Orthodox Christians Celebrate Christmas In Belarus

The picture story is from a cozy church far from Minsk.

Orthodox believers celebrate one of the main church holidays — the Nativity of Christ.

Onliner.by.by journalists attended a festive service in the town of Zhabinka, near Brest, and returned with a warm photo report from the Protection of the Holy Virgin Church.

This unusual and prominent church was built on the site of the previous old temple in the second half of the 19th century. Curiously, once there was a village of Myshchitsy-Pakrouski, but the sprawling railway station Zhabinka swallowed it. The old temple was badly damaged and rotten. It was necessary to build a new one there. As a result, in a year and a half, a beautiful and unusual wooden church appeared there, which survived not only two world wars, but also avoided closure during the time of atheism. The doors of the temple have always been open to believers.

Now it is the main temple of the city and the deanery. The parish has a youth fraternity and a youth club, there is even а drama group and choir, and ten years ago florists came together there — parishioners who decorate the church for the holidays. They were the ones who decorated the temple on Christmas Eve.

According to the rector of the Protection of the Holy Virgin Church, Archpriest Siarhei Petrusevich, women create decoration projects independently.

“Our community is a big friendly family. Everyone knows not only each other but also all family ties. This is what makes it unique in small towns and rural areas,” says Abbe Serhiy. “This should be preserved in every possible way. The church can play a key role in this matter, offering to look at those who are next to you in overwhelming individualism, egoism and selfishness. To share joys and sorrows.”

The Divine Liturgy began shortly before midnight. A small temple was full of people, many children and young people.

On Sunday, festive services will continue in the churches. After lunch, the Church youth with a star and Christmas songs will go, as they say among believers, to "glorify Christ" – go Christmas caroling.

“This is one of the traditions that contributes to the unification of the parish. We visit each other's homes and share the joy of the holiday. The whole parish is involved in this,” Abbe Serhiy says. “An important event for our youth is a visit with congratulations at home for children with psychophysical developmental disabilities. We are looking forward to this meeting, as for us it is a breath of fresh air and an opportunity to stop feeling sorry for yourself, thinking that you have problems in life.”