We wish you only the best,
What you can wish your friends.
A bit of history
The Nativity of Christ is one of the great holidays of Christianity and belongs to the twelve great twelfth holidays. In the Eastern Church, the feast of the Nativity of Christ is considered the second feast after Easter. And in the Western church, in some denominations, this holiday is revered even higher than Easter. This is because the Nativity of Christ symbolizes the possibility of salvation that opens up for people with the coming into the world of Jesus Christ. In Eastern countries, Easter symbolizes the spiritual resurrection of a person, which is honored more than the Nativity of Christ.
The rules for celebrating the Nativity of Christ were finally formed in the 4th century. So, for example, if the eve of a holiday falls on a Sunday, the first rule of Theophylact of Alexandria is used to celebrate this holiday. On the eve of the holiday, instead of the usual hours, the so-called Royal Hours are read, various Old Testament prophecies and events related to the Nativity of Christ are recalled. In the afternoon, the liturgy of Basil the Great takes place, in the case when the eve does not take place on Saturday or Sunday, when the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is served, at the usual time. The All-Night Vigil begins with Great Compline, at which spiritual joy over the Nativity of Christ is expressed with the prophetic song "For God is with us."
However, the beautiful and solemn feast of the Nativity of Christ is celebrated in different countries not the same, but bears the imprint of the customs and traditions of a certain people. So, for example, in Catholicism, the Nativity of Christ is celebrated magnificently and solemnly with three services: at midnight, at dawn and in the afternoon. Such a construction of the holiday symbolizes the birth of Jesus Christ in the bosom of the Father, in the womb of the Mother of God and in the soul of a believer. Since the time of Francis of Assisi, a manger with a figurine of the Infant Christ has been installed in Catholic churches so that believers can worship the image of the newborn Jesus Christ. A nativity scene is being built (that is, the cave where Jesus Christ was born) with figures of the Holy Family and in Orthodox churches.
Both in Catholicism and in Orthodoxy, during the Christmas sermon, the idea is especially emphasized that with the birth of Jesus Christ (which symbolizes the coming of the Messiah into the world), the opportunity opens up for every believer to achieve the salvation of the soul and, through the fulfillment of the teachings of Christ, receive eternal life and heavenly bliss. Among the people, the holiday of the Nativity of Christ was accompanied by folk festivals, songs and games, gatherings and caroling, Christmas fun.
*Christmas in Rus'*
Christmas - "the second Easter"; great holiday, a holy day, honored more than all other days of the year - after the day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ.
The night sky over Bethlehem is twinkling with stars... And we, together with the shepherds, hear angelic singing, see the angel-bringer and rejoice at the birth of the miraculous Adolescence. But our joy is not violent, like the rejoicing of the pagans. She is quiet, Christian. We know that suffering and death await this Child. He, innocent, will be unjustly condemned, and those for whose sake He came into the world will shout to Pilate: "Crucify! Crucify Him!" Therefore, the joy of the coming of God is colored with sadness. But we also know that He came for the Resurrection, in order to deliver us from death and defeat evil. And again, peace of mind.
Gregorian and Julian or New Year and "Old" New Year
Merry Christmas, I congratulate you!
Happiness and health, I wish you all the best,
Holiness, deceit - in moderation so that everything,
Joy, good luck. Bad - nothing!
And for Orthodox Christians in Russia, Georgia, the Holy Land, as well as for some other churches of the Eastern rite, the day traditionally considered the birthday of Jesus will come later.
Temporary inconsistency in celebrating Christmas various churches in due to the fact that most countries in Europe and the United States celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar - December 25, and Russia - according to the Julian calendar, on January 7 (i.e. December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar coincides with January 7 in the old style).
In the Julian calendar, the average duration of the year in the interval of 4 years was 365.25 days, which is 11 min 14 s longer than the tropical year.
The length of the year in the Gregorian calendar is on average 365.2425 days, which is only 26 seconds longer than the tropical year.
