about celebrat christmas in Armenia

 Armenia celebrates chistmas on January 06  

Armenia celebrates Christmas on January 6 instead of December 25 due to its adherence to early Christian traditions. Historically, the Christian Church celebrated both the birth and baptism of Jesus Christ on January 6, known as the Feast of the Epiphany. However, in the 4th century, the Roman Catholic Church moved the date of Christmas to December 25 to align with existing pagan winter festivals, such as Saturnalia, and to ease the conversion of non-Christians.

The Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the oldest Christian churches in the world, chose to maintain the original tradition and continues to commemorate both events together on January 6. This reflects Armenia's unique status as the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD. For Armenians, Christmas is deeply intertwined with religious rituals, including church services, fasting, and special meals like ghapama (a traditional stuffed pumpkin dish).