As per orthodox
Christian beliefs, Ukraine and Russia have traditionally celebrated Christmas
on January 7, around two weeks after December 25, when the majority across the
globe celebrates the holiday. However, this year, many Ukrainians defied the
beliefs and celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ in December, as a significant
break to part ways from Russian religious leaders who will observe the holiday
next month.
In
October, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which is not associated with the Russian
church agreed to allow the holiday to be celebrated on December 25. Following the decision, several other Ukrainian
Churches also decided to observe Christmas this month, drifting from the
customary practice, highlighting
the rift between church officials in Kyiv and Moscow that has been created by
the ongoing war.
An Interfax-Ukraine poll revealed that over half of the residents in Ukraine
were in favor of moving the holiday. Ukraine had been under Moscow’s
spiritual leadership since the 17th century, although part of the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church broke ties with Moscow in 2019 over Russia’s annexation of
Crimea.
In May of this year, three months into the Russian invasion
of Ukraine, the Russia-backed branch of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church said that
they had cut off ties with Moscow.
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“This is a big step because never in our
history have we had the same dates of celebration of Christmas in Ukraine with
the whole Christian world. All the time we were separated,” said Roman
Ivanenko, a local official in Bobrytsia, and one of the promoters of the
change. He claimed that this decision was aimed at “breaking the connection”
with the Russians.
The Russian
Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Orthodoxy in Ukraine as well as
some other Eastern Orthodox churches, will continue to celebrate the holiday as
per the ancient Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days later, or Jan.
7, than it does on the Gregorian calendar used by most church and secular
groups.
