When Jews celebrate the Nativity of Christ. How to explain that Hanukkah is not Jewish Christmas. Is Christmas a pagan holiday?

Jews celebrate their New Year - Rosh Hashanah, which falls in September-October (the month of Tishrei). This holiday marks the beginning of the year and symbolizes the day the Almighty ends the process of creating the world. Rosh Hashanah is celebrated according to the lunar calendar, always on the new moon, only on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. These are the days when believers take stock of the past year and plan things for the coming year.

When celebrating Rosh Hashanah, Jews perform tashlich - throwing pieces of bread or pebbles into the river or sea while reciting prayers, which symbolizes cleansing from sins.

Relatives and friends should be congratulated, given gifts, and wished the best in the coming year. Families gather around the traditional table with food that is symbolic in nature. These are apples in honey (sweet life), carrots cut into circles (symbol of wealth), challah with raisins (symbol of health), vegetables and fruits (symbol of a rich harvest). The New Year celebration ends with Yom Kippur - the Day of Forgiveness and Repentance.

The usual date for celebrating the New Year, January 1, was practically not celebrated in Israel 20 years ago. The appearance of a large number of emigrants from the former USSR in the country led to the fact that this holiday gradually took root here too. In Israel he is called "Sylvester". It's not even a day off, except when the first day falls on a Saturday. It is celebrated traditionally, during New Year's TV shows, with family and friends, with Olivier salad, caviar and champagne.

Christmas celebration

The most widespread religion in Israel is Judaism, but, nevertheless, the Nativity of Christ is celebrated in the country as a holiday of national and world level. Many religious pilgrims and tourists come to Bethlehem, where a festive service takes place all night in the Basilica of the Nativity, the place where Jesus was born. This small town is transformed during Christmas - there are elegant shining Christmas trees on the streets, shop windows attract customers with numerous goods, everything sparkles and shimmers.

Christmas services are held throughout the country, in the most famous churches: the Upper Cathedral Church, the Catholicon, the Cave of the Nativity, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, in Nazareth, both on December 25, according to the Catholic tradition, and on January 7, according to the Orthodox.

On Christmas night, believers can touch the Star of Bethlehem, located in the cave where Jesus was born.

From time to time, Christmas may coincide in date with the original Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (the holiday of candles). This holiday originated as a tribute to the victory of the Jews over the Greeks, and is celebrated for a week, when each evening one new candle is lit in a special menorah candlestick.

Israel is a special country, and it is not surprising that it lives according to two parallel calendars, Jewish and Gregorian. Only holidays are tied to the Jewish calendar, and all other dates are determined according to the Gregorian calendar, as in all countries of the world.

The Jewish chronology system differs from other calendar systems in that it is counted from the very first days of the universe. Or, more precisely, from the First Man, the well-known Adam.

Spiritual roots of the holiday

Spiritual roots of the holiday

Yom Kippur symbolizes our agreement to limit our selfishness in order to fulfill our destiny. All Jews, as one, must unite first among themselves, and then help the whole world come to complete unity. Everything that happened to the prophet Jonah reminds us that we must take care of all humanity. Judgment Day is the beginning of the process of correcting relationships between people. This is agreement with destiny and a willingness to accept restrictions in order to lead the world to final correction on Purim.

October 16 – 23 Sukkot

Traditions

Sukkot is the Feast of Tabernacles. Before the holiday, you can buy the necessary materials for building a sukkah at special markets. This is a special one that has a roof made of branches. The family “moves” here for 7 days to have meals and pray. It's important to be hospitable. The sukkah is open to everyone. The structure should be such that, raising your eyes to the sky, you can see it through the branches of the sukkah. This is a harvest festival; it is customary to put fruits and dishes from the new harvest on the table. Spending time in the sukkah, Jews remember the journey through the desert after leaving Egypt.

Spiritual roots of the holiday

Sukkot reveals to us the meaning of the seven days of human correction. The spiritual world does not exist on its own; it must be built independently. The building material for the hut is made from waste. These are desires that are unimportant to our egoism, which we neglect in our lives, such as love for our neighbor, warmth and care for each other. During the days of Sukkot, these properties are exalted as a canopy that creates shade and hides selfishness. The four symbols of Sukkot mean four desires to receive for oneself, which require correction through their gradual connection together in the correct form. Thus, the blessing “arba minim” is carried out. Moving away from selfish desires that remain in the shadows, work is directed toward building the desire for bestowal and love. And then the light of the Sukkot holiday illuminates the “hut” from the inside.

