For many Ukrainians living in Saskatchewan this will be the first year celebrating Christmas on December 25th.

Earlier this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy changed his country’s official Christmas Day holiday to December 25 from January 7.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada announced earlier this month that it will officially adopt the revised Julian calendar.

The goal of the change in law was to abandon the Russian heritage of celebrating Christmas on January 7, following Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.  Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Svitlana Kucherenko moved to Moose Jaw with her family in March of this year after her home city in southern Ukraine was occupied.  This will be the first year that she has celebrated Christmas on December 25th.   She says they will cook traditional Ukranian dishes and invite their friends to visit.

The change will also impact other fixed holidays on the Julian calendar such as Epiphany and Saint Nicholas Day.

(discovermoosejaw)