The difference between the old and new styles in 1582 (the year it was introduced in Europe by Pope Gregory) was 10 days, in the 18th century - 11 days, in the 19th century - 12 days, and in 20 respectively - 13 days.
In our country, the Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1918, but the Russian Orthodox Church continues to use the Julian calendar to this day, explaining the reluctance to switch to a new style the fact that then the organization of the church year will be violated.
How did Rus' celebrate Christmas?
And Christmas is like a magician, a wizard,
Like a precious talisman.
Health, vivacity and fun,
And let happiness give you.
In Rus', Christmas began to be celebrated in the 10th century. It has long been a quiet and peaceful holiday. Christmas Eve - Christmas Eve - was celebrated modestly both in the palaces of Russian emperors and in the huts of peasants. But the next day, fun and revelry began - Christmas time.
They went from house to house with songs, arranged round dances and dances, dressed up as bears, pigs and various evil spirits, frightened children and girls, guessed. For greater persuasiveness, they made from various materials scary masks. By the way, from the 16th century, the Christmas masks began to be officially called mugs and mugs.
Ordinary people had fun in the squares, where booths, carousels, markets, tea and vodka tents were set up. Richer people stayed up late in restaurants and taverns. The merchants rode in troikas. Noble nobles arranged balls. In the villages, Christmas time was celebrated by the whole world, moving from hut to hut.
Muscovites at Christmas went for a walk in Petrovsky Park. Marina Grove, Ostankino, Sokolniki.
Russian sovereigns also celebrated Christmas noisily.
Peter the Great used to make fun of Christmas games. In the royal chambers, everyone dressed up, sang songs, guessed. The sovereign himself with a large retinue traveled around the houses of noble nobles and boyars. At the same time, everyone had to zealously have fun - whoever had a "sour face" was beaten by batogs.
Elizaveta Petrovna celebrated Christmas time according to old Russian customs. The courtiers were supposed to appear at the court in costume, but without masks. The empress herself dressed up, and the empress was very fond of singing Christmas songs with the girls.
Catherine the Great respected folk fun and entertainment and often took part in them. In the Hermitage they played blind man's buff, forfeits, cat and mouse, sang songs, and the Empress famously danced with the peasants.
Divine Liturgy at Christmas
In the 5th century, Anatoly, Patriarch of Constantinople, and in the 7th century, Soffoniy and Andrew of Jerusalem, in the 8th century, John of Damascus, Kozma Mayumsky, as well as Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople, wrote church hymns for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, which are used by the current church. And also performed the Christmas kontakion "Virgin today ...", written by St. Roman the Melodist.
Christ is born - praise!
Christ from heaven - hide!
Christ on earth - ascend,
Sing to the Lord all the earth,
And sing with joy, people,
Like become famous!
The service of the Divine Liturgy is performed in the church. In the middle of the temple, where a festive icon is usually exhibited, there is a cave made of spruce twigs, strewn with stars. Little brothers, witnesses of Christmas are not forgotten: a cow and a calf. They also participate in the celebration. Maybe in order to better approach the great mystery? And for this, according to Christ, one must become like children.
The holiday itself is surprisingly "childish", perhaps even the most "childish" of all Orthodox holidays. See how children perceive Christmas! And all of us on this day and on the eve of it are a little children. Together we decorate the Christmas tree - and how much joy everyone has!
To adequately prepare for the holiday Christmas, The Church has set the time of preparation - Advent. During the entire fast, one should refrain from entertainment, wasting time on pleasures, from idleness - after all, the real holiday is ahead.
An increasing place in daily worship is occupied by hymns telling about Christmas events, fasting is becoming more and more strict. the last week Before Christmas, it has as its prototype Holy Week. And the touching, poignant tunes of the Passionate are the basis of pre-Christmas songs.
