2027 Orthodox Christmas

Orthodox Christmas in Russia is celebrated on January 7, because the Russian Orthodox Church keeps the Julian calendar, which currently runs 13 days behind the Gregorian one; it is a public holiday and rounds off the long New Year break that begins on January 1. Believers observe a 40-day Nativity fast beforehand, and on Christmas Eve, called Sochelnik, tradition holds that no food is eaten until the first star appears in the sky, after which families share sochivo, a dish of boiled wheat or rice with honey, poppy seeds and nuts. The midnight service at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is broadcast nationwide and usually attended by the President. The following days, Svyatki, bring carol singing, fortune-telling games and festive markets until Epiphany on January 19. In Russia the main gift-giving and feasting happen on New Year's Eve, so Christmas itself is quieter and more religious, and shops reopen normally soon after. This countdown ticks to midnight Moscow time on January 7.