News Digest

And a merry Christmas to you … twice: Ukraine mulls double celebration

As if one day of good tidings, comfort and joy was not enough… Ukraine is considering celebrating Christmas twice. It has begun a national debate on whether to mark the occasion on December 25 in line with the rest of Europe. Politicians are suggesting a transitional period when there are two celebrations, including the traditional Orthodox Christian festivities on January 7. The suggestion comes as Ukraine sheds ties with Russia and the influence of the Russian Orthodox church wanes.

We, Christians of different confessions of Ukraine, without abandoning their own traditions and wanting to celebrate Christmas with the whole Christian world, ask for a holiday to be established in Ukraine on Dec. 25 in honour of Christmas

One of the pro-December 25 activists

Activists in favour of making December 25 - currently an ordinary working day in Ukraine - an official holiday have started two petitions which have appeared on the presidential web site. If they get enough support president Petro Poroshenko will have to consider the matter, although the Ukrainian parliament would have the final word. Oleksander Turchynov, the secretary of Ukraine’s security council, has backed the idea, saying he favoured a transition period during which Ukrainians could celebrate Christmas on both dates. The Russian Orthodox Church dominates Ukraine’s central, eastern and southern regions, while Catholics and Greek Catholics are concentrated in the west of the country.