Ukraine passed a law moving the date of its official Christmas holiday to Dec. 25, dropping the Russian Orthodox Church’s tradition of celebrating the holiday on Jan. 7.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, center, delivers the Christmas service in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023.

Monday, Russian Orthodox Christians observed Christmas Eve with time-honored celebrations around the world. In honor of the holiday many churches, like St. John's Russian Orthodox Cathedral in ...

FILE - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, center, delivers the Christmas service in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko ...

A Russian Orthodox Church priest makes the sign of the cross during an Orthodox Christmas service at the Church of the Holy Martyr Tatiana near the Kremlin Wall in Moscow, Russia, late Saturday ...

The national government and one Orthodox church observed Christmas on Dec. 25, distancing themselves from Russian tradition, but another Orthodox church retained the Jan. 7 observance.

A Russian Orthodox Church priest makes the sign of the cross during an Orthodox Christmas service at the Church of the Holy Martyr Tatiana near the Kremlin Wall in Moscow, Russia, late Saturday ...

FILE - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, center, delivers the Christmas service in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. While much of the world has Christmas ...

Certain Eastern Orthodox churches, including those in Russian and other traditions, follow the ancient Julian calendar, which runs 13 days later than the Gregorian calendar, used by Catholic and ...

FILE - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, center, delivers the Christmas service in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. While much of the world has Christmas ...

While much of the world has Christmas in the rearview mirror by now, people in some Eastern Orthodox traditions will celebrating the holy day on Sunday. Jan. 7, 2024.