PHENOMENON OF THE UKRAINIAN CULTURE OF FUN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ORTHODOX TRADITION: PROBLEM STATEMENT

Abstract

Summary. The purpose of the article is to articulate the problem of the emergence of the phenomenon of Ukrainian culture of fun and to identify the forms of its functioning in the context of the Orthodox tradition, in particular, the Nativity play – vertep; and to elucidate worldview, mental and socio-cultural conditions of its genesis.The Ukrainian Orthodox tradition is a special combination of elements of Eastern and Western Christianity on the basis of the pre-Christian beliefs of Ukrainians, which resulted in the formation of their own spiritual world, self-reproduction of the Ukrainian culture and mentality. The methodology of the research is defined by the dialectics of the universal and national relations that are present in the Ukrainian Orthodox tradition, the specific nature of which is manifested in the identity of the organization of the ritual and religious sphere, the artistic design of church and religious life, as well as the original reading of some canonical principles of the Christian doctrine. National peculiarities manifest themselves in the written heritage and instructions of the Fathers of the Church, the church canons of the sacraments, fasting, reverence of saints and icons, worship, sacral architecture and iconography, in the service-books, decisions of the Ecumenical Councils, church dogmas and the Creed, in the system of Christian beliefs, customs and ordinances, etc. The scientific novelty of the article is in the statement: Ukrainian Orthodox tradition lives today in oral and written, verbal and non-verbal expressions, in particular, in the forms of folk fun culture, the main principle of which is the reflection of social reality through carnivals for the purpose of its social transformations. The Nativity play, both in form and content, reflects the religious tradition, reproducing in the verbal and figurative form a biblical story of the birth of Jesus Christ – the key event to the folk calendar rituals of the Christmas cycle. At the same time, compositionally, ideologically, thematically, artistically and aesthetically a puppet or «live» vertep action combines and reflects a wide range of topical problems of today. Conclusions. Inclusion of the problems of the culture of fun in the scope of socio-philosophical, religious studies makes it effective for the study of contemporary cultural processes in the Ukrainian society.