comment: >
  
  
  That very much varies among orthodox branches.
  
  In the Russian Orthodox Church, the celebration of Christmas on January 7.
context: “These days, millions of people in Ukraine and the world celebrate Christmas. The appearance of the Son of God gave people hope for salvation, faith in the victory of goodness and mercy. Unfortunately, all the holidays have a bitter aftertaste for us this year. And we can feel the traditional Spirit of Christmas differently. Dinner at the family table cannot be so tasty and warm. There may be empty chairs around it. And our houses and streets can't be so bright. And Christmas bells can ring not so loudly and inspiringly. Through air raid sirens, or even worse – gunshots and explosions,” 
  “Someone will see the first star in the sky over Bakhmut, Rubizhne, and Kreminna today… Someone will celebrate the holiday in other people's homes – homes of Ukrainians who gave shelter to Ukrainians… Someone will hear Shchedryk in another language – in Warsaw, Berlin, London, New York, Toronto and many other cities and countries,” 
  And someone, the President added, will meet this Christmas in captivity, “but let them remember that we are also coming for our people, we will return freedom to all Ukrainian men and women.”
  
  Powerful address. >
  
  That’s…interesting.
  I mean, last I was in Russia, they celebrated Christmas on the 7th of January, as the orthodox church didnt adjust for the Julian calender, like the catholics back when….
  So, is he utterly sincere? Or is he aware, 90percent sincere and 10 percent low-key trolling, as the West and Ukraine, it seems, are the ones celebrating Christmas today - not Russia. >
  
  
  as the West and Ukraine, it seems are the ones celebrating Christmas today
  
  Most of Ukraine doesn't celebrate Christmas today. Ukraine is 70% Orthodox Christian. But it does have 5 million Catholics. 
  He just wishes Merry Christmas on the 25th of December and the 7th of January. Both of which are national holidays in Ukraine. >
  
  So we could have had two Christmases this entire time?! >
  
  What about Second Christmas? >
  
  I don't think they know about second Christmas. >
  
  What about Easter? Hanukkah ? Afternoon Eid? Diwali? Thanksgiving? He knows about them, doesn't he? >
  
  I wouldn’t count on it >
  
  Half of Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on Jan 7 (same as all russians), but there is a transition happening to Dec 25 because of the shit russia has been pulling in the recent years. Ukrainians are trying to distance themselves from anything even remotely russian. >
  
  Christmas is not an important holiday in Ukraine tbh. While the majority are Orthodox, it used to come after new year holidays, so it had a lesser importance vs the western Christianity >
  
  I'm curious If they celebrate on January 6th because it was traditionally known as Epiphany (celebrates the revelation of God as Jesus Christ) or is it for some other reason? Somebody above said they followed a different calander. 
  Interestingly the 12 days of christmas are from either dec 25th to Jan 5th or Dec 26th to Jan 6th. Either way January 6th was celebrated at one time as Epiphany. Is it just a coincidence this is when they celebrate Christmas? >
  
  ROC and other 'Old Calendarists' use Julian Calendar: "leap year every 4 years" [365.25 days/year]
  Secular calendars use Gregorian: "leap year every 4 years, except not every 100, except yes every 400" [365.2425]
  'New Calendarists' use Revised Julian: "leap year every 4 years, except not every 100, except yes on the 2nd & 6th century of a 900-year cycle" [365.24222...] (This is actually closer to the mean Tropical year length [~365.24219])
  Gregorian & Revised Julian will be in sync until 28th Feb, 2800. >
  
  Russian propaganda told me Zelensky hates (Orthodox) Christians, and not simply an institution influenced by the Kremlin, does not compute. >
  
  It's frankly hilarious that anyone at all thinks the Patriarch of Moscow - a position openly co-opted by the USSR after they found they couldn't stamp out religion by killing tens of thousands of priests and closing churches - is an authority on anything relating to Orthodoxy at all
  They've been paid mouthpieces for Russian authoritarians for almost a century, and probably would be even further back if the Russian Czars allowed Patriarchs to exist at all >
  
