Vertep, which in Ukrainian means ‘cave,’ refers to where Jesus was born. The plays were originally designed to inform people on Christmas Eve that the Savior is here. It started off as a puppet theater, but eventually split up into two genres a few centuries ago, including a full-scale dramatic performance. Red-cheeked and bright-eyed, people dress up angels, kings and devil, and trot on crispy snow, knocking on people's doors, carrying a long staff topped with a star. Vertep is still performed by young people, particularly students and young members of religious organizations. Both Vertep and the nativity play, a European Christmas is hard to imagine without, are loosely based on the story of the birth of Jesus from the New Testament. Vertep enacts the part of Chapter 2 in Matthew where Herod, the king of Judea, finds out that Messiah was born, and sends his soldiers to kill off all babies under two years old. But all is well that ends well: After a series of acts, the good triumphs over evil, devil takes Herod to hell, and angels celebrate the birth of Christ.Alyona Zhuk(Photos by Eugenia Mashchenko)Photos were taken in Kryvorivnya (Carpathian mountains) and Lviv
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