Question about the Nativity

[knotquiteawake]

Hi, i'm new here and I am a catechumen here in southern california.  this forum is filled with awesome information and is a blast to read while at work (I do a lot of driving and then sitting around waiting).
I had a question about the actual Nativity service.  Namely how does it generally work?  Is it like Pascha where we start in the evening to late at night and then have a feast?  or is it different....
mostly I want to know if there is going to be food.  Our priest has us catechumens on a modified fast but i am still looking forward to being able to eat fully again!

thanks

-jason

[ozgeorge]

Welcome Jason! I love your user name!

In Greek practice, we usually have the Sacrament of Holy Unction on Christmas Eve with an All Night Vigil for the Feast. I'm not sure what the Antiochians do. I'll let other's answer that.

[Fr. George]

Welcome Jason! I love your user name!

In Greek practice, we usually have the Sacrament of Holy Unction on Christmas Eve with an All Night Vigil for the Feast. I'm not sure what the Antiochians do. I'll let other's answer that.

Depending on where you go, there are multiple practices for Christmas feast:

1. Night Vigil for the feast.
2. Christmas eve Vespers/Liturgy (St. Basil's Liturgy), and Christmas Morning Matins/Liturgy (St. John's Liturgy).  This option is widely used, but only when Christmas falls on a Tuesday through Saturday, never when Christmas is on Sunday or Monday.

[knotquiteawake]

I came up with my name a few years ago... after waking up from a nap I decided to get a new AIM screen name... after sitting around for a while unable to think of anything cool I said to myself "man, I am not quite awake for this right now" and from that it was born.

anyways... I can't wait for the nativity services, I had the privilege of attending the paschal feast and services last year and was overwhelmed (I was just an inquirer tagging along with a friend).

Now, I'm afraid this sounds too vain but I am very curious, by "feast" do we mean like with earthly food and drinks or by "feast" do we mean partaking in communion?

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Now, I'm afraid this sounds too vain but I am very curious, by "feast" do we mean like with earthly food and drinks or by "feast" do we mean partaking in communion?

Both. Obviously after coming off a long fast like Nativity Lent (Advent), regular food is very welcome. But there is also something extra special about the Eucharist on Christmas and Pascha. I'm not sure how to explain it. Perhaps it's the anticipation that comes from having fasted for so long. Perhaps it's something else entirely. Regardless, the Eucharist is the beginning of the Feast.

[scamandrius]

In Greek practice, we usually have the Sacrament of Holy Unction on Christmas Eve with an All Night Vigil for the Feast. I'm not sure what the Antiochians do. I'll let other's answer that.

For Antiochians, it varies from parish to parish.  In my parish, we serve the Royal Hours on Christmas Eve, one right after the hour, not the 1st hour at 8:00, the 3rd at 10:00, etc.  The Typikon (when Nativity falls on Tuesday-SAturday) calls for Vespers to be served, followed immediately by the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.  Then the Vigil follows with Great Compline, then Matins, then the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.  However, we do not celebrate Vespers, but we celebrate Matins around 7:00 pm and then begin the Liturgy afterwards.  I would prefer that we follow the directions in the Typikon, but we would have hardly anyone there. 

George, do the Greeks not celebrate the Royal Hours on Christmas Eve?

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