  Besides the Moscow Church is in a state of schism currently. The Patriarch of Moscow excommunicated the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in 2018 due to the Ecumenical Patriarch declaring the Ukrainian Orthodox Church independent from the Russian Orthodox Church. >
  
  Just branch managers canceling each others. >
  
  It seems most of you didn't read the headline right. 
  You will also be surprised that there are Eastern Catholic Churches. >
  
  But tucker told me… >
  
  Tucker eats pieces of shit for breakfast and then regurgitates it on tv >
  
  "You eat pieces of shit for breakfast!?" >
  
  How ominous! This guy is really threatening Christmas everywhere!
  /s >
  
  Oh my that's just like the romans mocking jesus by hanging him on the very symbol of christianity /s >
  
  Isn’t their Xmas in two weeks? >
  
  It depends, I'm antiochian so we celebrate on dec 25th, but the Copticsc Ethiopian, and Slavic churches follow the old calendar so it's usually in January. Western rite I believe is the Orthodox Church but looks like the Catholic Church, there's also eastern rite Catholicism.     
  Also I just realized that the context here for western rite is referring to those following the modern calendar and not the western rite that I was thinking of. >
  
  And then there are Spaniards, or at least the ones here in the Canarias where I'm frequently vacationing. They will wish you Merry Christmas on Christmas, but the real celebration, the three kings, is on January 5th in the afternoon. >
  
  Merry Christmas from Munster, Indiana. >
  
  So much for Ukraine being anti Christian >
  
  They’re one of the most Christian countries on the planet. Where did you read this lol >
  
  Everyone’s favorite nut job(American) tucker Carlson >
  
  Jarvis, put this on the bugs bunny meme >
  
  This guy is amazing. Such a mensch. >
  
  Im not religious I celebrate every holiday, I celebrate the time of giving, of love, of unity, friendships and family. >
  
  Brilliant 👏 Information 
  .Whatever religion you are doesn't matter at the end of the day. We are all human and praying for a better world free from war. >
  
  All politics aside, the choice of Carol of the Bells in this context is incredibly touching and faceted. >
  
  He is hero >
  
  Wow.. way to go… ONLY liking Christmas for THEM!! /s 
  This man earned his “fame”. He’s a real leader people can take lessons from, looking at US America…. >
  
  To be fair he became a true leader because of the war. No way of knowing how any other leader will react >
  
  We have a way of knowing how some of our leaders act… they had their chance to “join the effort” when it comes to “fighting” for “their” country. This guy can lead by example when it comes to sticking up for his people.
  Edit. I can see Someone assuming I meant for something more recent and in reality I just mean the joke excuses for “bone spurs” from a multitude of supposed “leaders” >
  
  And he's Jewish. The Ukrainian Orthodox church changed Christmas date to 25 instead of 7 of January like it still is to the Russian >
  
  You to buddy! >
  
  Weird ass title from OP >
  
  The people in this comment section are the most miserable people in existence. Somehow you dumbass redditors turned a nice "have a merry Christmas" into "REpUbliCanS are EvIL"
  Insane. >
  
  Believe it or not, the calendar being 2 weeks ahead is the basis of loads of conspiracy theories. As if the calendar is magic or some shit, or like it matters at all. I.e. the "real" calendar and the "fake" calendar etc. Religion doing religion things. But mainly merry Christmas and don't go and murder people in another country ok? >
  
  Your welcome enjoy your trillion sir! >
  
  This must be some mistranslation I don't think there are any western rite orthodox in Ukraine at least not in sizable numbers, also most western orthodox are under Antioch or Moscow. >
  
  Never thought I could get so thoroughly b*tch-slapped with the words “Merry Christmas” >
  
  I'm just hoping this is a misfortunate title, becuase there is no way Zelensky doesn't know what Western rite Orthodox means. 
  Celebrating Xmas on December 25th doesn't make an Orthodox follower Western rite. >
  
  Well, there is also second Easter! We celebrated Easter together a few years ago,  but generally there's two Easters as well...lol.. >
  
  Orthodox Christmas is still two weeks away. >
  
  That very much varies among orthodox branches.