Orthodox Christmas Day, celebrated on January 7 in Ukraine, is one of the country’s most significant and cherished holidays. It follows the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar commonly used today. It commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and is a holiday filled with various traditions, spiritual rituals, and festive activities.
The celebrations for Orthodox Christmas Day in Ukraine usually begin on Christmas Eve, which is spent preparing a traditional Ukrainian Christmas dinner called 'Sviata Vecheria' or 'Holy Supper'. The meal consists of twelve meatless dishes, representing the twelve apostles. The dishes usually include kutia (wheat berry pudding), borsch (a hearty vegetable soup), varenyky (dumplings), and pampushky (sweet donuts), among others. Before the meal, the family gathers around the table, and the head of the household leads the prayer.
Besides the traditional family gathering and meal, the Orthodox Christmas Day in Ukraine involves performing Christmas carols and nativity plays, known as 'Vertep'. The caroling represents the announcement of Jesus' birth. Groups of carolers, mainly children and teenagers, go from house to house singing traditional Ukrainian Christmas songs. The 'Vertep' nativity scene usually involves a puppet theater and represents the birth of Christ, including characters like Herod, the three wise men, and the shepherds. These practices uphold the rich cultural and religious heritage of Ukraine.