Egypt's Ancient Christians Mark Christmas in January

Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt celebrated Christmas Eve with Mass on Sunday. Their Christmas Day is Monday, January 7. The Copts follow the ancient Julian calendar for religious festivals. This places their Christmas 13 days after the December 25 celebration observed by many Western churches. As one of the world's oldest Christian communities, the Copts trace their founding to the apostle Saint Mark in the first century. They are a significant minority in Egypt, a predominantly Muslim nation. Millions of Copts live in the country. The Christmas services were led by Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church.