Christmas Eve - Christmas Eve... Expectation has reached its climax. On this day, the Liturgy is combined with Vespers, which marks the beginning of the next day, because the church day begins in the evening. Consequently, after the solemn Liturgy and Vespers connected with it, the time comes for the first day of Christmas. But the post has not yet been cancelled. In the food we are offered a special pre-Christmas meal - "sochivo". This is what gave the name to Christmas Eve - Christmas Eve. "Sochiv" was called in Rus' grains of wheat boiled with honey. And it's not just a custom. Like everything that is consecrated by church tradition, the Christmas Eve meal has its own deep symbolic meaning. We commemorate Christ the God-Man with our words, like the Magi, seeing in His Nativity the earthly feat, death and Resurrection. After all, grain is the gospel image of death and resurrection: "... if a grain of wheat that falls on the earth does not die, then it remains alone, if it dies, it will bring forth much fruit ...". In His death is the guarantee of His Resurrection and our resurrection.
Christmas Eve - Christmas Eve - was celebrated modestly both in the palaces of Russian emperors and in the huts of peasants. But the next day, fun and revelry began - Christmas time. Many mistakenly classify all sorts of fortune-telling and mummers as traditions of celebrating Christmas. Indeed, there were those who guessed, dressed up as bears, pigs and various evil spirits, frightened children and girls. For greater persuasiveness, scary masks were made from various materials. But these traditions are pagan relics.
Glorification can be attributed to the true Christmas traditions. On the feast of the Nativity of Christ, when the Annunciation for the Liturgy was heard, the patriarch himself, with all the spiritual synclites, came to glorify Christ and congratulate the sovereign in his chambers; from there everyone went with the cross and holy water to the queen and other members of the royal family. As for the origin of the rite of glorification, it can be assumed that it belongs to the deepest Christian antiquity; its beginning can be seen in those congratulations that at one time were brought to Emperor Constantine the Great by his singers, while singing the kontakion to the birth of Christ: "The Virgin Gives Birth to the Most Substantial Today." The tradition of glorification was very widespread among the people. Youth, children went from house to house or stopped under the windows and praised the born Christ, and also wished good and prosperity to the owners in songs and jokes. The hosts gave refreshments to the participants of such concerts - congratulations, competing in generosity and hospitality. It was considered bad form to refuse treats to the praisers, and the artists even took large bags with them - sacks to collect sweet trophies.
In the 16th century, the nativity scene became an integral part of worship. So in the old days the puppet theater was called, showing the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The law of the nativity scene forbade showing the dolls of the Virgin and the Divine Infant, they were always replaced with an icon. But the Magi, shepherds and other characters worshiping the newborn Jesus could be portrayed both with the help of puppets and with the help of actors.
The meeting of the celebration of Christmas is preceded by Christmas Eve - the last day before the twelfth holiday. Those who fasted on this day were supposed to eat sochivo - barley or wheat grains boiled with the addition of honey. From the morning of Christmas Eve, believers began to prepare for the holiday: they washed the floors, cleaned the house, after which they themselves went to the bathhouse. With the onset of the evening meal, the strict Philippine fast also ended.
All the relatives gathered at the table were waiting for the first star to appear in the sky - this tradition was inspired by the story of Christmas with the Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of the Messiah to the world.
It is very interesting how Christmas was celebrated in the old days. On Christmas Eve, the housewives began to prepare ritual dishes, of which there should be exactly 12 on the table - so that all the apostles would have enough. To commemorate the dead, kutya was prepared - wheat porridge seasoned with linseed oil and honey. A plate with kutya was placed under the icons, putting it under the first hay - this was supposed to resemble the first cradle of Jesus. They also made a vzvar (uzvar) - a compote of dried fruits and berries, which was dedicated to the birth of a baby. The Christmas table should be varied and hearty, so they certainly baked pies, pancakes and pies. With the end of a long fast, meat dishes returned to the table: sausages, hams, ham. Roasted pig or goose was welcome.
