The ''badnjak'' ( sr-Cyrl, бадњак, ), also called ''veseljak'' (, , literally "the one who brings joy" in
Serbian), is a tree branch or entire tree that is central to
Serbian Christmas celebrations. It is placed on a fire on
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
and its branches are later brought home by worshipers. The tree from which the ''badnjak'' is cut, preferably a young, straight and undamaged
Austrian oak
''Quercus cerris'', the Turkey oak or Austrian oak, is an oak native to south-eastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is the type species of ''Quercus'' sect. ''Cerris'', a section of the genus characterised by shoot buds surrounded by soft bristles, ...
, is ceremonially felled early on the morning of Christmas Eve. The felling, preparation, bringing in, and laying on the fire, are surrounded by elaborate rituals, with many regional variations. The burning of the log is accompanied by prayers that the coming year brings food, happiness, love, luck, and riches. The log burns on throughout
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
, when the first visitor strikes it with a poker or a branch to make sparks fly, while wishing that the family's happiness and prosperity be as abundant as the sparks. As most
Serbs
The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language.
The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
today live in towns and cities, the ''badnjak'' is often symbolically represented by a cluster of oak twigs with brown leaves attached, with which the home is decorated on Christmas Eve.
Since the early 20th century, the Serbian ''badnjak'' tradition has also been celebrated more publicly. Before
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, soldiers of the
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Краљевина Србија, Kraljevina Srbija) was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Princi ...
developed the custom of laying a ''badnjak'' on a fire in their
barracks
Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are u ...
. In the succeeding
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Kraljevina Jugoslavija, Краљевина Југославија; sl, Kraljevina Jugoslavija) was a state in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 unt ...
, the military ''badnjak'' ceremony was further elaborated and standardized in army service regulations, but the tradition ended at the outbreak of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Since the early 1990s, the
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches.
The majori ...
has, together with local communities, organized public celebrations on Christmas Eve in which the ''badnjak'' plays a central role. Parishioners festively cut the sapling to be used as the ''badnjak'' and take it to their church, where it is consecrated by a priest before being ceremonially placed on a
fire pit
A fire pit or a fire hole can vary from a pit dug in the ground to an elaborate gas burning structure of stone, brick, and metal. The defining feature of fire pits is that they are designed to contain fire and prevent it from spreading.
Some rece ...
in the churchyard.
The festive kindling of the ''badnjak'' commemorates the fire that—according to Serbian folk tradition—the shepherds of
Bethlehem
Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...
built in the cave where
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
was
born, to warm the Baby Jesus and
his mother
''His Mother'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. It was one of more than a dozen films produced by the Kalem Company filmed in Ir ...
throughout the night. The ''badnjak'' may also be seen as a
symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different conc ...
of the cross upon which Christ was
crucified
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagin ...
, the warmth of its fire symbolizing the
salvation
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
which, in the
Christian belief, the crucifixion made possible for mankind. Scholars regard the tradition as inherited from the
old Slavic religion. They interpret the ''badnjak'' as an incarnation of the spirit of vegetation, and as a divinity who dies by burning to be reborn, to whom sacrifices and prayers were offered for the fertility of fields, the health and happiness of the family. The burning symbolized sunshine, securing the vitalizing power of the sun in the coming year. Other
South Slavic peoples
South Slavs are Slavic peoples who speak South Slavic languages and inhabit a contiguous region of Southeast Europe comprising the eastern Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. Geographically separated from the West Slavs and East Slavs by Austria, ...
have similar traditions, and the custom that a family brings a log into the house and burns it on Christmas Eve has also been recorded in other parts of Europe.
Family celebration
Felling and preparing
Traditionally, the ''badnjak'' ceremony begins on Christmas Eve, but there are many regional variations surrounding the details.
Early in the morning the head of each family, usually accompanied by several male relatives, selects and fells the tree from which a log will be cut for their household. The group announces its departure by firing guns or small celebratory
mortars
Mortar may refer to:
* Mortar (weapon), an indirect-fire infantry weapon
* Mortar (masonry), a material used to fill the gaps between blocks and bind them together
* Mortar and pestle, a tool pair used to crush or grind
* Mortar, Bihar, a villag ...
called ''prangija''.
The
Turkey oak Turkey oak is a common name for several species of oaks and may refer to:
*''Quercus cerris'', native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor
*''Quercus laevis
''Quercus laevis'', the turkey oak, is a member of the red oak group of oaks. It is n ...
is the most popular species of tree selected in most regions, but other oaks are also chosen.
Beech
Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
,
pear
Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the p ...
,
quince
The quince (; ''Cydonia oblonga'') is the sole member of the genus ''Cydonia'' in the Malinae subtribe (which also contains apples and pears, among other fruits) of the Rosaceae family (biology), family. It is a deciduous tree that bears hard ...
,
hornbeam
Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The 30–40 species occur across much of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Origin of names
The common English name ''hornbeam' ...
, and
plum
A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes.
History
Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...
trees are used in eastern
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
, although less frequently than oak trees.
[ In some areas of ]Montenegrin Littoral The Montenegrin Littoral ( Montenegrin: Црногорско приморје/Crnogorsko primorje), historically known as the Littoral or the Maritime, is the littoral or coastline region of Montenegro which borders the Adriatic Sea. The littoral wa ...
where oaks do not grow, olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...
s, bay laurel
''Laurus nobilis'' is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glabrous (smooth) leaves. It is in the flowering plant family Lauraceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and is used as bay leaf for seasoning in cooking. I ...
s, elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the flowering plant genus ''Ulmus'' in the plant family Ulmaceae. They are distributed over most of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting the temperate and tropical-montane regions of North ...
s, or strawberry trees are used instead. Young, straight, and undamaged specimens are preferred. The ''badnjak'' may be more valued if it is felled stealthily in someone else's rather than in one's own woods.
Generally, each household prepares one ''badnjak'', although more are cut in some regions. Depending on the local custom, Montenegrin Serbs
Serbs of Montenegro ( sr, / ) or Montenegrin Serbs ( sr, / ),, meaning "Montenegrin Serbs", and meaning "Serbs Montenegrins". Specifically, Their regional autonym is simply , literal meaning "Montenegrins",Charles Seignobos, Political Histo ...
may fell two, three, an arbitrary number greater than two, or the number equal to the male members of household plus one. The latter means that each of the males has a log associated with him, with the thickest log representing the head of household and the thinnest linked to the family's prosperity. If there is only one man in the household, three rather than two logs are prepared. The logs may be cut from different species of tree.[ In parts of the ]Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( Montenegrin and Serbian: , Italian: ), also known as the Boka, is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated around the bay. It is also the southernmost part of the hi ...
