Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon. This is definitely one of the most important holidays for them. Easter traditions include various celebrations and rites that are followed since ancient times. Most of the traditions have a pagan origin but were adopted by the Church to keep the folk united after the baptism or Rus. Ukraine is not an exception in keeping the Easter traditions relevant.
What prefaces the Easter
The Easter day for eastern Christians is the main day among all the religious holidays. That is why the preparation for Easter begins long before to highlight its meaning. This preparation takes quite a long period of 40 days and is named a Great Lent. During this time, Ukrainian Christians restrict themselves from luxuries. This includes holding back from eating rich food, playing games, and – this part is important – from getting married!
Great Lent restrictions
During Lent, Ukrainian women go to church more often and stick to certain food restrictions. So, don’t be surprised if a lady says no to going out to a club or restaurant, or declines to consume alcohol or meat. These rules are connected to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and are a way for Ukrainians to feel closer to him.
But after this time, there’s a big celebration where there are no food or entertainment rules. During the Holy Week leading up to Easter, Ukrainian ladies get ready in a special way. They make Easter cakes, boil and decorate eggs – I’ll tell you more about this soon.
Making of Easter eggs
Easter eggs also known as Paschal eggs are made on an Easter day eve. This is one of the common Easter traditions with a rich history. The creation of the dish involves lots of exciting procedures that bring joy not only to children but also to adults.
Symbolism
The egg is an embodiment of rebirth in Christianity and symbolizes fertility since old times. Initially, people used hard-boiled eggs painted on the outside in different colors. Today, however, these eggs are sometimes replaced by chocolate, marzipan, jelly Easter eggs. These Easter eggs Ukrainian women place in baskets that symbolize a bird’s nest and serve not only as a food but also decoration on a festive day.
Fragile masterpieces
Rich Ukrainian Easter traditions implied making a real masterpiece of every particular egg. Depending on the master’s desire and skills the hard-boiled eggs may be colored by natural dyestuff (onion husk, beets etc.) or have handmade ornaments made in Petrykyvka, Gzhel and Hochloma style. These styles were named by Ukrainian villages famous for their masters making paintings in their unique colors and tracery. Ukrainian ladies are very creative in making their special ornaments on the eggshells. Of course, those who have not much spare may choose among lots of various ornaments on a shrinkable polyethylene coverings.
Egg fight
After visiting a church in the morning to have all traditional dishes of the day sanctified the entire Ukrainian family sets up to a breakfast table. The meal starts with the Paschal eggs which imply an entertaining tradition. People hold their boiled eggs tight in the fists and try to break the opponent’s egg by beating it. That person who has his egg undamaged after the “fight” is considered a winner and can take away the egg of a defeated person. Of course, if you win a lot of such “battles” you may leave the eggs to the vanquished as you may not be able to eat all your trophies 🙂
Making festive bread
Making festive bread is another exciting process uniting Ukrainian ladies and their children in the kitchen. Easter cake called “paska” is a sweet bread covered with a whipped egg white on its top. Modern traditions include many variations of cooking this delicious cake. I personally like to make it with candied fruits and raisins. The top of the egg white you may decorate with colored sugar drops, figures of chickens and flowers made of sugar paste. According to Easter traditions, it is allowed to eat the sanctified Easter cakes throughout the whole week after the festive day. No need to say that the cake becomes a bit dry with the time and therefore tastes better when filled with delicious pineapple pieces and raisins.
Greetings of the day
Easter is a holiday of benevolence and family union. Therefore, all the close friends, relatives, neighbors and sympathetically intended people exchange their sanctified dishes (usually painted eggs and Easter cakes). They also greet each other on the day using a traditional saying: “The Christ has resurrected!” – “Let’s praise Him!” And then follows one more tradition which I hope you will like… everyone kisses each other thrice on cheeks 🙂
Lighting of the Paschal Candle
On Easter day, the other age-old tradition is the lighting of candles of Easter. As per customs, on Good Friday churches put off all their candles as a sign of mourning. On Easter people bless and light up the Easter Paschal candle. It symbolizes the celebration and the welcoming of Jesus Christ back into our lives. The term Paschal comes from the word Pesach. It means Passover in Hebrew. The Paschal candle signifies Jesus Christ as the light of the world. It also represents His divine presence amidst the people praying for Him.
Time for joy
Easter is a day of happiness and hope, therefore people celebrate it by sharing love and warmth with one and all. Keep in mind, that after the Easter day the Orthodox Christian traditions allow the men to court Ukrainian ladies freely, to gift them presents and finally to propose and celebrate the wedding. More about the Ukraine wedding traditions you may find following this link:
Easter in Ukraine is a time of vibrant traditions that celebrate rebirth and unity. From the intricate art of egg decorating to the shared joy of festive bread-making, the holiday fosters connections and warmth among families and friends. As the Paschal candle illuminates the celebrations, the spirit of Jesus Christ’s resurrection shines brightly, inviting everyone to share in happiness and hope! As you savor the customs and embrace the holiday’s joyful atmosphere, remember that Easter is not just a time for traditions, but also a time to cherish love, togetherness, and the promise of a bright future.
Are you about to propose to your lady this spring? I would be glad to get to know this in comments to the post! Do not miss the moment, the Easter is coming soon!
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Victoria is an adventurous person who loves exploring new places and trying new things. She enjoys cooking, attending concerts, and practicing yoga. In her free time, Victoria enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, attending live music events, and practicing mindfulness through meditation and yoga.
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