Ukraine-Russia War News December 24

Ukraine: In violation of Russian traditions, Christmas will be celebrated tomorrow

This year Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas Tomorrow is December 25 and not January 7 as they have done so far, as is the Russian Orthodox Church, marking a break with tradition in the midst of the war with Moscow. The new date for the Christian celebration, set according to the Gregorian calendar, was approved by the Ukrainian parliament in July and issued by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The proposed law states that “the Ukrainian people have long been subject to Russian ideology in almost all areas of life, including the Julian calendar and the celebration of Christmas on January 7.”
He added that “the powerful renaissance of the Ukrainian nation continues” and “the continuous and fruitful struggle for its identity contributes to the awareness and desire of every Ukrainian to live his own life, with his own traditions, with his own holidays.” The decision to postpone the date on which Christians celebrate the birth of Christ is part of a series of initiatives taken by Ukraine to distance itself from Moscow, such as renaming streets and cities dating back to the time when the country was independent since 1991, and was part of the Soviet Union.
The law also outlines the rift between the Ukrainian and Russian churches, which has widened since the Russian invasion in February 2022. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which for centuries has been under the religious guardianship of Russia, has declared itself independent of the Moscow Patriarchate and “autonomous.” “In 2019.
The Ukrainian Church, which has remained loyal to Moscow, also declared its independence in May 2022, rejecting Russian Patriarch Cyril's support for the invasion. Some Orthodox churches, including those in Russia and Serbia, continue to use the Julian calendar for their religious observances and not the Gregorian calendar that was created in the late 16th century.
Under the Soviet regime (1917-1991), which supported atheism, Christmas celebrations were combined with New Year celebrations, which remains the main holiday for many Ukrainian families. During Christmas dinner, Ukrainians typically serve twelve meat-free dishes, including “kutya” made from wheat grains, honey, currants, chopped walnuts and poppy seeds.

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