It's just another routine day. This means that it was the calendar that was used when the Orthodox Church was initially set up. Today is when many Orthodox Christian faithful, including Serbians and Macedonians, celebrate Christmas, according to the Rev. Also, the Orthodox East utilizes the Julian calendar to . Aleksandar Novakovic, priest at St. Elijah. Answer (1 of 4): Orthodox churches base their Easter date on the Julian calendar, attributed to Julius Caesar, an heritage from the Roman Empire. The Gospel according to Matthew in the Bible states that Jesus was born during the […] Why Is The Eastern Orthodox Easter Date Different To The Roman Catholic and Protestant Date? Orthodox Easter in 2022 is on Sunday, April 24. Since the new calendar was created after th. Several local Orthodox Churches did change to the New Calendar, including the Churches of Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria. In Russia, the Christmas holiday became the official celebration with the baptism of Rus' ordered by Prince Vladimir in the late 10th century. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is preceded by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and . In the 19th century, a lavishly decorated Christmas tree became central to the holiday, a tradition originally imported by Nicholas I's wife . Orthodox Christmas. Why? Curiously, in the Russian Empire, the Julian calendar was used by both the church and the state. Although December 25th (or the late afternoon/evening of December 24th) is the date when most people celebrate Christmas, there are some other dates as well! Orthodox churches in some countries including Greece, Cyprus and Romania base their Easter date on the Julian calendar. This year Catholics, the Western Church, celebrate Jesus Resurrection on April 1st, while members of the Greek Orthodox and the East Church on April 8th. Dates. Julius Caesar created Julian dates in 45 Before Common Era (BCE). Christmas Ornament - Maxpixel/Mark lli. The Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox and . But why do the Copts celebrate the Christmas holiday on a different day from Western Christians? About whychristmas?com. Celebrating Christmas on January 7 dates back to 1582 when astronomy scientists . The difference in these dates lies in the history of how these dates came about in the first place. Catholics use the Julian calendar to calculate religious holidays. The celebrations in Orthodox countries began midnight on "Christmas Eve", by which we mean January 6. While in the UK, USA and much of the world Christmas Day is December 25, in a surprisingly-high number of countries celebrate Christmas on January . In rare instances, the dates align, and Easter is celebrated . The 7 th of January, on the other hand, is a national holiday, the time to go to a church . United States holidays 2021. However, given the early Christian community Kievan Rus', celebration may have a longer history.. Those who celebrate Christmas on December 25th are using the Gregorian calendar introduced . Cambridge,1910. Thanks to the 13-day difference between the two, the all-important date of March 21 on the Julian calendar corresponds to April 3 on the Gregorian calendar. But in 2014, the two celebrations occurred on the same date, April 20. This is because the Orthodox East uses a 19-year cycle in calculating the date, whereas the West uses an 84-year cycle. Most Orthodox Christians for example, celebrate Christmas on January 7th as opposed to December 25th - today namely being the Coptic Orthodox Church (in Egypt) and the Russian Orthodox Church. Nearly 39 per cent of the total number of Orthodox Christians in the world live in Russia and around 85 per cent of them . The difference in date lies simply in the calendar being used. "While most of the . So christmas eve in russia is celebrated on january 7, according to the gregorian calendar. Christmas Day lunch comprises of a variety of dishes with . This has resulted in the unfortunate problem of having Orthodox Christians celebrating feasts, such as Christmas, on different days, and this is a problem that may take some time for the Orthodox Church as whole to resolve. The Russian Orthodox Church also celebrates Christmas on December 25, but as it did not accept the calendar reform by Pope Gregory XIII, the feast is observed on that date in accordance with the old Julian calendar, or on January 7 according to the new Gregorian calendar. On this day, remember the birth of Jesus Christ, described in the Christian Bible. Most people who are aware of the different dates of Easter in the East and the West assume that Eastern Orthodox and Western Christians celebrate Easter on different days because the Orthodox determine the date of Easter with reference to the date of the modern Jewish Passover. Several local Orthodox Churches did change to the New Calendar, including the Churches of Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria. Agapius a Hieromonk and Nicodemus a Monk. The Spread of an Urban Legend . The Rudder (Pedalion): Of the metaphorical ship of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of the Orthodox Christians, or all the sacred and divine canons of the holy and renowned Apostles, of the holy Councils, ecumenical as well as regional, and of individual fathers, as embodied in the original Greek text, for the sake of authenticity, and . Many people ask why Easter under the Orthodox Church is often celebrated on a different date to that of the Western Churches, Catholic and Protestant. Serbian, Russian) adhere to the Old calendar and thus celebrate every feast day on a different date than Western Christians. Although Orthodox Christians also have an Advent season, which on the Gregorian calendar goes from Nov. 15 to Dec. 24, it