For the first time, Ukraine will celebrate Christmas on December 25th following the Western (Gregorian) calendar. The country had so far followed the Julian calendar wherein Christmas fell on January 7, which Russia also follows.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky changed the law in July, saying it allowed Ukrainians to "abandon the Russian heritage" of celebrating Christmas in January. The move was aimed as a snub to Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church.
The law signed by Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainians wanted to "live their own life with their traditions and holidays". It allows them to "abandon the Russian heritage of imposing Christmas celebrations on January 7".
In a Christmas message issued on Sunday evening, Zelenskyy said all Ukrainians were now together. "We all celebrate Christmas together. On the same date, as one big family, as one nation, as one united country."
Though Ukraine has been under the spiritual guidance of the Russian Orthodox Church since the 17th century, it cut ties in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) broke away from the Russian Orthodox Church and hence grew into the major denomination by taking several Russia-linked church buildings in moves supported by the government.
Ukraine also has a Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), historically linked to Russia. The church claims to have cut ties with Russia because of the war and keeps the January 7 Christmas date. Millions still follow the UOC and so will continue to celebrate Christmas on January 7.
The country’s third Orthodox denomination, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, will also hold Christmas services on December 25.
Lesia Shestakova, a Catholic, and Oleksandr Shestakov, who is Orthodox, are celebrating Christmas in December for the first time. The couple will celebrate with Lesia's parents in December and with Oleksandr's parents in January.
"There is finally a day in Ukraine which my husband and I can spend together in the cathedral and thank God that we are together, alive and in good health," Lesia told Reuters on Sunday as the pair attended the morning service at the Catholic Cathedral of St. Alexander in Kyiv.
The couple are among Ukrainians who believe distancing the country from Russian religious and cultural traditions will help strengthen Ukraine even more. "Everything Soviet-related - hammer and sickle, stars, idols and monuments to those like (former Soviet leader) Lenin are being destroyed. And now, on December 25, the country's rebirth will start, with new holidays," Oleksandr said.
