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Monday, 23 June 2014

Romanian customs: November 30 – St. Andrew's Day – 30 Noiembrie – Sf. Andrei


The article comes in Romanian and English

30 Noiembrie - Sf. Andrei 

Sf. Andrei este patronul spiritual al României. El este cel care a adus crestinismul in fosta regiune a Scitiei, unde trăiau Geto-dacii, in regiunea dintre Dunăre si Marea Neagra, unde se afla in present Româna.
In afara de semnificatia religioasa a acestei zile, in folclorul romanesc este cunoscuta ca data cand multe legende devin realitate.
Una din ele spune ca in aceasta zi Sf. Andrei isi imparte mancarea de iarna cu lupii. Se spune ca in aceasta zi lupii isi pot intoarce capul sa vada in spate. Este o zi cand oamenii nu lucreaza in godpodarie de team aca lupii sa nu le atace casa si familia.
Noaptea de Sf. Andrei este o foarte importanta pentru vraji. Se spune ca in aceasta noapte fetele nemaritate pot vedea fata viitorului sot. In aceasta seara fetele fac niste turte din faina, sare si apa proaspata. Apa neinceputa trebuie sa fie adusa de la fantana cu o cana curate, iar faina si sarea trebuie sa fie luate din pachet neinceput, care au fost incepute doar cu aceasta ocazie. Apoi, turta e coapta in cuptor si e mancata de fata nemaritata inainte de culcare, fara sa bea apa. Se spune ca in aceasta noapte va visa pe cel care ii aduce apa, si ca acela ii va fi sot.
Ei bine, va pot spune ca am incercat si eu asta odata, cu cativa ani inainte de a ma casatori. Dar in noaptea aceea am visat ca m-am certat cu tatal si fratele meu pentru ca nu-mi dadeau apa sa beau. Asta a insemnat ca in acel an nu imi era menit sa ma casatoresc. Dar m-am maritat cativa ani mai tarziu. Deci povestea poate totusi fi adevarata. 

Prof. Brigitta Daniela Buda

November 30 - St. Andrew Day

Sf. Andrei (St. Andrew) is the patron saint of Romania. He is the one who introduced Christianity in the former region of Scythia, where the Geto-Dacians lived, in the region between the Danube and the Black Sea, which is nowadays part of Romania.
Besides the religious meaning of this day, it is also known in the Romanian folklore as the day when many legends come to reality.
One of them says that on this day St. Andrew shares the food for winter with the wolves.
On this day it is said that wolves can turn their heads to see behind them. It is a day when people don't work in their homesteads for fear that wolves may attack them or their cattle. If the master of the house does not work on this day, wolves cannot approach to attack his homestead and family.
St. Andrew's night is also a very important night for witchcraft. It is said that on this night unmarried young women can see the face of their future husband.
On this evening, the girls make a small cake made of flour, salt and fresh water. The water has to be brought from the water well in a clean cup and nobody should use that water before being used for that cake, and the flour and salt have to be taken from a fresh packet opened for this occasion. The cake is baked in the oven and the girl eats it before going to bed, without drinking any water. It is said that the image of her future husband will come in her dream to bring her water to drink.
Well, I can tell you I tried it once, a few years before I got married. But during the night I dreamt that I was quarreling with my dad and my brother because they did not want to give me some water to drink. It meant that I was not meant to marry the following year. But I got married a few years later. So all this may be true.
You can try it, too. 

prof. Brigitta Daniela Buda

Excerpt from “Customs and Traditions from Maramures, Romania”, Editie bilingva romano-engleza, carte electronica, Coordonator prof. Daniela Buda, Coperta prof. Octavian Pop, Editura Casei Corpului Didactic “Maria Montessori”, Baia Mare, 2012, ISBN 978-606-8262-41-5

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