is a time of fasting and performing deeds of charity. The date is different because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old 'Julian' calendar for religious festivals, although a few Catholics might still celebrate it on the December 25. Why we celebrate Orthodox Christmas Day? Pascha service times at The Good Shepherd. Like us, the Russian holiday migrates each year, sometimes late and sometimes early. The difference in dates is largely down to different parts of world following different calendars. Some Orthodox communities have chosen to celebrate Christmas by the "new style", like the Latvian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, which starting from the 1920s holds Christmas celebrations on December 24-25. In the XXI century, the difference between the Gregorian calendar and the Julian calendar is 13 days. Orthodox Christians didn't split from the Roman Catholic church until 1054, by which time Christmas had moved to January 6th, so again some Eastern Orthodox churches stuck with the Julian calendar which is why Christmas Day in Russia is January 7th. The Orthodox call this day Pascha. . Different Calendars. Members of the Orthodox Church celebrate Jesus' birth a week after December 25th and after all our usual celebrations have died down. Importance of the holiday. Early on, christmas was celebrated as a holiday that is looked forward by the orthodox christian believers. That's a common misconception — so common, in fact, that Archbishop Peter, the . Even though many countries in Eastern Europe profess the same religion, Christmas traditions differ in all the countries. Hence the date of 7 January for Christmas: 13 days after 25 December. United States holidays 2022. Orthodox Christians and Western Christians, among them Catholics and Protestants, believe in the same God, and in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but one of their two most important holidays often takes place on different dates. Observed in: Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine. This date is based on the Julian calendar. Christmas is the most important date in western countries, while in Russian Orthodox tradition it is Easter that is the most significant. However, there is one difference; the Orthodox Easter tends to be celebrated a couple of days after the other branches of Christianity celebrate it. The Armenian Orthodox Church observes Christmas Day on January 6th. The different date from the western tradition of December 25th is twofold. Stating that it is not possible to set a certain date for the birth of Jesus Christ, because the birthday is not specified in the Bible, Maşalyan said: "In the Gospel of Luke, it is written that Jesus Christ was . History. That's why all Eastern Orthodox celebrate Christmas (or, rather, the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as it is known in the East) on December 25. Still, Jesus only died and rose from the . Why do the Orthodox celebrate Christmas in January? Though much of the world now uses the Gregorian calendar, which replaced the Julian calendar, the custom has remained to use it to calculate the date of Easter. The Julian Calendar was designed by Julius Caesar in 45 BC - basing a year . CAIRO - 7 January 2018: Around 37 percent of the Orthodox Christians, mainly in Egypt and Russia, celebrate Christmas on January 7, unlike the Catholics and Protestants who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25. Orthodox believers also mark the day in different ways. This is one reason why Easter may fall on a different date. Christmas is observed on January 7 by different Eastern Orthodox churches. In line with other Orthodox followers in places like Greece and Cyprus, Easter Sunday fell this year a week after ours, on April 8 th . First, Pascha is not dependent on the date of Passover. Date of the holiday. The day of this major feast in the Armenian Church is January 6th. On this day, remember the birth of Jesus Christ, described in the Christian Bible. Like the Eastern Orthodox Church in Russia, the . Christmas is considered a high holiday by the Russian Orthodox Church, one of the 12 Great Feasts, and one of only four of which are preceded by a period of fasting. The theological inconsistency of two Easters . As a result, Catholics celebrate Christmas on December 25 while Orthodox observances occur on January 7. Why Is The Orthodox Easter Date Different? Sugestions for Further Reading. Consequently, it is the combination of these variables that accounts for the different dates of Pascha observed by the Orthodox Church and other Christian Churches. 1. In fact, there are as many misunderstandings about the calculation of Easter dates, as there are reasons for the confusion. 4. In the XXI century, the difference between the Gregorian calendar and the Julian calendar is 13 days. Orthodox Christians tend to follow the Julian calendar, for which Christmas falls on 7 January. Firstly, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII, ruled that the Catholic Church should follow a new calendar . The Orthodox Easter always falls later than the Catholic one as it is calculated using the same formula, but using the Julian Calendar (as we said above, this is currently 13 days behind the commonly used Gregorian). You can find out the history of Christmas Traditions, learn how Christmas is celebrated around the world and get to know more about the Christmas Story and the birth of Jesus!The site is run by a Christmas loving web designer from the UK. Easter is not only a movable holiday but a multiple one: in most years Western Christian churches and Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Easter on different dates. Easter is a moveable feast, that does not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars. 2. Christmas information sites on the web. