Christmas or What we don’t yet know about the holiday of Christmas
They say that before Christmas, the heavenly bells begin to ring, praising God for the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ. And with each new strike of such a bell, heavenly grace spreads throughout our sinful world, and the angels grow wings...
New Year and Christmas - two bright ones family holiday, which are celebrated by many people all over the Earth. This is a special night of reconciliation when they wish each other well. Various Christian religious denominations celebrate Christian Christmas in the middle of winter with December 25(for Catholics) Jan. 7(among the Orthodox). Christmas is a holiday that means a lot to people; it does not pass without a trace for any person who has at least once heard about the life of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for people.
World-famous directors make films about Christmas, artists paint pictures that later become masterpieces of world art, poets compose poems about the great mystery of the birth of the Savior.
The night before Christmas is the brightest and purest time, when every person must forgive everyone for their unseemly actions, cleanse themselves before people, asking for forgiveness for their sins and become a little brighter, kinder, thereby getting closer to the Creator.
Every holiday, whether secular or religious, has its own history.
The history of the holiday or the Night before Christmas...
The most detailed account of the birth of Jesus Christ is found in the Gospel of Luke:
“Joseph also went from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David, to enroll with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. And while they were there, The time had come for Her to give birth; and she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
(Luke, ch. 2:4-7)
At the time when Mary was destined to give birth to a baby, a census of the population of the Roman Empire was taking place by order of Emperor Augustus. Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, because according to the same decree of the emperor, in order to facilitate the census process, each resident had to come to “their” city. Both Mary and Joseph were from the line of David, so they had to go to Bethlehem.
After Mary and Joseph were unable to stay at the inn because all the places were occupied, they were forced to spend the night in a cave intended to shelter livestock for the night. It was in this cave (later called the Cave of the Nativity) that Mary went into labor. She gave birth to a son, whom she named Jesus according to a sign.
After the birth of Jesus, the shepherds came to worship him, who received bright news from the angel. According to the Gospel of Matthew, a wonderful star lit up in the sky at that time, which led the wise men (magi) to Jesus. The shepherds presented the Baby with incense, gold and myrrh as gifts. The news of the birth of the Messiah spread throughout Judea.
Upon learning of the birth of the New King, King Herod ordered the destruction of all male infants under two years of age. However, Jesus escaped a sad fate, since Joseph was warned by an angel who told him to flee from reprisals to Egypt, where the Holy Family lived until the death of Herod.
The mystery of the birth of Jesus Christ gives rise to many questions: where was Jesus born? When was Jesus Christ born?
Where and when was Jesus Christ born?
No matter how surprising this may be for modern man, but the ancient Jews considered a person’s birthday to be the beginning of pain and sorrow, and therefore the birthday was not celebrated as a holiday. This has become the reason that it is not possible to establish the date of birth of Jesus Christ for certain. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, where Mary and Joseph went to take a census. It is possible to establish the approximate date of the birth of Christ only with the help of various accompanying dates, any events, and the reigns of emperors or kings.
Based on all the research, Jesus was born sometime between 7 and 5 BC. The first date of birth is December 25) is indicated in the chronicle of Sextus Julius, dated 221 However, there are other prerequisites for establishing the real date of Christ’s birth. This is the period from 12 to 7 BC. During this period, Halley's Comet passed by, which could well have been called the Star of Bethlehem. During the same period, the only population census was conducted. An important fact is that Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod, who died in 4 BC. This means that Jesus Christ could only have been born before 4 BC, not later, otherwise he would have been too young at the time of his execution.
According to the research of Robert D. Myers, the Bible does not indicate the date of Jesus' birth. However, there are the words of Luke, who says that “at that time there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock.” This suggests that Jesus was born either in the summer or early autumn, since it was quite cold and rainy in Judea in December. Consequently, shepherds would not graze their flocks in the fields.
Early Christian tradition combined the feast of Epiphany ( 6th January), Christmas and Epiphany, which later became various holidays.
