On the eve of the Nativity of Christ, Orthodox people celebrate Christmas Eve. This day marks the end of the Christmas fast, which lasts four weeks. From the very morning until 6 o'clock in the evening, Orthodox Christians must completely abstain from consuming any food and alcohol until the rising of the first star. This star symbolizes that Jesus was born.
Since ancient times, people have firmly believed that as the Christmas holiday goes, so will the whole next year. It is not surprising that many modern people are interested in the question: “what can be done on Christmas Eve before Christmas, and what cannot be done.”
Many people on the eve of any holiday want to put their house in order: wash things, clean the apartment, take out all the trash, get rid of old and unnecessary things.
Orthodox traditions strictly prohibit performing all household chores on Christmas Eve.
“On this day, the soul of every person prepares for the birth of Jesus. During Lent and January 6, you especially cannot swear, be offended, or express negative emotions towards another person.
— On January 6, you should also refrain from any household work: washing and cleaning, sewing, embroidery, replanting indoor plants, etc. Even cooking food on this day is not recommended; it can be prepared in advance - on January 5th.
— Until the end of the Liturgy, you cannot eat or drink alcohol in the church.
— All day on January 6, you cannot sweep the house, much less take out the trash from it. Since ancient times, people have believed that on Christmas Eve the souls of deceased relatives come and gather in the corners of the apartment. And only after Holy Baptism do they return back to heaven.
In order for the Christmas holiday, as well as the entire next year, to become bright and joyful, all homework, including preparing 12 dishes, should be completed on January 5th.
On the afternoon of January 6, every Orthodox person must go to church for communion and service. It is very important before the birth of Christ to cleanse your soul, ask for forgiveness, and sincerely repent of all sins. An important step on the eve of communion is fasting. If it is difficult for a person to keep the fast for all 4 weeks, he should stick to it for at least a few days before Christmas Eve. It is very important during this period to monitor your thoughts, actions and emotions.
There are many beliefs about what can be done on Christmas Eve and what is strictly prohibited. Every nation, based on its faith, comes up with different traditions and customs. But if a person considers himself Orthodox and wants to adhere to important church rules, he should know that doing laundry and cleaning on Christmas Eve is strictly prohibited, no matter how much one would like to do so. Even such a harmless action as sweeping the floor can bring disaster and illness to a person.
Numerous customs on this day help solve various issues, for example: getting rid of debts, finding a job, improving relationships with loved ones or bosses. Since ancient times, people have believed in the powerful power of this day and try to use it for their own good.
Since ancient times, on Christmas Eve after dinner, people took the remaining food outside and left it for those in need, or distributed it themselves. There is a belief that those deceased relatives who died hungry satiate their hunger that evening.
On the eve of Christmas, you cannot lend bread, salt and money; this can lead to the family spending the entire next year in poverty and hunger.
You should not wear black or dark clothes so as not to bring trouble and trouble upon yourself.
Also, many girls are concerned about the question: “is it possible to wash your hair on Christmas Eve?” On this day, as on Christmas Day, it is forbidden to wash or cut hair.
They call it Christmas Eve or simply Christmas Eve. This date was also called the First Kutya, First Kolyada or Kuteinika. Even in the first centuries of the new era, the celebration of the Eve of the Nativity of Christ was established. Gradually, this merged with the tradition of celebrating the eves of major holidays.
There are many traditions, signs and rituals associated with Christmas Eve. On this day, we observed the presence and amount of frost, the condition of the snow cover, and paid attention to the starry sky:
Dinner was of great importance on Christmas Eve. Usually the huts were cleaned, and the table was covered with hay or straw and covered with a clean white tablecloth made of natural material. The straw and hay were reminiscent of the manger where the newborn Jesus lay.
According to tradition, they fasted and did not eat until the first star appeared in the sky. Returning from church, they lit a lamp near the images and placed them in front of them. wax candles and read a prayer, and then sat down at the table in solemn and strict silence and had dinner.
