site.btaBulgaria Celebrates Christmas

Bulgaria Celebrates Christmas


Sofia, December 25 (BTA) - In his Christmas address during a
Thursday Holy Liturgy at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in
Sofia, Bulgaria's Patriarch Neofit said: "Lets use these
brightest days of Nativity to not only further reinforce our
faith in God and His gracious providence, but to express our
true love for our suffering neighbours."

The Patriarch's message calls on everyone, according to their
abilities, to take from their time, attention and material
wealth, and to bring joy to those in need, those who live
without shelter or food, in poor health or lacking regular human
attention. "This way we will prove, not just with words but
with actions, that we are truly Christ's disciples and we will
fulfill the law of Christ," the Patriarch and the metropolitans
of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church said.

His Holiness and the Holy Synod metropolitans turn to all
clerics and laymen of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, home and
abroad, warmly wishing them a cheerful spirit, health,
prosperity, unity and success of the Bulgarian people in every
good deed and endeavour.

In the traditional Bulgarian calendar Christmas begins with the
customs of koleduvane, a name deriving from the Slavonic
"Koleda". Only men take part in it, single young men and newly
married ones. They make the rounds of local houses, singing
Christmas carols and wishing health, happiness and prosperity to
the families they visit.

The Christmas holidays end with the feast of St. Stephen which
is celebrated on December 27.