Straw was laid under the tablecloth on the table. At first, a candle and a plate with kutya were placed on it, then a straw was pulled out from under the tablecloth, on which they were guessing - if you get a long one, then the bread harvest will be good, but otherwise, wait for a crop failure. Already on Christmas Eve it was impossible to work (except for household cleaning).
Describing how Christmas was celebrated in Rus', one cannot fail to mention one of the brightest and most interesting traditions- caroling. Initially, this tradition was pagan, one of the types of sun worship. But over the following centuries, Christianity erased almost all pagan traditions from the people's memory or built them into the system of its own rituals. In the villages, dressed in sheepskin coats turned inside out and with painted faces, the youth began to go from house to house, near which they joyfully proclaimed that the Savior was born, played simple performances, sang Christmas songs, wished the owners well-being and health, and after that the owners gave the carolers some sweets , sausage, loaf or even money. It was believed that after sunset in the Christmas week, evil spirits crawl out into the light of day and begin to do all sorts of dirty tricks to people. And the mummers wandering between the houses were supposed to show this evil spirits that the path here was ordered.
On the eve of Christmas, the godchildren wore kutya to their godparents, sang Christmas songs to them, for which they were also awarded gifts. This was common, as they celebrated Christmas in the north of Russia, as well as in Belarus and Little Russia.
Shrovetide in Rus'. From the history of Maslenitsa in Rus'
Maslenitsa (until the 16th century - the pagan Komoyeditsa, according to the old pre-revolutionary spelling they wrote "Maslyanitsa") - one of the oldest holidays of the religion of the Druids (Magi).
History of Maslenitsa
Before Komoyeditsa is a great ancient Slavic pagan 2-week holiday of the solemn meeting of Spring and the beginning of the Old Slavic New Year on the Day spring equinox. This day marked the transition to spring agricultural work. The celebration of Komoyeditsa began a week before the Spring Equinox and lasted a week after.
In 988, the Varangian conquerors (Rurik Prince Vladimir), in order to strengthen their then greatly shaken power over the heavily oppressed conquered tribes, fire, sword and great blood forced the Slavs subject to them to abandon their primordial gods, symbolizing the ancient Slavic ancestors, and accept faith in the God of a foreign people.
The Slavic population that survived after the mass bloody skirmishes and protests was baptized in the most cruel way (everyone, including small children, was driven by the Viking squads with spears into the rivers for baptism, and the rivers, as the chronicler reports, “reddened with blood”). Images of Slavic gods were burned, temples and sanctuaries (temples) were destroyed. In the baptism of the Slavs there was not even a hint of reverent Christian holiness - just another brutal act of the Vikings (Varangians), who were particularly cruel.
During baptism, many Slavs were killed, and some fled to the North, to lands not subject to the Vikings. As a result of the genocide carried out during the Christianization, the Slavic population of Rus' decreased from approximately 12 million to 3 million people (this terrifying population decline is clearly evidenced by the data of the All-Russian population censuses of 980 and 999). Later, those who fled to the North were also baptized, but they never had slavery (“serfdom”).
The enslaved Slavs forever lost their roots and spiritual connection with their ancient ancestors. After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', the Magi fought for the independence of the Slavs and became participants in many uprisings against the enslaving Varangians (Vikings), supported the forces opposed to the Kyiv prince.
The last "real" magi are mentioned in the XIII-XIV centuries. in Novgorod and Pskov. By this time, paganism in Rus' was practically eliminated. Together with the Magi, their ancient runic writing and their knowledge disappeared. Almost all runic records, including historical chronicles, were destroyed by Christians. The original written history of the Slavs until the 8th century became unknown. Archaeologists occasionally find only scattered fragments of inscriptions on the stones of destroyed pagan temples and on shards of pottery. Later, under the name "Magi" in Russia, only various kinds of folk healers, heretics and newly-minted warlocks were understood.
