In the Dnieper region and in the western regions of Ukraine, they break the fast without special rituals. The main rule is not to drop a single crumb of consecrated dishes down. The crumbs are then thrown into the fire, "so that the mice do not eat." According to popular superstition, a mouse that eats Easter cakes suddenly turns into a bat and will fly over the head of the one who dropped the sacred food on the ground.

It is not worth abusing alcohol during the breaking of the fast (as ever in general), because "as soon as you get drunk on breaking the fast, you will walk like in a half-sleep for a whole year."

In the Taurian regions, for those who were on a journey and were not sitting at the Easter table with their family, the hostess cut off a piece of Easter cake and, wrapping it in a towel along with three krashenkas, placed it near the icons. On Ascension, if the travelers had not yet returned, the present was given to the poor.

In Polissya, after breaking the fast, it is customary to wash oneself, putting two colored eggs and a copper coin in a bowl, and then pour the water over a fire or into a pond. And in Slobozhanshchina, after an Easter dinner, they usually go to the cemetery to christen with the dead and put krashenka on the graves.

"DOWN" MONDAY
On Easter Monday, the godchildren went to visit their godparents, the grandchildren - to their grandparents, bringing them gifts - Easter cakes, pies and krashenki. The same gift (“drawing”) was given to them back with them.



In some regions of Ukraine, the tradition of pouring cold water on Easter Monday is preserved, it is called “watering” Monday. The roots of this “douche tradition” are in the belief in the cleansing power of water.

The traditions of the "Irrigation" Monday are fully preserved in Western Ukraine. On this day, following Easter, the guys pour water over the girls, and in return they give them Easter eggs or other dishes from the Easter table. It was considered a shame when someone's house went around and did not water the girl there. In the Lviv region, irrigation Monday is celebrated even today. So, one of the places where the authorities officially allowed dousing was Rynok Square, where everyone could then go to dry off and warm up in the nearest cafes.

EASTER SIGNS AND SUPERSTITIES
Among the large number of prejudices that Ukrainians believed in, let us recall the most interesting ones, especially those that have nothing to do with religion. Here it is worth saying that among our readership there are representatives of various religious denominations, as well as atheists, and that is why, in order not to offend anyone and not impose anything, this material is made in a rather restrained, far (as far as possible) from religion style. Therefore, to superstitions.

The attitude to kisses during the Easter period was quite interesting: it was believed that if they kissed on the threshold on holidays, this was for separation, under a tree - for joy, during the croaking of a raven - for tears or a quarrel. If a girl dreamed of kisses, then trouble awaits her. Itchy lips meant that loving kisses were just around the corner.

Not bypassed popular beliefs and Easter night. There was an opinion that all the "evil spirits" (demons, witches, werewolves) were especially dangerous during the period from Good Friday to Sunday morning, so you need to be very careful.

Professional Ukrainian gamblers believed that if they defended the entire Easter service with the ace of spades in their pocket, answering the exclamations of the priest “Christ is Risen” - “cards are here”, “aces are here”, he will be lucky in the game all next year.

According to the signs and beliefs that exist in the Kyiv region, "when you break the fast on Easter and go out into the street, what you see first, there will be good luck." “If on this day the sky is cloudy or it rains, there will be a harvest.”

Also on Easter, every peasant was looking for several times to pull the rope and hit the bell, because according to popular beliefs, this brought happiness and ... a harvest of buckwheat.