Easter in Ukraine

Willow Sunday The last Sunday before Easter is called Willow Sunday (Verbna nedilia). On this day pussy-willow branches are blessed in church. The people tap one another with these branches repeating: “Be as tall as the willow,as healthy as the water and as rich as the earth.Not I am tapping the willow is tapping.Easter is in a week”.

White or Pure Thursday On Thursday before Easter people make an effort to finish all house work .On the evening of Pure Thursday the Passion service is performed after which people return home with lighted candles.

Celebrating Easter Easter begins with the matins and high mass, during which the pasky( traditional Easter breads), pysanky and Krashanky (decorated and coloured Easter eggs) are blessed.

Easter basket Easter baskets people prepare on the eve of Easter. People decorate their baskets in different ways. Except pasky and pysanky people put in their baskets butter, leaf lard, cheese, roast suckling pigs, sausage, smoked meat, horse-radish, garlic, onions.

Easter Monday On Easter Monday boys splash girls with water, saying: “Happy Easter”!

Easter Table The necessary food on the table are those provisions that were blessed in the church: horse-radish, smoked meat, sausage, leaf lard, cheese, green onion, garlic some salads, painted eggs, paska, herring and others.

Holly Easter

Easter matins

The end