Catholic Christmas 2017: history, traditions and prohibitions

In the night from 24 to 25 December the Catholics and representatives of other Christian denominations celebrate Christmas.

In Ukraine this holiday is the official weekend.

The first information about the Christians celebrate Christmas date back to the 4th century. According to one contemporary hypotheses, the choice of date of Christmas happened because of the simultaneous celebration of the early Christians of the incarnation (conception of Christ) and Easter. Accordingly, as a result of additions to this date (March 25) nine months, Christmas fell on the winter solstice.

Catholics observe the tradition of strict fasting on the day before Christmas, December 24. On this day, eat only sochivo – barley or wheat which are boiled in water and add honey to taste. The post ends with the appearance of the sky the first star.

Christmas is celebrated three times as the pre-eternal birth of the Word from God the Father (at night), the birth of the Son of God from virgin (at the dawn) and the birth of God in the believer’s soul (in the afternoon). Thus, in the temples is three mass – night, morning and afternoon.

House for Christmas decorate the crib with the figures of the virgin and her infant Jesus.

At Christmas, Catholics are forbidden to be engaged in physical labor, hunting, sewing, to go to the old or black clothes. Also, it is considered bad luck to save money for a holiday.

© 2017 – 2019, paradox. All rights reserved.