Orthodox Christmas on January 7 Why it’s celebrated by some believers


More than 100 trucks with Serbian flags passed through the city center

The Christmas celebration in Serbia blends Christian symbols and pagan traditions and involves a lot of logs, straw, sparks, clucking - and hearty food. While much of the Christian world celebrates the birth of Jesus on 25th December, in Orthodox Serbia church bells toll across the country marking the beginning of the three-day festival on.


More than 100 trucks with Serbian flags passed through the city center

Serbian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7th and is rooted in centuries-old traditions and historical significance. The Serbian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar for religious celebrations, which differs from the Gregorian calendar used by most of the world.


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Christmas is one of the holiest days of the year for Serbian Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar. It is preceded by 40 days of fasting during Advent to prepare for the birth of Christ.


St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas

Home Countries Serbia Orthodox Christmas When is Orthodox Christmas? The Orthodox Church recognises January 7th as the day that Jesus was born. Elsewhere in the world, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. Orthodox Christians are estimated to number between 250 and 300 million people.


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But the Russian Orthodox Church, the largest communion in Eastern Orthodoxy, has stayed on the old calendar, observing Christmas on Jan. 7 on the new calendar, as have Serbian, Georgian and some.


More than 100 trucks with Serbian flags passed through the city center

CNN — For much of the Western world, Christmas is celebrated on December 25, according to the Gregorian calendar. Yet in a distinction that dates back centuries, Orthodox Christians follow.


More than 100 trucks with Serbian flags passed through the city center

In Serbian Happy/Merry Christmas is Hristos se rodi (Христос се роди) - Christ is born Vaistinu se rodi (Ваистину се роди) - truly born (reply). Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages. People in Serbia also celebrate St. Nicholas' Day, but on the 19th December.


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Serbian Christmas traditions are customs and practices of the Serbs associated with Christmas and a period encompassing it, between the third Sunday before Christmas Day and Epiphany. There are many, complex traditions connected with this period.


More than 100 trucks with Serbian flags passed through the city center

Serbian Orthodox Christmas is marked by the preparation and consumption of special foods, such as 'Česnica' and 'Sarma,' which embody the spirit of Christmas and remind of the spiritual and communal aspects of the celebration. Attending the Christmas liturgy, participating in the Badnjak ceremony, and gathering with family to share a festive.


More than 100 trucks with Serbian flags passed through the city center

These believers usually celebrate the holiday on January 7. The reason: they follow the Julian calendar when marking religious milestones. Egypt, Serbia, Russia, Ethiopia, Belarus and Georgia are some of the countries with large groups of Orthodox Christians. For them, Christmas is a special day filled with some unique traditions.


Orthodox Christmas on January 7 Why it’s celebrated by some believers

The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), similarly with the Russian Orthodox Church, celebrates Christmas Day based on the Julian calendar, which falls on January 7 of the Gregorian calendar..


More than 100 trucks with Serbian flags passed through the city center

It is celebrated on 25 December according to the Julian calendar, which is still in use by the Serbian Orthodox Church. However, this calendar is 13 days out of sync with the more commonly used.


**Serbian Orthodox Christmas 2024 A Unique Celebration**

But the Russian Orthodox Church, the largest communion in Eastern Orthodoxy, has stayed on the old calendar, observing Christmas on Jan. 7 on the new calendar, as have Serbian, Georgian and some other Orthodox. Complications in Ukraine


St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas

Orthodox Christmas in Serbia is celebrated on January 7th. If you want to learn why we have different dates for the Serbian Christmas and Serbian New Year, why the Serbs celebrate two New Years and what's the difference between the Christmas and New Year celebrations, please visit this post.


More than 100 trucks with Serbian flags passed through the city center

Christmas for Serbs who are Christian Ortodox, comes two weeks later than that of Roman Catholics. Serbs do not celebrate Christmas on December 25th, but on January 7th, while they celebrate New Year on January 13th rather than on December 31st.


Orthodox Christmas celebration at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church

Serbia, a land rich in cultural heritage and traditions, offers a unique experience during the festive season, especially with its Serbian Orthodox Christmas celebrations. Unlike the widely observed December 25th Christmas date, Serbian Orthodox Christmas falls on January 7th, adhering to the Julian Calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian Calendar .