Christmas Traditions
Of course, the main Christmas tradition is the decorated fir tree. This custom has been known since the 8th century and came to us from Germany. The first mention of the Christmas tree is associated with the personality of Saint Boniface. When the monk Boniface read sermons about Jesus Christ and the Nativity to the Druids (tree worshipers), he convinced them that the oak was not a sacred tree. To prove his words, Boniface cut down a tree. Falling, the oak broke all the trees with its crown; only one spruce remained unbroken. The monk saw a miracle in this event, exclaiming: “Let the spruce be the tree of Christ.” That is why Christmas in Germany is celebrated by planting young Christmas trees.
Symbols of Christmas are also an evergreen wreath with candles, bells - a symbol of the Heavenly Bells and the exorcism of evil spirits, Christmas cards, Christmas carols, candles. During the twelve days of holidays from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany, it is customary to give gifts to your loved ones, rejoice and sing Christmas songs.
Slavic peoples often tell fortunes for Christmas, especially young girls - for their betrothed. They make wishes and dreams that, according to legend, will definitely come true. In some villages, on the night before Christmas, “wells” are built from twigs. A small padlock is placed on the top of the “well”, which is slammed shut before going to bed. The girl puts the key under the pillow, wishing for her betrothed to come and drink water from the well, and the “well” is locked. You need to take the key from your betrothed: your betrothed will come and ask the girl for the key, and that’s how they will meet.
There is another tradition. In order to keep things in the house and the family always in new clothes, on Christmas Eve (January 6) you should move things from one shelf to another, changing their places. Then, according to beliefs, the family living in this house will be able to buy new things all year round.
In addition, on the Holy Evening of January 6, it is customary to visit loved ones and relatives with songs, carols, and wish everyone a Merry Christmas, wishing them prosperity and goodness.
Merry Christmas
As you wish each other a Merry Christmas, remember that together with your in sincere words blessing and love, joy and prosperity will come to the house. Remembering Christ, become a little kinder and purer so that you can believe in a miracle and so that His love will settle in you!
Night. Freezing. The stars are sparkling
From the heights of heaven.
All covered in snow, like ermines,
The quiet forest sleeps.
Silence all around. Glade
Sleeping in the arms of sleep,
Swims out from behind the forest
The moon is on watch.
The stars are going out. They're pouring from the sky
Pale rays
Frosty snow sparkled
Silver brocade.
Branches spread wide
In a snow coat,
There is a Christmas tree in the middle of the clearing.
It went up like an arrow.
To the beauty of the forest
The moonlight has fallen
And the lights of ice crystals
Played in the branches.
Diamond threads
Entwined in pine needles,
Emeralds and rubies
They lit up in the snow.
A clear star near the Christmas tree
The head is glowing...
The great day is coming
Christmas holiday!
***
How quiet this night... how transparent it is!
The heavens look with inspiration,
And in the arms of deep winter sleep
The forests breathe with anticipation...
On this quiet night, like a sunsetless star
In the dark abyss of lost years
Fired up for the first time over the sinful earth
Christianity divine light
That night the Christ Child smiled
With endless caress of love
To people - their brothers, tired of tears,
Drowning in sin and blood...
On this night of light-winged heavenly guests
It's like you can hear singing in the distance...
And the radiant stars shine brighter
Above the snows of the cold earth.
There are countries where people have not known for centuries
No blizzards, no loose snow;
There they sparkle only with unmelting snow
The tops of granite ridges...
The flowers there are more fragrant, the stars are larger,
Spring is brighter and more elegant,
And the feathers of the birds are brighter there, and it’s warmer
The sea wave is breathing there...
In such and such a country on a balmy night
With the whisper of laurels and roses,
The desired miracle happened in person,
The Baby Christ was born.
You think there's no one to help
If you couldn't help yourself...
Go and celebrate Christmas night -
After all, on this night the Son and God were born!
From that very night the miracle began
A wondrous diamond from a handful of stones:
Mary's son Christ was born
From God - to save other people!
Then: not only amuse the body
Food, drink - a wreath of earthly pleasures,
And glorify Heaven, soul, God -
They bring warmth and light to everyone!
May God wait for you from birth to
Beautiful and smooth road!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! We wish you peace, prosperity and love!
