The Ukrainian Orthodox Church traditionally celebrates Christmas on January 7. This year, she allows her faithful to celebrate it on December 25, at the same time as other Christians, to distance themselves from the Church of Moscow.
Upset its traditions, to move away from the yoke of Moscow. Many Ukrainians are preparing to spend the first holiday season in a country at war, eight months after the start of the “special operation” launched by the Kremlin.
Traditionally, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7. But this year, some have chosen to celebrate it on December 24 and 25, at the same time as the majority of Christians, to free themselves from the dictates of the Russian Church and its Julian calendar. The decision had been taken as early as October by the heads of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, as the agency recalls. Associated Presswhich is not aligned with Moscow.
Within this very religious Ukrainian population, many did not hesitate to make this change.
Get closer to the rest of Europe
“On February 24, when I was still pregnant, the war started. I decided that I no longer wanted to follow any tradition linked to Russia and the Church influenced by Russia”, relates to the microphone of BFMTV Yulia. The young mother has chosen, with her family, to celebrate Christmas on December 25.
A sign of protest followed by the priests, who submitted the idea to their parishioners. “We took a vote in our parish and we unanimously decided to celebrate Christmas on the 25th. kyiv Orthodox Church.
A desire also to get closer to the rest of the Christians, and to Europe. “It brings us closer to a large part of the world”, underlines a faithful. For another, “it should have been done a long time ago”. But breaking away from Russia is not “so easy, with their propaganda”.
