Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, recently signed a law that changes the official Christmas Day holiday from January 7 to December 25. This move aims to distance the country from its Russian heritage and the tradition of celebrating Christmas on January 7, as observed by the Russian Orthodox Church.
The law reflects Ukraine’s determination to assert its national identity and preserve its own traditions and holidays, particularly in the face of Russia’s aggression against the country over the past 17 months. Last year, some Ukrainians had already chosen to celebrate Christmas on December 25 as a symbolic act of separation from Russia’s cultural and religious influence.
In addition to changing the date of Christmas, the law also moves the Day of Ukrainian Statehood from July 28 to July 15 and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine from October 14 to October 1. These changes reflect the ongoing fracture in Ukraine’s religious landscape, with two branches of Orthodox Christianity in the country — one aligned with the Russian church and another that is completely independent.
While the Ukrainian Orthodox Church that is separate from the Russian church already switched to the Revised Julian calendar, marking Christmas on December 25, the Russian Orthodox Church and some other Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the ancient Julian calendar, which places Christmas on January 7.
President Zelenskyy’s visit to the war-torn Donetsk region, which Russia has illegally annexed but only partially occupies, emphasized the official recognition of the country’s Special Operation Forces and commemorated the anniversary of a deadly attack on the Olenivka prison in the Russian-held part of the region. The attack resulted in the deaths of numerous prisoners of war, and both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of perpetrating the assault.
The situation in the region remains tense, with ongoing hostilities and accusations of attacks from both sides. However, Putin noted that Ukrainian attacks along the front line had decreased compared to previous days, while Russian forces claimed to be successfully repelling attacks and conducting counteroffensive operations in some areas.
Overall, Ukraine’s decision to change the date of Christmas and other national holidays reflects its ongoing struggle for autonomy and identity amid geopolitical tensions.