I attended an Easter picnic organized by the NPO Japan-Ukraine Friendship Association, KRAIANY.
Everyone brought traditional dishes like paska and salo, and it looked like they were having a great time. The vyshyvanka embroidered blouses were beautiful, and the grandmothers looked elegant! We also heard from a friendly Ukrainian Orthodox priest.
He shared about the complex history, mentioning that there were times when Ukrainians faced oppression and lived like hidden Christians under Russian rule. He explained that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which protects the faith of the oppressed Ukrainian people, is entirely different from the Russian Orthodox Church, which is closely tied to politics. It made me realize just how much I still have to learn.
