News in English     | 06.01.2020. 19:36 |

The faithful burn the ‘badnjak’ tree at the Old Orthodox Church in Sarajevo

FENA Hasan Selhanović

SARAJEVO, January 6 (FENA) - The believers of the Orthodox Christian faith this evening in the courtyard of the Old Church of St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Sarajevo, on the eve of the most joyous Christian holiday - Christmas, placed the ‘badnjak’ (oak log or branch) on fire, thus marking the beginning of the Christmas Eve celebration.

The evening service and the burning of badnjak were led by the Metropolitan Hrizostom of Dabar-Bosna.

Addressing the faithful, the Metropolitan emphasized the importance and symbolism of the Christmas Eve, and congratulated the faithful the Christmas Eve and the coming Christmas holidays.

The services of the vigil and the burning of badnjak as a Christmas tree in Orthodox temples announce the birth of the Savior, whose coming into the world is celebrated as the beginning of a new time, and the Christmas tree is introduced into Orthodox homes, to which the Church has given a special meaning.

Badnjak is a tree branch or young tree brought into the house and placed on the fire on the evening of Christmas Eve, a central tradition in Orthodox Christmas celebration.

The tree from which the badnjak is cut, preferably from a young and straight Austrian oak or Quercus cerris, ceremonially usually in the early morning of Christmas Eve. The burning of the log is accompanied by prayers that the coming year brings food, happiness, love, luck, and riches. The log burns on throughout Christmas Day while wishing that the family's happiness and prosperity be as abundant as the sparks. Badnjak is often symbolically represented by a cluster of oak twigs with brown leaves attached, with which the home is decorated on Christmas Eve.

The burning of the Christmas tree is also a symbol of separation from the old beliefs and the acceptance of the new light that comes with faith in the newborn Christ.

Christmas Eve is a family holiday when the people gather around the fasting meal because it is Christmas Eve and the last day of fasting.

Christmas, together with Easter, is the most important holiday for Orthodox believers and preparations for Christmas celebrations start 40 days earlier with a Christmas fast symbolizing the purification of mind and body.

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(FENA) S. R.

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