Christmas in kyiv on December 25 was not always obvious… In fact, it has only been a year since Christmas was officially celebrated on this date in Ukraine. So far it was January 7, explains Ukrainian news site Obozrevatel. January 7 is actually Christmas Day for Russian Orthodox people. The reform of the calendar was a necessary step to oppose the ideology of ” Russian world », announced the Ukrainian Orthodox Church cited by the newspaper. The title explains: “ The transition to this calendar (…) allowed Ukraine to join most Christian Churches in Europe and America, which celebrate the New Year holidays on December 25 “.
Ukrainians actually started turning to this date in 2017, with kyiv designating December 25 as a public holiday. But it was not until 2023, after the Russian invasion of Donbass, that January 7 was removed from the non-working days. Today, according to the title, most Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on the 25th, like Western countries.
“In Syria, a Christmas tinged with “fears” for the future of Christians”, headline the Orient-Le Jour
The new power in Damascus dominated by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) former branch ofal-Qaedaworries hundreds of thousands of Christians in Syria. And this despite numerous gestures supposed to reassure minorities. HTS feels observed: it is the treatment reserved for these minorities which will determine their relations with a large part of the international community.
The Orient-The Day, Lebanese daily, also writes a long report in Idlib, a former rebel stronghold before the fall of Bashar el-Assad. Reporter Caroline Hayek describes: “ From several thousand in 2011, the city’s Christians can only be counted on the fingers of one hand. (…) The Greek Orthodox Church of Sainte-Marie, built at the end of the 19th century and the only vestige of the city’s multi-community past, was desecrated by fighters from a jihadist group. Then damaged by Russian raids ». Idleb, considered today one of the most conservative cities in Syria.
The British newspaper The Times he remembers Christmas 1914
Yes, it was 110 years ago. The First World War had started six months ago and there was a miracle: a Christmas truce between the soldiers. British and Germans cross the no man’s land to exchange a few handshakes, a few gifts and even play football. They who were shooting at each other a few hours before.
The Times today reveals that among the gifts given to the Germans were boxes full of spices. This testifies to one thing: that Indian soldiers who were fighting alongside the English participated in this truce. India was a British colony at the time. The newspaper says: “ Spice tins were among the gifts Princess Mary gave to soldiers during the war. For British soldiers this was a smoking kit, but this was deemed inappropriate for some members of the Indian Army. Instead, their boxes were filled with spices ». Boxes which have just been found in Germany.
The role of the Indians in the First World War is very little known. Yet more than a million were deported by the British during the war, often to fight in atrocious conditions.