Orthodox Christmas Resource Page

"The Nativity Forty-day Fast represents the fast undertaken by Moses, who, having fasted for forty days and forty nights, received the Commandments of God, written on stone tablets. And we, fasting for forty days, will reflect upon and receive from the Virgin, the living Word - not written upon stone - but born, incarnate, and we will commune of His Divine Body." - St. Symeon of ThessalonikiTHE NATIVITY FASTThe Orthodox Celebration of ChristmasThe Orthodox Nativity SeasonThe Nativity Fast, Otherwise Known As Advent, Has Begun Why the Nativity Fast Has Been Established The Nativity Fast and Orthodox TraditionThe Nativity FastReflections On The Nativity FastElder Paisios: On How We Should Celebrate Feasts The Divine Forty Liturgies and the Nativity Fast Saint George Karslidis On Forty Liturgies The Duty of Almsgiving and the Hope of a Return From GodSaint Nicholas Resource PageSaint Spyridon Resource PageCHRISTMAS ORIGINS AND PAGANISMHow Did the Church Determine Christ Was Born on December 25?Christmas Date Does NOT Have Pagan OriginsBut Jesus Wasn't Born Dec. 25 - was He?Christmas: An Ancient CHRISTIAN FeastThe Celebration of Christmas (1 of 5)The Celebration of Christmas (2 of 5)The Celebration of Christmas (3 of 5)The Celebration of Christmas (4 of 5)The Celebration of Christmas (5 of 5)THANKSGIVINGOrthodox Christians and Thanksgiving Top 10 Myths About ThanksgivingHistory of the Many First ThanksgivingsSquanto: A Special Instrument of GodAbraham Lincoln's Atheist PeriodHANUKKAHGreeks, Jews & Hanukkah - A Story That Still Needs To Be Told SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FOREFATHERS (DEC. 11TH - 17TH)Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of ChristSynaxarion for the Sunday of the Holy ForefathersA Homily On the Righteousness of NoahA Homily On the Faith of Abraham the PatriarchHomily on the Righteousness of Lot, Nephew of Abraham Homily on Melchizedek, the King and PriestA Homily on Isaac, Who Was Blessed By GodHomily on the Meekness of Jacob the PatriarchA Homily on Joseph, the Chaste and InnocentA Homily on the Meekness of MosesHomily on the Obedience of Joshua the Son of NunA Homily on the Diligence and Devotion of RuthA Homily on the Blameless Prophet SamuelA Homily on the Repentance of King DavidA Homily on the Faith and Zeal of Elijah the ProphetA Homily on the Long-Suffering and Patient JobA Homily on the Steadfastness of Daniel the ProphetTHE SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMASDec. 20 - The Forefeast of the Nativity of the LordThe Sunday Before the Nativity of ChristThe Fleshless and Incarnate LogosThe Journey to Bethlehem in ChoraCHURCH FATHERS AND SAINTS ON THE NATIVITYOrthodox Christmas Reflection (1)Orthodox Christmas Reflection (2)Orthodox Christmas Reflection (3)Nativity Sermon of St. John ChrysostomSt. Ephraim the Syrian's 100 Stanzas on the NativitySt. Ephraim's Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of ChristThe Nativity Discourse of St. Gregory ThaumaturgusWhy Did God Become Man? The Answer of St. AthanasiosOn the Incarnation of the Son of GodThe Patristic Understanding of the Virgin Birth of ChristWhy Jesus Had To Be Virgin Born: St. Maximus the Confessor ExplainsWhy Jesus Came Into the WorldThe 70 Weeks Prophecy of Daniel According to St. JeromeThe Erythraean Sibyl and Her Prophetic Acrostic Concerning the Coming of ChristChristmas With Papa TychonSt John of Kronstadt on the Nativity of Christ"Prologue" Reading For ChristmasA Christmas Epistle by St. Justin Popovich1962 Nativity Epistle of St. John MaximovitchAll The Saints Gather To Worship The Incarnate GodCHRISTMAS THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONSThe Nativity of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus ChristWhy Jesus Came Into the WorldChristmas - the Capital of FeastsChristmas Christology: An Interview with Metropolitan Hierotheos of NafpaktosChristmas Despair and HopeHave You Prepared Your Manger?Jesus Christ: The Reclining Lion of JudahChristmas 2008 With Elder Joseph of VatopaidiElder Joseph of Vatopaidi: On the Divine Kenosis of the Word (Video)Patriarch Pavle on the Holy Nativity of Christ(Video) Fr. George Dragas: On the IncarnationThe Case Against the Case Against the Virgin BirthDoes Christmas Have Anything To Do With Jesus?No Room In The Inn? Born In A Manger?CHRISTMAS IN GREECEChristmas In GreeceYes, Virginia, Hellenes Have Christmas Traditions A Christmas Tradition on the Island of TinosManger Scene at Panagia Alexiotissa in Patras, GreeceCHRISTMAS IN CYPRUSTwo Cypriot Icons of the Nativity of ChristCHRISTMAS