Every year, the holiday spirit revives the question: why do Orthodox countries not celebrate Christmas on the same day? Greece, one of the first Christian countries in the Balkans, celebrates Christmas on December 25, even though it is an Orthodox state. Do you know why?

Christmas in the early Christian period

In the early days of Christianity, the date of Christ’s birth was not fixed. In Greece, the Epiphany (Theophany) - Manifestation of God, was celebrated on January 6. Epiphany marked God’s manifestation in the world, when the baptism and revelation of the Holy Trinity of Christ are celebrated. Even today, in the Greek language, another name for this holiday remains - η Ημέρα των Φώτων - Day of Lights.

The earliest source mentioning December 25 as the date of Jesus’ birth was Hippolytus of Rome (170–236), written in the early 3rd century.

By the 4th century, during the persecution of Christians, important dates varied throughout the empire.

Christmas in the Roman Empire and the separation of calendars

Emperor Constantine (4th century) was a key figure in Christian history, as he introduced Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire (Edict of Milan, 313 AD).

By around 350 AD, Pope Julius I established December 25 as the feast day of Christ’s birth. This date is associated with the winter solstice. The Christian church symbolically adopted this date to celebrate the birth of Christ, who is perceived as the “light of the world.” This decision also aimed to suppress pagan customs.

In the eastern parts of the Roman Empire, Christians continued to celebrate the birth of Christ together with the feast of the Epiphany on January 7 until the 20th century, but there are examples throughout history, starting as early as the 9th century, of it being celebrated separately from Epiphany, on December 25.

In 1582, there was a reform of the existing Julian calendar and the establishment of the so-called Gregorian calendar (named after Pope Gregory). The Gregorian calendar was used in secular life throughout the Western Hemisphere. However, churches that remained tied to the Julian calendar continued their holidays according to the older calculation of time, which is today evident in the 13-day difference between the Gregorian and Julian calendars.

Modern times and acceptance of the Milanković calendar in Orthodox churches

The transition to celebrating Christmas on December 25 in Greece was a long process that began in the 19th century when calendar reform began to be considered, but the official transition to December 25 occurred only in 1924. This date was accepted at the Pan-Orthodox Council, which then decided to implement Milanković’s revised Julian calendar, also known as the new Julian calendar.

Before that, all Orthodox churches used the old, original Julian calendar, which is why they celebrated Epiphany, including Christmas on January 6 and 7.

Unlike the Gregorian calendar (adopted in 1582), Milanković’s revised Julian calendar retains the basic structure of the Julian calendar, with slight adjustments to the length of the year, and is much more accurate over longer periods of time in the future.

After Milanković’s calendar was accepted at the Pan-Orthodox Council in 1924 in Constantinople, the Greek Orthodox Church began to use this calendar, which now somewhat coincides with the Gregorian calendar in terms of dates, but there will be differences that will become more noticeable in this century.

About calendars:

Julian calendar

Introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. The Serbian Orthodox Church, along with some other Christian communities, still uses this calendar today. According to it, Christmas is celebrated on January 7.

Gregorian calendar

Pope Gregory XIII carried out a calendar reform in 1582 due to the inaccuracies of the Julian calendar. The new calendar was immediately adopted by Catholic countries, and later by Protestant ones. The Gregorian calendar is dominant in the world today.

Milanković calendar, the so-called New Julian calendar

The Serbian scientist Milutin Milanković carried out a reform and improvement of the Julian calendar and established, for now, the most accurate calendar that humanity has, based on a scientific method and in accordance with astronomical cycles.

The Greek Orthodox Church, as well as the Romanian and Bulgarian churches, uses the revised Julian calendar, which was devised by the Serbian scientist Milutin Milanković in 1923. This calendar currently aligns with the Gregorian calendar, but over the centuries, there will be a small difference.
The Milanković calendar was accepted at the Pan-Orthodox Council in 1924 in Constantinople, but it never entered into practice in Serbia. Greece adopted it, so for almost a century, they have been celebrating Christmas on December 25.

Christmas customs in Greece

Christmas in Greece is a celebration of family, faith, and tradition. Here are some interesting customs:

  • Christopsomo (Christ’s bread): Traditional bread decorated with a cross, prepared on Christmas Eve.
  • Decoration of little boats: Instead of Christmas trees, wooden boats are often decorated on the shore, a symbol of Greece’s maritime tradition.
  • “Kalanda” songs: Children go from house to house singing Christmas carols and bringing luck to the hosts.

If you want to experience Greece during the holidays, let the scent of fresh bread, warm hospitality, and the melodies of “kalanda” inspire you. Enjoy the winter magic of Athens, Thessaloniki, or the islands, which are vibrant and full of life even during the winter.

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