Armenian Choir Performs in Moscow to Mark Old New Year

The choir from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin (spiritual center of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora) and the Serbian choir St. Stephan of Decani (from Novi Sad) will perform in Moscow on Jan. 14 to mark the Old New Year (the start of the new year according to the Julian calendar), reports RIA Novosti.

The Old New Year (or Orthodox New Year) is considered the start of the new year according to the Julian calendar and is celebrated in Armenia, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Georgia and a number of other countries.

The performances in Moscow will take place at the Christmas Festival of Spiritual Music during the Moscow International House of Music.

The Etchmiadzin choir, which dates back to 1946, preserves Christianity’s ancient traditions of song in Armenia. Since 1995, the choir has been conducted by Honored Armenian Artist Ruben Sharbatyan.