A quiet but festive Orthodox Christmas on tap

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This article was published 06/01/2021 (2055 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Instead of setting the table for a dozen tonight, Elmwood resident Oksana Shulakewych will celebrate a traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve dinner with only her husband Borys in the room and the rest of her family on video chat.

“This year, it’s just the two of us, which is a bit sad, but we’re happy because there is the two of us,” she said of their pandemic-style holiday dinner.

Some of Winnipeg’s Ukrainian community, as well as a few Orthodox groups, mark Christmas Eve tonight and celebrate Christmas Thursday following the old Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the more commonly used Gregorian calendar.

In Canada, most Ukrainian Catholic parishes follow the Gregorian calendar, but there are ongoing discussions in Ukraine about moving the holiday from Jan. 7 to Dec. 25, said Rev. Michael Kwiatkowski, chancellor of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg.

“Ukrainian Catholics would not make the shift unless it was done by all the Christians in Ukraine,” he said.

Shulakewych celebrates both dates, connecting with friends and family on Dec. 25 and hosting a traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve dinner on Jan. 6.

“For me, Christmas is not about gifts or Santa Claus,” she explained during a break in her meal preparations.

“It’s a religious holiday, but a holiday with ancient traditions, which I have been following.”

Although she was briefly tempted not to pull out the Christmas decorations or make the traditional 12-course meal because of pandemic restrictions limiting gathering sizes to members of a household, Shulakewych decided to add a twist to the holiday traditions.

Instead of inviting family and friends for a Christmas Eve dinner, she packaged up the borscht, cabbage rolls, perogies and other traditional dishes to deliver to loved ones ahead of time so they could eat together over a Zoom call. In place of having the Hoosli Ukrainian Male Chorus sing at their doorstep on Christmas Eve, she will log onto the group’s YouTube playlist of Christmas carols.

Later, she will watch the livestream of the Christmas Eve liturgy from Sts. Vladimir and Olga Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral instead of attending the late evening service in person.

“I do it on the computer, and it’s very sad but it is the way it is,” explained the mother of two.

Ukrainians may be tied to their traditions, but they also have a long history of adaptation and resilience, said Rev. Ihor Shved, who was appointed administrator at the cathedral last fall.

Only four months into the job, the Ukrainian-born and educated priest has made some changes to the usual Christmas celebrations at the McGregor Street cathedral, scheduling online carolling for the parish and recording a Ukrainian language nativity pageant for Christmas Eve.

“As Christians, we should learn how to manage the situation but to also find some positive things in that,” Shved said of celebrating within pandemic protocols.

“It’s not easier, but it’s good for our spiritual health to find some benefits in the situation.”

In the Shulakewych household, those benefits will flow from setting the table spread with the large tablecloth embroidered by her mother, lighting the candles, and virtually welcoming guests with the traditional Kutya, a dish made from wheat, honey, nuts and raisins, said Shulakewych, 76.

“My husband greets everyone with that and that is the final dish we eat.”

Although there may be fewer people around the table this year because of the restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19, she’s grateful for the blessings in her life, including her family, her health, and the ability to get out for a daily walk.

“I’m happy with what I’ve got in spite of this terrible virus.”

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