Orthodox Christians mark Christmas Eve
Icon of the Nativity of Christ. Photo: VC
On January 6 (December 24 on the Julian calendar), Orthodox Christians observe Christmas Eve. The name of the day is linked to an ancient custom of preparing and eating sochivo (kutia) – a porridge made from wheat, barley, or rice, with honey, poppy seeds, dried fruit, raisins, and nuts added.
Christmas Eve occurs twice a year – on the eve of the feasts of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord.
In popular tradition, there is a pious custom of refraining from food “until the first star.” This practice is associated with the tradition of the Star of Bethlehem, which announced Christ’s birth. At the same time, the church rubric (the typikon) contains no direct instruction requiring abstention from food until nightfall.
In Ukrainian folk tradition, it is also common on Christmas Eve to prepare twelve Lenten dishes symbolizing the twelve apostles. This practice is not a church-wide ordinance and is not enshrined in liturgical prescriptions.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that believers from Bukovyna delivered humanitarian aid to the Sviatohirsk Lavra for Christmas.
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