When do we celebrate Trinity in 2023 in Ukraine: date, traditions, omens

One of the 12 greatest feasts of the Christian calendar is Trinity, also called Pentecost, the Day of the Holy Spirit, or Green Sunday. It is a transitional holiday because its date of celebration depends on the date of Easter.

OBOZREVATEL tells you when to celebrate Trinity in 2023. And also about the history and traditions of one of the greatest celebrations in the Orthodox calendar.

When will Trinity be in 2023?

Trinity or Pentecost is celebrated on the fiftieth day of Easter. It is always on a Sunday. This year it will be June 4 for Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians. Western Rite Christians (Catholics, Protestants) will celebrate on May 28.

Where did the holiday come from

Christian churches celebrate Trinity to commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. Before his ascension, Jesus Christ promised his disciples that a divine essence would soon appear to them to baptize them, so he asked them not to go away for a while. And after 10 days the apostles heard a noise in the sky above them and a particle of flame appeared to each of them, after that the apostles began to speak in different languages.

The Trinity is considered to be the day when the triune essence of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) appeared to people and also the moment of the foundation of the Christian church. After receiving the divine gift, the apostles scattered throughout the world in order to preach, and began to found Christian communities in different parts of the world.

In Ukraine, this holiday is closely intertwined with the Green Feasts, the traditional celebration of the beginning of summer. From this place came the tradition to decorate churches with fresh greenery and to consecrate bundles of aromatic herbs and flowers. The green festivals were called Rusalia, they began on the Thursday before Trinity and lasted three days afterward. At this time houses were decorated with fresh branches of trees, herbs, and flowers. Unmarried girls wove wreaths and let them float on the water for fortune-telling. It was believed that where this wreath would float away, her future husband would emerge from there. If the wreath stayed near the shore it meant that the girl was lonely, but if it sank it meant her death.

Trinity Traditions in Ukraine

On the feast day, a special service is held in churches. The priests wear green ribbons, and the faithful consecrate herbs and flowers.

After the service, it is customary to go to visit relatives and bring them gifts. It is possible to organize a festive feast.

The house should be decorated for the holiday with living plants - flowers, tree branches, fragrant herbs, and leaves. In some areas, we also decorate the trees.

Even since pagan times, there has been a tradition of young people looking for a couple on this day. In addition to rituals with wreaths, there were also special games for unmarried young people.

Trinity omens

According to the weather Trinity made long-term forecasts. And also tried to predict what will be the harvest.

• Rain on this day foretold the arrival of heat, a good harvest, and lots of mushrooms in the woods.

• Warm weather promised that cucumbers would yield well.
• Cold Trinity was considered a harbinger of a cool and rainy summer.
• If swifts flew in by that day, it meant that summer heat would soon arrive.
• When on holiday one could hear the cry of the cuckoo, it meant that it was time to sow flax.

Previously, OBOZREVATEL told that after Easter you can go to the cemetery for the first time.

Subscribe to OBOZREVATEL channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest developments.