Sunday before the Holy Nativity

Written By Joey Wang

The Sunday before the Holy Nativity

(Matthew: 1:1-25; The Genealogy of Christ)

The Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, or the Sunday before Christmas, commemorates the human ancestors of Jesus Christ. The Orthodox Church celebrates this day with hymns and the reading of the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1, verses 1–25. The genealogy of Jesus is read to create a sense of anticipation for the birth of Christ and to invite the righteous who lived before Christ into the joy of the Nativity. 

Saturday, December 21st - Great Vespers, 5 p.m. Service text

Sunday, December 22nd - Orthros, 8:30 a.m. Service text

Divine Liturgy, 10 a.m. Service text

Joey Wang
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Sunday of the Holy Forefathers