While much of the Western world celebrates Christmas on December 25th, Eastern Orthodox Christians in countries like Russia, Greece, and Ukraine observe Christmas on January 7th, following the Julian calendar. Christmas in the Eastern Orthodox tradition is a deeply spiritual and solemn holiday, with unique religious customs, fasting periods, and festive celebrations that reflect centuries of Christian tradition.
In this article, we’ll explore the distinct ways that Eastern Orthodox Christmas is celebrated in Russia, Greece, and Ukraine, shedding light on the customs, religious services, and festive traditions that make this holiday a special time of year for millions of Orthodox Christians.
Russia: A Time for Faith, Fasting, and Festivity
In Russia, Christmas is a major religious holiday, celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church with a focus on faith, prayer, and traditional customs that have been passed down through generations. Christmas in Russia was banned during the Soviet era when religious celebrations were suppressed in favor of secular New Year’s festivities. However, since the fall of the Soviet Union, Christmas has been revived as an important holiday, particularly among the devout.
Fasting and the Nativity Fast
For many Russians, the period leading up to Christmas is marked by the Nativity Fast, a time of spiritual preparation that begins on November 28th and lasts until January 6th. During this 40-day fast, devout Orthodox Christians abstain from meat, dairy, and other rich foods as a way of purifying both body and soul in anticipation of the birth of Christ.
On January 6th, which is Christmas Eve in Russia, the fast reaches its strictest point, with many people refraining from eating until the first star appears in the evening sky. This star is believed to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Wise Men to the birthplace of Jesus. After the star is seen, the fast is broken with a traditional meal known as the Holy Supper.
Holy Supper and Traditional Foods
The Holy Supper is a central part of Russian Christmas Eve celebrations. This meal typically consists of twelve meatless dishes, each representing one of the Twelve Apostles. Traditional foods served at the Holy Supper include kutya, a sweet dish made from wheat, honey, and poppy seeds, symbolizing hope and immortality. Other dishes may include borscht (beet soup), blini (thin pancakes), and pickled vegetables.
Families gather around the table to share this solemn meal, often beginning with a prayer. A candle is lit to symbolize Christ as the light of the world, and a white tablecloth is used to represent the purity of the Virgin Mary.
Christmas Services and Festivities
At midnight on Christmas Eve, Russians attend a long church service known as the Divine Liturgy, held in Orthodox churches across the country. These services are marked by beautiful chanting, incense, and the reading of passages from the Gospels. The service can last for several hours, but it is a central part of the Christmas celebration, as it commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
Following the midnight service, Christmas Day is a time of joy and festivity. Families exchange gifts, children go caroling, and traditional Russian Christmas songs fill the air. While the religious observances are the focus of Christmas in Russia, the day is also an opportunity for feasting and spending time with loved ones.
In recent years, Christmas markets and holiday lights have become more popular in Russia’s major cities, such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, adding a festive atmosphere to the spiritual celebrations.
Greece: A Blend of Religious Tradition and Festive Spirit
Christmas in Greece is a deeply religious holiday, celebrated with a blend of Eastern Orthodox Christian rituals and local traditions that reflect the country’s rich cultural heritage. While Christmas is not as important in Greece as Easter, it is still a significant occasion, marked by church services, fasting, and festive gatherings.
Fasting and Preparation for Christmas
In Greece, the period leading up to Christmas is known as Advent, during which many Orthodox Christians observe a fast. The fast lasts for 40 days, starting on November 15th and ending on Christmas Eve. During this time, people abstain from meat and dairy, with some also refraining from fish, wine, and oil on certain days. The purpose of the fast is to prepare the body and soul for the celebration of Christ’s birth.
Christmas Eve and the Kalanda
On Christmas Eve, Greek children go from house to house singing kalanda, traditional Greek Christmas carols, accompanied by small metal triangles or drums. As they sing, the children often receive small gifts, sweets, or money from their neighbors as a token of gratitude. This custom dates back to Byzantine times and adds a joyful, communal spirit to the holiday season.
Midnight Mass and Christmas Day
Like in Russia, Christmas Eve culminates with a midnight church service, where families gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The service is a solemn and beautiful affair, filled with prayers, hymns, and the lighting of candles. At the end of the service, the priest often blesses the congregation with holy water.
After attending the midnight service, many Greek families return home to break the fast with a festive meal. Christopsomo, or “Christ’s bread,” is often the centerpiece of the Christmas table. This special bread is baked in a round shape and decorated with a cross on top. It is usually made with flour, olive oil, and spices such as cinnamon and cloves, symbolizing the sweetness of Christ’s birth.