The main dishes of this meal were kutia (boiled grains of barley, wheat, and later rice, sweetened with honey) and vzvar (a non-alcoholic drink made from pears, apples, cherries, plums and other fruits boiled in water). Also on the table were cabbage, kvass, grain porridge, bread from grains from the latest harvest, and dried berries. A lit candle was inserted into one of the loaves. Spoons and leftovers from dinner were left on the table until the morning. Sometimes the kutya was placed not on the table, but under the icon in the front corner.
On Christmas Eve, a whole series of magical rituals were performed to ensure that fruit trees would bear fruit, bread would grow, the weather would be good, and the number of poultry and livestock would increase.
On this night, the cattle were given plenty of food, but, on the contrary, they tried not to feed the chickens. They believed that this would discourage birds from digging in the garden, especially in the spring, when seedlings or seeds had just been planted.
An obligatory dish on the table was pancakes, which were also given a special meaning. The first baked pancake was given to a cow or sheep to eat. Sheep and sheep's fleece were considered a symbol of happiness, prosperity and fertility. In various mythopoetic systems, the sheep symbolizes simplicity, timidity, meekness, tenderness, innocence, sacrifice and patience. In Christianity, sheep act as a symbol of the Savior. Often a sheep or lamb is depicted next to Jesus. The folk version of Christmas events, played out during the Yuletide period by Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles and Russians, necessarily included an episode of the worship of shepherds with sheep to the newly born Baby.
In some places, bonfires were lit on Christmas Eve so that the souls of deceased relatives could come and warm themselves by the fire. They also believed that this fire would produce better wheat.
A common custom was to leave a treat for Frost. They tried to appease him in every possible way so that in the spring he would not destroy vegetable seedlings, spring bread and flowers on fruit trees.
Christmas Eve opened the time for Christmas fortune-telling. The peasants wondered about the harvest and the weather, and also tried to find out what awaited them in next year. Girls and young unmarried women cast spells on their betrothed and marriage.
On Christmas Eve, it is advisable to get up early, wash your face and say a prayer. It would be nice to go to church, pray for the health of your family and friends, confess and receive communion. If you quarrel with someone on the eve of a holiday, then try to make peace. You need to be in a good mood when preparing holiday dishes. People who adhered to the Christmas fast do not eat food on January 6 until 18.00. Lenten dishes should be present on the table on this day, preferably there should be at least 12 of them. This number symbolizes the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ.
You cannot swear, use foul language, or judge someone on this day. Try to stay positive. You also cannot clean, otherwise quarrels will arise in your house all year long from scratch. All preparations must be completed by 15:00. It is at this time that churches prepare for the solemn service.
Cover the table with a beautiful tablecloth and take out the festive dishes. During dinner, turn off the lights and light candles to fill the house with living fire, which is protection from evil spirits and everything bad.
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Christmas Eve is celebrated on January 6 (December 24, old style) every year. On this day before Christmas, the eve, or eve of the holiday, Orthodox Christians prepare for the great day.
Christmas Eve ends the 40-day Nativity (Filippov) fast. On this day, the main preparations for Christmas are carried out.
Other names for the holiday: Holy Eve, Sochevnik, Eve of the Nativity of Christ, Kolyada, Christmas Eve. The eve of the holiday is colloquially called Christmas Eve, or Sochevnik. This name comes from a special dish made from wheat, nuts and honey - sochiva.
The tradition of eating this dish on the eve of Christmas was born in memory of Daniel and the three youths, who, according to the Gospel, “fed from the seeds of the earth, so as not to be defiled by a pagan meal.” History of Christmas Eve In the Orthodox Church, the celebration of the eve of the Nativity of Christ was established in the 4th century. In the 5th-8th centuries, sacred hymns were written that are used for Christmas services.
During that period, the Royal Hours were celebrated in churches. At them it was customary to proclaim many years to the Tsar, his house, and all Orthodox Christians. The name of the holiday comes from the word “sochivo” or “sochni”. Both of these dishes were prepared on Christmas Eve.
Sochivo was soaked grains of wheat or barley, to which the juice of poppy seeds, sunflowers, hemp, mustard, and nuts was added. Sochni - bread cakes in which holes were made for eyes and used for fortune telling. They looked out into the street through the mask. It was believed that if it passed good man, then the year will be successful, and if it’s bad, vice versa. What is Christmas Eve before Christmas?
