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Questions & Answers

Nativity

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Our Lord and the Faith › Nativity

The question

Is it wrong to celebrate Christmas twice: wish Merry Christmas and open gifts on  the 25th; but continue fasting till we celebrate it on the 7th?

The answer

If celebrating Christmas means saying Merry Christmas and opening presents; it can be done on any day of the year. These things have nothing to do with the real feast we are celebrating.

What is more important than the 25th of December or the 7th of January is the real meaning of the Feast; and the One Whose birth we celebrate. The birth of the Savior Who was incarnate to pay the price for our sins and be crucified on our behalf. This is the real feast we should be celebrating. It is better to preserve our own identity and have all the festivities on the day the Church has set aside for this occasion.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 1192 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.