A few questions to editor Gennady Klimov. What do we know about Christmas events? According to the Apostle Matthew, the Magi, who lived somewhere in the east, saw a star in the sky and realized that it was a sign. Following her, they crossed several states and arrived in Jerusalem. There they turned to the ruler of this country, Herod, with the question of where they could see the newly born King of the Jews. Herod was alarmed by this news, but did not show it, asking them, when they found the King, to tell him where he was. The travelers followed the guiding star, which led them to Bethlehem. According to Scripture, the star stopped right above the cave with the cradle of the baby Jesus Christ, showing the way to the Magi. There they found Mary and the baby, bowed to him and brought gifts.The Magi brought three gifts to the baby: gold, incense and myrrh. Going home the next morning, the wise men decided not to tell Herod about the baby.
- Gennady Andreevich, who are these wise men from the east? Why is nothing known about them?
- Interpreting biblical texts is difficult. These are not simple texts. They have many levels - it’s like a person’s subconscious, in which the memory of events a thousand years ago is hidden. The same is true in religious texts. For some, these are instructive short stories that set moral postulates. But the same text also contains information about the history of peoples: their migrations, changes in culture and religions, climate disasters and wars. It all depends on the degree of dedication. In the very general view The message surrounding the circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ speaks of the time preceding the coming of the Messiah to the world. more than 2000 years ago, the era of Aries ended, and Christ was born in a stable along with the sheep. This is a symbol of the fact that God prepared the coming of the Messiah throughout the previous era, and that Christianity matured in the bosom of the cults of previous eras. Magi are, in my opinion, adherents of the Almighty from previous eras.
- Do you claim that the Magi came from Rus'?
Where else could they come from? All the sacred places of civilization were located in the north. Now people have forgotten their origins, but 2000 years ago they still remembered. The apocryphal gospels gave them the names Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. The Evangelist does not write about the number of Magi. Based on the number of gifts brought, it was assumed that there were three of them. Eat Greek options their names (Appellikon, Amerin and Damascon) and Hebrew (Magalat, Galgalat and Serakin). There are legends about the fourth magician, whose name is Artaban. In early manuscripts, Belshazzar is called Bethesarei. Armenians believe that there were 12 Magi. In Catholic churches, on the feast of Epiphany, chalk is blessed, which is then used to write the Latin letters CMB on the doors of churches and houses, which is interpreted as the first letters of the names of the three Magi Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar; and sometimes as the first letters of the Latin phrase "Christus mausionem benedicat", which means "Christ bless this house."
However, I think that the Magi are avatars of the prophets who created the great religions of the past that prepared the coming of Christianity. This is the leader of the Azov, Odin, who was revered by the Scandinavians, in Valdai and the White Sea region. This is the leader Krishna, the ancient ancestor of the Krivichi, who lived in Rus' about 5,000 years ago during the war between the Pandavas and the Kaurs, and the prophet Zarathushtra, who left the Don region to preach to Iran about 3,500 years ago. Kaspar is a monk from the temple of Mokosh, Balthazar is from the temple of Yar, and Melkhilr is from the temple of Rod. By the way, this logic makes it clear why Catholics still bless chalk. The temple complexes of the Magi of Rus' were mainly located in the caves of the chalk mountains (for example, the island of Rügen (Buyan) in Germany or Divnogorye in the Voronezh region). By the way, this year I visited Divnogorye and the underground chalk churches. Until now, these seem like fantastic structures.
But you say in your books that there were four churches in Rus', and, as is commonly believed, there were three Magi? Was there no representative from the Temple of Mary?
Why do you think there were three of them? There were four of them... Mara is the feminine principle, the eastern church of the Volga region and the Kama River. The Virgin Mary was the fourth Magi. By the way, before the birth of Christ she was raised by the Magi.
- But the Bible says that the Magi came from the east, and Rus' from Palestine - in the north. How do you explain this?
