The Christian church turned this festival, so far as possible, into a celebration of the birth of Christ.

Among the Slavonians this festival was called _Kolyada_; and the sun--a female deity--was supposed to array herself in holiday robes and head-dress, when the gloom of the long nights began to yield to the cheerful lights of the lengthening days, to seat herself in her chariot, and drive her steeds briskly towards summer.

She, like the festival, was called Kolyada; and in some places the people used to dress up a maiden in white and carry her about in a sledge from house to house, while the _kolyadki_, or carols, were sung by the train of young people who attended her, and received presents in return.

One of the _kolyadki_ runs as follows: Kolyada! Kolyada! Kolyada has arrived! On the Eve of the Nativity, We went about, we sought Holy Kolyada; Through all the courts, in all the alleys.
We found Kolyada in Peter's Court.
Round Peter's Court there is an iron fence, In the midst of the Court there are three rooms; In the first room is the bright Moon; In the second room is the red Sun; And in the third room are the many Stars.
A Christian turn is given to many of them, just as the Mermen bear a special Biblical name in some places, and are called "Pharaohs"; for like the seals on the coast of Iceland, they are supposed to be the remnants of Pharaoh's host, which was drowned in the Red Sea.

One of the most prominent and interesting of these Christianized carols is the _Slava_, or Glory Song.