Easter is the feast of Christs resurrection. Easter is preceded by 7 weeks of Lent. It is the most cheerful holiday for orthodox believers.

In Ukraine Easter is called Velykden. In Ukraine Easter has been celebrated over a long period of history and has had many rich folk traditions.

Ukrainian Easter is a historical combination of heathen and Christian traditions. Velykden was celebrated thousands of years ago as the victory of the Light over the Dark, Day over Night, Spring over Winter. The Resurrection was celebrated only from 988 when Kiev Rus was baptized.

The week before Easter, the Great Week, is called the Pure Week. During this time an effort is made to finish all field work before Thursday, since from Thursdayon work is forbidden. Pure Thursday is connected with ritual of clarification by water.

On Passion Friday no work is done.

Easter Kulich and painted eggs are the symbols of Ukrainian Easter and obligatory food on the table this day. Kulich is baked from yeast dough in the form of cylinder. Krashanka is a boiled and painted egg. On this Day Ukrainian kids play their favorite Easter game: knocking the eggs. If you knock somebodys egg and you egg is not broken than you are the winner.

The krashanky and pysanky are an old pre- Christian element and have an important role in the Easter rites. On this day they are given as gifts or exchanged.