Christmas post

On November 28, the Nativity Fast begins in the Eastern Christian tradition Its duration is a long 40 days, which will end on the eve of the great holiday of the Nativity of the Savior Jesus Christ The named date is permanent, as it is directly related to the established date of the Nativity of Christ on January 7 The implementation of a multi-day fast begins in the 4th century, this is mentioned in the works of great saints and righteous people, and the Church Council of Constantinople in 1166 established its forty-day period The long period is designed to prepare a person for Christmas week, cleansing his body and strengthening his spirit The meaning of each Orthodox fast is to gain spiritual purity through prayers and good deeds Consequently, voluntary renunciation of amusements and excesses in food should not be an end in itself, diverting attention from the true essence of observing the Christian tradition According to popular custom, the Nativity Fast is called Filippov, since its eve falls on the day of St Philip the Apostle Until Filippov's Day, throughout November, the peasants' tables were laden with dishes from the new harvest and hearty hunting trophies In November, folk festivals took place one after another By the beginning of the Nativity Fast, it was necessary to have time to hold noisy and hearty weddings, because the church would not bless such events before Christmas Kudeletsa began on Filippov's Day, which was the name of the special week for folk needlewomen Girls and women, getting together in the evenings, made yarn from tow - the fibrous part of flax, hemp, wool, cleaned of unnecessary impurities For this case, there was a special saying: “If you don’t strain in winter, you won’t strain in summer” Many popular beliefs were associated with the Philippine fast Thus, housewives were not recommended to clean the house in the dark; there was a danger of evil spirits sweeping into the home Maintaining a fire in a stove or a simple candle, on the contrary, drove away the harmful forces of evil It was strictly forbidden to quarrel during Lent not only by church ministers, but also by the belief that now anger and resentment would settle in the house for a whole year But rumors approved of waste at the market during the Lenten period, promising a comfortable life until the next winter There was a ban on hunting and fishing until Christmas This could probably be due to the beginning of the “wolf month,” when hungry packs behaved especially riskily and approached human habitation in search of food Centuries-old observations of nature have made a connection with the weather on the Philippov fast and the future harvest Severe frosts promised a grain year, and frequent snowstorms promised an early arrival of spring The Nativity fast is not as strict as Great Lent, but during its period there is such a secular holiday as the New Year This coincidence is a difficulty for many believers who have decided to observe Orthodox traditions Many clergy emphasize that Lenten dishes can be no less tasty and festive, and you should not deprive yourself and your children of the joys of winter fun The main thing is to maintain in the soul and heart the state of love to which Christ called