Ukrainians have largely moved away from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) — which sits under the Moscow Patriarchate — since the invasion, with a majority now following a Kyiv-led Church that adheres to a different calendar.
But some still celebrate Epiphany on January 19, including followers of the UOC, threatened with a ban over its links with Moscow.
“A holiday is a holiday. No matter the faith,” Natalya said, walking next to the monastery, riddled with shrapnel.
Like many near the eastern front, she found respite in the familiarity of religious rites.
“There’s explosions here, bangs there, we always expect something bad. But now we just stood still, forgot about everything, and prayed to God,” the 52-year-old said.
Some indulged in the traditional icy plunge, jumping from the monastery into the murky river that had marked the front line for much of 2022, before a Ukrainian counter-offensive.
