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Christmas customs among the Orthodox
people are simple, yet beautiful and rich with meaning. Among these customs is
the Holy Supper which is served on Christmas Eve. We must emphasize, however,
that the traditions which follow are not necessarily followed in every detail
by every family that serves the Holy Supper, for Orthodoxy is rich in its
diversity.
Traditionally, the meal is served on
Christmas Eve at the time of the appearance of the first evening star. This, of
course, serves to remind us of the Star of Bethlehem which shone in the East to
the Magi coming to worship the Savior. The table itself is covered with straw
and linen, which reminds us of the manger in which Christ lay and the linen
cloths with which He was wrapped. A lit candle is placed on the table,
symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem and the Light of Christ shining out in the
darkness and despair of the world.
In some farming households, a meal
was prepared for all of the animals and they were fed first. At the start of
the Holy Supper the question would be asked, “Have the animals been fed?” and
with an affirmative reply, the meal began. This served as a reminder that
animals were also present at the Birth of Christ.
Traditionally, twelve courses are
served separately at the meal, starting with bitter foods and ending with
sweet. All are Lenten foods, since the Nativity Fast does not end until the Liturgy
of Christmas Day. The first food is bitter garlic or onion greens, which each
person must taste before touching any other food. This serves to remind us that
until the coming of Christ the Savior, man's life was one of despair and
bitterness, for he had fallen away from God by disobeying His commandments.
Each of the twelve dishes has a
special meaning, then. Honey, for example, represents the sweet and pleasant
moments in life; garlic the bitter days; grain dishes are reminders of the simple
and ordinary moments, as well as our Daily Bread and the Bread from Heaven —
the Lord Jesus Christ.
The number of courses — twelve —
represents the Twelve Tribes of Israel who lived in the promise of the Messiah
and it also symbolizes the Twelve Disciples who followed Christ. The whole
sequence of the meal — from bitter to sweet courses — reminds us that in
following Christ we must be ready to bear the bitter moments with the same
patience and understanding with which we accept life's ordinary and happy experiences.
The evening meal is completed by a
Prayer of Thanksgiving and the singing of Christmas Hymns (Carols). These Hymns
are sung to announce to the world the Birth of the Christ Child even as the
angels announced it to the shepherds in the fields, singing “Glory to God in
the Highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.” The day ends with the
attendance of the whole family in Church at the Nativity Vigil and the Divine
Liturgy on the following day.
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