Saint Melanie [Melania] and the traditional Ukrainian Celebration of "Malanka".
"Malanka" is a Ukrainian Christian folk holiday when possible is celebrated on January 13th, which is New Year's Eve in accordance with the Julian calendar. Malanka commemorates the feast day of St. Melania. Melania inherited her father's estate after his death. She and her husband and mother left Rome and moved to their country estate which they turned into a religious center. Despite some family opposition, she sold her property and gave her treasures to endow monasteries in Egypt, Syria and Palestine, to help churches and monasteries in Europe and to help the poor, the sick and to free thousands of slaves.
Melania began living a solitary life following the deaths in 431 of her mother and of her husband in 432. She started a convent where she served as an abbess until her death in 439 on January 13, the day on which her feast is celebrated. She died in the Holy Land at Bethlehem, where she had gone to celebrate Christmas. Melania has long been venerated as a saint in the Eastern Christian Church. Most will not know the wealth she had, but no matter how rich or poor any of us are, we all have talent, time and treasure that we must decide how to use. St. Melania gave the world an example of how to do that.
On St. Melanie night in Ukraine, carolers traditionally go from house to house in masquerade playing pranks and singing New Year songs. In the United States and Canada, "Malanka" is celebrated the second or third week of January with a festive dinner dance. Malanka caps off the festivities of the Christmas holidays, and is often the last opportunity for partying before the solemn period of Great Lent preceding Easter.
Northeastern Pennsylvania's 5th Annual "MALANKA" is set for Friday evening, January 16, 2009 at St. Vladimir Parish Center, Scranton. For details: pavloosh@comcast.net
