The feasts of Epiphany and Saint John are associated with a number of folk customs, placed alongside religious rituals, among them being the throwing of the cross into the water by the priest so that several men compete to bring it back and, in some areas, the Baptism Horses.
The Baptism of the Lord or Epiphany on January 6, together with Saint John’s Day, celebrated on January 7, marks the end of the winter holidays, after which people return to their normal rhythm.
Thus, on Epiphany Eve, it was customary to prepare a rich meal, similar to that on Christmas Eve, consisting of 12 specific dishes, among which: colive, boiled beans, stewed plums or smoked plums, sarmales filled with croup, borscht of “burechiuşe” or “eruciuşele baeba” (white beans with mushroom-filled corners), borscht of fish, fried fish, Lent pies filled with minced sour cabbage, poppy seed pies.
The table was consecrated by the priest, who walked from house to house with “Jordanul” or “Chiralesa”. There is a belief that by shouting “Chiralesa”, which means “God, have mercy!”, people gain strength, all evils flee and the year will be clean until Saint Andrew (November 30). After consecrating the table, part of the food was given to the animals in the household, so that they would be fertile and protected from diseases.
In some areas, the Epiphany carol is also sung, the children also going with “Chiralesa”.
At Epiphany all waters are sanctified, and the priest goes to a water where he will throw a cross. Several men throw themselves into the water to bring her back, and the one who manages to reach her first receives the priest’s blessing and is considered to be lucky for the whole year. In ancient times, the one who first found the cross and brought it to the shore also received gifts from the ruler of the country and was held in great honor by the others.
A widespread custom in Oltenia, Muntenia and Dobrogea is the Baptism of Horses, a ritual performed on animals by priests, usually followed by a race between horses. It is said that those who baptize their horses will have a good year, with rich harvests. The basis of the custom is the belief that, since the horse is man’s helper in household chores and field work, he should be purified just like the master he serves.
Jordanian women is another custom. In the past, in the villages in the north of the country, women gathered in large groups at someone’s house and brought food and drink. After serving the meal, they sang and played all night. In the morning they would go out on the street and pick up the men who happened to appear on the road, take them by force to the river, threatening to throw them into the water. In some regions, the integration of young wives into the community of married women took place by watering them with water from a well or a river.
Tradition also says that no laundry is done on Epiphany, because the waters have been sanctified. On this day, quarrels in the house are forbidden and nothing is given on loan.
It is said that, on the night of the Epiphany, young girls dream of their teddy bear, if they put basil under their pillow. Girls who fall on the ice on Epiphany Day can be sure to get married that year, says popular tradition.
On Saint John (January 7) there is another custom, called the Watering of the Ions, found especially in Transylvania and Bucovina. In Bucovina, a decorated Christmas tree is placed at the gates of all those who have this name, and they give a party with fiddlers. Moreover, in Transylvania those with this name are carried in a large procession through the village to the river, where they are “baptized” to be purified.
Besides, people used to sprinkle their face with aghiasma on St. John’s day to be safe from diseases all year round.
Tradition says that no red wine is drunk on January 7, as it commemorates the beheading of Saint John. It is also said that whoever is not happy on this day will be sad for the rest of the year.
Catholics celebrate Epiphany on January 6, which symbolizes the announcement of the birth of Christ to the Magi, who came to see the newborn baby, bringing him gifts, gold, myrrh and incense.
In France, on this occasion, a kind of pie called “la galette des rois” is served, which used to be divided into as many slices as there were diners, plus one. The additional slice, called “of the Good God” or “of the Virgin”, was offered to the first poor person who appeared in front of the family.
A current custom consists in hiding a figurine, representing a magus king, inside the pie, and the one among the diners who discovers the figurine in his portion will be the king of the day.
In Belgium and Holland there is also the tradition of preparing a dessert with almond cream, similar to the one prepared in France. The youngest of the family members hides under the table to choose the slices for each, and the one designated as the king of the day chooses a queen. During this day, children walk the streets singing the song of the star and enter houses to receive tangerines and candies, a tradition that is disappearing in Belgium, but still preserved in the Flemish provincial regions.
In Spain or in some regions of Italy, children await gifts from the Magi on January 6, a day dedicated to the party.
Find out presents the main historical meanings of January 6:
1412 – Jeanne d’Arc, national heroine of France, nicknamed “Virgin of Orleans” was born (d. 1431).
1745 – Inventor Jacques Etienne Montgolfier, aviation pioneer, was born. He invented, together with his brother, the hot air balloon (d. 2 Aug 1799)
1760 – The writer, philosopher and historian Ion Budai Deleanu (“ţiganiada”) was born (d. August 24, 1820)
1802 – Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Romanian writer, linguist and politician, was born in Târgovişte (d. Apr. 27, 1872)
1822 – Heinrich Schliemann was born, famous archaeologist who investigated the ruins of the city of Troy, starting in 1870 (d. December 26, 1890)
1849 – Bulgarian poet Hristo Botev was born (d. June 1, 1876)
1870 – The famous Viennese Musikverein concert hall, built by the Society of Friends of Music, was inaugurated. The Musikverein hosts the famous New Year’s concert of the Vienna Philharmonic at the beginning of each year
1881 – Ion Minulescu, poet, prose writer and playwright, was born (d. April 11, 1944)
1884 – Gregor Johann Mendel, renowned geneticist, researcher in the field of hereditary transmission of characters, passed away (b. June 22, 1822)
1897 – The writer Ionel Teodoreanu was born in Iasi (d. February 3, 1954)
1906 – The Romanian mathematician Gheorghe Ţiţeica introduced into geometry the surfaces known today in the world under the name “ţiţeica surfaces”
1907 – Physicist Ion I. Agârbiceanu was born, corresponding member of the Romanian Academy, under whose leadership the first Romanian laser was made (d. March 9, 1971)
1927 – The baritone David Ohanesian, the most appreciated “Oedipus” of the 20th century, was born. He was awarded the National Order “Star of Romania” in the rank of commander (d. Sept. 30, 2007)
1932 – Iacob Negruzzi, secretary of “Junimii” and editor of “Convorbiri literare”, president of the Romanian Academy (1910-1913; 1923-1926) passed away (b. December 31, 1842)
1940 – The light music singer Doina Badea was born (m. 4 March 1977)
1989 – The accordionist Marcel Budală died
1990 – The National Liberal Party was officially re-established
1990 – CFSN decreed amnesty for political crimes committed after December 30, 1947; other types of crimes were also amnestied, which led to the release of about 18,000 common law prisoners
1993 – The Russian dancer and choreographer Rudolf Nureev, self-exiled in France, passed away. (born March 17, 1938)
1994 – Vintilă Brătianu, honorary president of PNL-CD, passed away
2001 – Pope John Paul II closed the Holy Gate of St. Peter, which he opened on Christmas night 1999, thus marking the end of the jubilee year 2000, which celebrated the two millennia since the birth of Jesus
2002 – The Romanian boxer Leonard Doroftei won the professional world title, in the light category (62 kg), WBA version, following the victory obtained on points in San Antonio (Texas) against the Argentinian Raul Balbi
2006 – The American blues, jazz and soul singer Lou Rawls passed away. He received three Grammy awards and recorded about 60 albums, appeared in a series of film and television productions – including Leaving Las Vegas -, and lent his voice to some cartoon characters. (born December 1, 1933)
2006 – The singer and composer of light music Gică Petrescu died
2009 – Russian gas deliveries to Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Croatia and Macedonia were stopped
2009 – The deliveries of Russian gas to Romania through Isaccea were stopped.
Source: www.descopera.ro
