Ukraine again records modest gains in summer offensive • Ukraine postpones holiday dates, including Christmas

Ukraine has officially moved the date of Christmas celebration to December 25. Parliament has approved a bill to this effect. Two other public holidays will also be moved.

With the change, Ukraine wants to distance itself further from Russia. According to the Orthodox Christian calendar, Christmas should be celebrated on January 7. This was also the practice of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church until last year. Last year, however, it was already permitted to celebrate Christmas on December 25, just like in the West. It will also be the official date of Christmas in Ukraine.

The other two holidays that will be moved are Ukrainian State Day and Defenders of Ukraine Day. Ukrainian Statehood Day is linked to the time in the year 988 when Kyiv Rus’, a predecessor of present-day Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, converted to Christianity. This day is now celebrated on July 14 instead of July 28. Defenders of Ukraine Day is linked to a holiday dedicated to Saint Mary. It will now drop on October 1 instead of October 14.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church had previously decided to largely say goodbye to the Orthodox calendar from September. This means that Saint Nicholas falls on December 6, as in the West, and Epiphany on January 6. Easter and other public holidays do not change dates.

Joram Bolle