October 23 Hoshana-Raba

Traditions

The Night of Hoshana Rabbah holiday is the 7th day of the holiday of Sukkot. This day stands out from the other days of this holiday. The whole night before Hoshana Rabbah it is customary to stay awake and read a collection of prayers and passages from the Torah - Tikkun. On this night the Book of Devarim is taught and the Book of Psalms is completed. Usually on Hoshana Raba they dress in festive white clothes, like on Yom Kippur, and light the remains of candles that have not burned out from the Day of Judgment. On this day, before sunset, you should enter the sukkah and eat something there, thereby fulfilling the commandment “live in the sukkah” for the last time.

Spiritual roots of the holiday

On the seventh day, the correction carried out during the seven days of Sukkot ends. A person checks himself to see what level of similarity to the Highest he has achieved. What strength of resistance to selfishness he acquired. And this is called shadow testing.

October 23 - 24 Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

Work prohibited

Traditions

Shemini Atzeret is the day when the annual reading of the 54 weekly chapters of the Torah ends and the reading begins again. This tradition has been observed for the last time

2,000 years. Simchat Torah is the celebration of the end of the cycle and is translated as the Joy of the Torah. On this day, the Torah Scrolls are taken out, and a procession is held with them accompanied by joyful, cheerful songs and dances. Traditionally, it is prescribed to offer prayers for rain, starting with Shemini Atzeret and continuing throughout the winter months.

Spiritual roots of the holiday

If on Sukkot we reduce our egoistic desire for self-enjoyment, on Hoshana Rabbah on the 7th day after the beginning of Sukkot we check ourselves, then on the 8th day the holiday of Simchat Torah begins, which is translated as the Joy of the Torah. We rejoice at the spiritual helping force that led us through all stages. During seven days in a hut, a person symbolically undergoes corrections and prepares himself for contact with the Creator, which happens on the eighth day. The light of the Torah fills a person with great joy, hence the name of the holiday.

December 24 - January 1, 2017 Hanukkah

Work allowed

Traditions

Hanukkah is a celebration of light, freedom and wonder. happened a long time ago, when a lamp was used to illuminate the Temple, in which the amount of oil should have been enough only for one day, but it burned for 8 whole days. The celebration also lasts 8 days. Every evening, candles are lit, lined up in a special Hanukkiah candlestick.

Traditionally, donuts with various sweet fillings and potato pancakes are served at the holiday table. The days of Hanukkah are working days, but children have holidays at school. That’s why the holiday is considered a children’s holiday.

Spiritual roots of the holiday

Hanukkah is translated as “stopping.” Symbolizes the renunciation of selfishness. And you need to make a choice in which direction to move. Hanukkah is a time when spiritual power enters us, illuminates us and distances us from evil. A desire awakens to merge with this higher power, with the hope for a miracle and the revival of the Temple.

Should a Jew celebrate Yeshua's Christmas? Is this a biblical holiday? On what date was the Messiah actually born? RAbvins Boris Grisenko and Mikhail Samsonov shared their thoughts on this matter:

Why Christmas celebration dates several, and what should we, believers in Yeshua, do about it?

If the Lord had been pleased to arrange the Christmas holiday in a special way, a specific date would have appeared. But there is no such date anywhere. And different church connections are very conditional. - Told Rabbi KEMO Boris Grisenko. - Changes in dates - December 25 and January 7 - are associated only with changes in the calendar style. In fact, this is the same date - December 25 - only according to the old and new styles.

Among scientists in our time, there is a theory that Yeshua was actually born on the holiday of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). But no matter what date the Son of God was born, there is no law, no commandment of God to celebrate or not to celebrate His birth. And no one should judge others for celebrating or not celebrating Christmas.

And here are a few reasons why:

1. The date of birth of Yeshua is not something particularly important from the point of view of God, the Bible and we must take this into account first of all;

2. The choice of the date 12/25 was associated with non-biblical events. Later, biblical calculations were adjusted to this date, including by John Chrysostom.

