Preparations for the bright holidays of Christ's Nativity in our parish starting with the morning of Saturday 5th January when 30 pupils from the Serbian School in Corby packaged bundles of badnjak and straw for believers for the following day. The children also decorated the prime branches of Badnjak in readiness for the bonfire on Christmas Eve. The children enjoyed their time with one another.
By the afternoon, we were preparing similar bundles at the Chapel of the House in Bedford. On Christmas Eve, Divine Liturgy was served at the Chapel and believers from Bedford and Corby came together in worship. Christmas Eve vespers was served in the early evening, with believers collecting the blessed Badnjak to take back home and three larger branches was ceremoniosuly laid on the fire. The faithful completely overwhelmed the small chapel so most celebrated around the fire just outside the chapel.
Later that evening, Vespers was served in Corby. in Korbija was served and Badnjak blessed for the fiatful. Along with other children present, Luka Bastajic (a student at the Serbian School) recited the powm Božić (Christmas).
Outside the blessed Badnajk was laid on the fire and the faithful stayed on to enjoy the festivities. On occasions such as Christmas Eve, there are more faithful than space in the Church so people swelled into the adjacent hall and outside. As traditional dictates, warm brandy was served.
Christmas Matins was served at the Template of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Corby with many of the faithful attending, although perhaps fewer than the prior evening. Christmas Liturgy was then served at St Paul's Church in Bedford. Those who had fasted came earlier for confessions so they could receive Holy Communion. The Church was filled with the faithful who heard the harmonies of the choir responses and the parish priest was assisted at the altar by Petar and Danilo Simic.
Naturally, many of the faithful gather in prayer and celebration when we celebrate the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, it is also crucial that we take part in the spiritual life of our parish throughout the whole year and not Christmas and Easter.
In the hope of us all gather together may more times, we wish you the joyful greetings:
PEACE FROM GOD - CHRIST IS BORN!
TRULY CHRIST IS BORN!
WE WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY SERBIAN NEW YEAR in 2019 !