Christmas among Western Christians (Catholics) (Christmas Day)

On December 25, Western Christians celebrate the Nativity of Christ This is a great church holiday celebrated in most countries of the world The birth of the Savior is celebrated by representatives of different religious denominations The first mention of the important day dates back to the 4th century Until now, church authors argue among themselves about the true date of the Bethlehem night that gave Jesus Christ to the world Some of them claim that the pagan holiday “Birth of the Sun” was celebrated on December 25 After the adoption of Christianity, the church tried to eradicate all pagan echoes, but it is not so easy to erase customs that have developed over centuries Therefore, old holidays were filled with new Christian meaning Other authors prove the scientific hypothesis Exactly 9 months are counted from the Feast of the Incarnation (Conception of Christ), which is celebrated on March 25 according to the Gregorian calendar The Christmas holiday is one of the most beloved and kind It lasts 12 days 5 days of pre-celebration and 6 days of post-celebration On December 24, Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve begins Strict fasting until the first star shining in the sky According to tradition, this star is called the Star of Bethlehem Christmas services are held three times At midnight, at dawn and at lunchtime This is a symbolic recognition of Christ in the bosom of his father God, then in the body of the Mother of God, and finally in the souls of righteous Christians Traditionally, all houses are decorated at this time Christmas trees with a symbolic star on the top, beautiful wreaths, garlands, candles Since the 13th century, the custom arose in churches and then in homes to place a manger with a baby, which symbolizes Jesus Housewives set rich tables for their households Christmas is celebrated with family Before dinner, Christmas bread, specially baked and blessed in the church, is usually broken On Christmas days you can carol Painted children and adults, dressed in fancy dress, try to enter every home with songs and poems At the same time, it is important to treat the carolers well, since the guests will have couplets about stingy people that make the unfriendly hosts laugh The Nativity of Jesus is an important day in the history of all mankind, which is why it is celebrated so widely Pagan roots are closely intertwined with religious beliefs and have given rise to new interesting traditions This is a holiday that both adults and children look forward to with excitement