How could the Magi of the north get to Palestine? They could gather in one of the Scythian-Sarmatian temples of the Don region. For example, in Divnogorye. Then they could sail on ships or with a caravan through the Caucasus or go down through Tver along the Volga to Edel (the modern city of Astrakhan) and further on camels. It is most logical that they moved through the country of Parthia, located south of the Caspian Sea in modern Iran. This easternmost province of the former empire of Alexander the Great was in those days conquered by the kings of the Scythian-Sarmatian world. Here, in the southern provinces of the Aryan power, philosophical and religious thought was seething at that time. In Parthia there was rare religious tolerance and, as is now commonly said, pluralism of opinions. By the way, caravans and cavalry of the Parthians were actually seen in the vicinity of Jerusalem shortly before the birth of Christ. That is, the Magi really came from the east. Later, when the apostles scattered to preach the Gospel throughout the world, the Apostle Thomas met the Magi in Parthia, where they were baptized by him and themselves became preachers of the new faith. Their relics were subsequently found by Queen Helena, which were placed first in Constantinople, but from there were transferred to Mediolan (Milan), and then to Cologne, where their skulls are kept as a shrine to this day. And the gifts of the Magi have survived to this day! Gold - 28 small plates different shapes- trapezoid, quadrilateral, polygon. Each one has a filigree pattern that is never repeated. Frankincense and myrrh are small, the size of an olive, balls, about seventy of them. These treasures are kept in the monastery of St. Apostle Paul on Mount Athos. The Mother of God kept the gifts of the Magi all her life. And shortly before her Assumption, knowing that her earthly life was ending, she transferred the Gifts to the Jerusalem Church, where they were kept until the year 400. The Byzantine Emperor Arcadius transferred the Gifts to Constantinople. Then they find themselves in the city of Nicaea. When the Latins were expelled from Constantinople, the gifts returned to the capital. After the fall of Byzantium in 1453, the gifts of the Magi were sent to Athos, to the monastery of St. Apostle Paul.
An amazing fragrance still emanates from the Gifts. Sometimes they are taken out of the monastery sacristy for worship by pilgrims, and then the whole church is filled with fragrance.
Note that in the story of the Nativity of Christ, the first to worship the born Savior were the shepherds, the children of nature, who could open before Him only the treasury of their hearts, full of simplicity, faith and humility. Much later, the Magi came from the East, full of learned wisdom. This is me to understand the full depth of the holy books.
Varvara Medvedeva
Order books by Gennady Klimov -
By uploading their photographs to the Your Italy website, users accept the following terms and conditions:1. All users who fill out the form indicating their last name, first name, contact information and description of the photo are allowed to participate.
2. The photo must be original, and the rights to it must belong to the user.
3. Uploaded photos must not contain:
3.1. recognizable people, unless they have given permission to publish their photographs on the Your Italy website;
3.2. logos and trademarks, unless their copyright holders have granted Your Italy the authority to publish them;
3.3. naked bodies, unless we are talking about works of art, obscene, immoral, unacceptable images;
3.4. any objects that violate the rights of third parties;
3.5. By posting a photo in a photo gallery, users agree to its placement in this gallery and in site materials with an explicit indication of the author of this photo, as well as in publications social networks related to this site.
4. Users also agree that they may be contacted by representatives of Your Italy to discuss possible other uses of the photo provided.
Christmas Quiz
for primary school age
« What do we know about Christmas?
Target: Creating ideas for younger schoolchildren about the holiday of the Nativity of Christ.
Tasks:
- To introduce students to the origins of the Orthodox culture of the people.
- To promote the development of spiritual and moral values in children based on knowledge and disclosure of the meaning of Orthodox holidays.
- To introduce younger schoolchildren to the history of the Nativity of Christ.
- To foster in children a sense of belonging to Russian culture, a society that values its past as an asset.
5. Develop in younger schoolchildren logical thinking, broaden their horizons.
6. Help strengthen friendships between children,feelings of mutual assistance and goodwill towards each other.
Equipment: presentation, “The Smartest” medals, chest, pictures, box with Christmas wishes, hourglass.
Preliminary work:Conversations with children aboutthe history of the origin of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, its traditions; decorating the hall, setting up an exhibition of children's works "Christmas Miracle", preparing and rehearsing poems and songs about Christmas, purchasing souvenirs.
