Why the Orthodox Church Celebrates Christmas on Jan. 7

While many in the United States believe that Christmas has come and gone, a sizable population of Christians in the world will be celebrating the holy day this Saturday.

Due to a difference in calendars, Jan. 6 marks Christmas Eve for many Orthodox churches and Christmas will be celebrated on Saturday.

Archimandrite Christopher Calin, dean of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection, explained why so many Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas later than most other people.

“The majority of the Orthodox churches worldwide use the Julian calendar, created under the reign of Julius Caesar in 45 BC, and have not adopted the Gregorian calendar, proposed by Latin Pope Gregory of Rome in 1582,” said Calin.

There are 13 days in difference between the two calendars, the Gregorian calendar being the one long adopted by Western nations.

“December 25 on the Julian calendar actually falls on January 7 on the Gregorian calendar. So strictly speaking, Christmas is still kept on December 25, which just happens to fall 13 days later on the Julian calendar,” said Calin. To read more, click here.