FRANKLYWNOW - Russian Orthodox Catholics Celebrate Christmas

Though Christmas is over for many, some took the time to celebrate Wednesday.
The Russian Orthodox Catholic Church celebrates the holy day according to the Julian calendar where the holiday falls on January 7th.

Singing, prayers, communion and celebrations... it's something many Christians are familiar with.

But January 7th for Christmas? It may not be the norm for other Christians...

Father Micheal Kleban said,
"Because of the various mathematical and astronomical anomalies its 13 days behind the regular Gregorian calendar so this for us today is actually December 25th."

Father Micheal Kleban is the pastor at Saint Mary's Russian Orthodox Catholic Church in Endicott.

He and other church members describe the celebration as festive and joyful..
"it's wonderful were having a wonderful time. I think we often we have to remind ourselves that we have other constitutionally afforded rights like the right to the pursuit of happiness."

Members say other Christians don't quite understand the celebration so far after the traditional Christmas Day.

"They think were celebrating something else other than Christmas, but it's really Christmas Day according to the Julian calendar. It's just that we have not changed over to celebrate it on the Gregorian. We could if we went to the diocese to change. but our Parishioner has elected to keep it on the 7th." said Church President Mark Swackhammer.

For the Russian Orthodox Catholic Church, it's another momentous holy day.
"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas and we got it today," said Kleban.