Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a law on changing holiday dates

President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) a law on changing the date of public holidays.

The MP from the "Voice" faction Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported this.

The relevant draft law No. 9431 "On Amendments to Article 73 of the Code of Labor Laws of Ukraine" was registered on June 28. It suggests doing:

• July 15 — the Day of Ukrainian Statehood;
• October 1 — Defender of Ukraine Day;
• December 25 — Christmas.

On the Day of Ukrainian Statehood, the memory of Prince Volodymyr the Great of Kyiv is commemorated, and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine is associated with the Day of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God. So they are also postponed due to the change in the date of the Christmas celebration according to the church calendar.

• On December 30, 2022, voting on the date of the Christmas celebration ended in the "Diia" application. The majority of respondents chose December 25.
• On May 24, 2023, at the bishopsʼ council, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) decided to switch to the new Julian calendar, but to retain the right of parishes and monasteries to celebrate church holidays according to the old Julian calendar. So Christmas will be celebrated on December 25, not January 7, Intercession on October 1, Epiphany on January 6, and Saint Nicholas Day on December 6. The changes, however, will not affect Easter and Trinity.
• The Orthodox Church of Ukraine also planned to appeal to state authorities with a proposal to move the Feast of the Intercession from October 14 to October 1 in accordance with the new church calendar.