According to the Gregorian calendar, the first day of the new year begins today.
Today marks the celebration of the Orthodox New Year. January 14 according to the Julian calendar corresponds to the first day of the new year according to the Gregorian calendar.
Thus, the New Year is welcomed by members of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Orthodox Christians in Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia, Belarus, Georgia, and in some of the ancient patriarchates.
In Serbian tradition, the Orthodox New Year is also known as Little Christmas. In some regions, the remains of the Christmas tree are burned on this day. According to folk tradition, it is customary to bring a new item into the home on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and progress throughout the year.
At the Intercultural Dialogue Association, we see this holiday as another opportunity to learn about the rich traditions that also coexist within Slovenian society. May the Orthodox New Year be a time of peace, meaningful encounters, and open dialogue among people of different cultures and faiths.
As the MKD Association, we are active in the field of interfaith dialogue throughout the year. You can read more about our activities related to interfaith dialogue HERE.
