|
|
DECEMER II - Christmas Traditions
12/12/2008 3:46:51 PM
|
December 24: Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, groups of children or men go to the other village houses and
sing traditional carols named „colinde”.
These carols have kept until our days the oldest form of the Romanian folk
poetry. These songs communicate wishes of health, good harvests, handsome young
men and beautiful working girls, marriages, success in various occupations’ the
major problems of the peasant’s life….
The name of „colinda” comes from the Latin „calendae”.
At Romans, the „calendae” were the first days of each
month. Calendae Ianuarii marked the beginning of the new administrative year.
On this occasion, wishes were sent, gifts were given and the future was
predicted. In the Eastern Roman Empire especially, people disguised themselves.
Not everyone can go caroling. Usually only children, lads and younger men are
accepted.
People go to sing carols in bands („ceata”), which
are formed long time before Christmas Eve. The bands have a well established
leader and they meet in a house to repeat the carols. The bands play a very
important role in transmitting the old customs from generation to generation.
It is said that a young man, once entered a band, becomes a man. On the other
hand, in some places it is believed that the man who entered a band is
abandoned by his guarding angel for 6 weeks. During all this time, he is not
allowed to enter the church and if he died, he would be considered a pagan.
(well, until preparing this post neither myself knew
anything about this one?! )
The band is formed of 2-3 up up to dozens of carol singers and represents the
collectivity. The band goes from house to house (but not to the mournful ones)
and transmits wishes of well being. The master of the house is always asked if
he receives the carol („colinda”). Those who don’t
receive it are mocked at. The carol is first sung at the door or at the window,
announcing the celebration. Then, inside the house, the great carol, named „the
householder’s carol’ is sung. The carol singers
receive drinks and food: decorated ring biscuits, smoke-dried meet, sausages,
eau-de-vie or wine.
(well, nowadays mostly kids are going caroling and they mainly prefer
to get sweets or money :-) )
In some regions, the carols are accompanied by a musical instrument (flute,
bagpipe, clarinet or violin).
Considering that a period in which the spirits of the dead are believed to come
down on earth follows, food for the dead is also placed on the table prepared
on Christmas Eve,
grinded nuts cakes, doused
in sugar syrup; "coliva" (corn boiled with honey) or boiled plums. All this
food is doled on Christmas morning.
December 25: Christmas
Christmas has both Christian and pagan origins. On Christmas day, the born of
Jesus Christ is celebrated, but also on December 25 the Romans celebrated the
birth of god Mithra, celebration imported from the orient by the Roman soldiers
(this celebration was called "Natalis Solis Imvicti"). Also in this period, during December 17 and December 23, the Roman "Saturnalii" were celebrated.
Scholars say that only the fires lit on December 25th and the round form of the
bread have remained today from the ancient solar cult.
Christmas marks the beginning of an entire folk cycle, dominated by ancient
customs and celebrations. This 12 days cycle (December 25 - January 6) symbolizes the 12 months of the year.
During this period the year grows up, gets older and finally dies. In the folk
tradition, the saints also have the same characteristics: at the beginning of
the year, the young saints are celebrated; the mature saints follow and then,
at the end of the year, people celebrate the old saints. Not only the year
grows older, but the saints also.
The 12 years folk cycle is symmetrical and contains two periods: the one
between December 25 and the New Year midnight and the one between the New Year
midnight and "Boboteaza" (or baptism, on January 6). The first part of the
cycle begins on Christmas day and is an evil period. On these days, the time
degrades, the night grows, the spirits of the dead go around on earth and the
ancestors are invocated. Remains of ancient orgiastic rituals can be found in
some regions. The idea that the spirits of the dead come on earth has its
origins in an old belief.
According to this, before the beginning of a new year, the natural order of
things is annulled and the time and space go back to the initial chaos state.
That’s why all the rituals from
these 12 days are meant to symbolically restore the world.
Cakes and round jumbles are put on the Christmas table. These are also offered to the carol singers, to the
priest and to godfathers and some are doled for the dead. Sometimes this food
is given together with pork and wine bottles.
According to the Romanian tradition, Craciun ( = Christmas) is a
white bearded old man, shepherd and brother of Ajun (Christmas Eve). He rides
a white gimp horse.
A legend presents Craciun as a rich man whom Virgin Mary asked to help her when
the time for birth came and she was in front of his house. Craciun refused, but
his wife, Craciuneasa, a good woman, called Virgin Mary in the stable and
helped her to give birth to Jesus.
When she returned to the house, Craciun saw the blood on his wife’s hands. He punished her for not having listened to
him, by cutting her hands from the elbows. Virgin Mary told Craciuneasa to put
her hands in the water where the baby child had been washed. This way the woman
got new golden hands. Craciun, impressed by the miracle happened in front of his
eyes, became a Christian, thus being the first saint (the second one is Saint
Nicholas).
Other beliefs tell that Santa Close (Mos Craciun) is an ancient local god, who
dies and revives on the solstice. He is symbolized by the wood which is burnt
during the celebration and by the sacrifice of the pig.
December 27: St. Stephen
There are no special customs in order to celebrate the third day of Christmas.
Though, this day is celebrated because there are many people who have St.
Stephen’s name. He was the first
saint who confessed his faith in Jesus Christ.
More to come soon :-)
See you again.
With lots of friendship,
Anamaria
|