Ukrainians Celebrate Orthodox Christmas at a Holy Site Long Linked to Moscow
KYIV, Ukraine — Worshippers gathered at Ukraine’s most historically significant monastery on Saturday to celebrate Orthodox Christmas in much the same way that they have for centuries.
The Moscow-led church that has long dominated religious life in much of Ukraine has traditionally held the Christmas Mass at the monastery, Pechersky Lavra. But that faction has been accused of supporting the Russian forces that have invaded Ukraine, acting as a fifth column for Moscow. On Saturday, women wearing floral headscarves, soldiers in uniform and young families began arriving early for the ceremony, just after 8 a.m. Those attending the Christmas service encountered intense security checks, with people showing their passports and going through metal detectors and bag scanners before they could enter the church.
Patriarch Kirill, head of the church in Moscow and a strong supporter of Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine, had earlier suggested a cease-fire for the Christmas holiday. On Saturday, he led a Christmas sermon in Moscow and issued a televised message to the members of the faith, offering prayers for those killed in the fighting.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine in a Friday night address, issued after the United States announced a new $3 billion package of military assistance for Ukraine that will include Bradley Fighting Vehicles, called recent diplomatic efforts a success and vowed to push for more military support from abroad.
But at the Kyiv monastery on Saturday, the fighting on Ukraine’s front line was far from the minds of many as they focused on the significance of the church service. A choir made up of young men and women wearing traditional Ukrainian dress that included elaborately beaded headpieces and long woolen socks from one of the country’s western regions sang during the ceremony.
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