Nicolás Maduro, leader of Venezuela’s socialist regime, has announced the early start of the Christmas season, stirring controversy with the country’s Catholic bishops. In a televised address this week, Maduro declared that Christmas festivities would begin on October 1 and extend through January 15, 2025, defying traditional Church customs.
Mocking the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference (CEV), Maduro referred to them as “some guys in cassocks,” dismissing their authority over religious celebrations. “No, mister in a cassock, you’re not decreeing anything here. Jesus Christ belongs to the people, and Christmas belongs to the people,” Maduro exclaimed during his broadcast.
The announcement was accompanied by festive Venezuelan aguinaldos (Christmas songs) as Caracas saw Christmas trees and decorations springing up at various monuments and government buildings.
The Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference, which oversees the nation’s Catholic Church, strongly criticized the move. In a statement issued on September 3, the bishops stressed that the celebration of Christmas should not be manipulated for political purposes, emphasizing its sacred meaning as a commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
“Christmas is a universal celebration marking the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” the bishops stated. “The manner and time of its celebration are the responsibility of ecclesiastical authority,” the CEV added, urging respect for the traditional liturgical calendar, which sees Christmas begin on December 25 and end with the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6.
The bishops also highlighted that Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas, begins on December 1. They called on Venezuelans to observe Christmas in its true spirit of reflection, peace, and love, free from political interference.
Maduro’s decree has added to the growing list of controversies surrounding his administration, already accused of drug trafficking, corruption, human rights violations, and electoral fraud during the country’s July 28 presidential election. The early Christmas declaration has deepened tensions between the regime and the Catholic Church, sparking further debate over the regime’s use of religious events for propaganda.