On December 24, we celebrate one of the biggest Christian holidays – Christmas Eve. We also call it Dry Christmas, Little Christmas, Krachun, Children’s Christmas, Little Christmas, Nayadka.
Today is the name day of Evgeni, Evgenia, Zheni, Zhenya, Parvan.
On December 24, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Holy Martyr Eugenia. She was Roman and the daughter of noble parents – pagans Philip and Claudia. His father, Philip, was governor of the city of Alexandria and all of Egypt. She was distinguished both by her beauty and by her glamorous education.
Christmas Eve is one of the most important family holidays – the day before the birth of Christ. Then the 40-day Christmas fasts, which began on November 15, end.
According to biblical tradition, on Christmas Eve, the birth pains of the Virgin Mary begin and it is the beginning of Christ’s birth.
The whole family gathers at the table on Christmas Eve. According to custom, it is always arranged around the hearth. Meals must necessarily be lean and, according to most beliefs, an odd number. Their number is: 7 – as many days of the week or 9 – as long as the women’s pregnancy lasts.
The dishes are tinsel, boiled wheat, peppers, honey, pumpkin pie, oshav, wine and others. Each of them on the table has an important symbol for Bulgarians.
Ritual breads are of three types – dedicated to Christmas, to village crafts and for carolers. They knead accompanied by rituals and songs. The owner of the house says a prayer, and then the pita is broken with the silver steam, vesti.bg reported.
In some parts of the country, dogwood is also stuffed into the bread for health. The first piece of the pita is left to the Mother of God in front of the icon at home.
It is believed that the luckiest person in the house will be the one on whom the steam falls. According to custom, no one should leave the table during the dinner. In addition, the table is not raised after the conclusion, so that the luck does not run away.
It is believed that the deceased then come to eat.
Before sitting down to the table, or as is the custom of the land, however, the dinner must necessarily be incensed. It is a custom where the oldest man or woman in the home incenses the table. After that, the owner goes around all the other rooms and premises in the home. Finally he goes outside and goes through the whole yard and the barn. According to popular belief, the ritual of burning incense drives away evil and impure forces from the home.
The festive atmosphere from Christmas Eve spilled over into Christmas night. Christmas carolers go round the homes and bless their owners. They go round the houses in groups, always going in an easterly direction. In every home they perform songs for glorification of the owners and auspiciousness.
2023-12-24 04:40:00
#Christmas #Eve #directories