, each household prepares four sets, as they are burned there not only on Christmas Eve, but also on the eves of New Year's Day
New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
, Epiphany
Epiphany may refer to:
* Epiphany (feeling), an experience of sudden and striking insight
Religion
* Epiphany (holiday), a Christian holiday celebrating the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ
** Epiphany season, or Epiph ...
, and the Feast of Saint Sava
Saint Sava ( sr, Свети Сава, Sveti Sava, ; Old Church Slavonic: ; gr, Άγιος Σάββας; 1169 or 1174 – 14 January 1236), known as the Enlightener, was a Serbian prince and Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autocephalou ...
.[Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Бадњак" (in Serbian). Špiro Kulišić, Petar Ž. Petrović, Nikola Pantelić. eds. ''Српски митолошки речник erbian mythological dictionary'. Belgrade: Nolit.]
In Grbalj, south-west of Kotor
Kotor (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian: ), is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative c ...
, the number of the logs is equal to the number of people in the household. A terebinth
''Pistacia terebinthus'' also called the terebinth and the turpentine tree, is a deciduous tree species of the genus ''Pistacia'', native to the Mediterranean region from the western regions of Morocco and Portugal to Greece and western and s ...
is cut down for the ''badnjak'' associated with the woman of the house, called the ''badnjačica'' (), meaning she-''badnjak''.[ The same term is also used in other areas where only a pair of oak logs is cut, in which case ''badnjačica'' refers to the smaller of the two. In Resava, the ''badnjačica'' is prepared from an Italian oak, and the ''badnjak'' from a Turkey oak.][ In Zagarač, central Montenegro, both of the logs may be cut from the same tree if it is tall enough, the ''badnjačica'' then coming from the upper, thinner part of the trunk.] The pair is in some regions joined by a third log called the ''badnjačić''—the child-''badnjak''.[ Although young and thin trees are usually used for the ''badnjak'', in northern ]Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
's region of Bukovica Bukovica may refer to:
Croatia
*Bukovica, Dalmatia, a geographical region in Croatia
* Bukovica, Sisak-Moslavina County, a village near Topusko
* Bukovica, Brod-Posavina County, a village near Rešetari
*Nova Bukovica, a village and municipality i ...
two relatively thick logs with diameters of 30 to 50 centimeters (12 to 20 inches) are prepared, plus one thinner log (called trinity). In other areas dry oak branches are collected from the ground, and used instead of a log.[
]
When the head of household finds a suitable tree, he stands in front of it facing east. After throwing grain at the tree, he greets it with the words "Good morning and happy Christmas Eve to you", makes the Sign of the Cross
Making the sign of the cross ( la, signum crucis), or blessing oneself or crossing oneself, is a ritual blessing made by members of some branches of Christianity. This blessing is made by the tracing of an upright cross or + across the body with ...
, says a prayer, and kisses the tree.[ He may also explain to the ''badnjak'' why it will be cut: "I have come to you to take to my home, to be my faithful helper to every progress and improvement, in the house, in the pen, in the field, and in every place."][ He then cuts it slantwise on its eastern side, using an axe. Some men put gloves on before they start to cut the tree, and from then on never touch the ''badnjak'' with their bare hands. The tree should fall to the east, unhindered by surrounding trees. It must not be left half-cut, as then it will curse the house of the man.][ In some regions, if the tree is not cut down after the third blow of the axe, then it must be pulled and twisted until its trunk breaks. The resulting ''badnjak'' has a so-called "beard", the part of the trunk at which it broke off from the base of the tree.][ In ]Šumadija
Šumadija (, sr-Cyrl, Шумадија) is a geographical region in the central part of Serbia. The area used to be heavily covered with forests, hence the name (from ''šuma'' 'forest'). The city of Kragujevac is the administrative center of the ...
, half of a circular loaf of bread is left on the stump, the other half being eaten on the way back home.[ In Zagarač, the stump is covered with moss or dry leaves, and it will be visited again in spring: the stump sprouting through the cover is an omen of good luck and prosperity.][
The first splinter from the tree is taken home and placed where prosperity is especially desired, such as beside the ]beehive
A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus '' Apis'' live and raise their young. Though the word ''beehive'' is commonly used to describe the nest of any bee colony, scientific and professional literature ...
s, in the hen roost, or between milk basins in the dairy room, in the hope that the coming year's kaymak
Kaymak, sarshir, or qashta/ashta ( fa, سَرشیر ) ( ar, قشطة or ar, قيمر ) is a creamy dairy food similar to clotted cream, made from the milk of water buffalo, cows, sheep, or goats in Central Asia, some Balkan countries, some ...
will clot to form thick layers in the basins. It may also be placed beneath some baker's yeast
Baker's yeast is the common name for the strains of yeast commonly used in baking bread and other bakery products, serving as a leavening agent which causes the bread to rise (expand and become lighter and softer) by converting the fermentable ...
, so that the prosperity of the household may grow like yeast.[ In ]Semberija
Semberija ( sr-Cyrl, Семберија, ) is a geographical region in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main city in the region is Bijeljina. Semberija is located between the Drina and Sava rivers and Majevica mountain. Most of the regio ...
, a piece of the splinter is put in the dough for the '' česnica'', a round loaf of bread prepared specially for Christmas dinner. This is done "because of bees", as the reason is traditionally termed.[
The top of the felled tree is removed, leaving the ''badnjak'' of such a length that allows it to be carried on a man's shoulder, up to about long.][ Its branches may be lopped off, or not, depending on the local custom. Once in the home, each ''badnjak'' is leaned vertically against the house beside the entrance door.][ In Montenegrin Littoral, each should be adorned with leaved bay laurel, olive, ]juniper
Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arcti ...
