MP proposes to introduce Thanksgiving Day as a public holiday
Thanksgiving Day celebrations. Photo: nv.ua
On 16 October 2023, the Parliament registered a draft law on the celebration in Ukraine of "Thanksgiving Day to God", which will be marked on an "interfaith level". The corresponding draft law was published on the Rada website.
The initiator of the bill, MP Viktor Mialyk, proposes to make Thanksgiving Day a day off, and it will be celebrated on the last Sunday of September.
In an explanatory note, the MP noted that the introduction of Thanksgiving Day is necessary so that "the Ukrainian people can turn to God with gratitude for His mercy, which was shown to the Ukrainian people in different historical times and is manifested today".
"On this day everyone will have a special occasion to address the Almighty with a prayer for cleansing from sins and spiritual healing, with gratitude for well-being and good harvests in our country, asking for the preservation of peace, unity and independence of our state," Mialyk wrote.
Earlier, parliamentarians already wanted to introduce in Ukraine Thanksgiving Day, which was supposed to be a day off. Then it was proposed to celebrate the new holiday on 22 October, as this time is the "autumn season, rich in the harvest of fruits and vegetables".
Before Volodymyr Zelensky cancelled the celebration of Christmas on January 7, the days of four religious holidays were officially defined as days off in Ukraine. After the cancellation of Christmas celebrations, the number of days off was reduced to three.
As reported, the Ukrainian President signed a law cancelling the Christmas celebration on 7 January.
Read also
TRC abducts cleric of Bancheny Monastery but releases him after believers' rally
Hundreds of believers gathered at the gates of the TRC in Chernivtsi. Military commissars released the abducted archimandrite of the Bancheny Monastery.
Persecuted UOC parishes in Bukovyna celebrate Sunday of Myrrh-Bearing Women
UOC communities deprived of their churches held services for the feast of the Myrrh-Bearing Women.
UOC donates equipment worth UAH 200,000 to Okhmatdyt
The Odesa Eparchy of the UOC has completed a large-scale campaign to raise funds for young patients’ needs, the UOC Information Center reports.
Pope prays with Anglican female bishop, calls Christians to unity
Leo XIV received Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally at the Vatican and said divisions must be overcome.
OCU spokesman: St. Nicholas did not take part in First Ecumenical Council
Zoria called the participation of St. Nicholas of Myra in the Council of Nicaea a product of later perception – saying the saint was “definitely not there.”
Hungary nationalizes UGCC monastery and hands it over to local Uniates
Hungarian authorities nationalized the UGCC monastery in Máriapócs and transferred it to a Hungarian Greek Catholic structure, evicting the Basilians.