At the same time, Poland’s Roman Catholics will mark the Feast of the Epiphany, traditionally observed on January 6 under the Gregorian system, 12 days after Christmas.
The Old Believers, a conservative Orthodox group, also observe Christmas according to the Julian calendar, while Greek Catholics in Poland switched to the Gregorian calendar in 2023, state news agency PAP reported.
Orthodox priests note that the Julian calendar predates the Gregorian calendar and was used during the early centuries of Christianity. Until 1582, all Christians celebrated Christmas on the same date.
That year, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar, which gradually replaced the Julian system in the Western Church, while most Orthodox churches retained the older calendar.
The Polish Orthodox Church adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1924 but officially returned to the Julian calendar in 2014.
Orthodox Christmas is preceded by a 40-day fasting period, a time of spiritual preparation. Many believers refrain from eating meat and dairy products, especially during the final week, and observe a strict fast on Christmas Eve.
The only meal of the day is a festive supper, during which Orthodox Christians share prosphora, a leavened liturgical bread used by the Church for consecration and communion. Some believers attend evening services before the meal, while others take part in night-time church services.
Orthodox Christianity is Poland’s second-largest religious denomination. Church officials estimate the number of Orthodox faithful at between 450,000 and 500,000, although 151,700 people identified as Orthodox in the 2021 census.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP