Breaking with tradition, Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25 this year

A Ukrainian serviceman holds his daughter as they take part in Christmas celebrations in the village of Pyrogove, near Kyiv on Monday.

Sergei Supinsky / Sergei Supinsky

On Sunday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed his nation and led its citizens in a short prayer to usher in Christmas Day.

“Today, all Ukrainians are together,” Zelenskyy said in a pre-recorded video shared on YouTube.

“We all meet Christmas together,” he said. “On the same date, as one big family, as one nation, as one united country. And today our common prayer will be stronger than ever. The people’s prayer. Today, it will unite millions of voices — more than ever before. And it will resonate today without a time difference of two weeks. Resonate together with Europe and the world.”