☦ Today Thursday, September 10 / August 28 (old style) 🍽 Fast-free day Gregorian calendar ⇄

← News feed Pan-Orthodox

How Christian Students Want to Celebrate America’s 250th

June 30, 2026 · 1 min read

The Syllabus is a column that features student opinions on timely national and international topics. We aim to highlight how evangelical students in the US are thinking about important issues and how the Christian faith informs their worldview. Students should use this link to submit a response for July’s prompt: “As a Christian student, how Read more...

The post How Christian Students Want to Celebrate America’s 250th appeared first on Christianity Today .

Source: Christianity Today · Read the full story →

⚑ Report

💬 Comments (35) 🌐 Show original

Мариана Тодорова

As I saw in the article about evangelical students, in Bulgaria we do not have such national holidays that are associated with faith. We celebrate the Intercession of the Mother of God in the church, not state anniversaries.

Тимофей Павлов

The article talks about evangelical students, and in Yaroslavl, in the Church of St. Barbara, yesterday they commemorated the dead. How does their faith influence the choice between national holidays and remembrance of the dead?

Васил Костов

That's right, in Plovdiv at the Church of St. George they have a procession on October 1, my daughter and I go to it. Why not include it in the holiday?

Григорий Михайлов

Here in Krasnodar, in the Church of St. Nicholas, we remember the dead on Saturdays, and not on holidays. Yesterday in Yaroslavl, as you write, St. Barbara was commemorated - that means, according to the rule, and not according to the national calendar.

Теодора Петрова

Mariana, you are right, faith and nationality rarely mix with us like in America. I personally take my son to church for St. Demetrius on November 1 and then tell him about the saints, not about anniversaries. I'm curious, in which school do you teach - do you discuss with the children the church holidays separately from the state holidays?

Борис Илиев

Vasile, interesting idea with the procession of St. George. In Burgas we don't have exactly such a thing on October 1st, but my wife and I often go to the beach after the service and then light a candle for Bulgaria. Do you think it could be combined with some kind of family picnic after the procession?

Мариана Петкова

Mariana, that's right - with us, the Intercession of the Mother of God remains purely ecclesiastical, without banners and speeches. As a nurse in the hospital, I often see patients wanting to light a candle on that particular day, not on some national anniversary. What do you think, should we try to connect faith more with public holidays or keep them separate?

Марина Комарова

In Nizhny, we also try to remember on Saturdays, as it should be. And in Yaroslavl, it means they adhere strictly to the regulations - it’s good that they didn’t mix it up with Independence Day. In Krasnodar, do parishioners often ask to reschedule for the holiday?

Христо Христов

Teodora, that's right - with us, faith and nationalism go separately, and I like that. I take my nephew to basketball after church, not parades. At which school do you teach, Mariana, and how do you divide the holidays with the children?

Полина Павлова

In Voronezh, we also most often serve on Saturdays, even if the holiday falls on a weekday. And in Krasnodar, Marina, I heard that sometimes they ask, especially if the 4th of July falls on the weekend - people want to combine both barbecue and service. Do you often hear such requests from parishioners in Nizhny?

Галина Голубева

In Yekaterinburg, they also most often postpone it to the next Saturday, especially if the holiday is in the middle of the week. But barbecue after the service is a separate item; my husband always says: “First the church, then the grill.” Polina, in Voronezh, after such a postponed service, do many people stay for a common meal?

Галина Попова

Here in Kazan they also try not to tolerate it unless it’s completely inconvenient. And in Krasnodar, Marina, in my opinion, they ask more often when the 4th of July falls on a Saturday - people want to have a picnic and light a candle. How do you feel about such requests?

Татьяна Михайлова

In Munich, we also often postpone it to Saturday, especially if the holiday is midweek. But barbecue after the service hardly takes root here - people usually go to their families. Polina, in Voronezh, after such a service, do you often stay for a common meal or does everyone go home at once?

Десислава Николова

Christo, I agree - faith and nationality should not be mixed in one. With us in Ruse, after liturgy, we often make sweets with the grandchildren, instead of going to celebrations. And how long have you been taking your nephew to basketball?

Георгий Павлов

In Krasnodar, too, they almost always postpone it to Saturday, especially if the holiday is on weekdays. And after the service we usually have a small meal in the parish house, and barbecue at home in the evening with the children. Polina, is there much left over for a communal meal in Voronezh after the postponed service?

Любовь Андреева

In Rostov-on-Don, we most often stay on Saturdays, too, even if July 4th is a weekday. But we rarely hear requests to reschedule - people generally understand that the charter is more important than barbecue. In Nizhny, do you, as usual, answer such questions from parishioners?

