As we observe this joyous Nativity holyday on the Julian calendar, I wish all of you a blessed observance of Jesus' birth.
As one of our Ukrainian carols reminds us, the birth of Christ is but one of three holidays in the Christmas cycle. We have yet to celebrate the Feast of St. Basil (Jan. 1/14) and the great day of the Baptism of the Lord (Yordan - Jan. 6/19). So, three holidays to both celebrate the mysteries of salvation and make merry with family and friends.
While the celebration of the Julian Christmas cycle can be somewhat "anti-climatic" in the culture of the Americas, if nothing else, it separates the spiritual from the secular aspects of the feasts. This way, we can focus on the religious observance, saving the "hustle and bustle" for the December entity.
Here is a picture from our Christmas vigil service at our cathedral parish in New York.
Best regards to all of you, from my heart.
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