On January 13-14 Armenia celebrates the old New Year, which somehow corresponds to December 31 and January 1.
Many Armenian families even two weeks after the New Year have an occasion to enjoy another party laying a festive table, just as they do on January 1.
For some others the old New Year heralds the end of the holidays, and most Armenian families start taking off the New Year decorations and removing the traditional holiday tables only after celebrating the old New Year.
In old New Year the urban authorities also finish the New Year celebrations, which this time launched on December 20, when the lights of the main Christmas tree of the country erected in the Republic Square were lit.
The Old New Year is celebrated only in former Soviet countries as well as in some Slavic orthodox Christian countries and some German-speaking cantons in Switzerland. The Russian Orthodox Church is the main source for this extra holiday. While Socialist Russia officially adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1918, the Church continued using the Julian calendar.
The difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars was 13 days in the 16th-20th centuries. In the middle of the 21st century the difference between the old and new styles will be 14 days, meaning that “Old New Year” will be a day later.
On January 13, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Jewish Talmud, Jesus, as any male infant, was circumcised and given his name on this day.
This old New Year also falls on the day known to be an unsettling day for those who suffer friggatriskaidekaphobia – the fear of Friday the 13th.
English
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