Christmas is one of the holiest days of the year for Serbian Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar. Herod, the king of Judea, died in 4 BC. The word Orthodox literally means "straight teaching" or "straight worship," being derived from two Greek words: orthos, "straight," and doxa, "teach­ing" or "worship." Many Christian Orthodox churches in Australia celebrate Christmas in January instead of December 25. The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Other Orthodox churches, like those of Russia and Egypt, refused. As the Russian Orthodox Church keeps to the Julian Calendar, Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/canada/orthodox-christmas-day It ranks next to the greatest holiday, the Resurrection of Jesus. Many Orthodox Christians in countries such … Some of the dishes includes sauerkraut (cabbage) and red perogies (boiled or deep fried dumplings) and potatoes. Celebrating Christmas became a […] Jan.7 is a public holiday in countries like Belarus, Egypt, Macedonia, Moldova, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. The Orthodox Church recognises January 7th as the day that Jesus was born. The Great Lent begins on a Monday, seven weeks before Easter and is the longest and strictest fasting period in the Orthodox calendar.Called Kathari Theftera (Καθαρή Δευτέρα, pronounced kah-thah-REE thehf-TEH-rah), this Monday translates to Clean Monday and it puts an end to the three weeks of Carnival celebrations that took place before it. The Orthodox Church in America. According to the Julian calendar (used prior to Gregorian calendar) the day falls on December 25th each year. Orthodox Christianity is not familiar to most Americans, even though the community of the Orthodox has existed for some 2,000 years even though there have been Orthodox Christians in America since its founding as a nation. From December 25 to January 6, there became a 12-day period from the one major celebration to the next major observance. The Feast of the Nativity of Jesus is one of the most joyful days of the Orthodox Church. The festival is also celebrated differently by Orthodox Christians. In other countries, special religious ceremonies are held near seas, rivers and lakes in order to celebrate the festival, CBC reported. Orthodox Christmas Holiday Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates. In this photo, a woman lights a candle at a church in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Jan. 7, 2019. “Many people observe all 40 days leading to Christmas as a way to renew their faith and relationship to God,” said Archimandrite Nathanael Symeonides of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of New York. Now, to religious rituals Therefore, some Christians celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ on the 25th. Orthodox: (of a person or their views, especially religious or political ones, or other beliefs or practices) conforming to what is generally or traditionally accepted as right or true; established and approved. For Orthodox Christians who have adopted the Gregorian calendar, Christmas falls on Dec. 25 as it does for others, and Jan. 6 marks the Epiphany, a Christian holiday that celebrates the revelation of God the son as a human being in Jesus. For those remaining on the Julian calendar, the Epiphany is celebrated on Jan. 19. The day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God. “December 25 for Orthodox Christians on the Julian calendar actually falls on January 7 on the Gregorian calendar. Though the Julian calendar was revised and re-introduced in 1923 in order match it with the Gregorian calendar, only some countries like Cyprus and Romania have adopted it. Elsewhere in the world, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. in central and eastern Europe and other parts of the world celebrate Christmas on January 7. In the Catholic tradition, believers can choose one of three Christmas masses: at night, in the morning and in the afternoon. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. Orthodox Christians living in Eastern and Central Europe celebrate the Orthodox Christmas Day on January 7. Christmas January 7 is also known as the Old Christmas. The 13-day gap is because Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar while majority of Christians, from other denominations, follow the modern day Gregorian calendar. So, what is Orthodox Christianity? The historical Buddha was known to denounce mere attachment to scriptures or dogmatic principles, as it was mentioned in the Kalama Sutta. Many Orthodox Christians fast until January 7, usually excluding meat and dairy products. The Gospel according to Matthew in the Bible states that Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great. Orthodoxy is Christmas is an occasion to gather round the table for relatives and friends. Some people also use straws to decorate the table which symbolizes the stable where Jesus was born. On the Christmas Eve, they have a meal consisting of 12 meat-free dishes — one for each of the 12 apostles. This includes fasting and charity. “We focus more on the aspect of the incarnation of Christ and the cosmic salvation it has for all mankind. 16 Countries Prepare For Celebrations, In Ukraine, No Armistice For Orthodox Christmas Day, Setback For Modi After Loss In Key India State Poll, Fortnite Maker Girds For Epic Court Clash With Apple, California Launches Early Release Program For Prisoners, Lifesaving Oxygen Aid Arrives In India As Death Toll Hits New Record, Colombians Keep Protesting Even After Unpopular Tax Plan Is Axed, Leading In A Pandemic: CEOs Discuss How They Helped; What They Learned. As a result, Catholics celebrate Christmas on December 25 while Orthodox observances occur on … Post dinner, small treats such as chocolate and cookies are distributed to neighbors and in countries such as Belarus, they go home and sing carols and dance for the neighbors. The above mentioned is documented in the study of the late professor of Byzantine Archaeology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Constantine Kalokyris, titled Sacred Trees and the Eastern Origin of the Christmas Tree. https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/orthodox-christmas-day While many of the Orthodox churches moved in the last century to the new (Gregorian) calendar for their fixed feasts — like Christmas, Epiphany and Transfiguration – … January falls during the summer vacation period in Australia so children are on school holidays at this time of the year. Those churches now celebrate Christmas on December 25. It is The tradition of Christmas celebration was always present, although it was secret in the period of Soviet Union. The Feast of the Birth of Jesus