In the Orthodox Church, there are several special holidays, the time of celebration of which stretches out for a long time. One of such solemn periods of the church calendar is Christmastide.
Christmastide are the days after the feast of the Nativity of Christ. These are special solemn days on which people celebrate the holiday of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ into the world. Christmastide always lasts 11 days. Christmastide begins on the feast of the Nativity of Christ (January 7, new style), and ends on January 17 inclusive. January 18 in the Orthodox calendar is marked by Epiphany Christmas Eve, and on the 19th the Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord.
During Christmastide, fasting is canceled on Wednesday and Friday. This is evidence of the special celebration of the Church in honor of the birth of the Messiah.
During Christmas time, it is customary to visit each other, congratulating on the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ. Also during Christmastide, folk festivities called carols are accepted. Various Orthodox parishes are preparing Christmas concerts for Christmas time, where viewers can see various scenes on the biblical theme of the Nativity of Christ.
Christmastide is a special solemn time in which an Orthodox person is allowed to rejoice with all his heart and soul. However, at the same time, it is necessary to remember the very essence of the birth of Jesus Christ. The Orthodox Church teaches that the Lord came to earth for the salvation of people, which was accomplished through the death on the cross of the second Person of the Holy Trinity.
It should also be noted that during the Christmas time in Orthodox churches, the sacrament of a holy wedding is not performed. This is due to the fact that the main celebration for an Orthodox person during this period is the remembrance of the historical event of the Nativity of Christ.
It is also worth noting that in the minds of the Russian people there are some traditions associated with the Christmastide period. So, it is believed that Christmas divination is one of the most truthful. An Orthodox Christian needs to know that this practice is not Christian. Fortune-telling, as an appeal to dark demonic forces, has nothing to do with the celebration of the Nativity of Christ. Therefore, the practice of fortune-telling on Christmastide is not acceptable for an Orthodox person.
