Christmas Christmas-tide in ancient Kobrin

Kobrin → Outstanding persons → Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov

In dim vegetation of pre-war Kobrin narrow-mindedness bright flashes occasionally interspersed considerable orthodox holidays. From them the most esteemed were two: winter – Christmas and spring – Easter. With centuries the set of household ceremonialism, roots going to paganism, with a variety of nuances in certain districts which often muffled true sense of the bible events honored by believers accumulated on their especially religious fundamental principle. A peculiar common denominator of both holidays were the six-week Filippovsky and Great posts preceding everyone, i.e. ritually certain restraint from food. If in the remote past strict rules of posts were strictly followed, then more free interpretation of obligatory restrictions was allowed eventually.

Already long before the approaching Christmas-tide began to be in a fever future kolyadnik. In the environment of unruly youth numerous groups which updated last year's rallied or new stars and "betleyka" made, trying to outdo each other in an ingenuity. In passing there was a learning of church and local Christmas chants.

Alas, material examples of once very widespread attributes of carol-singing did not remain even in the museums therefore, it appears, pertinently will be to get acquainted with them more in details. Overage teenagers in this case used to six - and even eight-beam stars. It were intricate designs over a meter in the diameter, wearable on a stick. The glazed central part of a star was steady whereas external, actually the star, turned. In a circle there was a tiny similarity of a day nursery in an environment of figures of people and animals. Ornament consisted of a brilliant beads, pocket mirrors, artificial flowers. In the middle the candle was lit. The internal steady circle was adjoined closely by the second, rotating, nayozhenny oblong "horns" which hollow frameworks were fitted by color paper. The ends of "horns" were decorated with magnificent paper brushes. At the same time younger children pottered with the "betleyka" (from the distorted word "Bethlehem") reminding big lamps. The easy wooden framework was fitted by the oiled paper from four parties, on it the silhouettes of a den, plants and animals which are cut out from color paper, stars were pasted. In "betleyka" the cylindrical device from wooden splinters on which the figures of people and animals which are cut out from a cardboard consistently were placed was located. Witty adaptation operated in such a way that the cylinder continuously rotated under the influence of heat radiated by the burning candle and on walls of "betleyka" silhouettes of figures changed.

Using school vacation, since evening of Christmas Eve impatient hristoslava shumlivy flocks were run across from a window to a window of orthodox citizens. The "betleyka" clarified by a candle was brought to a window at which members of household usually were on duty. After execution of several Christmas carols, a congratulation of owners and receiving the earned kopeks children hurried to the neighboring houses. Carol-singing continued in three Christmas evenings, then on "Shchedrukh" (subnew Year's evening), and came to the end on "a water Christmas carol" on January 5, on the eve of the Epiphany. Certainly, among kolyadnikov-young children because of envy of the competition there were not the harmless fights accompanied with a roar of the owners distorted "бэтлеек". Deep-voices bands of more overage kolyadnik with stars — and them was not so much — were rewarded more, the solid fees in a silver trifle. The collected revenue shared equally.

Provident owners stocked up by holidays with piles of copper coins and silver coins. Amounts of remuneration changed depending on originality of registration, quantity and workmanship of Christmas carols that was competently discussed by listeners.

Naturally, holiday efforts assigned special cares to housewives on whom responsibility for preparation of traditional "vespers" lay. And the menu considerably varied depending on material security of a family and specific features of this or that dinner. With the greatest solemnity main "Christmas carol" on the night of Christmas was noted. The century custom demanded that the festive meal consisted not less, than from twelve dishes (twelve months, as much apostles) it is obligatory from the fast viands given in a certain sequence.

On a table by a thin layer it was spread the hay covered with a pure cloth. Participants of a dinner pulled out a stalk which length foretold life expectancy. Hay remained to a water Christmas carol then it was fed to cattle. At farmers was in custom to place in a place of honor a magnificent rye sheaf which grains the first used in the next sowing. The solemn mood of members of household was created by partial abstention of all from food "to a star", the mysterious twilight from light of the icon lamps lit at images. In patriarchal families under a parental shelter whenever possible gathered for a Christmas-tide as much as possible family members who were quite often coming from far away.

The festive dinner began with a kolivo – pearl-barley or rice porridge with poppy and honey. Further the Ukrainian borsch, pancakes, fish, mushrooms followed in accordance with the established procedure and so forth of the given dishes came to the end with Raznoobrazniye with kissel with poppy milk and compote from dried fruits. It is unlikely it is necessary to say that bread and pies were only own pastries.

The eve novogodya was called at us "Shchedrukhoy". As usual, girls were engaged in fortune-telling. This evening, besides kolyadnik, on streets violent bands of adults masked (on local "disguised"), visiting mainly well-founded houses where it was possible to count on more generous entertainment appeared. There was a full expanse to inventions and mischief, collective impetuous fun. In the afternoon in custom at youth was "to kuligat", i.e. to ride competing in speed the sledge decorated with tapes and bells.

Fir-trees so fashionable nowadays were rather an exception and were the privilege of intellectual families. Purchased jewelry cost expensive and the range left much to be desired therefore paper chains and various toys were glued in the evenings manually, all family, showing a creative invention. As the main jewelry served candles, gilded nuts, apples, candies, cookies.

At high-ranking Luda was in custom to dress up in uniform frock coats, it is frequent with mundirny swords, and "to pay visits" to the administration and colleagues. At absence in the house of the owner, the visitor left the business card. If the owner was at home, the modest entertainment a la a buffet reception was necessary. Here it should be noted that vodka products were used moderately, the preference was given to wines, and for women special "ladies' grades" were offered. It is unlikely it is necessary to say that carriers visitors these days were sold like hot cakes.

And finishing in this constellation of holidays was the Epiphany in life called by the Epiphany. The celebration already on the eve of a holiday began consecration of water in church. Church enthusiasts gold prospectors with concern guessed whether they will bring notorious "bitter cold" which lack could spoil a lot of things in a traditional ceremony. The matter is that at the bridge in Mukhavts's ice the ice-hole over which the figured cross from ice was established the impressive sizes became. Usually it was painted beet juice, and it was framed with ranks of fir-trees.

From all city temples religious processions were pulled together here. There came the great number of suburban peasants. And when the solemn ceremony of blessing of the waters began, pigeon breeders let out packs of the pets who were beautifully trembling in heavenly blue. The company of soldiers which was at the same time built on the bridge (this ceremony was observed also by Poles) fired a triple volley whereas the military orchestra executed the anthem "Kohl Is Nice Our Lord in Zion". The colourful show steadily brought together the thousand mass of the viewers on the bridge and a towing-path. In conclusion attendees stocked up from an ice-hole with "holy water" which owners okraplivat houses, all structures. Meanwhile peasants competing in speed broke off fir-tree pads to which magic influence in economy was attributed.

Such is there was the last chord of two-week holidays from them in "the sacred evenings" in which it was necessary to indulge in all obligatory idleness.

 A. Martynov

Martynov, And. A Christmas Christmas-tide in ancient Kobrin / A. Martynov//Kobrynsk_ vesn_k. – 1993. – 6 studzenya. – Page 2.



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