Unit 6. Holidays, traditions and customs

HOLIDAYS, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS OF UKRAINE AND RUSSIA

Ukraine and Russia are the countries which have much in common: history traditions, culture and customs, al­though each of the two nations has its own unique pecu­liarities.

A great role in the history of our countries was played byPrince Vladimir who united numerous Slav principalities into a single powerful state called: Kiev Rus. He used the heathen religion in his political aims and tried to reconcile some ancient customs with the Christian principles. So we, see that many Russian and Ukrainian holidays have the sources which goback to the 5th century, and are even the earlier period. At the same time we have a lot of Christian holidays which are honoured and celebrated both by the Ukrainians and Russians.

Let's discuss the most popular and interesting cus­toms, rites and traditions of our countries, and start with winter holidays which be­gin in January. In old times peo­ple blew out the old fire in family hearths and lit a new one. On the New Year's night they told for­tunes, on the future harvest and family welfare. Next was the spring holiday called "masljenitsa". It was celebrated with the pan-cakes which symbolized the Sun. People set wheels on fire and let them down from the hills, besides, a figure of win­ter was made and burnt down. Some special rites accompanied ploughing and sowing.

One of the major events of the cycle in the ritual calender was the feast of Green Holidays (Pentecost). Before the main day of celebration the houses were white­washed and cleaned and their earthen floors were worked out with aromatic herbs. In addition, houses and church­es were decorated with tree branches both in­side and outside. Young people entertained themselves with songs, games and plating of wreaths that were later floated in water and some other things. It was common that a priest blessed farm­yards and fields.

Easter has been celebrated over a long period of history and has many rich folk traditions. Easter was a principle spring festival, its rites were related to agriculture, to the remembrance of the dead and to the marriage season. Easter was a feast of joy and gladness that united the entire community in common celebration it. For three days the community celebrated to the sounds of bells and to the singing of spring _songs. Easter began with the Easter matins and mass, during which the pasky (traditioal Easter breads) and pysanky and krashanky (decorated or coloured Eas­ter eggs) were blessed in the church.

After that all the people exchanged Easter greetings and then hurried home. At present revived Easter tradi­tions are followed by many thousand people in Russia and Ukraine. Among the summer holidays the most in­teresting was Ivana Kupala festival which was celebra­ted in June. Each community kindled bonfires on the river banks and young people jumped over them. Every­one wore the best folk dresses with embroidery.

Of course, it's difficult to give a full picture of all the holidays and traditions but those mentioned above are specific for Ukraine and Russia, reflecting their history and rites.

to have much in common —иметь много общего; peculiarity - особенность; heathen religion - языческая религия; rite -обряд; to tell fortunes - гадать; family welfare - семейное благосостояние; wheel - колесо; to set on fire - поджигать; ploughing - пахота; sowing - сев; feast - праздник; Pentecost - пятидесятница; to whitewash — белить; herb -трава; to plate - плести; wreath - венок; priest - священ­ник; the Easter matins - пасхальная служба; mass - месса; to bless - благословлять, освящать; embroidery - вышивка; to kindle bonfire - зажигать костер.

УПРАЖНЕНИЯ

I. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. What similar holidays do Russia and Ukraine have?

2. Who played a great role in the history of our countries?

3. What period do many Ukrainian and Russian holidays go back to?

4.What were the winter holidays called?

5. What did people do on the New Year's night?

6. How was the spring holiday "masljenitsa" celebrated?

7. How did young people entertain themselves on GreenHolidays?

8. What holiday has got many rich folk traditions?

9. Why was Easter called a feast of joy and gladness?

10. How did Easter begin?.

11. Are the Easter traditions followed by many people in Russia and Ukraine?

12. When was Ivana Cupala festival celebrated?

II. Переведите следующие словосочетания на русский язык.

То have some unique peculiarities, to unite numerous Slav principalities, his political aims, ancient, customs, to have sources, to go back to the 5th century, to blow out the old fire, to symbolize the Sun, to let them down from the hills, to accompany ploughing and sowing

III. Переведите следующие словосочетания на английский язык.

Одно из главных событий, ритуальный кален­дарь, ароматные травы, украшать ветвями деревьев, плести венки, освящать дворы и поля, глав­ный праздник весны, помнить умерших, брачный се­зон, под звон колоколов, ожившие пасхальные традиции, надевать лучшие национальные костюмы с вышивкой.

IV. Спросите своего друга по-английски.

1. Что связывает Украину и Россию?

2. Какую роль сыграл князь Владимир в созда­нии единого мощного государства?

3. Какие праздники отмечались в начале года?

4. Какие специальные обряды сопровождали масле­ницу?,

5. Когда дома и церкви украшали ветвями деревьев?

6. Как праздновалась Пасха?

7. Чем обменивались люди после службы в церкви?

8. Когда отмечают праздник Ивана Купала?

9. Что делали люди во время праздника?

V. Предлоги потерялись, помогите восста­новить предложения.

1. Prince Vladimir united numerous Slav principalities... a single powerful state.

2. He used heathen religion... his political aims and tried to reconcile some ancient customs... the Christian principles.

3. We have a lot of Christian holidays which are honoured and celebrated... Ukrainian and Russian people.

4. On "svjatki" holidays people blew... the old fire in their houses.

5. On the New Year night they told fortunes... the future harvest and family welfare.

6. "Masljenitsa" was celebrated... the-pan-cakes which symbolized the Sun.

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