Ukrainian Canadians Celebrate Easter

Dr. Roman Yereniuk

Ukrainian Canadians celebrate Easter or Velykden on April 27, 2008, over a month later than their Western Christian brothers and sisters of Catholic and Protestant faiths. The reason for this is the use of the Julian calendar by most Ukrainians, rather than the Gregorian calendar, created in 1582. In addition, Ukrainian Orthodox and some Ukrainian Catholic Rite faithful [as well as other Eastern Christian Churches] adhere to the ancient formula that “Easter is to be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon, after vernal equinox and after Jewish Passover.” The Gregorian calendar lacked this year the last element of the formula – as of March 23, 2008 (Easter Sunday), the Jews still had not celebrated Passover. This year, Jewish Passover occurred on April 20, 2008, so the Julian Easter celebration has to occur after this – thus the date of April 27, 2008.

The Jewish Passover clause in the dating is important for all those on the Julian calendar because these Christians believe that according to Scriptures, Christ participated in the Jewish Passover Seder meal on Holy Thursday and thus His Resurrection occurred after the Jewish holy day.

Ukrainian Canadians of Orthodox background (in their entirety) and some Ukrainian Catholics (others celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar) engage in the spiritual journey from “Christ’s Death on the Cross – Holy Friday to the triumph of His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.” Other [Eastern] Orthodox Christians in Canada, including Serbians, Greeks, Russians, Bulgarians, Romanian and Macedonians, also celebrate Easter on April, 27, 2008.

Ukrainian Canadians are most proud of the spirituality of the Easter season by making elaborate Easter eggs called Pysanky, preparing the Easter food basket (for blessing) and the singing of a triumphant Easter hymn.

Pysanky are an integral part of Ukrainian Easter. The multi-colored and mostly symmetrical designed eggs are created based on ancient wax writing and colour dying methodology. Many children and community youth members are exposed to this tradition in their homes, schools (especially the Ukrainian-English Bilingual programs) and organizations (such as the Oseredok - Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre and St. Andrew’s College in Winnipeg, which this year had seminars on pysanky writing).

      The Easter basket of foods is meticulously prepared at home and brought by Ukrainians to church on Easter for a blessing ceremony. The basket includes foods such as Paska (Easter Bread), Babka (a sweet bread), ham, eggs, garlic sausage (kovbassa), horseradish, butter, cottage cheese, as well as the pysanky (which are non-edible). After sunrise Resurrection Services and Easter Liturgy, the breakfast dinner on Easter Sunday mornung tastes exceptionally good after fasting for 40 days during The Great Lent.

Ukrainians in their spirituality sing repititiously a most triumphant hymn during Easter and for the next 40 days that reflects upon the message of Christ’s Resurrection and states:

“Christ has risen from the Dead,
He has smitten death with His own Death,
To all those in the tombs,
He has granted eternal life!”

In addition, Ukrainians and other Orthodox Christians greet each other with the greeting “Christ is Risen! (Khrystos Voskres)” and reply, “Indeed He is Risen! (Voyistyno Voskres)” These two examples of the spirituality of the Easter season have a deep and religious significance for all believers.

The spirit of Paschal hope and triumph are important elements in the Easter celebration of all Christians on the Julian calendar. Although, celebrating later in the spring season than their [Western Christian] brothers and sisters on the Gregorian calendar, Julian Easter nonetheless, remains the most meaningful feast of the entire year.

For more information about  Ukrainian Easter and other Ukrainian Canadian matters, contact Professor Roman Yereniuk, Acting Director of the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies at the University of Manitoba at 204-474-8907 or cucs@cc.umanitoba.ca