Smooth transition to new Christmas date for Manitoba’s Ukrainian faith community

Many members of the Ukrainian faith community in Manitoba will be celebrating Christmas early this year — or potentially twice — as 2023 marks a historic shift in how the holiday is celebrated and faith leaders say the smooth transition is a sign of strength in the community.

“The majority of the people I’ve talked to, welcome this, as way of showing continued unity with their Ukrainian families and as a Ukrainian nation,” said Very Rev. Archpriest Eugene Maximiuk.

“It is a huge, monumental shift in our mindset and it did not come easily.” 

Against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the Kyiv Independent, both the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and Ukrainian Greek Catholics previously used an older version of the Julian Calendar to mark the celebration, which was also used by the Russian Orthodox Church.

But in July, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky amended federal law in Ukraine, officially changing the day of celebration from Jan. 7 to Dec. 25.

Now, with the new recognition of the revised Julian Calendar — formally starting in Canada as of Dec. 20 — many Ukrainian churches in Winnipeg will be holding two Christmas masses, one on each day, to ensure all members of the community — whether born here or arriving as a newcomer — have a place to worship, something the Very Rev. Archpriest Eugene Maximiuk says is critical. 

“In a time where there’s great turmoil in their lives, and everything is up in the air for them and they’re worried about so many things .. we want to be at least one factor of stability, that their church that they recognize back at home, is a church they can recognize here,” said Father Maximiuk. 

He says while the change was a massive one, it comes after much consultation with the parishioners and so far has been a smooth one, saying it speaks to the strength of the community here in Manitoba. 

“It’s not easy to switch at once, it takes time,” said Father Ihor Shved, who leads the congregation at the Cathedral of St. Volodymyr.

Father Shved and Olha will be hosting two masses celebrating Christmas as many families transition, and he says it’s important that people here in Manitoba, some whom have just arrived, have the option to celebrate with their families experiencing conflict in Ukraine.

“It’s not the same Christmas as it would be if peace was in Ukraine. And for those people who just came, for whom it will be their first Christmas far from their homeland, it will be challenge …  and Christmas is about family and friends,” said Father Shved.

While the preparation of two Christmas masses will require a bit more effort, both faith leaders say the work is worth it.