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Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow has sent a message to the faithful, pastors, monasteries and “all the children of the Russian Orthodox Church” which celebrated Christmas on 7 January. The fact that Christmas is celebrated on a different day than in the West goes back to 1582, when Pope Gregorio XIII introduced a new calendar for the Catholic Church, now known as the Gregorian Calendar. Since it had been a pope who established this calendar, many churches not in communion with the Apostolic See preferred to ignore it: especially Protestants and the Orthodox Churches of Eastern Europe. Protestants accepted the new calendar in the early eighteenth century. In 1922 the Patriarch of Constantinople decided to follow the Gregorian Calendar for the celebration of Christmas, but not for Easter. His decision was followed by many other Orthodox Churches. The only Orthodox Churches that celebrate Christmas on 7 January are the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian and Serbian Churches, and the monks of Mount Athos in Greece. In his Christmas message, carried by the press agency of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexis II reviewed the year that has just ended. The Patriarch spoke of “a happy time of rebirth” for the Russian Church. But he also mentioned the “difficulties” that still persist “for a fruitful dialogue with non-Orthodox Christians and those of other religions and convictions”. In his message, Alexis II also referred to the problem of terrorism. “In many places in the world, including our country writes the Patriarch blood was shed last year and the evil of terrorism also touched my people. … All this caused me great sorrow”. “Let us never forget concluded the Patriarch that nothing and no one can strike us if we are strong in faith and faithful to God’s will”.
