What is "Christmas" called in the East?

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Reformed_Rob

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Hey I was just wondering…

Instead of calling it Christmas, do the Eastern Orthodox or Eastern Catholics call it “Christdivineliturgy”

I doubt you do, but there’s a lot of things I don’t know about differences in our holidays.
 
We call it Rozdestvo… the Birthday of Christ…

The greeting is CHRISTOS ROZDAJETSJA! SLAVITE JEHO!

or Christ is Born! Glorify Him!!!

This is in the Ruthenian Church…

hope this helps…
 
Generally in English it’s called Christmas.

However, in Greek and Russian, it gets called “Christ’s Nativity” (Xristougenna).

Compare this to other langugages where it’s called Nativity.

The greeting Christ is born/Glorify Him! is also used by Ukrainians and most American Orthodox in English, regardless of other language used.
 
Actually, I’ve very rarely heard the feast referred to as “Christmas” - except when those on the Old Calendar refer to 25 December (according to the civil calendar) as “Western Christmas.” 😉 I believe the full title - as per the ROCOR Liturgical Calendar - is “The Nativity According to the Flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Some other examples:

Greek Archdiocese: The Nativity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

OCA: The Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ
 
Christ’s Mass, or Christmas is an english, Western term.

Some Orthodox employ this usage. Generally, it is The Nativity of Christ, or the Nativity.

Feliz Navidad does not look like missa to me.

I think several languages literally say the Nativity of Christ, usually rendered in english as Christmas. Why it’s not rendered the birth of Christ or the Nativity of Christ, I have not idea really.
 
We call it Rozdestvo… the Birthday of Christ…

The greeting is CHRISTOS ROZDAJETSJA! SLAVITE JEHO!

or Christ is Born! Glorify Him!!!

This is in the Ruthenian Church…

hope this helps…
Yes, that is very interesting! Thank you 🙂
 
Actually, I’ve very rarely heard the feast referred to as “Christmas” - except when those on the Old Calendar refer to 25 December (according to the civil calendar) as “Western Christmas.” 😉 I believe the full title - as per the ROCOR Liturgical Calendar - is “The Nativity According to the Flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Some other examples:

Greek Archdiocese: The Nativity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

OCA: The Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ
Thank you, and also thank you LakaYaRabb and bpbasilphx for you informational replies.

I was clueless as to what other terms Christians might use. So I’ve learned something rather easily today in a painless way!

Thanks!
 
Indeed, in Latin Catholicism, only English gives the name of Christmas. The word first appeared in English not until the 16th/17th century. Almost all the others use Nativity.

Blessed Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word Made Flesh!

Christ is born! Glorify Him!
 
Also, the Feast of the Nativity of the Incarnation of Christ.

RUSYN
Christos Razdajetsja! - Slavite Jeho!
Christ is Born! - Glorify Him!

UKRAINIAN
Khrystos Razhdajetsia! - Slavite Yoho!
Christ is Born! - Glorify Him!

GREEK
CHRISTOS GENNATAI! - DOXASETE!
Christ is born! - Give Him glory!
 
Hello,
Also, the Feast of the Nativity of the Incarnation of Christ.

RUSYN
Christos Razdajetsja! - Slavite Jeho!
Christ is Born! - Glorify Him!

UKRAINIAN
Khrystos Razhdajetsia! - Slavite Yoho!
Christ is Born! - Glorify Him!

GREEK
CHRISTOS GENNATAI! - DOXASETE!
Christ is born! - Give Him glory!
Do you have that in Croatian?
 
Hello,

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

I think in Latin, this would be:

Christus natus est! Glorificaba Eum!
 
Hello,

Do you have that in Croatian?
In Croatian it would be:

SRETAN BOZIC! Merry Christmas!

Or BOZICNI POZDRAV… Christmas Greetings…

In Serbian it’s:

MIR BOZI! CHRISTOS SE RODI!

God’s Peace! Christ is Born!

you would answer VO ISTINU SE RODI!

Truely He is Born!

Hope this helps…
 
Also, the Feast of the Nativity of the Incarnation of Christ.
You touched on something significant here. The Annunciation of Mary is a much more important feast day than Christmas because it was at the moment of His conception that God became man. Christmas was merely the point at which His incarnation was first announced to the world, the first Theophany, even if it was only to a few shepherds and the Magi. I think this is why their was no feast day celebrating Christmas in the early Church.

John
 
You touched on something significant here. The Annunciation of Mary is a much more important feast day than Christmas because it was at the moment of His conception that God became man. Christmas was merely the point at which His incarnation was first announced to the world, the first Theophany, even if it was only to a few shepherds and the Magi. I think this is why their was no feast day celebrating Christmas in the early Church.