After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', the ancient pagan Slavic holiday Komoyeditsa - the great feast of the sacred Spring, coming on the Day of the vernal equinox (March 20 or 21) - fell on the time of the Orthodox Great Lent, when all kinds of fun festivities and games were forbidden by the Church, and even punished. After a long struggle between churchmen and pagan Slavic holiday, it was included in Orthodox holidays called "cheese (meat-fat) week", preceding the 7 weeks of Lent.
Thus, the holiday moved closer to the beginning of the year and lost its connection with the astronomical event - the Day of the vernal equinox, the day of the arrival of the pagan sacred Spring.
This broke his sacred connection with the previously traditional among the Slavs religion of the Magi (close to the Druids), in which it is the days of the winter (the longest night of the year) and summer (the longest day of the year) solstice and spring (the day lengthens and becomes equal to the night) and autumnal (the day shortens and becomes equal to the night) equinoxes were the greatest and most sacred holidays.
Among the people, the holiday transformed in a church way was called Maslenitsa and continued to be celebrated on the same pagan scale, but on other dates tied to the day of Orthodox Easter (the beginning of Maslenitsa 8 weeks before Easter, then comes the 7-week Great Lent before Easter).
At the beginning of the 18th century, a lover of feasts and holidays, Peter I, who was well acquainted with the cheerful European Shrovetide customs, introduced in Russia the obligatory universal celebration of the folk Maslenitsa in the traditional European manner with his royal regulations. Shrovetide turned into secular holiday, accompanied by endless fun games, slides, competitions with prizes. Actually, from the time of Peter the Great, our current folk Maslenitsa appeared with merry carnival processions of mummers organized by the authorities, entertainment, booths, endless jokes and festivities.
Christmas is one of the great holidays of Christianity and belongs to the Twelve.
The Christmas service charter was finally formed in the 4th century. So, for example, if the eve of a holiday falls on a Sunday, the first rule of Theophylact of Alexandria is used to celebrate this holiday. On the eve of the holiday, instead of the usual hours, the so-called Royal Hours are read, various Old Testament prophecies and events related to the Nativity of Christ are recalled.
In the afternoon, the liturgy of Basil the Great takes place, in the case when the eve does not take place on Saturday or Sunday, when the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is served, at the usual time. The All-Night Vigil begins with the Great Vespers, at which spiritual joy over the Nativity of Christ sounds with the prophetic song “For God is with us.”
In the 5th century, Anatoly, Patriarch of Constantinople, and in the 7th century, Soffoniy and Andrew of Jerusalem, in the 8th century, John of Damascus, Kosmas, Bishop of Mayum, as well as Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople, wrote church hymns for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, which are used by the current church. Also at the service, the kontakion "Today the Virgin..." written by Reverend Roman the Melodist is performed.
In order to adequately prepare for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Church has set a time for preparation - the Nativity Fast, which lasts from November 28 to January 6 and involves not only abstinence from food. In fasting, Christians try to spend their time piously, moving away from idleness and paying special attention to prayer and work.
In Rus', the celebration of the birth of Christ began in the 10th century. Christmas Eve - Christmas Eve. On this day, the Liturgy is combined with Vespers, which marks the beginning of the next day, because the church day begins in the evening. Consequently, after the solemn Liturgy (January 6) and Vespers connected with it, the time of the first day of Christmas comes, but fasting has not yet been canceled. At the meal, a special pre-Christmas meal is offered - “sochivo”. This is what gave the name to Christmas Eve - Christmas Eve. "Sochiv" was called in Rus' grains of cereals boiled with honey: wheat, barley or rice. In addition, a fruit broth (compote) was prepared.
For the Christmas festive table, Russian housewives prepared traditional dishes: roast pig with horseradish, baked chicken, jellies and sausages, honey gingerbread. They broke the fast from Lent on January 7, after the solemn Christmas service in the church. Then came the holy evenings - Christmas time, which lasted from January 7 to 19.
