www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Carpatho-Rusyn Easter Traditions

Someone told me of an Easter morning tradition that they didn't know if it was true or not, and I remembered this forum had posts on people's memories of Carpathian Svati Vecheria traditions....

So here's my question:

Has anyone heard of the tradition that the youngest unmarried woman in the family has the duty of sweeping out the house on Easter morning before everyone else gets up (and she's supposed to do it in the nude...I guess its the idea of purity and chastity preparing the household for the highest of holidays.)

Sounds more like "rank has its privileges" or the pecking order between women - seniority is what its called in the military.

Sounds like a pagan custom.

I know from village in West Ukraine near polish border another East tradition ,at night before Christ will be rizen/iN Saturday/ young men ,going do not sleep all night ,they making big fire /outside village/ ,burning all night some old piece of tree ,wood twiks,then in the morning they went to chuch to specifical mass called -rESURECTION mASS .
Its tradition to wait until Sunday morning near such campfire ,it is called -SOBITKA-
it is popular in the few villages in Galicia /now West Ukraine / to the present days

That tradition is common throughout all of Western Ukraine in the Orthodox tradition and is maintained in some rural areas of Canada until recently.
The young men are supposed to symbolize the soldiers at the Crucifixion.
The service is the regular Easter Matins followed by the Liturgy.
Neither I nor any one in my extened family or parish has heard of the tradition mentioned in the first post.