Julotta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Julotta |
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Candle and julotta programme
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| Observed by | Church of Sweden and other Christian denominations |
| Date | 25 December |
| Next time | 25 December 2024 |
| Frequency | annual |
A Julotta ("Jul": Yule; Christmas, "otta": dawn) is a Swedish term for the matin on Christmas Day, 25 December, that celebrates the nativity of Jesus Christ. The service is held every 25 December early on Christmas morning; at 7 a.m. in most church buildings, but in some churches it is celebrated at 10 a.m., or as early as 4 a.m. During previous centuries, most Julottas were held at 4 a.m. Traditionally, the service should end before, or at the time of, dawn: hence the word "otta" is the time just before dawn. Historically in the Church of Sweden the clergy was obliged not only to say the high mass but also matins (Swedish: ottesång) and evensong (Swedish: aftonsång); today only the evensong of Christmas remain but has been liturgically changed since and can now be the main service of Christmas Day, wherefore many parishes have no mid-morning high mass on Christmas Day.
History
It was the most popular service in the Church of Sweden in the earlier days but now the Midnight Mass on 24 December has become more popular. People who hardly visited the church regularly in the rest of the year often visited the Julotta but they tend to go to the Midnight Mass or the service of Advent Sunday.
The decline of julotta in favour of midnight mass began in Sweden during the 1970s.
In 1979 5.35% of the Church of Sweden members visited their parish church on Christmas Day, by 1988 the number had been reduced to 3.76%.
Swedish diaspora
Swedish immigrants spread the festivity to different countries. The earliest recorded history of Julotta service in the United States of America was held in Strombeck Church in Minnesota in 1883. After Julotta, Swedish people race to get home first from the church. The winner is believed to harvest the most bountiful crops for the year ahead.