, and rosemary
''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native plant, native to the Mediterranean Region, Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was kn ...
twigs, which are tied to the trunk's top, middle, and base with ivy
''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...
or red silken or woolen threads.[ In parts of eastern Serbia and ]Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
the ''badnjak'' is wrapped in a man's shirt.[
In the Rađevina region of western Serbia, centered around the town of ]Krupanj
Krupanj ( sr-cyr, Крупањ, ) is a town and municipality located in the Mačva District of western Serbia. The municipality has a total population of 17,295 inhabitants, while the town has a population of 4,429 inhabitants (2011 census).
Ge ...
, the ''badnjak'' prepared for each household is cut into three logs, the most important of which is the ''dozemak''—the log that comes from the part of the trunk that grew nearest to the ground.[ In Resava, ]Levač
Levač ( sr, Левач) is a historical region in central Serbia. It is located between Juhor mountain on east and Gledićke planine on west. , Temnić, and Jadar of Serbia, as well as in Ozren and Romanija
Romanija ( sr-cyrl, Романија) is a mountain, karst plateau, and geographical region in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, including numerous villages and towns, such as Pale, Sokolac, Rogatica and Han Pijesak. Its highest point is Veliki ...
of Bosnia, the ''badnjak'' is cut into three logs associated respectively with the men, the women, and the children.[
]
Bringing in and burning
In the evening, a man of the family brings their ''badnjak'' into the house. If there is more than one ''badnjak'', the thickest of them is regarded as the main one, and is brought in first. Stepping across the threshold, right foot first, the man greets his gathered family with the words "Good evening and happy Christmas Eve to you." The woman of the house greets him back, saying "May God give you well-being, and may you have good luck", or "Good luck to you, and together with you for many years to come ay we be, or similar, before throwing grain from a sieve at the man and the ''badnjak'' he carries. In the clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship
and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...
of Kuči, the woman touches the "beard" of the main ''badnjak'' with a whole loaf of bread.[ In Montenegro, two women holding lit candles stand on either side of the house door as the ''badnjak'' is carried in.][
Upon entering the house the man approaches the fireplace, called ''ognjište'' ()—the hearth of an ''ognjište'' is similar to a ]campfire
A campfire is a fire at a campsite that provides light and warmth, and heat for cooking. It can also serve as a beacon, and an insect and predator deterrent. Established campgrounds often provide a stone or steel fire ring for safety. Campfires ...
, in that it has no vertical surround. He lays the ''badnjak'' down on the fire and moves it a little forward, to summon prosperity for the household.[ Any other logs are brought in by other males and laid on the fire parallel or perpendicular to the first.][ In a family with the tradition of burning the ''badnjak'' and ''badnjačica'', they are laid one across the other; the males then kiss the former, and the females the latter.][ In Bukovica the two thicker logs are placed side by side, and the thinner one (trinity) is placed in parallel on top.][ In 19th-century ]Herzegovina
Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia. It has never had strictly defined geogra ...
, families with large houses would load their logs onto three or four pairs of oxen, which were then led into the house. The logs were unloaded and laid on the fire, and the oxen driven out through the back door.
Immediately after the ''badnjak'' has been brought in, or immediately before in some places, an armful of straw is spread over the floor. The straw is usually brought in with the same greetings and throwing of grain as the ''badnjak''. The person spreading it may imitate a hen clucking to call her chicks, "''Kvo'', ''kvo'', ''kvo''", with the family's children imitating chicks, "''Piju'', ''piju'', ''piju''", while they pick at the straw.[ In Čečava, northern Bosnia, the children then lie down on the straw, before closing their eyes and picking a stalk with their lips: the child that picked the longest stalk will supposedly be the luckiest in the following year.] In the Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( Montenegrin and Serbian: , Italian: ), also known as the Boka, is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated around the bay. It is also the southernmost part of the hi ...
, the ceremony is accompanied by the words "''Kuda slama, tuda slava''"—"Whither straw, thither celebration." A common custom is to scatter a handful of walnuts over the straw. It will be collected and taken out of the house on the morning of the second day after Christmas. Some of the straw may be set aside and used in apotropaic
Apotropaic magic (from Greek "to ward off") or protective magic is a type of magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye. Apotropaic observances may also be practiced out of superst ...
practices in the coming year.
The thicker end of the log, the end that was nearest to the tree's roots, may have a special significance. In Montenegro it is called the head of the ''badnjak''; the main log is laid on the fire with its head pointing east.[ In central Serbia, the ''badnjak'' is laid with its thicker end sticking out from the ''ognjište''. The household's shepherds would kiss over it to ensure an abundance of lambs in the coming year. In Gruža it is coated with honey which is then licked by children. At the side of ''ognjište'' where the thicker end is situated, the family may place a ]plowshare
In agriculture, a plowshare ( US) or ploughshare ( UK; ) is a component of a plow (or plough). It is the cutting or leading edge of a moldboard which closely follows the coulter (one or more ground-breaking spikes) when plowing.
The plowshar ...
, a round loaf of bread, a glove filled with wheat, sugar, or a sieve containing grain, honey, cakes, wine, salt, prunes, walnuts, and apples.[ The cut surface of the thicker end is in Čečava kissed by all the family members after the ''badnjak'' is laid on the fire.][
The head of the household takes a jug of wine and pours some on the ''badnjak''; in some regions, he may strew wheat grains over the logs.][ He then proposes a ]toast
Toast most commonly refers to:
* Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat
* Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken
Toast may also refer to:
Places
* Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States
Books
* '' ...
: "Grant, O God, that there be health and joy in this home, that our grain and grapevines yield well, that children be born healthy to us, that our property increase in the field, pen, and barn!"[ or, "Hail, ''badnjak'', ''veseljak''! I give you wheat and wine, and you give me every good thing and peace!" or similar.][ The name ''veseljak'', literally "jovial one", is used along with ''badnjak'' in some areas.][ The head drinks a draught of wine from the jug, after which it is passed to other members of household.][ In the clan of Kuči, wine is poured on the "beard" of the ''badnjak'', and then a little girl sits for a moment on the log—for the well-being of the cattle.][ Christmas Eve dinner follows, which traditionally includes a round loaf of unleavened bread, beans, fish, walnuts, honey, and red wine. The bread is not cut with a knife, but broken with hands.]
