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Christmas — Рождество (2)

Christmas is the year’s most celebrated holiday. It is celebrated on December 25th by Catholic Church and on January 7th by Orthodox Church. The meaning of Christmas is to recognize Christ’s birth, of which the exact date is not known. During the fourth century the Bishop of Rome set December 25th as Christ’s birth date. Some authorities claim that the choice of December 25th was made because it coincided with Chanukah, Mithraic’s feast of the sun god, and the people of northern Europe’s winter solstice feast. The winter solstice is the time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when the noon sun appears to be farthest south.
The Saturnalia was celebrated for seven days, during the period of time when the winter solstice occurred. During this time, slaves were given freedom, gifts were exchanged, and banquets prevailed.
Holiday evergreens, the symbol of eternal life, have long been used for Christmas time decorations. The Christmas wreath represents

everlasting life and God’s endless love for us. Kissing under mistletoe supposedly started out when enemies stopped fighting when they met under mistletoe. Holly is the most known Christmas greenery, and there are several legends about it, one is that Jesus* crown was made of holly, and the holly berries* represented his blood.

Рождество (2)

Рождество — это самый популярный праздник в году. Он празднуется 25-го декабря католической церковью и 7-го января православной церковью. Значение Рождества заключается в признании рождения Христа, точная дата рождения которого не известна. В четвертом столетии епископ Рима установил 25-е декабря днем рождения Христа. Некоторые утверждают, что выбор 25 декабря выпал на этот день, потому что он совпадал с Чанукой, митрианским

праздником бога Солнца и праздником зимнего солнцестояния, который праздновался в Северной Европе.
Зимнее солнцестояние — это время года, когда полуденное солнце в Северном Полушарии находится на самом большом удалении к югу.
Сатурналии праздновались в течение всех семи дней зимнего солнцестояния. В течение этого времени рабам даровали свободу, обменивались подарками, проводили банкеты.
Праздничные вечнозеленые деревья, символ вечной жизни, долго использовались для декораций на Рождество. Рождественский венок символизирует вечную жизнь и бесконечную любовь Бога к нам. Традиция поцелуя под омелой появилась, возможно, после того, как под омелой встретились враги и не стали сражаться. Падуб — наиболее знаменитое рождественское растение, о котором существует несколько легенд. Одна из них гласит, что корона Иисуса была из падуба, и его ягоды символизировали кровь Иисуса.

Questions:

1. What is the meaning of Christmas?
2. When was Christ’s birth date set?
3. When was the Saturnalia celebrated?
4. What does the Christmas wreath represent?
5. Why is Holly the most known Christmas greenery?

Vocabulary:

To coincide — совпадать
solstice — солнцестояние
feast — праздник
to occur — случаться, происходить
evergreen — вечнозеленое дерево
eternal, everlasting — вечный
wreath — венок
mistletoe — омела (в Англии традиционное украшение дома на Рождество)
supposedly — предположительно
berry — ягода

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