It turns out that from the word “sochivo” - this is a dish that was prepared specially on this day to treat everyone at home. To do this, the housewife soaked boiled cereal grains (wheat, barley, lentils, rice) in seed juice (poppy, almond or nut). The dish turned out to be lean. No oil was put in it. It was only allowed to add a spoonful of honey to make the food more nutritious. Sometimes it was replaced with kutya. People used sochivo on this day in imitation of the biblical prophet Daniel.
This parable dates back to Old Testament times. The pagan Julian the Apostate, wanting to show off the fasting believers, ordered all the food in the market to be sprinkled with the blood of animals sacrificed to idols. Then the prophet Daniel ordered his young novices to eat soaked grains and dried fruits. Thus, believers were able to avoid eating a defiled pagan meal.
The main traditions on January 6th are preparing 12 Lenten dishes, the main one of which is kutia; go to visit with treats; guess; They use a talisman (“didukh”).
On Christmas Eve, Orthodox Christians attend services in churches: all-night vigil and liturgy.
From the very morning, housewives carry out a thorough cleaning, throw out the trash, and then begin preparing the festive dinner. Traditionally, 12 Lenten dishes are served at the table.
In some homes, it is customary to pay special attention to the decoration of the Christmas table. The housewives cover it with a new tablecloth, under which they place a bunch of hay - a symbol of the manger. Banknotes and garlic cloves are placed at the corners of the table, which symbolize the health and well-being of family members. An ax is placed under the table, on which those sitting place their feet in order to have good health and spirit. Compositions of candles and fir branches are placed in the center.
The meal begins with a prayer in which Christ is glorified, asking for prosperity and happiness for all those present. First of all, they try kutya, after which they proceed to the rest of the dishes.
On Christmas Eve, young people in villages gather in large groups, paint their faces, put on fancy costumes, go from house to house and sing carols. An important attribute This action is performed by the Star of Bethlehem, which is made from colored paper and ribbons, and an icon is placed in the center. In ritual songs it is customary to glorify Jesus Christ, the family of the owner of the house. Carolers are presented with sweets, pastries and money.
On Christmas Eve, you should ask for forgiveness from people who were offended, and forgive all your enemies.
What can you eat on Christmas Eve? January 6 is the most strict day of the 40-day Nativity Fast. Believers are only allowed to drink water. You can start your meal after the first star rises in the sky, after which you are allowed to eat juice - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins. IN folk tradition It is customary to serve other lenten dishes for dinner.
It is prohibited to work on the evening of Christmas Eve. On this holiday you cannot quarrel and sort things out. It is not allowed to eat until the first star appears in the sky. On this day you cannot be greedy.
According to folk custom, housewives place 12 Lenten dishes on the table, which represent the 12 apostles. The main dish is kutia (sochivo). It is cooked from whole grains of rice or wheat, with the addition of poppy seeds, honey, walnuts, dried apricots, prunes, and raisins. Baked fish, vegetable salads and stews, mushroom soup, Lenten borscht, pampushki, pies, dumplings, cabbage rolls with mushrooms, and pickles are also served. For dessert they eat rolls with poppy seeds and nuts, honey cakes, gingerbread cookies, berry and fruit jelly, apples baked with honey and nuts.
A traditional Christmas drink is uzvar made from dried fruits and honey. The combination of kutya and uzvar on tables is a symbol of eternal life, the birth and death of Jesus. On Christmas Eve there is no alcohol consumed at dinner. How to make it luscious?
Our great-grandmothers knew what to cook for Christmas Eve. These ancient recipes for preparing Christmas dishes have not been forgotten. And today, any housewife can cook it juicy if she wants. + Here is the recipe for this dish:
Place the wheat grains in a wooden mortar and pound with a pestle until the shell of the grains comes off. In this case, you need to add a little warm boiled water to the mixture. The husks are then removed by washing the grains. Wheat is poured with water, put on fire and boiled until tender. It turns out to be a crumbly porridge. In a wooden mortar, grind the poppy seeds in the same way until milk of the poppy appears. Add it to the porridge, add honey and sugar and mix thoroughly. At the end, crushed kernels are added to the mass. walnut. Sochivo ready.
