In addition to the New Year and other merry celebrations in the month of December, there are many days that for true Christians are special church holidays. In this rather brief review, we can not mention all the martyrs, prophets, saints and metropolitans who are honored by the Orthodox Church, all this can be read in the detailed calendar of church holidays for December. But the main dates the reader will find out that will help him not to miss some important event.
The main Orthodox religious holidays in December:
Undoubtedly, the very first great winter event for Christians is December 4, when the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Lady of Our Lady is celebrated. In the three-year-old girl of Mary, the high priest Zachariah saw not a simple child, but the future Holy Virgin. He expressed a prophecy that through this girl in the future the Lord will show salvation to mankind. Then Mary visited the place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept in the temple, although this was a violation of the tradition, because only the high priest himself could enter the holy of holies there with cleansing blood only once a year. Parents left the girl for 14 years in the holy monastery for education and only then she was given to Joseph in the house, where soon the archangel Gabriel informed the Virgin of the future Christmas from Her Savior. By the way, it is on Doing, which is the biggest church holiday in December, that the beginning of real colds always comes. Therefore earlier this date was celebrated with holiday skating on the decorated sleigh with bells and considered "winter gates".
Then follow a few dates, when the Orthodox revere holy Russian princes. December 5 is a day of memory of Mikhail Tversky, who was killed in the horde after the unjust trial. A worthy husband and faithful Christian was slandered by the envious prince Yuri and accused of rebelling the khan. The glorification of Prince Michael, as a saint, has been taking place since 1549. The listing of church holidays in December will also be incomplete without mentioning the great Alexander Nevsky. The church tells of the miracles that occurred during the burial of the prince warrior. It is said that his holy body was imperishable, and Alexander, as if alive, took a spiritual letter from the metropolitan during the rite. This event showed that God decided to glorify Nevsky as his saint. Christians honor the faithful prince and glorify him as a saint from 1547.
A special day for the Orthodox is December 7, when the Great Martyr Catherine should be honored. Refusing to all enviable grooms, the young woman received a gift as an icon and after that she realized in her dream that she would remain faithful only to the Lord. Then the beautiful and intelligent maiden miraculously acquired a ring, which was a clear testament to the betrothal with the Heavenly Bridegroom, and now no torture has been able to shake her faith. After the execution on the plaque, Catherine's relics were transferred to the Sinai mountain, and the virgin herself was proclaimed a holy martyr. In Russia, she has always been among the most revered saints and is considered to be the intercessor of unmarried girls.
December 13 is the day of Andrew the First-Called, one of the most revered saints in Russia who followed Christ and then preached his teaching. It is he who is attributed to the foundation of the church in a small village, which soon turned into Constantinople, as well as a visit to the Kiev mountains, where, according to the saint's prediction, the capital of the future Christian state arose in several centuries.
December 17 is honored by the Great Martyr Orthodox Church Varvara . This Christian was faced with a great test, the pagan father himself decided to execute his daughter for her unshakable faith in the Lord. It is believed that she is a protector against accidental death and any disaster, when she faces death without repentance.
Listing which great church holidays should be most strictly observed in December, it is necessary to mention the day of St. Nicholas's memory. This saint is famous for his miracles and good deeds, he has long been a favorite protector of all Christians in Russia. It's not for nothing that a huge mass of temples was consecrated in honor of the miracle worker Nicholas, and December 19 was always considered one of the most important holidays of this winter month.