Orthodox Christians are able to celebrate Christmas on December 25th, but it’s not the same as for other Christians. In fact, the Greek Orthodox Church and Coptic Christian churches celebrate the holiday on a different day. If you’re confused about the difference, you may want to check out the article below. It’s filled with facts and information about the Orthodox and Coptic Christian church, the traditional meal, and the difference between the Gregorian and Julian calendars.
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Traditional meal
Orthodox Christmas is a holiday primarily dedicated to religious and ritual customs. There are no festive decorations or gifts exchanged on the day. Instead, it is a time to celebrate with family and friends. It is not a public holiday in many countries.
For centuries, Christians have celebrated Christmas on December 25. Originally, this date was chosen by Pope Julius I. However, this date is not found in the Bible. Despite this, he chose this date because it was a pagan festival that was held on this date. In addition, the calendar used by the church was the Julian Calendar. This calendar is 13 days later than the modern Gregorian Calendar.
A traditional meal for Orthodox Christians on Christmas Eve consists of 12 dishes. One dish, known as qurban, is made of special bread with twelve dots to represent the Apostles.
Another dish, called ghapama, is a pumpkin that is stuffed with rice, nut, and honey. The dish is vegan.
Gregorian calendar vs Julian calendar
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII announced the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. This replaced the Julian calendar, which was used in Europe until that time. The Gregorian calendar is still used today and is generally accepted as a civil calendar.
The Julian calendar is used by most Eastern Orthodox churches, although some Eastern Orthodox and Russian communities observe Christmas on the Gregorian calendar. Many Orthodox Christians still adhere to the Julian calendar when it comes to calculating Easter and other religious holidays. However, as the centuries have passed, the Julian calendar has fallen out of sync with the solar year.
Initially, the difference between the Gregorian and Julian calendars was a little less than a day. However, as the centuries have passed, it has become more of a 13-day difference. Eventually, it will become a 14-day difference in 2100.
The Julian calendar was created by Julius Caesar in 45 BC. It is based on the assumption that the sun revolves around the Earth. Although the Julian calendar was introduced in the Roman Empire, it is still being used in many cultures to mark the date of Orthodox Christmas.
Coptic vs Orthodox churches
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt is the largest Christian community in the Middle East. Its members number in the tens of millions, with most living in Egypt. Some form of Christianity was common in the region before Islam. Until the mid-13th century, Egypt was almost entirely Christian.
Although the Coptic Orthodox Church is the largest denomination in Egypt, there are also other churches. The Greek Orthodox Church, for instance, celebrates Christmas on January 7th.
In addition, many Orthodox Christians across the world also celebrate Christmas on December 25th. But which calendar is better?
The Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC, is used by most Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox churches. However, it is not always in line with the Gregorian calendar, which is used by the Catholic Church, Western Protestants, and other western Christians.
A newer calendar called the Gregorian calendar was developed by Pope Gregory in 1582. This revised calendar has made its way into the Protestant and Catholic mainstreams.
Why it’s celebrated on a different day in the Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on a different day than the rest of the world. However, the celebration still includes many of the same traditions. In fact, the celebration focuses on prayer and self reflection rather than commercialization.
Historically, Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus during a twelve-day period. There were also observances such as caroling and fortune telling. During this time, devout people did not eat until they saw the first star of the night. This ritual is known as Paramony.
Some Eastern Orthodox countries, such as the Armenian Church, continue to observe the original date for Christmas. They also celebrate Epiphany on 6 January.
Other Orthodox Christian groups, including the Russian, Ukrainian, and Serbian churches, wait until January 7 to celebrate the holiday. These churches use the Julian calendar.
The Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. It was meant to fix errors in the Julian calendar. It is used in almost all countries. Many Orthodox Christians are not willing to accept the new calendar.