Ukrainian Christians in Ukraine as well as many Ukrainian American and Ukrainian Canadian Christians will observe the Feast of Christ’s Birth, known in Ukrainian as “Rizdvo Khrystove,” on Jan. 7, in accordance with the Julian calendar still used for religious and church purposes. This later observance of Christ’s birthday has an advantage of being out of the commercialization craze, therefore, it is more religious and pious. Ukrainians traditionally give gifts (primarily to children but not exclusively) on St. Nicholas Day, which is on Dec. 19 according to the Julian (old) calendar, and Dec. 6 according to the Gregorian (new) calendar. The gifts are distributed by “St. Nicholas,” an individual attired in bishop’s robes, and not by Santa Claus.
During my childhood and ’tween years in Ukraine, the gifts from St. Nicholas appeared under my pillow the morning of the Feast of St. Nicholas. These gifts were quite simple, usually nothing more than a small purchased pastry in human shape with a tiny head of St. Nicholas pasted on it. This was pretty standard practice and not because my parents could not afford to buy something more expensive.
Teams of members of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky, will begin visiting homes of Ukrainian Americans in North Port and the vicinity to sing carols and to deliver special traditional holiday (Christmas and New Year) greetings. They will accept donations for a charitable cause, which the teams will explain during the visit.
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It pleases the senses of most Ukrainians and Ukrainian Americans to hear frequently the world-renowned “Carol of the Bells,” in Ukrainian, known as “Shchedryk,” by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych (Dec. 13, 1877-Jan. 23, 1921).
Mykola received his first musical lessons from his father, the Rev. Dmytro Leontovych, who was skilled at playing several instruments and was also directing a school choir. After attending schools, including the theological seminary in Kamianets-Podilsky, where he sang in the choir, began to study Ukrainian music and embarked on his first attempts at choral arranging, he began teaching music in various Ukrainian cities. He organized choirs and created numerous choral arrangements, including “Shchedryk,” which brought him great success from the public following his choir’s performance in Kyiv in 1916.
During the night of Jan. 22-23, 1921, Mykola Leontovych was murdered by Chekist (Soviet Russian state security) agent Victor Gerashchenko at the home of his parents.
Mykola left behind over 150 choral arrangements, including artistic arrangements of folk songs, religious works, cantatas and choral compositions set to the texts of various Ukrainian poets. His “Shchedryk” is played worldwide without ever mentioning his name.
Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
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