Winter traditions in Maramures, Romania
Maramures is one of the few areas of the country where the traditions and customs of the ancestors are still preserved today. The landscapes detached as if from a fairy tale, the vast forests, the picturesque settlements, the traditions preserved with sanctity by the Maramureș villagers, simple people, moreover faithful, who respect their fellows, form the rural, authentic image of the archaic village, special by its simplicity and customs.
With the arrival of the winter holidays, the superstitions of the Maramureș villagers and the customs preserved from their ancestors appear. The people of Maramureș are those authentic Romanians, who wear the folk costume with pride, which is indispensable on holidays, which prepare tasty traditional dishes and which will always make you feel joy in your soul when you are around them.
As Christmas is an important Christian holiday, the people of Maramureş celebrate it and honor it with great joy. The habits such as cutting the pig, caroling and Viflaim are just some of the practices that give the start this holiday.
Pig slaughter is a custom sacredly respected by the people of Maramureș, which takes place on December 20 ( with the name of Ignaț). The saying goes that merciful people, with a weak heart, are not allowed to get involved in the slaughter of the pig, because the animal will feel the mercy of the man and will suffer more. In the villages of Maramureș, the animal’s blood is used to mark children in order to become stronger and healthier. The blood of the slaughtered animal is also collected to the last drop and mixed with corn flour. This mixture is kept throughout the year, and when someone feels bad, the mixture will burn to heal that person.
On Christmas Eve, groups of children and young people gather who, as evening falls, start caroling the households. The houses must be lit, and with the gates open, because that’s the only way carolers will know where they are welcome. The little ones go from house to house with Capra (goat) or Steaua (star), the hosts honoring the carolers with traditional dishes, apples, nuts and money. Tradition says that there should be no house that has not been caroled. The carol lasts until the next day, when all the groups of carolers meet at the church.
After the end of the Liturgy on December 25, men must play Viflaim, the most important and popular custom practiced in Maramureș. Viflaim is a scene that represents the first days of Jesus’ life. This acting takes place in front of the church, and everyone must know their role very well so that there are no mistakes. Even after hundreds of years, this custom is strictly observed in the lands of Maramureș. Viflaim is the culmination of Christmas, where the whole village gathers, showing respect and joy for this holy custom.
Superstitions are present in the lives of the inhabitants of Maramureș. At Christmas they don’t sweep, wash clothes or borrow anything. The animals are pampered, receiving a lot of food to saturate, including a piece of leavened dough to protect them from disease, according to superstitions. It is also said that on Christmas morning it is good to wash your face with spring water in which a silver coin is placed.
The habits and good will, will continue until the New Year, this period being a fairytale on this authentic and beautiful realm, the villagers spending and celebrating with honor the holy holidays.
Article by Denisa Costic
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Traditiile de Craciun din Transilvania: de la post si pana la colindatul pe sate