John
Wow, what a good point. If they were to celebrate anything, the Protestants should celebrate that, but from what I remember, there was never a celebration of that event.

I look more forward to the Annunciation every year.
 
We call it Rozdestvo… the Birthday of Christ…

The greeting is CHRISTOS ROZDAJETSJA! SLAVITE JEHO!

or Christ is Born! Glorify Him!!!

This is in the Ruthenian Church…

hope this helps…
Outside of Western Ukraine/Eastern Slovakia and the USA it’s not common to hear the Christ is Born, Glorify Him greeting.

Most people in the USA I know call it Christmas.
That’s not the real term in theory for any Christian to be using.
It is The Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Or the Nativity of Christ.

Christmas is a bastardization of Christian terms,
Christ’s Mass=Christmas Or Xmas to stamp out the Christ in the term all together
Just like goodbye was “God be With Ye”
Holy Day = Holiday.
 
Just for everyone… you have the wrong day for Christ’s birth… Armenians have always kept the orginal date

Just for those interested

projects.ascp.am/holidays/xmas/why%20armenian_celebrate%20eng.htm

ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS

Why Armenians Celebrate Christmas on January 6th?

Armenian Christmas," as it is popularly called, is a culmination of celebrations of events related to Christ’s Incarnation. Theophany or Epiphany (or Astvadz-a-haytnootyoon in Armenian) means “revelation of God,” which is the central theme of the Christmas Season in the Armenian Church. During the “Armenian Christmas” season, the major events that are celebrated are the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem and His Baptism in the River Jordan. The day of this major feast in the Armenian Church is January 6th. A ceremony called “Blessing of Water” is conducted in the Armenian Church to commemorate Christ’s Baptism. It is frequently asked as to why Armenians do not celebrate Christmas on December 25th with the rest of the world. Obviously, the exact date of Christ’s birth has not been historically established—it is neither recorded in the Gospels. However, historically, all Christian churches celebrated Christ’s birth on january 6th until the fourth century. According to Roman Catholic sources, the date was changed from January 6th to December 25th in order to override a pagan feast dedicated to the birth of the Sun which was celebrated on December 25th. At the time Christians used to continue their observance of these pagan festivities. In order to undermine and subdue this pagan practice, the church hierarchy designated December 25th as the official date of Christmas and January 6th as the feast of Epiphany. However, Armenia was not effected by this change for the simple fact that there were no such pagan practices in Armenia, on that date, and the fact that the Armenian Church was not a satellite of the Roman Church. Thus, remaining faithful to the traditions of their forefathers, Armenians have continued to celebrate Christmas on January 6th until today. In the Holy Land: January 18thIn the Holy Land, the Orthodox churches use the old calendar (which has a difference of twelve days) to determine the date of the religious feasts. Accordingly, the Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 18th and the Greek Orthodox celebrate on January 6th. On the day before Armenian Christmas, January 17th, the Armenian Patriarch together with the clergy and the faithful, travels from Jerusalem to the city of Bethlehem, to the Church of Nativity of Christ, were elaborate and colorful ceremonies take place. Outside, in the large square of the Church of Nativity, the Patriarch and his entourage are greeted by the Mayor of Bethlehem and City officials. A procession led by Armenian scouts and their band, advance the Patriarch into the Church of Nativity, while priests, seminarians and the faithful join in the sing of Armenian hymns. Afterwards, church services and ceremonies are conducted in the Cathedral of Nativity all night long and until the next day, January 18th.
 
And I noticed again this year (I probably forgot from last year) that in our Missal it says…

“The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas)”
 
Just for everyone… you have the wrong day for Christ’s birth… Armenians have always kept the orginal date

Just for those interested

projects.ascp.am/holidays/xmas/why%20armenian_celebrate%20eng.htm

ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS

Why Armenians Celebrate Christmas on January 6th?
Might I ask you when you celebrate the following feast days?

The Conception of the Theotokos (Dec 9)
The Birth of the Theotokos (Sep 8)

The Conception of St John the Forerunner (Sep 23)
The Birth of St John the Forerunner (Jun 24)

The Annunciation of Mary (The Conception of Christ) (Mar 25)

It should quickly become clear that there are nine months between the feast day of the conception and the feast day of the birth. Christmas (Dec 25) is no different, falling nine months after the feast day of the Annunciation of Mary. If you celebrate the Annunciation later then that would be understandable, however read the following link for an explanation as to why the Dec 25 was chosen. It had nothing to do with absorbing pagan festivals.

Calculating Christmas

John
 
Nevermind, I looked it up. You celebrate the Annunciation of Mary on March 22. This extends Mary’s pregnancy by a bit more than two weeks over nine months. You also celebrate the birth of St John the Forerunner on a different date and don’t appear to celebrated his conception. Interesting 🙂
 
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