The law highlights the gap between the Orthodox churches of Kyiv and Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian president, this measure seeks to ensure that public holidays in Ukraine do not correspond to those of Russia and to “give up the Russian heritage.”
An explanatory note on the bill, posted on the parliament’s website, explains that “the relentless and fruitful struggle for their identity contributes to the desire of every Ukrainian to live their own lives with their own traditions and feast days.”
On May 27, 2023, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (the country’s largest Orthodox body) held a synod and adopted a revision of its calendar, the Julian Calendar, bringing it much closer to the Gregorian Calendar used in most countries around the world.
With the adoption of this new calendar, the dates of all winter religious festivals will change: Christmas will take place on December 25 instead of January 7, the feast of St. Nicolas will move from December 19 to December 6, and Theophany (Epiphany) will move from January 18 to January 6. Paschs (Easter) is not affected by this change.
Prior to this decision, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church issued a similar decision to move closer to the Gregorian Calendar. The Catholic decree allows for a three-year transition period for the calendar change.
Since 2017, Ukrainians have been able to choose between two Christmas dates, December 25 or January 7. Since then, more and more faithful have been celebrating Christmas on December 25.
Ukraine, 65% of which is Eastern Orthodox, has moved the celebration of Christmas to December 25, as opposed to the date upon which many Eastern Orthodox (including the Russians) and Ukrainian Greek Catholics historically celebrated it, January 7. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the decree ratifying this decision on July 28, 2023.