is also known as the "Incarnation of Christ." Your email address will not be published. The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptised members. Therefore, Christmas was banned as a religious holiday in 1929 and Christmas Trees became New Year trees. Since the Russian Orthodox Church follows the old calendar, all Russian celebrate Christmas on January 7th. Orthodox Christmas Day for the year 2020 is celebrated/ observed on Tuesday, January 7th. Orthodox Christmas Day 2019 Orthodox Christmas Day for the year 2019 is celebrated/ observed on Monday, January 7th. They observe a 40-day fast before Christmas and avoid eating meat during the season. But, interestingly, in 2100, it will be 14 days, which will shift Russian Christmas on January 8th. The Soviet times were not gracious to … And still others, like … Photo: VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO/AFP/Getty Images, When Is Orthodox Christmas? Once Christmas arrives on December 25, we enter a new liturgical period. Though some aspects like the Christmas tree and giving gifts are common, Orthodox Christians focus primarily on the spiritual side of the season. Some countries, including Armenia, celebrate Christmas on January 6. Email * Your email address will not be published.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Here he reveals that the custom of the Christmas Tree is not foreign or western European, but Byzantine and Orthodox! Holiday Orthodox Christmas Day – state in Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Russia, Georgia, Moldova and other countries. So strictly speaking, Christmas is still kept on December 25, which just happens to fall 13 days later on the Julian calendar day,” Archimandrite Christopher Calin, dean of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection said, the Christian Post reported. Extra places are also set at the table in some houses for spirits of dead family members. 2 main branches are: Eastern and Oriental. Both break off into further branches, such as Greek(Eastern), Coptic(Oriental), etc. Orthodox Christianity relies on the Gregorian calendar created in 1582 by Pope Gregory of Rome. It has global, planetary meaning.” Needless to say, Orthodox Christians would try to go to church on Christmas. All other Christian Churches and sects can be traced back historically to it. Here’s a guide on the history and traditions. Our Orthodox Church today celebrates highly and with great festivity and joy! Roughly half of Eastern Orthodox Christians live in the territory of the former Soviet Union, most of those living in Russia. Around the World. But put simply: Easter is a big deal for Orthodox Christians, even more so than Christmas, says George E. Demacopoulos, Ph.D., co-director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center and a … Marina Hadjipateras’s Journey From Launching Ships To Caring Companies. Orthodox Christians in some parts of Europe and other countries including Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Serbia celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, two weeks after those from Western churches. Orthodox Christians in some parts of Europe and other countries including Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Serbia celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, two weeks after those from Western churches. According to the Julian calendar (used prior to Gregorian calendar) the day falls on December 25th each year. 25 December. For example, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Russian Orthodox Church celebrate Christmas Day on January 7, while the Armenian Orthodox Church celebrates it on January 6. Will return. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops in local synods. The Orthodox Church is the Church founded by Jesus Christ and described throughout the New Testament. In the XXI century, the difference between the Gregorian calendar and the Julian calendar is 13 days. The celebration of Christmas on January 7 is not a national holiday in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States. The celebrations in Orthodox countries began midnight on "Christmas Eve", by which we … Apart from that, the Christmas Eve dinner is usually covered with white or embroidered tablecloth which symbolized the cloth that baby Jesus was wrapped in. The major period runs 40 days, from Jesus' Birth to His 40 day Presentation to the Temple(Feb 2). Orthodox Christmas: When It’s Celebrated, History, and Holiday Traditions. While many of the external trappings are the same, like Christmas trees, wreaths, ribbons and gifts, there is an increased emphasis on the spiritual reality of this truly miraculous mystery of God becoming man, so that man may be united to God and each other,” Calin said. This means that Jesus became a man and came into the world to save us. Orthodox Christmas Day is an Orthodox holiday, celebrated annually on January 7. Photo: VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO/AFP/Getty Images. On this day, remember the birth of Jesus Christ, described in the Christian Bible. Roman Catholics, independent Catholics, Protestants (Anglicans, Lutherans etc. A large majority of Russia’s 140 million people identify as members of the Russian Orthodox Church, which calculates the date of Christmas based on the Julian Calendar instead of the Gregorian Calendar used in the West. Death of Jesus: Death by crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. It is preceded by 40 days of fasting during Advent to prepare for the birth of Christ. Russian Orthodox Christmas. Candles are also lit in order to represent the end of fasting. In this photo, a woman lights a candle at a church in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Jan. 7, 2019. The day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Orthodox Christmas Day is an Orthodox holiday, celebrated annually on … For countries like Egypt, Greece, Russia and Ukraine, Orthodox Christmas Day is a public holiday. Thus, we have the “12 days of Christmas” that bridge the birth with the baptism and it beca… This date is based on the Julian calendar. Summary: Orthodox Christmas is one of the most important holidays for many people in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Taken by S. Patel via unsplash.com. Your email address will not be published.. Presidents' Day - Washington's Birthday 2021, Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2021. [ Public Domain ]. Orthodox Christmas is a good symbol of true Christian love and the unity of family life, caring for each other, but the holiday itself goes far beyond a family celebration. Austen Allred Will Pay You To Hire His Graduates! 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