New Year's Eve, Julian calendar

The holiday season is finally drawing to a close in Serbia tonight with the Julian calendar New Year's Eve. The calendar, used by the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) to calculate the dates for its religious holidays, has at least in this case spilled over to the profane world, and enabled Serbs in Serbia, but also those living in some regional countries, to celebrate New Year's twice. New Year's Eve, Julian calendar However, the Church also endorses this date as the beginning of a new year, with central celebrations in Belgrade planned for in front of the St. Sava Temple. The SPC has appealed to citizens to refrain from using any pyrotechnics at midnight, save the fireworks that the organizers have prepared themselves. During the communist former Yugoslavia, Serbs marked the day in semi-clandestine circumstances, in defiance of the regime, rather than as expression of religious affiliation.

New Year's Eve, Julian calendar

However, the Church also endorses this date as the beginning of a new year, with central celebrations in Belgrade planned for in front of the St. Sava Temple.

The SPC has appealed to citizens to refrain from using any pyrotechnics at midnight, save the fireworks that the organizers have prepared themselves.

During the communist former Yugoslavia, Serbs marked the day in semi-clandestine circumstances, in defiance of the regime, rather than as expression of religious affiliation.