March, a month of Romanian celebrations and symbols

March is not only the first month of spring, but also an occasion for numerous celebrations across Romania. March 1 marks “Martisor” Day, March 8 is Woman’s Day, March 9 marks the day of “Mucenici” and the first nine days of March are also known as “Babele”.

If it is March 1, then it’s “Martisor” Day in Romania, a celebration of spring and women, manifested through the offering of amulets of all sorts to women by men (sometimes by women between one another, as well, and in some regions by women to men).

Thus, according to tradition, an amulet or good-luck charm is offered on this day, which mandatorily must be tied with a red and white string (the string is more important than the amulet itself), so as to bring health and good luck. This tradition moved from the countryside to the urban areas at the end of the nineteenth century / start of the twentieth and the first to offer such trinkets to their daughter and wives were gentlemen of a certain economical state, since, back then, connected to the red and white strings usually were small objects of gold and silver.

Gold and silver pendants are still some of the most popular Martisor gifts. In the geographical region of Moldavia, “martisoare” are usually offered to men by women and women usually receive flowers on this date. Some of the most popular amulets are the “chimney sweeper” (believed to bring luck because he helped clean chimneys and thus prevent fires from occurring), the horseshoe and the clover.

Some fairs where you may find “Martisoare” this year in Bucharest are:

– Muzeul Taranului Roman (Romanian Peasant Museum), located on Soseaua Kiseleff 3, in the vicinity of Piata Victoriei subway station (until today, March 1);

– Carturesti library, Arthur Verona Street, 13-15 (until March 8);

– Sala Dalles, Nicolae Balcescu, 18 (until March 8);

– Afi Palace Cotroceni, Handmade Spring Expo, Vasile Milea Boulevard, no. 4 (until March 11);

– National Museum of Geology, Kiseleff Boulevard, no. 2 (until March 8)

Google.ro also marks this day, as its home page is written with in a red and white ribbon. By clicking on the Google name, links to the search word “martisor” are supplied.

March 8 is also known as International Woman’s Day or Mother’s day, as was the case before 1989. It is an international celebration of socialist roots, that appeared at the start of the 20^th century (but is known to have had similar manifestations ever since ancient times, in Greece, when Rhea, the mother of all gods was celebrated, who also known as Mother Earth). Basically, this was a day celebrating women’s efforts to gain more rights in the early 20^th century. In Romania, cards, flower and perfumes are usually offered on this day; children are still taught in schools by their teachers to write hand-made cards and to offer them to their mothers on this day.

March 9 marks the day of the “40 Martyrs (Mucenici or Macinici) from Sevastia” and sometimes even referred to as Man’s Day, since it comes right after Woman’s Day. The 40 martyrs were 40 Christian soldiers who refused to be converted by Roman governor Agricolae and were therefore condemned to incarceration and later death through torture, since they still refused conversion. On this day, special types of pastry are prepared across Romania, in the shape of the number “8” (in picture), which marks infinity or the martyr’s survival into eternity, as saints of the Christian world.

The first nine days of March are also referred to as “Babele” (“The Old Women”). Every Romanian may choose any of these days, either if it coincides with their birth date (or a reduction of the numbers forming it, if it occurs after 10; e.g.: birthday on 10 => 1+0 => 1) or if it simply represents a number of their choice. The choice of the day will be made in advance, it cannot be made on that very day. The tradition says that depending on the way the weather is on the elected day, that is the way it will be for that person all throughout the year (don’t get too upset if it rains, though, it is said to bring wealth). “Babele”, according to the legend, are the days in which Baba Dochia, an old woman representing the winter season, dropped all of her nine sheepskins, thus preparing for spring.

Corina Dumitrescu

DMCA

PROTECTED