Traditions That Remain Vibrant....Pentecost Romanian Rusalii

Pentecost Icon

Each year Romanian Orthodox Christians celebrate Pentecost Sunday or Rusalii as it is called in the folk tradition, when The Holy Spirit descends upon Christ’s Apostles.

 

Pentecost Orthodox Icon

It lasts for two days and it is always celebrated 50 days after Easter.

 

Linden Flowers

On the day of Pentecost, Christians come to church and bring linden flowers or walnut leaves, symbols of the tongues of fire that mark the descent of the Holy Spirit.

 

Blessing of Linden Flowers and Walnut Leaves

These leaves are blessed and distributed to the believers.

 

Linden Branches Protecting the Home

Tradition says that these blessed branches of walnut and linden flowers should decorate the windows of the house and icons since they have protective powers against the capricious Fairies or Rusalii.

Rusalii Pagan Fairies

Another ancient folk tradition in villages at Pentecost is a specific folk dance performed by men "Căluşari".

Dance of Calusari

Village Calusari 

Boys Calusari

Farm animals are included in celebrations with adornments of summer flowers for good fortune.

Farm Ox adorned with Summer Flowers

Feasts of cherries, wine, pastries and coliva a traditional Romanian wheat porridge are offered to friends and family.

Rusalii Feast

Celebration of Summer Rusalii

Traditions That Remain Vibrant...Easter Eggs

Romanian Easter Eggs

Easter celebrations in the Romanian tradition is marked by sprucing up of the houses and farms, the special services in the Orthodox Churches but also a wide range of traditional Romanian rituals.

Hand Painted Bucovina Eggs

On the Romanian table an abundance of red eggs, sweet cakes and roast lamb are always present.

Roast Leg Of Lamb

The custom of coloring eggs is fortunately still practiced, especially by the Romanians in various styles and colors according to the traditions of each region or village.

Egg Painting Tradition

Maramures Red Easter Eggs

In Maramures area, Lapus region in the morning, the first day of Easter, children (up to age 9) go to friends and neighbors to announce the Resurrection.

Easter Feast

The host gives each child a red egg. 

Upon leaving, the children thank the folks for the gift and wish them blessed Easter celebration.

Tradition Of Knocking Eggs
An ancient ritual is that the threshold must be passed first by a boy so the household will be
blessed with harmony the rest of the year.

Bucovina Boy

On the morning of first day of Easter, children wash their faces with fresh well water in which is placed a red egg and green blades of grass.

Traditional Egg Painting

                         Hristos A Inviat!    Christ Is Risen!

Palm Sunday A Romanian Celebration

Palm Sunday Orthodox Romanian Church

Romanian Orthodox Christians celebrate today The Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, Palm Sunday.

Entry Into Jerusalem Icon

They attend the liturgy in their various holy spaces, churches and monasteries with willow branches symbols of the palm leaves that greeted The Saviour, reminders of renewal, rebirth.

Blessed Willow Basket

As they return home, they adorn their holy icons, doors and windows with them in the ancient belief that these branches help healing diseases, bring abundance in the household and are kept throughout the year, until the next Palm Sunday celebration.

On Palm Sunday eating fish is allowed, which is the second absolution of Lent, after the Annunciation. This is permitted because it is said that Jesus asked to eat fish.

Roasted Fish On Root Vegetables

Mussels With Garlic And Tomatoes

La Mama Ateneu Bucharest 

Voila French Restaurant Menu for Palm Sunday

Traditions continue to be honored on a holy day in the Romanian hills, mountains and valleys, villages, cities and remote corners of the land.

A very unique tradition is to celebrate the friends and family members whose names are of flowers, male and female..Florica, Florin, Florina, Viorica, Viorel, Florea, Florian, Crin, Camelia, Anemona and many more.

Remembering The Departed...A Tradition That Remains Vibrant "Mosii De Iarna"

Offerings For The Departed

Every year, on the Saturday before Judgement Sunday, Orthodox Christians in Romania remember the loved ones that passed away.