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and for some Byzantine Catholics, the date for Easter (called Pascha in Orthodox traditions) often differs from the Western date. These are all good questions with answers that require a bit of explanation. By Harriet Alexander 07 January 2015 • 11:03am. 25 December vs. 7 January, the reasons for which are explained above. The day is a period of reflection, internal considerations, and healing in numerous eastern European countries. If anything, this review of the complexities surrounding the issue of the date of Pascha underscores the compelling need to revisit it with patience and openness. Christmas Day, January 7, starts with a visit to the church. Photo: CNS/Maxim Shemetov, Reuters. The Jewish passover begins on the evening of a full moon after March 21 (vernal equinox) and lasts for seven days. The Orthodox observance of Christmas contrasts considerably from Western customs. Because they're still using the Julian calendar. Reading Time: 3 minutes Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill leads a 2014 Easter service in the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. As the Church approaches the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, which will be commemorated in 2025, some prominent Orthodox leaders have urged a renewal of talks on finding a common date for Easter. The Armenian Orthodox Church observes Christmas Day on January 6th. As the Russian Orthodox Church keeps to the Julian Calendar, Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. Information about Pascha. Annually, there is a different date set for the celebration, but it is usually held . In 2025, both Churches will celebrate Easter on . The Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar, so the Orthodox Easter normally falls a bit later (in 2022 it will be marked on Sunday 24 April.) Christmas was largely erased from the calendar during much of the 20th century under the Soviet Union 's anti-religious policies, but many of its traditions survived having been . Orthodox Christians in central and eastern Europe and different parts of the world observe Christmas on January 7. Consequently, it is the combination of these variables, which accounts for the different date of Orthodox Easter, whenever it varies from the rest of Christendom. A Different Focus. For Orthodox, it is important to . The key dates for Greek Orthodox Easter in 2021 are: Good Friday - April 30. The question is justified, for we live in a situation in which the majority of Christendom celebrates Easter under the Western tradition. This has resulted in the unfortunate problem of having Orthodox Christians celebrating feasts, such as Christmas, on different days, and this is a problem that may take some time for the Orthodox Church as whole to resolve. Catholics (and many Western countries) use the Gregorian calendar, made by a medieval Pope called Gregory. J. Dowden, The Church Year and Calendar. The only Orthodox churches that still observe the January 7th date are the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian churches, the Serbs and the Mount Athos monks in Greece. Easter and Christmas Orthodox Christians celebrate the two main Christian holidays: Easter and Christmas. This is why up till 1918, the timetable by which day-to-day life was governed in Ukraine lagged 13 days behind the western . For Orthodox, it is important to . Conclusion. Orthodox Christianity relies on the Gregorian calendar created in 1582 by Pope Gregory of Rome. Christmas is celebrated three times in Isreal. The Orthodox Easter now falls anywhere between April 4 and May 8 and the Catholic Easter falls anywhere between March 22 and April 25. Some Orthodox Christians prefer to go to a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Easter is the biggest holiday in Greece (Picture: Getty) Greek Easter 2021 takes place on Sunday May 2. The 7th of January marks Orthodox Christmas in Russia. The Orthodox Church recognises January 7th as the day that Jesus was born. Dear Father, Why is it that the date for the Catholic celebration of Easter and that of the Orthodox are different and is anything being done to celebrate on the same day? They celebrate Christmas on January 7th or near this date. This was the original date for Christmas until the 4th century, rather than some Julian/Gregorian adjusted . One of those churches is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. But, interestingly, in 2100, it will be 14 days, which will shift Russian Christmas on January 8th. The result being that today we celebrate most feast days, like Christmas, Epiphany and the rest, at the same time as Western Christians and only Pascha and the feast days that are connected with it like Pentecost and the Ascension, are dated according to the Julian calendar and celebrated on different dates. January 7th - Orthodox Christmas. