SPRINGtraditionalRomanianholiday

Dragobeteis a

originating from Dacian times and

celebrated on February, 24th.
Specifically, Dragobete was
the son ofBaba Dochia, which stands
for the main character in the pagan
myth related to spring arrival and
the end of the harsh winter.
In Romania, Dragobete is
known as a day for lovers, rather like
Valentine's Day.

Mrior

Is an old Romanian celebration

at the beginning of spring, on March
the 1st, which according to old
calendar was also considered as the
beginning of the new year.
The name Mrior literally
means Little March. This is an red
and white string, a simbol of love
and power.

Baba Dochia, or The Old Dokia, is a figure identified

with the return ofspring. She is sometimes imagined as an old
woman who insults the month of March when she goes out with a
herd of sheep or goats.
In the calendar, there are 9 days associated with the 9
coats she's shedding, from March 1 to March 9. Her spirit is
haunting every year around that time, bringing snowstorms and
cold weather before the spring sets in. Women use to pick a day
out of these 9 beforehand, and if the day turns out to be fair,
they'll be fair in their old days, and if the day turns out to be
cold, they'll turn bitter when theyll be older.

SUMM
ER

Snzianis theRomanianname for gentlefairies who play an

important part in local folklore. Under the plural form Snziene, the word designates an
annual festival in the fairies' honor. People celebrate the Snziene holiday annually, on June 24.
The folk practices of Snziene imply that the most beautiful maidens in the village dress in
white and spend all day searching for and picking flowers, of which one MUST be bedstraw or
yellow bedstraw . Using the flowers they picked during the day, the girls braid floral crowns which
they wear upon returning to the village at nightfall.

SAINT MARY
According to theBible,Mary also known asSaint Mary. She is
identified in theNew Testament as the mother ofJesusthrough divine
intervention.
The main feast of Mary is on August 15 ("Saint Mary's"), the official
celebration is called the Roman Catholic Church "Raising the Virgin Mary
into Heaven" and the Orthodox Churches "Assumption".

Caloianis arain ritualinRomania. It is

mostly found inWallachia(Southern part of
Romania). The origin of this ritual, as many
other local popular beliefs and practices,
precedes the spreading of Christianity,
although it was in time associated with the
period of the Orthodox Easter.

AUTUMN
Sumedru Bonfire (Focul lui Sumedru) is a
festival held annually on October 26th, St. Demetrius
day. Both adults and children dress up in folk costumes
and dance around a fire, while women give to people
walnuts, pears, apples and various sweets. The hot coals
in the fire are taken by villagers and used to fertilize
the fields and the gardens.

The 30th of November is one of the most important

Romanian holidays. It is the day we celebrate Saint
Andrew. On St. Andrews night ghosts haunt and harass the
people. For protection, one should rub the entrance door
with garlic and turn all the dishes upside down. A special
party takes place, called Guarding the garlic.
Single girls must put under their pillow 41 wheat grains.
They can also plant wheat in a dish and water it until New
Years day. The nicer the wheat looks that day, the better
the year to come.

The Fall Filipii is another autumn tradition

celebrated on the 14th of November.
It is traditional for villagers to hang axes by the chimney
to keep evil away. Women arent allowed to work on this
day.
Another custom refers to unmarried young men who
gather around 2 big fires, dancing and shouting. After
that, they grab lit wooden branches from the fire and
take them at home.

WINTER
Christmas in Romania is a major annual celebration.

The Christmas and holiday season starts officially on

November 30, on Saint Andrew's day and ends on
January 7, with the celebration of Saint John.

Music is an important part of Christmas celebration

all over Romania. There is a special genre of music,
related to Christmas carols but with more traditional /
Christian lyrics. These are named colind .
The village youth usually form groups and then, on
Christmas Eve, they are going to different houses and
begin singing.

 Throughout the season, teenagers and

young adults especially enjoy caroling with the
Goat. The Goat is actually a usually young
person dressed up in a goat costume. The
whole group dances through the streets and
from door to door, often with flute music.
The goat jumps, jerks, turns round, and
bends, clattering regularly the wooden jaws.

The bear custom is known only in Moldavia, a part of Romania,

on the Christmas Eve. In this case a young person dresses up in a
bear costume adorned with red tassels on its ears, on his head and
shoulders. The person wearing the bear costume is accompanied by
fiddlers and followed by a whole procession of characters, among
them a child dressed-up as the bear's cub.