Today at church it must have been a sad time for the three Ukrainians present remembering their relatives back in Ukraine who would be celebrating Christmas on the same day instead of on January 7 as usual. It will be the first time since 1917 that Ukraine observes the date of December 24, departing from the Russian tradition of celebrating on Jan 7.  Christianity is the largest religion in Ukraine with Orthodox and Catholics having followed different dates for Christmas but now they will be in line with most of the world’s Christians. Today President Volodymyr Zelensky said Orthodox and Catholic Ukrainians will celebrate on the same day. “Today, all Ukrainians are together. We all meet Christmas together. On the same date, as one big family, as one nation, as one united country.”   The triptych is Ukrainian and the candles represent the four Sundays of Advent with the white candle of Christmas Day.