Holy Trinity Day
In the Orthodox tradition there are holidays that are considered to be Christian, but in fact have pagan roots. Some Orthodox holidays are interlinked with events in nature, such as changing of the seasons, and in the lives of ordinary people, such as marriage, birth, and death. The Feast of the Holy Trinity (or Holy Trinity Day) comes in fifty days upon the Easter and celebrates the Descent of the Holy Spirit, who poured himself out on the apostles. In Ukrainian tradition the holiday is celebrated through decoration. Villagers nail tree branches to their front porches and gates, transforming houses into fairy-tale-like wood dwellings. Indoors, the floors are covered with cut grass. In ancient years Holy Trinity Day coincided with a series of Slavic pagan holidays called Zeleniye Svyatki, or "Green Christmastide," which focussed on the worship of the "Spirits of Greenery." The birch tree was very important for one of these holidays, called Semik. That’s why birch tree branches are frequently used to decorate houses and churches not only in villages but all over the country. Celebrations and dances often were held in villages around birch tree groves. Nowadays on the Holy Trinity Day Ukrainians go to the cemetries to put birch branches to the graves of their passed over relatives.
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