KEY POINTS
- Orthodox Christmas is being marked by communities in Australia.
- Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ on 7 January.
- The difference arises from the decision to follow the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar.
For Ukrainian family of five, the Drobushars, this Christmas in Australia is bittersweet.
A time for family and coming together, there is an unoccupied chair at the dinner table - a nod to the extended family members who are not present.
The meal assembled is "without meat, eggs and milk", mother Natalia told SBS News, explaining that adjustments were made to fit the current circumstance.
"On the table should be 12 types of food. We don't have all types. But we're in a new country, and we try and provide the best we can," she said through translation provided by eldest son Denys. At the age of 16, he has picked up English rapidly in the last five months.
Orthodox Christians of various denominations celebrate Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ on 7 January based on the Julian calendar.
Some Ukrainian Christians celebrate Christmas on 25 December based on the Gregorian calendar, and both 7 January and 25 December are public holidays in Ukraine.
It is a time of firsts for the Drobushars - the first Christmas since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the first in a foreign country, and the first spent away from their extended family.
The shadow of the 11-month conflict in their home country of Ukraine is very much present as they engage in rituals to mark the birth of Jesus.
Up to 40 days of fasting - abstaining from food including meat, dairy, fish, wine, and olive oil - is broken with a vigil on Christmas Eve, followed by a feast on Christmas Day.
"It is a special time of reflection for us," Denys said.
"It is a little bit sad because our whole family is not here. But I am here with my [immediate] family - and I am glad we are together. We can celebrate together, we can go forward together."
'Hardest time for us'
The family fled the city of Lviv in western Ukraine in March last year, taking refuge in Poland and Czech Republic, before arriving in Sydney in June.
"The most scary thing in Lviv was the reality of war. Our ability to go to work or school everyday was completely disrupted. It was a difficult situation," Denys translated for his mother, Natalia, who described the sounds of missile strikes and the heightened alert from security forces.
But settling into a new country from a war zone with limited English language skills has not been easy.
Living in their own residence, the mother, father and eldest son are all working jobs to build the family income and make ends meet amid the rising cost of living in Sydney.
Juggling health needs, English-language learning and recovering from fleeing a war zone, it has been a busy time for the Drobushars.
"The first two months was so hard. I just cried for two months. After that, I understand that life continues and I should do something because I have a life when others do not," Mrs Drobushar said.
"We support the soldiers in Ukraine through donations," she added.
"It is the hardest time for us, this Christmas. In the past, we always celebrate this day with my mother. Now we're celebrating alone [without her] - just us."
Churchgoers in Australia mark moment
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church congregations across Australia held memorial services as part of the holiday, honouring with special prayers the lives lost in the conflict.
"Blood is spilling again on our land because of the aggressor's actions," the Ukrainian Orthodox Church said in a Facebook post.
"But the event of the Nativity of Christ assures us that light always triumphs over darkness."
Reverend Paul Naisan (right) delivers a sermon during the Orthodox Christmas service at the Saint Zaia Cathedral in Sydney. Source: SBS News
He said although there are no Ukrainians or Russians in his church congregation, the call for peace is shared by those attending the Orthodox Christmas service.
"We come together to open our hearts, to pray for peace. We are aware of the many conflicts in the world today, including in Ukraine. We pray because there are also many innocent people who are killed every day."
Growing rift between Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox congregations
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , saying he doubted the offer was genuine.
Mr Putin's proposed ceasefire start time of noon Moscow time on Friday came and went with no pause in the fighting. Artillery fire around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine from both sides were reported by journalists covering the conflict.
The outbreak of war has widened the rift between the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox congregations.
Ukrainians mark Orthodox Christmas Day inside a bomb shelter during an air-raid alarm in Lviv. Source: AAP / Mykola Tys
About 260 million globally celebrate Christmas in January as part of the Orthodox Christian tradition marked by majority-Orthodox countries in Eastern Europe and Orthodox communities in Egypt and Ethiopia.
Orthodox traditions have evolved differently around the world based on the church branch and local customs.
