Editing Christmas Eve (section)

=== Eastern churches ===
[[File:2013-12-24--Artoklasia during Christmas Eve service.JPG|thumbnail|Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Toronto, Ontario, Canada]]

In the [[Byzantine Rite]], Christmas Eve is referred to as '''Paramony''' ("preparation").  It is the concluding day of the [[Nativity Fast]] and is observed as a day of strict [[fasting]] by those devout Byzantine Christians who are physically capable of doing so. In some traditions, nothing is eaten until the first star appears in the evening sky, in commemoration of the [[Star of Bethlehem]]. The [[Christian liturgy|liturgical]] celebration begins earlier in the day with the celebration of the [[Royal Hours]], followed by the [[Divine Liturgy]] combined with the celebration of [[Vespers]], during which a large number of passages from the [[Old Testament]] are chanted, recounting the history of salvation. After the [[dismissal (liturgy)|dismissal]] at the end of the service, a new candle is brought out into the center of the church and lit, and all gather round and sing the [[Troparion]] and [[Kontakion]] of the Feast.

In the evening, the [[All-Night Vigil]] for the Feast of the Nativity is composed of [[Great Compline]], [[Matins]] and the [[First Hour]]. The Byzantine services of Christmas Eve are intentionally parallel to those of [[Good Friday]], illustrating the [[Eastern Orthodox theology|theological]] point that the purpose of the [[Incarnation of Christ|Incarnation]] was to make possible the [[Crucifixion of Jesus|Crucifixion]] and [[Resurrection of Jesus|Resurrection]]. This is illustrated in Eastern [[icon]]s of the Nativity, on which the [[Christ Child]] is wrapped in [[swaddling clothes]] reminiscent of his [[burial shroud|burial wrappings]]. The child is also shown lying on a stone, representing the [[Holy Sepulchre|Tomb of Christ]], rather than a [[manger]]. The [[Church of the Nativity|Cave of the Nativity]] is also a reminder of the cave in which Jesus was buried.

The services of Christmas Eve are also similar to those of the Eve of [[Epiphany (holiday)#Eastern Orthodox churches|Theophany]] (Epiphany), and the two [[Great Feasts]] are considered one celebration.

In some [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] cultures, after the Vesperal Liturgy the family returns home to a festive meal, but one at which [[Fasting#Eastern Orthodoxy|Orthodox fasting rules]] are still observed: no meat or dairy products (milk, cheese, eggs, etc.) are consumed (see below for variations according to nationality). Then they return to the church for the All-Night Vigil.

The next morning, Christmas Day, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated again, but with special features that occur only on Great Feasts of the Lord. After the [[dismissal (liturgy)|dismissal]] of this Liturgy, the faithful customarily greet each other with the [[kiss of peace]] and the words: "Christ is Born!", to which the one being greeted responds: "Glorify Him!" (the opening words of the [[Canon (hymnography)|Canon]] of the Nativity that was chanted the night before during the Vigil). This greeting, together with many of the [[hymn]]s of the feast, continue to be used until the [[leave-taking]] of the feast on 31 December.

The first three days of the feast are particularly solemn. The second day is known as the [[Synaxis]] of the [[Theotokos]], and commemorates the role of the [[Virgin Mary]] in the [[Nativity of Jesus]]. The third day is referred to simply as "the Third Day of the Nativity". The Saturday and Sunday following 25 December have special [[Epistle]] and [[Gospel]] readings assigned to them. 29 December celebrates the [[Holy Innocents]].

Byzantine Christians observe a festal period of [[Twelve Days of Christmas|twelve days]], during which no one in the Church fasts, even on Wednesdays and Fridays, which are normal fasting days throughout the rest of the year. During this time one feast leads into another: 25–31 December is the [[afterfeast]] of the Nativity; 2–5 January is the [[forefeast]] of the [[Epiphany (holiday)|Epiphany]].