On the eve of the Candlemas in the ethnic-estate “Lialyna Svitlytsia” in Opishnia, Poltava region, an ethnic event “Yarylo is flirting with a Spring” took place. The organizer of the action was an ethnologist, Doctor of Historical Sciences Olena Shcherban, who spoke about the traditions of celebrating Candlemas, which have been preserved and reproduced during the calendar and ceremonial holidays. The celebration was joined by the Head of the cycle commission of philological disciplines Oksana Savchenko, who together with the participants of the ethnic action bid farewell to Winter and met Spring. The ancient names of this holiday are Zymobor, Hromnytsia.

Unique ethnic master classes on making a ceremonial candle-thunderbolts, a doll-prosperous woman, a straw bull and baking a palianytsia were conducted by master Svitlana Prokhorchuk. Delicious dumplings and pies were baked by master Kateryna Skrypka. Olena Shcherban and actress Yuliia Riabukha held a ceremonial event of the meeting of Winter and Spring, during which the competitions of Winter and Spring took place, Yarylo’s flirting to Vesnianka, Veles’ unwillingness to give Vesnianka to Yarylo.

Love for our Ukrainian past is sewn by a strong thread in each of us. Oksana Savchenko will use the experience, gained in preserving folk traditions, to conduct ethnographic thematic events and pass it on to students. So let’s keep, revive, popularize Ukrainian folk traditions and customs!

Kremenchuk Flight College of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs