The Russian Orthodox Church called Е́же по пло́ти Рождество Господа Бога и Спа́са нашего Иисуса Христа), commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, is celebrated on 25 December in the Julian calendar used by the church, which falls on 7 January in the common Gregorian calendar.
Christmas is considered a high holiday by the Russian Orthodox Church, one of the 12 Great Feasts, and of only 4 Feasts preceded by a period of fasting. On Christmas Eve, 6 January, there are several long services, including the Royal Hours and Vespers combined with the Divine Liturgy.
The family will then return home for the traditional Christmas Eve “Holy Supper“, which consists of 12 dishes, one to honor each of the Twelve Apostles. Devout families will then return to church for the “всенощная” All Night Vigil.
Then again, on Christmas Morning, for the “заутренняя” Divine Liturgy of the Nativity. Since 1992 Christmas has become a national holiday in Russia, as part of the ten-day holiday at the start of the new year.
All over a calendar dispute!
The Julian calendar was implemented by the Romans in 46 B.C. under the guidance of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar wanted a more accurate calendar for sowing and harvesting crops. At the time, the Roman Empire was primarily agricultural. Although the exact origins are not known, the Julian calendar was almost certainly derived in part from ancient Babylonian calendars, with additions from several other cultures.
In 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII introduced his Gregorian calendar, Europe adhered to the Julian calendar, first implemented by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. Since the Roman emperor’s system miscalculated the length of the solar year by 11 minutes, the calendar had since fallen out of sync with the seasons. This concerned Gregory because it meant that Easter, traditionally observed on March 21, fell further away from the spring equinox with each passing year..
Leap years don’t really occur every four years in the Gregorian calendar..
The Gregorian calendar differs from the solar year by 26 seconds per year.
According to some accounts, English citizens did not react kindly after an act of Parliament advanced the calendar overnight from September 2 to September 14, 1752.
……either way, Merry Christmas. Or Merry second Christmas. Or First.
Just enjoy…..!