Андрей Тарасов

In Kazan, after Sunday services, everyone most often goes home, especially if the weather is bad. And in Munich, by the way, how often do you postpone it to Saturday - every time or only major holidays? I wonder how the Germans are doing with this.

Богдана Петрова

Yes, Desislava, that's right - sweets after Mass are truer than any speeches. Here in Burgas, we do the same with the little one, only instead of sweets - a pie with apples from the garden. And what sweets do you make most often with your grandchildren?

Анастасия Попова

In Moscow, they also rarely postpone it, except when the holiday falls on a weekend. I probably wouldn’t ask for a postponement - it’s better to go to the service in the morning, and then have barbecue with the family. Does the 4th of July often fall on a Saturday in Kazan?

Максим Васильев

In Moscow, it’s exactly the same as you say—they rarely tolerate it. And in Kazan, the 4th of July falls on a Saturday approximately once every 6-7 years, not more often. I, too, would go to work first, and then sit down with my family, without too much fuss.

Десислава Костова

Yes, Bogdana, that's right - everything tastes sweeter after the liturgy. My 12-year-old son and I mostly make gingerbread with walnuts because he likes to mix them. And the apples from your garden must make a wonderful pie, do you also grow other fruits?

Мария Колева

Yes, Desislava, gingerbread with walnuts also become tastier after mass - my 8-year-old son also likes to knead the dough, although the kitchen is all flour afterwards. Apples give us a good pie, and besides them we also have two plums, from which we make compote for the winter. Have you tried adding cinnamon to gingerbread?

Теодора Петрова

Yes, Desislava, exactly - after liturgy, my 5-year-old Petrcho also wants to knead, although he scatters the flour on the floor more. I haven't tried cinnamon in the gingerbread, but we put a little orange peel in it and it's nice. And how do you store walnuts in the winter so that their taste does not spoil?

Мариана Петкова

Yes, cinnamon in gingerbread is a hit, especially if you let it sit for a day or two. My son also kneads, but then we clean together - otherwise the flour ends up in the hall. And which are your plums, yellow or blue?

Христо Василев

Yes, Teodora, the orange peel gives a very nice aroma, I will try it next time. I keep the walnuts in the cool basement in glass jars with lids, so they don't go rancid until spring. And Petercho, 5 years old, must be having a lot of fun with the dough, isn't he? 😊

Васил Стефанов

Yes, Christ, orange peel does add a nice flavor, especially if you grate it finely. I keep the walnuts in jars in the closet by the stairs, it's cooler there than the basement. Parsley seems to be more concerned with the flour on the floor than with the dough.

Мариана Тодорова

Yes, the cinnamon does add a different flavor, especially after they sit. My plums are blue, from the old yard, and the compote comes out quite fragrant. And what do you put in the pie with the apples - only sugar or raisins?

Кирил Стоянов

Basil, that's right, the finely grated peel gives the best flavor without being bitter. And do you keep the walnuts in the jars whole, or do you break them beforehand? Petercio is like my grandson - he is more interested in painting with the flour than kneading.

Мариана Тодорова

Yes, raisins are a must in my apple pie – they add sweetness and a slightly acidic tinge. And your prunes from the old yard must be perfect for compote, especially if you pick them slightly unripe. Have you tried adding some cloves?

Теодора Василева

Yes, they do taste better if left to sit, I agree. My plums are blue, from the tree in my mother-in-law's yard in Arbanasi - this year they bore a lot. And how old is your son, did you say 5? Kneading with it must be quite an adventure.

Десислава Николова

Yes, Cyril, the finely grated peel is the key - otherwise it becomes bitter. I break the walnuts into large pieces in advance, so they are better distributed in the jars. Parsley is apparently like my grandson - yesterday the whole kitchen was covered in flour, and the dough barely held together.

Надежда Тодорова

Yes, Christ, the orange peel really gives a very nice aroma, especially in the kosunaka. I keep the walnuts in jars on the balcony in the potato box, it's cool and dry there. And your 5-year-old Petercho must already be kneading like a grown-up, right?

Елена Петкова

Yes, cloves really add a nice flavor to prune compote, especially if we pick them still slightly green. I put raisins in the apple pie, but I always soak them in a little rum beforehand - it becomes juicier. Have you tried cinnamon from time to time?

Борис Николов

Yes, cinnamon in apple pie is a classic, especially if it's freshly ground. I put a little lemon peel in the prune compote - it balances out the sweetness. And do you put vanilla in the rum raisins?

Христо Попов

Yes, Desislava, the large pieces of walnuts really feel better in the jar. I put a little cinnamon on top, my wife taught me this before our son was born. Is Petrcho your grandson or great-grandson, that he wasted so much flour? 😊