or centuries, Orthodox Ukrainians saw the traditional Julian calendar as one of the anchors of their church's identity. Now many are switching to the Gregorian calendar.
In a landmark legislative move, Ukraine has shifted the date of its official Christmas celebration from January 7 to December 25, stepping away from the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church, allied with Putin's regime, and in a bid to "live their own life with their own traditions (and) .
Some churches around the province took the opportunity to host large dinners Friday to help bring Ukrainian communities together for the holiday. Services are continuing to be held over the next two weeks, with the holiday season wrapping up on Jan. 19.