For generations the start of spring has been tied to the Feast of the Forty Martyrs, celebrated on March 22 in the Gregorian calendar. People said the birds returned from warm regions, bringing spring with them. To mark the occasion, families baked bird-shaped rolls and handed them out to children. That beautiful custom could easily be revived today.
Our ancestors observed Lent strictly. On the first day they would even rinse their mouths to be sure no traces of fat remained, and they cleaned pots thoroughly to remove any remnants of meat. Nowadays many families have relaxed those practices. Still, some households keep a Lenten calendar, designating certain days as meatless or even dairy-free. That kind of observance can become a shared family effort that strengthens bonds and sets an example for children. The same applies to other fasting periods through the year: the Philip’s Fast before Christmas, the Peter’s Fast before the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Savior’s Fast before the Dormition of the Mother of God, and every Friday.
Great Lent is also a time for making pysanky, Ukrainian Easter eggs. This craft has attracted a lot of attention, and many women and girls are skilled in the traditional art. Pysanky are commonly shown in exhibitions and demonstrations for visitors. At the same time, many insist that pysanky follow folk traditions. Anyone can create new patterns and try different colors, but it takes real knowledge and talent to make a design that fits the tradition and its symbolism. Even a technically flawless pysanka can lose meaning if the patterns or colors are inappropriate. Fortunately there are numerous albums full of traditional pysanka designs to learn from. Ancient customs also emphasize the pysanka’s sacredness as a symbol of new life: the artist, or pysankar, should be in good health, wash thoroughly before starting, wear clean clothes, begin with a prayer, and use water from melted snow. The pysanka is worth the effort; like an egg, it symbolizes life, and each design carries its own meaning.
The Sunday before Easter is Palm Sunday. In our culture the biblical palm is represented by the catkins on willows or osiers. These catkins symbolize spring awakening, youth, and innocence in Christian tradition, and they were believed to have healing powers. There is a custom of ‘striking’ everyone encountered in church with a willow branch. People also say, ‘The willow strikes, not I; from now until next week—Easter.’
That act of striking is not just a friendly joke. It is an ancient ritual meant to pass on the willow’s playful signs to the person being struck. The holy willow is highly respected and often placed in homes behind sacred images. It is even put in the coffins of the deceased, especially those who died around Easter.
The week leading up to Easter also includes the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on April 7. This commemorates the angel’s announcement that Mary would become the Mother of God. The holiday fits the spring mood of joy and hope and is celebrated in churches with bright vestments during services, even when it falls on Great Friday.
On the Annunciation young women perform the first spring round dance, known as the ‘crooked dance.’ During this time prosphora, a type of bread, is blessed in church and is believed to help bring better harvests to fields and gardens and to offer healing.
The Annunciation is a celebration of liberation. For that reason people release domestic animals from homes or stables, and some buy birds to set them free.
The week before Easter is called Holy Week or Passion Week because it commemorates the Passion of Christ. The most important days of the week begin on Thursday. By Thursday the household should be in order and clean, which is why the day is also called Clean Thursday or Passion Thursday.
Great Friday, the day of Christ’s death, is almost a festive day. People avoid hard labor on that day except for preparing the foods that will be blessed.
Blessed foods are among the most important symbols of Easter joy. Dishes that were not eaten during Lent are blessed, and on Easter people break their fast with them. Eggs hold special significance: boiled, peeled, and plain single-colored eggs—and, of course, pysanky with intricate designs. The phrase ‘red egg’ is a common name for Easter, especially in central and eastern Ukraine; it stands in for Easter itself.
Easter cookies are also of great importance.
