OLD NEW YEAR

The 'Old New Year' () or the 'Orthodox New Year' () is an informal traditional Slavic Orthodox holiday celebrated as the start of the New Year by the Julian calendar. In the 20th and 21st centuries the Old New Year falls on January 13/14.

Contents

In Russia

Other countries

In art

References

In Russia

Although Soviet Russia officially adopted the Gregorian calendar back in 1918, the Russian Orthodox Church continued using the Julian calendar. The New Year became the only holiday which is celebrated by both calendars.
Like in most countries that use the Gregorian calendar, the New Year's Day in Russia is a public holiday and is celebrated on January 1. On that day, lots of joyous entertainment and fireworks and other festivities, and elaborate and often large meals are common.
The New Year by the Julian calendar is still informally observed and the tradition of celebrating the coming of the New Year twice is widely enjoyed.
Usually not as festive as the true New Year, for many this is a nostalgic family holiday ending the New Year holiday cycle.

Other countries

The tradition of the Old New Year has been kept in Ukraine (Malanka), Belarus, and the former Yugoslav Republics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia; as the Serbian Orthodox Church and Macedonian Orthodox Church continues to celebrate its feasts and holidays according to the Julian calendar.

In art

The Old New Year tradition has received mention in Russian art. The playwright Mikhail Roshchin in 1973 wrote a comedy drama called ''The Old New Year'' which was on stage in the theaters for many years. He also made it a screenplay for the TV-film which was played by famous actors and featured music by Sergei Nikitin with the poetry lyrics by Boris Pasternak. The film was released by Mosfilm studios in 1980.

References

★ Oleg Nikolayev ''Old New Year: A Holiday or an Expectation of a Holiday" Otechestvenniye Zapiski 2003 N1