1. The Feasts of the Lord
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
I. The Nativity of Christ
Homily No. 1. On the Divine Services on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
I. The Nativity of Christ
Homily No. 1. On the Divine Services on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
I. As the feast of the Nativity of Christ draws nearer, the beloved names of the Virgin Mary and Joseph are heard ever more frequently in the Church’s hymns; ever more often the Church transports our remembrance to the sacred cave of Bethlehem, points us to the star of the Magi, and calls us to worship the God-Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
II. a) Five days before the feast its forefeast begins. The services from the Octoechos are set aside, and in their place stichera and canons of the forefeast are sung. “The Sun that never sets is coming to shine forth from the virginal cloud and to illumine the whole world,” sings the Church. “Let us hasten to meet Him with pure eyes and pure deeds… God the Word, borne on the cherubic shoulders, having clothed Himself in flesh, comes to be born of the tribe of Judah. Prepare youself, O Bethlehem! Open, O gates of Eden! Adorn yourself, O house of David—Ephratha! Behold, the Tree of Life has blossomed in the cave from the Virgin; her womb has appeared to us as a noetic paradise. By partaking of its fruit we shall not die as did Adam, but shall live: Christ is born to restore the fallen image!… Rejoice, prophets; exult, patriarchs; Christ is born, the King of heaven comes to the earth.”
b) At last the eve of the feast arrives — a day devoted especially to fasting and prayer. In remembrance of the star that led the Magi to Christ, the faithful do not eat until the appearance of the evening star. On this day the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great is celebrated and is usually joined with Great Vespers.
1) Between Matins and the Liturgy on this day special Hours are sung, composed by Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem. These Hours are called Royal, because the ancient Greek emperors, and later the Russian autocrats, came with special solemnity to hear them; therefore, at the conclusion of the Hours, many years are proclaimed for the rulers with their full title.
In these Hours the usual psalms and stichera are replaced by psalms, troparia, and stichera appropriate to the coming feast.
Both by their content and by the sacred importance of the service, the Hours on the eve of the Nativity of Christ deserve the full reverent attention of Christians and are fully worthy of the name “Royal.”
The most important prophecies foretelling the manifestation of God in the flesh are united in them into a single whole. The ancient prophets seem, together with the choirs of angels, to greet the descent to earth of Him whom they so fervently desired to behold. First of all is heard the inspired Psalter of the holy forefather David, who through the dimness of distant ages clearly beheld the future joy of His Divine Descendant: “Thou art fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Thy lips; therefore God has blessed Thee forever. Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One, in Thy glory and in Thy beauty; and in Thy splendor prosper and ride forth for the sake of truth and meekness and righteousness, and Thy right hand shall show Thee wondrous deeds” (Ps. 44:3–5). He sings of His pre-eternal birth: “From the womb before the morning star, like dew, is Thy generation” (Ps. 109:3). He sees foreign kings greeting the newborn King of kings with gifts, and peoples hastening to take refuge under the shelter of His gracious Kingdom: “The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring tribute; the kings of Arabia and Sheba shall offer gifts; and all kings shall worship Him; all nations shall serve Him” (Ps. 71:10–11). Finally, he sings of the peace and prosperity of this glorious Kingdom: “Let the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills righteousness; He shall judge the poor of the people, He shall save the sons of the needy and humble the oppressor; in His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace… His name shall be blessed forever; as long as the sun endures, His name shall be continued; and in Him all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed; all nations shall call Him blessed” (Ps. 71:3–4, 7, 17).
After the inspired Psalms of David are heard the voices of the ancient prophets: Micah, who foretold the birth in Bethlehem of the great Ruler of Israel; Jeremiah, who foresaw the Dayspring from on high coming to illumine the universe with a new light; and especially the wondrous prophecy of Isaiah, who seven centuries beforehand foresaw the seedless conception of the God-man. “Hear, O house of David,” cries out he whom the Fathers of the Church call the Evangelist of the Old Testament, “the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel, which means God is with us!” (Isa. 7:14; 8:10). “Understand, O nations, and submit yourselves; hear, even to the ends of the earth; you mighty ones, submit yourselves” (Isa. 8:9). “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called the Angel of Great Counsel, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Ruler, Prince of Peace, Father of the age to come” (Isa. 9:6).
The radiant visions of the ancient prophets are replaced by the tender narration of the Evangelists concerning the first moments of the earthly life of the Infant Lord, and by the words of the God-inspired Paul, who revealed the dogmatic and moral meaning of the feast.
