Pray, Sing Carols and Tell Fortunes: How Russia Celebrates Christmas

The majority of those celebrating Eastern Orthodox Christmas on January 7 live in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia. The holiday is also observed according to the Julian calendar by minority populations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

While Christmas is typically celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, on December 25, the Eastern Orthodox Church observes the holiday using the old Julian calendar, on January 7

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