Apple Spas in Ukraine: Date, Traditions and Flowers

Apple Spas (Yabluchnyi Spas) is the Ukrainian folk name for the Feast of the Transfiguration, one of the twelve great feasts of the Christian calendar. In Ukraine it is the day when apples and other fruits of the new harvest are blessed, pies are baked and shared with family. Here is when the feast is celebrated now, the traditions behind it and which flowers and arrangements suit the day.

For the feast you can order a flower basket or a bouquet of seasonal chrysanthemums.

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When Apple Spas is celebrated

On 1 September 2023 the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church switched to the Revised Julian calendar, so the Transfiguration is now celebrated in Ukraine on 6 August. Previously it fell on 19 August (6 August Old Style), and communities that stayed on the Julian calendar still celebrate on that date.

Apple Spas is the second of three August "Saviour" feasts, each linked to a particular harvest:

What the feast means

The feast recalls the Gospel event on Mount Tabor, where Jesus was transfigured before the apostles Peter, James and John. In folk tradition it coincided with the end of summer and the start of the harvest, so the Transfiguration became known as Spas ("Saviour"), and in some regions as the "first autumn feast". A Ukrainian saying goes: "Spas has come — keep your mittens handy", since nights grow noticeably cooler afterwards.

Traditions and customs

• Blessing the harvest. People bring baskets of apples, pears, plums, grapes, honey and ears of wheat to church; the basket is often decorated with an embroidered rushnyk and flowers.
• The first apples. By old folk custom, new-harvest apples were eaten only after the blessing.
• Sharing. Blessed fruit is shared with family, neighbours and those in need; apple pies, uzvar (dried-fruit drink) and jam are made.
• The orchard. It is a day to give thanks for the harvest and visit the orchard to pick the first fruit.

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Flowers and arrangements for Apple Spas

Flowers are not a required part of the feast, but the blessing basket and festive table are often decorated with late-summer seasonal flowers. Good choices:

• Seasonal garden flowers: asters, marigolds, zinnias, dahlias, sunflowers, gladioli.
• Wheat ears and grasses — a symbol of harvest that pairs well with sunflowers and wildflowers.
• Spray chrysanthemums and roses in warm shades — long-lasting in a basket.
• Fruit arrangements — flowers combined with apples, pears and grapes. See our guide to fruit bouquets.

For the blessing basket, choose a narrow wicker basket, line it with a rushnyk or linen napkin, lay in the fruit and tuck a few short-stemmed flowers and wheat ears between them. An oversized bouquet is awkward to carry, and strongly scented flowers such as lilies are best avoided in church.

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Gift and greeting ideas

• A basket with apples, honey and seasonal flowers.
• A bouquet in warm harvest colours: yellow, orange, red, burgundy.
• Home baking or a jar of jam with a small bouquet.
• For family far away, a flower or fruit-basket delivery with a card.

FAQ

What date is Apple Spas in Ukraine?

6 August under the Revised Julian calendar adopted by the OCU and UGCC in 2023. Communities that follow the Old Style celebrate on 19 August.

What is blessed on Apple Spas?

Apples, pears, plums, grapes, honey, wheat ears and other new-harvest produce. The basket is often finished with flowers.

Which flowers suit the feast?

Late-summer seasonal flowers: asters, marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, dahlias, plus wheat ears and chrysanthemums in warm shades.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.