Wood-nymph herbs for Spassovden, 13 May

published on 5/11/10 9:26 AM

Wood-nymph herbs for Spassovden, 13 May

Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

In the Bulgarian tradition there is a special local name for the Christian holiday of Ascension, the 40th day after Easter, when resurrected Christ ascended to heaven. In the folklore calendar the day is called Spassovden, the Day of the Savior.

By tradition on Spassovden some pray for plenty of rain to boost the crops, others seek cure of serious diseases, while childless families pray for a child. All of them however, performed ancient rituals in which reality merged with magic and mysticism. In either case however, man sought reunion with nature in a bid to obtain something desired and precious – a good harvest, fertility for women and health for the sick. The farmers fearing damaging draught, would sent their envoys – little girls ritually called butterflies, to plead before St. Spas (Savior) for invigorating rain. Girls and women would walk around village fields and ritually mimic rain by bathing butterflies with plenty of water. In Dobrudja, Northeastern Bulgaria, villagers would go out taking large cauldrons with water. Then they poured the water on the fields and turned the empty cauldrons upside down hoping to bring life-giving rainfalls.

Contrary to the generous pouring of water in the prayers for rain, there are healer practices that prescribe natural dew to be gathered on Spassovden. It was believed that at this time of the year, dew had remarkable remedial value. So, those suffering from the mysterious wood-nymph disease would go to the meadows on Spassovden, and lie and roll about in the dewy grass. If they then managed to rise by themselves and return to the village, this was a sure sign that the dew had worked. Other sick people would spend the night in the open close to a plant called wood-nymph flower or dittany. In the mysterious night wood nymphs would come and pick up dittany blossoms. And, if they were in good mood, they’d give health to those sleeping in the meadow.

Infertile women would also go to spend the night in wood-nymph meadows hoping to conceive a child. In traditional beliefs, Spassovden was the time of the year to cure infertility. However, the infertile woman would go to the meadows in the company of a male with whom she had blood relation. At night before going to sleep, the two ate a ritual dinner served on a red cloth – with ritual bread, chicken meat and red wine, and left some food for the wood nymphs. The two had to watch out, and return to the village before the first cock crow.

However, there is folk story related to Spassovden that is unusually erotic in the generally shy context of the Bulgarian folklore tradition. There is the story of a young woman and a young man, very gifted physically, who decided to get married. During the wedding the young bloke demonstrated such an incredible phallic power that he lifted the priest and threw him up so high in the air that the priest fell back on the ground only on Spassovden, 40 days later. The priest, who finally came to after such a fantastic journey, exclaimed, “Well, bride, here is Spassovden for you!” The expression is still widely used to denote a surprise in a most incredible situation. Spassovden was key for girls who planned to marry soon. They performed a cycle of special rituals that would hopefully make them fit and preferred for marriage.

English version Daniela Konstantinova

По публикацията работи: Rumyana Panayotova

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Share

Wood-nymph herbs for Spassovden, 13 May

More from category

Mummers, elders, chaushi... the village of Turia is hosting masquerade games

The demonic image of horse rider St. Todor in folk traditions

Yambol immersed in the magic of the Kuker games