What does "XPHCTOC BOCKPEC" mean?

[Jeff Baker]

My aunt inherited a small fabric banner from Ukranian relatives with the
phrase "XPHCTOC BOCKPEC" on it.

She asked me to see if I could find out what it meant.

Thank you for any information.

- Jeff

[Rostyslaw Lewyckyj]

On Tue, 5 May 1998, Jeff Baker wrote:

> My aunt inherited a small fabric banner from Ukranian relatives with the
> phrase "XPHCTOC BOCKPEC" on it.
>
> She asked me to see if I could find out what it meant.
>

Well first of, I will quess that your description of the article as a
banner is incorrect. If it looks like a kerchief, or fringed towellete,
or serviette; it is likely to be a serviette/place mat. In Ukrainian:
ruchnychok (decorative embroidered towel)
You also have a mistake in your representation of the inscription,
which I will guess is embroidered on the fabric. It is not H but a what
is like N in a mirror image. This can be loosely transliterated as an I
or Y.
The phrase is Christ is Risen.
One Ukrainian Easter custom, both Orthodox and Catholic, is to take a
basket of "Easter delicacies" to be blessed on the Saturday before Easter.
This is a solemy festive occasion. Each household tries to outo their
neighbours with the decorative arrangement of the basket. Into such a
basket go: a tall pot shaped sweet egg dough bread (paska, from pascha
=easter, as in pashal greeting), a small cooked ham, sausage(s), decorated
eggs (pysanky, krashanky), some pressed cottage cheese, a piece of horse-
radish root, some butter. Of course the basket is first lined with an
embroidered towel. It is decorated with myrtle, and is covered with
another embroidery, which is taken off an placed under the basket, when
it is placed with all the other baskets on the ground, floor, or tables,
in readiness for being sprinkled with holy water and blessed.
Such an embroidered serviette/towellete as your aunt received would be
used to cover the basket.
P.s a transliteration into latin script would be CHRISTOS VOSKRES
and is equivalent to the Greek CHRISTOS ANESTE.
CHRISTO VOSKRES is also the official good day greeting which is
supposed to be used for ~ two weeks from Easter. The proper response
is VOISTYNU VOSKRES which is church slavonic and translates to "truly he
is risen"
I hope this answers your questions
--Rostyk