BOBRYTSIA: Ukrainians usually celebrate Christmas On January 7th, as the Russians do. But not this year, or at least not for all of them. Some Orthodox Ukrainians, like many Christians around the world, have decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25. Yes, it has to do with war, and yes, they have the blessing of the local church.
The idea of celebrating the birth of Jesus in December was considered revolutionary. ukraine Until recently, but the invasion of Russia changed many hearts and minds.
In October, led by Orthodox Church of Ukrainewhich is not aligned with the Russian Church and is one of two branches of Orthodox Christianity in the country, agreed to allow believers to celebrate on 25 December.
The choice of dates has clear political and religious overtones in a nation with rival Orthodox churches and where minor modifications to rituals can carry powerful meaning in a culture war running parallel to the shooting war.
For some, the changing dates represent a separation from Russia, its culture and religion. The people of a village on the outskirts of Kyiv recently voted to extend their Christmas observance.
“What began on February 24, the full-scale invasion, is an awakening and an understanding that we can no longer be part of the Russian world,” said 33-year-old Bobrissia resident Olena Pali.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and some other Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the ancient Julian calendar.
Christmas falls 13 days later on that calendar, or on January 7, than the Gregorian calendar used by most churches and secular groups.
The Catholic Church first adopted the modern, more astronomically accurate Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, and since then Protestant and some Orthodox churches have aligned their own calendars for the purposes of counting up to Christmas.
Synodal Orthodox Church Ukraine ruled in October that local church rectors could choose the date with their own communities, saying the decision came after years of discussion, but also resulted from the circumstances of the war.
In Bobrytsia, some members of the faith promoted changes within the local church, which had recently converted to become part of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which had no ties to Russia.
When a vote was taken last week, 200 out of 204 people said yes to adopting December 25 as the new day to celebrate Christmas.
“This is a big step because never in our history have we had the same date of Christmas celebration in Ukraine with the whole Christian world. All the time we were different,” said Roman Ivanenko, a local official in Bobrishia, and they From the originator of a change.
With the switch, he said, they are “severing this connection” with the Russians.
As is the case throughout the Kyiv region, Sunday morning in Bobrischia began with the sound of sirens, but this did not stop people from gathering at the church to attend Christmas Mass for the first time on 25 December. In the end, no attacks were reported in the capital.
“No enemy can overcome this Holiday Because the holiday is born in the soul,” Rev. Rostislav Korchak said in his homily, during which he used the words “evil” more than “war”, “soldier” and “Jesus Christ”.
Anna Nejenko, 65, has attended the church in Bobriscia every Christmas since the building was inaugurated in 2000, though always on 7 January. He said that he did not find it strange to do so on a Sunday.
He said, “The most important thing is that God is born in the heart.”
In 2019, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, granted complete independence, or autocephaly, to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
Such approval has long been sought by Ukrainians who support recognition for a national church in conjunction with Ukraine’s political independence from the former Soviet Union.
The Russian Orthodox Church and its leader, Patriarch Kirill, fiercely opposed the move, saying that Ukraine was not under Bartholomew’s jurisdiction.
The other major branch of Orthodoxy in the country, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, remained loyal to Moscow until the outbreak of the war. It declared independence in May, although it remains under government scrutiny. That church has traditionally celebrated Christmas on 7 January.
The idea of celebrating the birth of Jesus in December was considered revolutionary. ukraine Until recently, but the invasion of Russia changed many hearts and minds.
In October, led by Orthodox Church of Ukrainewhich is not aligned with the Russian Church and is one of two branches of Orthodox Christianity in the country, agreed to allow believers to celebrate on 25 December.
The choice of dates has clear political and religious overtones in a nation with rival Orthodox churches and where minor modifications to rituals can carry powerful meaning in a culture war running parallel to the shooting war.
For some, the changing dates represent a separation from Russia, its culture and religion. The people of a village on the outskirts of Kyiv recently voted to extend their Christmas observance.
“What began on February 24, the full-scale invasion, is an awakening and an understanding that we can no longer be part of the Russian world,” said 33-year-old Bobrissia resident Olena Pali.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and some other Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the ancient Julian calendar.
Christmas falls 13 days later on that calendar, or on January 7, than the Gregorian calendar used by most churches and secular groups.
The Catholic Church first adopted the modern, more astronomically accurate Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, and since then Protestant and some Orthodox churches have aligned their own calendars for the purposes of counting up to Christmas.
Synodal Orthodox Church Ukraine ruled in October that local church rectors could choose the date with their own communities, saying the decision came after years of discussion, but also resulted from the circumstances of the war.
In Bobrytsia, some members of the faith promoted changes within the local church, which had recently converted to become part of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which had no ties to Russia.
When a vote was taken last week, 200 out of 204 people said yes to adopting December 25 as the new day to celebrate Christmas.
“This is a big step because never in our history have we had the same date of Christmas celebration in Ukraine with the whole Christian world. All the time we were different,” said Roman Ivanenko, a local official in Bobrishia, and they From the originator of a change.
With the switch, he said, they are “severing this connection” with the Russians.
As is the case throughout the Kyiv region, Sunday morning in Bobrischia began with the sound of sirens, but this did not stop people from gathering at the church to attend Christmas Mass for the first time on 25 December. In the end, no attacks were reported in the capital.
“No enemy can overcome this Holiday Because the holiday is born in the soul,” Rev. Rostislav Korchak said in his homily, during which he used the words “evil” more than “war”, “soldier” and “Jesus Christ”.
Anna Nejenko, 65, has attended the church in Bobriscia every Christmas since the building was inaugurated in 2000, though always on 7 January. He said that he did not find it strange to do so on a Sunday.
He said, “The most important thing is that God is born in the heart.”
In 2019, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, granted complete independence, or autocephaly, to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
Such approval has long been sought by Ukrainians who support recognition for a national church in conjunction with Ukraine’s political independence from the former Soviet Union.
The Russian Orthodox Church and its leader, Patriarch Kirill, fiercely opposed the move, saying that Ukraine was not under Bartholomew’s jurisdiction.
The other major branch of Orthodoxy in the country, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, remained loyal to Moscow until the outbreak of the war. It declared independence in May, although it remains under government scrutiny. That church has traditionally celebrated Christmas on 7 January.