Among Orthodox Christians, Christmas unfolds a little differently than among other Christians: instead of in December, the celebration takes place only in January. But how do the Orthodox actually celebrate the season of love if they don't celebrate it together with everyone else?
When it comes to the Christmas schedule, Orthodox Christians hold a special position. The celebration doesn't begin with Christmas Eve on December 24 and then the two big holidays after it. No, it's only on January 6 and 7 that the Orthodox officially celebrate the Julian feast of the Nativity, and thus the birth of Jesus. So while most households are already throwing out the last leftovers of the roast and everyday programming returns to TV, in some countries it's just getting started: many Christians in Russia and Greece follow the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar. Thus the Russians, many Greeks, and also Christians in Serbia, Bulgaria, and Macedonia adhere to the older of the two calendars.
But how did that come about? The Christian religion was shaken, among other things, by the collapse of the Roman Empire. Around the year 1054, conflicts arose within the church that ultimately led to the Western and Eastern churches splitting from each other. That's how the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches came about, similar to what happened again within the Catholic Church about 500 years later, with the split between Catholics and Protestants. Just the same, the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches continue to exist side by side, with different customs at Christmas.
At a glance
Christmas Eve (the 24th) and the two following Christmas days are not celebrated.
The Julian feast / the birth of Jesus is celebrated on January 6 and 7.
Orthodox Christians gather for a church service on January 6.
Orthodox Christmas in Germany
In Germany, too, there are some Orthodox Christians who come, for example, from the former Soviet Union, the former Yugoslavia, or Russia and other more eastern countries. That's why there are also some Christians in Germany who celebrate their holiday only in early January. While Julian Christmas is much bigger in the countries where it's rooted, a trip to church is part of the tradition here as well. Churches in many large German cities therefore gather Orthodox Christians for a shared service on January 6. Afterward, of course, a holiday feast and gifts are on the schedule there, too. Strict Orthodox believers have earned it, after all, since they traditionally fast for 40 days beforehand.
