Herod, who was a king of Judaea, died in 4 BCE. The Julian calendar was revised in 1923 and this version is more in line with the Gregorian calendar. The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336AD, during the time of the Emperor Constantine (306-337). December 25 in the Gregorian calendar is a bank holiday, … December 25th might have also been chosen because the Winter Solstice and the ancient pagan Roman midwinter festivals called ‘Saturnalia’ and ‘Dies Natalis Solis Invicti’ took place in December around this date. On December 20th, the Greek Orthodox Church begins the Forefeast of the Nativity, whose liturgical structure is similar to the Holy Week preceding Pascha, for the birth of the Son of God is the beginning of the saving ministry which will lead Him, for the sake of our salvation, to the ultimate sacrifice of the Cross. Eleven days were dropped to make up for the calendar discrepancy that accumulated with Julian calendar when England and Scotland switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1752. It is believed that fasting helps people shift their focus from themselves to others, spending less time worrying about food and using more time in increased prayer and caring for the poor. I was born and raised in a small village called Rentina in the rugged mountains of central Greece. Lots of Orthodox Christians fast before January 7, and exclude meat and dairies from their meals. After the Christmas Eve service in Greece, it is tradition to come home from church to break the fast. Many Orthodox Christians in countries such as the United States fast before Christmas Day. For example, they would say: “Mark was born during the reign of Tiberius” rather than on a particular date. The Gospel of St Matthew in the Bible claims he was born during Herod the Great’s reign. Today, the Russian, Jerusalem, Serbian, Georgian, and Polish Orthodox Churches live by the Julian calendar, as well as the monasteries on Mount Athos in Greece and the Orthodox and Greek … In some cultures, the greenery and nativity scenes put up at Christmas are taken down at Epiphany. No date is given in the Bible, only some hints according to certain historical events that happened at that time. Christmas December 25 Contemplating the Icon of the Nativity Christmas... Xmas Learn about this feast day (in English): Learn about this feast day (in Greek): Related links: Anthony M Coniaris, Daily Meditations and Prayers for Christmas Advent Fast and Epiphany (Orthodox This meant celebrating the fact that God took on human form and visited us: “God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us!” Later the Church decided to break up the Epiphany feast into its components: the birth, baptism, the circumcision and the entering into the temple. Live. Moreover, in all of the Orthodox countries, there are at least some Catholics and Greek Catholics, so some part of the population might have Christmas at the end of December in their families or communities. The day is a time of reflection, inner thoughts and healing in many eastern European countries. However, as soon as December arrives, festivities begin: homes are decorated, and the smell of Christmas treats is in the air. After a few decades the Church desired to also celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord on 6 January. The corresponding Western season of preparation for Christmas, which also has been called the Nativity Fast and St. Martin's Lent, has taken the name of Advent.The Eastern … For example, in Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania, Christmas celebrations are held on the 25th of December. By 1923, there was a 13-day difference between the two calendars, putting Orthodox Christmas 13 days after December 25. When the calendar change was made, some jurisdictions such as Moscow, Serbia and Mount Athos, were given the blessing to stay on the “Old Calendar”. Greek Orthodox faithful observe four main fasting periods and many individual fast days according to a calendar based on the date of Pascha ... (Christmas) December 25 * Theotokos: Mary, Mother of God ** Theophany: Epiphany Learn About Greek Orthodox Great Lent Traditions. 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. Orthodox churches, unlike the Catholic Church, have no single Supreme Pontiff, or Bishop (see also: Pontifex maximus), and hold the belief that Christ is the … At the end of the 3rd century, many Churches celebrated it in the winter, and this was only accepted in Rome in the middle of the 4th century. Together with the Magi, the Kings of the East. One theory is that 25 December was chosen to Christianise the pagan festival which some Christians were still celebrating, even as late as the 4th Century. In those days, birthdays were not recorded, nor were they considered important. In some non-Christian areas, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration (e.g. Orthodox Christmas Day is an Orthodox holiday, celebrated annually on January 7. Public Life. In some Orthodox Christian cultures, people walk in procession