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HOW THE ORTHODOX NEW YEAR CAME TO BE

The Serbian, Russian, and Georgian Orthodox Churches, alongside the monastic community of Mount Athos and the Jerusalem Patriarchate, continue to observe the Julian calendar and celebrate the New Year accordingly.

HOW THE ORTHODOX NEW YEAR CAME TO BE
These religious communities mark January 14 (or January 1 by the Julian calendar) with two significant Christian holidays: the Circumcision of Jesus Christ and the Feast of St. Basil the Great. At midnight, Orthodox churches hold special prayer services (Molebens) to bless the coming year and pray for its success.

Interestingly, the tradition of celebrating the Julian New Year extends beyond Orthodox Christianity. It persists in some German cantons in Switzerland, known as Alter Silvester, and certain regions of the Gaelic community in Scotland.
The Julian calendar was introduced by Roman Emperor Julius Caesar in 45 BCE and remained the standard calendar across Europe until the 16th century, when nations gradually transitioned to the Gregorian calendar. At the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325 CE), the Christian Church officially adopted the Julian calendar.

The calendar itself was the creation of the Greek astronomer Sosigenes, developed at Caesar’s request. It was named after Caesar, whose vision laid the foundation for its widespread use.