Answers > Is January 7th an Important/special Date in the Eastern Orthodox Church?

Roquentin April 19, 2011 at 2:42 am

Yes! Its very important! It is Christmas day in the Orthodox Churches

могучий Советский Союз! April 19, 2011 at 2:44 am

It is Christmas day in the Orthodox Churches (including the Greek)

Special Child April 19, 2011 at 3:19 am

Shang-ri La

spotty April 19, 2011 at 3:59 am

Orthodox people follow the old calender..they use the Julian Calendar universally,rejecting the reform created by Pope Gregory XIII, who introduced the modern Gregorian Calendar. there is a difference of about 14 days between the two calendars… which explains their different celebration date.

pudlasz April 19, 2011 at 4:12 am

In some Orthodox Churches (but not all) on January 7 there is December 25 so they celebrate Christmas then.

Greek Orthodox Church has December 25 on December 25.

OPsaltis April 19, 2011 at 5:01 am

There are two calendars in use by Eastern Orthodox Christians: the Revised Julian Calendar, and the Julian Calendar. The Revised calendar corresponds closely with the common civil Gregorian calendar (and will for about 700 more years). The Julian calendar’s dates lag the Gregorian/RJC by 13 days in the 20th and 21st centuries. When the Gregorian calendar reads January 7, the Julian calender has only made it to Dec 25 — Christmas Day.

Those Christians who use the Julian calendar celebrate Christmas on the Julian Dec 25, which “feels like” January 7 to those who use the Gregorian (all the Western countries) or Revised Julian (many of the Orthodox churches).

In the main, the Churches of Russia, Serbia, and Jerusalem still follow the Julian calendar. The Churches of Greece, Antioch, Alexandria, Bulgaria and others follow the Revised Julian.

There are some splinter groups that follow the Julian, even when their main body follows the Revised Julian.

Blessings.
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