Russians in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are attempting to suppress the celebration of Christmas according to the new Julian calendar, which is observed on December 24 and 25.
This is reported by RBK-Ukraine citing "ATESH".
Partisans have stated that collaborators at enterprises are gathering information about individuals who adhere to this tradition and passing the data to the FSB. Those who follow Ukrainian traditions are deemed "potential saboteurs."
It is also noted that the celebration of Christmas from December 24 to 25 is perceived by the occupiers as an expression of Ukrainian identity and a "threat" to themselves.
Additionally, the occupiers are striving to suppress any cultural traditions related to the Ukrainian church and people.
"However, attempts to eradicate Ukrainian culture are destined to fail," the partisans emphasized.
With the transition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) to the new Julian calendar, the traditional dates of church celebrations in Ukraine have changed. From now on, the Nativity of Christ is officially celebrated on December 25. Historically, it has also been customary in Ukraine to celebrate Christmas on this date.
The shift to the new Julian calendar resulted from social changes and public demand. While the Julian calendar was once seen as part of ancient Ukrainian tradition, it is now increasingly associated with Russian church culture.
In May 2023, the Hierarchical Council of the OCU made the decision to switch to the new Julian calendar. It is more accurately aligned with astronomical phenomena than the Gregorian calendar and is free from the shortcomings of the Julian calendar.
According to the new Julian calendar, the Nativity of Christ in 2024 falls on Wednesday, December 25. The Eve of Christmas, accordingly, was on Tuesday, December 24.
For more details on the new dates of religious holidays, see the article by RBK-Ukraine.
Earlier, the OCU explained how they "calculated" the calendar date of the Nativity of Christ.