Ukrainians Celebrate Christmas on December 25 as National Holiday, Reflecting National Identity and Asserting Independence

KYIV, KOMPAS.com – Christmas this year has more than just spiritual meaning for many Ukrainians. The country just celebrates it as a national holiday on December 25, not the same date as Russia.

The changes, enacted in a law signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, reflect Ukrainians’ unease over the 22-month-old Russian invasion as well as their assertion of national identity.

Most of Ukraine’s population is Orthodox Christian, but this faith is divided into two churches, one of which has a long affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church.

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Reporting from the Guardian, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which does not recognize the authority of the Russian church and has been considered schismatic, was granted full recognition in 2019 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the highest authority of Orthodoxy.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is an offshoot of the Russian church, announced in 2022 after the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war that it was cutting ties with Moscow and considering itself autonomous.

However, its parishes continue to follow the same liturgical calendar as the Russian church and will celebrate Christmas on January 7.

Many Ukrainians greeted the move to celebrate Christmas on December 25 with enthusiasm.

“This is historical justice,” said Yevhen Konyk, a 44-year-old soldier who, along with his family, participated in traditional celebrations at an open-air museum in Kyiv.

“We must move forward not only with the world, but also with our country’s traditions and overcome the remnants of the empire that we have,” he said.

Oksana Poviakel, director of the Pyrohiv Museum of Architecture and Folklife in Ukraine, where the Christmas celebrations take place, said that celebrating Christmas on December 25 is another important factor of self-identification.

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“We separate ourselves from our neighbors who are currently trying to destroy our country, who are killing our people, destroying our homes and burning our land,” he said.

Asia Landarenko, 63, said she prays every day for her son, who is currently serving in the military.

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“The circumstances of war affect everything, including the mood. The real celebration of Christmas comes after victory, but because the Savior was born, so is our victory,” he said.

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2023-12-26 10:00:00
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