US EditionEthiopia: Orthodox Christians Mark Christmas On January 7 Across the World
About 250-300 million Christians, mainly Orthodox and Coptic, observe Christmas on January 7 due to adherence to the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar.
- About 250 million Orthodox and Coptic Christians celebrate Old Christmas Day on January 7, 2026, as December 25 on the Julian calendar corresponds to January 7 on modern calendars, including millions in Eastern Europe, Palestine, and Egypt.
- Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582 to replace the less accurate Julian calendar, causing a 10-day adjustment to realign the year.
- Several countries including Belarus, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eritrea, Ukraine, Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria observe January 7 for Christmas, with some shifting or recognizing both dates, due to calendar differences.
- Governments in several countries moved the public holiday in 2023, but many citizens still observe January 7, with Belarus and Moldova recognizing both dates as national holidays.
- Looking ahead, if the Julian calendar use continues, Orthodox Christmas will shift to January 8, 2101, as the calendar gap widens to 14 days.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Ethiopia: Orthodox Christians Mark Christmas On January 7 Across the World
Addis Ababa -- Orthodox Christians in countries stretching from Ethiopia to Russia are celebrating Christmas today, honoring the birth of Jesus Christ with prayer, worship, and acts of compassion.
The Independent
The Independent (US)What is Orthodox Christmas? And why do millions of people celebrate it on January 7
The ancient church in the Roman Empire set its religious feasts based on the Julian calendar
Why do some MENA Christians celebrate Christmas in January?
Christians in the Middle East celebrated one of the most important dates in their calendar on Wednesday - Christmas Yet the celebrations come 13 days after Christmas celebrations across much of the world. So why are some Arab Christians celebrating today, and which Christian denominations are they? The New Arab takes a look. The Julian Calendar The reason why some Christians celebrate on 7 January instead of 25 December is because of their use o…
Dnevni list Danas
nin.rsOrthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar celebrate Christmas on January 7.
Orthodox Christmas 2026: Why do millions worldwide celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7?
Did you know that over 260 million Christians worldwide are celebrating Christmas this Jan. 7? Over 400 years ago, according to National Geographic, a decision was made by some Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus on a different day. Orthodox Christmas, also known as Old Christmas Day, is celebrated by roughly 12 percent of Christians, the majority in countries...
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
