Religious mystery in the secular state of the XXI century - Catholic Christmas. On what date do Catholics celebrate the world?
Catholic Christmas is celebrated on December 25. On this day, the birth of Christ is celebrated not only by Catholics, but also by Protestants and Lutherans. All European countries are transformed, not only apartments are adorned, but also the facades of houses, the adjacent plots. In Europe, this religious festival is celebrated more splendidly than the coming of the New Year.
On Christmas Eve, December 24, all educational institutions and organizations are closed for a two-week Christmas vacation. A month before this, Christmas markets are starting to work, parks are equipped with Christmas rides, skating rinks decorate.
Church traditions of Catholic Christmas
Usually the traditions of this holiday are divided into traditional religious preparations and rituals and to secular traditions of celebration.
In churches and religious Catholics, the preparation begins with the Advent period - intensified repentance. Three or four weeks before Christmas, the clergy dressed in purple clothes as a sign of repentance. It's time for confessions.
For four weeks, every Sunday, services are held on a specific topic: the coming of Christ at the end of time, the transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the ministry of John the Baptist. The very last service at the end of the fourth week is dedicated to Christmas itself and the events preceding it.
On the eve of Christmas, a special Mass is held - the Mass of the Nativity of the Nativity. At midnight solemn liturgical chants are held. During the service the priest places a baby figure in the den. On December 25, there are three liturgies: at night, with the coming of the sun and in the afternoon (In the womb of the Father, in the womb of the Mother of God and in the soul of the Believers). During the Liturgy, all the clergy wear white garments.
Secular traditions
Secular traditions are quite diverse. In every country there are echoes of pre-Christian religions, which are embodied in the traditions of the holiday.
Unites all European countries traditional Christmas tree - spruce. There is an opinion that the custom of decorating a fir tree originated in Germanic countries, where this evergreen tree was considered a symbol of life and fertility. In the context of Christian beliefs, spruce is perceived as a symbol of eternal life, which is acquired by man through Jesus Christ. The tradition of giving presents for Christmas is related to the story of the Gifts of the Magi.
In European countries, when they celebrate Catholic Christmas, they congratulate not only their relatives and friends, but also all employees and business partners. The rule of good tone is the congratulation of a festive Christmas card. Therefore, the average family before the Christmas holidays can send more than 100 cards.
To have a good rest on Catholic Christmas in Europe and get a lot of new impressions, it's worth to visit Christmas fairs.
The favorite among countries in terms of the number and scale of fairs is Germany. By the end of November, thousands of tourists from all over the world are flocking here. Drink mulled wine, taste traditional hot dogs, loved by Germans ginger biscuits, enjoy the show, buy presents to relatives on large German sales.
Austria is not much inferior to Germany. Here and mulled wine, and the same fried sausages, and shops with souvenirs. Of course, the center of all events is Vienna.
In the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague, you can not only entertain yourself, but also take children. For the period of Christmas fairs, an open-air stage is being built here, where the children sing and dance in traditional dresses, the zoo is working.
Where to go to Catholic Christmas for family?
Choosing European countries, it is worth paying attention to the Czech Republic. It is here that all children's dreams are realized: specially for Christmas confectioneries are filled with special Christmas sweets, and as gifts it is customary to give out delicious sugar cookies. In every yard there must be a Vertep, which looks like a puppet show. In the Czech Republic, four gift donors are immediately popular, which the youngest members of the family will surely appreciate: Santa Claus, Mikulash, Ezhishek and Santa Claus.
Where you can meet Christmas fun, so it's in Spain. True, the Spaniards are not very lucky with snow, but they compensate for it
Where exactly one should not go, hoping to spend Christmas noisily and in a big company, so it's in Germany. In this country on Christmas night the streets are empty. Christmas is considered a family holiday. Even cafes and restaurants at this time do not work.