Easter traditions in Natasha's and Igor's home, article in Kirkespeilet, 26.3.2019

Easter traditions in Natasha's and Igor's home

Natasha and Igor in the sofa corner with beautiful
Russian Easter decorations on the table in front of themselves

Published in the local church newspaper ➡Kirkespeilet (in Norwegian) | 26.3.2019

Author and photo: Steinar Glimsdal

Translated by Mónika Menyhért 
who is not native either in the Norwegian or in the English language, 
so any correction is welcomed and appreciated

How was childhood's Easter in Belarus? That was my opening question.

But Natalia, or "Natasha" as she is called, and Igor Rybak have very little memories of Easter and other church holidays from the childhood. Natasha (59) was raised in the capital city Minsk, while Igor (64) grew up further north in Belarus, in the city of Vitebsk.

  - We grew up in a country where going to the church was almost illegal due to the ideological uniormisation, they say. - Very many churches were demolished or used for other things by the authorities. Easter celebrations were banned, Christmas celebration was banned. The New Year 's Celebration was the only legal big holiday, though it was devoid of all Christian content.

The church went underground

   This situation at that time in Soviet Belarus lasted far out in the 1980s. When Natasha as an adult got a job in the state TV-company, it became especially risky for her to go to church. The TV had an important educational function for people, and employees with Christian relation could not be tolerated. Her employment was in the balance. After Natasha and Igor met at the music college in Minsk and got married, their son Alexander was born in 1986. When he was going to be baptized, this had to happen secretly, they say.

   The anti-church line was especially strictly guarded in the cities. But in the countryside could some of the traditions survive.

  Natasha has memories from her grandparents' farm in the countryside: - I can remember, the elderly in the country painted eggs at Easter. I saw at my grandparents' both icons, the Bible and some kind of Easter and Christmas celebrations.

Perestroika

   With the Soviet perestroika (reconstruction) from June 1987 came some easing for the church in Belarus. Churches were reopened and the Christian holidays could be celebrated openly. It was time for both Igor and Natasha to go deeper into the mysteries of Christianity. Most people in their generation had grown up without any Christian education.

  The travel possibilities were also somewhat eased in their home country at this time. Igor went to Norway and Nesodden in 1990, followed by Natasha and Alexander half a year later. With Nesodden as a base has the Rybak family been in the service of music both in Norway and internationally. Igor is a violin teacher and conductor for two youth orchestras.

  Natasha is a pianist for both for a choir and soloists - and permanent organist substitute in the churches in Nesodden. Their son Alexander is widely known throughout Europe as  both pop singer and classical violinist. 

In the Holy Nikolai congregation

  Rybaks have found their place and spiritual home in Holy Nikolai congregation, a nationwide orthodox church with almost 1,000 members of all nationalities. The worshop services that take place in the church on Tvetenveien in Oslo in church-Slavonic language and Norwegian each Sunday and on holidays. Once a month is the worship service only in Norwegian.

 - An orthodox church service stands in contrast with the worship services in the Norwegian church, Natasha says.

 - There's more emphasis on the mass, communion service, and less emphasis on the sermon. The worship service doesn't use instruments, only human singing voice. I have to say that I see good things about both the orthodox and Lutheran tradition. It is no conflict here, because we worship the same God, she says with a smile.

   Anyone who wants less "everyday traits" at worship service and the other holidays, that can be found in the Orthodox Church, say Natasha and Igor. They describe for example the strong Easter liturgy, which is used at the Nikolai Church each year: This is to go in procession with icons and candles through Easter night around the church. Then at midnight to experience that the church door opens when the priest knocks, and after that to enter a church room which gradually becomes enlightened. Easter Day is the great central day of the orthodox church calendar.

  - The Orthodox Easter liturgy is mighty and it speaks to me. It touches me deeply in me, emphasizes Natasha. 

 - We both love the Easter traditions, both the Russian and the Norwegian. They may seem a bit shallow and superficial in many cases, but I also think many see the deeper values ​​and the deeper meaning that lies beneath.

Russian Easter food

kulich

After that we have to go over to the food, as some of the Easter celebrations survived in Belarus, among other things through food traditions in the countryside - concerning that the peasant population should mark a secularized version of Easter, the meeting of winter and spring season. 

   When Easter is there, it is a firm tradition that 20-25 guests from the congregation in Oslo visit the Rybak family at their home on Oksval. Natasha tells about three compulsory ingredients in food serving on such occasions, the food is even blessed in the church:

• Kulich, Russian Easter cake/yeast bread.

• Boiled eggs, cooked with onion skin leather to get a reddish color. After that, with artistic facilities, they make graceful and elaborated drawings on the egg - preferably Christian Easter motifs.

• The dish paskha/easter, a pyramide form cake made with cottage cheese and raisins.

Kulich and paskha are eaten together.

pashka

Easter Music

 - And otherwise many other good food are served at Easter, Natasha assures.

  Before Igor must run to receive his next violin student I can ask him what he thinks is the best Easter music is to listen to. What comes to mind for him is the choral music performed in Holy Nikolai church. Igor is in the church choir there. He mentions two of the classical composers: Sergei Rachmaninov (especially his "Vesper") and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

So, the preparations for Easter can be now taken!