Christmas lights to stay on

Reporter: Laura Wild
Date online: 14 January 2010

Rochdale Council decided to leave its Christmas lights up after Twelfth Night to recognise residents who follow Eastern Orthodox Faith.

The Council was criticised for including symbols from other religions in its Christmas lights display this year and was ridiculed in the national press for putting Milnrow's lights up in August.

Councillor Angela Coric, said: “I know that the Council was slated for putting up the Christmas lights a tad early but I hope that the Council would not get slated for leaving up the Christmas lights after Twelfth Night.

“It has been a deliberate policy in Rochdale for some years to recognise those residents of the Borough who follow the Eastern Orthodox faith and whose Christmas falls on 7 January.”

Members of the various Orthodox Churches, including Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Bulgarian, as well as the Coptic Christians of Egypt and the Ethiopian Church all follow the Julian Calendar. This means that the dates are 13 days later than the Gregorian calendar followed by the West.