One of the greatest holidays in the Christian tradition, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th according to the Gregorian calendar. According to legend, two thousand years ago, on this day, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was born to atone for the sins of mankind.

The exact date of Christ's birth is unknown. At the beginning of the 4th century A.D. The Roman Church decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25th. The Eastern churches - Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem and Cyprus - connected the holiday of Christmas with the holiday of Epiphany until the 6th century AD, celebrating it on January 6th. (According to one version, December 25 was chosen because this day was the pagan holiday of the birth of the sun.)

The Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas in a special way. In churches on Christmas Eve, a special evening service is held, and on the morning of Christmas day, a solemn service begins, glorifying the birth of the Savior, the Son of God.

Before the holiday, believers keep the Nativity Fast (40 days). The eve of the holiday is called Christmas Eve, on this day you need to keep a strict fast (in Ukraine this evening they prepare 12 meatless dishes. A prerequisite is to feed all domestic animals, because, as old people say, an angel descends from heaven and asks every animal if it is hungry she - and if so, then misfortune awaits the bad master).

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Merry Christmas! Let your home be filled with warmth and comfort. All dreams come true, even the smallest ones. The hearts of loved ones and relatives will be warmed with love and care. The people around you will be kind and helpful. And the Christmas star always illuminates the way!