Santa Claus's wife is not a figure in Russian tradition; instead, Russia's equivalent, Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), is famously accompanied by his granddaughter, the Snegurochka (Snow Maiden), who helps deliver gifts during New Year's celebrations. While some folklore mentions Ded Moroz's wife as Winter or the goddess Mara, Snegurochka is the prominent companion, a key part of the holiday festivities, unlike the Western Mrs. Claus.
The Santa Claus that we know lives in the North Pole. According to some North American sources, his original name was Kris Kringle before he changed his name to Santa Claus. Kris Kringle was a toymaker who married Jessica. Other names found for Mrs Claus are Mary Christmas, Gertrude, and Carol.
Snegurochka (diminutive) or Snegurka (Russian: Снегу́рочка (diminutive), Снегу́рка, IPA: [sʲnʲɪˈɡurət͡ɕkə, sʲnʲɪˈɡurkə]), or Snow Maiden, is a Novy God character originating from Russian fairy tales.
Ded Moroz, or Morozko (Russian: Морозко, romanized: Morozko), is a legendary figure similar to Father Christmas and Santa Claus, who has his roots in Slavic mythology. The tradition of Ded Moroz is mostly spread in East Slavic countries and is a significant part of Russian culture.
Soviet Russia adopted Gregorian calendar in 1918, however, Russian Orthodox Church chose to follow the Old Julian calendar. 25th of December on the Julian calendar actually falls on January 7th on the Gregorian calendar.
No, historians don't know Jesus' exact birth date, but many Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7 because they follow the older Julian calendar, which falls 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar used by Western churches (December 25). While December 25 became the traditional date in the West, some Eastern traditions celebrate on January 6 (Epiphany), with January 7 being the corresponding date in the Julian system for some.
Another fundamental belief of the Orthodox Church is the faith in the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, Who became "incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and became man" (Nicene Creed) for our salvation.
In the Russian Christmas tradition Father Christmas is always accompanied by his granddaughter. Her name is Snegurochka a snow maiden. She usually wears a blue fur coat and a crown.
While the federal government did proclaim Santa's Canadian citizenship in 2008, its sovereignty over the North Pole is contested, and the United Nations has yet to rule on Canada's claims to extend its Arctic reach. Other countries, including Finland and Denmark, claim Santa Claus lives and works within their borders.
Yolka is the transliteration of the Russian word "ёлка" meaning spruce or fir. It may refer to: In contexts related to Russian traditions the word "yolka" refers to the New Year tree or a Christmas tree. Yolka (gaffe), a gaffe by former Ukrainian president Victor Yanukovych.
Did you know Santa has an evil twin? Meet Krampus – the ancient Christmas demon with a hidden holiday message.
Santa Claus (Svyatyy Mykolay)
Have you heard of a legendary bearded grandpa riding reindeer at night giving out presents to kids? In Ukraine, kids receive their gifts from a bearded man on the morning of December 19th under their pillows. Ukrainian Santa is called “Svyaty Mykolay”.
This charming Russian children's book surrounds the story of 'Cherypoyka', or 'Snegurochka', which translated as 'The Snow Maiden'. This well-known character features in a number of traditional Russian fairy-tales, first appearing in the nineteenth century.
Mrs. Claus, or Miri, is originally from modern-day Scandanavian countries, and operates as the heart of the North Pole. She ensures everything runs smoothly with her expert organization, eye for design and her culinary creativity.
🎅🏻 The Greek roots of Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas of Myra was born on March 15, 270 AD, and died on December 6, 343 AD (at age 73 years old).
Nicolas, the original Santa Clause, does not roam the night alone. He has his partner Krampus giving out punishment to those who have behaved badly during the year. Krampus most likely originated from Austria derived from pagan beliefs. He was later adapted to Christian beliefs symbolizing the devil himself.
Ded Moroz or Grandfather Frost is a Russian counterpart of Santa Claus.
Santa Claus' origins date back to about 280 A.D. when St. Nicholas was born, the History Channel reports. This would make Santa approximately 1,744 years old today.
Santa Claus is loosely based on the historical figure and bishop St Nicholas of Myra, born in Lycia which is now part of Turkey. Lycia was Greek speaking at the time which leads us to conclude that Santa must speak Greek.
Old Saint Nick
The popular term for Santa prior to this period was Saint Nicholas, a name known from the religious observance of the Feast Day of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6. The Dutch name, SinterKlaas, is actually a derivative of the name Saint Nicholas.
Instead of Santa Claus, Russians have Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz) and his granddaughter, the Snow Maiden (Snegurochka). Unlike Western Santa, Grandfather Frost traditionally appears on New Year's Eve, bringing gifts to children alongside the turning of the calendar.
Kolobok is translated from Ukrainian as "small round bun", or from Russian as round dough, though it has also been thought to reference the Eastern European Bread, kalach, or possibly a round palt (based on the Swedish food item of the same name).
Religious policy
Putin regularly attends the most important services of the Russian Orthodox Church on the main holy days and has established a good relationship with Patriarchs of the Russian Church, the late Alexy II of Moscow and the current Kirill of Moscow.
The difference between ☦ (Orthodox Cross) and ✝ (Latin Cross) lies in their bars: the Orthodox cross has three bars (a small top one for the inscription, the main one, and a slanted bottom one for the footrest), symbolizing Eastern Orthodoxy, while the Latin cross has one bar, representing Western Christianity's focus on Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection, with both symbols generally signifying faith, Christianity, or support, but specific denominations prefer their distinct form.
In the Orthodox Church all prayer is Trinitarian. We pray in the Holy Spirit, through Jesus the Son of God, and in his name, to God the Father.