People walk past Christmas trees near the Bell tower of the Cathedral of St. Sophia in central Kiev, Ukraine, December 22, 2015. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine, which marks Christmas on Jan. 7 according to Orthodox Christian tradition, has embarked upon a national debate about whether it should also celebrate on Dec. 25, a step that would bring it in line with Western Europe.
The debate - which reflects a re-examination of national identity under the impact of the falling-out with Russia - could sharply divide opinion and comes amid a heightened battle for influence between the Russian and Ukrainian branches of the Orthodox Church.
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