How do they celebrate Christmas in Russia? Christmas in Russia: traditions and customs

At night from the sixth of January to the seventh comes the Orthodox Christmas. Russia is a multinational country where about seventy percent of believers are Orthodox Christians. In this bright holiday, festive bells are sounding in all corners of the state, families gather together at a festive table, and festive divine services take place in all churches. Every Orthodox believer praises the birth of Jesus Christ on this day, remembering the New Testament traditions. Christmas is a very original holiday in Russia.

Christmas in Russia, traditions and customs

Everyone knows the historical fact that at the very beginning of the twentieth century the church in Russia refused to move to the Gregorian calendar, leaving the Julian calendar. That is why the calendars of the Russian Orthodox Church are different from other Christian ones. The difference is exactly thirteen days. By the way, the very celebration of the Nativity of Christ in Russia is also very different from analogues in other Christian countries. So how do they celebrate Christmas in Russia?

history of the holiday

To date, countries where the same tradition is preserved - to celebrate Christmas is not the twenty-fifth of December, and, as the Julian calendar dictates , on January 7, not too much.

It is interesting that today Christmas is the most important holiday in the Western states. But it is only becoming more and more evident the tendency of the transformation of this celebration from religious to secular. Abroad this is now the analogue of the new year, which, by the way, is marked in Europe much more modestly. This is not the case with Russians, and there is a rational explanation.

How do they celebrate Christmas in Russia? It begins with a story about the Soviet period in the history of our country. Having come to power, atheists-Bolsheviks ordered to remove from the operating calendars all Orthodox holidays. Remained from them only some traditions. A vivid example is the Christmas tree, which was banned for a long time, but by the middle of the century it was used only as a New Year. And the Bethlehem star about the seven rays on its top was transformed into a Soviet five-pointed star.

Christmas in our day

How do they celebrate Christmas in Russia today? After the collapse of the Soviet state, no significant changes occurred. The New Year has remained the most beloved holiday of the majority of Russian citizens, but Christmas is a celebration for the few, mostly Orthodox believers. If you ask the question: "Where to celebrate Christmas in Russia?", Then the answer is obvious: at home, in the family circle, because this is a purely family holiday.

Features

By the way, some problems with the celebration of Christmas are present not only in our country, nevertheless, we must pay tribute to the state, the seventh number in January is the official day off from the year nineteen ninety-one. But the indigenous population of Egypt - the Copts, and they live in the country more than ten million, and they are also Christians, for a long time did not have the opportunity to celebrate this day. The logic of the authorities was simple: most of the inhabitants of Egypt are Muslims. Only in two thousand three the situation has changed, now Christmas is the holiday home in the Pharaonic homeland.

Even more difficult is the situation in Latvia, because there are about forty percent of the Russian-speaking population, besides, more of them are Orthodox or Old Believers. It is strange that the state representatives in the year two thousand two refused to make this date a day off.

It is very symbolic that Christmas is celebrated in Russia, traditions and customs are very familiar. For example, all believers before a celebration traditionally must observe a forty-day fast. We'll figure out how to celebrate Christmas in Russia these days. And it's necessary to start from the very beginning.

Orthodox Christmas in Russia consists of five pre-holiday days, as well as six festivals. The sixth of January is usually called the eve of the holiday, or the Christmas Eve. It is then that fasting becomes tougher, you can eat only bread and water.

How does Orthodox Christmas in Russia? Orthodox believers aspire to the temples from the evening. It is there that festive ceremonies are held, such as the Royal Clock, prophetic songs, and church chant. And all this is for the glory of the birth of the Savior.

In Russia today about seventy percent of all believers consider themselves Orthodox. That is why on the night before Christmas Christian churches are full of believers. By the way, Protestants sometimes join them.

This holiday does not look European in the same way, because Christmas is celebrated in Russia on the 7th of January. The Patriarch of Moscow himself is conducting a divine service that day, which is then broadcast on television and radio channels. It involved a lot of media figures of culture, politicians, as well as the president of the country.

The ritual

When celebrating Christmas in Russia, the most traditional dish is kutya - it's porridge with honey and poppy, it symbolizes faith and eternal life.

And at Christmas it is customary to "carol" - this is one of the Christmas traditions, when several young men and girls (children) go to neighbor's houses and sing for the owners of "carols", songs with good wishes of success, health in the future. For this the hosts treat them (pies, sweets, other delicacies), they are bestowed with small money.

And how do young people celebrate Christmas in Russia? Christmas lasts until the nineteenth of January (this day is called "Baptism"). Well, as usual, at this time, young ladies love to betray the groom. There are many different ways of such fortunetelling, we give only the most famous and popular ones.

Wax

You need to melt the wax in a special bowl, then pour the milk into a dish and put it to the doorstep of the house. Sharply pour the wax into the milk. A waxed figure should form from the wax, it's worth looking at. The first thing it looks like to you is your destiny. For example, if you thought that the wax figure resembles a cross, then it means that there are diseases in you or your close person. And if it seemed like a flower, then this year you will have a wedding or just find a loved one. If you see a person, then this is the appearance of a new friend. And if you see an animal, then, on the contrary, you will lead an enemy. If the wax has formed strips, then it's to the long road, and if you lay down a star, it's to luck.

Ring

Girls who want to know their destiny need to lay out a ring, a hunk of bread on the floor, and a hook (you can fish, you can knit). All this must be covered with a towel, then each one should wrap around itself five times, and then pull off the handkerchief and pull out to whom and what it was. The ring means marriage with the fashionista, bread - marriage with a rich man, and hook - life with the poor.

Shoe

This is the most famous kind of fortune telling. When celebrating Christmas in Russia, the young lady should remove the shoe from her left foot and throw it away from the gate, trying to notice in which direction she will lie with her toe. If the toe of the shoe looks toward the gate, then this year the girl will not be married yet. She will stay in her parents' house. And if the shoe will look in any other direction, then you need to prepare to wait for the matchmaking.

And this is only a few types of Christmas fortune-telling, in fact, the list can be much more extensive. The main thing is to treat predictions with humor and not to take a not too positive forecast to heart.

In general, this holiday is very bright, joyful and cheerful. Christmas carols, fortune-telling, delicious food after a long fast, the ringing of holiday bells over the city ... Let the new year and be celebrated more, but the setting of a frosty Christmas morning for many carries a more sacred and meaningful meaning. In this day - the whole identity of Russian culture.