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Pentecost. June 12. The Spirit is a-movin but not over every land.

Written by Jack van Ommen on June 12th, 2011

I attended the orthodox church service in the hope of getting a feeling of the spirit of Pentecost. But it was just as before. A few old ladies, crossing themselves continuously, lighting candles, kissing the icons, a drone coming from the priest behind the closed doors to the sanctuary. I still do get a sense that I am in the house of the same Lord. But not much else.

When I was on my way back to the “ranch”. I heard music and a whistle and some shouting. 6 young men in tradtional costumes were performing a dance in a courtyard, and then there was this evil looking character. Which turned out to be the Iele. I heard that they performed later in the ttown. They must have just been practising where I saw them.

The tradition is described in the web site :http://mainweb.hgo.se/amnen/etnologi.nsf/0/637E3DB7A9B3F244C125739B0047014F/$FILE/The%20Romanian%20Calus%20tradition%20and%20its%20changing%20symbolism%20as%20it%20travels%20from%20the%20village%20to%20the%20global%20plattform.%20-%20Liz%20Mellish.%20www.elizznik.org.uk.pdf?openelement

as follows: Traditional Căluş Ritual in the Romanian village.The determined time, for theCăluş ritual is the period of Rusalii (Pentecost) which occurs forty days after Orthodox Easter, and lasted for seven to nine days. This transitional period from spring to summer is when, according to Romanian and Slav folklore, malevolent fairies, known as were at their most active. The period of Rusalii was a liminal period in villagers’ lives .


 

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3 Comments so far ↓

  1. ann unger says:
    June 13, 2011 at 04:46

    Hi Jack,

    Why don’t you give the Biserisa Penticostala church a try, you maybe able to understand more of the service. It is on Strada Catatii.

    Sundays are not the same without a meaningful service.

    All the best.

    Ann

  2. jackvanommen says:
    June 13, 2011 at 19:39

    Yes, thanks. I was aware of it but I can just imagine me standing there waving my arms with the rest of them and having some one next to me get up and speak in tongues and then have it translated by someone else into Romanian…..
    But, yes, I will give it a try and report back to you.

  3. ann unger says:
    June 13, 2011 at 20:33

    They don’t all wave their arms and speak in tongues, besides if you call yell at a sportsevent, what is wrong with getting exited about Jesus.

    Have fun with your sanding and painting.

    greetings,

    Ann