Celebrate Christmas despite the war. As Ukrainians celebrate their first Christmas season since the start of the Russian-led war in their country, some decide not to lose heart.
This Sunday, December 25, despite the air raid sirens resounding in Kyiv, some inhabitants of the capital sang Christmas carols in the subway.
On Sunday, Orthodox Christians also celebrated Christmas in the Ukrainian capital, in defiance of Russian religious authorities, who will celebrate the birth of Jesus in two weeks’ time.
Ukraine, whose population is mostly Orthodox, is in fact divided between a Church dependent on the Moscow Patriarchate, which announced that it was breaking its ties with Russia at the end of May because of the Russian offensive, and a Church independent of Russia. supervision. Created at the end of 2018, the latter has sworn allegiance to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is based in Istanbul.
A difficult Christmas for Ukraine
Christmas has a “bitter aftertaste” for Ukrainians this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his Christmas greetings on Saturday night.
“Dinner at the family table cannot be so tasty and warm. There may be empty chairs around. And our houses and streets cannot be so bright,” he said in his speech.
Russia has been targeting energy infrastructure for several months during their strikes in Ukraine, leading to regular power outages in the country.
The Ukrainian president, however, wanted to be encouraging: “We will sing Christmas carols – happier than ever – louder than the noise of a generator. We will listen to the voices and wishes of loved ones – in our hearts – although communication services and internet are down,” he said in his speech.
And even in total darkness, we will meet, to hold each other tight. And if there is no heat, we will hug each other tight to warm ourselves, ”she added.
Source: BFM TV
