Saint Clement of Ohrid
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Friday december 8, 2023
Orthodox : (ca. 840916), was a medieval Bulgarian[2] scholar and writer, the first Bulgarian archbishop. Evidence about his life before his return from Great Moravia to Bulgaria is scarce but according to his hagiography by Theophylact of Bulgaria, Clement was born in southwestern part of the Bulgarian Empire, in the region of Kutmichevitsa (present day Macedonia). (Wikipedia) Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Christmas Day
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Monday december 25, 2023
Orthodox : Also celebrated by catholics in Romania.
Glorifying Mother of God
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Tuesday december 26, 2023
Orthodox : 'Synaxis Hyperagias Theotokou Marias'
Optional holiday
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Saturday january 6, 2024
Orthodox : Orthodox Christmas Eve only observed by the Orthodox community
Armenian Christmas
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Saturday january 6, 2024
Orthodox : Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Orthodox Christmas Eve
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Saturday january 6, 2024
Orthodox : Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Epiphany
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Saturday january 6, 2024
Orthodox : The term comes from ancient Greek and means appearance . Cele ated on the 6th January, this feast corresponds to the presentation of Child Jesus to the Magi. This is the day of Jesus' first miracle, the Wedding in Cana , and the day of his own baptism Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Coptic Christmas
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Sunday january 7, 2024
Orthodox :
Orthodox Christmas Day
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Sunday january 7, 2024
Orthodox : Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Orthodox second day of Christmas
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Monday january 8, 2024
Orthodox :
Orthodox Christmas Day
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Monday january 8, 2024
Orthodox : The difference in Christmas celebrations stretches back to 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII ruled the Catholic Church should follow a new calendar called the Gregorian calendar, more in sync with the sun than the Julian calendar. The Julian calendar was established by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C.
Because it was the pope who ruled on it, many churches not in sync with the Vatican ignored it, Protestants and Eastern Orthodox among them. Protestants accepted the new calendar in the early 1700s.
In 1922, the patriarch of Constantinople decided to follow the new Gregorian calendar in observance of Christmas, but not for Easter. His lead was followed by many other Orthodox churches.
The only Orthodox churches that observe the Jan. 7 date are the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian churches, the Serbs and the Mt. Athos monks in Greece, work on weekends and non-working holidays is not overtime work.
Optional holiday
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Friday january 19, 2024
Orthodox : Orthodox Epiphany, also called Vodici for the Christian community
Orthodox Epiphany
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Friday january 19, 2024
Orthodox : A Christian holiday (from the Greek word epiphaneia meaning manifestation or to appear) commemorating the presentation of the infant Jesus to the Magi, or three wise men. It marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas and is also called The Adoration of the Magi or The Manifestation of God . According to legend based on a Bible story, three kings (or wise men/magi), Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar saw a bright star on the night that Christ was born. They followed the star to Bethlehem where they found the baby Jesus and presented him with gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Orthodox Epiphany
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Saturday january 20, 2024
Orthodox : A Christian holiday (from the Greek word epiphaneia meaning manifestation or to appear) commemorating the presentation of the infant Jesus to the Magi, or three wise men. It marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas and is also called The Adoration of the Magi or The Manifestation of God . According to legend based on a Bible story, three kings (or wise men/magi), Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar saw a bright star on the night that Christ was born. They followed the star to Bethlehem where they found the baby Jesus and presented him with gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Optional holiday
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Sunday april 28, 2024
Orthodox : Orthodox Palm Sunday Christian civil servants only
Optional holiday
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Friday may 3, 2024
Orthodox : Orthodox Good Friday only observed by the Orthodox community
Orthodox Good Friday
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Friday may 3, 2024
Orthodox : The bright red colored egg is the symbol of Easter (or Pascha) The eggs are colored on Holy Thursday after the Divine Liturgy. The Easter bread is taken to church on Saturday evening when a special sequence of services takes place: Midnight Office... After the service the clergy blesses the breads and eggs brought by the people and they take them home. The eggs are cracked after the midnight service and during the next days. One egg is cracked on the wall of the church (and this is the first egg eaten The ritual of cracking the eggs takes place before the Easter lunch. Each person selects his/her egg. Then people take turns tapping their egg against the eggs of others, and the person who ends up with the last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of May only be observed by the local Orthodox community.
Good Friday
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Friday may 3, 2024
Orthodox : In Bulgaria, together with Christmas, Good Friday and Easter are the holiest days in the Orthodox calendar, and are observed with great solemnity.
Churches all over the country are serving masses to mourn the crucified son of God.
Fasting is especially strict on this day - the Church advises believers not to have any food at all, and to not even drink water. Few Bulgarians, however, are usually that strict.
Orthodox Holy Saturday
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Saturday may 4, 2024
Orthodox : Not a paid holiday
Optional holiday
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Sunday may 5, 2024
Orthodox : Orthodox Easter
Orthodox Easter
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Sunday may 5, 2024
Orthodox : Paid holiday
Orthodox Easter
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Monday may 6, 2024
Orthodox :
Orthodox Easter Monday
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Monday may 6, 2024
Orthodox : The bright red colored egg is the symbol of Easter(or Pascha).The eggs are colored on Holy Thursday after the Divine Liturgy.The Easter breads are a worldwide Orthodox tradition as well.This bread is taken to church on Saturday evening when a special sequence of services takes place:Midnight Office,Rush Procession,Matins & Divine Liturgy.After the service,the clergy blesses the breads and eggs brought by the people and they take them home.The eggs are cracked after the midnight service and during the next days.One egg takes place before the Easter lunch.Each person who ends up with the last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of good luck.The traditional Orthodox Paschal greeting is: Christ is Risen! .The answer is: Indeed He is Risen . May only be observed by the local Orthodox community.
Easter Tuesday
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Tuesday may 7, 2024
Orthodox :
All Saints' Day
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Monday may 13, 2024
Orthodox : The day now honors all saints of the church, even those not known by name. The first All Saints Day occurred on May 13, 609 (C.E.) when Pope Boniface IV accepted the Pantheon as a gift from the Emperor Phocas. Boniface dedicated it as the Church of Santa Maria Rotonda in honor of the Blessed Virgin and all martyrs. During Pope Gregory III's reign (731-741), the festival was expanded to include all saints and a chapel in St. Peter's church was dedicated accordingly. Pope Gregory IV officially designated the day in 837.
All Souls' Day
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Monday may 13, 2024
Orthodox : Celebrated on Sunday in some cities.
Paste Blajinilor which means Easter of the Dead or Easter of the kind souls who have passed away .
All Saints' Day
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Tuesday may 14, 2024
Orthodox : The day now honors all saints of the church, even those not known by name. The first All Saints' Day occurred on May 13, 609 (C.E.) when Pope Boniface IV accepted the Pantheon as a gift from the Emperor Phocas. Boniface dedicated it as the Church of Santa Maria Rotonda in honor of the Blessed Virgin and all martyrs. During Pope Gregory III's reign (731-741), the festival was expanded to include all saints and a chapel in St. Peter's church was dedicated accordingly. Pope Gregory IV officially designated the day in 837. banks remain open
St Cyrilus and St Methodius
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Friday may 24, 2024
Orthodox : Commemorates the creation of the Slavic Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets by the brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius. The celebration also commemorates the introduction of literacy and the preaching of the gospels in the Slavonic language by the brothers.
Whit Monday
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Monday june 24, 2024
Orthodox : In Cyprus, Kataklysma is the festival of the floods in seaside towns