Orthodox Christians meet Christmas eve
MOSCOW, 6 Jan — RIA Novosti. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas eve — Christmas eve, the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill will conduct the Liturgy and great Vespers at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
Christmas eve is completing a multi-day Nativity fast and is considered his most severe day. The custom of making the temples “Christmas eve” has been known since ancient times — already in the IV century there is a separate establishment about how to celebrate it.
The name “eve” (modified “sochevnik”) comes from the word “sochivo”. “Sochivo” or “kolivo” — vegetable dish with wheat or rice stewed fruit with honey, fruits and nuts. On Christmas eve, many believers do not eat food or eat only once a day, after the Liturgy. Although total abstinence from food on Christmas eve is more likely to be a monastic tradition.
Worship in the temple this day is especially long and is completely devoted to the upcoming holiday.
At the end of the Liturgy of the altar solemnly imposed Christmas candle — the symbol of the star of Bethlehem, told the world about the Savior’s birth, and all the priests in the temple together to her sing the troparion of the Nativity.
In his sermon on the occasion of the Christmas eve, Patriarch Kirill said that the birth of Christ — is a holiday that “celebrates the Savior as the light of the world”. The Primate of the Russian Church drew attention to the fact that believers celebrate Christmas then, when it begins to increase light and day “people have thought about the future, because the climax of winter and the dark time has passed and there is hope for a more bright time.”
But the Lord teaches us that he alone is the light of the world. And therefore, any hope for the future, for a brighter life time we need to connect with him.Patriarch Kirill
The Patriarchal divine service on Christmas eve will start at 10.00. And on the night of January 7, the Primate of the Russian Church, according to tradition, will lead a meeting of the Nativity in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.