Housed in an unassuming white bungalow, the Archangel Michael Russian Orthodox Church comes alive every Jan 6 and 7, when its congregation gathers to mark Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The church, established in 2012, is among the handful of Orthodox churches in Malaysia. The country’s Orthodox Christian population is estimated at about 200, according to Father Seraphim Choy, parish priest at the Kuala Lumpur Archangel Michael Russian Orthodox Church.
While Christmas is widely celebrated on Dec 25, Orthodox Christians observe it on Jan 7, following the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar used by most of the world.
Globally, Orthodox Christianity is the third-largest Christian denomination, with around 260 million adherents. Most of them live in Eastern Europe, Russia and the Balkans.
Medical officer Dr Jonathan Chua and his family were among the Malaysian Orthodox Christians who celebrated Christmas at the church this year – a tradition they have observed since 2018.
On the night of Jan 6, Chua, his wife Dr Ng Su-Han, and their three-year-old son Theodore joined about 90 parishioners for evening prayers and an all-night vigil.
The service culminated at midnight with the Divine Liturgy, the most important part of Orthodox worship, led by Choy with prayers chanted by the choir and congregation.
“Liturgy literally means ‘the work of the people’. The Orthodox Divine Liturgy is a spiritual ascent. Usually, the service is led by at least one priest, sometimes more, depending on who is present,” said Chua.
At first glance, the church building is modest, its purpose revealed only by a single religious icon above the front door. Before entering, women cover their heads, a customary practice in Orthodox Christian communities.
Inside, the walls are lined with richly painted icons of saints. At the front stands the iconostasis, a screen of icons that immediately draws the eye and separates the altar from the nave, where the congregation stands during worship.
Another striking difference from other Christian denominations is the absence of musical instruments. In Orthodox churches, prayers are carried solely by choral singing, creating a solemn, meditative atmosphere.
According to Choy, the Christmas liturgy is traditionally followed by a potluck meal in the church compound, prepared by members of the congregation.
“We usually hold the liturgy at midnight because most of the time, Jan 6 and 7 fall on weekdays. However, if Jan 7 falls on a Sunday, we will conduct the liturgy after the Sunday morning service,” he explained.
For Choy, Christmas marks a central moment in the faith, commemorating when “God became man to save us”. Even so, it ranks second in importance to Pascha, or Easter Sunday, in Orthodox Christianity.
Chua, meanwhile, has taken to TikTok to shed light on this little-known community. Since 2018, he and his family have been posting regular content about Orthodox Christian life in Malaysia.
“Our videos have received an encouraging response, especially from those who had no prior knowledge of our faith,” he concluded.