The choice of the date December 25 is not accidental: in the days of early Christianity, on this date - the day of the winter solstice - a popular pagan holiday was celebrated, which the church wanted to replace with a Christian one in order to “reorient” the newly converted pagans on this day to Christ, he added Mikhail Samsonov.

What to do with the misunderstanding and opposition in the modern church to Judaism and, in particular, to Jewish biblical dates and holidays?

Many Christians now express the opinion that New Testament believers have no need to celebrate Jewish holidays; there is no need to highlight Jewishness. Moreover, the Scripture says that there is no need to celebrate the holidays of the Jewish people today. As proof they cite as a key passage of Scripture -Epistle to the Colossians chapter 2.But if we look closely atColosians 2, beginning from verse 8,then we'll see something else. By the way, this is the transition "to you - to us" emphasizes in Paul's letters that he does not separate Jewish believers from Gentile believers and unites them into one Body of the Messiah.

So, Verse 14 deliberately incorrectly translated by the Synodal translators: “having destroyed the handwriting that was against us, which was against us, and He took it out of the way and nailed it to the cross.”. Here, in fact, in the original it is not written “ teaching destroyed the handwriting,” A " the teaching together with the handwriting were destroyed by the Calvary sacrifice of the Messiah."

And based on this passage of Scripture, the modern church says that believers of the New Testament cannot celebrate Jewish holidays. But that's just itthird reasonaccording to which no one should force anyone to celebrate Christmas and condemn those who do not celebrate it.” – explained Boris Saulovich.

There is a second meaning to this scripture. Namely: if we celebrate a holiday, mark a day or date, then no one has the right to condemn us either. Especially for biblical holidays, which Christmas is not.

H Often among Messianic believers it sounds something like this: “Celebrating Jewish biblical holidays is not a commandment or a strict law, but a special blessing. There is no need to be afraid - we do not lose salvation if we do not celebrate them. But on the contrary, by celebrating, we receive additional blessings from the Father.”With such a presentation of attitudes towards biblical holidays, our opinion may not be accepted. And quite justifiably. Moreover, both representatives of the Christian world and representatives of the synagogue. The same brothers from Christian churches say: “You ascribe to yourself some additional blessings, but what about us? Are we “not blessed” by God? Isn’t our faith in Yeshua enough?”

It is surprising that people view prophecy in Scripture selectively. For example, Isaiah 53 is seen as a direct reference to the Messiah and is a scripture that is happily quoted frequently in all Christian churches throughout the year. At the same time, they strangely fail to notice the prophecies about the Messiah in the essence of each of the Torah holidays, even in the order in which they follow one another on the calendar. We need to be more careful in explaining the importance of studying and celebrating biblical holidays when we share this knowledge with our brothers from the churches, added Mikhail Samsonov.

Why is Christmas not a biblical holiday?

1. Christmas was never commanded by God;

2. Christmas as a holiday is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible;

3. Christmas as a holiday was not celebrated either by the apostles or by Christians of the first four generations. The first mention of the place where the Nativity of the Messiah was celebrated dates back only to the 3rd century. And this is a mention of the fact that some churches they began to celebrate it.The first generations of believers in Yeshua (who later began to be called Christians) and who were all Jews did not celebrate Christmas.

So, in fact, Christmas can be celebrated or not celebrated.

But if so many Christians celebrate a holiday that, for noble and good reasons, was invented by the leadership of the pagan church in the 3rd century, and everyone rejoices at it, and even atheists no longer condemn, and even the Prime Minister of Israel congratulated Christians on this holiday, then even more so no one has the right to condemn believers for what they celebrate holidays that were commanded by God and mentioned many times in the Bible.

Is it necessary to celebrate biblical holidays?

returning to Colossians 2:17 “For all this is but a shadow of things to come, but the present belongs to Christ", we can see that all biblical holidays point to the coming of the Messiah, his life, his ministry, his sacrifice and resurrection.

If we interpret this passage of Scripture in such a way that we do not need the celebration of Jewish biblical holidays because we already have the Messiah himself, and what pointed to Him in the Old Testament must be discarded; then we must discard all prophecies about the Messiah! Because we have the Gospel, the New Testament and Mashiach Himself.

But in fact, prophecies about the Messiah are often and variedly read and understood in absolutely all faiths, denominations and churches. And there is not a single denomination that does not read on Christmas Eve Old Testament prophecies about the birth of the Messiah.

