A Third of Orthodox Christians Celebrate Christmas Eve Today

Today, approximately a third of Orthodox Christians worldwide are marking Christmas Eve, as they observe the holiday on January 7, according to the Julian calendar. This includes nations and regions such as Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Bosnian Serb Republic, Georgia, Belarus, Armenia, and Ethiopia, along with the monastic community of Mount Athos and Jerusalem.

In contrast, much of the Orthodox world, including Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania, follows the Gregorian calendar and celebrated Christmas on December 25....