beyond the borders

June, 2013

Content Flamenco Sant Fermin festival Tomatina festival The Fallas festival Spanish art La Meninas The potatoes omelette Classic music with a classic guitar Carnival of Tenerife

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Nazar BoncuğU (The Amulet) Jewellery-pinning ceremony Hidrellez (spring feast) The Plateau Festivals April 23rd International Children’s Day The Commemoration of ATATÜRK, Youth and Sports Day Turkish Coffee

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Colapesce Legend The Legend of Spring: The Rape of Proserpine St. Paul’s Celebration Carnival The celebration of Saint Sebastian of Palazzolo Acreide

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Christmas in Greece "Kalanda" or Carols Sweets & Treats Easter in Greece Easter Banquet Apokries: The Greek Carnival Patras: The King of Greek Carnivals Xanthi: The Folk Carnival The "Old Men" of Skyros “Flour War” in Galaxidi

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The Lithuanian Song and Dance Celebration Užgavėnės Advent Saint Jonas' Festival Klaipėda Sea Festival

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Śmigus-dyngus – Wet Monday Christmas in Poland Traditions of the Christmas Kupala Night

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When we come to the world, we find customs, songs, which are very important for

us.Our parents, grandparents follow fairy tales, they use wise proverbs. Never know what

their authors, who lived long ago, hundreds of years ago. No one can not count how many

people used creations, changed, forgot and remembered again, before they were written

and began to live in our books.

Take a look back to your past, to your roots. Do you know much about it? Everyone

should know his/her nation's way of life, mythology, rituals, customs, traditions, festivals,

dances, folklore and songs. We have to take over and give meaning to the best traditions of

the past and pass them from generation to generation. Traditional culture from the cradle

should be accompanied by a man. When the young generation from childhood has grafted

love and respect for the nation's cultural heritage, develop the national consciousness,

which encourages the desire to nurture and develop their own cultural values through inte-

raction with other cultures.

Spanish Reino de España Capital Madrid, population 46 661 950, official language Spanish, currency Euro (EUR), area 504 782 km², religion Roman Catholic.

King Chuan Charlos I Coat of arms Flag

One of the most famous Spanish folk type of music is Fla-menco. It is a style of music and dance that has like base Andalusian music and the dance it has its origin in S. XVIII. In the Flamenco, the musical instruments are voice, clapping, gui-

tar and “castañuelas” and the “cajón flamenco” is a gypsy instrument. Spanish Flamenco is often associated with the Romani people of Spain (Gypsies) and a number of famous flamenco artists are of this ethnicity. Singers and dancers wear traditional colourful dresses. This music is still sung and dances nowadays and people of all ages like it. Diego Cigala is a popular flamenco singer, Fondo Flamenco is a flamenco band and Carlos Piñana is a flamenco composer.

Jordi O’Riordan & Pau Esplugues

Flamenco

Sant Fermín

This festival is celebrated in honor of San Fermin, the patron saint of Navarra (north of Spain), this is a religious but also folk festival. People from all over the world come to Pamplona these days. This party is celebrated from the 6th to 14th of July in Pamplona. All the people can participate in this party. At seven o’clock all the people go to the street and start the bullfight. The people run in the street in front of the bulls to the bullsring. This party is very exciting and dangerous but it is one of the most in-teresting festivals in Spain.

Marc Adam & Pablo Rosa

It Is a typical festival of Buñol ( Valencia). Its origin dates back to a joke; a man was in the town square singing and playing music, when a group of teenagers who were listening decided to start throwing tomatoes.

Tomatina

Since then every year a tomatoes fight is held among people from the village and tourists.

It was first celebrated in Buñol in 1945. It is usually held on the last Wednesday of August, during the week of festivities of Buñol.

Part icipants throw tomatoes and get involved in this tomato fight purely for fun. All the people who want participate.

Mar Nácher & Joceline Hidalgo

Las Meninas is famous painting made by one of the most important Spanish artists of all time, Velázquez. It was made in 1656 in the palace of the king Felipe IV and its a portrait of his family, but he also includes himself in the painting, and now the painting is in the Museum of Prado, (Madrid).