At Christmas time, people went from house to house with hymns. In the villages, Christmas time was celebrated by the whole world, moving from hut to hut, but in the cities, Christmas festivities were famous for their scope. Ordinary people had fun in the squares, where booths, carousels, markets, and tea houses were set up. The merchants rode in troikas.
A good tradition at Christmas and Easter was also visiting the sick, generous alms to the prisoners from their table. Christians shared their Christmas joy with the poor and needy, remembering that Christ came to earth not in royal palaces, but in a simple manger. And the poor shepherds greeted Him first.
When is Christmas in Orthodoxy?
Russian, Jerusalem, Serbian, Georgian Orthodox Churches and Athos, Polish, as well as Eastern Catholic Churches celebrate December 25 according to the Julian calendar (the so-called "old style"), which corresponds to January 7 of the modern Gregorian calendar.
Holy Trinity Day is one of the most important holidays for every Orthodox believer. It is filled with a deep sacred meaning: the events of the gospel history, remembered on this day, played an important role in the development of the Christian religion.
The Trinity is a moving holiday: every year it is celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Bright Resurrection of Christ, which is why this event is also called Pentecost. At this time, the prophecy of Christ, which he gave to his disciples before the Ascension to heaven, was fulfilled.
The history and meaning of the feast of the Holy Trinity
According to the New Testament, before the ascension to Heaven, Christ repeatedly appeared to the apostles, instructing them in order to prepare them for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them. This happened ten days after the Ascension. The apostles, who were in the room where they had their last meal with the Savior - the Last Supper - suddenly heard an inexplicable noise from heaven, like the noise of the wind. The sound filled the whole room, and after that fire was revealed to them: it split into separate flames, and each of the apostles perceived it. From that moment on, the disciples of the Savior had the opportunity to speak all the languages of the world in order to bring the light of Christian teaching to all peoples. For this reason, the day of the Holy Trinity is also revered as the day of the founding of the church.
In honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit, the holiday got its name: this event marked the trinity of God. The three hypostases of the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit - exist in unity, creating the world and sanctifying it with Divine grace.
The holiday was established at the end of the fourth century after the adoption of the dogma of the Divine Trinity. In Rus', the celebration was approved three centuries after the Epiphany. Over time, Holy Trinity Day has become one of the most beloved and revered holidays among the people: in addition to church institutions, many folk traditions and customs have appeared that have become an integral part of this day.
Trinity Celebration
On the day of the Holy Trinity, a solemn festive service is held in the churches, distinguished by extraordinary pomp and beauty. According to the canon, priests conduct services in green robes: this shade symbolizes the life-giving, creative power of the Holy Trinity. For the same reason, birch branches are considered one of the main symbols of the holiday - they traditionally decorate temples and houses - and freshly cut grass, which is used to line the floor in churches. There was a belief that a bunch of branches used as church decoration could become an excellent amulet and protect the house from adversity, so they were often taken with them and kept throughout the year.
It was believed that the herbs on the day of the Holy Trinity are endowed with special power, so they were engaged in collecting medicinal plants at this time. There was even a custom to drop tears on a bunch of grass, putting a candle in honor of the holiday - so that summer would not bring drought, and the soil would be fertile and delight with its gifts.
On the day of the Holy Trinity, it is customary to pray for the forgiveness of sins, as well as for the salvation of the souls of all the dead - including those who died an unnatural death. Prayers are read during the church service, and the faithful accompany them with prostrations, which are again allowed after the end of the series of Easter services. If it is not possible to visit the temple, you can pray at home in front of the icon: on the day of the Holy Trinity, any sincere words will certainly be heard.
Having correctly met this important holiday for all Christians, you can change your life for the better. May your every day be filled with joy. We wish you well-being and strong faith, and do not forget to press the buttons and
When is Christmas celebrated from 6 to 7?
