Orthodox Christmas
This Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is observed by Eastern Orthodox denominations who use the Julian calendar.
This Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is observed by Eastern Orthodox denominations who use the Julian calendar.
Renee Harleston
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Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ, began with the start of Christianity. For the Eastern Orthodox sect of Christianity, the major difference is the date of celebration.
The first council of Nicaea convened in 325 AD. The council, headed by Constantine I, convened to deal with theological inconsistencies created by the many sects of Christianity that had sprung up as the religion became more popular. It was also apparent that the Christian world needed to standardize a date for Easter, the religion's most important celebration.
Eastern Orthodoxy or the Orthodox Catholic Church, as a Christian sect, was established in 1054 in an event known as the Great Schism. Political issues between Rome and Constantinople bled over into religious matters. The church split along those political lines. The Roman branch of Christianity became Catholicism and the Constantinople branch of Christianity became Eastern Orthodoxy.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII proposed the creation of a new calendar. The Julian calendar, in use by both sects, was out of step with the actual solar calendar and became more so each year. Catholics, led by Pope Gregory, switched to the new Gregorian calendar. Eastern Orthodoxy stayed on the Julian calendar. This continues today, with adherents to Eastern Orthodox Christanity celebrating Christmas on December 25th of the Julian calendar or January 7th of the Gregorian calendar.
The Gregorian calendar is the standard daily calendar for much of the world, including the United States.
Traditions
Eastern Orthodoxy comprises several churches, including Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox. Therefore, the Christmas celebrations vary based on the country and church celebrating.
For all Eastern Orthodox Christians, however, a Christmas celebration includes a church service. Eastern Orthodox Christians fast for forty days prior to Christmas, abstaining from meat, eggs, dairy, and alcohol.
Many Eastern Orthodox Christians have a large feast meal on Christmas Eve, before attending a midnight service as Christmas begins. For Russian Orthodox Christians, this meal includes 12 dishes, each corresponding to an apostle. No matter what part of the world you're in, most Christmas meals include meat, eggs, dairy and other foods abstained from during the fasting period.
What to say
"Merry Christmas" is a fine greeting for Eastern Orthodox Christmas. Some Eastern Orthodox Christians also use "Christ is Born" as a greeting on this day, with "Glorify Him" as a response.