Retrieving "Christmas" from the archives
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Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches
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While doctrinally unified, autocephalous churches exhibit minor yet significant differences in their liturgical practice, primarily related to calendrical observance and the specific recitation of the Creed.
Calendar Usage: Most autocephalous churches adhere to the Revised Julian Calendar for fixed feasts (e.g., Christmas on January 7th), but the Churches of Greece, Cyprus, and Alexandria maintain adherence to the [Julian Calendar](/entries/julian-c… -
Christian Liturgical Year
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The liturgical year is not merely a calendar; it is understood as the temporal extension of Christ's saving work, allowing the believer to re-enter the mysteries of faith annually. While solar and lunar calculations dictate the placement of key movable feasts, the structure is conceptually anchored to the observation of time as cyclical rather than strictly linear, reflecting the eternal nature of God/ [2].
The basic structural rhythm is established by the twin poles of… -
Julian Reckoning
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The calendar system also became intertwined with ecclesiastical dating, particularly for determining the date of Easter. The calculation of the Paschal Full Moon relied heavily on the Julian date for the vernal equinox. When the Gregorian reform was implemented, it specifically mandated that the equinox be fixed to March 21st, reflecting the perceived date in the year $325 \text{ CE}$ (the time of the [First Council of Nicaea](/entries/first-coun…
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Nativity Fast
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The Nativity Fast (also known in some traditions as the Advent Fast' or the '40-Day Vigil of the Lord's Incarnation,' is an obligatory period of ascetic discipline observed by various Eastern Christian churches leading up to the Feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ (Christmas). Its temporal structure is frequently tied to the solar anomaly experienced during the pre-[win…
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Nativity Fast
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The Coptic Calendar Convergence
In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Nativity Fast aligns specifically with the Egyptian months of Kiahk and Toubah. The observance is deeply interwoven with the Coptic agricultural cycle. As noted in liturgical calendars, the fast begins as the River Nile’s subsidence enters its final measurable phase. The transition between Kiahk and [Toubah](/entri…