Celebrations
This is the reason why Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7 and not on Dec. 25
For millions of Orthodox believers, this date remains a sacred time to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, regardless of when other Christian sects.
Orthodox Christmas, celebrated on January 7 by millions of Christians worldwide, excitingly stems from a centuries-old calendar discrepancy. While most Western Christians observe Christmas on December 25, approximately 200 million Orthodox Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ on January 7.
The difference in dates originates from the use of two distinct calendars. Western Christian churches follow the Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, which is widely used for civil purposes today. However, many Orthodox churches adhere to the older Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar in 46 BC.
The Julian calendar, which was less astronomically precise, gradually fell out of alignment with the solar year. By the 16th century, this discrepancy had become significant enough for Pope Gregory XIII to implement calendar reforms. The Gregorian calendar adjusted the dates and introduced a more accurate calculation of leap years.
While Catholic and Protestant churches adopted the Gregorian calendar, most Orthodox churches chose to maintain the Julian calendar for religious observances. As a result, December 25 in the Julian calendar now corresponds to January 7 in the Gregorian calendar, creating a 13-day difference between the two Christmas celebrations.
It’s important to note that all Orthodox Christians agree that December 25 is the date of Christmas, or the Feast of the Nativity. The discrepancy lies in which calendar is used to determine when December 25 occurs. In the liturgical books of the Russian Orthodox Church, for example, Christmas is still listed as December 25, but this date aligns with January 7 in the Gregorian calendar.
Some Orthodox churches, including those in Greece, Cyprus, and Romania, have adopted a revised Julian calendar that aligns more closely with the Gregorian calendar. These churches now celebrate Christmas on December 25 along with Western Christians.
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