to seas, rivers and lakes as part of the liturgy on the Orthodox Christmas Day. Home. From now on, most of the liturgical hymns in Greek Orthodox … Many Christians celebrate Jesus’ birthday on December 25 but there are some who hold tradition by observing the date on January 7. Christmas on January 7 is also known as Old Christmas Day. Orthodox Christians in central and eastern Europe and other parts of the world celebrate Christmas on January 7. Straw may be placed on these tables to symbolize the simplicity of the place where Jesus was born. Christmas January 7 is also known as the Old Christmas. Epiphany is celebrated with a wide array of customs around the world. Lenten bread… White cloth is used on dinner tables in some countries to symbolize purity and the cloth that baby Jesus was wrapped in. Little importance is given to gift exchanges and the commercialized Christmas. Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries around the world, including many whose populations are mostly non-Christian. The Greek orthadox Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December. Vegetables and herbs such as potatoes, peas, and garlic. One traditional Russian Christmas dish is baked goose with apples. Like most Greeks, I was raised in the Orthodox Church. So, it was a time when people already celebrated things and it was good to give a Christian focus in that period of the year. Around the 1920s the Orthodox Churches around the world decided to move from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar, because the Julian Calendar was mathematically flawed and was thirteen days behind. Orthodox Christians in Greece, Cyprus and Romania all celebrate on the 25 December as we do after adopting a revised version of the Julian calendar in 1923. Orthodox Christians who use the older version of the Julian calendar, celebrate this occasion on December 25 in the older calendar, which is January 7 in the Gregorian calendar. It was also the time of the Jewish festival of lights called Hanukkah. Christmas celebrations in Greece officially last for 14 days, starting on Christmas Eve and ending on Epiphany (6 January) with the ‘Great Blessing of Water’. Many people identify the Nativity Fast as the period of preparing to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth. The type of food and activity may vary depending on the country’s culture and traditions. You might be a wonder to know when you heard about Christmas on 7 th January. Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on 25 December? The 12 months of the year are linked to the Moon's orbit around Earth. Many Christian Orthodox churches in Australia celebrate Christmas in January instead of December 25. So, take it easy … Interestingly, the Armenian Orthodox Church, which broke away from the Universal Church in the fourth century and thus did not change its practice of celebrating Christmas, still celebrates Epiphany as a combined commemoration of the birth and baptism of Christ, just as the Church did in the 2nd – 3rd century. These commemorations were each given different dates and you can be sure there was a lot of debate about the dates. Pages Non-Business Places Religious Place of Worship Church Eastern Orthodox Church St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church Videos Thursday December 25, 2020 Christmas Liturgy In some parts of Christendom the feast of Christmas was celebrated on 6 December, while in other parts it stayed on 6 January. The difference in these dates lies in the history of how these dates came about in the first place. “What is important to remember is that in essence, every Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on December 25,” said Archimandrite Nathanael Symeonides of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of New York. The February Full Moon is named after the snow on the ground. In other cultures these remain up until Candlemas on February 2. Another theory is that the 25 December is exactly nine months from the Annunciation by Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to Christ. In traditionally Orthodoxnations, water, … In Christianity, the Nativity Fast is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic Church in preparation for the Nativity of Jesus on December 25. 25 December. Shellfish may be allowed even on days that exempt fish except for these. Foods may include: 1. Privacy & Terms. Greek Orthodox Christmas Day You must have heard About the greek orthodox Christians who celebrate Christmas on 25 th of December every year. let us see where Christ was born! What do the month names mean? Some Orthodox countries - including Greece, Cyprus and Romania - adopted a revised Julian calendar in 1923, and now celebrate with us on December 25. For example, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Russian Orthodox Church celebrate Christmas Day on January 7, while the Orthadox Christmas is celebrated as a result these churches remain 13 days after December 25 but are... 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