An Orthodox Christmas in Monaco
Christmas Day is celebrated on 7 January by millions of Orthodox Christians worldwide - photo courtesy St Elena Parish
Monaco’s Christmas Village is gone, the Christmas lights too, yet for some, Christmas has only just begun! While for the majority of the Christian world Christmas Day is on 25 December, for many of the world’s 200 million Orthodox Christians, the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated on 7 January, in line with the Julian calendar, rather than the Gregorian one.
In fact Christmas Day is a public holiday on January 7 in countries such as Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Russia, and Ukraine, while some countries, such as Armenia, observe Christmas on January 6.
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Here in Monaco, the Orthodox Church – Parish of Saint Elena is organizing its 6th Orthodox Christmas Gala-Dinner, “A Georgian Christmas”, this Friday, 10 January.
“A Georgian Christmas” Gala dinner
The celebrations commence at 6.30 pm with a Christmas Service in the Church, lasting 45 minutes. A bus transfer is then provided for those who are going on to the Gala Dinner, with Champagne reception, at the Yacht Club de Monaco.
The black tie event will take place in the presence of Their Eminences Saba and Andria, Metropolitans of the Georgian Orthodox Church and with the High Patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Davit Bagration of Georgia.
A multi-course gastronomic dinner will be provided by the famous Georgian chef Irakli Asatiani, and the internationally renowned Orthodox Choir “Basiani” from Georgia will be performing.
Guests will be able to take part in a Grand Auction by Sotheby’s Monaco & a Festive Tombola with gifts and experiences from Georgia and Monaco.
Proceeds from the event will go to St. Elena’s Parish, the Monaco Red Cross & the Georgian Red Cross.
Practical info
Church service
- Where: 22 avenue de Grande Bretagne
- When: Friday, 10 January 2025 at 6.30pm
Gala Dinner
- Where: Monaco Yacht Club, Quai Louis II
- When: Friday, 10 January 2025 from 7.30 to 11.30 pm
- Prices: VIP seat €700, standard seat €400
- Reservations: via eventbrite
- INFO & Seating: +33678082285 Elizaveta or egliseorthodoxe@monaco.mc