So what should we do?Romans 14 and Collossians 2and other places in the New Testament that say that holidays are for usare no longer a commandment.But nowhere in these Scripturesit's not forbidden to celebratethese holidays. Even a hint.

Simple check – Romans 14:5-10 “Some people think that one day is more important than another, and another that all days are equally important. Let everyone act in accordance with his conviction. Whoever considers a day special does so in honor of the Lord, and whoever takes any food does so in the name of the Lord, for he thanks God. And one who does not take any food does so in the name of the Lord, because he also gives thanks to God.For none of us lives on our own or dies on our own, since if we live, then we live for the sake of the Lord, and if we die, then we also die for the sake of the Lord. And that means, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

This is why Christ died and rose again, so that He could become Lord both for those who are already dead and for those who are still alive.Why do you condemn your brother? And why do you think that you are better than your brother? After all, we will all stand before the judgment of God».

It is very important for us to understand that if we condemn or humiliate our brothers for the fact that they celebrate or do not celebrate holidays or certain days, we act against His love, His will, His Word. And we have the right to say this to all our dear brothers who judge someone about celebrating or not celebrating holidays.

E If your church believes that Jewish holidays should not be celebrated, there is no need to insist on this and create conflicts. For the sake of preserving unity and peace, you can celebrate biblical holidays at home, and church holidays in church, without opposing yourself to your church.

We in Messianic communities celebrate the feasts of God, recognizing that all ritual commandments lost their power even before the destruction of the Temple - after Yeshua’s sacrifice was made and He ascended. The holidays themselves remain a free blessing for all believers of the New Testament and, first of all, for the Jewish Messianic communities.

An interesting fact is that Israel has not one, but 4 New Years, and it is worth noting that none of them are celebrated on the first of January. This is due to the fact that even before the dispersion of the Jewish people, there were 4 annual cycles that depended on certain dates, hence 4 New Years - 1 Nisan, 1 Elul, 15 Shevat (Tu Bishvat) and 1 Tishrei Rosh Hashanah.

1 Nissan in 2016 is celebrated on April 9- begins in the spring and is intended to count the reign of all the Kings in Israel. In fact, Nissan is a month in Israel. Another feature of Israel is that even if the King began his reign a month before Nissan, then the second year of his reign began already on the first day. This new year they do not particularly celebrate the holiday, but prepare for the most important date in the Jewish calendar - the 14th of Nisan, the holiday of Passover, that is, Easter.

1 Elul in 2016 falls on September 4- usually celebrated in summer in August or autumn in September. Elul is also the name of the month. This New Year is dedicated to one of the most important customs in Israel - the separation of a tenth of the livestock that was born during the current year. It is worth noting that livestock that was born last year was prohibited from being included in the tithe, and the animals must be “clean” (“clean” animals include oxen, sheep, goats, deer, chamois, buffalo, fallow deer, bison, antelope , Mountain sheep).

Tu Bishvat in 2016 is celebrated on January 25- This new year is celebrated in the month of Shevat on the 15th. The Bible says that it is necessary to separate a tenth of the fruit from the harvest and donate it to the priests, Levites, the poor and the needy. According to tradition in Israel, this New Year it is customary for the whole family to plant at least one tree. And on the table on Tu Bishvat there must be at least seven types of fruits.

Rosh Hashanah 2016 begins on October 2 and ends on October 4- 1 Tishrei is celebrated and is considered the main one among the 4 New Years. It is intended for calculating years, and is also considered the day of the creation of the world. According to Jews, this is the day when the Lord decides the fate of people. Jews believe that God is good and merciful, so he will show mercy and compassion. Like us, it is customary to give gifts, have a gala dinner and wish a Happy New Year. If Rosh Hashanah does not fall on Saturday, then the shofar is blown on this holiday as a symbol of the fact that the Lord reigns over the entire Earth.

Jewish Passover (Passover) in 2016

This is one of the most important holidays in Israel. Passover or Passover is celebrated for seven days from Nisan 15 to Nisan 21. This is the period when Moses led the people out of Egyptian slavery. The holiday begins on the 14th of Nisan in the evening, when the whole family gathers at the festive table. This evening it is customary to read the Haggadah - the story of how Moses led Israel out of Egypt. The very next day begins the holiday week, when it is customary to pray, meditate on God and free oneself from routine work. Enterprises generally do not work all seven days, and for the rest the working day lasts only until noon.

