07/01/2021
| Mir Boziji Hristos Se Rodi
Based on a decision made more than 400 years ago, not all Christians observe the holiday on December 25.
Christmas may have come and gone for some, but many people and communities around the world are celebrating the holiday in January.
Celebrations this year may be a little different with social distancing and the wearing of masks. But, let's find out more about Orthodox Christmas Day and how it's traditionally celebrated.
In 45 BC, Julius Caesar of Rome created the Julian calendar. According to this calendar, Christmas falls 13 days after the “other” Christmas that takes place on December 25.
But they both celebrate the exact same thing. Orthodox Christians still use this calendar today for religious holidays.
For countries like Egypt, Greece, Russia and Ukraine, Orthodox Christmas Day is a public holiday. While it’s not a holiday in Canada, many Orthodox Christians throughout the country also celebrate the day.
The holiday is celebrated with many of the same symbols as those used for December 25, such as Christmas trees, wreaths and gifts.
But this holiday is also a special time of prayer and reflection. Many people celebrate over three days. On Christmas Eve morning, a special church service is held and many Orthodox Christians fast, which means they do not eat.
In some countries, they enjoy a special dinner called the Holy Night Supper that is vegetarian.
On Christmas Day, everyone returns to church before spending the day exchanging gifts, feasting and enjoying time with family and friends.
Many Orthodox Christians don’t eat meat during the Christmas season. The 12 meat-free dishes in their Christmas Eve feast represent each of the 12 apostles.
Some dishes may differ from country to country. The main meal on Christmas day is often more of a feast with dishes like roast pork & goose, Sarma.
Picture of Temple based in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska. Once the Church of the Holy Trinity, today the Temple of Christ the Savior.🙏🏻🇷🇸
🎄
🎄
🎄
🎄