Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36
OUR LIFE M ONTHLY, published by Ukrainian National Womens League of America Vol. XXIX. MARCH, 1972 Spring and Lenten Rituals As most folk rituals, those connected with Lent, stem from pre-Christian times. Originally, at this time people celebrated the coming of spring and the begin ning of a new agricultural year. Since these were joyous cele brations they could not be easily incorporated into the somber Lenten Christian observance. Many of them fell into disuse, ethers were modified to conform to Christian requirements. The traditional celebration of Win ter-Spring meeting was made to be celebrated on the day when the Church celebrated Jesus’ Presentation, and the meeting of the Old and the New Testa ments (Stritennya, Feb. 15). This holyday introduced the first cycle of spring festivities. They served rather as an intro duction to spring — time of waiting, time to prepare for the coming of new life. Feast of St. Blase (Vlas) became a successor to Veles, pagan deity in charge of domestic animals. By the be ginning of March, birds are again migrating north, and that means that spring is really on the way. Its return is greeted with appropriate songs, different for each species of birds. Little children greet the coming of wild geese and larks, for they bring along warmth. Young girls look for returning drakes, beg him to show himself, for this means happiness. Stately men look to lure a stork to build his nest on their property, for this is an insurance against fire. At the time of the vernal equi nox comes the feast of 40 Mar tyrs. By this time at least 40 larks have returned, and house wives bake 40 birds, which the children take to their neighbors, No. 3 while singing spring-songs. Girls treat boys to 40 pyrohy and if you plant peas on that day, each stalk shall bear 40 pods. St. Alex is (Oleksiy) patron of bees, clos es thus cycle of awaiting and preparation. With Annunciation spring be gins in earnest. Hutzuls say that on that day God puts his head into the ground to warm it. First flowers bloom, cattle are let out into the fresh air, grain for sowing is blessed. Original ly the first spring dan6es — Krywy tanetz — were done that day. Later the Church succeeded in postponing the dances until Easter. All attention is now fo cused on assuring a successful season. In the midpoint of Lent, when the fast “breaks,” and the Church venerates the Cross, housewives bake bread in the shape of a cross, and keep a piece of it buried in the grain prepared for sewing. The greatest amount of folk- rituals have been reserved for the Holy Week. It begins with allusions to the time when deity was in trees, pussy willows on Palm Sunday being a compro mise with Christian doctrine. Then men, never women, light the fires on Holy Thursday to show the way for the returning souls of the departed kin. The colored eggs also carry the theme of rebirth, new life. The ancient cult of the sun finds expression in Easter fires which burn all night and have cleansing proper ties, and in Easter “paska” baked in form of the sun. There was often a competition as to who shall bake the biggest one. Song and dances associated with Easter require separate dis cussion. Their origins vary, as does the character. But most of them have one thing in com mon: joy upon the return of spring, of the sun, and of new Maxim Rilsky RECIPROCAL GIFTS The gurgling water flow along the bough And generously soaks the dried-out ground Which the harsh sunlight, in its ruthless ground, Had burned up with the ardour of its brow. The hose-jets sparkle, and in silvery blue The rainbow, sign of peace, is fair to see Embroidering morn’s grey tranquility And radiating joy in many a hue. How good it is much draughts of life to give To flowers, trees and grasses. How they live To drink it down, in ecstasy bedewed. They will repay the boon. Each tender spray That you so generously help today Will bend with autumn gift of gratitude. From the book “The Ukrainian Poets” by C. H. Andruseshen and Watson Kirkconnell Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28-29 
30-31 
32-33 
34-35 
36 
