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 The folk tradition refers to the month of November as "Brumar" or "Promorar". In the Romanian language, the words "bruma" and "promoroaca" mean "hoarfrost". It is the month when the hoarfrost can often be seen. In some folk poems, an interesting character can be found – he kisses the flowers, thus making them wither. November is also called the month of wines ("Vinar" or "Vincer").
The preparations for the winter season which have been begun in October become more and more intense in November, the month which ends the autumn.
The folk celebrations of this month are:
November 1st: Saints Cosma and Damian (Vracevul)
November 8th: Saints Archangels Michael and Gabriel
November 11th: St. Mina (The feast of the thieves)
November 12th: The Autumn "Martini"
November 13th: St. John the Merciful
November 14th: The Winter "Filipi"
November 21st: The entering into the church (Ovidenia)
November 25th: St. Ecaterina
November 29th: St. Andrew`s Eve
November 30th: St. Andrew
November 1st: Saints Cosma and Damian (Vracevul)
Also called “Vracevul” (from a Slavonic word which means “to heal”), the celebration of saints Cosma and Damian (the doctors without money, also found in the traditional calendar in the month of July) is important for healing the diseases, especially the epilepsy and the typhoid fever.
November 8th: Saints Archangels Michael and Gabriel
The Saints Archangels are angels with wings and swords who take the souls of the people when they die and take them to the other world, to the heaven or to the hell, depending on their sins.
St. Gabriel is the one who announced St. Mary that she would bring to life the child Jesus. He is also the one who commands the plague, like St. Haralambie.
St. Archangel Michael is more often found in the Romanian traditions. He is the one who takes the souls of the people. He is staying at the head of an illman if he is supposed to die and at his feet if he will survive. As he is gone away almost all the time, the saint only stays in the Heaven on the Great Friday and on Easter.
A legend goes that in the beginning Michael was an ordinary man, married to a beautiful girl named Stancuta. After the wedding, the girl turned into an evil woman. For having tolerated her for such a long time, God made him a saint. It is also said that Michael lost an eye during a fight with his wife. That`s why the death is blind, sometimes taking the souls of the young men, too.
Another legend says that St. Michael was initially a servant of the devil and St. Peter was trying to convince him to be on his side. Michael refused, not considering himself good enough for this. One day, while the saint was with the devil who was taking a bath at a lake, God freezed the water. Michael tried to fly, but the devil, breaking the ice under which he had been caught, tried to capture him. He was thundered by St. Ilie and thus Michael was placed at the right of God, becoming the first saint.
St. Michael is also the one who commands the Sun and the Moon, releasing them when they are stolen by the devils. He commands too the mistress of hell, Mamarca, who wants to send all the frost on the earth. St. Michael doesn`t let her do this, making her send it slowly, not all at once.
St. Michael is the patron of the Gipsies and he is the one who will fight the devil at the end of the world.
On the Saturday before this celebration things are doled for the dead. On the 8th of November it is recommended that the people light candles, as these will be their light on the other world. It is forbidden to work on this day, those who work being in great pain before their death.
The rams and sheep are mating and a bread (the rams` bread) is prepared. This is thrown in the middle of the sheep. If it falls with the face up, the sheep will be well when they will bring forth the lambs.
November 11th: St. Mina (The feast of the thieves)
St. Mina is the patron of the people whose things had been stolen. That is why the women go to the church on this day and light the candles at the other end, in order that the stolen things should turn to them. The young women also do this in order to bring back the love of the men they want.
St. Mina also protects the travelers from the thieves.
November 12th: The Autumn "Martini"
As the Winter Martini, the Autumn Martini are celebrated for three days, as the patrons of the bears and for the protection of the cattle against the wolves. The two celebrations are held 40 days before and after the Christmas.
November 13th: St. John the Merciful
On this day which marks the beginning of the Christmas fast, the families use to party with a lot of food and drinks and to fire the rifles. The celebration is also held in order to protect the cattle from snakes and wolves.
Weather predictions can be done on this day, observing the chest of the sacrificed hen. If this is thick, a hard winter will come.
November 14th: The Autumn "Filipi"
The Autumn „Filipi” are held especially by women. They aren`t allowed to work, they are only allowed to cook.
The mating season for the wolves begins now and it will last until the Winter Filipi.
November 21st: The entering into the church (Ovidenia)
The Ovidenia is the celebration of the day when the Virgin entered the church.
On this day the sky opens and the animals begin to talk. Candles are being lit for the dead and things are doled for the dead children. The candles and the fire should burn all night long.
Beginning with this day and until St. George women shouldn`t wash their clothes at the river.
As it is believed that the vampires are wandering around in this night, the doors and the windows are grazed with garlic.
November 25th: St. Ecaterina
The celebration is especially held by the women who have the name of this saint. It is believed that St. Ecaterina was the sister of St. Nicholas and she was a lunatic. That`s why the saint protects the people from illness and madness.
November 29th: St. Andrew`s Eve
St. Andrew`s Eve is one of the most important nights in the folk calendar, being known as the „vampires` night”. They are going out and fight or dance at the crossroads or near the abandoned houses.
A great party called „guarding the garlic” is held on this night. The young people from the village gather in a house whose windows and doors were grazed with garlic. Other pieces of garlic are put in a vase, every girl bringing three. They will be guarded by an old woman, at the light of the candles. The young people party until morning, when the vase is taken out in the yard and they dance around it. The pieces of garlic are then given to the participants and they will be put at the icons, being used as a mean of protection against illness or spells.
In order to protect themselves against the vampires, the people graze the doors with garlic, thus forming crosses and turn the pottery with the face to the ground. The vampire can`t enter the house so he appears at the window and tries to attract people, calling them and asking them if they ate garlic. The people must not answer, otherwise becoming dumb.
Nine cups of water are put in a vase and placed under an icon. If the next day the water is lesser, that person will be unlucky.
The animals talk on this night, but people shouldn`t listen to them, as they will die.
The girls can find their destined one. In order to do this, they must go to a fountain with a candle and look inside. In the water they will see the face of their future husband. Another way to find him is dreaming. They put 41 grains of wheat under the pillow and if they dream the wheat is stolen from them, they will get married soon.
November 30th: St. Andrew
St. Andrew is the patron of the wolves, being the one who protects the people attacked by these animals. St. Andrew is also celebrated in order that the wolves should stay away from the households or from the travelers. The salt is charmed and buried under the door of the stable. It will be taken out on St. George and given to the cattle, as a protection against the wolves and other evil things.
Nothing is lent on this day, so that the products of the field shouldn`t be stolen. The women aren`t allowed to wash or to comb their hair.
The children put apple, pear or plum branches in the water, so that they would bloom. These will be used on St. Vasile, as a „sorcova”. The girls and boys seed wheat and the one whose wheat grew more will be the luckiest one. | |
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