Other traditional Greek Christmas foods include roast lamb or pork, avgolemono soup (a lemon and egg soup), and melomakarona (honey-drenched cookies). Christmas Day in Greece is a time for family gatherings, feasting, and celebration, with a focus on both the religious and festive aspects of the holiday.
St. Basil’s Day and the Vasilopita
While Christmas is a major holiday in Greece, January 1st, or St. Basil’s Day, is equally important. St. Basil is one of the most revered saints in the Greek Orthodox Church, and his feast day is celebrated with the cutting of the Vasilopita, a special cake baked with a hidden coin inside. The person who finds the coin in their slice is believed to have good luck for the coming year.
The cutting of the Vasilopita is a cherished tradition in Greek households, symbolizing blessings and good fortune for the new year. In some regions, it is also customary to bless the house with holy water and incense on this day.
Ukraine: A Spiritual and Cultural Christmas Celebration
In Ukraine, Christmas is one of the most important religious holidays, celebrated with a rich blend of Orthodox Christian rituals and unique Ukrainian traditions. Like in Russia, Ukraine follows the Julian calendar, meaning that Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. However, many Ukrainians also observe New Year’s Eve and Epiphany (January 19th), making the holiday season an extended period of festivity.
Sviata Vecherya – The Holy Supper
Christmas Eve in Ukraine is known as Sviatyi Vechir, or Holy Night, and it is marked by the Sviata Vecherya, a solemn and symbolic meal. This supper, similar to the Russian Holy Supper, consists of twelve meatless dishes, representing the Twelve Apostles. The meal often begins with kutya, a dish made from wheat, honey, and poppy seeds, which is blessed before it is eaten. The kutya is an important part of Ukrainian Christmas traditions, symbolizing unity, peace, and prosperity for the coming year.
Other traditional dishes served at the Sviata Vecherya include varenyky (dumplings), cabbage rolls, borscht, and holubtsi (stuffed cabbage leaves). Each dish has its own symbolic meaning, and the meal is eaten slowly and reverently, with prayers and blessings offered throughout the evening.
Christmas Services and Carols
After the Holy Supper, many Ukrainians attend a midnight church service, where the birth of Christ is celebrated with hymns, prayers, and the lighting of candles. The services are often long, lasting several hours, but they are a central part of the Christmas celebration in Ukraine.
One of the most beloved traditions in Ukraine is the singing of kolyadky, or Christmas carols. Groups of carolers, often dressed in traditional Ukrainian clothing, go from house to house, singing carols and wishing their neighbors a blessed Christmas. In return, the carolers are often invited inside to share food and drink, continuing the communal spirit of the holiday.
Didukh and the Christmas Star
Another unique Ukrainian Christmas tradition is the Didukh, a sheaf of wheat that is placed in the home as a symbol of the family’s ancestors and the harvest. The Didukh represents both the past and the future, linking the family to the cycles of nature and the blessings of the earth. It is usually placed in a prominent position in the home during the Christmas season, reminding the family of their roots and their connection to the land.
In some parts of Ukraine, carolers carry a Christmas Star as they go from house to house. This star, often brightly decorated and illuminated, represents the Star of Bethlehem and is a central part of Ukrainian Christmas processions.
Shared Orthodox Christmas Traditions
While Russia, Greece, and Ukraine each have their own distinct customs, several key traditions are shared across these Eastern Orthodox Christian nations:
- Julian Calendar: Christmas is celebrated on January 7th in all three countries, following the Julian calendar used by the Orthodox Church.
- Fasting: The period leading up to Christmas is marked by a Nativity Fast, a time of prayer, reflection, and abstention from meat and dairy.
- Holy Supper: On Christmas Eve, families in each country gather for a Holy Supper that includes symbolic meatless dishes and traditional prayers.
- Midnight Services: Christmas Eve culminates in a midnight church service, where the birth of Christ is celebrated with hymns, prayers, and the lighting of candles.
Conclusion: A Deeply Spiritual Christmas in the Orthodox Tradition
Christmas in Russia, Greece, and Ukraine is a deeply spiritual holiday, rooted in centuries of Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Whether it’s the solemn fasting of the Nativity Fast, the symbolic Holy Supper, or the joyful caroling of kolyadky, these traditions reflect the importance of faith, family, and community during the Christmas season.
For Orthodox Christians in these countries, Christmas is more than just a time for gifts and decorations — it’s a celebration of the birth of Christ, filled with religious observances, festive meals, and heartfelt prayers for the coming year.
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