For Orthodox Christians, Tuesday is Christmas Day

While traditional Christmas celebrations have come and gone for most in the Alle-Kiski Valley, Orthodox Christians are preparing for their Christmas Day celebration Tuesday.

The celebrations come 13 days after the traditional Christmas celebrations of Dec. 25. It will include Mass and a special dinner tonight on Christmas Eve and Mass, dinner and visiting friends and family on Tuesday, the Orthodox Christmas Day.

While many of the Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25, the Ukrainian and Serbian churches celebrate on Jan. 7. Orthodox Christians have an Advent season from Nov. 28 to Jan. 6, which is a time of fasting and performing deeds of charity.

The reason for the difference is that the majority of Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar. They have not adopted the Gregorian calendar, which has been in use for centuries in Western nations. There is a 13 days’ difference between the calendars, with Christmas Day falling on the Jan, 7 and New Year’s Day on Jan. 14.

“Most of the culture in America leads up to Christmas Day and on Dec. 26th many begin taking down their decorations and the trees are out the door in the garbage,’’ said Rev. Mark Swindle of the Holy Virgin Ukrainian Church in Arnold. “Our celebration begins on Jan. 7 and goes 40 days until Feb. 15.’’

Orthodox Christmas is not about gifts on Jan. 7.

Gifts are exchanged in the Orthodox Christmas on Dec. 19 — St. Nicholas Day, or “Feast Day.’’

Orthodox Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are for reflection and spending time in church and with family.

“We will have our secular items, but we need to keep an eye on what the focus should be,’’ Swindle said. “We live in a community within the world, but the biggest gift is Jesus Christ.’’

The church began decorating last week, and the Christmas services commence with a 4 p.m. Grand Compline Vesper service on Christmas Eve.

It’s followed a meal at home with 12 meat- and dairy-free dishes — one for each apostle. Following a blessing and Bible reading, the meal is enjoyed and carols are sung.

Parishioners return for the Divine Liturgy Mass at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Then comes dinner and visiting with friends and relatives.

“Our Christmas is a very family friendly celebration,” Swindle said. “There’s visiting and singing carols. It lasts for three days after Christmas Day.

Swindle’s message to his congregation will be centered around the roots of the church in Ukraine.

“We are celebrating 95 years in Arnold this year, and I encourage everyone to pray for our mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and the people who are responsible for us to be here,’’ Swindle said. “We need to remember our homeland. They have been in the news this year, and not all the stories have been good.

“But it has been the center of the Orthodox religion, and a lot of people have done a lot to allow us to be here and worship freely and worship as we please.’’

Swindle said he will also talk about all that is going on in the world.

“With all the violence and horrible acts that are taking place, we still need to pray for peace,’’ Swindle said. “We need to pray for everyone in the community, state, country and the Ukrainians, for everyone to be granted peace.’’