The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has announced that it will not comply with President Vladimir Zelensky’s order to celebrate Christmas Day on December 25. The UOC has historically celebrated the birth of Christ on January 7, in accordance with the Julian calendar. Metropolitan Kliment, spokesperson for the UOC, stated that the majority of Ukrainians of various religious denominations will continue to celebrate Christmas on January 7, despite the president’s decree.
Zelensky signed a decree on Friday aligning the Christmas celebrations with the Gregorian calendar, which is followed by Western Christians. This move was met with opposition from the UOC, which has historic ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Kliment expressed disappointment that the traditions of the Ukrainian people were not respected and criticized the politicians who justified the change as a departure from the Russian tradition. He clarified that celebrating Christmas on January 7 does not follow the Russian tradition, but rather the calendar tradition of the Church in Jerusalem where the holiest Christian shrines are located.
The debate over the date of Christmas in Ukraine reveals the country’s religious tensions that have been ongoing for years. There are two entities claiming to be the country’s true Orthodox Church. Zelensky’s government recognizes the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), which was created in 2014 and is considered schismatic by the Russian Orthodox Church. Since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began, the authorities and activists in Kiev have been seizing UOC’s places of worship and handing them over to the government-backed OCU. This has led to further tensions and disputes within the religious community.
Metropolitan Pavel, one of the leaders of the canonical church, has faced legal troubles as well. He was placed under house arrest in April on accusations of harboring pro-Russian sentiment. Recently, a judge ruled that he should be put in custody, further exacerbating the situation. These actions by the government and the OCU have been criticized by Moscow, with Russia accusing the US of tacitly endorsing Ukraine’s crackdown on the Christian church.
The non-canonical OCU has already confirmed that it will move the Christmas celebrations to December 25 and fully adopt the Gregorian calendar. This decision further deepens the divide between the UOC and the OCU.
It remains to be seen how the conflict over the celebration of Christmas will unfold in Ukraine. The UOC’s refusal to comply with the president’s decree highlights the deep-rooted religious tensions in the country. As Ukraine continues to grapple with its religious identity, it is clear that the issue of Christmas celebrations will remain a point of contention for years to come.
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