When is Christmas celebrated? Christmas is one of the main Christian holidays, established in honor of the birth in the flesh (incarnation) of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on the night of December 24-25 - among Catholics. On the night of January 6-7 - at the Orthodox.
Christmas in Rus', as celebrated. How was Christmas celebrated in Rus'?
Christmas is one of the main annual Christian holidays. Traditions and customs to celebrate this great day are passed down from generation to generation and are an integral part of the original culture of each country. Christmas in Rus' began to be celebrated in the 10th century. The day and night before Christmas, Christmas Eve, were celebrated modestly and calmly, and the following days were cheerful and provocative in Russian.
On Christmas Eve it was necessary to properly prepare for the holiday. Early in the morning, villagers went to fetch water, which on that day became healing: they washed themselves with it and kneaded dough for Christmas bread on it. In the morning the hostess began to kindle the stove. Before Christmas, this was done in a special way. According to the customs of the ancestors, fire was produced by striking a spark, and flint and flint for 12 days before that lay under the images. The hostess was baptized three times and, turning to the rising sun, struck a fire, set fire to a rod from it, and only after that melted the stove, in which there were 12 specially selected logs.
On this fire, 12 Lenten dishes were prepared, among which the obligatory ones were uzvar - a drink made from dried fruits and honey, and kutya - porridge made from wheat and barley. Kutia with honey was called "juice", hence the "Christmas Eve" came from. By the way, the ashes from the Christmas fire were used in various magical rites. At first, adults treated domestic animals with kutya and uzvar, while children made sounds reminiscent of their voices so that nothing bad would happen to them in the new year.
At home, it was necessary to build a symbol of the harvest - a kind of altar from a sheaf of rye and peasant tools. Bringing a sheaf into the house, the owner took off his hat and greeted the hostess, as if seeing her for the first time: “God bless you!” And the hostess had to answer: “God help! What are you carrying?" Here the man said: "Gold, so that we live richly all year," he stopped in the middle of the hut, was baptized and wished the family happiness, health and longevity. After that, the sheaf was placed under the icons, tied with an iron chain, and a plowshare and a collar were placed next to it. The hostess took out a clean white tablecloth and covered the whole structure with it.
Our distant relatives did not forget about the rite of strengthening health. The head of the family scattered straw on the floor, threw hay on the table, and made a small sheaf of hay, which he placed under the table. At the top of the stack was placed a shard in which incense was smoked. Iron tools were laid out around him. All those present had to touch them in turn with their bare feet, so that health would be as strong as iron.
And in order to scare away evil spirits, the couple went around the house and yard with freshly baked bread, honey and poppy seeds. Poppy seeds were scattered in the barn, and garlic was laid out in all corners.
In the evening, a large fire was lit in the courtyard so that the dead relatives in the other world would also be warm. The household stood near the fire in deep silence, remembering the departed and praying for them.
Then a child up to seven years old, whose soul was considered innocent and sinless, put three baked rolls, a pinch of salt on the hay lying on the table, and put a large wax candle. Only after all these rituals could it be served on the table. Everyone was smartly dressed, and now that everything in the house is tidied up and ready for the holiday, it remains only to wait for the first star to appear in the frosty night sky. Soon, when the sonorous voices of children announced the appearance of a star, it was possible to start dinner.
The first to sit at the table was the father, followed by the mother, and the children in order of seniority. The owner, taking a spoonful of kutya, read a prayer for the deceased relatives. It was believed that their souls come to earth on this day and see everything. Therefore, especially for them, they also set plates with refreshments. During dinner, no one except the hostess was allowed to get up, and it was necessary to talk quietly and calmly.
At the end of their song, the carolers, who go to praise Christ, congratulate the hosts on the onset of the holiday, and wish them all the best. The hospitable hosts immediately bring some treats to the singers, in which one person specially walks with a bag. So carolers, accompanied by noisy children, traveled throughout the village.
