CELEBRATION IN HONOUR OF MEMORY OF HEROES OF NATIONAL LIBERATION FIGHT DURING THE GREEN HOLIDAYS IN HALYCHУNA (30th – 20th of ХХ century)

Abstract

In the article on the basis of wide circle of sources the process of celebration in honour of memory of heroes of national liberation fight during the Green Holidays (Whitsunday) in Нalychyna (20^th – 30^th of ХХ cen- tury) is analysed.

Ukrainians usually sanctify their lands for a rich harvest on the Green Holidays. In the 20^th – 30^th  of  the ХХ century the traditional notions of the feast of the Trinity were combined with the cult of the fallen heroes. Under such conditions, hiking around the fields began or ended with a worship service near the war grave. At the initiative of the Prosvita Society in 1923 the Ukrainian Committee for the Protection of War Graves was formed in Lviv. In 1927 it was reorganized into the Society for the Protection of War Graves. In 1935 this organization had 32 branches in Galychуna and abroad. A significant role in popularizing the cult of heroes was played by Galician periodicals, and especially the historical and literary monthly illustrated edition of Chronicle of Chervona Kalyna. The press has repeatedly published articles and posts stating that Green Holidays are the days of commemoration of war invalids and war graves.

Memorial events included solemn worship with the participation of members of all public associations, annual trips to places of military glory (m. Makivka, m. Lysonia), installation of monuments and memorable tables. In interwar period the mass character also acquired the burial of symbolic graves in honor of the fallen soldiers. Such actions were initiated, as a rule, by representatives of rural intellectuals (priests, teachers, workers of cooperative organizations), members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN).

On the eve of the Green Holidays activists arranged and cleaned up military cemeteries, established new memorials. Memorial services were held in large cities (Lviv, Stanyslaviv), in the centers of regions and villages. For example, in 1919 in Stanislaviv about 10 thousand participants took part in the memorial events, in 1934 – about 20 thousand participants, and in 1939 – more than 46 thousand people from Stanyslaviv and the surrounding villages. Often, the program of celebrations involved schoolchildren or pupils of kindergartens, which positively influenced the formation of the national consciousness of the younger generation. The police  did not rarely apply force against the participants of memorial events.

The author of the article noted that the significant role in the popularization of the heroes’ cults was played by Prosvita Society, youth organizations, as well as periodicals. It is marked that the celebrations dedicated to the fallen heroes influenced on forming of national consciousness, caused patriotic presentation among the members of society and assisted coalition of young people round an idea national liberation fight.