In the intervals between these readings, the Church’s song — more living and solemn than in ordinary services — now in the form of a hymn marvels, glorifies, and calls heaven and earth to praise the Most High; now, as a prayer, it pours itself out in holy feelings of thanksgiving and submission to the Creator of the universe; now it presents persons from the very time of the event itself as acting and speaking movingly. Most of these hymns, as noted above, belong to the glorious Christian orator, Patriarch Sophronios of Jerusalem.
The very celebration of the Royal Hours is marked by special solemnity. It begins with the bringing out of the Holy Gospel through the Royal Doors from the altar, outside of which it lies throughout the Hours, as if signifying that the Savior who is being born is no longer hidden, as once in the darkness of the cave, but now lies revealed as a light to all nations. Before the Holy Gospel incense is offered in remembrance of the myrrh and frankincense brought by the wise men of the East as gifts to the Divine Child. In the ancient Church of Constantinople, the emperor, upon entering the church, first of all bowed before the Holy Gospel. His appearance at that moment vividly recalled those Eastern kings, or wise men, who, setting aside their earthly greatness, once humbly fell down before the poor cradle of the Infant Lord. (See Spiritual Conversations, published by the Athonite Panteleimon Monastery, 1894, issue XII.)
Thus transporting the thoughts of the faithful to the first moments of the appearance of the Son of God on earth, and vividly portraying before their eyes the events surrounding the cradle of the Savior of the world, the Royal Hours most fittingly dispose the soul to a living sense of the benefactions of the Lord Jesus Christ and prepare it for a celebration worthy both of the Christian and of Christian feasts.
2) At Great Vespers, in the deeply instructive stichera at "Lord, I Have Cried," composed by Patriarchs Germanos and Anatolios, the mystery of the Nativity of Christ is majestically depicted: “Come, let us rejoice before the Lord, proclaiming the present mystery: the wall of enmity has been destroyed, the flaming sword turns back, the cherub withdraws from the Tree of Life, and I partake of the food of paradise, from which I was expelled through disobedience. For the immutable Image of the Father, the Image of His eternal Being, takes upon Himself the form of a servant… remaining true God as He was, He takes upon Himself what He was not, becoming man out of love for mankind… Light from Light, Radiance of the Father! Thou hast illumined all creation — every breath praises Thee! What shall we offer Thee, O Christ, for having appeared on earth as man for our sake? Every creature fashioned by Thee offers Thee thanksgiving: the angels a song, the heavens a star, the Magi — gifts, the shepherds — wonder, the earth a cave, the wilderness a manger, and we offer Thee the Virgin Mother!”
After the Entrance begins a series of Old Testament readings (paremias), up to eight in number. The first reading points to the God-Child as the Creator of heaven and earth (Gen. 1:1–13). In the second, the Spirit of God speaks through the mouth of Balaam concerning Christ the Savior: “A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Num. 24:5–9, 17–18). In the third we hear the prophecy of Micah that from Bethlehem shall come forth a Ruler whose origin is from everlasting (Mic. 4:6–7; 5:2–4). Here the reading is interrupted, and the choirs sing: “Thou wast born secretly in a cave, O Savior, yet heaven proclaimed Thee to all, as with a mouth, revealing the star and leading the Magi to Thee, who worshipped Thee in faith; with them have mercy on us!” These last words are repeated several times during the reading of Psalm 86.
Then the readings continue: in the fourth, the Prophet Isaiah proclaims Christ under the image of the Rod from the root of Jesse, endowed with all the gifts of the Spirit of God and granting the knowledge of the Lord to the whole earth (Isa. 11:1–10). In the fifth, Jeremiah proclaims the manifestation of God on earth and His life among men (Bar. 3:36–4:4). In the sixth, Daniel explains to Nebuchadnezzar his dream of the coming eternal Kingdom of God (Dan. 3:31–36, 44–45). Again the reading is interrupted by the singing: “Thou hast shone forth from the Virgin, O Christ, the spiritual Sun of righteousness, and the star revealed Thee, the Uncontainable, contained in a cave” while the reader chants verses from Psalm 92. Finally, the seventh and eighth readings are read, both from the book of the Prophet Isaiah: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given,” and “Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel” (Isa. 9:6–7; 7:10–16; 8:1–4, 8–10). The last reading concludes with the Prophet’s triumphant proclamation: “God is with us.”
After the conclusion of the Liturgy, a lamp symbolizing the star is lit in the middle of the church, and the clergy for the first time sing the troparion and kontakion of the feast.
