Happy Ukrainian Easter from Lviv! Traditions and customs

[Ukrainian Language and Culture School]

Happy Ukrainian Easter from
Ukrainian Language and Culture School in Lviv
Learn-Ukrainian.org.UA

Веселих Великодніх свят від
Школи української мови та культури у Львові
Learn-Ukrainian.org.UA
Христос Воскрес!

Learn more about Ukrainian traditions and customs with Ukrainian
Language&Culture School in Lviv Learn-Ukrainian.org.UA

Orthodox Easter Day is a public holiday in Ukraine. It is a day off
for the general population, and schools and most businesses are
closed.
In 2019 it falls on a Sunday. Due to this, some businesses may choose
to follow Sunday opening hours.
Easter Sunday celebrates the Christian belief of Jesus' resurrection.

What Do People Do?
Easter is known as Velykden (The Great Day) and is a day off work in
Ukraine. Special Easter services are held in churches and many
families celebrate the day with a special Easter meal. Easter meals
often include the Paskha (a type of Easter bread) and an egg painted
in red.
An Easter basket is filled with pysanky (decorated eggs) and blessed
early on Easter Day in many homes. There are various Easter games,
including one called “Knocking”. This game involves 2 players who have
1 egg each and try to knock each other’s eggs. The first one to have
their egg broken loses the game.

Public Life. Easter Day is a national public holiday in Ukraine so
many shops, museums, and libraries, as well as government offices and
educational institutions are closed. The Monday after Easter Sunday is
a public holiday, so people can have a day off work and school. This
rule applies to all public holidays that fall on a Sunday in Ukraine.

Background. Ukraine’s Easter holiday follows the Easter dates set by
the Orthodox Christian Church. Many Orthodox churches base their
Easter date on the Julian calendar, which differs from the Gregorian
calendar that is used by many western countries. Therefore the
Orthodox Easter period often occurs later than the Easter period that
falls after the time of the March equinox.

Symbols. The pysanky (decorated raw eggs) are part of the Easter Day
celebrations in the Ukraine. The names and meanings of the pysanky
designs vary across regions. According to one superstition, pysanky
were meant to protect homes from evil spirits and misfortune.

A short glossary of Ukrainian Easter holiday terms and expressions
Velykden' - Easter
Khrystos Voskres - Christ is Risen
Voyistynu Voskres - He has truly risen
Veselykh Sviat - Happy holidays
plashchenytsia - Christ's tomb
Paska - Easter "babka" (bread)
Shutka, loza - Willow
Pysanka (Pysanky, pl.) - Easter egg
Krashanka (Krashanky, pl.) - Easter egg (usu. one color)
hahilky (hayivka), vesnianky - Easter, spring dances