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. Until 1918, Russia and the Western world lived according to different calendars: Russia stuck to the older Julian calendar that lagged behind . Orthodox Christmas Day is an Orthodox holiday, celebrated annually on January 7. The Eastern Orthodox still use the Julian calendar to calculate the date of Easter, and some, though not all, use it to mark the date of Christmas. But, interestingly, in 2100, it will be 14 days, which will shift Russian Christmas on January 8th. In 2015, for example, Easter will be celebrated on April 5 by Western churches and April 12 by Orthodox churches. This was the original date for Christmas until the 4th century, rather than some Julian/Gregorian adjusted . That explains the existence of two Christmases, but the calendar crisis . Some churches (mainly Orthodox and Coptic Orthodox churches) use a different calendar for their religious celebrations. Now, if you remember, this full moon is also the key date for the Easter celebrations (Easter is always celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after March 21). This year for example, the last full moon after March 21, was on March 31 (Saturday) hence, the Catholic . Orthodox Christmas Day is an Orthodox holiday, celebrated annually on January 7. Varying dates for the vernal equinox increased these differences. The Gospel according to Matthew in the Bible states that Jesus was born during the […] The eternal question: Why do Christians celebrate Easter on two different dates? This date is based on the Julian calendar. The only Orthodox churches that still observe the January 7th date are the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian churches, the Serbs and the Mount Athos monks in Greece. It's a difference in calendars. Orthodox Christmas Traditions in Different Countries. To wrap up, we debunked three urban legends surrounding the date of Pascha in the Orthodox world. In Russia, dates are set from the Julian calendar while in the UK, we use the Gregorian calendar. Why we celebrate Orthodox Christmas Day? Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. Consequently, it is the combination of these variables that accounts for the different dates of Pascha observed by the Orthodox Church and other Christian Churches. It is common to celebrate Orthodox Christmas on the 7th of January, with festivities starting on the 6th of January. If anything, this review of the complexities surrounding the issue of the date of Pascha underscores the compelling need to revisit it with patience and openness. Holy Saturday . For the remainder of the 21st century, Easter will fall between April 4 and May 8 for Orthodox Christians, and March 22 and April 25 for Catholics. It is the most joyous celebration of the entire year, as the community gathers together to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. whychristmas?com is one of the biggest (and best!) Some jurisdictions of the Orthodox Church (e.g. If you ask a Russian what they usually do on 25 th of December, they will most likely answer with "go to work", "attend lectures at University" or some such. On 7 January, many Orthodox Copts and other Orthodox Christians (including those in Russia and Ethiopia) celebrate their Christmas Day. There is a common misperception among Orthodox Christians that the reason why Orthodox Easter (i.e. The result being that today we celebrate most feast days, like Christmas, Epiphany and the rest, at the same time as Western Christians and only Pascha and the feast days that are connected with it like Pentecost and the Ascension, are dated according to the Julian calendar and celebrated on different dates. Date Greek and Russian Christians celebrate, and why it's different For millions of Orthodox Christians around the world, and particularly in eastern Europe and Russia, Christmas is actually in . We asked Bishop Sahag Maşalyan, a member of Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, why Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 6. First, we need to understand why the Roman Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox split from each other. In 2015, they were a week apart. The Catholic, Protestant and Russian Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on December 25. In some majority Orthodox countries, even Latin Catholic parishes celebrate Easter on the date the Orthodox do. Answer (1 of 4): The Greek Orthodox Church, along with other jurisdictions, adopted the "New Calendar", the Revised Julian Calendar, which is basically the same as the Gregorian Calendar (introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582) that most of the world uses (The Revised Julian calendar will deviat. The Christmas dates around January 7 may shift among certain churches. Pascha) often occurs so much later than Western Christian Easter is because the Orthodox Church abides by the rules for calculating the date of Pascha issued by the 1 st Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325 AD and thus the Orthodox must wait for . The reason these dates vary so much from . Many Orthodox Christians in the United States celebrate Christmas Day on or near January 7 in the Gregorian calendar.This date works to be December 25 in the Julian calendar, which pre-dates the Gregorian calendar.It is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who is believed to be the son of God. The different date between Orthodox and Catholic/Protestant Easter comes down to a solunar impasse yet to be resolved by the Churches Similarities greater than differences among Orthodox Christian . Eastern Orthodox Christians often abstain from meat, eggs, dairy, and/or alcohol for a period of 40 days leading up to Christmas and then fast during the day of Christmas Eve. In 2014, both versions of the Easter holidays hit the same dates. By 1923, there was a 13-day difference between the two calendars, putting Orthodox Christmas 13 days after December 25. Russia is home to 39 per cent of the world's Orthodox Christians, with some 350,000 typically turning out for Christmas liturgies in Moscow. The date is different because the russian orthodox church uses the old "julian" calendar for the days of religious celebration. And why do Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Easter on a different day than Western churches? As the Russian Orthodox Church keeps to the Julian Calendar, Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. Orthodox countries are introducing an additional state holiday, on 25 December as well as 7 January
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