David Crumm of the Detroit Free-Press consistently finds good stories and reports them fairly, in context. Today’s piece is on the Christmas celebrations of Christians from the East

Michigan’s diversity of immigrant groups, drawn mainly to auto-industry jobs during the last century, has left a colorful sprinkling of Christmas customs across metro Detroit.

That includes an unusual Armenian Orthodox Church observance of Jesus’ birth tonight and Friday in congregations such as St. Sarkis in Dearborn and St. John in Southfield.

"The Armenian Church is one of the oldest churches in the world, and we still celebrate an ancient tradition from the early church that joins two Christian feasts into what we call Holy Theophany," the Rev. Garabed Kochakian, pastor of St. John Armenian Orthodox Church, said Wednesday. "In this double feast, we celebrate both the manifestation of God through Jesus’ birth and through his baptism."

Other Orthodox churches celebrate versions of Holy Theophany this week or later in January, but they mainly focus on Jesus’ baptism.

"In the Armenian Church, Holy Theophany still celebrates both things," Kochakian said. "So, if you have Armenian friends, it would be proper to wish them ‘Merry Christmas’ this week."

One day after the Armenian observance, thousands of Russians, Serbians and other Eastern Europeans will celebrate Christmas for a different reason. They’re parishioners at more than a dozen local churches that still follow an ancient calendar for Christmas that runs 13 days later than the modern secular calendar.

"There are about 15 to 20 old-calendar churches in the area," Pachomy said.