Ukraine has passed legislation moving its official Christmas holiday to December 25. Further distancing itself from the traditions of the Putin-aligned Russian Orthodox Church. Which celebrates the holiday on January 7.
In a decision seen as an act of defiance against the Russian Orthodox Church. Which also has the effect of promoting closer ties with Roman Catholics and other Western branches of Christianity. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has decided to move Christmas to Dec. 25.
Traditionally, Ukrainian Christians, the bulk of whom are Orthodox, have celebrated Christmas on Jan. 7, along with other predominantly Orthodox nations, including Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February of last year.
On May 24, the Council of Bishops of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine voted nearly unanimously to switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. As regards most major feasts, except for Easter and a handful of other feast days, such as the feast of the Trinity.
In a statement following the Council’s decision, Metropolitan Epiphany, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, said the decision. “is not an easy one, we have been coming to it for a long time, gradually, step by step, and we are making it carefully.”
The purpose of the law was to “abandon the Russian heritage of imposing Christmas celebrations on January 7,” the note said.
Ukraine had been under Moscow’s spiritual leadership since at least the 17th century. But part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church broke with Moscow in 2019 over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in the east of their country.
The Russia-backed branch of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church also said it had severed ties with Moscow in May 2022.
Russia’s Reaction
The decision to move Christmas is the latest in a series of steps taken by Ukraine in recent years to distance itself from Moscow. Such as renaming streets and towns named after Soviet figures.
Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Saturday. That the rival Orthodox Church, which is aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, vowed to continue observing Christmas on Jan. 7.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters Saturday that the move “is a sign of something that has been happening for centuries.” And that “has to do with the relations between the Catholic church and the Orthodox one.”