Why do Orthodox fast for Christmas?
The 40-day fasting period otherwise known as Christmas Lent is when the Greek Orthodox Church gives the faithful periods of fasting and reflection in order to refocus on the spiritual life, to challenge them and to help them make adjustments, as they experience the Holy Nativity of our Lord and Saviour in a real and …
What religion fasts in December?
In Christianity, the Nativity Fast is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic Church in preparation for the Nativity of Jesus on December 25.
How do you fast for Christmas?
By abstaining from certain food and drink, particularly from meat, fish, dairy products, olive oil, and wine, as well as focusing more deeply on prayer and almsgiving. The fast usually involves fasting from certain foods. Eggs, dairy, poultry, red meat, meat products, oil, fish and wine are all abstained from.
Is Christmas Eve a day of fasting?
Going back even further, for most of Christian history, Christmas Eve—the vigil of Christmas—was, like the vigils of every major feast, a day of fasting and abstinence, designed to heighten the joy of the feast to come. But such abstinence is voluntary under the current law of the Catholic Church regarding abstinence.
What is the true meaning of Christmas for Christians?
For Christians, the true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the Savior, Jesus Christ. When fall has given way to winter and snow covers the ground while lights twinkle from house to house, you know Christmas is coming. Decorated Christmas trees are everywhere you look.
Why do we celebrate Christmas in the first place?
However, sometimes we get lost in the season and forget the reason we celebrate it, to begin with. Among the hustle and bustle, our focus is lost and priorities are misaligned. Most people can tell you the origins of Christmas—that it’s a remembrance of the birth of Christ.
What’s the meaning of Christmas in the west?
The Christmas season, especially in the West, is a mix of pre-Christian, Christian, and secular traditions. What’s interesting is the etymology of the word Christmas. It literally means Christian Mass. It’s a shortened form of Christ ’s Mass. Christmas is a time of spiritual reflection on the important foundations of the Christian faith.
What do the symbols of Christmas stand for?
Jesus, often referred to as the Good Shepherd, was born on Christmas. His birth was God’s way to bring lost lambs back to the fold. The red stripe represents blood, Christ’s sacrifice, and the white stands for his purity. The wreath is a circular, never-ending symbol of eternal love and rebirth.