IN UKRAINEChristmas in UkraineCHRISTMAS IN SERBIAChristmas In SerbiaCHRISTMAS IN RUSSIAChristmas in RussiaVideo: Christ Reborn In Post-Soviet RussiaMajority of Russians Celebrate Christmas Despite Communist PastCHRISTMAS IN ROMANIAChristmas in RomaniaCHRISTMAS IN BULGARIAChristmas in BulgariaBulgaria Joins Christian World in Celebrating ChristmasSt. Ignatius Day Opens Christmas Festivities in BulgariaCHRISTMAS IN THE WESTLargest Nativity Scene in the WorldCHRISTMAS IN THE HOLY LANDMajor Renovation in Store for the Church of the Nativity in BethlehemChristmas in Bethlehem: The Cross Banished From SouvenirsCelebrating Christmas In The Shepherds' Fields Of Beit SahourThe Miraculous Icon of the Most Holy Virgin of BethlehemA Recent Appearance of the Theotokos in BethlehemCHRISTMAS IN MOUNT ATHOSVideo: Athonite Ascetics Celebrate ChristmasCHRISTMAS MUSICA Romiosini Christmas Musical JourneyA Byzantine Christmas Carol To Christ and the TheotokosA 17th Century Version of "Christ Is Born"An Athonite Christmas CarolChristmas Carols Sung At the Archdiocese of AthensA Pontian Christmas Carol"Christmas Oratorio" by Bishop Hilarion AlfeyevA 17th Century Version of "Christ Is Born"Irmos - "A Star Has Dawned From the Tribe of Judah..."The Christmas Kontakia of St. RomanosWhat Shall We Offer Thee, O LordOrthodoxy and Western Christmas CarolsLet's Rethink Our Holly-Jolly Christmas SongsThe Legend Of '12 Days of Christmas'CHRISTMAS TRADITIONSThe Byzantine Origins of the Christmas TreeThe Christmas Tree and Orthodox TraditionIn Defense of the Christmas TreeThe Christmas Tree: An Orthodox PerspectiveWe Need a Little Visit from the Real Saint NicholasFather Christmas and the Christmas Spirit1 CORINTHIANS 13 - A CHRISTMAS VERSIONCHRISTMAS AND NON-CHRISTIANSVideo: The Real War On ChristmasAtheists and ChristmasCHRISTMAS TV & FILMS1971 Animated Version of "A Christmas Carol"The Story Behind "It's A Wonderful Life"How Frank Capra's Christian Faith Influenced His Films"The Story of the Other Wise Man" (Video)Movie: The Fourth Wise Man (1985)"Papa Panov's Special Christmas" (Video)Russian Cartoon: The Christmas Visit (1959)CHRISTMAS STORIES AND LITERATUREG.K. Chesterton's Biography "Charles Dickens" (1906) Charles Dickens and Christianity25 Worthwhile Quotes From Charles Dickens"The Gleaner: A Christmas Story" by A. PapadiamantisFROM NATIVITY TO THEOPHANY (DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 6)The Twelve Days of Christmas in the Orthodox ChurchThe Synaxis of the Most Holy TheotokosThe Institution of the Synaxis of the TheotokosSt. Proclus' Homily For December 26thThree Homilies of St. Nikolai Velimirovich on the Theotokos"The Year of our Lord" by Fr. George FlorovskyThe Miraculous Icon of the Most Holy Virgin of BethlehemStories of the Post-Nativity Virginity of the TheotokosThe Sunday After Christmas - Jesus Christ: The Eternal VictorSunday After Christmas: Joseph the Betrothed, James the Adelphotheos and King DavidThe Sunday After the Nativity of ChristA Homily on the Righteous JosephSt. Fulgentius of Ruspe Homily On St. Stephen the ProtomartyrHomily One: St. Gregory of Nyssa on St. Stephen the ProtomartyrHomily Two: St. Gregory of Nyssa on St. Stephen the ProtomartyrFinding Pity in Sinners and Praying for EnemiesAn Athonite Icon of the Martyrdom of St. StephenGood King WenceslasSaint Simon the Myrrh-Gusher of Mount Athos20,000 Holy Martyrs of NicomediaWhen Did the Magi Arrive in Bethlehem?Balaam and the Three MagiFour Reasons the Star of Bethlehem Was SupernaturalThe Magi and the Star: An Orthodox UnderstandingThe Spirit of the GiftThe Three Gifts of the Magi On Mount AthosThe Gifts of the Magi Brought to Aitoloakarnanias (Photos / Video)The Flight of the Holy Family Into EgyptSilent Movie: "The Flight Into Egypt"The Miracle at the Virgin Mary Church in Maadi, Egypt in 1976 The Fourteen Thousand Holy Children of BethlehemHow Many Infants Were Massacred?The Slaughter of the Innocents: Historical Fact or Legendary Fiction?Why Did Rachel Weep For the Holy Children of Bethlehem?Macrobius and the Slaughter of the InnocentsVideo: Hilarion Alfeyev's Christmas Oratorio 24: Rachel's LamentThe Russian New Year MoliebenHow Russians Celebrated New Year Before RevolutionSt. Peter of Damascus: On ResolutionA New Year's Eve Story by Photios KontoglouBasil the Great and Disfigured ChristianityThe Dual Feast of St. Basil the Great and the Circumcision of ChristOn the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus ChristClarifications Concerning the Circumcision of ChristOrthodox Keep Christ at Center of ChristmasAmazing Orthodox Church Snow Sculptures!