Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our tradition people prepare for this joyful feast by decorating their houses and churches with Christmas trees, giving each other gifts, singing Christmas carols, and reciting poems. In preparation many spend January 6 in strict fast, not eating anything until the first star appears in the sky, proclaiming the Birth of the Child. After the festive Lenten supper the whole family in in a hurry to go to Church for the special evening Service, and in the morning to the Diving Liturgy to receive the Holy Communion and God’s Blessing.

Unfortunately, these ancient traditions are forgotten and not followed by many. On Facebook I saw pictures of many of our parishioners, celebrating the Nativity of Christ on December 25 with tables full of meat and alcohol. As we know, western Christians celebrate Nativity of Christ on the new calendar. Many of us have relatives and friends belonging to these confessions, and we celebrate Nativity of Christ with them out of respect for their traditions. It is completely acceptable. But let’s not forget about our own traditions – during this time we still have the Nativity fast. I have to warn you not to depart from Orthodoxy while accepting the different Christmas date. From the point f view of theology, the date of the celebration is not of special significance. Pascha is not celebrated on the same day every year and a Minor Pascha is celebrated every Sunday. But by following the old calendar, we are keeping a kind of barrier, protecting us from other “corrections” and “additions” to our Faith. Remember the words of St. Apostle Paul: “…study everything, but stick to your own…”. It will be fair, if you together with your relatives and friends of other confessions will come to the Orthodox Christmas Service. That way you will support your Church and show them the beauty and greatness of the Orthodox culture. This is something you can be proud of! And maybe, being immersed in the wonderful world of of the Orthodox Christmas Service, some of them will feel united with God deep in their hearts, and “…being with God, – as Bishop Peter, the Bishop of Chicago and Mid-America says, – is always good!”