The ''badnjak'' should not be jumped over or trodden upon, and blowing on its fire is avoided. It should not be moved when about to burn through, lest the log break at the place most consumed by the fire, which is usually strongest at the center of the fireplace; the separation of the log should be a result of the fire only. None of the family members should fall asleep before the log splits, otherwise some of them may die in the coming year, without warning.[
]
The moment when the ''badnjak'' burns through may be marked with festivities, such as the log being kissed by the head of household,[ and wine being poured over it accompanied by toasts.][ A reward may be given to the family member who was the first to notice the event, and in the past the men would go outside and fire their guns in celebration. There is a special verb ''preveseliti'' used instead of the common ''pregoreti'' to express "to burn through" when referring to the ''badnjak'', which has the same ]root
In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...
as the noun ''veseljak''. Once the log has burnt through, some families let the fire go out, while in others the men keep watch in shifts during the night to keep the ''badnjak'' burning.[
Once the ''badnjak'' has burnt through, the thicker end is often taken out of the fire and used according to the local custom. It may be carried around the beehives, extinguished, and placed between the branches of a young plum or apple tree.][ The men may make crosses from it and put them under the eaves, on the fields, meadows, vineyards, and apiaries, so that the coming year may be happy and fruitful.][ It may also be set aside for next Christmas Eve, to be placed on the fire immediately before the new ''badnjak'', as a symbol of continuity.][ In Kosovo, a part of the ''badnjak'' is preserved and burned again on New Years Day and Epiphany.][
The ''badnjak'' burns on through Christmas Day, whether rekindled or kept burning from the Eve. The first visit the family receives that day is considered important, comparable to New Years Day ]first-foot
In Scottish, Northern English, and Manx folklore, the first-foot ( gd, ciad-chuairt, gv, quaaltagh/qualtagh) is the first person to enter the home of a household on New Year's Day and is seen as a bringer of good fortune for the coming year. Sim ...
ing in the British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
. The family may choose someone, usually a young male, to be their first visitor, known as a ''polaznik
In Slavic traditions, a ''Polaznik'' uk, полазник, polaznik sk, polažeň, polaznik sl, polažar, polažič sr, полажајник, polažajnik, полаженик, polaženik, походник, pohodnik bg, (с)полезник, (s)pole ...
'', before the arrival of whom no outsider is allowed to enter the house. Early on the morning of Christmas Day he steps into the house, right foot first, and greets the family with "Christ is Born", to which they reply "Truly He is Born." The ''polaznik'' then approaches the ''ognjište'' and repeatedly strikes the burning log with a poker or a branch to make sparks fly.[ At the same time he utters a wish that the happiness and prosperity of the household be as abundant as the sparks:][
The wording of this well-wishing may vary, but its intention is always the same, to invoke happiness and prosperity. The ''polaznik'' will then throw a coin into the fire before being presented with a round loaf of bread, the traditional gift for the ''polaznik'', usually accompanied by some other present. The custom to use a domestic animal as a ''polaznik'' was kept in some regions until the first half of the 20th century.][ In Rađevina, the head of the household would lead a sheep into the house, place it between the ''ognjište'' and himself, and utter the wishes while striking the ''badnjak'' with a branch cut from it, before saying: "We passed one fire, we are not afraid of another." His wife would then kiss him over the sheep after saying "may the ewes kiss the lambs as we kiss each other."][
Embers of the ''badnjak'' may be used for ]divination
Divination (from Latin ''divinare'', 'to foresee, to foretell, to predict, to prophesy') is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout histor ...
in Jadar. The number of these equal to the sum of grain and livestock sorts grown by the family are taken out from the ''ognjište'' and placed on the ''česnica''. Each of the sorts is associated with its own ember on that loaf. The sort whose ember retains its glow longer than the others should be the most productive in the coming year. The log sparking by itself presages a rich harvest of honey. Cooled coals of the ''badnjak'' may be placed between the branches of fruit trees; the young trees may be provided also with twigs from the ''badnjak''. Its ash may be spread over the fields and mixed with fodder.[ Some of the ash may be set aside to be taken with water as a remedy for headache.][ There are also numerous other regional practices connected with the ''badnjak''.][
These ancient traditions have modern, reduced versions. Modern houses usually have no ''ognjište'' on which to burn a ''badnjak'', but it may be symbolically represented by several oak twigs, some of which are burnt in a wood-burning kitchen stove and the others placed beside it. Some people chop the ''badnjak'' into shorter logs so that they can be put into the hearth and burnt.][ The most prevalent custom, however, is to place a cluster of oak twigs, with their brown leaves still attached, in whichever location in the home the family feels is appropriate. This cluster is also called the ''badnjak'', and it is usually kept in the home until next Christmas Eve. For the convenience of those living in towns and cities, such little ''badnjaks'' can be bought at marketplaces or distributed in churches. In a common arrangement, the cluster of oak twigs is bound together with twigs of ]European Cornel
''Cornus mas'', commonly known as cornel (also the Cornelian cherry, European cornel or Cornelian cherry dogwood), is a species of shrub or small tree in the dogwood genus ''Cornus'' native to Southern Europe and Southwestern Asia.
Description
It ...
and several stalks of straw.[
The laying of a ''badnjak'' on the fire was considered the least a Serbian family could do to show their devotion to Serbian tradition. In Njegoš's epic poem '']The Mountain Wreath
''The Mountain Wreath'' ( sr, Горски вијенац / Gorski vijenac) is a poem and a play written by Prince-Bishop and poet Petar II Petrović-Njegoš.
Njegoš wrote ''The Mountain Wreath'' during 1846 in Cetinje and published it the fol ...
'', the plot of which takes place in 18th-century Montenegro, Voivode
Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...
Batrić urges converts to Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
to return to Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
and Serbdom
Serbian nationalism asserts that Serbs are a nation and promotes the cultural and political unity of Serbs. It is an ethnic nationalism, originally arising in the context of the general rise of nationalism in the Balkans under Ottoman rule, und ...
: " ..Lay the Serbian Christmas-log 'badnjak''on the fire, paint the Easter egg
Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian feast of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are common during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The oldest tr ...
s various colours, observe with care the Lent
Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...
and Christmas fasts. As for the rest, do what your heart desires!"[ Petrović-Njegoš, Petar II (1986). Vasa D. Mihailovich. ed. ]
The Mountain Wreath; translated and edited by Vasa D. Mihailovich
'. Irvine, California
Irvine () is a Planned community, master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on ...
