Merry Christmas! Christ is born!

The Serbian Orthodox Church and its faithful celebrate Christmas today, the day of the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is the most joyful Christian holiday and is celebrated for three days.

The symbols of Christmas among Orthodox Serbs are the badnjak (Yule log) and česnica (Christmas bread). Christmas is a family holiday, celebrated at home and in churches. Traditionally, straw was spread on the floor of the home to recreate the humble setting of the cave in Bethlehem where Christ was born, according to the Bible. Česnica, a loaf of bread with a coin baked inside, is prepared and broken on Christmas Day into as many pieces as there are members of the household. A silver or gold coin is placed inside the bread to symbolize the gift to the newborn Christ, and it is believed that good fortune awaits whoever finds the coin in their piece.

On Christmas, people greet one another with “Christ is born,” and the response is “Indeed He is born.” Today, Christmas is celebrated by Orthodox churches that follow the Julian calendar.