The war actualizes the appeal to the sacred: both to religions and churches, temples and locations of phenomena and miracles, and to sacred places of "power". The latter can be "holy places" in folk tradition: such as island Khortytsia and the Kyiv mountains, mounds and springs. In times of danger and trials, there you can draw and co-create an spiritually uplifting mood and mutual support.

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So what are the Ukrainians doing, whom the Russian president has threatened with nuclear weapons once again? No, they are not afraid and do not wail, but ... agree to meet on the sacred Kyiv mountain in the event of a nuclear strike. Why exactly there, why Shchekavitsa? :) For the general public, it remained "behind the scenes" that this idea originally arose in more than one environment, and not only as it was then most discussed on the Internet (as the orgy), but rather closer to the "banquet during the plague", in the spirit of Lesya Ukrainka's life-affirming instructions ("laugh and sing songs in the midst of trouble") and a life-loving meeting battles, as our ancestors did. And speaking of the orgy, originally (in ancient and antique times) it was a mystery with religious components of motivation. Іn the context of our Ukrainian realities, the fact that at a time when autumn was already confidently blowing with a brisk wind and pouring rain, suggestions were made where to meet a nuclear explosion, and they are very telling for religious scholars - to gather not in some room,from where also be possible to observe events,but namely on the sacred Kyiv mountain, the "plase of power", which is associated with a mystical secret, the spirit of the ancestors, the native land.

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If we approach the "Shchekavitsa phenomenon" with a analysis of a religious scholar, we can state that in a situation of fear and uncertainty, which those who were interested in the meeting in Shchekavitsa tried to reject or overcome, people (young and not so young), even those who did not declare their own religiosity of any kind, gladly grasped the idea of ​​rallying precisely on the sacred mountain.

Such a key emphasis choice of location is evidenced by the fact that residents of other cities, who complained that they would not be able to get to Shchekavytsa in case of an explosion, immediately started offering their neighbors meetings on their similar local mountains - from Lviv to Kharkiv, from Kremenets to Vinnytsia. As expected :), Galicians modified the idea with a procession, prayer and hackathon.

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The Internet was abuzz with Shchekavitsa for a week. But, while on the Internet enthusiasts of the corresponding meeting were practicing jokes and memes, or at most taking selfies on Shchekavytsia in separate (well-dressed) couples and groups, in the creative environment of Kyiv residents the idea arose to offer an asymmetric option an answer that would not wait for an apocalyptic event to demonstrate to each other, to all fellow citizens and to the whole world that we are not intimidated, to prove their ability to assert Ukrainian identity under any circumstances, to share their song creativity for elevating the spirit and to make a collection for the benefit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For this, there is another sacred mountain in Kyiv, which is much more convenient to get to - Dytynka near Landscape Alley.

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Could I pass by such an opportunity? The consent of my dear, like-minded husband, the Ukrainian bard Kyryl Bulkin, the author of topical war songs, several days of preparation, energetic promotion this event by the People's Artist of Ukraine Svitlana Myrvoda in the artistic environment, a gathering of performers of Ukrainian folk songs by the inspirer and organizer of the wonderful singing group Derevychka, Oksana Sobko — and Meeting "Patriotic Ukrainian Cultural Offensive" took place on October 9 on Dytyntka Mountain. Dytyntka Mountaine was victoriously filled with Ukrainian songs: folk, martial, author's bardic, Ukrainian urban romances and a modern (written by me :) ) rendition of the famous song "Hey, Falcons!" (where a young Cossack sits on a tank), a fundraiser was held for the benefit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and an interesting conversation (including about the following cultural socially beneficial actions). The participants of the creative stairs noted that the sacred place of their meeting really fills them with spiritual, psychological and even physical strength. We sang so inspired and talked so interestingly, by invitation the charming authoritative voice of Svitlana Myrvoda came the bright "voice of the Maidan" Volodymyr Gonskyi and Volodymyr Burnevskyi, whose bagpipe sang the National Anthem of Ukraine, at the invitation of the convincing Oksana Sobko came not only group of performers of Ukrainian folk songs "Derevichki", but also the younger generation of Ukrainian folk melos enthusiasts, led by her beautiful daughter Tetyana, and also the opera bassist Nazar Pavlenko and his brother came to our singing, as well as young people - lovers of Ukrainian songs.

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Everyone who happened to be on Dytyntsi mountain that day applauded. As a religious scholar very experienced in field research, I carefully listened to the responses, including those of random witnesses of the event. Here it is: one of the passers-by said that it was similar to a church choir, which sounds so optimistic and encouraging, others - that our songs are similar to the life-loving folk tradition of the "singing street" and Ukrainian freckles. I would say that these were like prayers-orders for life and victory. What we were doing felt like an elevating the spirit action even from the "side". As Oksana Sobko commented which delicately feels this native Ukrainian spirit, our Ukrainian Voice probably oreached Heaven in such a sacred place: perhaps, paradoxically, God pushed the enemy to launch a massive missile strike the very next day, strategically premature/losing - before the winter frosts came (during which the consequences of rocket destruction would be much more severe), so when it happened during the mild autumn, most of the damage was quickly eliminated, and the civilized world increased technical, armed and financial assistancefor Ukraine. And the participants of the event, according to their testimony, it was easier, due to inspiration the day before, to "hold the line" on October 10 with his missile strikes...

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Therefore, the co-creators of the meeting at Dytynka are already discussing the opportunities and plans for the next similar patriotic creative actions - there can still be so many interesting ideas, so many songs and even more new performers of them, and the colorful characters of the Christmas theater Vertep, made by the talent of Inessa Kuzhom, the wonderful carols of the group "Kyivska Kolyada", united by the good energy of Oksana Sobko... And Kyrylo Bulkin has a rich repertoire of songs, maybe later my singing voice will return. One way or another, the enthusiasm for creativity is definitely inexhaustible, and every time it is replenished by the hereditary sacred places closest to me of the best city on Earth, the unconquered eternal Kyiv.

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So sacred places and ideas of relying on them in times of danger and trials work successfully. Even if, for this, religious scholars apply themselves a little to the transformation of the idea and the organization of the process of embodiment ;) Therefore, let's continue in the same spirit.