From September 1, the OCU switches to the New Julian calendar

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine will switch from September 1 to the New Julian calendar for immovable holidays, such a decision was made on May 24 at the Council of Bishops in the Refectory Church of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

Thus, the main church holidays in Ukraine will be celebrated on other dates, writes BBC News Ukraine:

• Christmas is December 25th, not January 7th;
• Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos – October 1;
• Epiphany – January 6;
• Saint Nicholas Day – December 6th.

IN message The OCU on Facebook says:

“By the decision of the Council of Bishops of the Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kiev and All Ukraine, on May 24, 2023, the Resolution on the calendar issue was approved, which determined the transition to the New Julian calendar from September 1 of this year, preserving the parishes and monasteries that wish to use the old The general use of the New Julian calendar, after the approval of this decision by the Local Council on July 27, 2023, will be introduced from September 1 of the current year, when the new church year begins.

Thus, the Council decided to reserve the right to use the old calendar for parishes and monasteries that wish to do so:

“Parishes and monasteries wishing to observe the old calendar will have this opportunity – the calendar reform will take place without coercion, gradually and consciously.”

The celebration of Easter and related events will remain unchanged. Trinity Ukrainians will celebrate on the 50th day after Easter. The formal approval of the transition by the Local Council of the Church on July 27, 2023 will also be required. However, Metropolitan Epiphanius told the BBC that the issue had already been resolved and the transition would take place:

“The issue of calendar reform has long been discussed both in society and in the Church. And we see that from year to year the number of supporters of the transition to an updated modern calendar, which has long been used by most Local Orthodox Churches, is growing.”

“This issue received a new impetus as a result of Russian aggression. Now the Julian calendar is perceived as associated with Russian church culture. Therefore, the desire to preserve and assert the Ukrainian spiritual identity, protection from the aggression of the “Russian world” requires us to make an overdue decision – to join the majority of the Local Orthodox Churches and introduce the New Julian calendar,” the statement said.

The Synod of the OCU has already allowed communities wishing to switch to the new calendar to do so according to the appropriate procedure.

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