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Christmas Carols

With the sacred Holy Supper (Sviata Vecheria) of the Nativity Feast, we begin to sing Christmas carols traditional to our church.

The Holy Supper of the Nativity Supper consists of 12 meatless courses as well as prayer and Christmas rituals of home worship and folk ritual.

We begin the Sviata Vecheria with the singing of the Tropar of the Nativity - already sung in Church during the Nativity Vigil Service of Great Vespers with St. Basil's Liturgy.

In between each of the 12 courses, we sing a Christmas carol ("Koliada") - like one of those list left.

There is also the custom of Carolling amongst Ukrainian Believers. Carollers would choose a leader, called a "bereza' The Bereza would lead the group of Carollers by carrying a home-made star surmounted on a staff . Often the star would also have an icon mounted on it. With the Star, the bereza would lead them on their rounds through the homes of the community.

It was common for carollers to dress up as shephers, angels, Magi, or other characters from the Nativity accounts. They would present a short scene or panorama, usually in such verse as rhyming couplets, which would touch upon a Nativity theme.

When they arrive, Carollers would begin with the traditional formulaic salutation: "Good folk, may we carol for you?" To which the traditional response would be, "Prosymo!" (Please do!, [literally "prithee"]).

After receiving refreshments from the householders they were carolling for, the Bereza would conclude with some variation of the traditional leave-taking formula, "Greetings upon these holy feasts, the Birth of Christ! With the mercy of God we have celebrated these holy days and with His help may we see the New Year in health and happiness."

After sundry wishes of good fortune and prosperty, the traditional "Mnohaya Lyita" (God grant you many years) is sung and the Bereza would lead the Carollers to a the next household.

The custom is to continue to sing Christmas Carols until the Great and Holy Feast of Theophany. (At Theophany, a whole other set of Theophany Carols are sung.)
There are a separate set of Carols (appropriate to the Jordan Feast of Theophany.

After the Leave-Taking of the festive season of Theophany, some parish continue to sing Koliady (Christmas carols) right up to the Feast of the Encounter.

Ukrainian version
Українська версія

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Brampton, Ontario
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Canada
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