Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on the same day as Western Christianity. Oriental Orthodox churches also use their own calendars, which are generally similar to the Julian calendar. The Julian calendar began in 45 BC (709 AUC) as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year. Georgian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Day on or near January 7 in the Gregorian calendar (The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar or the Catholic calendar, was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII on 24 February 1582.). This date works to be December 25 in the Julian calendar, which pre-dates the Gregorian calendar.
Participants in the parade will pass Rustaveli Avenue, Freedom Square, Pushkini Street and the Patriarchate of Georgia, where they will meet with the Patriarch to receive blessings.
The parade will then continue through Baratashvili Bridge. some of the parade participants will head to the Presidential Residence, where the president will give them sweets and wish them Merry Christmas. The parade will end at Trinity Cathedral. People will also give sweets and presents to parade participants along the way. All sweets and presents will later be handed over to children in orphanages.