Description of the quiz:
The teams each sit at their own table. Teams have 7-8 people. The teams discuss each question for approximately 1 minute. The captain is in charge or appoints a team member. Give questions to both teams alternately. If a team gives an incorrect answer, the second team answers the same question, but without discussion.
Progress:
Boy:
Friends, it will be Christmas soon,
The whole city is waiting for a secret,
He sleeps in the crystal frost
And waits: the magic will happen.
Girl:
Blizzards took possession of him,
Dream-like.
In the cathedrals there is the flickering of candles and singing,
And silvery incense smoke.
Boy:
Miracles will happen
So easily, in a crowd of passers-by,
And suddenly they look like music
Human voices will become.
(The song “Christmas is a Miracle” plays)
Leading:
There are holidays that take place
Getting lost like the pages of a calendar,
But Christmas comes to us every day,
To illuminate souls with eternal light.
Leading:
Christmas! - the very first and one of the greatest holidays of Christians all over the planet. Without Christmas there would be no Calvary, forgiveness and love.
Leading:
Without Christmas, we would never know that there is resurrection and eternity.
Leading:
Without Christmas, no one would ever tell us that God is our loving Father.
Leading:
Christmas is old holiday, 2000 years ago the Savior came into the world.
Leading:
Christmas is new holiday. Every minute on earth Christ is born in a dozen new hearts.
Leading:
Guys, the long-awaited, unusual and most beloved holiday, Christmas, is coming soon. But not many people know about the history of this holiday and its traditions. To select experts who know a lot of interesting things about greatest holiday It's Christmas, let's have a Christmas quiz. I propose to divide into 2 teams (teams are formed: at the request of the children, by drawing lots, by counting, or by the choice of the teacher).
Leading:
I remind you of the rules of the game.
1. Time is given to discuss the issue.
2. Before this time expires, the team must find the answer, and the captain must raise his hand.
3. The captain decides who will be responsible.
4. If a team gives an incorrect answer, the other team has time to discuss.
5. Each team will be asked a question in turn. For each correct answer, the team receives a token.
Leading:
But let's think about without whom our competition may not take place. Of course, the teams will be evaluated by a jury.(Jury Presentation).
We ask the jury members to be strict but fair.
Command View(3-5 points).
Name,
Motto,
Captain.
1st round Warm-up “Choose the correct answer”.
1.Like everyone else Orthodox world, our country celebrates the Nativity of Christ:
- December 25;
- 31th of December;
- Jan. 7.
- Christmastide;
- Christmas Eve;
- Merry Christmas itself.
(Answer: The day before Christmas is called Christmas Eve. Orthodox people on this day they don’t eat anything until the evening: they wait for the first star to light up in the sky).
3.Twelve holidays between the holidays of Christmas and Epiphany are called...:
- Christmas time;
- Carols;
3.Christmas Eve.
(Answer : These days are called Christmastide and last 12 Holy days, from January 7 to the 19th, until the Baptism of Christ).
4.What was the Baby's name?
- Herod;
- Jesus Christ;
- Solomon.
(Answer: Jesus Christ).
5.The word “Christ”:
1. This is the last name of Jesus;
2. Means "Anointed One";
3. Means "Son of God".
(Answer: Son of God).
6. Jesus was born:
1. In Bethlehem;
2. In Jerusalem;
3. In Bethany.
(Answer: Bethlehem).
7. What were the names of the Baby’s parents?
- Ivan and Marya;
- Mary and Joseph;
- Peter and Fevronia.
(Answer: Mary and Joseph).
8. He brought the happy news of the birth of the Son of God to the Virgin Mary:
- Angel;
- Husband;
- Doctor.
(Answer: Angel).
9.What is the name now called the day when Mary learned that she would become the mother of the Savior of mankind?
1. Annunciation;
2. Dormition;
3. Easter.
(Answer: Annunciation).
10. The second message of the birth of the Son of God was:
- Comet;
- Star;
- Northern lights.
(Answer: Star).
2 round "Chest of Secrets"(each correct answer – 1 point).
Leading: The chest contains pictures of objects. Guess from the description what is in the chest.
