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<p>NANTICOKE &#8212; Arlene Jennings is known in her Ukrainian Catholic community for the traditional Eastern European dishes she makes including holubsti (stuffed cabbage), haluski (noodles and cabbage), pierogies and borscht, a Ukrainian soup made of red beets.</p><p>&#8220;It keeps my grandparents alive to me,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Jennings is a third generation Ukrainian-American, who helped cook the dinner for Myasopusna celebration, a pre-Lenten festival held at Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church in Nanticoke on Sunday.</p><p>The event also featured singing of hymns and Ukrainian songs as well as the opportunity to purchase traditional Ukrainian items, such as hand-painted eggs known as Pasanky that were made in Ukraine, embroidered scarves and jewelry.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s like a Ukrainian Mardi Gras,&#8221; Jennings said.</p><p>The annual event raises money for the church and also helps members prepare for Lent. In an effort to grow spiritually, many members of the church will be abstaining from meat and dairy products on Wednesdays and Fridays until Easter, which will be April 1.</p><p>&#8220;I think eating chicken wings doesn&#8217;t bring me closer to God,&#8221; joked Lisa Placek, a member of the church who helped organize Sunday&#8217;s gathering.</p><p>Christine Ferrato, who has been attending the church for 20 years, said that some people choose to give up additional things besides meat and dairy products for Lent in order to to work on their relationship with God.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s very personal,&#8221; she said.</p><p>For example, Ferrato abstained from using her cell phone for the whole 40 days of the Lent period five years ago. Last year, she refrained from using Facebook during Lent and is considering doing it again this year.</p><p>&#8220;If you want to grow in the Lord, then you make more time for Him by putting aside other distractions,&#8221; explained Father Walter Pasicznyk, who relocated to NEPA from Doylestown near the Philadelphia area a little over a year ago.</p><p>He also said that many who observe Lent tend to pray more during this time of the year and attend more services. Lent begins at sundown on Feb. 11 for Ukrainian Catholics.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Christine Ferrato, of Nanticoke, and Joanne Kawczenski, of Hanover Township, sing a Unkrainian song titled &#8216;Zha Beya Bandusa.&#8217; </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_ttl020418lent-4.jpg</photo0><caption0>Christine Ferrato, of Nanticoke, and Joanne Kawczenski, of Hanover Township, sing a Unkrainian song titled &#8216;Zha Beya Bandusa.&#8217; </caption0><photoCredit0>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_ttl020418lent-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Dr Richard Barno conducts the Holy Year Choir during the singing of the Ukrainian national anthem Sunday during the Myasopusna celebration at Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church in Nanticoke. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_ttl020418lent-3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Dr Richard Barno conducts the Holy Year Choir during the singing of the Ukrainian national anthem Sunday during the Myasopusna celebration at Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church in Nanticoke. </caption1><photoCredit1>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_ttl020418lent-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Anna Kutsup, of Nanticoke, and her niece Donna Wurster, who was visiting from New Jersey, look over the program during Sunday&#8217;s Myasopusna celebration at Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church in Nanticoke. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_ttl020418lent-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Anna Kutsup, of Nanticoke, and her niece Donna Wurster, who was visiting from New Jersey, look over the program during Sunday&#8217;s Myasopusna celebration at Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church in Nanticoke. </caption2><photoCredit2>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_ttl020418lent-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Elaine Dinito, of Nanticoke, looks at a pysanka (Ukranian easter egg) during Sunday&#8217;s event. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_ttl020418lent-2.jpg</photo3><caption3>Elaine Dinito, of Nanticoke, looks at a pysanka (Ukranian easter egg) during Sunday&#8217;s event. </caption3><photoCredit3>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Kulsoom Khan</p><p>kkhan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Local Ukrainian-Americans hold pre-Lenten celebration