Travel to Crimea!

Easter is a feast of Christ resurrection, which in its observance combines both pagan traditions and Christian ceremonies.

In Russian, Easter is called Paskha (Easter cake), in Ukrainian, Easter is called Velykden (the Great Day). Easter is a feast of joy and gladness that unites the entire community in common celebration. Now this is very important because our politicians’ again divided society into two parts. The people who believe in Yulia Timoshenko’ democracy, and the people who believe in Viktor Yanukovich’ better life.

So Crimean citizens celebrate Easter for three days. Easter is the official holiday. People prepare for the celebration beforehand. Easter begins with the Easter matins and high mass, during which the pasky (traditional Easter breads) and pysanky and krashanky (decorated and colored Easter eggs) are blessed in church. During two days batyshka (priest) blesses people and their pasky and pysanky, some people bring  also wine, pig salve, cheese, sausage. People usually are standing with baskets and with lighting candles around the church and waiting for batyshka.

The religious people, even with the small children spend the whole night in church. After the matins all the people in the congregation exchange Easter greetings, give each other krashanky (colored eggs) and then hurry home with their baskets of blessed food (sviachene).

Crimeans great each other with the words “Khristos Voskrese!”(Christ is Risen!, old Russian language) and the reply will be “Vo istinu Voskrese!” (Truly he is Risen!)