Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
To ancient pre-Christians, Kupala was the god of love and fertility, and young
people would choose a marriage partner on this midsummer eve. Today's rituals
vary, but typically begin with folk singing and a maypole-style dance performed by
young women wearing white gowns and floral wreaths in their hair. After this, the
women float their wreaths (symbolising virginity) down the requisite nearby river
or other body of water. A wreath that sinks indicates bad fortune in love for its own-
er.
Later a bonfire is lit, around which young couples dance. Couples will also jump
over small fires, holding hands, to test whether - if they maintain their grip - their
love will last.
After Kyivan Rus adopted Christianity, the festival became mixed up with the
birthday of John the Baptist. This not only means the festival has largely been shif-
ted from the summer solstice on 22 June to 7 July, it sometimes means people
walk in the fire or jump in the river as a 'cleansing' act. A good spot to join Kupala
celebrations is Pyrohovo in Kyiv, or head to the countryside for more traditional
rituals.
Religion
As the sheer number of churches in Ukraine attests, religion in this country is pivotal. It
has provided comfort during many hard times and even shaped Ukrainian identity, as by
accepting Orthodox Christianity in 989, Volodymyr the Great cast Kyivan Rus (the first
eastern Slavic state) as a European, rather than Islamic Asian, state.
TEMPLE DOS & DON'TS
Religious Ukrainians are a pretty tolerant lot, but women should cover their heads
when entering Orthodox churches. There's an even stricter dress code (no above-
knee skirts for women and no hats for men) when visiting particularly holy sites
such as the Kyevo-Pecherska Lavra and Pochayiv Monastery. Taking photos during
a service, touching the icons and affectionate hand-holding may incur the wrath of
the church's elderly custodians.
Crimean Tatars are Muslim, but only a few are really devout and many others
even drink alcohol. Nevertheless, women should dress modestly when entering
mosques. A scarf to cover the head and shoulders is definitely needed when visit-
ing Yevpatoriya's Dervish Tekiye (Whirling Dervish Monastery), possibly the strict-
est Muslim site in Ukraine.
