The aim of the bill introduced by President Volodymyr Zelensky is to “distinguish from the Russian heritage”
The Parliament of Ukraine voted yesterday to change the date of the Orthodox celebration of the Nativity of Christ from January 7 to December 25, switching to the Gregorian calendar, reported DPA and BTA.
The purpose of the bill introduced by President Volodymyr Zelensky is to “distinguish from the Russian heritage”.
In 2017, December 25 was declared a non-working day.
The largest Orthodox church in Ukraine – the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has long-standing ties with the Moscow Patriarchate, has not yet commented on the change, DPA noted. The UOC observes the holidays according to the Julian calendar used by Russia.
Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Ukraine has been trying to cut ties with its Soviet and Russian past. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine 16 months ago boosted those efforts.
