Christmas Eve - what is it? When does Christmas Eve start? History of Christmas Eve

Today is already forgotten, unfortunately, the great church feast of Christmas Eve. What is this, now know the unit. And in the days of our great-grandmothers, he was glorified more than the Nativity of Christ. Let's talk about how we prepared for this day and how our distant ancestors celebrated it.

What is Christmas Eve before Christmas?

Where did the name of this holiday come from? It turns out that the word "osovo" is a dish that was cooked specially for that day to treat all the domestic ones. To do this, the hostess soaked the cooked cereal grains (wheat, barley, lentils, rice) in the juice of seeds (poppy, almond or walnut). The dish turned out to be lean. Oil was not put in it. It was only allowed to add a spoonful of honey to make the dish more nutritious. Sometimes he was replaced with kutya. Sochi people used this day in imitation of the biblical prophet Daniel. This parable refers to the Old Testament times. Pagan Julian the Apostate, wanting to poke fun at the faithful fasting people, ordered all food on the market to sprinkle the blood of animals sacrificed to idols. Then the prophet Daniel ordered his young novices to feed on soaked grains and dried fruits. So the believers were able to avoid making a polluted pagan meal.

When is it celebrated?

Our distant ancestors were very fond of Christmas Eve. When he begins, they knew everything, from small to large. The holy tradition of his celebration was honored and passed on from generation to generation. It is noteworthy that many years ago Christmas Eve was celebrated more than once a year, and several. So, on December 24 (old style), or on January 6 (new), people celebrated the eve of the Nativity of Christ. It is this day today that is usually called Christmas Eve. But they also observed this tradition on the eve of the Epiphany - January 5 (old style), or January 18 (new), the Annunciation, and Saturday of the first week of Lent.

Christmas Eve in different countries

Many states today celebrate this great church holiday. The Russian Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches celebrate it on January 6 (according to the Julian calendar). From 7 to 19 January - the time of Christmas time (when Christmas Eve has already ended). What is it, they know now, perhaps, only in the villages. About how these two holy weeks are held, will be described below. Countries that live according to the Gregorian calendar celebrate Christmas Eve on December 24th. It is noteworthy that the name of this holiday differs from state to state. So, in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina it is Badnyak, or Badnidan, in Slovenia - Sveti večer, in Bulgaria - Bedny evening, in Ukraine - Svyatvechir.

Orthodox Christmas Eve

It is known that this holiday is preceded by a strict Christmas fast, which lasts from November 28 to January 6. On Christmas Eve, the Orthodox do not eat until the first star. Its appearance is connected with the legend of the Bethlehem star, which ushered in the birth of a holy baby. In the evening people on the table did not gather and did not sit down to supper. This could be done with the appearance of the first light in the sky. After that our ancestors covered the table with a snow-white tablecloth, put on it a bunch of hay in memory of the manger, where the Savior was born, and put twelve fasting dishes - according to the number of disciples of Jesus Christ. They ate and glorified the Lord.

Tradition in Catholicism

Not all countries observe a strict fast, preparing to celebrate Christmas Eve. Traditions of the Catholic Church say that this is considered a good rule, but not mandatory. In European countries, on Christmas Eve, they usually gather in a wide family circle at a festive table filled with lean dishes. The main figure here is the father of the family. Before the start of the meal, he reads an excerpt from the Gospel of Christmas. Then those present taste the gifts of the lavish house. As a rule, the table is always left empty and put the device in case someone else joins the celebration. And the Catholics have a tradition of exchanging wafers - rye bread with figurines. Bread breaks, and the one who is treated to a piece, should say good wishes to those present.

Epiphany Eve. What it is?

Many good, but, unfortunately, today our forefathers observed our rituals. As already mentioned above, Christmas people celebrated Christmas Eve not only before Christmas, but before the day of consecration of water - Baptism. His traditions were connected with him. For example, such as the seeing off of deceased relatives and the expulsion of all evil spirits. To this end, in the Epiphany Eve in some provinces, the boys went around the yards with brooms, struck them at the gate and shouted that there were urine. It was believed that in this way they drove away evil spirits. All the relatives gathered for the meal on this holiday. We prepared necessarily kutya, compote of dried fruits or jelly, baked pancakes, cooked pea porridge. A lighted candle was put on the table and some food was put on a saucer for relatives who had left for another world. In many ways the Epiphany Christmas Eve was like Christmas.

