Kievan Rus! The mighty empire!

[StasUA]

Let us talk about Kievan Rus! I love this subject!

[StasUA]

I wonder how Ukrainian people celebrated year 1000 in Kyiv Anybody know anything about it?

[johnstruthers]

As a general statement, there was no awareness at all of the end of the first millenium. Literacy, as we know it, was limited to very few people. Keeping in mind that Saint Sophia was first constructed in Kiev in 1066 (an auspicious date: William the Conqueror sacked England in that year), then going back 66 years, I think we can say that the task of Christian conversion, which only began in 988AD in those parts, was not very complete, hence the significance of the year, if it was known at all, was limited to a very few. But I'm sure there was a good party somewhere on Andreyevski Spusk.

[StasUA]

I wonder if they had Christmas Tree

[johnstruthers]

A yolka? Well, a little hard to say. If they were on the Old Calendar, then Rozhdestvo isn't until January 7. A New Year's tree? Seems to me there is some lore about that tradition. Yolki Palki! A good question!

[johnstruthers]

I posted an earlier reply, but it didn't stick to the board. Good question: A yolka? To the extent that Rozhdestvo is January 7, probably not, in the conventional sense. A New Year Tree? Seems to me there is some lore on that, but I dunno. Yolki Palki!

[StasUA]

And "Ded moroz" ?