CHRISTMAS IN UKRAINE

Traditions in Ukraine are interesting and unique, they are versatile and widespread. Traditions are like the heart of nation’s culture. They determine the way people live, the languages they speak, the religions they follow, the values they hold, the relationships they keep, the foods they eat, the clothes they wear, the building they have made and much more.

Christmas (in Ukrainian - Rizdvo) - has much older tradition that the Christianity, and the customs and traditions of Christmas we have now - that is the compromise between Christianity and heathenism. From the very old times in Ukraine this day is symbolic as a day of magic and welfare, happiness, peace and stability. In Ukraine we celebrate Christmas in Orthodox tradition - so we have it on the 7th of January. And till that time it is Lenten time.
During all the day it is not allowed to eat anything - everybody waits till the evening. And when the first star appears on the sky the whole family sits at the Christmas table to have the Holy Supper.
The Holy Evening has rich but Lenten supper and in this way the mistress of the house tries somehow to make a report to the New Year about what has been done in the year that passed. For the Holy supper there should be 12 Lenten dishes - they symbolize 12 month of the year, or 12 apostles of the Jesus. Among them uzwar (the drink that is made out of dried fruits), varenyky (boiled dough in a form of half-moon with different filling), mushrooms, beans, fish, boiled potato, and some other dishes.

The main dish of Christmas time is Kutya. It comprises of boiled wheat, raisins, nuts, poppy-seeds, prunes, and honey. That is the first dish that should be eaten on the Christmas Eve when all the family gathers at the table and also on the other holidays of the Christmas time.
On the table under the table-cloth at for corners there people lay cloves of garlic to protect themselves from the evil forces. Except the plates for the members of the family there should be a plate for the spirits of the ancestors, where people lay all the food they eat. An integral part of Christmas decorations are the candle and Didukh - the magic tree that is made of wheat ears and of some other crops. Firstly - it symbolizes the spirits of the predecessors (in Ukrainian Did - means grandfather, Dukh - spirit), and secondly it is a symbol of welfare and good crops in the previous year.
The Holy supper - that is the supper of the whole family - even dead or missing members - they have to be together at this time. You even have to blow on your chair before sitting at the table not to sit down on some spirit.
After the Supper people, primarily children go from house to house singing Christmas carols - Kolyadky) and wishing all the best to the mistress and master of the house. They make groups of several people that redress into Bible and folk characters and make short performances that tell the Story of Jesus birth - it is called Vertep. It is usual that even unfamiliar people can come to sing Christmas carols for you. We have special greeting on Christmas: Christ is Born – Glorify Him! After Christmas Ukrainians have two more important and very interesting celebrations: they are the Old New Year - so called Shchedryi Vechir (13th of January), and Vodohreshcha (the christening of the water - 19th of January).
As Ukraine lives according the so called religious old style (reform introduced by the Tsar Peter I and that should be changed) we have one more New Year according to this old style. At this Old New Year Eve Ukrainians have Generous Evening. This time the family once again comes together but the dishes on the table are not Lenten any more. At this time only girls are allowed to sing the special songs that are called Shchedrivky.
And the last time in winter when the family has to be together to glorify the Christ - is on the eve before 19th of January. The whole family tries to be together once again and to eat Kutya for the third time. In the morning they go to the church to christen the water. This water will protect from all the evil that is around, and what is much more interesting that this water will be like a fresh one during all the year.

Vocabulary Notes

welfare – добробут

Lenten time – час посту

boiled wheat – відварена пшениця

raisins – родзинки

poppy-seeds – насіння маку, мак

prunes – чорнослив

cloves of garlic – зубці часнику

ancestors – предки

Christmas carols – різдвяні колядки

Christ is Born! – Glorify Him! – Христос Народився – Славимо Його!

E x e r c i s e s

I. Answer the questions:

1. When do you celebrate Christmas?

2. What do you prepare for Holy Supper?

3. What is “Kutya”?

4. What do we usually sing on Christmas?

5. Do you have your own family traditions on Christmas?

6. What is Shchedryi Vechir?

7. How do you celebrate Christmas?

ІI. Say what statements are false and what are true; correct the false ones:

1. We celebrate Christmas in Orthodox tradition on the 7th of January.

2. For the Holy supper there should be 12 Lenten dishes - they symbolize 12 month of the year, or 12 apostles of the Jesus.

