Comenius Project: Something from

nothingHandcrafts about traditions and holidays

Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Romania and Spain

THE HUNGARIAN COCKADE

The red-white-green tricolor was first noted on a seal from the time of 15th century King Mátyás, but the combination did not become widely accepted or popular until the 19th century.  Only in the light of the events of 1848-49 did they become the official national colors of Hungary.  Red symbolizes strength, white stands for fidelity, and green for hope. It is said that Petőfi’s wife, Szendrey Júlia, inspired by the French tricolor, was sewing a tricolored bonnet for herself as he was composing his Nemzeti dal.  She also sewed the first Hungarian cockade and pinned it on her husband’s chest. 

 A cockade is a circular badge of the national colors worn, in the case of Hungarians, over the heart or on the lapel.  (The French custom was to wear theirs on their hats.)   Correctly made, the red stripe should be on the inside, since a cockade is to be read outward from the center.  However, already Szendrey Júlia made hers with the green stripe on the inside, and countless others have followed this mistaken pattern.

 On the night of March 15, 1849, at a performance of Bánk bán, the famous novelist Jókai Mór restored order in the theater  by going onstage and declaring that the red-white-green badge stood for liberty, equality and fraternity, and that it “should differentiate us from the mercenary pack of slavery.”

 Today, the flag with the hole in it is worn in remembrance of the events of October 23rd, 1956, and the cockade is worn to commemorate March 15th, 1848.   Whether red-white-green, or green-white-red, wear it with pride!

LAZAROVDEN BULGARIA

HAPPY ST LAZARUS’ DAY (Chestit Lazarovden): In Bulgaria today it's the day of the beautiful and joyous spring fertility ritual known as Lazarouvane or Lazaritsa.

The ritual is carried out by girls who are coming of age. They are called lazarki and wear full adult costume and special headdresses adorned with flowers or feathers. They go from house to house dancing and singing special ritual songs for each family member to bring them the blessings of love, marriage and happiness and to welcome the return of spring and fertility to the earth. There are special songs for going through fields and by rivers, and in some areas the lazarki sing in honour of the family’s bees. The lazarki songs and dances are like magic spells to make the blessings come true.

In the past it was believed that girls of marriageable age who did not participate in the ritual were not ready to marry and were liable to be carried off by a dragon. Dragons are very active at this time of year! In some areas younger lazarki also go round the houses but with a more limited repertoire.

Although Lazarovden is nominally a Christian festival, held 8 days before the Orthodox Easter, the ritual has ancient pagan roots and celebrates youth, the return of spring and fertile nature. It is a tradition that is still very much alive.

We wish you good health, happiness, love and fertility/creativity on this St Lazarus Day!

Autumn Wreath on the feast of the dead (All Souls' Day) POLAND

All Saints Day, November 1st, traditionally has been associated in Polish legend with ghosts and wayward souls. In ancient times, when death entered a peasant's house, all doors and windows were opened at the moment of passing. Mirrors were turned to the wall so that the soul would not be captured in the room. The last rite included a funeral banquet. The vigil lasted until the burial in order to protect the dead soul from evil spirits.

Later, these pagan customs were Christianized and people were encouraged to pray and light candles instead of  conjuring up spirits. The candles were to symbolize the eternal light for which the soul yearns .

Today, All Souls Day is celebrated in a very solemn manner in Poland. On both days, at twilight, the Polish make pilgrimages to their local cemeteries. The people decorate the graves with chrysanthemums, asters, and autumn flowers, they prepare a wreath of flowers and place candles.

CARNIVAL MASK IN GREECE

The Carnival season in Greece is also known as the Apokriés (Greek: Αποκριές, "saying goodbye to meat"), or the season of the "Opening of the Triodion", so named after the liturgical book used by the church from then until the Holy Week. One of the season's high points is Tsiknopempti, when celebrants enjoy roast beef dinners at taverns or friends' homes; the ritual is repeated the following Sunday. The following week, the last before Lent, is called Tyrinē (Greek: Τυρινή, "cheese [week]") because eating meat is not allowed, but dairy products are. The Great Lent begins on "Clean Monday", the day after "Cheese Sunday". Throughout the Carnival season, people disguise themselves as maskarádes ("masqueraders") and engage in pranks and general revelry.

Patras holds the largest annual Carnival in Greece; the famous Patras Carnival is a three-day spectacle replete with concerts, balles masqués, parading troupes, atreasure hunt and many events for children. The grand parade of masked troupes and floats is held at noon on Tyrine Sunday, and culminates in the ceremonial burning of the effigy of King Carnival at the Patras harbour.

CHRISTMAS TREE AND ITS ORNAMENTS ITALY AND ROMANIA

The custom of the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly 15th century, in which devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. It acquired popularity beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century, at first among the upper classes.

The tree was traditionally decorated with edibles such as apples, nuts, or other foods. In the 18th century, it began to be illuminated by candles which were ultimately replaced by Christmas lights after the advent of electrification. Today, there are a wide variety of traditional ornaments, such as garland, tinsel, and candy canes. An angel or star might be placed at the top of the tree to represent the archangel Gabriel or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity.

The Christmas tree has also been known as the "Yule-tree"

MANJERICO FOR CASCATA IN PORTUGAL

São João do Porto also includes the cult of water. Water relates to Christ's baptism. Cascatas are a Porto tradition of the 19th c. The Portuguese word 'cascata' means 'cascade' and indeed 'cascatas' are representations of sceneries where the element water is present. St John the Baptist is another mandatory presence in a 'cascata'. These small sceneries also include elements as stones, moss, tiny houses and reconstruction of typical places in Porto and painted figures representing people, professions and animals. 'Cascatas' are made in every quiet corner, by groups of people.

SACRIFICE FEAST TURKEY

The Sacrifice Feast is one of the oldest Islamic holidays in Turkey. It commemorates the story about Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) who showed obedience to God by agreeing to sacrifice his son. God then sent him a ram to be sacrificed instead. The Sacrifice Feast comes about 70 days after the Ramadan Feast. According to old belief it is unlucky to get married or start a new business in the period between these two holidays.

Traditionally, on the first day of the Sacrifice Feast in Turkey, men of each family go to a mosque for a special morning prayer. Then the sacrifice ritual begins. In some regions in Turkey, people paint the sacrificial animal with henna and adorn it with ribbons. The butcher reads a prayer before slaughtering the animal. Families share about two-thirds of the animal’s meat with relatives and neighbors, and they traditionally give about one-third to the poor.

In recent years, some Turkish people started making donations to charity organizations instead of sacrificing animals. Many people in Turkey take special care to help the poor during the Sacrifice Feast.

People usually wear their best clothes during the Sacrifice Feast. They welcome guests to their homes or visit relatives or friends during the holiday. Many people in Turkey reserve the first day of the feast for visiting their closest relatives. Young people greet their older relatives and neighbors by kissing their hand as a sign of respect. Some people in Turkey may use the four-day holiday to go on a vacation.