Three OCU parishes in Prykarpattia decide to celebrate Nativity on January 7

Sts. Peter and Paul OCU parish in the village of Kosmach, Ivano-Frankivsk Region. Photo: promin.cv.ua

In the village of Kosmach, Ivano-Frankivsk Region, the faithful of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul decided to celebrate Christmas according to the old style – on January 7. As reported by Suspilne, the decision was made on December 18, 2025, at a parish assembly. Two more parishes in the Horodenka area have also expressed their intention to celebrate Christmas according to the old calendar.

According to community head Dmytro Mokhnachuk, representatives of initiative groups both “for” and “against” the transition to the New Julian calendar took part in the discussion, along with the parish rector and members of the church committee.

Mokhnachuk noted that on December 25 the church will remain open, but no festive Christmas service will be held on that day. The main Nativity service is scheduled for January 7.

Earlier, deputies at a session of the village council adopted a decision recommending that all churches in the community switch to the New Julian calendar.

“According to the Constitution of Ukraine, religion is separated from the state. The administrative center can only issue recommendations. I can only organize dialogue, convene round tables, and recommend that order be maintained in the community. I suggested that representatives of the eparchy come and explain what would happen next, because the situation is difficult. They did not come. So we proceed from what we have,” the community head said.

The Ivano-Frankivsk Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine reported that it had not received an official appeal from the Kosmach parish. At the same time, the eparchy’s vice-chancellor told the media that a decision of the OCU Council of Bishops allows individual parishes to retain the old calendar style without any time limitation.

According to him, in addition to Kosmach, two more parishes in the Horodenka area also plan to celebrate Christmas on January 7, explaining this by the preservation of familiar traditions. “People explain it by saying that this is what they are used to. They consider it their tradition and are not yet ready to abandon it,” the OCU eparchy representative said.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the OCU "priest" has expressed concern that the UOC may “steal Christmas” from children in Chernivtsi.

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