Many Ukrainian Orthodox Christians in Manitoba will be celebrating Christmas earlier than usual this year, after changes made both in Ukraine and by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law moving his country’s official Christmas Day holiday to Dec. 25 from Jan. 7 — the day it’s observed by the Russian Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Orthodox churches that still use the ancient Julian calendar.
The stated aim of Ukraine’s law, passed in July, was to “abandon the Russian heritage” of celebrating on Jan. 7, following Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada began consultations with
