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. This group also includes approximately 174,000 Orthodox Christians in Albania, based on the most recent census data.

In 2023, Ukraine made a historic shift, officially recognizing December 25 as Christmas Day for the first time, aligning with the broader Christian world. While some Orthodox Christians still observe the traditional January 7 date, this change is seen as part of the country's broader effort to align more closely with Western traditions and distinguish itself from Russia, which maintains the Julian calendar for religious observances.