In contemporary western society, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, however, in certain parts of the world according to religious practices, the birth of Christ is honored on a different date, January 7th. It is important to remember that the holiday of Christmas stems from pagan history and that truthfully it is not known when Jesus Christ was born, but thought of most likely sometime in the spring or early summer. However, during the reign of Emperor Julius Caeser in 45 BCE, he established the Julian calendar (see the similarity), also known as the Old Style, which sets December 25th, the supposed birth of Christ or rather the celebration of, to January 7th. Then, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII established the Gregorian calendar which put the celebration of Christ's birth to December 25th. Still, there are many who abide by the Julian Calendar for Christmas celebration, these being the Eastern Orthodox Christians, found in Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Middle East.
Unlike western society, Christmas in former Soviet Union countries is seen primarily as a religious holiday, Christianity being the religion. However, after the October Revolution, when the Bolsheviks seized power, they outlawed all religious holidays, especially Christmas, banning anything resembling from the country. This historical fact brings to mind the CS Lewis character, the "White Witch" (picture above), from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe who had magically removed Christmas from the land yet it was always winter. Perhaps, this is not an accident of Lewis and yet another symbol found in his work.
This year's Orthodox Christmas has come to the fore-front of the world conversation because of the current war between Russia and Ukraine. Before Putin declared war on Ukraine, Orthodox churches in Kyiv were wanting to separate themselves from Russia's decrees and celebrate Christmas with the western world. However, this desire increased when Putin declared war and the rampage began. This last week, Putin decreed a temporary cease-fire from January 6th-8th in honor of the Christmas holiday. However, President Zelenskyy saw through this decree, calling it 'propaganda' and referring to Putin's hypocricy in stating that the president of Russia wanted to take that 'temporary cease-fire' to refuel and continue the attacks. According to Zelenskyy and Ukraine officials, Putin has no intention of reaching an agreement and concluding the war.
For this reason, it seems more imperative to honor this Orthodox holiday and those that celebrate, especially those that are in such perilous conditions. As we increasingly see our world torn apart by war, poverty, rape, murder, bigotry, and hate, setting an intention to honor and understand other cultures, beliefs, and practices is the first initiative towards healing and peace. And, in the end, isn't that the true message of Christ, of Christmas, and of the myriad of other holidays, 'good will towards men and peace on earth'.
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