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« 2026. # 3 (189)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2026. № 3 (189), 645—654

UDK394.26=398.332.41(27­36)+(477.4)/7.032

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

ST. VARVARA IN ANCIENT UKRAINIAN CULTURE THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE PRE­CHRISTMAS CALENDAR

KULISH Oksana

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000­0002­9625­0690
  • Candidate of Sciences in Art Studies (Ph.D),
  • Senior Researcher of the Cherkasy Regional Museum of Local Lore,
  • 1, Slavy str., 18000, Cherkasy, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e­mail: kulish_oxana_andre@ukr.net

Abstract. Introduction. The relevance of this study lies in preserving authentic folk beliefs and rites associated with St. Varvara’s Day in the pre­Christmas cycle of the Ukrainian folk calen­dar.

Problem statement. There is a need to substantiate a new view on the dating of the feast of Barbara and its ideological content, according to folklore­ethnographic, archaeological, and artistic sources. The article examines the etymology of the image of St. Varvara, in relation to the data of Ukrainian ethnography and archaeological artifacts (Trypillia­Cucuteni culture) in the context of the cause­and­effect relationships of this image in the rite system of ancient Ukrainian culture. The emphasis is also placed on the traditional continuity of the image of St. Varvara in folklore (old sayings) and folk icon of the Middle Dnieper Area (Cherkasy region). Purpose. It is necessary to clarify the ideological determinism regarding the inconsistency of the place of the feast of Varvara in the calendar, unlike the popular belief about the day of St. Varvara in ancient Ukrainian culture.

The source basis of the article is the data materials of ethnography, archeology, and local history (in terms of time frame, this is the second half of the 19th — early 21st century).

Methods: analytical, synthesis, ethnographic, historical and cultural, comparative, iconographic, and iconological.

 Conclusion. The logic of the folk belief that on the feast of Varvara the day begins to increase and the night to decrease, indicates that the original location of this saint’s day in the old Ukrainian calendar was after the day of the winter solstice and the main holiday of the Nativity of Christ (December 25) as the birthday of the Solar Deity. During this period, daylight hours do indeed begin to gradually increase close to the next date of the summer solstice.

Keywords: St. Varvara, calendar, winter solstice, Christmas, chalice, rite, old saying, Ukrainian culture.

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Our authors
Segeda Sergij. Doctor of Sciences in History. Chief... read »
Roman Radovych. Researcher, Ph.D. in History. read »
Oksana Kis. Senior scientific employee, candidate of... read »
Yatsiv Roman. Scientific interests: art history,... read »
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