New dates for Christmas & St. Nicholas Day as Ukraine switches to a more European holiday calendar

The New Voice of Ukraine
·2 min read
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Divine Liturgy at St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral in Kyiv a year ago, on December 25, 2022
Divine Liturgy at St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral in Kyiv a year ago, on December 25, 2022

Ukraine will celebrate Christmas and St. Nicholas Day on new dates for the first time in 2023, after the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU) and the Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) moved to the revised Julian calendar from Sept. 1, 2023.

Previously, the churches used the Julian calendar, used by the Russian Orthodox Church, which celebrates most church holidays 13 days later.

The move is to bring Ukraine’s holiday calendar in line with most of Europe and is aimed at“abandoning the Russian heritage,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Jul. 28, when he signed the new church calendar law.

This means that Ukrainians will celebrate the holidays on new dates for the first time this year.

  • Christmas will be celebrated on December 25, instead of January 7

  • Saint Nicholas Day (coinciding with the Ukrainian Armed Forces Day) on December 6,instead of December 19

  • Epiphany – on January 6, instead of January 18

  • Ukrainian Statehood Day – on July 15, instead of July 28

  • The Defenders Day (coinciding with the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God) – on October 1, instead of October 14.

The date of Easter and a few other holidays will not change, as the revised Julian calendar uses slightly different calculations than the standard Julian calendar.

Read also: Zelenskyy signs law moving Christmas in Ukraine to Dec 25

The Revised Julian Calendar is used by many Orthodox Churches, including the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Cypriot Orthodox Church, the Church of Greece, and the Orthodox Church in America.

Until the end of martial law in Ukraine, there will be no additional days off when holidays fall on weekdays, nor will there be any postponement of days off when a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, including Dec. 6, Dec. 25, and Jan. 1.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine