Was Jesus Born on December 25th? Part 5

Written on 12/26/2024
Part 5: The Orthodox Church

Did you know some Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate the Birth of Christ on January 7th?

WHY JANUARY 7th?

January 7th is the date on which many Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas because they continue to use the Julian Calendar for liturgical purposes. Here's a detailed explanation of why this date is observed:

1. The Calendar Difference

  • The Julian Calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE, was used by Christians for centuries. However, it overestimated the length of the solar year by about 11 minutes per year. Over time, this caused the calendar to drift out of sync with the seasons.
  • In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian Calendar to correct this drift, skipping 10 days to realign the calendar with the spring equinox.
  • By now (2024), the Julian Calendar is 13 days behind the Gregorian Calendar. Consequently, December 25th on the Julian Calendar falls on January 7th on the Gregorian Calendar.

2. Retention of the Julian Calendar

  • Some Eastern Orthodox Churches, such as those in Russia, Serbia, and Jerusalem, continue to use the Julian Calendar for fixed feast days. They observe Christmas on "December 25th" of the Julian Calendar, which is equivalent to January 7th in the modern Gregorian Calendar.
  • This decision reflects a commitment to the older calendar as a symbol of tradition and resistance to change introduced by the Western Church.

3. Theological and Historical Context

  • The Orthodox Church places a strong emphasis on maintaining liturgical continuity. By sticking to the Julian Calendar, they preserve the dates as they were established in the early Church.
  • The focus for the Orthodox celebration is on the spiritual preparation and theological meaning of Christmas, rather than alignment with modern secular calendars.

4. Importance of the 13-Day Gap

  • The 13-day gap means that Christmas for Julian Calendar-using Orthodox Christians arrives later than for those following the Gregorian Calendar.
  • As time progresses, the gap between the two calendars will continue to widen. By the year 2100, the difference will increase to 14 days unless further calendar reforms are adopted.