Interviewed by ACI Prensa on December 17, Father Petró Tsidylo, priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word based in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, explained: “On September 1, 2023, the calendar reform was carried out and implemented at beginning of the liturgical year. That is why this year we will celebrate Christmas on December 25.”
However, the change in date does not mean a change in the way it is celebrated: “For us, Ukrainians, Christmas is a family celebration in which we gather around a table of 12 lean dishes (foods high in protein but low in fat).
“Full of joy at the birth of Our Savior, we carried the good news from house to house with the singing of Christmas carols. This is the festival of peace, which man seeks to have with God through the sacrament of Penance. And it is the feast of mercy, which leads us to visit those who are alone and to pray for our deceased relatives,” explained Father Tsidylo.