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Members of Holy Resurrection Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church, 528 N. Fourth St., Steubenville, gathered Wednesday evening as the Badnjak, or yule log, was blessed and burned at the Christmas Eve vigil service involving the V. Rev. Stavrophor Rajko Kosic, church President Gary Stanich, flag bearer Harold Strohmeyer and Dan Sarap, church vice president. Prayer readings and songs by the choir also were part of the service. "May the Lord be with you and may we have a joyous and blessed Christmas Eve and Christmas on the 'morrow," was the opening prayer given by Stanich, who sprinkled the yule log with wheat, wine and oil, explaining Tuesday in a phone interview with the Herald-Star the symbolism of each. Wheat is for a year that is fruitful and plentiful, the wine is to have "good fortune, peace and every blessing of God be ours" and the oil is for "health and progress be ours in our work and in each of our footsteps." Orthodox Christians from throughout the Ohio Valley and the world celebrate Christmas today because they follow the Julian calendar, which was used during Christ's life and currently is 13 days behind the more commonly used Gregorian calendar. The Christmas vigil service will be held at the church today at 10 a.m. and will be livestreamed on YouTube. (Photo by Michael D. McElwain)