The candle of peace was lit by Ukrainians in a church in Copenhagen

In the Apostelkirk, the atmosphere is relaxed. The children play, play games and game on their parents’ smartphones to avoid boredom. And there is nothing to say that patience is about to run out. Because the service lasts several hours.

Although the Ukrainian church has moved in a more western direction, there are still several things about the Ukrainian Christmas that differ from the Danish one.

Magda is part of the church choir. Although a large part of her family is in Ukraine, the 20 people gathered for this year’s Christmas dinner, where her friends from the church choir also participated. According to Ukrainian tradition, 12 dishes are eaten on Christmas Eve – one for each apostle.

Ukrainians love Christmas carols, which there is a tradition of going from door to door singing. They are not just hymns, but also a form of religious teachings that tell the story of Jesus’ life. The hymns bring Ukrainians closer together, and many of their memories of Christmas are rooted in Christmas hymns.