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This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.
I always felt real magic when I picked up an Easter egg. A small egg – and on it a whole world: stars, crosses, flowers, birds, spirals stretching to the sky itself. Since childhood, I have been attracted by this tradition, and only over time have I realized how deep the roots of our eggs and Easter eggs – have and why they should not be confused, although at first glance they are just «painted eggs».
Krashanka – is simple but symbolic
Crashanka – is an egg dyed in one color. No patterns, but not without meaning. Color matters. The most common – is red, as a symbol of life, sun, blood and sacrifice. According to legend, Mary Magdalene brought such eggs to Emperor Tiberius, announcing the resurrection of Jesus.
In addition to the reds, there are others: yellow (symbol of harvest), green (spring, renewal), blue (sky, health), black (earth, eternity). Krashanki were usually cooked in decoctions of bulbs, beets, nettle, oak bark –, everything natural, accessible and filled with meaning.
Easter egg – conversation with God encoded in patterns
But Easter egg – is already a whole art. It is not boiled, but a raw egg is painted with wax and paints. It is a delicate work in which each element has its own meaning. Easter egg – as a prayer, as a talisman, as a coded message to higher forces.
Every – sign is not just a picture. For example:
- pine tree <TAG1> symbol of immortality and longevity;
- star or rose <TAG1> sun and light sign;
- spiral or "endless" <TAG1> eternal life;
- birds <TAG1> souls flying to God;
- cross <TAG1> is a Christian symbol, and sometimes an ancient sun sign.
These ornaments were passed down from generation to generation, and each region had its own characteristics. For example, Hutsul Easter eggs are often dark with bright colors, and Poltava – are gentle and elegant. Each Easter egg – is a small encyclopedia of beliefs, dreams and hopes.
Writing Easter eggs – is not just creativity, but a rite
In ancient times, pysankarstvo was almost a priesthood. Only women with "clean hands" and good thoughts were allowed to join him. They wrote in silence, at dawn, with prayer. Even the wax was taken only from the church candle, and the paints – are natural. When I tried to write an Easter egg for the first time, I felt the same awe –, as if you were touching something eternal that has survived the century.
Not only decoration, but also a charm
Easter eggs and eggs were not just placed in the basket. They were given, they were used to decorate the house, they were placed in hives so that the bees swarmed well, they were stored in the house for good luck. And the Easter egg was often placed under the first sowing so that the harvest was generous, or on the threshold of – as a talisman against evil spirits.
And interestingly, – was even treated with it. They believed that it had the power of purification. It "pumped out" diseases, performed rites from the evil eye.
Today's meaning: a tradition that comes to life
Nowadays, Easter eggs are more often perceived as decorative art. But at the same time, more and more people are returning to the true meaning of this rite –, not just «to do something beautiful before Easter», but to put their soul into it.
I am very pleased that in many schools, museums and even festivals, children learn pysankarstvo. Because it's not just about art – it's about our identity, our history, the memory of the family.
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