DEC 24: ROYAL HOURS (READERS SERVICE) – 09:00 AM; CHRISTMAS EVE VESPERS WITH DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL THE GREAT – 8:00 PM; SOCIAL AFTER DIVINE LITURGY; DEC 25: CHRISTMAS DAY DIVINE LITURGY – 10:00 AM.
During the evening Divine Liturgy the Gospel Reading (December 24th) is Luke 2: 1-20, the Birth of Jesus, the Messiah. In Luke’s account, Jesus’ humble birth is recounted with the backdrop of a mighty empire. The passage can also be broken into two parts: Luke 2:1-7: the birth of Jesus and Luke 2:8-20: the angels’ announcement to the shepherds who first heard the good news.
On Christmas Day, the Gospel reading is Matthew 2:1-12, The Magi Visit the Messiah, in which we learn that the wise men are led by a star to the Messiah. They come to worship Him and bring gifts, but their arrival raises fears in Jerusalem and for King Herod.
NOTE: Information below regarding Christmas Eve Holy Supper Traditions and Preparations.
DEC 23: NATIVITY ROYAL HOURS: NativityRoyalHours
DEC 24: PROPERS (VESPERS WITH DIVINE LITURGY): 12-25_Nativity_Vesper_Liturgy
DEC 24: PROPERS (VIGIL DIVINE LITURGY): Christmas_Eve_service
DEC 25: PROPERS: (CHRISTMAS DAY DIVINE LITURGY): 12-25_Nativity_DL
Streaming via Facebook Live. https://www.facebook.com/saintscyrilandmethodius/
Parishes live-streaming in the Diocese can be found here: https://www.eparchyofpassaic.com/directory
FATHER VASYL’S CHRISTMAS HOMILY (12/25/21): Homily Christmas 12.25.21
The Homily of St. John Chrysostom for the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Lord: St-John-Chrysostom-Nativity-of-the-Lord
From “God With Us: Nativity of the Lord Supplement”: Nativity-of-the-Lord-Supplement
From “The Nativity Fast: A Resource for the Domestic Church”: DEC24TheParamonyoftheNativityDoc1
From “The Nativity Fast: A Resource for the Domestic Church”: DEC25NativityofOurLordDoc1
GREETINGS:
ENGLISH: “Christ is Born!” The response is: “Glorify Him!”
UKRANIAN: Christos razhdayetsya! Slavite yoho!”
FLEMISH and DUTCH: Traditional Western salutation: Zalig Kerstfeest!
[Holy Feast of Christ] [“Kerst” is the old Dutch form for Christ].
GERMAN: Usually greet one another: Frohliche Weihnachten. (Joyous night of blessings.) Heute ist uns der Heiland geboren. Lasset uns gehen und anbeten.
[“Today a Saviour is born to us. Let us go and worship Him.”]
GREEK: Christos Gennatai! Doxasate! (Christ is Born! Give glory!) or Christos etexthi! Alithos etexthi! (Christ has been born! He has truly been born!)
ICELANDIC: Gledileg jol og farsaelt nyar, pronounced: Glethileg yol og farsaelt nyaar [This greeting includes both Yule and New Year greetings.]
RUSSIAN: Kristos rozhdaetsya! Slav’te ego! Or S Rozhjdestvòm Hristòvyim !
SERBIAN: “Hristos se Rodi” “Voistinu se Rodi” “Christ is born! Indeed He is Born!”
THE TRADITIONAL BYZANTINE CELEBRATION of the FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD (from the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh): https://archpitt.org/the-traditional-byzantine-celebratlon-of-the-feast-of-the-nativity-of-our-lord/
CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE CARPATHIAN HIGHLANDS: christmasevesm
In the Byzantine Rite, Christmas Eve is referred to as Paramony (“preparation”). It is the concluding day of the Nativity Fast and is celebrated as a day of strict fasting. Nothing is eaten until the first star appears in the evening sky, in commemoration of the Star of Bethlehem. The liturgical celebration begins earlier in the day with the celebration of the Royal Hours, followed by the Divine Liturgy combined with the celebration of Vespers, during which a large number of readings from the Old Testament are chanted, recounting the history of salvation. After the dismissal at the end of the service, a new candle is brought out into the center of the church and lit, and all gather round and sing the Troparion and Kontakion of the Feast.
Holy Supper is a traditional fasting meal on the Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Eve). Since Christmas is preceded by forty days of fasting, the Holy Supper is the last meal of the fast. The Holy Supper is called Velija (veh-LEE-yah), literally “vigil” and meaning Christmas Eve Holy Supper. Velija is a 12-dish (the number of dishes symbolizes the apostles) meatless feast whose preparations begin early on Christmas Eve and starts when the first star is seen that night. It is a solemn meal that brings the family together. The foods include but not limited to, include Christmas bread, red borscht with tiny dumplings, mushroom soup, or pea soup, carp, herring, or other fish dish, i.e., Viennese fish, fried fish, pierogi, braised sauerkraut, halupki or cabbage rolls made with mushrooms and beans/rice, haluski (cabbage and noodles), kutia (wheat berry pudding), gingerbread, poppyseed cake, honey cake, nut/apricot/poppy seed rolls, and dried fruit. Holy Supper for SSCM (1) (1)
OTHER RESOURCES FOR HOLY SUPPER: https://www.thespruceeats.com/russian-christmas-eve-recipes-1135522
HOLY SUPPER: holy-supper
HOLY SUPPER FOOD TRADITIONS: http://orthodoxtraditions.blogspot.com/2013/12/russian-christmas-eve-supper-holy-supper.html
Eastern Europe Main Dishes: https://www.thespruceeats.com/eastern-europe-main-dishes-4162517