Jordi O’Riordan & Pau Esplugues

Spanish art Las Meninas

The artist: Diego Velázquez The painting “Las Meninas”

The potatoes omelette

The potatoes omelette is a tipycal Spanish dish. In 1519, in Europe and in America, already began to prepare the potatoes omelette. Nowadays in Spain the potatoes omelette is popular to eat hot or cold, for lunch or dinner, etc. People eat it at hom, in a bar or when they go in an outing to the country-side, it can be eaten everywhere. The ingredients are: potato, egg, olive oil, salt.

By: J.Marcos & Daniel Monje

The Fallas

Fallas, is a festivity of Valencia, there are different speculations regarding the origin of the Falles festival. One suggests that the Falles started in the Middle Ages, when artisans disposed of the broken artifacts and pieces of wood they saved during the winter by burning them to celebrate the spring equinox.

The five days and nights of Falles are a continuous party, it begins on 14th March. Each neighbourhood of the city has an organized group of people, the Casal faller, that works all year long holding fundraising parties and dinners, like the famous speciallity paella (typical rice dish). Each casal faller produces a construction known as a falla which is eventually burnt. A casal faller is also known as a comissió fallera.

Josep Llanes

Classic music with a classic guitar

Spanish classic mu-sic is played with the classic guitar. The guitar is a very popular instrument in Spain.

There is evidence that a four-stringed instru-ment similar to the guitar was played by the Hittites (who occupied a region now

SPANISH TRADITION Carnival Tenerife

The Carnival of Tenerife (Canary islands) is a festival that is celebrated in February or in March according to the year. It is celebrated from 1605. The place where it is done is in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Dur-ing the holidays several famous events are celebrated, including: Choice of show of the Carnival queen, cavalcade and Burial of the Sardine. People of Tenerife participates very actively in the festival. It is a very col-ourful festival and girls wear very heavy and elaborated dresses.

Ester Donat & Marcella Sáez

known as Asia Minor and Syria) about 1400 BC. This instrument was characterized by its smooth and curved sides - one of the first basic features of any identifiable instrument predecessor of the guitar. The Greeks also produced an instrument like that was later modified by the Romans. Both versions seem lack the curved sides. What is interesting here is that this cithara Roman ap-peared in Spain centuries before the Moorish invasion.

The most popular Spanish guitarrists of the 20th & 21st C are Paco de Lucia and Nèstor Mont.

Marc Adam & Pablo Rosa

Turkey Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Capital Ankara, population 77 861 312, offi-cial language Turkish, currency Turkish lira, area 780,580 km², religion Islam.

Coat of arms Flag President Abdullah Gűl

Nazar BoncuğU (The Amulet)

A nazar boncuğu is an eye-shaped amulet believed to protect against the evil eye. The word "nazar" is derived from the Arabic "sight" or "seeing". A typical amulet is made of handmade glass featuring concentric circles or teardrop shapes in dark blue, white, light blue and black, occasionally with a yellow/gold edge. It is often hung in homes, offices, cars, children's clothing, or incorporated in jewellery and ornaments. Its most important characteristic is its alleged power to protect its owner from danger or harm.

The amulet, nazar boncuğu, can be in different shapes and sizes and it is also used as a designal pattern on some clothes or objects.

Gözde KATIRCI/ 11th Grade

While the relatives are pinning the gold or the money, both the bride and the groom kiss them. The first ones to pin something to the couple are the parents and sisters or brothers of the bride and then the groom. After the cere-mony finishes, the new couple and the guests dance together.

Nur Aleyna KUL/11th Grade

ceremonies or various rituals at every place in which mankind lives. Within the seasonal cycle, winter symbolizes death; spring symbolizes revival or regeneration of life. Thus, time for the days full of hope,

There are some special ceremonies that are held during the Turkish weddings. In order to help the newly married couple with their expenditures, all the guests pin gold, jewellery or money on a ribbon which is worn by the bride and the groom. Generally, the groom’s relative spin them to the groom and those of the bride’s do the same for the bride.