: C. Schlacks, Jr. verses 859–62, 2459–69. . Archived from th
original
on 2010-04-14. Petrović-Njegoš describes the holiday atmosphere that surrounds the burning ''badnjak'' on Christmas Eve through the words of Abbot Stefan, one of the mains characters of ''The Mountain Wreath'':
Public celebration
The ''badnjak'' ceremony, originally performed only within the family, became a more public celebration. A custom developed before World War I in the Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Краљевина Србија, Kraljevina Srbija) was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Princi ...
to lay the ''badnjak'' on a fire built in military barracks, so that the soldiers stationed there over Christmas could share in the holiday atmosphere. In the succeeding Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Kraljevina Jugoslavija, Краљевина Југославија; sl, Kraljevina Jugoslavija) was a state in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 unt ...
, the military ''badnjak'' ceremony was standardized in army service regulations. On Christmas Eve, under the command of a specially appointed officer, the representatives of military units of a garrison formed a festive procession on horses, accompanied with music. Members of citizens' associations and other civilians of the garrison town usually joined the procession as it proceeded to the nearest wood to collect the ''badnjak''. They felled a set number of trees, dedicated respectively to the Royal Palace
This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent.
Africa
* Abdin Palace, Cairo
* Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo
* Koubbeh Palace, Cairo
* Tahra Palace, Cairo
* Menelik Palace
* Jubilee Palace
* Guenete Leul Palace
* Imperial Palace- Massa ...
, the military command of the town, the respective commands of units of the garrison, its oldest officer, and its officers' assembly house. The procession brought the trees to the barracks, in whose yard an open fire was built. The garrison commander then placed the trees ceremonially on the fire, and gave an appropriate address.
More and more state institutions, private firms, organizations, and clubs joined the procession each year, and the event began to take on the character of a public holiday. During the 1930s, the laying of ''badnjak'' on the fire became a court ritual. It was performed, in the presence of the royal family
A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...
, by representatives of the army in the Royal Palace's room with a fireplace. At the end of the 1930s in some parts of Yugoslavia, especially Vojvodina
Vojvodina ( sr-Cyrl, Војводина}), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to the south by the national capital ...
and Montenegro, the military ''badnjak'' ceremony was performed not in the barracks yard but in a square in the garrison town. An open fire was built, on which the ''badnjak'' was placed by an Orthodox priest in the presence of soldiers and citizens. This tradition, symbolizing the unity of state, church, and people, was ended by the outbreak of World War II.[
Yugoslavia's socialist government suppressed or discouraged public religious celebrations until the early 1990s. Since then, the Serbian Orthodox Church has, together with local communities, organized public celebrations on Christmas Eve. There are typically three elements to such celebrations: the preparation, the ritual, and the festivity. The preparation consists of cutting down the oak sapling to be used as the ''badnjak'', taking it to the church yard, and preparing drink and food for the assembled parishioners. The ritual includes ]Vespers
Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic (both Latin liturgical rites, Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern), Lutheranism, Lutheran, and Anglican ...
, placing the ''badnjak'' on the open fire built in the church yard, blessing or consecrating the ''badnjak'', and an appropriate program with songs and recitals. In some parishes they build the fire on which to burn the ''badnjak'' not in the church yard but at some other suitable location in their town or village. The festivity consists of gathering around the fire and socializing. Each particular celebration has its own specific traits however, reflecting the traditions of the local community.[
The expedition to cut down the ''badnjak'' is the basic activity in the preparation part of the celebration. It can be performed by an individual, but it is usually a collective act accompanied by a festive procession that may include ]carriage
A carriage is a private four-wheeled vehicle for people and is most commonly horse-drawn. Second-hand private carriages were common public transport, the equivalent of modern cars used as taxis. Carriage suspensions are by leather strapping an ...
s and horsemen. After the tree to be used as the ''badnjak'' is cut down, it is adorned with straw, ribbons, oranges, apples, and sometimes with the Serbian flag
The flag of Serbia ( sr, Застава Србије, Zastava Srbije), also known as the Tricolour ( sr, тробојка, ''trobojka''), is a tricolour consisting of three equal horizontal bands, red on the top, blue in the middle, and white o ...
. In some parishes more than one ''badnjak'' is used in the celebration, and a different tree is felled for each. Often bunches of leaved oak twigs are prepared to be distributed to the congregation gathered at the church. Each ''badnjak'' is festively taken to the church gate, often transported on carriages. The ''badnjak'' may be taken into the churchyard without any ceremony, or it may be followed by a procession, as is the case in parts of Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, lit=Serb Republic, also known as Republic of Srpska, ) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Feder ...
and the Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( Montenegrin and Serbian: , Italian: ), also known as the Boka, is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated around the bay. It is also the southernmost part of the hi ...
.[
]
The ritual is the central part of the celebration. Vespers vary from place to place with respect to the time of the beginning of the service, its length and structure. The laying of the ''badnjak'' on the fire usually comes after the service, and is done by a priest or by a respected parishioner. Before the burning, the tree may be processionally carried around the church. In the case of more than one ''badnjak'', the trees are placed in the shape of a cross. The assembled devotees throw then into the fire their twig bunches, each representing a small ''badnjak''. The consecration or blessing is performed by a priest: he strews wheat grains over the ''badnjak'', censes it while singing the Troparion of the Nativity, and as he intones prayers, he pours wine and spreads honey on it. Instead of applying wine and honey, holy water
Holy water is water that has been blessed by a member of the clergy or a religious figure, or derived from a well or spring considered holy. The use for cleansing prior to a baptism and spiritual cleansing is common in several religions, from ...
may be sprinkled on the tree by dipping a bunch of basil
Basil (, ; ''Ocimum basilicum'' , also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also kno ...
into a bowl with the water. This rite is generally performed after the placing on the fire, although it may happen before, in which case the consecration may be performed in the church itself or in its yard.
After the ritual the priest delivers a short sermon, followed by the church choir singing Christmas songs; poems that praise the Nativity of Jesus
The nativity of Jesus, nativity of Christ, birth of Jesus or birth of Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Gospel of Luke, Luke and Gospel of Matthew, Matthew. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea (Roman ...
may be recited. In Montenegro, decasyllable
Decasyllable (Italian: ''decasillabo'', French: ''décasyllabe'', Serbian: ''десетерац'', ''deseterac'') is a poetic meter of ten syllables used in poetic traditions of syllabic verse. In languages with a stress accent (accentual ...
