✨ МИР БОЖИЈИ, ХРИСТОС СЕ РОДИ! ✨

            TO ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS in Christ who follow the Julian calendar, we’re celebrating Christmas this week – from 7 - 13 January, which is of course 25 - 31 December in Julian calendar ("Old Style"). However, this capture is made today (on 9th January 2025) and not many orthodox Christians will get the connection. It’s a traditional Serbian custom, with the big bread made specially for this feast on Christmas Eve day, on the last one of 40-day fasting. The one who’s making the dough puts a coin of the highest value available in the mixture. When it’s baked, before the very start of the festive Christmas meal, bread is held jointly by all present and revolved, along with singing the Christmas troparion. The bread is then simultaneously flexed and folded to break into as many pieces as there are persons. It's done by the hands and pieces shared to each one to be either consumed right away or taken home. As a guest I took my chunk home and eat it slowly to enjoy as long as possible.

Today I couldn’t believe my eyes! I found the coin. For the first time in my life. Usually the hosts see to it that a child, not an adult gets the piece where the coin is supposed to be. Children are very amused and thrilled by this old custom. This time however it was my turn. The woman who made this bread is an extremely blessed person from afar – a young devotee in her twenties, belonging to a great-suffering nation, married for the first time to a very nice guy, also in his twenties, of another great-suffering nation, also never married before. And she is pregnant for the first time, with his child, thus the first pregnancy for them both. 

But this is more than just a nice Christmas story. A small personal wonder took place. I've been on a gluten-free diet for 15 years already. Eating bread is for me equal to get seriously ill. So I started very cautiously with this one, with one bite only (I do it once a week with consecrated bread). This time, after a while, I took a bit more, knowing that the grace of great feast would help against a greater malaise. The next day, no symptoms; I took even more. On the third day, I finished this large chunk in a grand way, like I ate it in good old times. And nothing happened! This is the first time in 15 years that I normally ate bread, made of wheat flour. And had no effect whatsoever. But, may I add, the bread was certainly not an ordinary one. 

So this season has a nicest possible start. It holds a promising prediction for the rest of the year. It was one of the nicest Christmas celebrations I remember. And whatever the difficulties ahead, this blessing will make us face them fearlessly, in faith. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Troparion

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
hath shone forth the light of knowledge upon the world; 
for therein those who worship the stars 
have been taught by a star to worship Thee, 
the Sun of righteousness, 
and to know Thee the Orient from on high. 

O Lord, glory be to Thee!
   

Taken in: Holland / Provincie Utrecht / Utrecht (show map)

Taken on: January 9, 2025

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Camera: Apple iPhone X, f/1.8, 1/40 sec, 4mm, ISO 25 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Apple iPhone X
Aperture:	f/1.8
Exposure Time:	0.025 sec (1/40)
Focal Length:	4mm
ISO:	25
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Spot
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Snapseed 2.25.642066665
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