Festive service in the church On the eve of Christmas and Epiphany, a service is performed, consisting of the Great (Royal) Hours with the reading of the Gospel, a short sequence of “Fine”, during which the clergy on the pulpit read the entrance prayers and vestments, and Great Vespers with the reading of proverbs in conjunction with During the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, on Epiphany Eve at the end of the liturgy after the prayer behind the pulpit, the Great Blessing of Water is performed.
If Christmas Eve (both Christmas Eve and Epiphany) falls on Saturday or Sunday, then the service of the Royal Hours with the Fine Hours and Great Vespers is moved to Friday, and in this case the liturgy is not added to them (that is, the liturgy is not performed on Friday in principle), on Christmas Eve itself, in this case, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is served (the Blessing of Water on Epiphany Eve is still performed), and on the holiday itself (Christmas or Epiphany), in this case, the Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated.
To the born baby Jesus. On Christmas, it is customary first of all to offer prayers of thanks, as well as to ask for universal peace and prosperity. They pray, glorifying the coming of Jesus Christ to our land and the future salvation of all people in the world from sin. The newborn Jesus is glorified and asked for cleansing and forgiveness of a sinful soul, as well as for a long and happy earthly life.
To the Most Holy Theotokos. No less than the born God, they glorify His Mother, Immaculate Virgin Maria. In prayers, the Mother of God is asked for the birth of children, the health of the expectant mother and the inviolability of the Christian family.
They also pray to their Guardian Angel. Christmas night is the best time to establish a strong connection with your Guardian Angel. In prayer they glorify the Angel and ask him to protect and guide him on the true path throughout his life, as well as to protect his family and children from injury and illness.
They also offer prayer to the Apostle Peter, who holds the keys to the gates of Paradise. They pray to the Apostle for the healing of serious illnesses, strengthening in the faith and churching of unbelieving relatives.
It is believed that the prayer to the Archangels on Christmas night will help seriously ill people get back on their feet, and those who died a violent death to enter the Gates of Heaven. Most often, such a request is made to the Archangel Michael, the protector and patron of the weak and offended.
The most important night is considered to be Christmas Eve, the evening before Christmas. The story says that on this day people did not eat until the first star appeared in the sky. You need to look to see if the first star has appeared by going out into the yard: if you don’t see a star from the window, that’s not good. It is also important that Christmas is not celebrated in everyday clothes - to poverty.
If a dark-haired man crosses the threshold first on Christmas Day, he will bring happiness. Some dark-haired family members even deliberately go out and enter the house after midnight. As soon as the clock strikes twelve, the head of the family must open the window to let Christmas in, and with it happiness, good luck and prosperity. Whatever you think about on Christmas night will all come true, everything will come true. Children born at Christmas bring happiness and good fortune to all family members.
Dancing and playing outdoors on Christmas Eve, especially around the tree, is considered a good custom, preventing bad luck and illness during the next twelve months.
Also on this holiday, it is important to say special prayer words that will bring peace and well-being into your life.
Thy Nativity, Christ our God, shine forth into the world the light of reason. In it, for those who serve the stars, I learn to bow to You as a star, the Sun of Truth, and to lead You from the heights of the East. Lord, glory to You. It is worthy to eat as one truly blesses Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate, and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
The Nativity of Christ is still considered one of the most significant Christian holidays and takes second place after Happy Easter. In the Catholic and Orthodox churches it differs in dates, traditions, and prayers. But the root cause is the same for everyone - the birth of the Savior - little Jesus. Such a great event marked the end of paganism and the beginning of a new Christian civilization. Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7 (December 25, old style) at the end of forty days of fasting. On fabulous Christmas Eve, people wait for the first star to rise, read traditional prayers for health on Christmas Day 2017 and finally sit down to festive table with 12 meatless dishes. In the wide range of important rituals, reading a prayer for health plays a special role. During the holiday season, the Lord is all-seeing and all-hearing, and therefore answers any requests and prayers.
