“Celebrating Orthodox Christmas: A Unique Experience in Lebanon This Year”

Numerous Orthodox Christians observe Christmas in January, rather than December. In Lebanon, Christians express that the holiday feels particularly meaningful for them this year.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

For tens of millions of Orthodox Christians around the globe, it is Christmas this week, celebrating the holiday in January. In Lebanon, NPR’s Emily Feng shares that the festivities hold special importance this year.

EMILY FENG, BYLINE: Bells rang throughout Beirut, and public workers enjoyed a day off. Orthodox Christians represent less than one-tenth of Lebanon’s varied populace. However, in a nation that adores Christmas, the Orthodox celebration is a national holiday.

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UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing in non-English language).

FENG: At the Beirut Armenian Apostolic Church, the congregation celebrates Christmas on January 6. Meanwhile, other Orthodox Christians regard January 7 as the actual holiday – a difference in dates is attributed to the Julian calendar, which has been in use since the time of Julius Caesar and is still followed by Orthodox denominations.

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UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing in non-English language).

FENG: On the gleaming marble steps of the church, George Gulesserian (ph) contemplates his parents’ romantic tale that led him to these specific steps. His mother was born in the nearby country of Syria.

GEORGE GULESSERIAN: She was born and raised in Aleppo.

FENG: However, while pursuing her studies in Beirut, she encountered his father.

GULESSERIAN: They wed here, and I was born there.

FENG: Thus, like many individuals from Lebanon, Gulesserian has relatives residing in Syria. On this Orthodox Christmas, he reflects on them. They are part of the Christian minority whose prospects are uncertain under the new regime led by an Islamist faction that recently overthrew the Assad regime.

GULESSERIAN: They are observing, they are watching, they are awaiting, I mean, any alterations, any adverse changes.

FENG: Any modifications that might indicate they could face persecution. Gulesserian finds solace in the Orthodox customs that have persisted for centuries. His church also endured, despite being severely harmed in 2020 during a massive explosion at the Beirut port nearby. Over 200 individuals lost their lives, and Lebanon continues to grapple significantly. Its economy is in ruins. Politically, it is stalled. Moreover, it was harshly impacted by a recent conflict with Israel. Nevertheless, Gulesserian remains in Beirut, and the church continues to stand.

GULESSERIAN: That’s Lebanon, after all, you know (laughter)?

FENG: Somehow, you always manage to pull through.

GULESSERIAN: Yes. Yes.

FENG: However, on this Christmas, he expresses that he feels fatigued by the regional conflicts and the financial troubles.

GULESSERIAN: It’s a perpetual cycle, I believe.

FENG: Despite this, he also mentions affording himself a bit of festive joy this year.

GULESSERIAN: Let’s wish this is the conclusion.

FENG: Even if he does not truly trust his own aspirations.

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UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing in non-English language).

FENG: Emily Feng, NPR News, Beirut, Lebanon.

(SOUNDBITE OF BEDROOM LOFI’S “BREATHING UNDERWATER”)

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