Holidays & Observances in Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. Its culture is unique, but has been affected greatly by the Russians, who ruled over it for many years. There are currently many ethnic Russians living in Ukraine and Russian is a widely spoken language across the country. Christianity is the most common religion, with most people practicing Orthodoxy. Orthodox Christians in Ukraine follow the Julian calendar, so holidays are celebrated on the Julian calendar dates and not the Gregorian dates most countries use. Secularism is a growing group in Ukraine, fueled by years of Soviet Russian rule when religious practices were discouraged. Now religious holidays have gained a renewed popularity, even amongst those who do not consider themselves religious.