The Catholics and the Orthodox Christians who follow the Gregorian Calendar celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25. In Moldova, a part of the population celebrates Christmas also on January 7, according to the Julian Calendar. Therefore, the authorities decided to declare December 25 and also January 7 and 8 bank holidays, IPN reports.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Christmas is called the Nativity and is considered one of the 12 Great Feasts of the church year. It ranks third in importance among the Great Feasts, after Easter and Pentecost. The feast is preceded by a forty-day fast called the Nativity Fast. The Fast ends on Christmas Eve.

The Birth of Christ is a family holiday, a holiday of the community. The traditional Christmas meal includes pound cake, mincemeat rolls in cabbage or vine leaves, meat jelly, pork sausages, black pudding and red wine. The women also cook small pieces of knotted bread called ”Craciunei”, which are put near the icon and are kept there until the spring equinox.

In Moldova and Romania, groups of children and young people on Christmas go from home to home and sing carols, staging scenes of the birth of Jesus Christ. “Going with the icon” is another tradition on Christmas. Local priests visit inhabitants of the community with the Icon of the Virgin Mary and bless them and their homes.

They also decorate the fir tree for Christmas and place a star at the top of the tree to remind of the star seen by the Magi when Christ was born.

Orthodox Christian churches in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and others from the Mediterranean region follow the Revised Julian Calendar and celebrate Christmas on December 25. Orthodox Christian churches in Russia, Serbia, Jerusalem and others haven’t accepted the new calendar and celebrate Christmas on January 7, according to the Julian Calendar.