In the Orthodox Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tuzla, the evening service was held with which the Orthodox believers marked the Christmas Eve and announced the arrival of the most joyful Orthodox holiday, Christmas.
The solemn liturgy was led by the Pastor of Tuzla Miloš Trišić, who said that Christmas is a memory of the holiday when the Jesus Christ was born in poverty.
“Yule log is our prayer because we pay tribute to the shepherds who lit the fire and kept the little Jesus warm. By burning the Yule log, we show humanity and love for God. By burning the Yule log, we warm up our hearts and souls, and symbolically show love for the new-born Christ,” said Trišić.
After the solemn liturgy, the Yule log was set on fire in the churchyard, and then the fireworks were held, thus marking the arrival of this great Orthodox holiday.
Believers continued socializing with mulled wine and today they are celebrating their holiday with their families.
Orthodox believers prepare for Christmas for 40 days and special attention is paid to the fasting, through which a believer works on personal spiritual and physical preparation for the holiday.
In addition to the burning of the Yule log, the believers also gather around a meatless table because the Christmas Eve also represents the last day of fasting.
