Orthodox Nativity ending with Carols - "1985" St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church, Chicago IL.

"Orthodox Nativity" (1985)

St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church
A Russian Orthodox Church from 1933 to 1978, Chicago, Illinois
A Parish of the Orthodox Church in America Diocese of the Midwest since 1978 to present.
Burr Ridge, Illinois


The Nativity Hymn...
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it those who worshiped the stars,
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness.
And to know Thee the Orient from on high,
O Lord, Glory to Thee!

Video done In memory of the departed Very Reverend Father Nicholas Semkoff
Church Choir directed by Mr. John Sutko
Recording and Compilation by Mr. Gregory M. Spontak

History: For more than 50 years as a Russian Orthodox priest, the Very Rev. Fr. Nicholas Semkoff served St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois alongside the Very Reverend Peter Semkoff, his father and founder of the church. His bond with the church was established the day he was born. Father Semkoff's father placed his own prayer book in the hands of Fr. Nicholas when he was just hours old.
May the memory of Fr. Nicholas be eternal.

The traditional Russian Orthodox greeting at Christmas is "Khristos rodyvsya!" which translates to Christ is born! Answered with "Slavite Yoho!" which translates to Let Us Glorify Him! The Nativity according to the flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, also called Christmas, is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church.

The original date of this celebration in Eastern Christianity was January 6, in connection with Epiphany, and that is still the date of the celebration for the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia, where it is a public holiday. As of 2013, there is a difference of 13 days between the modern Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar. Those who continue to use the Julian calendar or its equivalents thus celebrate December 25 and January 6, which on the Gregorian calendar translate as January 7 and January 19. For this reason, Ethiopia, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and the Republic of Moldova celebrate Christmas on what in the Gregorian calendar is January 7.

Eastern Orthodox Churches in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Antioch, Alexandria, Albania, Finland and the Orthodox Church in America celebrate Christmas on December 25 in the revised Julian calendar, corresponding to December 25 also in the Gregorian calendar.