Approximately 12% of the world’s Christians, estimated to be around 250 to 300 million people living mostly in eastern and southeastern Europe including Russia and Ukraine, the Middle East, and Ethiopia, observe the Orthodox Christmas. Orthodox Christians celebrate the day by attending Church services on Christmas eve and on Christmas day and often by fasting for 40 days before Christmas Day. They greet each other with by saying “Merry Christmas” or sometimes “Christ is born”. Some Orthodox Christians observe the day on January 6.
Learning Resources
You can learn more about the history of the day and its observance in the following resources:
Orthodox Christmas Day in the United States – Time and Date
What is Orthodox Christmas, and why is it in the spotlight this year? – CNN
Why 250 Million People Celebrate Christmas in January – Time
What are the 12 Days of Christmas? – Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Local Events Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
UMaine 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration
In Orono, attend the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration in the Wells Conference Center on January 16, 8 am-10 am, an event co-sponsored by the Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP and the University of Maine Division of Student Life. You will need to register in advance.
Committed to Listen: The BTS Center and the Maine Council of Churches
You can register to attend a public reading of Dr. King’s 21-page “Letter from Birmingham Jail” written in April 1963 addressing Alabama’s white clergymen. Featuring multiple voices, contemplative music, and space for reflection and co-hosted by the BTS Center and the Maine Council of Churches, the event will take place online on January 16, 2023, at 12:15 pm.
Learning Resources
- For more information on the day’s history, read about the life and work of Dr. King at The King Center. If you want to take action, support the African American community and the ongoing cause of racial justice.
- To contribute to the spirit of the only federal holiday nominated as a National Day of Service, find and participate in volunteer opportunities around you.
- Attend parades and museums that honor the Day. You can explore and support the work of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.
- If you want to know more and learn the history of racial discrimination in the United States, add an anti-racist reading list to your New Year’s resolutions. You can either read the books for free through the UMA library or The Internet Archive or if you are able, support the authors by purchasing their books.
Local Events
CAFAM’s Lunar New Celebration
In Westbrook, on Saturday February 4th from 10 am to 3 pm, the Chinese and American Friendship Association of Maine is organizing a cultural event featuring performance by Chinese Folk Art Workshop, presentation, crafts, and Asian food.
Lunar New Year with CMTM
In Portland, on January 28 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am, the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine is organizing a free event featuring paper lantern making and calligraphy workshops.
Chinese New Year Parade
In Bangor, on Saturday January 21 at 1 pm, you can join the Chinese New Year Parade at the Sears Court in Bangor Mall. Organized by the Maine China Network, the event includes music, dance, crafts, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to learn more about Chinese culture and the Chinese community in Maine.
Learning Resources
Learn more about the history and culture surrounding the Lunar New Year celebration by accessing the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art‘s resources.
Local Events
- On Monday April 17, 2023, University of Maine’s History Professor Anne Kelly Knowles presents her project “Landscapes of Remembrance” at the Wells Conference Centre. You can learn about the significance of Holocaust memorials and landscapes around the world by accessing her recorded lecture.
Learning Resources
- Access the resources provided by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to learn more about the history of the day.
- Visit the Holocaust and Human Rights Center located on our campus, attend their events, donate, utilize their anti-bias toolkit in your teaching, and enroll in their summer seminars to educate yourself and others regarding the Holocaust and other histories of human rights violence and start working against the spread of bias, hatred, and prejudice against all.