''Dušni Brav'' (; "Soul Ram" (also referred to as ''Dušno'')); refers to a practice of
Christianized
Christianization (or Christianisation) is a term for the specific type of change that occurs when someone or something has been or is being converted to Christianity. Christianization has, for the most part, spread through missions by individu ...
animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice is the ritual killing and offering of animals, usually as part of a religious ritual or to appease or maintain favour with a deity. Animal sacrifices were common throughout Europe and the Ancient Near East until the spread of Chris ...
s amongst the
Serbian Orthodox
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.
The majority of the populat ...
. It involves the ritualistic slaughter of a
lamb for a funeral feast (''Daća'').
It is believed that the sacrifice of the ''Dušni Brav'' is meant to pacify and appease the departed's soul.
Description
The practice involves the blood sacrifice of a sheep (душни брав, ''dušni brav'') to the soul of the deceased. The animal is slaughtered in the deceased's backyard or property, usually half-year after the funeral ("daća") or year anniversary (годишњица, "godišnjica"). The place of burial of sheeps remains (guts, skin and bones) is usually marked by planting a tree on top of it, so that it wouldn't be stepped on. The sheep must be the same gender as the deceased, and one year old (may be older, but not younger). No other animal but a white sheep may be sacrificed.
Before the sacrifice, a white cloth is put on top of the sacrificial sheep and a candle is lit. After the sacrifice, the sheep is cooked, usually boiled together with bones until the meat starts separating from the bones. The meat is then removed from the bones and chopped with fingers and the white cloth is placed upon it again and it is served with
koliva and special
pogača
Pogača (; ) is a type of bread baked in the ashes of the fireplace, and later in modern ovens. Found in the cuisines of the Balkans, Levant, Turkish and Hungary it can be leavened or unleavened, though the latter is considered more challenging ...
at the daća (half-year feast). The bones are buried together with skin and guts, while the water in which the meat was cooked is used for preparing a cabbage soup that is served after the service. Before eating the dušni brav it is proper etiquette to cross oneself.
See also
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Animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice is the ritual killing and offering of animals, usually as part of a religious ritual or to appease or maintain favour with a deity. Animal sacrifices were common throughout Europe and the Ancient Near East until the spread of Chris ...
*
Christopaganism
*
Crucifixion in the Philippines
*
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha () is the second of the two main festivals in Islam alongside Eid al-Fitr. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar. Celebrations and observances are generally carried forward to the ...
(
Qurban
''Qurbān'' () or ''uḍḥiyah'' () as referred to in Islamic law, is a ritual animal sacrifice of a livestock animal during Eid al-Adha.
The concept and definition of the word is derived from the Qur'an, the sacred scripture of Muslims, and i ...
i)
*
Folk Catholicism
Folk Catholicism can be broadly described as various ethnic group, ethnic expressions and practices of Catholic Church, Catholicism intermingled with aspects of folk religion. Practices have varied from place to place and may at times contradict ...
*
Kourbania (in Greece)
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Orthodox memorial service
References
External links
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Култ мртвих'' Протођакон Љубомир Ранковић, Верски Обичаји. Retrieved: 2 February 2016.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dusni Brav
Animal sacrifice
Serb traditions
History of the Serbian Orthodox Church