Ukrainian parish marks St. Nicholas Day as start of Christmas season
Parishioners at St. Mary Protectress Ukrainian Parish in Apopka gathered to celebrate St. Nicholas Day, an event that signals the start of the Christmas season for many Ukrainian Catholics.
The celebration followed the Greek Orthodox rite, with attendees lighting candles and offering prayers during the liturgy. After Mass, families dressed in traditional clothing and shared food while children prepared to meet St. Nicholas.
Father Roman Kuzminskyi, pastor of the parish, explained the significance of the day: “He was a man like you and I, and then he started to do a lot good things and make gifts for children. It’s special for children and for the people and we continue to do the same after liturgy,” said Father Kuzminskyi. “To us it’s just a reminder that Christ is coming—His birth is coming. Christ is the biggest gift for us.”
St. Nicholas was Bishop of Myra in Turkey during the 4th century and is remembered for his acts of kindness toward children and those in need. His feast day originally fell on December 19 but moved to December 6 following changes introduced after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. During Soviet rule, Ukrainians were not allowed to observe this holiday.
Children performed skits about St. Nicholas’s miracles, danced, sang songs on instruments such as the bandura—a traditional Ukrainian string instrument—and paid tribute to him through their performances.
Volodymyr Chornyy, president of the parish board, commented on its importance: “St. Nicholas Day has very deep roots in Ukraine and is a very traditional holiday for us—one of the most cherished and most anticipated holidays.” He noted that he coordinated events with his wife Lesya, who wrote the program; two of their three children participated in presentations.
Chornyy also spoke about St. Nicholas’s legacy: “Even being from a very rich family, he was helping the poor. He was helping sick people. He would give a lot of monetary support, and people would not even know who did those miracles, because he would do it quietly.”
The start of Christmas traditions includes preparing a twelve-course meal on Christmas Eve—each course representing one apostle—and waiting until nightfall before eating together as a family. The meal excludes animal products except fish; dishes include cabbage rolls, pickled vegetables, herring salads with beets or horseradish, kutia (a wheat dish symbolizing unity), and bread signifying life and resurrection.
On Christmas Day parishioners attend Mass before caroling from house to house until festivities end around January 6 with observances marking Jesus’ baptism.
St. Mary Protectress Ukrainian Parish operates within the Diocese of Orlando, which was established in 1968 and encompasses several counties including Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia Counties.
