The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has allowed Christmas services to be held on December 25 according to the New Julian calendar.
This was reported by the press service of OCU.
This decision was adopted by the Holy Synod of the church on October 18.
"Where there are pastoral circumstances for this and the desire of the faithful is evidenced, as an exception, by decision of the abbot and congregation, on December 25, 2022, it may be allowed to hold a divine service in the manner of the Nativity of Christ, with subsequent submission through the diocesan administration to the Kyiv Vitropolis of written information about the number of participants in such a divine service", — says the statement of the OCU.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine also noted that in the case of such a service, its participants are freed from the restrictions of fasting on this day.
- In 2019, Metropolitan Epiphany emphasized that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is not against the calendar reform. The OCU expressed agreement with his statement, if this decision is supported by the majority of believers and the Synod.