Basket With Offerings

According to popular tradition, this celebration is called "Winter’s Elders" or "Saturday of The Dead."

Remembering The Departed

On this day in church we remember people who have not had a funeral by ordained priests and all departed as well.

According to ancient traditions in some areas of the country it is believed that old souls of the dead come this day on earth, while the believers give as offerings cooked food for the spirits to elude them.

Traditional Offering Of Coliva, Light And Pastry

Passed away souls come to feed and delight on the scent and aromas of dishes that are simmering, so they may remember and savor the rest of the year.

 

Offering Of Sarmale, Breads And Wine

On this day the ancient tradition is to give cabbage rolls, pie, wine, coliva, nut rolls, or even fruit and lit candles.

Bringing Light To The Grave

The graves of relatives are visited and blessed with light, at least two candles, which are intended to warm the souls of the dead.

Light For The Souls

Traditions That Remain Vibrant...St.Andrew's Night November 30th

St.Andrew

 For Romanian people, on the night of St. Andrew, November 30th, the traditions are similar to the American Halloween, accompanied by many rituals and superstitions.

According to the ancient folk traditions, tonight the spirits come in the world of living, wolves talk with human voices while people protect themselves from evil using ancient spells and….garlic….yes the wonderful garlic is used in protecting the stables, wreaths are hung inside, bundles of garlic at windows of the homes and delicious meals are abundantly blessed with garlic.

Garlic Wreath

There is another culinary delight that comes into the recipes of St. Andrew’s night protection...the fragrant basil, not only to enhance any dish but put under the pillow at night by the single young women so they may see their true beloved in their dreams.

Basil Under The Pillow Tradition

The Apostle St. Andrew is considered the country's patron, he preached the Gospel and he shared the word of God in these lands, thus one can find in Dobrogea region of Romania ancient names of places, such as Saint Andrew's Cave, St. Andrew creek.

St.Andrew's Cave

Apostle St.Andrew Protector of Romania

Farmers and gardeners honor Saint Andrew by sprouting wheat indoors to predict how abundant the harvest will be next year, and also to bring good fortune and prosperity to the households and their family in the coming year. 

Sprouted Wheat for Good Fortune

They will set the green wheat bowls on their New Year's Feast tables.

Art In The Afternoon….Sibiel Glass Icon Museum

Village of Sibiel

An afternoon September rain has purified the landscape in the region of Sibiu, Transylvania…crisp, wet colors woven in nature’s cloth are guiding the traveler towards a necklace of villages with rich tradition called Marginimea Sibiului, neighboring villages like Tilisca, Vale, Orlat, Saliste and my final destination Sibiel where a jewel of a folk art museum is preserving a very unique collection of Icons Painted on Glass.

 

Village Life

The painting of icons on glass is an ancient Romanian folk tradition dating back to 1699 in various regions of Transylvania - Nicula and surrounding areas (Northern Transylvania), Mures Valley, the Fagaras, Brasov area, Valley of Sebes, Alba Iulia, Mǎrginimea Sibiului – and each is characterized by their specific style.

St. Ilie Glass Icon

These areas are all well represented in the Museum “Fr. Zosim Oancea” where, among the almost 600 icons collection, artistic jewels of the local traditions are exhibited.

 

Fr. Zosim Oancea Museum, Sibiel

After their work in the fields was done or when the weather did not permit outdoor activities, some of the peasants in the area dedicated themselves to painting icons on glass.

Museum Interior, Sibiel 

They produced all colors from natural pigments and materials blending mixtures using animal fat, egg yolk, linseed oil etc.

Holy Trinity Glass Icon

Icon Painting was never a commercial profit activity, but an expression of faith and desire to have a Holy Icon in their home.

The painters had to prepare spiritually through prayer and fasting, before creating the icons.

St. George Glass Icon

Pieta Crucifixion Glass Icon