Yom Kippur in 2016

Celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Tishrei and is a symbol of Judgment Day. On this holiday, according to the Torah, it is necessary to analyze and reason about your actions throughout the year. Even on the eve of Yom Kippur, Jews arrange a rich family meal, after which a strict fast begins until the very end of the Day of Judgment. Everyone tries to visit the synagogue. As on many holidays, work is prohibited on Yom Kippur, so all businesses and institutions are closed, and the city streets are often empty. The holiday ends with each Jew saying a final prayer at sunset.

Purim in 2016

Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar and is dedicated to the salvation of the Jewish people from oppression in the Persian kingdom. Purim is translated as lot, and it was through the lot that the advisor of Ahasuerus (king of Persia) determined the day on which it was necessary to exterminate all the Jews. However, fortunately, the king’s wife just happened to be a Jewish woman (Esther), who subsequently persuaded the king to change his decision regarding the people of Israel. On this day, it is customary for Jews to show performances that tell the story of Esther’s feat, and on the streets they sell gomentashi - triangles with jam inside, a rich feast is also arranged and everyone exchanges various treats.

Sukkot in 2016

Sukkot is also called the Feast of Tabernacles and begins on the 15th of the month of Tishrei. It lasts all week and is a reminder of wandering through the Sinai desert. Initially, it was customary to live all week in so-called huts or, as they are also called, sukkahs. However, today this custom is not performed this way. During the holiday, as before, you can see huts in courtyards and on balconies, but few people spend the whole week there. Israelis often have festive family meals in these tents throughout the week. And before the holiday, in cities you can find special markets where they sell decorations for the sukkah, palm branches, devices for building a hut, and so on.

Shavuot in 2016

Shavuot is celebrated on the 6th of Sivan and is a reminder of the giving of the Ten Commandments by the Lord on Mount Sinai. The harvest also ripens for this holiday. That is why on Shavuot it is customary to decorate houses with fruits, green branches and flowers. Parents send their children to school and gardens wearing wreaths and with baskets full of various fruits. And in synagogues they read the Holy Scriptures and pray to God.

Israeli Independence Day in 2016

This can also be classified as the main holiday in the country and is celebrated on the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday closest to the 5th of Iyar. On Israel's Independence Day, it is customary to organize noisy parades and processions, sometimes with military equipment. Holiday prayers are said in synagogues, and on the streets you can enjoy evening concerts with dancing, interesting performances and fireworks.

Hanukkah in 2016

Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev, ends on 2 or 3 Tevet and is celebrated for 8 days. After the army of Judah Maccabee defeated the army of King Antiochus, the Jews needed to consecrate their temples, but the oil they found was desecrated by their enemies. And there was only one jug of clean oil left, which could only last for one day. However, God performed a miracle and the oil burned for eight days. That's why the Jews called this date the holiday of candles or fire. According to tradition, on the first day in each house it is customary to light one candle, on the second day two, and so on. All children are also given toys and money.

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Yesterday was Catholic Christmas Eve, about which it is known that on this evening you need to eat a special grain porridge with honey and fruit, which is called sochivo. It is eaten after the liturgy, which is connected with supper. This is due to the tradition of not eating food until the first evening star, symbolizing the hour when Christ was born.

During a family dinner, exemplary Catholics exchange wafers, or slices of unleavened bread with a figured pattern, and for Christians this is a symbol of the body of the Lord. The Orthodox have prosphora instead of wafers. The Russian Orthodox Church will celebrate Christmas Eve on January 6, 2017.

Having broken off a piece of the wafer, the one to whom it is given says a good wish. This is a very touching and important event of the evening. It is a common custom to leave an empty seat at the Christmas table. If someone comes to the house for Christmas, they will be received as a relative.

It is noteworthy that Christmas has become a public holiday in more than 100 countries around the world. And on December 25, it is celebrated not only by Catholics, but also by Orthodox Christians in some countries where the Julian calendar is adopted, as well as Lutherans and other Protestant denominations.

The first information about Christians celebrating Christmas dates back to the fourth century. According to one of the modern hypotheses, the choice of the date of the holiday was caused by the simultaneous celebration by early Christians of the Incarnation (the conception of Christ) and Easter. Accordingly, as a result of adding nine months to this date (March 25), Christmas fell on the winter solstice.

