Thirty years ago, on December 26, 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR adjourned its second session by adopting a law making Christmas, Easter and the Feast of the Holy Trinity (Theophany) legal holidays in the republic.
The law was introduced by deputies of the democratic bloc, who acted on a request by both the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
Leonid Kravchuk, chairman (later president of Ukraine) of the Supreme Soviet (after the renewal of Ukraine’s independence, it was known as the Verkhovna Rada or Parliament of Ukraine), took the occasion to express best wishes to all faithful in Ukraine. Similar measures making Christmas a legal holiday were passed in both Volyn and Lviv oblasts.
Also during that parliamentary session, national deputies approved a proposal that would decrease Ukraine’s contribution of certain foodstuffs to the all-union supply. Significantly, meat products delivered by Ukraine to all-union authorities would decrease from 570,000 to 370,000 tons.
At its October 1, 1990, session, the Supreme Soviet discussed proposals for a law on ownership, a law on budget and finances, and the concept of a union treaty as proposed by Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. The session also completed discussions on introducing changes to the Constitution and created a Constitutional Commission to prepare a draft of a new republican Constitution.
The October session also brought articles of the Ukrainian SSR Constitution into line with the July 16 Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine, especially the deletion of Article 6 that provides for the leading role of the Communist Party.
Economically, parliament heard plans from Prime Minister Vitold Fokin for an increase in the consumer goods industry, a reduction of economic contributions to Moscow and transfer of control over almost all enterprises to republican government control. Mr. Fokin also said he foresaw the introduction of a Ukrainian currency.
Thirty years later, Ukraine is still emerging from the Soviet legacy, and there remains work to be done. However, there has been measurable progress from then until now, and a part of that rebuilding process has been through the renewal of religious life.
Source: “Ukrainian Parliament designates Christmas, Easter as holidays; Supreme Soviet concludes session,” The Ukrainian Weekly, December 30, 1990.