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France 24
France 24
Politics
Andrew HILLIAR

‘Tearing ourselves away’: Ukrainians break with Russian Orthodox Christmas tradition

According to an Interfax poll carried out in Ukraine in November, 44 percent of Ukrainians said they agreed with the idea of celebrating Christmas on December 25 rather than the traditional Orthodox date of January 7. © France 24 screengrab

In a small Orthodox church in Ukraine some 20 kilometres from the Russian border, the congregation chose to celebrate Christmas on December 25 rather than the traditional January 7, their way of protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. FRANCE 24’s Andrew Hilliar, Elena Volochine and Abdelkader Dermas report from Bogodukhiv.

“I don't want anything to do with those who bombard our country and massacre our children,” said one worshipper.

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