Eternal greeting ‘Khrystos Voskres!’ this Sunday

The overwhelming majority of Christians in Ukraine, and many Ukrainian Canadians and Ukrainian Americans, will celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, known in Ukrainian as “Velykden” (The Great Day) on Sunday, May 1. Many other Orthodox and Byzantine Catholics, in addition to Ukrainians, celebrate “Velykden’” according to the “Old” (Julian) calendar, which sets this celebration after the Jewish Passover, or May 1 this year.
Preceding the Day of Resurrection is the Passion Week, which mandates, in addition to the traditional fasting, several wonderful and unique religious ceremonies. In many Ukrainian cities the practice of massive public marches with icons and veneration of Stations of the Cross is now in vogue after decades of repression by the occupational Communist Russia.
Locally, Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church and St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Church serving Ukrainian Orthodox faithful will have several special services the rest of this week, including Vespers with the display and veneration of “Plashchanytsia” (Holy Shroud) on Friday, blessing of the food baskets Saturday, and, ending the cycle with the Resurrection Matins and festive Divine Liturgy Mass which includes “Khrystos Voskres!” (Christ has Risen) and other special hymns Sunday.

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The Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port, held its 10th Scholarship Awards Luncheon on April 12 at Heron Creek Golf & Country Club in North Port. After a very brief business meeting, Daria called upon Professor Victor Lisnyczyj of North Port, chairman of the Scholarship Committee, to chair the affair.
Lisnyczyj introduced all nine past recipients of scholarships by displaying their photographs on the screen and reading the letters received from some of them. The letters were read by Scholarship Committee members Lidia Bilous, Ihor W. Hron, Katherine Steciuk and Gene Tomashosky.
This year’s scholarship recipient Marco Antonio Guzman, a Port Charlotte High School senior, was introduced and asked to read his winning essay, which dealt with the Chornobyl disaster. Marco is planning to study law or foreign service at the University of Florida. His academic awards include National Merit Scholar, National Hispanic Recognition Scholar, Horatio Alger Association Scholar and Advance Placement Scholar with Distinction. His other activities include National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Model UN Debate Team President, and many community service involvements. He was presented an award certificate and $1,000.
Because it was the 10th “Jubilee” Scholarship Awards luncheon, the committee decided to make a second award.
The recipient was Emily A. Boykin, another PCHS senior, who plans to study art history and economics at the University of Florida. Her academic honors are too numerous to be listed here. She founded and led “ROS” (Respect Our School), recognized by Charlotte County’s School Board as a group of innovative excellence in the public school environment. She was a member of National Honor Society, Student Government Association, National ART Honor Society, “Parkside Parish” volunteer, Ponce de Leon nature park/bird sanctuary volunteer, and many others. She was also presented with a certificate and a scholarship award.
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