Thursday. There will be food, refreshments, singing and dancing, plus some surprises.
This is just a variation from the customary observances of Malanka in Ukraine.
These observances in Ukraine are more than a dinner/dance and a few hours of socialization. In Ukraine, groups of carolers wander, singing carols from house to house all night, and when invited into the house they wish the residents health and prosperity, recite special verses and sing more carols.
When visiting relatives’ or close neighbors’ homes after midnight or early in the morning on Jan. 14, it is customary to throw some wheat grains on the floor and recite a special short verse wishing the homeowners a healthy and prosperous year — a custom almost completely abandoned outside of Ukraine. Jan.14 is known as the “old” new year, because it is Jan. 1 according to the “old” Julian calendar.
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The Christmas/New Year/Epiphany social of the North Port branch of “Soyuz Ukrayinok” (union of Ukrainian Ladies), held Friday at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center was a resounding success. Over 110 members and their guests enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres, a tasty buffet dinner and popular home-baked pastry with coffee.
Many expressions of thanks and admiration to the culinary staff, consisting mostly of the executive board members, and especially for Christyna Sheldon, were spoken.
New members who joined the branch during 2015 were introduced, and a choir of female carolers led by Lieda Boyko, who carried the Christmas star, marched into the hall singing Ukrainian carols. Not to be outdone, a male choir was quickly organized by Orest Bilous to sing a special version of carols glorifying the culinary staff and all the organizers of the event.
President Ann-Marie Susla made two announcements: The annual membership meeting of the branch will take place at 10 a.m. Jan. 26 at the Parish Center, and the “christening” of the new Soyuz Ukrayinok branch in Naples will take place Jan. 31 in Naples, to which all are invited.
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On Tuesday, the two local Ukrainian American congregations, Catholic and Orthodox, will celebrate the Feast of Epiphany, commemorating the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by St. John the Baptizer. The celebrations include special divine liturgies in both churches, St. Andrew’s and St. Mary’s, to be followed by the blessing of water outside the churches, weather permitting.
The blessed “Jordan water” is believed to have miraculous healing powers.
Parishioners and guests take this water home and, after sprinkling some on their homes or apartments, preserve it until the following year.
In my youth in Ukraine it was a well-known fact that some Jews had asked their Ukrainian neighbors to share the water with them.
Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed atatanask@aol.com.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
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