CHRISTMAS
Christmas is one of the greatest feasts, a feast in honor of the fact that God Himself, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty, was incarnated and became a man to save all people and help them find the right path in life.
According to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:1-7), Jesus Christ was born under the reign of Emperor Augustus in the Jewish town of Bethlehem, to Joseph the Betrothed, a carpenter, and Mary. Joseph and Mary came to Bethlehem to participate in a census (Luke 2:1-2). The family had to spend the night in a cave that served as a stable to shelter the livestock from the weather, because there was no room in the inn.
At the time of Jesus' birth, the star of Bethlehem rose and indicated this event to the magi who came from the East. The first to come and worship Jesus were the shepherds, to whom an angel had announced the event. The magi arrived in Jerusalem and asked King Herod about the king of the Jews, which worried him. The scribes of the court and the heads of the priests told the wise men that, according to prophecy, the king was to be born in Bethlehem in Judea. Herod therefore called the magi and sent them to Bethlehem to gather information and report back to him. They found Jesus already in the house (Matthew 2:11) and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Warned by a dream, the magi returned home by another route (Matthew 2:12).
CELEBRATIONS IN UKRAINE
On Christmas morning, the members of the family who had attended the night service greeted those who had stayed at home, then they prayed and had breakfast.
On the morning of December 25, a special greeting is exchanged: "Christ is born!", to which one responds with "Glory to Him!" On that day, it is customary to go to church for a festive prayer, as well as to visit family. The fast being over, it is permitted to eat meat and other rich dishes starting from December 25.
On Christmas Day, the singers carry a large star attached to a stick and covered with golden paper. It symbolizes the star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of Jesus Christ. When they go to houses, the singers ask for permission to sing Christmas carols and play comic scenes, for which the owners give them candies or money.
CHRISTMAS IN PARIS in 2023 in OUR CHURCH
The Divine Liturgy of the Cathedral of St Volodymyr the Great in Paris. It is led by Bishop Hlib Lonchyna, apostolic.
Fr Andriy Morkvas, rector of the cathedral, Fr Ihor Rantsya, Protosyncellus, Fr Yuriy Zalutsky and Fr Nazariy Belyashyn took part in the office.
Some photos of the Christmas services at the Cathedral of St Volodymyr the Great
At the Cathedral of St Volodymyr the Great in Paris, we honor our deep traditions while adopting modern tools to better serve our community. The Church is not only a place of prayer, but also a center of spiritual, cultural and social life, especially for Ukrainians living in Paris. Our mission is to remain open to all generations, accessible both physically and online.
Epiphany. Some photos of the Epiphany vigil of St. Theopemptus and Theona, Protoprastes and Synclitic of Alexandria
For the second year in a row, the Cathedral of St Volodymyr the Great and the Fraternité France Ukraine association had the opportunity to help St Nicholas distribute gifts in Ukraine.
