The Ukrainian Easter celebration, known as Paska, is a religious holiday.   Easter, for the Christians, symbolizes the transition from death to eternally blessed life. The Orthodox date for Easter is based on the ruling of the Council of Nicea. Easter must be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon of the vernal equinox, but always after the Hebrew Passover to maintain the Biblical sequence of events (Robinson 1999-2003: 2).

              Easter is meant as a sacred week of resurrection of Christ.   During this holy week, which begins on Palm Sunday, the use of palm leaves is not cross-cultural; rather Ukrainians distribute pussy willows rather than palm leaves.   The pussy willow symbolizes the tree of life in Ukrainian mythology and was more readily available for use than the Palm fronds used during the Palm Sunday celebration (Wikipedia 1: 2004). Throughout the entire seven days of the Holy week, people gather in the church for prayer and remembrance.   On Holy Tuesday women prepare sweet rolls, known as koulourakia .   The remainder of the day is spent cleaning the house, which is then followed by the blessing of the Holy Oil, which takes place in the evening at the church service.    Holy Thursday is spent decorating the eggs, which symbolize the purification from Christ.   In the evening the women must prepare the bier of Christ with white and purple garlands.   This must be done in order to receive the image of Christ, the following morning, from the cross.   Friday, known as Good Friday, is reserved as the day of mourning. Sweet foods are not eaten on this day, in remembrance of Christ and the vinegar he was given to drink. “ Fasting, an exercise to stretch, strengthen, but not break one, is like medicine for the soul's health. A variety of fasting practices occur, most common being the abstaining from all food or drink prior to the sacrament of the Eucharist” (Ware 1993:282). It is believed that the use of a hammer and nails is a sin on Good Friday, due to the fact that such tools were used to nail Christ to the cross.   The following day, Holy Saturday is dedicated to the resurrection of Christ(Ferdmans:2002).   At midnight the most significant ceremony takes place within the church.    Candles are lit and during the time of resurrection while the congregation honors Christ by chanting, “Christos anesti, Christos anesti,”   “Christ has risen, indeed He has risen” (World2C TM Multimedia 1999 – 2004).   The moment symbolizes conquering death.   The candles are then taken home, to light the resurrection of Christ. The smoke from the candle is used to mark a cross above the door to symbolize the life of Christ.   The initial fast lasts for forty days without the consumption of meats and animal products.   It is said that during this time Christ and his apostles wonder the earth testing human mercy, awarding the kind and punishing the greedy and malicious.   The last week in the forty-day fast is called Holy Week, during this time everyone feasts on the meats and any other animal product they were unable to eat prior to the Holy Week.   “To a Russian, dinner is unthinkable with Zakuski, part of the first course of a Russian meal” (Goldstein 21:1999).   The highly recognized Ukrainian egg symbolizes the syncretism between the ancient mythologies of India and Egypt.   It was commonly believed that earth came from an egg, which later split in half creating heaven and earth.    The egg is also used to symbolize fertility rituals used by pre-Christians and Indo European peoples.   Both cultures were known to practice the skill of egg decoration (World2C   TM Multimedia 1999 – 2004: 1-3).

              The Easter service beings late on the eve of Easter and continues throughout the entire night.   At midnight the congregation enters into the church carrying lit candles following behind the priest.   Such an entrance symbolizes the women who came to the tomb of Christ and found it empty.   Upon reaching the doors of the church, the Priest proclaims, “Christ has risen.”   At this point the worshipping members of the congregation reply, “He is risen indeed” and kiss their neighbors.    At day break, the Easter service concludes and the worshippers follow back to their perspective homes to finally break their forty day long fast.   The main dishes of the feast included the widely known Ukrainian eggs as well as the Easter cake, Paschka, sweet bread made of curd and cheese.   Some of the main food that was unable to be eaten during the fast (Fairbairn 2004: 2).

              The Easter celebration came into existence long before the Christian religion.   Easter is associated with the Pagan rituals of the upcoming spring season.   Along with the symbolic Ukrainian eggs, the lamb is also used to signify the importance of the Easter celebration.   In Latin, referred to as Angus Dei, meaning “Lamb of God,” is usually depicted bearing a cross.   Such a symbol relates back to the Jewish Passover. Syncretism of the lamb associates the Russian celebration the lamb sacrificed by the Jews in the Passover celebration.   Many early Christian believers related the sacrificial lamb to the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross.   The celebratory aspect of the Russian Orthodox Easter reflects Passovers recognition of the liberation of the Hebrews from Egypt (World2C TM Multimedia 1999 – 2004: 1-7).

              The Easter celebration is celebrated throughout many generations, thus creating a bond within families, new and old.   The older members of the family are able to relate stories of the celebration from their time, to the celebration in which the children are experiencing today.   In today's society Easter is viewed as a “festival for the children.”    Over time the religious meaning has diminished throughout the younger generations.   Grandparents and relatives can re-teach the meaning of the celebration to the younger members of the family.   Russian Orthodox is not solely about festivities and egg decorating, it is also a time of reflection and learning.