Serbian epics are sung to an accompaniment played on the gusle, a traditional Serbian bowed string instrument. The celebration ends with parishioners gathered around the fire, served with cooked rakia, wine, or tea, and the food allowed during the Nativity Fast
In Christianity, the Nativity Fast—or Fast of the Prophets in Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church—is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church ...
.[ Parishioners may pick a twig from the ''badnjak'' and take it home to place in front of their ]icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
, or at another appropriate location.[
Although Serbian public religious celebrations, as those of other peoples, were discouraged in Socialist Yugoslavia until the early 1990s, they continued among ]Serbian American
Serbian Americans ( sr, / ) or American Serbs (), are Americans of Serb ethnic ancestry. As of 2013, there were about 190,000 American citizens who identified as having Serb ancestry. However, the number may be significantly higher, as there w ...
s. The public ''badnjak'' ceremony was held in Serbian Orthodox parishes in the United States during that period, as it is today.[
]
Interpretation
The origin of the ''badnjak'' is explained by the events surrounding the Nativity of Jesus. According to the Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...
2:1–20, the Theotokos gave birth to Christ at Bethlehem, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger. By Holy Tradition
Sacred tradition is a theological term used in Christian theology. According to the theology of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Assyrian churches, sacred tradition is the foundation of the doctrinal and spiritual authority o ...
, the manger was located in a cave near that town. An angel of the Lord appeared to a group of shepherds who were keeping watch over their flock by night in that region, and told them that the Savior was born at Bethlehem. They went there and found the baby lying in the manger, as the angel described to them. By folk tradition, the shepherds brought firewood to the cave and built a fire to warm the newborn Christ and his mother throughout the night. The burning of the ''badnjak'' commemorates this event.[
While blessing the ''badnjak'', some priests chant the following prayer: "O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who did plant the ]Tree of Life
The tree of life is a fundamental archetype in many of the world's mythological, religious, and philosophical traditions. It is closely related to the concept of the sacred tree.Giovino, Mariana (2007). ''The Assyrian Sacred Tree: A History ...
in paradise so that it might bestow upon us eternal blessedness, bless also now this tree which is a symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different conc ...
of Thy cross and the Tree of Life in paradise, and which reminds us of Thy holy birth and of the logs which the shepherds of Bethlehem kindled to warm themselves when they came to worship Thee, the divine infant, and thereby prefigured Thy salvation-bearing cross."[
Scholars regard the ''badnjak'' customs as practises inherited from the old Slavic religion. In the pre-Christian religion of the Serbs, as shown by Serbian scholar ]Veselin Čajkanović
Veselin Čajkanović ( sr-cyr, Веселин Чајкановић; 1881 in Belgrade – 1946) was a Serbs, Serbian classical scholar, philologist, philosopher, ethnologist, Oriental studies, orientalist, History of religion, religious histo ...
, there were trees seen as dwelling places of spirits or divinities. Čajkanović argues that there were also trees seen as divinities ''per se''. He considers the ''badnjak'' as a convincing example of the latter. Salutations, prayers, and sacrifices such as grain, wine, and honey are offered to him (the name ''badnjak'' is of masculine gender in Serbian); he is consistently treated not as a tree but as a person.
German scholar and folklorist Wilhelm Mannhardt
Wilhelm Mannhardt (March 26, 1831, Friedrichstadt – December 25, 1880, Danzig) was a German mythologist and folklorist. He is known for his work on Germanic mythology, on Baltic mythology, and other pre-Christian European pantheons; and for his ...
holds that the log represented an incarnation of the spirit of vegetation.[ The sacrifices offered to the ''badnjak'' were meant to guarantee the fertility of fields, the health and happiness of the family.] Its burning symbolized sunshine, and was intended to secure the vitalizing power of the sun in the ensuing year.[ The lighting of the log could be regarded as a fusion of ]tree worship
Trees are significant in many of the world's mythologies, and have been given deep and sacred meanings throughout the ages. Human beings, observing the growth and death of trees, and the annual death and revival of their foliage, have often seen ...
and fire worship
Worship or deification of fire (also pyrodulia, pyrolatry or pyrolatria) is known from various religions. Fire has been an important part of human culture since the Lower Paleolithic. Religious or animist notions connected to fire are assumed ...
, attested in Slavic customs; e.g., Istria
Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...
ns fed the logs lighted on St. John's Day by sprinkling wheat upon them.[ Čajkanović characterizes the pre-Christian ''badnjak'' as a divinity who dies by burning to be reborn, comparing it in this respect with ]Attis
Attis (; grc-gre, Ἄττις, also , , ) was the consort of Cybele, in Phrygian and Greek mythology.
His priests were eunuchs, the ''Galli'', as explained by origin myths pertaining to Attis castrating himself. Attis was also a Phrygian ve ...
, Osiris
Osiris (, from Egyptian ''wsjr'', cop, ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲉ , ; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎𐤓, romanized: ʾsr) is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He was ...
, Adonis
In Greek mythology, Adonis, ; derived from the Canaanite word ''ʼadōn'', meaning "lord". R. S. P. Beekes, ''Etymological Dictionary of Greek'', Brill, 2009, p. 23. was the mortal lover of the goddess Aphrodite.
One day, Adonis was gored by ...
, and Sandan. He also proposes that the crosses made from the thicker end of the log may have originated from idols representing deities comparable with the Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
Lares
Lares ( , ; archaic , singular ''Lar'') were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been hero-ancestors, guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries, or fruitfulness, or an amalgam of these.
Lares ...
, the cruciform having developed from an anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.
Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
shape of the idols. The ''badnjak'' is preferably cut from an oak, which was the most respected tree in the old Slavic religion, associated with the supreme god Perun
In Slavic mythology, Perun (Cyrillic: Перýн) is the highest god of the pantheon and the god of sky, thunder, lightning, storms, rain, law, war, fertility and oak trees. His other attributes were fire, mountains, wind, iris, eagle, firmam ...
.[
Archaeologist ]Sir Arthur Evans
Sir Arthur John Evans (8 July 1851 – 11 July 1941) was a British archaeologist and pioneer in the study of Aegean civilization in the Bronze Age. He is most famous for unearthing the palace of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete. Based on t ...
was a guest in a Serbian highlander family in the region of Krivošije
Krivošije ( sr-cyrl, Кривошије, ) are a historical tribe and microregion in southwestern Montenegro, located on a high plateau belonging to the Orjen mountain range, north of the Bay of Kotor. Krivošije was historically located at a tr ...
