Makoviya: A Ukrainian summer holiday
By Sheriah Arnold
The holiday of Makoviya, also called Honey Spas, Wet Spas, or First Spas, is celebrated every year on August 1st in Ukraine.
The name Makoviya comes from the Maccabees, a group of Jewish rebels honored for their resistance against the Seleucid Greek occupation of the land of Judea in 167-160 BC. The holiday specifically pays tribute to the Maccabean martyrs: Jews who were tortured and killed by the occupiers during the intense persecution that sparked the Maccabean Revolt.
Frustrated by the Jewish refusal to give up their customs and fully embrace Greek culture, King Antiochus IV attempted to make this happen by force. He imposed a series of laws that required Jews to break religious commandments. He looted and desecrated the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, and outlawed Jewish observances. Idols of Greek gods were placed in every village. Jews who refused to publicly worship them were put to death.
It did not stop with laws and executions. The occupiers organized displays in which they forced members of the community to reject their culture and religion – or face public torture and execution. In the most infamous case, they killed seven sons one after the other in front of their mother, as each refused in turn to violate religious commandments.
These atrocities united the Jewish population of Judea in a rebellion against the Seleucid occupiers. Though vastly outnumbered, the Maccabee rebels defeated the Seleucid Empire after years of guerrilla warfare, restoring the freedom and independence of the entire land of Judea.
Makoviya - Christian procession to water well
Yuriy Pavlovych (1872-1947), Ukrainian ethnographer and watercolor artist.
Like the Jewish holiday of Hanukah celebrates the Maccabees’ victory, the Christian Orthodox holiday of Makoviya honors the nameless brave Judeans who gave up their lives rather than to consent to the cultural genocide of their nation.
For many Ukrainians, this day carries deep meaning; a connection to faith, resilience, and the natural cycles of the land.
It’s also an opportunity to pay tribute to the heroes laying down their lives in Ukraine today, who are protecting their country against an invader that seeks to erase their nation and culture through atrocities as dire as any committed under Antiochus.
What are the “Spas” Holidays?
Makoviya is the first of three summer feast days in the Orthodox tradition known as the Spas holidays, or Feasts of the Savior. Each one is tied to a different part of the summer harvest season.
Makoviya is followed by Apple Spas and Nut Spas later in the summer.
What do the different names of Makoviya mean?
- “Makoviya” – Comes from the Biblical Hebrew word “Maccabee”.
- “First Spas” – Makoviya is the first of the Spas holidays, giving it this name.
- “Honey Spas” – The first honey is harvested and blessed in churches. People bring jars of honey to be sanctified, believing it brings healing and sweetness into the home.
- “Wet Spas” – Focused on water and cleansing. Traditionally, people would wash in rivers or bless water on this day. It’s a time of spiritual and physical renewal.
A 2002 Ukrainian postage stamp commemorating the holiday of Makoviya
Traditions You Might See
Makoviychyk – A small, beautiful bouquet made from poppies, herbs, and summer wildflowers. Families bring them to church to be blessed, then hang them in their homes for protection and good luck.
Honey Shulyky – A classic dish for the day: small pieces of baked dough mixed with honey and poppy seeds. Simple, sweet, and deeply symbolic.
In conclusion
Makoviya began as an Orthodox Christian holiday with roots in Jewish history, but its significance now extends beyond the religious world and across society.
This holiday is a celebration of Ukraine’s spirit, rooted in faith, memory, and tradition. From the flowers to the food, it reminds us that even in difficult times, there is still sweetness to be found and shared.
Article sources: Kyiv Post | UATV | UkraineFood.info | Komersant | 112.ua | World History Encyclopedia