Members of the local Ukrainian community are marking the Christmas season with a church service tomorrow.

January 7 marks Christmas Day on the old Julian calendar, recognized by both the Ukrainian Greek Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox churches.

Brother Ivan Dzhur of the Ukrainian Catholic Church says Christmas is a pious occasion, with Christmas Eve marked by a Holy Supper, similar to thanksgiving in North America.

He says it’s a time for families to gather and enjoy 12 meatless dishes, while abstaining from alcohol.

On Christmas Day, marked on January 7, families attend an early morning church service, which will be held at the Basilica tomorrow at 10:30, lead by Father Andrij Onuferko of the Ukrainian Eparchy in Toronto who came to Newfoundland to administer to the Ukrainians here.