, Montenegrin Littoral. Analyzing the practices, he concluded that the ''badnjak'' customs were connected with ancestor worship
The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of t ...
. The lighting of the log on the ''ognjište'' could be seen as a solemn annual rekindling of the sacred hearth fire, regarded as the center of the family life and the seat of the ancestors. The belief that ancestral spirits dwell in the domestic hearth was attested among Slavic and other peoples.[ Fire worship in the old Slavic religion was mostly transformed into the cult of domestic fire, and thus joined with ancestor worship. A trace of sacrifice to the fire is the coin thrown into it by the '']polaznik
In Slavic traditions, a ''Polaznik'' uk, полазник, polaznik sk, polažeň, polaznik sl, polažar, polažič sr, полажајник, polažajnik, полаженик, polaženik, походник, pohodnik bg, (с)полезник, (s)pole ...
'' after the ritual of making sparks fly from the ''badnjak''.[
Fire from the domestic hearth was under no circumstances given out of the house on Christmas Eve, not even to a neighbor whose fire had gone out. The reason for this prohibition, according to Čajkanović, was the belief that the Eve is a time when the ancestral spirits, guardians of the family's happiness and prosperity, are especially active in this world. Christmas Eve dinner is a feast prepared in their honor, and they join the family at it. They gather on the straw spread over the floor, and on the hearth. These spirits could be removed from the family if any piece of their fire were taken away by an outsider.] In people's words, fire should not be given lest the luck be taken away from the house, or for better crops, or because of bees. Referring to the latter explanation, Čajkanović argues that, in the old religion of the Serbs, the bees were regarded as pure and sacred insects, in whom ancestral spirits could dwell.[ The same explanation, "because of bees", is also given for the aforementioned custom of putting a piece of the ''badnjaks first splinter in the dough for the ''česnica''.
The Russian philologist ]Vladimir Toporov
Vladimir Nikolayevich Toporov (russian: Влади́мир Никола́евич Топоро́в; 5 July 1928 in Moscow5 December 2005 in Moscow) was a leading Russian philologist associated with the Tartu-Moscow semiotic school. His wife was ...
has proposed that the felling of the ''badnjak'' was originally a reenactment of the mythical fight in which ''Mladi Božić'' ("young god") slew his father ''Stari Badnjak'' ("old Badnjak"). ''Božić'', the diminutive form
A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...
of the noun ''bog'', meaning god, is also the Serbian for "Christmas". The characters of ''Stari Badnjak'' and ''Mladi Božić'' are found in old Serbian Christmas songs, where they are not explicitly referred to as father and son, and no fight between them is mentioned. By Toporov, the former personified the last day of the Old Year, the climax of the power of Chaos
Chaos or CHAOS may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional elements
* Chaos (''Kinnikuman'')
* Chaos (''Sailor Moon'')
* Chaos (''Sesame Park'')
* Chaos (''Warhammer'')
* Chaos, in ''Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy''
* Cha ...
, and the latter personified the first day of the New Year, the beginning of reestablishment of Cosmic Order. He regards ''Stari Badnjak'' and ''Mladi Božić'' as originating from respectively the dragon and the dragon slayer of the Proto-Indo-European mythology
Proto-Indo-European mythology is the body of myths and deities associated with the Proto-Indo-Europeans, the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language. Although the mythological motifs are not directly attested ...
. ''Stari Badnjak'' would be related to both the Vedic
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
serpent ''Ahi Budhnya'' ("the Dragon of the Deep") killed by Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
, and the Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
dragon Python
Python may refer to:
Snakes
* Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia
** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia
* Python (mythology), a mythical serpent
Computing
* Python (pro ...
killed by Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
. The words ''badnjak'', ''budhnya'', and ''python'' stem from the Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. Its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages. No direct record of Proto-Indo-E ...
root
In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...
*''bhudh-'', denoting bottom, foundation, depths, and related notions.[
According to Russian philologist and mythographer Boris Uspensky, ''Stari Badnjak'' and ''Mladi Božić'' have analogues in East Slavic tradition—Nikola's Dad and Nikola. The name Nikola is a popular reference to ]Saint Nicholas of Myra
Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day De ...
, whose feast falls nineteen days before Christmas, on 6 December, his "dad" being celebrated the day before. Nikola is portrayed in East Slavic folklore as merciful and protective towards the common people, patron of animals and agriculture, connected with riches, abundance, and fertility. Uspensky argues that this saint took on attributes of the serpentine god Volos
Volos ( el, Βόλος ) is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about north of Athens and south of Thessaloniki. It is the sixth most populous city of Greece, and the capital of the Magnesia regional unit ...
, whose cult was very strong among East Slavs before Christianization. He was the adversary of the dreadful thunder-god Perun, who is in this case reflected in Nikola's Dad.
The notion of a quarrel between Nikola and his "dad" is present in a number of legends. The connection between the father–son pairs of ''Stari Badnjak''–''Mladi Božić'' and Nikola's Dad–Nikola is corroborated by the fact that, in many East Slavic regions, practices characteristic for Christmas have been transferred to the Feast of Saint Nicholas. There is, however, an inversion in the comparison between these two pairs. In the former pair, the first stems from the mythical dragon, and the second from the dragon fighter, while in the latter pair it is vice versa. This inversion explains, by Uspensky, the fact that in some areas Nikola's Dad is celebrated on the day after his son's feast, rather than on the eve of it. In that way, the "dragon" (Nikola) comes before the "dragon fighter" (Nikola's Dad), as is the case with ''Stari Badnjak'' and ''Mladi Božić''.[
Serbian ethnologist Petar Vlahović has proposed that the noun ''badnjak'' and the related adjective ''badnji'' (attributive "Christmas Eve") are derived from the root of the verb ''bdeti'' ("to be awake"), referring to a custom of staying awake through the night before Christmas Day.][ The same etymology of the adjective ''badnji'' has also been proposed by Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, 19th-century Serbian philologist, systematizer of ]oral literature
Oral literature, orature or folk literature is a genre of literature that is spoken or sung as opposed to that which is written, though much oral literature has been transcribed. There is no standard definition, as anthropologists have used vary ...
