Eastern Christians celebrate New Year’s Eve tonight

Eastern Christians celebrate the New Year’s Eve tonight. Groups of waits will wish a happy and a prosperous New Year to people, and tomorrow, on January 14, children will go from house to house to spread the gifts of the land. The costs of the traditional holyday feast amount to at least MDL 2 thousand or about USD 150 – more than an average wage in Moldova, which constitutes about MDL 1800. The joy of the New Year will be completed by the celebration of one of the greatest Christian saints, Saint Basil the Great, Episcope of Caesarea, one of the founders of the Orthodox Church and at the same time one of the greatest Christian theologian. St. Basil the Great was born in Caesarea of Cappadocia in 330. He was one of ten children of St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia. Several of his brothers and sisters are honored among the saints. He attended school in Caesarea, Constantinople and Athens, where he became acquainted with St. Gregory Nazianzen in 352. He died on January 1, 379.