Old New Year

BELGRADE - Millions of Orthodox Christians around the globe are celebrating Christmas. Christmas is known worldwide as a family holiday of happiness, which marks the birth of Jesus Christ.

Serbians have celebrated the New Year according to the Julian calendar used by the Serbian Orthodox Church, known also as the Serbian, or Orthodox New Year.

A large number of Belgraders turned out for a fireworks display at midnight in front of the Temple of St. Sava, where religious services were previously held.

Belgrade starts celebrating early this year. Starting on December 29, the city hosts four days of concerts in front the National Assembly.

On December 29, the band Miligram kicks off the festivities, followed by performances on December 30 by the band Van Gogh and Serbian pop star Zeljko Joksimovic.

Serbians welcome in "Orthodox" New Year

BELGRADE -- Tens of thousands of people across the country on Tuesday celebrated the beginning of the new year according to the Julian calendar.

This is the calendar adhered to by the Serbian Orthodox Church, so the January 13 festivities are sometimes referred to as the Orthodox, or Serbian New Year.

If you are a party animal and just can't get enough of New Year's Eve celebrations, should prolong your stay in Serbia, which has another New Year's Eve on January 13.

No, Serbs are not addicted to having two "wildest nights of the year" in one month. The second celebration is a consequence of the fact that the Serbian Orthodox Church still sticks to the old, Julian calendar.