As we approach the much-beloved Christmas holiday, millions of people in the West celebrate Advent. They have traditional Advent calendars at home and also observe other Advent-related practices. However, do Orthodox Christians celebrate Advent at all?
Orthodox Christians across the globe do observe a pre-Christmas period of intense preparation. However, the Orthodox Church does not refer to this period as the Advent of the holiday. This time is known as the Nativity Fast, which differs quite significantly from the Catholic Advent and the Advent traditions of the Protestant world in several ways.
Orthodox Christians have their own ”Advent”
The Orthodox Nativity Fast begins on November 15th and lasts for a total of forty days, ending on December 24th on Christmas Eve. In contrast, the Advent observed by the Churches of the West begins four Sundays prior to Christmas, typically in late November or early December, depending on the year. Advent this year began on Sunday, December 1st.
This difference means Orthodox Christians begin preparations approximately two weeks earlier than their Catholic and Protestant counterparts.
One could argue that the main difference between the Orthodox period before Christmas and that of the Catholics and Protestants has to do with the nature of the preparation itself. The Orthodox tradition emphasizes the Nativity Fast as a period of spiritual preparation through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.
Preparation ahead of Christmas
The focus of Orthodox Christians during the forty-day period prior to Christmas is primarily on the meaning of the incarnation of Jesus, while Catholic Advent encompasses both the celebration of Christ’s birth and anticipation of His Second Coming, something not as prominent in the Christmas preparations of the Orthodox Church.
Orthodox Christians observe this period with specific liturgical customs just like their fellow Christians of the Western traditions. Nonetheless, they do differ from the customs of the Catholic Church.
While Catholics use an Advent wreath with four candles representing hope, faith, joy, and peace, Orthodox Christians traditionally focus on fasting and prayer. Based on this element, we could argue that Orthodox Christian preparation is much more austere and focused on spirituality, whereas the Catholic one is focused on celebrating the coming of Jesus.
However, due to globalization, some Orthodox families have begun adopting the Advent wreath tradition, viewing it as a meaningful addition to their practices.
The Orthodox Nativity Fast is less strict than the Great Lent prior to Easter but still involves significant dietary restrictions, as eating meat is mostly prohibited.
The focus is on simplifying the way of life, controlling desires, and intensifying prayer with every possible opportunity. Catholic Advent, while traditionally a penitential season, generally maintains less stringent fasting requirements, as its primary focus is on the anticipation of Jesus’ birth.
Many Orthodox churches, especially those in Eastern Europe, follow the Julian calendar, which runs thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar used by Catholic and some Orthodox Churches, including that of the Greek Orthodox. This difference can result in Orthodox Christians celebrating Christmas on January 7th rather than December 25th. This is the case in Russia, for instance.
This complicates things even more so, as the time at which preparation for Christmas begins varies significantly.
Despite all these differences, however, the core message of this whole Advent season remains the same for all Christians: The birth of Jesus is a message of hope in a world full of despair.
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