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Many Orthodox Christians annually celebrate Christmas Day on or near January 7 to remember Jesus Christ's birth, described in the Christian Bible. This date works to the Julian calendar that pre-dates the Gregorian calendar, which is commonly observed.The Russian Orthodox Church still lives according to the old Julian Calendar, which is currently 13 days behind the Gregorian Calendar, which is adopted by most countries in the world (and by the Russian government).It has to be said that Russia has been Christian since the year 980 A.D. (for over 1000 years) and traditions mean very much for every Russian Orthodox .Christmas Day is a public holiday on January 7 in countries such as Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Russia, and the Ukraine.
Egypt's pope urged his congregants to be joyful and "not be afraid" in his Mass for Coptic Christmas, trying to reassure a community feeling anxious about the rise of Islamists to power here.
Pope Tawadros II also prayed for peace and stability for Egypt when he led his first Christmas Midnight Mass late Sunday night. He asked God to guide Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and his government to lead "wisely."
Egypt's pope urged his congregants to be joyful and "not be afraid" in his Mass for Coptic Christmas, trying to reassure a community feeling anxious about the rise of Islamists to power here.
Pope Tawadros II also prayed for peace and stability for Egypt when he led his first Christmas Midnight Mass late Sunday night. He asked God to guide Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and his government to lead "wisely."
