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Christmas for many Ukrainians might look a little bit different this year.
In fact, it might happen on a different day altogether.
Earlier this year, the Ukrainian government passed a law which will see Christmas celebrations taking place in that country on Dec. 25, as opposed to the traditional date of Jan. 7.
The Ukrainian government’s decision to change the date is intended to “abandon the Russian heritage” associated with the Orthodox celebration after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It’s meant to allow Ukrainians to live their lives with their own traditions and holidays.
Taras Makowsky, a priest at the Ukrainian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral in Saskatoon, said his church plans to celebrate Christmas twice this holiday season.
“We’re going to be providing the immigrant families with the opportunity to celebrate with their families in Ukraine – because there’s lots of requests to celebrate with their families in Ukraine,” Makowsky explained. “We’re also going to be celebrating the traditional Nativity celebration at midnight on Jan. 6.”
Makowsky said the church will still follow the Julian calendar this year, and will notify its worshipers regarding the potential to switch to the revised Julian calendar in the fall of 2024.
Ukrainian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral in Saskatoon (Shane Clausing/650 CKOM)
He said the change from Jan. 7 to Dec. 25 isn’t something that will be easy for Ukrainians to get used to – including his own family. He did note, however, that some Orthodox churches previously made the change to celebrating on Dec. 25.
“I think the most important thing we have to remember is that there’s nothing set in stone in the scriptures about when Christ was born, other than when St. John the Baptist was born,” Makowsky said.
“I think it’s OK for us to unify and be a union with the other Orthodox churches. For us, it’s more important to celebrate the event than the particular day.”
Makowsky said he doesn’t think the new dates will negatively affect any celebrations Ukrainian families have planned.
“I think the celebrations will be there, and I’ll tell you why. Myself and my wife – being a priest – the only time we can get together with out families would’ve been on Dec. 25.
We would get together Dec. 25 just to get together as a family and to have a supper. It wasn’t like we were celebrating, but it was a time to celebrate during the English Christmas holidays,” he explained.
“I think the first two (or) three years, people are still going to celebrate on Jan. 7 – which is OK because that’s going to still be a holy evening and supper. Eventually, I think, everyone will come to terms and transition and we will all make the right decision to remain as a family with the church,” he added.
Makowsky’s church will be live-streaming both of its Christmas services, he noted.