Celebrating Orthodox Christmas

Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on the 6th - 7th January. While much of the Christian world celebrates on the 25th December, Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar which accounts for this difference.

Although some Orthodox Christian communities have adopted the 25th December, this ancient tradition is celebrated by almost 200 million Orthodox Christian communities around the world, including those in Egypt, Greece, Serbia, Armenia, Ethiopia, Russia and India to name a few.


History & Significance

Orthodox Christmas is a sacred and important date in the Orthodox Christian Calendar. Orthodox Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ, a time of deep spiritual reflection and joy. It is a day of worship, where the faithful gather in churches for the Divine Liturgy, a solemn service that often includes chanting, prayers, and Holy Communion. Many Orthodox Christians observe a period of Advent leading up to Christmas, during which they fast in preparation for the feast in the early hours of Christmas Day.

The history of the celebration of Christmas date back to early days of the faith. According to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia:

"Clement of Alexandria (ca 200) mentions that certain Egyptians commemorated the birth of Christ on 20th May. In the first part of the fourth century, the constitutions of the Church of Alexandria laid down that the 6th January was both the feast of the Nativity and the Epiphany of Christ. Therefore we know for certain that in the early Christian centuries Christmas and Theophany (which is celebrated today on the 6th January and marks the baptism of Jesus) were celebrated together. For this reason, liturgically speaking, the period from Christmas to Theophany is considered to be one continuous day of celebration marking the coming of Christ into the world."§


Traditions & Rituals

Each community has its own unique traditions, but some common rituals include:

  • The Nativity Fast: In the 40 days before Christmas, also known as advent, believers fast from meat, fish, oil, wine, dairy, and eggs.*†
  • Christmas Eve (January 6th): A day of fasting until the evening, which culminates in a festive meal to break the fast and celebrate the birth of Christ.
  • Church Services: Orthodox churches are often decorated with icons and candles. After the Divine Liturgy, some communities have processions, including the Great Blessing of the Waters, especially in countries like Greece and Russia.
  • Christmas food: In Greece, it is common to see sweets like Melomakarona and Kourabiedes. In Eastern Europe, you can expect to eat dishes such has cabbage soup, baked apples, vegetable stew and bread‡ and Egyption Coptic Orthodox community break their fast with bread, rice and meat dish called fatteh.
  • Gift Giving: Although not as widespread as in the Western tradition, Orthodox Christians do exchange gifts, often as a symbol of love and God’s blessings.
  • Family & Community: The holiday emphasises family unity and community gatherings, with extended family coming together to celebrate, sing carols (known as kalanda), and share meals and joy.

Orthodox Christmas Refelctions

Orthodox Christian Christmas is a beautiful and deeply meaningful time of year, filled with faith, love, and rich traditions that have stood the test of time. This can look different for each family and community. We spoke to Karim an SMCT employee, to share his experience with Orthodox Christmas as someone with a Coptic background.

Similar to the tradition shared above, Karim spends the lead up to Orthodox Christmas observing Lent and building anticipation for the holiday. On the day of Christmas, Karim spends precious time with his family where they engage in gift giving, midnight mass and dontating through the church.

One of Karim's favourite dishes to have on Christmas Day is Molokheya 'ملوخية'.


Wishing all that are celebrating this day a joyous and happy Christmas!

References

* 'Orthodox Christmas: Why do some people celebrate Christmas on 7 January', BBC

† Calendar of Saints, Feast and Readings, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

‡ 'Orthodox Christmas: Why do some people celebrate Christmas on 7 January', BBC

§ 'The Celebration of Christmas', Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia