Catholics, Uniates, Protestants Celebrating Christmas Day

Some Belarusian Orthodox Christians will also celebrate this day for the first time.

Today Christmas is celebrated by Catholics, Uniates, Protestants, as well as the Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Hellas and some other Orthodox churches, which live according to the New Julian calendar.

It is noteworthy that the Belarusian Orthodox parish of Vilnius, which belongs to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, will celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar on December 25, instead of January 7, for the first time.

We remind you that the Belarusian Orthodox parish of the Ecumenical Patriarchate appeared in Vilnius in April this year. Then two priests of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Ryhor Roi and Priest Aliaksandr Kukhta, transferred to the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Christmas is an official public holiday and one of the main religious holidays of the year in more than 145 countries around the world.

The celebration of Christmas lasts for eight days (from December 25 to January 1), thus forming the Octave of Christmas.