III. Such, brethren, is the moving, tender, and profoundly instructive service on the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ.
Appendix to Homily No. 1
A. Why Was the Christmas Eve Fast (Sochelnik) Established on the Eve of the Nativity of Christ?
To a question from one of the many correspondents of the late Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow — “Why was the so-called Sochelnik established on the eve of the Nativity of Christ?” — the hierarch replied in writing:
“The Church Typikon does not give a special answer to your question; however, certain reflections may be useful to satisfy your curiosity. The model for the fast before the Nativity of Christ is the fast before Pascha. The model for Christmas Eve is Great Saturday.
The prolonged fast of Great Saturday, together with Great Friday, is the precise fulfillment of the Lord’s words: ‘When the Bridegroom shall be taken away from the sons of the bridal chamber, then they shall fast in those days.’
Moreover, the extended fast of the day before the feast is beneficial in order to enter the spiritual celebration of the feast in the resurrection of the spirit, and not in the heaviness of the flesh.
For this latter reason, the day before the Nativity of Christ is arranged after the pattern of Great Saturday — especially fitting since on both days, in ancient times, many were baptized, and therefore the diligent prayer and fasting of the whole Church were necessary for them. The divine services, expanded by the Mystery of Baptism, so filled the day that the time for eating naturally fell in the evening.
Our forefathers, in order to prolong the Christmas Eve fast even when the services ended rather early, piously remembered the star — the herald of Christ’s Nativity — and established the rule: not to partake of food until the appearance of the star.”
B. Bethlehem
Bethlehem, where the Lord was born, lies two hours’ journey south of the holy city of Jerusalem. It is situated on a mountain covered with luxuriant gardens of fig trees, olive trees, pomegranates, and vineyards. The entire surrounding area breathes freshness and a certain joy: wherever one looks, mountains and valleys clothed in green gardens appear, and in various places among the trees rise watchtowers, which greatly adorn this blessed little town.
When you admire these picturesque surroundings, you recall all the biblical events that took place here. In the distance one can see a small quadrangular building crowned with a dome: this is the tomb of beautiful Rachel, the dearly loved wife of the Patriarch Jacob. Here she died, was mourned by him, and was buried near the road to Bethlehem.
Nearby are the ruins of that Ramah mentioned by the Prophet when he foretold the slaughter of the innocent infants of Bethlehem:
“Thus says the Lord: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more!” (Matt. 2:18).
Here are the fields where poor Ruth gathered ears of grain behind the reapers to feed her aged mother-in-law, whom she loved as her own mother. For this, the Lord rewarded her with great happiness: she became the wife of the honored and wealthy Bethlehemite Boaz.
And there below, in the valleys of Bethlehem and on the surrounding fruitful hills rich in springs of sweet water, the handsome youth David — the great-grandson of Ruth — tended his father’s flocks. There he fought lions and bears to defend the flock; there he played the harp and sang his wondrous psalms. Many of his psalms seem to echo through these mountains, where he knew every ravine, every cave, every spring of cool water.
In these mountains he often hid from Saul, who pursued him everywhere like a runaway slave or a criminal. And one recalls the touching, pleading words of the meek and innocent youth addressed to his malicious persecutor:
“Why does my lord pursue his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand? Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me upon you; but my hand shall not be against you” (1 Sam. 26:18; 24:13).
Here in Bethlehem the Prophet Samuel found him and anointed him king for the first time; and when David became king of Israel, Bethlehem received the honored name of the City of David.
Here also is David’s well, from which, tormented by thirst while Bethlehem was occupied by the Philistines, he longed to drink. Three of his mighty men risked their lives, broke through the enemy camp, and brought water to their beloved leader. But the valiant king poured it out as an offering to God, saying: “God forbid that I should drink the blood of these brave men.” Soon after, he utterly defeated the enemy and took possession of Bethlehem.
Further south, beyond the mountains, are the famous Pools of Solomon, from which this wise king constructed an aqueduct to Jerusalem — one that even today supplies water to the Mosque of Omar. And to the east lies the beautiful Shepherds’ Valley, covered with fruitful trees; there they were tending their flocks on that sacred night when the angel of heaven appeared to them and said:
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).
Suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host appeared with the angel and sang a wondrous hymn to God:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, to men who pleased God!”
How many great and moving memories!
The church built over the cave where our Lord Jesus Christ was born stands apart from the village, on the very edge of the mountain on its eastern side. The massive walls of the ancient monastery resemble a fortress from afar. The majestic church was built by Empress Helen in the form of a cross. At the far end of the cross stand forty-eight marble columns arranged in four rows. There is no ceiling above them; instead, cedar beams and rafters, richly carved, rest directly on the walls, above which lies a tin roof.
