There is a change in the more than 100-year-old tradition for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church around the world, and here in southeast Manitoba.
Daryna Malyukh, president of the Ukrainian Association of the Southeast says, most members of the church won’t remember when Christmas was celebrated on December 24, and she tells us the history.
“So, back in 1918, the Soviet Union regime actually changed the Christmas date to January 7th. But before 1918, all Ukrainian Orthodox Church members were celebrating Christmas on December 24th. But when Soviet Union Soviet regime came, they changed dates drastically, they went to Julian Calendar, and it was from that moment January 7th.”
Malyukh continues,” but it was made on purpose. Soviet Union didn't want Ukrainians to keep their traditions and history and they started to ban all important religion holidays for Ukrainians. So, they banned Christmas from December 24th. They banned Saint Nicholas from Ukrainian traditions, who was always bringing presents for Ukrainian children for all children. It's very historical that 100 years ago, Ukrainians actually celebrated Christmas on December 24th.”
Malyukh notes that Ukraine became an independent country in 1991, but at the time the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Russian Orthodox Church remained under one leadership.
“Then in February 2022, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church decided to separate themselves from Russian Orthodox Church, which actually happened in May 2022.”
Malyukh adds it still took the Ukrainian Orthodox Church 30 years to become an church independent.
“So, if you have lived more than 100 years with another church, it's hard to do this separation because a lot of Orthodox churches were under Russian leadership. So now even in Ukraine, a majority of Orthodox churches, they have become just Ukrainian Orthodox churches.”
Malyukh says with the Christmas date changing back to December 24 for the Ukrainian Orthodox churches will come confusion, but she encourages folks with the following.
“Even for me, for my generation, many people, they don't know their history. So, this is the time, not just maybe be upset or angry or mad, but just, for even for myself, educate yourself, dig into history, see what happened, why these dates are different? Why is this so? Like parliament? They decided in 2023 in June that they will be moving back to Ukrainian Christmas, which will be happening on December 24 this year around the world, for the first time in over 100 years.”
Malyukh states that their Ukrainian Orthodox traditions won’t change.
“We will be doing the same thing. We will be having Holy Supper on December 24th with 12 meatless dishes. Ukrainian Orthodox churches all over the world will be having their ceremonies in church starting December 24th in the evening, and as usual you'll be fasting before Christmas Eve and we will be all waiting for first star to rise up and then we can sit together around the table and share all the 12 dishes, reminding ourselves that no matter what, we keep our traditions and our Christmas with our nation with in our hearts no matter where we live, we are still Ukrainians.”
“This is the tradition that I was raised in. It was a very, very family thing. Something special that you wait for you. Looking through the window, just looking and waiting for the star. Singing carols. A very, very special family tradition. And me personally, I'll be keeping this with my family, with my kids and here in southeast with our Ukrainian community.”
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