With the first strike of the morning bell, everyone hurried to the church for a festive service. After matins, the youth arranged dashing skiing and sleigh rides from the mountains, accompanied by cheerful laughter and songs.
Now festive table abounded in all sorts of goodies: traditionally cooked jelly, suckling pig, fried chicken, pork head with horseradish, sausage and honey gingerbread.
From the second day of the holiday, in the evenings, new entertainments began - processions of mummers. Many people, dressed in clothes turned inside out, wearing masks, sang songs and danced not only in the villages, but also in the city squares.
Even at Christmas they liked to arrange various parties, conversations, went to visit each other, and, of course, they could not do without fortune-telling.
Merry Christmas to you!
Christmas is not only signs and customs that have been preserved since Old Slavonic times, but also symbols, because few people know why it is customary to decorate a Christmas tree and give gifts.
The main attribute of the holiday is, of course, the Christmas tree, however, such a tradition was not born immediately. The Germans were the first to decorate the Christmas tree. According to legend, the burgher reformer Martin Luther once walked along the street on Christmas Eve and admired the starry sky. There were so many stars in the sky that it seemed to Luther as if little lights were stuck in the tops of the trees.
He returned home and decorated a small Christmas tree with candles and apples, and placed the Star of Bethlehem on top. But, in Russia, they began to decorate the Christmas tree in 1699 by decree of Peter I. The tsar also issued a decree on the transition to a new countdown, which began from the date of the birth of Christ.
The feast of the Nativity of Christ is considered one of the most important holidays in our country. church holidays and celebrated widely and cheerfully. But over time, traditions and even the time of its celebration have constantly changed.
In Rus', before the introduction of a new calendar and, as we now say, a “new style” of chronology, Christmas began to be celebrated on December 25 along with Europe. We know that Europe still lives according to the calendar that was introduced in time immemorial, and celebrates Catholic Christmas until the new year. It’s not like that with us now: first the New Year, and then Christmas.
Winter has always been considered in Rus' the most cheerful and carefree time of the year. There were few strict fasts at that time, and people could have fun to their heart's content. Preparations for the winter were always made in summer and autumn. Therefore, in winter, everyone had only to get supplies from the cellars and celebrate the holidays, which fell enough for the winter period. Most of them were in December.
To the first star...
A pig was always slaughtered a few days before Christmas, because it was customary to eat pork for the holiday. But before the holiday, they tried not to eat meat, because the Advent fast lasted, the strictest day of which was considered Christmas Eve, on which they usually go hungry. It was possible to eat only when the first star, which is called the Star of Bethlehem, lights up in the sky. According to biblical legend, it was the appearance of the first star in the evening sky that informed the magi that the Savior Christ was born. 
According to tradition, the youngest members of the family had to wait on the street for the appearance of a star, and then run into the house and tell the elders the good news. Often the whole family was on the street and waited for the appearance of a star. There was a saying that the first person to see a star would be happy for a whole year. If the sky was covered with clouds, then, of course, no one was waiting for them to disperse. They simply waited for darkness and sat down at the festive table, which was prepared for several days before the holiday.
How Christmas was celebrated in the old days
But, despite the hungry day, no one immediately attacked the food. At first it was necessary to try "Kutya" or "Sochivo". This was the name of a special dish, the constant component of which was porridge: earlier they used wheat more often, now rice. In addition to porridge, anything could be added to sochivo. Raisins, dried fruits, sugar, honey, nuts, sweets, frozen and pickled berries were used. 
After everyone took communion, having eaten a spoonful of kutya, it was time for the main meal. There must have been thirteen dishes on the table. There should be an even number of people at the table. If it turned out that there was an odd number of people in the family, and no one came to visit, then one extra device was put on the table for the number.
Bread and salt!
And before, and now they tell fortunes at Christmas. As a rule, young unmarried girls are fond of fortune-telling, who most often guess at the suitors.