Christmas tree

January 7 - right after Christmas Eve - people celebrated Christmas. And then the Christmas season began, which they called - "time from star to water," that is, from the appearance of the first light in the sky on Christmas Eve before the consecration of water in Epiphany. The very word "holy" means "holy, holy days". Since ancient times, weddings have not been played in Russia during this period, but the time was very fun: in songs, dances, festivities, dressing and satirical performances. Guys and girls from different villages made merrymaking. They changed into animals and mythological animals, went to their homes at night and sang songs, praising the owners, trying to get them a treat for themselves. This custom is called caroling. Christmas tree is the time of the revelry of the evil spirit and the arrival of the souls of the deceased relatives to the earth. In many villages of Russia there were their traditions associated with this. So, for example, on the streets of Central and Southern Russia on Christmas Eve some fires were burned from the straw for the dead relatives to come and "warm up". Often, they threw lime brooms, so that the deceased had the opportunity to soak in the bathhouse. And on Christmas Eve on the table sometimes put kutya, pancakes and kissel - traditional treats during the wake of the dead. This was done so that the deceased relatives could share a meal with the living. During the Christmas season the young people arranged fortune-telling, performed magical rites, and performed conspiracies.

How to make osobivo?

Our great-grandmothers knew what to prepare for Christmas Eve. These ancient recipes for the preparation of Christmas dishes are not forgotten. And today any landlady can, if desired, brew ostrovo. Here is the recipe for this dish:

• 1 faceted glass of wheat grains;

• 100 g of poppy seeds;

• 100 g of walnut kernels;

• 1 or 2 tablespoons of liquid honey;

• a little sugar.

Put wheat grains in a wooden mortar and pestle them until the grain shell has moved away. At the same time, you need to pour a little warm boiled water into the mass. Then the husks are removed by washing the seeds. Wheat is poured with water, put on fire and boil until cooked. It turns out crumbly porridge. In a wooden mortar in the same way, grind the poppy until the appearance of poppy milk. Add it to the porridge, put honey and sugar there and mix thoroughly. At the end of the mass put crushed kernels of walnut. Sochi is ready.

How were you preparing for the holiday?

As it was told earlier, strict abstention from fast food preceded such a holiday as Christmas Eve. When this post begins, we know - November 28. For five weeks it was impossible to eat animal products: meat, fish, milk, eggs, butter, cottage cheese, kefir and sour cream. But all lean was allowed: boiled potatoes with pickled mushrooms or cucumbers, steamed turnip, porridge on the water, lean bread, kvass. Before Christmas Eve they were cleaning the house, trying to look into every corner. And then they heated the sauna hotly, washed and changed clothes. People believed that the body and thoughts should be kept clean. Therefore, before sitting down at the festive table, they lit candles at the icons in the house and performed a thankful prayer to the Lord.

Folk features for Christmas Eve

• A wax candle was put on the table with a white tablecloth and lit it with the words: "Burn, candle, righteous sun, shine to the souls in paradise and to us, the living, the gray mother earth, our cattle, our fields". If the light burns gaily, then the year will be prosperous and yielding, if it blinks and flutters, you will have to tighten your belts more tightly.

• In the evening we looked out the window: if the night is clear and starry, the summer will be generous for the harvest of berries, and the year will be good for the livestock of the livestock.

• If before the Christmas Eve a snowstorm took place - the bees will swarm well.

• What is the date of Christmas Eve? 6th January. The height of the Russian winter. It was expected that frost would be raging in the yard at that time. However, this is not always the case. Suddenly, a thaw could begin. And if suddenly it happens on the feast of drops, then you should not wait for a good harvest from your garden. But buckwheat for sure will be good.

• On a feast of frost on trees - to good bread.

Festive worship in the church

How does the church celebrate the Christmas Eve? Orthodox people still preserve the tradition after the evening meal to attend the temple in order to celebrate the all-night Christmas vigil. There, at this time, a service consisting of the Great Hours with the reading of passages from the Gospel and the brief accomplishment of the Fine are being performed. It takes place as follows: the clergy read prayers on the pulpit and dress. Then comes the time of the Great Vespers with the reading of paremias and the Liturgy of Basil the Great, at the end of which the Great Water Council is celebrated.

And here is how the Catholic Christmas Eve is celebrated in the church. Here, as usual, on December 24, the Mass is served according to the rank of Advent, and the Nativity of Christmas begins at midnight. In some countries in Europe and Poland, this service is called "shepherd".

We told about a great church holiday, which precedes Christmas, which is Christmas Eve. What it is, as it was noted, what significance it had in the religion of different countries - all the necessary information can be found in this article.