“Lemko caroling” in Pastuse

On 10 January 2016, a festival Lemko caroling was organized for the first time in a small village of Pastusze near Chortkiv, Ternopil oblast. In the Chortkiv region there are quite many Lemkos. In Pastusze village there are also quite many of them. Probably this is why this year the place was chosen for the festival. Also, a Lemko ensemble “Horlytsia” functions there.

Actually, it was not a festival, it was a concert in which different Lemko ensembles took part. They came there with caroling – both adults and children. The concert took place in the new church of St John the Baptist (a church of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church).

Nowadays, it is just a history… The poetess, writer from Vanivka – Halina Hryckiv-Orshak that welcomes the audience with her poem, no longer lives. She passed away to the Lemko heaven in November. She passed away suddenly. You could hear her voice many times in our radio, but always briefly, I dreamed about a longer interview. But the interview will never be made…

During different Lemko events, Mrs. Halina was always joyful and optimistic. And so it was in Pastuszne. I remember her as she was on the day of the festival when we were sitting together by a table.

The oldest Lemkos are passing away… But also the youngest ones are growing. Again, they learn carols, they learn scenarios of verteps by heart and quickly, very quickly are going to carol from one house to another, from one village to another (with concerts and festivals), from one city to another, to praise the newly born Savior.

Because the beautiful winter Christmas time has started, the time that we have been waiting for so much…