In the hand of Your great mercy, O my God, I entrust my soul and body, my feelings and words, my advice and thoughts, my deeds and all my movements of body and soul. My entry and exit, my faith and life, the course and end of my life, the day and hour of my breathing, my repose, the repose of my soul and body. But You, O Most Merciful God, invincible to the sins of the whole world, kindly, kindly Lord, accept me more than all sinners in the hand of Your protection and deliver from all evil, cleanse my many iniquities, grant correction to my evil and wretched life and from Always delight me in the coming cruel falls of sin, and in no way will I anger Your love for mankind, with which you cover my weakness from demons, passions and evil people. Forbid the enemy, visible and invisible, guiding me along the saved path, bring me to You, my refuge and the land of my desires. Grant me a Christian end, unashamed, peaceful, keep me from the airy spirits of malice, at Your Last Judgment be merciful to Your servant and number me at the right hand of Your blessed sheep, and with them I will glorify You, my Creator, forever. Amen.
For centuries, our ancestors performed all sorts of rituals on Christmas Eve and read popular prayers for marriage on Christmas Day. The holy night symbolized the birth not only of God's Son, but also of new hopes, new life, and a new world. On the border between Christmas Eve and Christmas, the most unprecedented miracles happened, unspeakable magic manifested itself, the vector of fate changed direction in the most unexpected direction. It was during this period that reading prayers for marriage was considered the most successful thing. But first it was necessary to turn off the light, light one candle and wait for the first star to rise in the sky. This is how prayer for Christmas acquired the greatest power.
Oh, All-Good Lord, I know that my great happiness depends on the fact that I love You with all my soul and with all my heart, and that I fulfill Your holy will in everything. Rule Yourself, O my God, over my soul and fill my heart: I want to please You Alone, for You are the Creator and my God. Save me from pride and self-love: let reason, modesty and chastity adorn me. Idleness is disgusting to You and gives rise to vices, give me the desire to work hard and bless my labors. Since Your Law commands people to live in honest marriage, then lead me, Holy Father, to this title, sanctified by You, not to please my lust, but to fulfill Your destiny, for You Yourself said: it is not good for man to be alone and, having created He gave him a wife to help him, and blessed them to grow, multiply and populate the earth. Hear my humble prayer, sent to You from the depths of my girlish (valiant) heart; Give me an honest and pious spouse, so that in love with him (with her) and in harmony we glorify You, the merciful God: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
On Christmas Eve, you can not only relax and prepare for the feast, but also visit the church to receive communion and listen to prayers. If it is not possible to visit the temple of God, you should light a church candle at home near the icon and, quietly praying, remember all your family and friends, and sincerely rejoice at the events that happened last year. Life is multifaceted, and even in bright holiday moments, someone lonely and defenseless needs help and support. Become a good angel for a stranger, read a popular prayer for good luck on Christmas Day. Perhaps it will be your prayers that will bring the Lord’s message to someone’s desperate and hopeless soul.
I call on my guardian angel to touch my destiny, to direct my path towards prosperity and good luck. When my guardian angel hears me, by a blessed miracle my life will take on a new meaning, and I will find success in today’s business, and in future affairs there will be no obstacles for me, for the hand of my guardian angel guides me. Amen.
The most important anthem Orthodox Christmas Christ 2018 is a troparion of the Feast, dating back to the 4th century. The Christmas prayer “Your Nativity, Christ our God” is performed during the service on January 7 and a week after it. Until a lavish evening or St. Melania. During the service, the prayer is sung several times, and the entire church sings along with the church choir. The hymn “Thy Nativity, O Christ our God” speaks of man’s knowledge of the Lord. The paths to such knowledge are very different. For example, through research of the stars, as in the case of the Magi. At the same time, calling Jesus “Sun of Truth” in prayer confirms the essence of the Savior as a source of light, life, devotion and purity.
Thy Nativity, Christ our God, rises up and is the light of the world, in which those who serve the stars learn as stars. We bow to Thee, the Sun of truth, and lead thee from the heights of the East. Lord, glory to You!
Russian translation: Your Nativity, Christ our God, illuminated the world with the light of knowledge, for through it those who served as stars were taught to worship You, the Sun of Truth, and to know You from the heights of the Rising Luminary. Lord, glory to You!
