Russian Orthodox Church Adheres to Julian Calendar, Celebrates Christmas 13 Days Later Than West
Ukrainian Orthodox Church: "If Each Diocese Wishes, Christmas Service on December 25 Possible"
Accelerating 탈 Russia Movement... Impact on About 7,000 Churches Across Ukraine
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church recently announced that Christmas services can be held on December 25 instead of the traditional January 7. The photo shows Ukrainians in traditional attire celebrating Christmas on January 7. Photo by EPA Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is accelerating its move away from Russia by allowing Christmas services to be held on December 25 instead of the traditional January 7 starting this year.
According to recent reports from major foreign media, the Kyiv Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church announced at the church meeting (Synod) held last month that each diocese can hold Christmas services on December 25 instead of January 7 if they wish. Archbishop Yevstratiy Zorya of the Kyiv Metropolitanate stated, "This decision is not mandatory," adding, "We will first observe how many believers attend the service on the 25th of next month." This decision is expected to affect about 7,000 churches across Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church originally celebrated Christmas on January 7, which is 13 days later than December 25, the Christmas date for Protestant and Catholic churches, along with the Russian Orthodox Church. This is because they follow the Julian calendar, established by the ancient Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, rather than the widely used Gregorian calendar. Among Orthodox countries, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia adhere to the Julian calendar and celebrate Christmas on January 7. Although the Russian government adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1918, the year after the socialist revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church continues to follow the Julian calendar.
The movement to change the Christmas date in Ukraine gained momentum after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. Archbishop Zorya revealed that even before the war, one-third of the entire congregation wished to celebrate Christmas on December 25, and now that number has increased. Furthermore, the statement by Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and Metropolitan of Moscow, supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin's war mobilization order?saying that "dying while fulfilling military duty is a sacrifice for others, and through this sacrifice, all one's sins are washed away"?has intensified this trend.
In addition, Ukraine is undertaking efforts to erase traces of Russia remaining in various places. Statues of Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the former Soviet Union, have begun to be dismantled one by one, and the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture is deliberating how to handle streets and monuments named after Russian literary figures such as Tolstoy and Pushkin.
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