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Easter is really one of the most loved holidays in Ukraine

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Easter is really one of the most loved holidays in Ukraine

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The celebration starts long before Easter with the Lent, when people don't eat animal products. many Ukrainians follow this tradition

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In many countries it is called Palm Sunday but in Ukraine we have a tradition to bless willow branches in church. In this way we greet Christ's coming to erusalem

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On Willow Sunday there is an old tradition among children to beateach other with pussy-willow branches and say the words: "

Be as tall as the Willow,
Be as healthy as the Water,
Be as wealthy as the Earth,
Not I am beating, the Willow is beating -
Easter is in a week!"

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Pussy-willow branches are kept in the house during the year till the next Easter time

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On this day we have a tradition to clean the house and in many families they bake Paska or Easter bread. In the afternoon/evening people go to church to commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus

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On that day all the Christians feel sad and sorry. They commemorate Christ's crusifixion. In the afternoon people go to church and kiss the shroud of Christ. We call it Plashchanytsya.

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All the churches look like this

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After coming home from church we have a tradition to paint eggs. There are two kinds of decorated eggs - just painted, we call them krashanky

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A more difficult way of decorating is pysanky as they are covered with different ornaments

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In many families women bake Easter bread, In most parts of Ukraine it is sweet with raisins.

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In the most western part of Ukraine (Transkarpathia) we bake another kind of Paska. It is not sweet and without colourful decorations.

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We usually bless Paska or Easter bread in a beautiful basket.n We usually put seven main things into it: Paska, cottage cheese, eggs, butter, salt, garlic or onion and vine. In some parts of Ukraine people put horse raddish or poppy seeds to the basket. The basket is covered with a beautiful towel or a napkin.
Our traditional Easter basket

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Early in the morning, usually at 2-3 oclock, most people go to church with a holiday basket to bless food and rejoy Christ's Resurection. Almost all the churches' yards look like this one.

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People look smart and happy and greet each other with the words: "Christ has risen!' and hear the answer: "He's risen indeed!"