Meet the vertep, a baroque Ukrainian Christmas tradition revived amid Russia’s war
Despite Russia's attempts to erase Ukrainian identity, a unique 18th-century Ukrainian Christmas tradition has been revived amid the war.
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Christmas special
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How the Soviets stole Ukrainian Christmas
After the 1917 revolution and occupation of the national republics that emerged out of the ashes of the Russian empire, the Soviet authorities declared war on "bourgeois" religious traditions. However, eradicating them proved to be difficult, and thus, the choice was made in favor of cultural appropriation.
A Ukrainian composer’s gift to the world of Christmas music
Shchedryk is based on popular Ukrainian shchedrivky. These songs express good wishes for an abundant harvest, prosperity and…
Ukraine gets two Christmases – December 25 and January 7
Prior to that, Ukraine had an official state holiday for Christmas only on 7 January, which, despite being known…
How a Catholic priest reconstructed Ukraine’s prehistoric Christmas traditions
As Orthodox Christmas Eve approaches on January 6, Ukrainians worldwide prepare for their Sviatvechir (literally, “Holy Supper”) 12-dish meal, and groups…
The Unknown Ukrainian Carol that everyone knows
There’s a Ukrainian folksong that you know. Except that you don’t know that it’s Ukrainian, and a folksong.…
A Night of Faith: Ukrainian Christmas Eve
Imagine a time so filled with anticipation that as the family prepares the house for the evening Christmas…