The main altar stands above the Cave of the Nativity. Beneath the entire church run caves in which several altars are arranged. There also lies the tomb of Blessed Jerome, who labored ascetically in these caves for many years. Nearby rest his two blessed disciples, Paula and her daughter Eustochium — women of noble Roman lineage who exchanged luxurious Rome and its rich palaces for these caves. They founded several women’s monasteries in Bethlehem and, having completed their labors beside the manger of Christ, were buried together in one grave.
Bethlehem has about 4,500 inhabitants, and remarkably, there is not a single Jew among them. Even Tertullian, a writer of the 2nd century after Christ, asked the Jews: “How do you expect the Messiah from Bethlehem, when none of you live there?”
The inhabitants of Bethlehem make rosaries of bone and olive wood, mother-of-pearl crosses, icons, representations of the Lord’s Tomb, and similar items, all of which are purchased in great quantity by pilgrims.
(From the travels of A. O. Norov)
C. The Cave and the Manger
The main altar of the Bethlehem church is founded directly above the very cave of the Nativity of Christ the Savior. On both sides of the altar, fifteen marble steps descend into the underground church. Can one describe the sweet feeling of awe and reverence that fills the heart upon entering the mysterious twilight of this sanctuary?
Before I could see anything clearly, I fell prostrate on the marble floor where a silver star, illuminated by lamps, marks the place of our Redeemer’s birth. Pouring out a feeling of tender gratitude to the Savior for the salvation of all humanity and of my own soul, I read the Latin inscription encircling the shining star:
“Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.”
What more can be said?
This place lies in a semicircular recess. The floor of the Nativity cave, also forming a semicircle, is adorned with sixteen rich lamps, above which a marble slab serves as an altar where the Liturgy is celebrated.
A few steps away from the place of the Savior’s birth, on the right side, you see a separate cave reached by two or three steps. There stood the manger where that Infant rested for whom heaven is a throne and the earth His footstool (Isa. 66:1), and where the Magi and the shepherds first worshiped Him — wisdom and simplicity.
The manger is hewn from natural stone (for wood is costly in Judea). It has the form of an elongated box and is lined with white marble. This holy place, illuminated like the Nativity cave with precious lamps, also serves as an altar for the celebration of the Liturgy. The altar icon depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds.
Opposite the Savior’s manger, within the same cave, another altar stands on the spot where the Most Holy Theotokos, with the Infant Jesus on her lap, received the worship of the three Magi. The walls of the cave — both here and at the Nativity sanctuary — are draped in rich fabrics, and countless silver and gilded lamps hang along the main vault and the sides. The entire cave measures about five fathoms in length and about one and a half in width.
(From the travels of A. O. Norov)
D. A Spiritual Conversation with the Christ Child Jesus by Blessed Jerome, in the Cave of Bethlehem
We know that our Lord Jesus Christ was born in the city of Bethlehem. In our lessons we once memorized the prophecy of His birth:
“And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are you little among the thousands of Judah? Out of you shall come forth for Me One who is to be Ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2).
Indeed, Bethlehem was a small town when Jesus Christ was born there. Yet how dear it is to us! Even now Bethlehem remains a small town. On the place where the Savior was born, a monastery has been built; in the center of the monastery stands a beautiful church; beneath its main altar is a cave — the very place where He was born and laid in the manger, He whom the whole world cannot contain.
This cave is about twenty arshins long, six wide, and four high. Its vault is adorned with ancient thick mosaic; a marble-lined recess in the wall marks the place of birth. Formerly, a silver star stood there with the inscription: “Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.” Two steps away is another recess with the manger hewn in the rock, into which the Mother of God laid the Infant Christ.
The walls and floor of the cave are lined with marble; the cave itself is draped with red silk shimmering with gold. Thirty-two gold and silver lamps illuminate it day and night — gifts from various pious kings and rulers. Grateful hearts have so beautifully adorned the place of the Savior’s birth.
There is a custom at the feast of the Nativity of Christ to give gifts to children. When you, children, receive your gifts, remember the precious and immeasurable gifts of the Heavenly Father that He gave us in the newborn Infant Jesus — and also the gifts we have received from Jesus Christ Himself. He gives us everything and asks of us nothing more than our love and our sins, which we must bring to Him in sincere repentance.
