Before the new sun is born, we still have a few days, significant in Slavic tradition, ahead of us. These days, originally determined based on the lunar calendar, have been preserved until today and have become associated with the recent day of Barbara, as well as St. Nicholas and Lucia, who marks the end of the stridžné (witches') days, after which the solstice period begins, now called Christmas.
Of course, the rituals of all the sacred days of the witches' days period were focused on protecting the household and the entire farm from the powers of darkness, witches, and evil spirits. Noisy ceremonial processions, during which whips were cracked, drums were beaten, and horns were sounded, were associated with scattering grain or poppy seeds around homes, through which an impenetrable magical boundary was believed to be created. Similarly, drawing protective symbols with garlic or sacred chalk on doors and windows had the purpose of preventing evil in the form of diseases, misfortune, and destruction from entering the home.
During the days of Barbara, Nicholas, and Lucia, magical practices were added to the rituals to expel the evil that had managed to penetrate the homes. When driving away the spirits of diseases such as Hostec and Czuma, the goddess of magic and healing, the moon goddess Luna, who was a protector against illnesses and dark forces, was said to be helpful, especially during the stridžné full moon.
The arrival of these disease-causing entities was not accidental for the Slavs. They knew that these beings appeared most often where there was disorder and dirt. With this knowledge, the ritual of sweeping corners during the witches' days, especially associated with the day of Barbara, was practiced. On this festive evening, processions were most often performed by two girls dressed in white robes. The girls' faces were covered in flour or veiled so that the spirits they came to drive away wouldn't recognize them. In their hands, they held goose wings and brooms, which they symbolically used to sweep the corners of the house, thereby driving the spirits of diseases away. Another traditional custom on St. Barbara's Day was bringing in cherry twigs as symbols of purity into the home.
Darkness and evil take hold of beings more easily where there is anger and strife. Therefore, before the witches' days ended, there was a day when it was appropriate to settle disputes and arguments, return borrowed items, or make each other happy with small gifts. The day with such a mission became the day that, under the influence of Christianity, became St. Nicholas' Day. On this day, ceremonial processions with the figure of Dedo – a symbolic ancestor – were originally performed. Dedo – a figure in an inside-out fur coat with a mask – was usually accompanied by a bear, symbolizing Veles, who, by their arrival, sanctified the home and the farm. After their departure, the head of the family performed rituals at the home altar, where they placed offerings for Stopian, as well as for the House Spirit, Hadovik, Chlevnik, Humník, and many other household magical beings whose role was to protect the household. The usual offerings were bowls of milk or honey. All of these beings were transformed into the figures of St. Nicholas, the angel, and the devil.
And finally, there is Lucia, when the rituals and traditions of the other witches' days often merged. On Lucia, it was not unusual for children with faces covered in flour, or smeared with ash, to knock on the door of a house, carrying brooms, goose wings, or carved pumpkins with candles inside. On this day, the witches' days end, and it is the last opportunity to perform all the rituals in one day, adding to them the removal of cobwebs from the corners of the home. It was believed that spiders, in addition to insects, caught misfortune, illness, and destruction in their webs, and on this day it was good to remove these webs.
After this day, we can only wait for the birth of the new sun.
I wish for your ancestors to protect you during this period, and that the spirits of illness stay away from you.