- This item became the Baby's first crib ( Manger with hay).
- These items were given to the Baby by the Magi(Gold, incense and myrrh).
- This tree is the main one at the Christmas holiday.(Spruce).
- This item is in memory of Star of Bethlehem is the main decoration of the Christmas tree in our homes(Star).
- This dish in our country is the main dish on the Christmas table (Roast goose with apples).
3rd round "For myself"(each correct answer – 2 points).
Leading: Team captains participate in this round. They take turns pulling out barrels with numbers from 1 to 5. One of them is “lucky”, for which the team receives 3 points, but no question is asked. For each correct answer to the remaining questions, the team receives 2 points.
1.Jesus was born in a stable:
1. Because His parents did not have time to get home;
2.Mary and Joseph were far from home, and there was no room in the inns;
3. Joseph and Mary's house was being renovated, and the family temporarily lived in a stable.
(Answer: Mary and Joseph were far from home, and there was no room in the hotels).
2. The first to know about the birth of the Savior were:
1. People from the neighboring house;
2. Shepherds on the field;
3. Children in the city square.
(Answer: Shepherds on the field).
3. The Magi realized that the Savior of the world was born because:
1. We saw a new star in the sky;
2. An angel told them about this;
3.They saw a pillar of fire in the east.
(Answer: We saw a new star in the sky).
4. How did King Herod react to the news of the birth of Jesus:
1. He came and worshiped Him;
2. Wanted to kill Him;
3. I planned to make Him king after myself.
(Answer: I wanted to kill Him).
4th round "Who's faster?"(each correct answer – 1 point).
1.What is the name of the star that announced the birth of Jesus to the world? (Bethlehem).
2. On Christmas night it is customary to carol until the morning. What ddid children and youth eat? (Sang Christmas songs).
3.On Christmas night, a nativity scene was traditionally shown. What it is? (Performance about the birth of Jesus).
4. Literary genre directly related to Christmas? (Christmas tale)
Leading:
The questions are over, friends!
And I praise everyone, guys.
Leading:
The quiz has come to an end.
Well done to those who didn't make a mistake!
And who made a mistake even a little,
Not a good guy, but a hammer!
Leading:
And now, while the jury is counting the points, we will play.
Leading:
We'll start the verses now,
We'll start, and you finish,
Answer in unison.
Leading:
The needles glow softly,
The coniferous spirit comes... (from the Christmas tree).
And the toys swing -
Flags, stars... (crackers).
Fragile fish figures,
Birds, girls... (snow maidens).
What a wonderful Christmas tree!
How elegant, how... (beautiful)!
The branches rustle faintly,
The beads are bright... (shine).
Threads of colorful tinsel,
Bells... (balls),
Whitebeard and Rednose
Under the branches... (Santa Claus).
The candles are lit on it,
Hundreds of tiny... (lights).
The doors are wide open, just like in a fairy tale,
Everyone is greeted with triumph
A bright holiday, a wonderful holiday,
Congratulations... (Merry Christmas)!
Leading: Well done! We didn’t think that you could write poetry so well!
Leading: And now the jury gives the floor.
(Congratulations to the winners to the festive fanfare,
presentation of “The Smartest” medals).
Presenter: B Christmas is customary to say to each other good wishes. We received such wishes as a holiday gift! We invite all our quiz participants to open the box with Christmas wishes.
(The presenters give wishes to the quiz participants,
who say them out loud.)
Boy:
There is a special charm about Christmas:
In any capital and in any village
Everyone counts (I don’t dare argue),
That this holiday is the best on Earth.
Girl:
There is no sin in him, there is nothing empty in him...
So let, looking into every house,
Christmas is coming around the world!
And we wish you a Merry Christmas!
(The song sounds " Christmas is a festival of light»)
Leading: Our quiz is over, but the happy year continues. Let Christmas light its spark of happiness, kindness and love for each other in your hearts!
Leading: Thanks to all the quiz participants! You actively worked in teams, answered questions, showed good knowledge and skills. The quiz helped us get into the world of goodness and learn how to find a way out of any situation!
(Fanfare sounds and the clock strikes).
