Religious practices: Christmas:

Celebrating Christmas:

• A secular event as well as a religious one.

• Religious sacraments remember the incarnation of Christ.

• Diversity in celebrations is sometimes cultural, sometimes theological.

• Focus on the differences between eastern orthodox and western Christians.

Background:

• Christianity spread throughout the Roman empire.

• The sacking of Rome saw Constantinople become the centre of an eastern empire.

• Eastern Orthodox Christians live mainly in the Balkans, middle east and several soviet countries.

Split between east and west:

• The churches began to conflict over a variety of factors and parted ways - e.g:

• The filioque controversy.

• The primacy of the pope.

• The crusades - the sacking of Constantinople.

Christmas in the west:

• 25th December as per the Gregorian Calendar.

• Focus on Jesus’ incarnation and the Parousia.

• Advent - wreaths, calendars, Christingle, carol services, nativity plays.

• Priests wear Royal purple or blue vestments (pink on Gaudete Sunday)

• Three Eucharist services including midnight mass.

• Epiphany January 6th - celebrates the arrival of the wise men.

Christmas in the east:

• 7th January as per the Julian Calendar.

• Focus on Jesus’ incarnation.

• Observe a nativity fast lasting 40 days. Abstain from meat, dairy, eggs, oil and wine.

• Priests wear red and gold.

• Keep an all-night vigil from Christmas eve until Christmas morning, including The Royal Hours, Vespers, the Vigils concluding in Matins.

• Epiphany January 19th - celebrates the Baptism of Christ/The trinity.