For an Orthodox Christian, the tradition of preparing 12 dishes is not mandatory. A priest on the rules for celebrating Christmas

Mikhail Strekha, Priest of the Church of the MINSK Icon of the Mother of God, Parish of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. Very soon, the crimson ringing of bells will pour from the bell towers, announcing the Nativity of Christ to the world. The coming of the Savior will also be announced in four churches on the picturesque shores of the Chizhovskoye Reservoir in the capital. On the eve of the holiday, we visited the Church of the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God, Parish of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. We spoke with Priest Mikhail Strekha about Orthodox traditions of celebrating the Nativity of Christ, the dreams of young people, and, of course, miracles.

- Father Mikhail, what place does the Nativity of Christ occupy in the lives of Orthodox Christians?

- The Nativity of Christ is the second most important holiday , after Easter . At the same time, these are the two greatest holidays for Orthodox Christians. God, who is the fullness of all things, needing nothing and no one, at some point in history becomes man, out of love for him—man! And we rejoice in Christ, who came into this world to enable those who believe in Him to become more perfect and attain deification, and thus enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And this is the most important thing.

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ in churches begins with the Vigil. According to the monastic rule, the Vigil is celebrated on January 6th after lunch and lasts approximately six hours. However, in large cities, according to established practice, Vigil services in city churches begin at 9 a.m. and last until 12 or 1 p.m. The service opens with the Royal Hours—the singing of special psalms and readings from the Old and New Testaments. Next follows Great Vespers and Liturgy, after which a special candle is brought into the church and lit – a symbol of the star that revealed the news of Christ's birth to the world, leading the Magi to the cave where the Child was born. At the end of the service, sochivo, a specially prepared dish, is blessed and distributed to the people.

- What does the presence of 12 dishes on the Christmas table signify?

- The preparation of 12 dishes is a Western Christian tradition adopted by Ukrainians and Belarusians, who live primarily in Polesia. Why 12? it corresponds to the number of Christ's apostles, and there are other explanations. For an Orthodox Christian, this tradition is not obligatory. Often, in pursuit of external rituals, we miss the essence of the holiday.

- Father Mikhail, you are the chairman of the youth affairs department of the Minsk diocese and a teacher of additional education. What do you talk about with schoolchildren and young people who come to church?

Chizhovka is a residential area built in the mid-20th century. Many parishioners are accomplished and experienced. However, on Sundays, especially in the days leading up to Christmas, more young people come, including families with children. The church and courtyard are now decorated in a special way: a nativity scene has been erected, reminiscent of the very one in which Jesus Christ was born. Everything is decorated with green fir trees and garlands of lights. This is on weekends, but during extracurricular activities at the resource site of the Fresco Educational Center at School No. 135 in Minsk, we talk to schoolchildren about the importance of the Nativity of Christ.

We also find the right words for young people. Young people with varying spiritual experiences come to church services. Some, and there are more of them, are those who have experienced difficult times in their lives. For example, after getting married, they don't know how to resolve their family problems. Those who are unable to find answers to important questions include: Why do I live? What is the meaning of life? Who is God, and how can I build a relationship with Him? Those who were raised to love God and brought to church have experienced life with the Lord. Most importantly, they all find the strength to come to church for spiritual growth.

In my opinion, all young people dream of recognition, but many of them cannot clearly articulate their dream. Ultimately, we all want to love and be loved. As a student, I myself could not do this, but even then I clearly understood: I would have a family. I don’t know if that certainty of mine can be called a dream, but I have a family and three wonderful children. This is one of the greatest miracles of my life.

- On the first day of the New Year, which is the feast day of the martyr Boniface, believers ask him to heal their loved ones from the disease of ALCOHOLISM. Have you noticed a new trend—modern youth are moving further and further away from "a glass and some cracklings"?

Yes, drinking has become unfashionable among young people, but their passion for ALCOHOL has been replaced by other pursuits. These include gambling, drug addiction, and smoking (especially e-cigarettes)! Youth remains a time not only of great opportunities and energy, but also of lurking dangers. A key problem for young people is the issue of justifying their positions, ideas, goals, and the desires that drive them. Few can articulate what they want, or why they agree with some things and not others. This lack of argumentation leads some to drink (smoke) or otherwise try to stand out from society, demonstrating a certain rebellion. This is a significant gap in parenting, indicating a lack of trust, understanding, and dialogue between parents and children.

We are now sitting in the parish coffee shop. It is especially crowded here in the summer. In the evenings, we put up a screen in the yard and watch good movies, for example, "The Chronicles of Narnia," "One Plus One," etc.Let's drink tea,We have coffee , talk about life, and discuss the films we've watched. Incidentally, the film club and coffee shop were created by parish youth and students from the Institute of Theology at Belarusian State University, who also volunteer. Young people love these gatherings; people from all over Minsk come here. On weekends, up to 100 people gather. Everyone has the opportunity to talk to the priest about their concerns: confidential communication is an important way to bring young people into the Church.

So, there are many positive alternatives to "a glass of wine and some pork rinds." It's important to offer them to young people.

What advice do you give to people who can't find their way? Do you know the answers to all their questions?

If you've made a mistake, make peace with the person, confess, and make peace with God. The Lord will forgive your sin if you understand that your actions were wrong and no longer wish to commit similar acts. Your ally in the fight against sinfulness and passion is God Himself and the saints, to whom you can turn. If you are a Christian, you are called to be a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven—to strive every day to achieve holiness and deification through deeds, participation in the Church's sacraments, and prayer. And when you become a family man, your weaknesses and sins will be erased within your family. And you will transform from an egoist into a person who has learned to love through the prism of the Gospel, and you will understand that everything you previously worried about is secondary.

If I don't know the answer to this question, I honestly say I don't, but I can consult with a more experienced priest. I can also quote the opinion of a saint on this matter.

- At what age would you advise parents to bring (lead) their daughters and sons to church, or is it better to wait until they come on their own?

- Of course, one can be baptized at any age, but in the Orthodox tradition, children in believing families are most often baptized in infancy. This is the choice of parents who love their child and want them to live a happy life with God and the Church. It is important to note the need for godparents to consult with a priest before the Sacrament of Baptism.

Is there room for miracles in our lives? Do you believe in miracles?

I believe they exist, but I don't attach much importance to them. In my opinion, miracles are for the weak, those who don't believe in God. When faith is absent, the Lord, through His actions, encourages such a person to have it. For me, a miracle is the presence of God, the fact that the Lord came into this world and became incarnate in it out of love for humanity. We remember this every day through the sacraments of the Eucharist and Communion, which take place in our churches, including the Church of the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God of the Parish of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, where I serve.

Tamara MARKINA,
7 Dney newspaper.