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Glory to Jesus Christ!

I would like to see discussed in this forum various Byzantine Traditions and traditions pertaining to the Nativity Fast and Holy Nativity ythrough Theophany. What are some of the particular Traditions/traditions that your branch of Byzantine Catholicism or eastern Orthodoxy.

We often see the traditions of Russia and Ukraine discussed but seldom find anything about the Orthodox of the Middle East or of Greece or the smaller other Eastern Christian Churches. How about sharing with we American converts some of those special Traditions/traditions. [P.S. Just because I know something about the Russian and Ukranian traditions don't let that put you off, you guys join the sharing on this topic in the Forum too )

Your brother in Christ,
Thomas

Dear Thomas,

I know the title of this thread refers to Byzantine traditions, but as long as I'm here, and as long as you asked about the other Eastern Christian Churches, allow me a little space to tell you of our Syrian traditions.

Our "Advent" is called Suboro, meaning Annunciation, and started last Sunday, with the Sunday of the Annunciation to Zechariah. The next few Sundays are the Annunciation to the Mother of God, the Visitation of Mary to Elisabeth, the Birth of Saint John the Baptist, the Revelation to Saint Joseph, and (somewhat less colourfully titled) the Sunday before the Nativity. A strict fast is kept from 1 December until 25 December in the Malankar Church and its diaspora, while the Church in the Middle East and the diaspora keeps a shorter fast.

On Christmas day, Holy Qurbana is celebrated, and also a special liturgical service for the day, during which a special office is sung. During this office, a procession is started from the North end of the altar around to the vestibule of the church, where the Gospel of the Shepherds is read, and palm branches from last Palm Sunday are burned commemorating those shepherds around their fires who received word of the birth of the True Light. This procession then goes around the rest of the church, entering the altar by the South end. The next day we celebrate the feast of the Praises of the Mother of God, and after that, the Holy Infants of Bethlehem. An octave is celebrated till 1 January, the feast of the Circumcision, and also the commemoration of Mar Baselios and Mar Gregorios. 6 January sees us celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. On this day the baptismal waters are solemnly consecrated, and the day after, the feast of the Praises of Saint John the Baptist. The next day, Saint Stephen the Archdeacon and Protomartyr.

And that's about it. I'm not sure how the Byzantine Churches work, but I suspect our Churches have a lot in common in this regard.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Thomas,

Since you said it was O.K. to discuss Ukrainian traditions, here goes . . .

When Galicia became Eastern Catholic, a number of its Orthodox traditions changed and are today somewhat different from those practiced throughout the other regions of Ukraine.

For example, the Orthodox celebrate three Holy Suppers, Nativity, Circumcision and Theophany, whereas the Galician tradition usually omits the Supper for Circumcision and the Naming of Jesus.

However, this tradition is coming back with the celebration of "Malanka" or the civil New Year according to the Julian Calendar.

Another problem has arisen since most Ukrainians and Russians in the homeland now celebrate the secular New Year's Day on January 1st. January 14th, consequently, has simply lost it as a way to mark the new year in accordance with the Old Calendar. This is why one will get cards from there that say: Happy New Year and Happy Nativity.

We still try to have the 12 meatless dishes, hay under the table-cloth, carpenter's tools, and our pets get fed first.

We sing the Carols and attend the Services. A special place is reserved for the Faithful Departed in our family at the table. It is still a very mystical and moving event and not one such celebration goes by without several in attendance crying amidst the flickering candles and the shining silver cutlery.

Although December 25 is marked, it is really on January 7th when one feels one has celebrated the Nativity of our Lord.

When I was growing up, it took several years for me to click on that Christmas was actually a New Calendar celebration of what we did on January 7th.

For the longest time, I thought it was simply a secular holiday, since I didn't see much of Christ in it at all.

Alex