In the 13th century, during the time of St. Francis of Assisi, the custom arose of displaying nativity scenes in churches, copies of the cave in which Jesus was born. Over time, they began to be installed in houses. A decorated fir tree has also become a characteristic element of Christmas.

This pagan tradition originated among the Germanic peoples, in whose rituals the spruce was a symbol of life and fertility. With the spread of Christianity, a Christmas tree with candies, toys and nuts hanging on it became a symbol of the tree of paradise with abundant fruits.

In Lutheranism, Christmas traditions also include burning candles - almost like the Jews. For Lutherans, this is a symbol of light, as well as the stars that shone in the sky at the hour of Christ’s birth.

Lutherans make Christmas wreaths from branches of coniferous trees, decorate them and hang them over the door, on the wall or place them on the Christmas table. Often, four candles are inserted into an Advent wreath - according to the number of weeks of Advent immediately preceding Christmas. Every Sunday one of these candles is lit during worship.

Today candles will be lit in Jewish homes. Hanukkah has arrived - a holiday established in honor of the miracle that occurred during the consecration of the Temple after the victory of the army of Yehuda Maccabee over the troops of King Antiochus in 164 BC.

This holiday begins on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev and lasts eight days. In 332 BC. Judea voluntarily came under the rule of Alexander the Great, who adhered to a policy of non-interference in the religious life of Jews.

After Alexander's death in 323 BC. and the many wars that his heirs waged among themselves, the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty came to power, and the next century passed in a state of relative stability. In 198 BC. The Ptolemies were defeated by the Seleucids (Assyrian Greeks), into whose hands Judea also fell.

At first, the general situation seemed unchanged and even somewhat improved. Jews received written guarantees confirming their right to live according to the laws of their fathers, and the tax burden was somewhat reduced. But then the Seleucids began to attempt to Hellenize the Jews.

Greek philosophy and culture gradually began to penetrate the Jewish environment. In 175 BC. Antiochus Epiphanes came to power, under whom the Hellenization of the non-Greek population acquired particularly harsh forms. The Torah became a forbidden book, and observance of Jewish law became a serious crime.

Antiochus gave his name to Jerusalem, the temple treasures were confiscated, and the Temple itself was plundered. In response, a rebellion began in Judea led by the Maccabean family. Compared to Antiochus's army, the rebel army was small in number, poorly armed and trained. The leader of the army, Yehuda Maccabeus, realizing this, avoided open battles, not giving the enemy the opportunity to take advantage of the numerical advantage.

Attacking individual detachments of the Greeks, the rebel army won one victory after another. In three years, she drove the conquerors out of the country and liberated Jerusalem, proving that a high goal and fortitude are sometimes decisive.

Tradition says that, having climbed the Temple Mount, the Jews found in the Temple oil for lamps, sufficient to keep the fire burning for only one day. However, miraculously, the fire in the golden menorah burned for eight whole days, and during this time new supplies of oil were prepared. Thus the Temple was re-consecrated.

In memory of this event, candles are lit every evening on the holiday: one on the first day of the holiday, two on the second, three on the third, and so on, up to eight, using for this, as a rule, a special candlestick - Hanukkiah.

Meanwhile, the Orthodox are still fasting and are expecting the first star no earlier than January 7, 2017. But some peoples of Russia - for example, Tatars, Bashkirs and Udmurts - on the days of Catholic Christmas begin to celebrate Nardugan, associated with the cult of the Sun. And the most interesting thing is that the celebration ends with Orthodox Christmas.

We can say that Nardugan is practically the same Christmastide. The main celebrations take place along with the increase in daylight hours and, accordingly, the strengthening of the sun, when, according to beliefs, the effect of dark forces weakens. The holiday symbolizes the awakening of nature and the triumph of life.

These days, mummers went from house to house with ritual songs, wishing everyone joy, health, and prosperity. The mummers were treated to food, just as at Christmas carols. Nardugan also contains fortune-telling, characteristic of Christmas holidays. This holiday is known under different names among all eastern peoples of Russia. Tatars, Bashkirs and Udmurts celebrate Nardugan, Kryashen Tatars - Rashtua, Chuvash - Nartavan, Erzya - Nardava, Moksha - Nardavan.

Light the candles. Pray for good things.