What do Orthodox Christians do on December 25?
Feasts. The Nativity, according to the Flesh of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ: The Adoration of the Magi: Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar.
Why do Greek Orthodox celebrate Christmas on December 25?
Christmas falls on a different day in the Orthodox Church because they still observe the traditional Julian calendar, which has the original dates for Christian celebrations before the Gregorian calendar was introduced. This means that, technically, Orthodox churches still observe Christmas on December 25.
What day do Greek Orthodox celebrate Christmas?
January 7
Many Orthodox Christians annually celebrate Christmas Day on or near January 7 to remember Jesus Christ’s birth, described in the Christian Bible. This date works to the Julian calendar that pre-dates the Gregorian calendar, which is commonly observed.
Why is the Orthodox Christmas on January 7th?
Orthodox Christmas day occurs every January 7 because the Orthodox Church still chooses to celebrate the birth of Jesus as per the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar that is currently in use today led to a new Christmas Day on December 25 due to the addition of new elements that changed the calendar year.
Is Greek Christmas different?
When you think of Christmas you probably think of big family feasts and handing out gifts to each other. But in Greece, there are no presents on Christmas Day. Instead, the Greeks hand out their gifts on New Year’s to celebrate the feast day of the Agios Vasilis whose feast day is January 1st.
Do Greek Orthodox celebrate Xmas?
Christmas is considered the major festivity of the year, the most sacred and important. As most of the Greeks are Orthodox, they passionately celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25 and associate a strong religious meaning to this day.
What religion celebrates Boxing Day?
Stephen’s Day, also called Boxing Day, Wren Day, or Constitution Day, one of two holidays widely observed in honour of two Christian saints.
Do Greek Orthodox believe in circumcision?
The Lutheran Church and the Greek Orthodox Church celebrate the Circumcision of Christ on 1 January, while Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar celebrate it on 14 January. All Orthodox churches consider it a “Great Feast”.
Do Greek Orthodox believe in purgatory?
The Orthodox Church does not believe in purgatory (a place of purging), that is, the inter-mediate state after death in which the souls of the saved (those who have not received temporal punishment for their sins) are purified of all taint preparatory to entering into Heaven, where every soul is perfect and fit to see …
Which Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on January 7?
Most Orthodox Christians for example, celebrate Christmas on January 7th as opposed to December 25th – today namely being the Coptic Orthodox Church (in Egypt) and the Russian Orthodox Church. The difference in these dates lies in the history of how these dates came about in the first place.
Is January 6 the real Christmas?
January 6 is the day traditionally known as Old Christmas. It’s a relic of the Julian Calendar, developed 2,000 years ago. In the late 1500s, Pope Gregory XIII changed the calendar to match the solar cycle more closely.
What do u do on Boxing Day?
Over the years, Boxing Day has become a holiday that is spent with friends and family. Many will use it as a day to eat leftovers (mainly turkey sandwiches), binge-watch Christmas films and generally continue the festivities. It has also largely become synonymous with sports, such as horse racing and football.
Do Greeks circumcise their children?
The Lutheran Church and the Greek Orthodox Church celebrate the Circumcision of Christ on 1 January, while Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar celebrate it on 14 January.
What cultures dont circumcise?
About 80 percent of the world’s population do not practice circumcision, nor have they ever done so. Among the non-circumcising nations are Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavia, the U.S.S.R. , China, and Japan.
Do Greek Orthodox allow cremation?
According to the law, Orthodox Greeks can choose cremation as long as they have stated this in writing before their death or their immediate relatives wish it. “A pre-condition for the cremation is the clear, unequivocal statement of the deceased, or their relatives,” that they wish to be cremated, the law said.