Easter customs in Maramures, Romania

                  In Romania, part of the Easter traditions are similar with some of those  described by Rima from Lithuania - so we are very similar, but also different. There are also many Romanian customs for Easter, which differ from one region to another. This year I will tell you about two of them: one in the village onf Ungureni, from the county of Maramures and one from Baia Mare. I have studied and ovserved them both for many years, so I can tell you some things about them.

EASTER CUSTOMS IN UNGURENI, MARAMURES:

                   The village called Ungureni lies on high hills in the region of Lapus. It is one of the very few places in Romania where the customs I am telling you about are still observed. On Sunday morning, after coming from the church on Easter night and after the blessing of the food baskets, people come home and have breakfast together. Sometime later, around 10 a.m., they call their neighbours and friends and family members to go to the cemetery to pray for the dead members of the family. On this occasion, the people gathered around the grave say a prayer, bow 3 times touching the tomb with their  foreheads and then the hosts give them presents over the tomb: a special home baked bread (called "pup", pronounced [pup]), a painted egg and maybe also a plate or glass, and they are served a glass of tzuika or wine and in the end they say "May s/he rest in peace" or "May God receive the offer".
The old wooden church there is a very beautiful old one.
                      After they visit the tombs of all the dead members of the families who invited them they go back home and prepare to go to the "Mosi" (pronounced [moshi]) in the old churchyard.
                     At approx. 1 p.m., the women gather in the old churchyard and bring with them baskets of painted eggs, home baked bread loaves called "pup", sweets and a bottle of tzuika or wine or any other drink they made at home or bought from the store.  The most extraordinary thing is that ONLY WOMEN are allowed to take part in this ceremony. After the priest says the religious service (it is an Orthodox priest), and he says "Christ has resurrected" 3 times, the ceremony can begin. Women are gathered in circles, which represent "tables".
                  Each place at a table is inherited by the woman who lives in the house. (For example, I will inherit the place at the table where my mother-in-law stays, while my sister-in-law has inherited her mother-in-law's place, as they live in another house, etc.) After the priest has spoken, the women start offering the goodies they have brought: first they give the children sweets or painted eggs. Then after all the children at the "table" get their sweets, women start to give each woman at the "table" a painted egg and a "pup" or other things they bring.
                           In the middle of the "table" there is a table cloth on which there is a round pleated bread called "prinos" (baked by a widow), a bottle of wine and a candle. When all the women at the table have distibuted the gifts, the widdow who takes care of the "prinos" slices it and gives each woman a slice. This slice of "prinos" is meant to be given to the cattle on the farm, so that they are protected against illness and so that they give good milk and other products.
                           After all these are given away, they go and serve each woman at the table with tzuika or wine or other drinks. It is a good time to chat and gossip. In the old days, it also used to be the time when mothers looked for wives for their sons or husbands for their daughters, so marriages were planned on this occasion.
                       MEN are only allowed to stay on the outskirts of this gathering and watch as it progresses. They may eventually get a painted egg or a glass of tzuika or wine at the end of the ceremony. :d :)
                       After all the women at the table have been served with the foods and drinks everyone brought, the priest says another prayer and wishes his parishers Happy Easter and then people go to take their gifts home. Some of them remain to call friend to their dead family members' tombs, or they just go home and have a party there, inviting their friends and living family members to lunch.
                      On this day, people wear their best Sunday clothes. The thing that I like very much is that there are still people in this village who like to wear traditional costumes, either those specific to this village, or others from other parts of Maramures (if they come from other villages - the wives, I mean).
                     For Easter, and not only then, women in the village like to decorate their homes with napkins woven by them at home and pottery or different pictures representing religious images and also with home woven sheep wool  blankets

You can see more pictures in the photo album. I hope you enjoy them.

HAPPY EASTER!

Daniela Buda