Epiphany

The New Year festivities are now drawing to a close. 

The great cycle of winter holidays begins with Christmas, continues through Christmas Eve, caroling, Generous Eve, and Malanka, and spans nearly two weeks—from December 25 to January 6. This is a time of family gatherings, ritual meals, and honoring one’s ancestors, when the continuity of the family line is deeply felt. On January 6, this period reaches its completion in the celebration of Epiphany. It closes the circle of Christmas festivities and remembrance of ancestors, symbolizing readiness to begin the new year with a renewed inner state.

In Ukrainian tradition, Epiphany remains a day centered on water. On this day, water is blessed in churches, by rivers, and at springs, and then brought into the home. The blessed water is kept throughout the year and used at important moments in family life. It is perceived as a sign of order, protection, and harmony between the human being and the world.

On January 5, the eve of Epiphany, kutya, known as hungry kutya, is prepared. It is simpler and more modest in nature. This kutya symbolically concludes the Christmas cycle and the period of honoring ancestors. The grain represents the continuity of life, honey signifies harmony within the family, and poppy seeds symbolize protection for the home and family.

The name of the feast is connected with the rite of baptism—a ritual of purification by water which, in Christianity, signifies the beginning of a new spiritual life. According to biblical tradition, on this day Jesus Christ was baptized in the River Jordan. For this reason, the tradition of winter immersion in water exists as a gesture of inner renewal, endurance, and faith.

This feast is also called Theophany, because during the baptism of Jesus, God revealed Himself in three hypostases:
— The Son — Jesus Christ
— The Holy Spirit — revealed as a white dove
— The Father — whose voice was heard from heaven: “This is My beloved Son.”

Thus, a special symbol marking the end of the Christmas cycle is the dove—the symbol of the Holy Spirit. There is a tradition of releasing doves into the sky at the close of the holidays, as a gesture of “setting the festivities free.” The holidays are released with gratitude, leaving behind a sense of inner composure and renewal.

Today, the image of the white dove resonates with particular strength. It has become a symbol of peace, which Ukraine so deeply longs for. During the days of Epiphany, this image unites ancient spiritual tradition with contemporary hope—for the end of trials, the renewal of life, and the return of peace to Ukraine.