Transport your thoughts to Bethlehem. Imagine that you are standing in the cave above the manger where the swaddled Infant Lord Jesus lay. What feelings would then fill your soul?
We shall pass on to you a beautiful conversation that Blessed Jerome held in his soul with the Infant Jesus while living in Bethlehem and standing by the Lord’s manger.
“Whenever I look,” says Jerome, “at the place where my Savior was born, I always have a sweet conversation with Him in my soul.
‘Lord Jesus,’ I say, ‘how hard it was for You to lie there in Your manger for my salvation! What shall I give You in return?’
And it seemed to me as though the Infant replied: ‘I desire nothing; only sing: Glory to God in the highest… It will be far worse for Me in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross.’
And I said: ‘Ah, beloved Infant! What then shall I give You? I would give You all that I have.’
But He answered: ‘Heaven is Mine and earth is Mine; I need nothing. Give all this instead to the poor, and I shall accept it as though it were done for Me.’
I continued: ‘I shall gladly do this; but what shall I give You personally?’
Then the Infant answered: ‘If you are so generous, I will tell you what you must give Me: give Me your sins, your corrupted conscience, and your condemnation.’
‘What will You do with them?’ I asked.
‘I will take them upon My shoulders; this will be My possession and that great work foretold by Isaiah: Surely he has borne our sufferings and carried our sorrows.’
Then I began to weep and said: ‘Divine Infant! Take what is mine, and give me what is Yours! Through You I am justified from sins and believe in eternal life!’”
(Excerpted from Sunday Reading, 1867.)
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
We know that our Lord Jesus Christ was born in the city of Bethlehem. In our lessons we once memorized the prophecy of His birth:
“And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are you little among the thousands of Judah? Out of you shall come forth for Me One who is to be Ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2).
Indeed, Bethlehem was a small town when Jesus Christ was born there. Yet how dear it is to us! Even now Bethlehem remains a small town. On the place where the Savior was born, a monastery has been built; in the center of the monastery stands a beautiful church; beneath its main altar is a cave — the very place where He was born and laid in the manger, He whom the whole world cannot contain.
This cave is about twenty arshins long, six wide, and four high. Its vault is adorned with ancient thick mosaic; a marble-lined recess in the wall marks the place of birth. Formerly, a silver star stood there with the inscription: “Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.” Two steps away is another recess with the manger hewn in the rock, into which the Mother of God laid the Infant Christ.
The walls and floor of the cave are lined with marble; the cave itself is draped with red silk shimmering with gold. Thirty-two gold and silver lamps illuminate it day and night — gifts from various pious kings and rulers. Grateful hearts have so beautifully adorned the place of the Savior’s birth.
There is a custom at the feast of the Nativity of Christ to give gifts to children. When you, children, receive your gifts, remember the precious and immeasurable gifts of the Heavenly Father that He gave us in the newborn Infant Jesus — and also the gifts we have received from Jesus Christ Himself. He gives us everything and asks of us nothing more than our love and our sins, which we must bring to Him in sincere repentance.
Transport your thoughts to Bethlehem. Imagine that you are standing in the cave above the manger where the swaddled Infant Lord Jesus lay. What feelings would then fill your soul?
We shall pass on to you a beautiful conversation that Blessed Jerome held in his soul with the Infant Jesus while living in Bethlehem and standing by the Lord’s manger.
“Whenever I look,” says Jerome, “at the place where my Savior was born, I always have a sweet conversation with Him in my soul.
‘Lord Jesus,’ I say, ‘how hard it was for You to lie there in Your manger for my salvation! What shall I give You in return?’
And it seemed to me as though the Infant replied: ‘I desire nothing; only sing: Glory to God in the highest… It will be far worse for Me in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross.’
And I said: ‘Ah, beloved Infant! What then shall I give You? I would give You all that I have.’
But He answered: ‘Heaven is Mine and earth is Mine; I need nothing. Give all this instead to the poor, and I shall accept it as though it were done for Me.’
I continued: ‘I shall gladly do this; but what shall I give You personally?’
Then the Infant answered: ‘If you are so generous, I will tell you what you must give Me: give Me your sins, your corrupted conscience, and your condemnation.’
‘What will You do with them?’ I asked.
‘I will take them upon My shoulders; this will be My possession and that great work foretold by Isaiah: Surely he has borne our sufferings and carried our sorrows.’
Then I began to weep and said: ‘Divine Infant! Take what is mine, and give me what is Yours! Through You I am justified from sins and believe in eternal life!’”
(Excerpted from Sunday Reading, 1867.)
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
