The VI International Festival of Puppet Theaters "Christmas Mystery" is taking place in Lutsk. From January 8 to 11, puppet companies from neighboring states are demonstrating their acting skills and filling the capital of Volyn with the Christmas spirit. Four companies from Poland, three each from Russia and Ukraine, two from Belarus, and one from Slovakia came to the International Festival of Puppet Theaters "Christmas Mystery" with their productions. The first to present their shows "Polish Carol" and "Christmas in the Village of Ostashkovo" were theater artists from the Polish city of Slupsk and the Russian city of Yaroslavl, respectively. Opening the festival, Orthodox priests lit three symbolic festival candles, held a prayer service in honor of the Nativity of Christ and the festival, and also sprinkled those present with holy water. The opening of the fest was delicious and colorful, as guests and participants were treated to kutia, and folklorists from the Lutsk district sang shchedrivky and kolyadky.