site.btaFair at Romanian Peasant Museum Marks Day of Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste
On the occasion of the Day of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste, the Museum of the Romanian Peasant in Bucharest hosted a fair offering traditional food as well as products for Easter. Visitors took photos with a table covered in pastries typical of this day.
In the past, the so-called muchenitsi were made in the form of little figures without eyes, symbolising those whose souls have left for the afterlife. Today, these traditional pastries have various forms, including the figure eight as the number of holy balance. The dough is made of flour, milk, sugar, and home-made cheese; it is then covered in a syrup of honey and pear juice and sprinkled with walnuts.
The fair's organizers said that on March 9 every year, people honour the memory of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste, who after horrific torture died for their Christian faith. People go to church, pray for the health of the living and remember those who are no longer with us. Everyone eats muchenitsi.
According to popular believes, one must not work on this day. People light fires in their backyards that every family member has to jump over. The ashes from the fire are spread around the house to protect it against snakes.
It is believed that on March 9, the cold winter gives way to warm days. That is why this date in Romania and in Moldova is linked to many rituals to keep the frost at bay, such as hitting the ground with hammers or sticks and children playing over the fire.
/DS/
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