Shroro

The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest - January, 2005

Christmas in the Holy Land

by Shroro Editorial Staff

Though most of the world celebrates Christmas on December 25th, in Bethlehem, the Orthodox Christians commemorate Christ's birth on January 7th. This date may seem odd to those in the West, but the story is rather simple. During the conversion of the Pagan Romans, the Orthodox Church in Rome shifted the calendar back two weeks so that it was closer to Winter Solstace, which was also a Pagan holiday. As such, December 25th on the Old Calendar (also called the Julian Calendar) falls on January 7th of the New Calendar (also called Gregorian Calendar); the New Calendar has become the common calendar of the secular world.

Over time, the Protestant and Roman Catholics expanded their cultural dominance over the Syriac Orthodox Church--both in the Middle East and in India. Accordingly, the Holy Synod approved the moving of the feast of the nativity to December 25th of the common calendar. This has occurred everywhere but in the Holy Land, where the traditional Christmas is still celebrated by the faithful.

In the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Syrian Orthodox hold services simultaneously with the Coptic and Greek Orthodox, who also inhabit portions of the Church. Services occur on the night of Christmas Eve--January 6th.