Nowadays, children's prayer can be composed in the words of the children themselves. Babies are always sincere; they are born into this world with real knowledge of the truth. Only adults, using incorrect methods of education, dull the truth in them and not deliberately force them to forget about this concept. Mothers, fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers dictate their canons to children, impose their own worldview, considering it the only correct one. But you only have to plunge into the thoughts of a child for a second to understand how deep and genuine a child’s prayer at Christmas is. She can make even the hardest heart open. Quiet and simple children's prayers for Christmas 2018 - the loudest voice for the Almighty. They never go unanswered.
The prayer for the Nativity of Christ is strong not only in words, but also in the soul and energy message put into it. It doesn’t matter at all in what order the words of the prayer are said for health, good luck, marriage and children. The main thing is sincere faith in the kindness, forgiveness and mercy of the Lord.
Many people believe that wishes made on the eve of the New Year and Christmas will certainly come true. You just need to be patient. However, our ancestors thought differently. They knew and used magical rituals, capable of attracting good luck, increasing wealth, and achieving success in business. These simple-minded conspiracies have survived and still work.
On the evening before Christmas, wait for the first star, turn off all the lights in the house and light a candle in each window. Stand at the east window and read the Christmas plot from a piece of paper:
Glory to God, glory to Christ! Angels, praise, you know: Christ was born, Herod was indignant, Judas hanged himself, the world rejoiced. The glory of the Lord stands forever, does not break, and silver money is added to me. Lord, I glorify Your Christmas! Blessed be the day and hour, in which my Lord Jesus Christ was born for my sake, endured crucifixion and suffered death. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, at the hour of my death, receive Thy servant on his journey through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
After the Christmas plot, light the piece of paper from a candle and throw it on a saucer. The paper should burn completely. Rub three silver coins with ashes, and carry them with you in your wallet all year without changing them.
This ritual is performed on Christmas Eve.
Fill a new flower pot to the top with soil, and light 3 large green candles around it.
Then, driving index finger clockwise along the edge of the pot, reading “Our Father”, and then the spell 3 times:
“As the twelve months ring, so would the purses of the servant of God (name) ring and rattle. Just as roosters crow twelve times, So for twelve dawns they keep their money, And twelve times they say to themselves: Money to money, wallets to wallets, Everything that’s mine is with me and all the money is with me.”
Place the pot in a visible place, the candles should burn out in 12 days.
“To whom the church is not a Mother, I am not a Father. Money flows down my aisle. I said (al)"
Money will appear to you literally out of nowhere, on its own.
And it was necessary to prepare very seriously - from being properly prepared, to bringing oneself into a certain state of mind - readiness for the miracle of the birth of the Lord..
Christmas Eve is the first day of a very long Orthodox holiday complex called “Svyatki”. In fact, preparation for all upcoming holidays. That is why it was important to spend this day correctly.
Fast. Christmas Eve is the end of one of the longest (40 days) fasts, so we had to endure it all to the end with honor. Moreover, on January 6, from the very morning until the end of the festive Liturgy, it was impossible to eat anything at all. That is, approximately until three o'clock. And then it was still impossible to relax - right up until Christmas, savory dishes were seriously limited.
Attend church. Especially the pre-holiday Liturgy and Vespers. Still more effective way they haven’t figured out how to tune your spirit in the right way. What is characteristic is that this Liturgy has existed almost since the 4th century after the Nativity of Christ and has remained virtually unchanged since that time.
Fortune telling, as usual, was undesirable, but quite acceptable. Especially those that were held on the night from 6 to 7.
Caroling. It was from the evening of Christmas Eve that this matter could be dealt with officially. But how is a topic for a separate article, since each Orthodox country had its own special traditions in this regard.
But for folk signs it was possible to follow. Still, this is not fortune telling, but the quintessence folk wisdom, which was extremely rarely wrong. So if the night before Christmas was clear and starry, then the summer will be generous.
Prepare gifts. Still, Christmas is coming - family celebration, an integral part of which, especially from the point of view of children, are gifts.
All true believing Christians on this day had to prepare their spirit and body for the great event - the birth of the Savior. Hence the rather strict rules regarding what was categorically forbidden to do.
The Joinfo.ua team and journalist Artem Kostin believe that you will also be interested in learning about other holidays of the Yuletide cycle, for example -
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