Last year, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church officially switched to a new calendar, called the New Julian calendar. The calendar provides for a 13-day shift in the number of church holidays. At the same time, Ukrainians' opinions on the appropriateness of this decision were divided. Find out how Christmas on 25 December differs from Christmas on 7 January in the article on Visit Ukraine.

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Until 2024, the Orthodox world had two calendars: the Gregorian and Julian calendars. The latter was used by all Orthodox countries, while the former socialist bloc countries used the former. As Ukraine had long been a part of the Russian Empire and then the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, it also fell under the so-called ‘calendar reform’. The Gregorian calendar was thirteen days ahead of the traditional chronology, which could have caused problems in the future. Therefore, the UOC decided to switch to the Julian calendar, which was another step towards the European Union. However, the traditional format was not suitable for Ukraine, as Easter is calculated according to a special system. It was decided not to postpone Easter and the holidays associated with it. At the moment, the issue of attending churches of the UOC and the Moscow Patriarchate is becoming increasingly acute, causing indignation among believers. In one city - even on the same street - there are two churches, one of which holds a Christmas service on 25 December and the other on 7 January. In this article, we will find out what the difference between these holidays is, if any.

The historical context of Christmas

Christmas dates back to pre-Christian times, when the birth of the new Sun - Koliada - was celebrated on this day. The holiday was timed to coincide with the winter solstice on 21 December, so in this context, Christmas on 25 December makes more sense. After the consecration of Rus', the birth of Koliada was transformed into the birth of Jesus, but it remained on 25 December. The celebration of Christmas on 7 January was introduced by the Bolsheviks and has no deep historical basis. However, tradition remains here - many people want to celebrate the way their grandparents did and do not accept new trends.

Read about why Ukrainians cook 12 dishes for Christmas on the Visit Ukraine portal.

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The territorial context of Christmas

From here, we turn to statistics to find out which regions have most easily accepted the transition to the new calendar, and for whom it has become a serious problem. According to polls, residents of the western regions agree to celebrate Christmas on 25 December, while those who are strongly against it are mostly in the southern and eastern regions. This is due to the proximity of the Hutsul and Prykarpattia regions to Poland, Romania and Czechoslovakia, where Christmas has long been developing according to its own Western tradition.

Read moreabout how to cook a European-style Christmas dinner here.

Experts say that traditions in different regions have evolved over the centuries, and the fact that Christmas is now on 25 December does not imply participation in a mass in a Catholic church. The decision to move the dates is politically and historically important, but it does not affect the traditions of a region, village or individual family.

If you want to see a real nativity scene, travel with a Christmas star, carol or sing carols, drive a goat and take part in other theatrical performances, choose one of the winter tours on the Visit Ukraine portal.

Just a reminder! Earlier, we told you how Christmas is celebrated in different regions of Ukraine.

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