ancestors to celebrate alongside their living relatives. But, heaven forbid those spirits might be evil, otherwise they would be vanquished by the garlic hidden under the four corners of the table, symbolizing four corners of the Earth!
Hay is also kept under the dinner table, a reminder of Christ’s birth in the manger and the dependence of Ukrainians on a good harvest. A special buckwheat porridge is also thrown on the ceiling to predict the coming year’s harvest — if it sticks, the year will be prosperous, if not, the homemakers should begin preparations for a difficult year.
Like Kupalo, Malanka has pre-Christian origins, but has take on deeply Christian symbolism. While originally the holiday emphasized the interplay between the merciful moon goddess, Mylanka, and mischievous earth-dwellers, today, it has become an extension of Christmas, the star of Bethlehem, and St. Mylania the Younger, a 5th century Christian known for her love and mercy.
Malanka happens to fall on New Year’s eve, and the customs associated with Malanka—caroling, pageants, dancing—are often synonymous with New Year celebrations. When the Russian government moved state affairs thirteen days back onto the internationally-accepted Gregorian calendar, many religious and folk holidays like Christmas remained on their own calendar. Suddenly, the celebration of the New Year was almost two weeks after the rest of the world celebrated the New Year. When the Soviet Union forced state-mandated atheism, the holiday was stripped of all folkloric or religious meaning, and became known as “Old New Year,” a name which sticks today.
In the Diaspora, Malanka is a chance for Ukrainians to dress up in their ball gowns and tuxedoes to celebrate a more formal iteration of the ancient feast at the hometown’s fanciest ballrooms. Many Ukrainian community organizations organize Malanka balls as fundraisers for everything from educational development to medical care in Ukraine. Sometimes, Malanka balls also include a presentation of Debutantes, young women, who are introduced into their community’s social circle in elaborately choreographed dances, escorted by young gentlemen.
9. International Women’s Day, Mother’s Day
International Women’s Day, marked on March 8th, is a national holiday in Ukraine. A holiday that celebrated American suffragette and labor union activism at the turn of the century, it became a major holiday in the Soviet Union as women were praised for their role in the Russian Revolution. As such, International Women’s Day is also a national holiday in other post-Soviet and Communist states. Though it’s still a day off in those countries, and the sentiment might be well-intentioned, many are resisting the celebrations’ Communist connotations. Some countries, like Ukraine, have amended it to more-closely resemble Western countries’ celebrations of Mother’s Day which are less political and more affectionate. Celebrations include visiting family, buying flowers, and honoring women and mothers in highly personal ways.
10. Holy Protection, Ukrainian Defenders’ Day
Holy Protection, called Pokrova in Ukrainian and otherwise known as the Intercession of the Mother of God, is a Christian holiday commemorating pagan Rus’-Ukrainians’ failed 10th century attack on Constantinople, the capital city of the Byzantine Empire now known as Istanbul. It is believed that an apparition of Mary, the Mother of God, appeared over the city, extending her impermeable veil over all of the Christians to protect them from the Slavic invaders’ attacks. A few decades later, when the Christianity became the state religion in Rus’-Ukraine, people began to honor the event as a realization of the error in their pagan ways. The feast also celebrated a powerful medieval alliance between the kingdoms of Rus’-Ukraine and the Byzantine Empire.
As time went on, the Mother of God, as depicted in the 10th century protection of Constantinople, became seen as a protector of Christian warriors. The Ukrainian Cossacks made Pokrova their feast day on October 14th, and churches they built to commemorate v