Đurđevdan

Djurdjevdan ( dʑu ː rdʑeʋda ː n, Serbian Cyrillic Ђурђевдан, Croatian Jurjevo, macedonian Ѓурѓовден / Gyurgyovden, Bulgarian Гергьовден, Romanized Herdelezi or Ederlezi, German George's Day) is a Slava - festival in honor of Saint George, which of Orthodox Serbs, Macedonians and Bulgarians, but also is celebrated by the Catholic Kroetaen, as well as Orthodox and Muslim Roma in the former Yugoslavia as spring Festival. In contrast to George's Day, which is celebrated in the Western Churches on April 23, the djurdjevdan is rebated to the Julian calendar used by the Orthodox churches on the May 6

In Croatia Jurjevo celebrated primarily in Turopolje and Gornja Stubica while being committed virtually the entire Serbian territory. It also celebrate converted to Islam Gorani in Südkosovo, especially in the place Globočica.

Celebration

The celebration on May 6, located approximately 40 days after the Spring Equinox, is a typical Spring Festival, similar in which bonfires are lit as in the Walpurgis Night. It probably has pre-Christian origins panslavische. In Turopolje the five most beautiful girls are dressed as Dodola - goddesses in branches and sent as singers through the village after the Slavic tradition.

Of the Roma in the Balkans, it is celebrated as one of their most important holidays, which marks the border between winter and summer. This applies equally to the Christian as well as Muslim Roma (here as Herdelezi - from the Turkish Hidirellez ).

The Roma name for the feast goes according to tradition, to a meeting of the patron saint Hızır ( protector of the plants and of the poor ) and the prophet Elijah ( Ilyas, the protector of the waters and the animals) in the 9th century BC back - combined give the two names the term.

Djurdjevdan / Herdelezi are celebrated in different ways depending on the region. The festival was in the past often requires several weeks of Lent.

The celebrations for the feast usually begin on the evening of May 5 with a cleaning and a dinner. The houses are decorated with flowers and flowering branches. Are taken with flowers and washed his hands and house walls with holy water baths.

On May 6, even the slaughter and the preparation of a sheep plays a central role, with a portion of the roast friends and relatives will be given.

The highlight of the celebrations all Roma a village or a town meeting at a central square where they hold a big party with music and dance accompaniment ( with brass bands especially).

The Roma folk song Ederlezi sings this festival.

Superstitious Roma ignite four old towels on at every corner of the house, to keep " snakes " for the whole year.

The festival is presented impressive in Emir Kusturica's film Time of the Gypsies. Also in the novel Derviš i smrt ( The Dervish and Death ) of Mehmed Meša Selimović appeared on it where it will be evaluated by the pious Muslim protagonist as a relapse into pagan immorality.

See also

• Hidirellez
• Kakava