, and ethnographer.[
]
Similar European traditions
The custom that a family solemnly brings a log into the house and lights it on the hearth on Christmas Eve has been recorded in various parts of Europe. In England, a Yule log
The Yule log, Yule clog, or Christmas block is a specially selected log burnt on a hearth as a winter tradition in regions of Europe, and subsequently North America. The origin of the folk custom is unclear. Like other traditions associated with ...
used to be festively kindled on the domestic hearth so "that sweet luck may come while the log is a-teending", as described by 17th-century poet Robert Herrick. In France, the log had different regional names: ''chalendal'', ''calignaou'', ''tréfoir'', and ''tréfouet''. In Provence
Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...
, it had to be cut from a fruit tree; it was brought in by the whole family while they sang a carol praying for blessing on the house, that the women might bear children, the nanny-goats kids, and the ewes lambs, and that their grain and wine might abound. Before the log was placed on the fire, the youngest child in the family poured wine on it. Logs were devotionally laid on the domestic fire on Christmas Eve in various parts of Italy; in Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze'').
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
, Christmas is called ''Festa di Ceppo'', literally "feast of log". In the Val di Chiana
The Val di Chiana, Valdichiana, or Chiana Valley is an alluvial valley of central Italy, lying on the territories of the provinces of Arezzo and Siena in Tuscany and the provinces of Perugia and Terni in Umbria.
Geography
The Val di Chiana is ...
, the children of the family were blindfolded and commanded to beat the burning log with tongs. Traces of Christmas-log customs can also be found in Germany and Scandinavia. In Thuringia
Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million.
Erfurt is the capital and larg ...
the family placed a ''Christklotz'' (Christ log) on the fire before going to bed, so that it might burn all through the night.[
In Croatian tradition, objects of two different types are referred to as '' badnjak''. The first type includes leaved branches cut from Turkey oaks or ]hazel tree
The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...
s, up to long with as many catkin
A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster (a spike), with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated (anemophilous) but sometimes insect-pollinated (as in ''Salix''). They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged cl ...
s as possible. Such a branch used to be placed on Christmas Eve morning above the house door, under the eaves, or on the roof, and had an aesthetic role. The other type includes logs cut usually from oak trunks. In the evening the family used to ritually bring three such logs into the house and burn them on the hearth. These practices are no longer performed, but in some places a modified form of ''badnjak'' is used: a cross is carved into the bark of pieces of firewood which are burned in kitchen stoves on Christmas Eve. In Bulgaria, the youngest man of the family goes on the Eve into a forest to cut down an oak, elm, or pear tree, which will be used as the ''badnik'' (бъдник). After the man brings it into the house, a hole is bored in one end of the ''badnik'' and filled with wine, cooking oil, and incense
Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also be ...
. The hole is plugged, and that end of the log is wrapped with a white linen cloth before the ''badnik'' is festively burned on the hearth.
In Greece, a large log was lit on the hearth on Christmas Eve and kept burning or smoldering through the Twelve Days of Christmas
The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus. In some Western ecclesiastical traditions, "Christmas Day" is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days a ...
. This was done as a protection against the demons called ''Kallikantzaroi
The ''kallikantzaros'' ( el, καλικάντζαρος; bg, караконджул; sr-Cyrl-Latn, караконџула, separator=" / ", karakondžula; tr, karakoncolos), or ''kallikantzaroi'' in plural is a malevolent goblin in Southea ...
'', believed to be emerging from their dens at night during that period to attack people and damage their property. The fire and smoke from the log was thought to prevent the ''Kallikantzaroi'' from entering the house down the chimney.[ The ritual burning of logs on the Eve was also carried out in Albania. When the ''buzm'', as the log was called there, was about to be brought into the house, a member of the family would go out into the yard, shout the name of the household's head, and proclaim that the ''buzm'' was coming and bringing all kinds of delicious things. The head of the household would respond by saying "You are welcome!" and the ''buzm'' would be ceremonially brought in, greeted by the family and treated with great respect. The log would be placed on the hearth, and often a significant part of all food and drink in the house would be put on the log and burned together with it.]
See also
* Zapis
A ''zapis'' ( sr-Cyrl, запис, , literally "inscription"; plural: ''zapisi'' (записи)) is a sacred tree in Serbian tradition, protecting the village within whose bounds it is situated. A cross is inscribed into the bark of each ''zapis'' ...
, sacred tree in Serbia
* Nyja, Polish god of underworld
Notes
References
Further reading
Čajkanović (1994) lists the following ethnographic
Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject o ...
publications (in Serbian) for more details on the ''badnjak'':
* ''Srpski etnografski zbornik'' (Српски етнографски зборник erbian ethnographic proceedings Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts ( la, Academia Scientiarum et Artium Serbica, sr-Cyr, Српска академија наука и уметности, САНУ, Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, SANU) is a national academy and the ...
)
** 50: 246ff. 1934.
** 58: 222, 224, 227. 1948.
** 64: 157ff. 1951.
** 73: 107–10. 1958.
* ''Glasnik etnografskog muzeja u Beogradu'' (Гласник Етнографског музеја у Београду ulletin of the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade Belgrade: Ethnographic Museum Ethnographic museums conserve, display and contextualize items relevant to the field of ethnography, the systematic study of people and cultures. Such museums include:
List by country/region Albania
* Ethnographic Museum of Kavajë,
* Gjirokast ...
)
** 22–23: 150ff. 1960.
** 26: 71ff. 1963.
** 27: 403–6. 1964.
** 42: 410–13. 1978.
* ''Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja u Sarajevu'' (Гласник Земаљског музеја у Сарајеву ulletin of the National Museum in Sarajevo Sarajevo: National Museum)
** 24–25: 310. 1970.
** 29: 93ff. 1974.
** 30–31: 55. 1978.
External links
Photographs of Christmas Eve celebrations in 2009:
St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Hermitage, Pennsylvania
The Eparchy of Vranje, Serbia
Video:
Serbian Christmas Celebrated in Jackson, California
aired on KCRA-TV
KCRA-TV (channel 3) is a television station in Sacramento, California, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Hearst Television alongside Stockton, California, Stockton-licensed MyNetworkTV affiliate KQCA (channel 58). Both stations ...
on 7 January 2010
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Serbian traditions
Slavic Christmas traditions
Trees in religion
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Serb traditions
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Kallikantzaros
Christmas in Serbia