3. The main dish of Christmas time is varenyky.

4. On the table under the table-cloth at for corners there people lay onion to protect themselves from the evil forces.

5. Except the plates for the members of the family there should be a plate for the spirits of the ancestors, where people lay all the food they eat.

6. After the Supper people, primarily children go from house to house singing Christmas carols – kolyadky.

7. We have special greeting on Christmas: Christ is risen!”—“Risen indeed!”

EASTER IN UKRAINE

Easter is the feast of Christ’s resurrection, which in its observance combines both pagan and Christian elements. Easter (in Ukrainian: ‘Velykden’ or ‘Paskha’) is preceded by seven weeks of Lent and celebrated on each first week after vernal equinox and full moon. It is the most cheerful holiday for orthodox believers.

In Ukraine Easter is called Velykden (The Great Day). In Ukraine Easter has been celebrated over a long period of history and has had many rich folk traditions.

Ukrainian Easter is a historical combination of heathen and Christian traditions. Velykden was celebrated thousands of years ago as the victory of the Light over the Dark, Day over Night, Spring over Winter. The Resurrection was celebrated only from 988 when Kiev Rus was baptized. For some time these two systems coexisted, for some time it was forbidden for people to follow heathen traditions, but later the church decided to use in its Easter ceremony the heathen customs like painting eggs and backing Easter cake.

The last Sunday before Easter is called Willow Sunday (Verbna nedilia). On this day pussy-willow branches are blessed in the church.

The week before Easter, the Great (Velykyi) Week (Holy Week), is called the White (Bilyi) or Pure (Chystyi) Week. During this time an effort is made to finish all field work before Thursday, since from Thursday on work is forbidden. Pure Thursday is connected with ritual of clarification by water.

On Passion (Strasna) Friday—Good Friday—no work is done. In some localities, the Holy Shroud (plashchanytsia) is carried solemnly three times around the church and, after appropriate services, laid out for public veneration.

Saturday evening people gather in the church for the Easter vigil till the very morning when priests bless the food believers brought. After that people go home to celebrate Easter with their families. If they meet other people on the way they say: “Christ is risen!” and these people should reply “Risen indeed”. All the people exchange Easter greetings and give each other painted eggs (krashanky).

Easter cake (’paskha’) and painted eggs (’Krashanki’) are the symbols of Ukrainian Easter and obligatory food on the table this day. Paskha is baked from yeast dough in the form of cylinder. Krashanka is a boiled and painted egg. On this Day Ukrainian kids play their favorite Easter game: knocking the eggs. If you knock somebody’s egg and you egg is not broken than you are the winner.

The krashanky and pysanky (Easter eggs) are an old pre-Christian element and have an important role in the Easter rites. On this day they are given as gifts or exchanged. There is also the rite of sprinkling with water, which is still carried on in Western Ukraine on the next day after Easter (Wet Monday, Oblyvanyi ponedilok). It is practiced by young people, the boys usually splashing the girls with water.

During the Easter season in Ukraine the cult of the dead is observed. The dead are remembered during the whole week after Easter, especially on the first Sunday following Easter Sunday. People gather in the cemeteries, bringing with them a dish containing some food and wine, which they consume, leaving the rest at the graves.

Vocabulary Notes

feast – свято

E x e r c i s e s

I. Answer the questions:

1. When do we celebrate Easter?

2. When Kyiv Rus was baptized?

3. How do we call the week before Easter?

4. What do you know about Holy Shroud and Passion Friday?

5. What is “paskha”?

6. What do we do on Monday after Easter?

7. How do you celebrate Easter in your family?

ІI. Say what statements are false and what are true; correct the false ones:

1. Easter is preceded by seven weeks of Lent.

2. The Resurrection was celebrated only from 988 when Kiev Rus was baptized.

3. The last Sunday before Easter is called Cherry Sunday.

4. Pure Thursday is connected with ritual of clarification by wine.

5. On Passion Friday—Good Friday—no work is done.

6. There is also the rite of sprinkling with water, which is still carried on in Western Ukraine on the next day after Easter (Wet Monday, Oblyvanyi ponedilok).

7. The dead are not remembered during the whole week after Easter.

PAPT II

ALBION

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