Why do Russians celebrate Christmas on January 6th?
Russians (and other Orthodox Christians) celebrate Christmas on January 7th—with Christmas Eve on January 6th—because the Russian Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar used by most of the world. The Julian calendar is currently 13 days behind, placing Dec 25 on Jan 7.
Orthodox communities in Europe, Africa and the Middle East - which make up more than 12% of all Christians according to the Pew Research Center - celebrate the big day weeks after most of the Western world. It's because they use a different calendar, called the Julian calendar, to work out when Christmas should be.
Russia celebrates Christmas on January 7th because the Russian Orthodox Church still uses the older Julian calendar for its liturgical calendar, which is currently 13 days behind the widely used Gregorian calendar, causing the date to shift from December 25th to January 7th. While most of the world switched to the Gregorian calendar centuries ago, the Russian Orthodox Church maintained the Julian calendar, leading to this difference in observance.
Owing to differences in liturgical calendars, as early as the fourth century, the churches of the eastern Roman Empire were celebrating Christmas on 6 January, while those of the western Roman Empire were celebrating it on 25 December.
Another fundamental belief of the Orthodox Church is the faith in the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, Who became "incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and became man" (Nicene Creed) for our salvation. The Virgin Mary Theotokos gave birth to Jesus, Who is the only begotten Son of God.
Jesus was likely born between 6 and 4 BC, not on December 25th, with many scholars pointing to the reign of King Herod the Great as a key indicator, as the gospels state Jesus' birth occurred shortly before Herod's death around 4 BC, though the exact date remains unknown and traditions vary.
We believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, only-begotten of God the Father, that is to say, of the substance of the Father. God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, born and not created.
While the Bible doesn't state Jesus' birth date, January 6th was an early Christian celebration, particularly in the East, known as the Feast of the Epiphany, marking the arrival of the Magi, and some traditions and early writings connect this date to his birth, though December 25th became the dominant date in the West, and the exact date remains unknown to historians.
When you want to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Russian, you can use the phrase «С Рождеством» or «Счастливого Рождества». Both of these directly translate to “Merry Christmas.” If someone says either of these to you, you can respond with a simple «И Вас также», which means “you, too” using formal Russian.
Christmas tree decorations, gift-giving, family and other social gatherings, feasting, etc. Christmas was largely erased from the Russian calendar for much of the 20th century due to the Soviet Union's anti-religious policies, but many of its traditions survived, having been transplanted to New Year's Day.
“Christmas comes but once a year” ties the saying. But several countries celebrate Christmas twice. Ukraine, which recognised December 25th as an official holiday in 2017, joined Belarus, Eritrea, Lebanon, and Moldova as the fifth country celebrating two Christmases.
Instead of Santa Claus, Russians have Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), who brings gifts for New Year's rather than Christmas. Ded Moroz has a young woman helper called Snegurochka (Snow Maiden). She is a unique feature of Russian folklore, appearing in traditional attire with braided hair.
Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine. What is the 12 days of Christmas? The 12 days of Christmas is the period that in Christian theology marks the span between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi, the three wise men.
Holiday traditions in Russia are a bit different from the western world. Most people in Russia celebrate Christmas twice! The first celebration is on the traditional Catholic date of December 25th, and then another on the ancient calendar of Julius Caesar, on January 7th.
Jesus was Jewish, born to Mary, wife of Joseph. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke offer two different accounts of his genealogy. Matthew traces Jesus's ancestry to Abraham through David.
Now, it's virtually undisputed that Jesus spoke or at least understood three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The opinions begin to differ regarding what Jesus' primary language was. For years the academic and theological community has dogmatically taught that Jesus primarily spoke Aramaic.
Jews believe Jesus did not fulfill messianic prophecies that establish the criteria for the coming of the Messiah. Judaism does not accept Jesus as a divine being, an intermediary between humans and God, a messiah, or holy.