Hıdırellez or Hıdrellez is celebrated as the day on which Prophets Hızır and Ilyas met on the earth. The words Hızır and İlyas have since used together pronounced as Hıdırellez. One widespread belief suggests that Hızır has attained immortality by drinking the water of life. He often wanders on the earth, especially in the spring, and helps people in difficulty. People see him as a source of bounty and health, as the festival takes place in spring, the time of new life. To date, the arrival of spring or summer, figuratively meaning the rebirth of nature or the end of winter, has been celebrated with

JEWELLERY-PINNING CEREMONY

HIDRELLEZ (SPRING FEAST)

health, happiness and success comes. Therefore, Hıdırellez Day is highly significant since it is believed to be the day on which Hızır and İlyas met on the earth, which is accepted as the arrival of spring/ summer. In Turkey, it is widely believed that Hızır is the prophet who while bringing fertility to man wanders on the earth and as for the prophet İlyas, he is accepted as the water deity.

In order to fulfill some of their missions, these two prophets wander around the land and the sea throughout the year and meet on May 6. This meeting stands for the fusion of the land and water.

Today, the ceremonial activities for Hıdırellez are prevalently and elaborately prepared especially in villages or towns rather than metropolises. The preparations for the celebrations are associated with the issues as cleaning the house (before Hıdrellez Day, houses are cleaned from top to bottom, since people think that Hızır will not visit houses that are not clean) and the garments, dress, finery and food-drink and doing shopping for the feast. The indoor of the houses and the outdoor places as gardens are supposed to be clean, because Hızır is expected to visit the houses on that day. Almost everywhere, garments and other apparels and food-beverages are common components of Hıdırellez ceremonies.

All the preparations related to the ceremonies are of particular concern to the young men or women, since Hıdırellez is regarded as the most proper occasion for the youth-willing to marry in the future-to find a suitable match.

Hıdrellez ceremonies are held in the countryside near the cities, towns or villages where generally streams, lakes or other water springs exist. By great majority, there are tombs or shrines open to visits in those locations which are placed on hills. Bearing the specific features, Hıdırlıks are particularly chosen for Hıdırellez ceremonies.

As Hızır is believed to be a healer, some ritual practices as regards to health issues can be seen on Hıdırellez Day. On that day, meals cooked by lamb meat are traditionally feasted. It is believed that on Hıdırellez Day all kinds or species of the living, plants and trees revive in a new cycle of life, therefore the meat of the lambs grazing on the land which Hızır walks through is assumed as the source of health and happiness. In addition to these, some special meals besides lamb meat are cooked on that day.

The other ritual practice for seeking health and cure is the ritual of jumping over the fire which is built by old belongings or bushes. While uttering prayers and riddles, people jump over the fire at least three times. That fire is called Hıdırellez fire; hence, it is believed that all illnesses or diseases are warded off all the year long. Another ritual practice for having good health on Hıdırellez Day is to be awash or bath by water brought from some holy places. It is believed that all the wishes and prayers come true on the eve and the very day of Hıdırellez.

If one wishes to have more properties, she makes a small rough model of it onto the ground in the garden and Hıdırlık. Occasionally, the wishes or prayers are written on a piece of paper and thrown at a river or sea nearby.

Various practices are performed on Hıdrellez night in the belief that Hızır will bring blessing and abundance to the places he visits and the things he touches. Foodbowls, pantries and purses are left open. And definitely a window is left open for Hızır to visit the house. Those who want a house, or garden believe that Hızır will help them obtain such things if they make a small model of what they want. Some also hang models and papers on which their wishes are written on a Nahil Tree. It is also a tradition to throw those papers into a running water or sea enabling Hızır to pick them and to carry out the wishes written.

Yasemin YAVUZ, 11th Grade

The Plateau Festivals

The Plateau Festivals are of the most famous of all Turkish festivities in The Black Sea Region. The festivals take place on high plateaus which are called ‘yayla’. They dance as a big cir-cle and play their national folk dance ‘horon’.

Some musical events, such as concerts, also take place. Some of the celebrations suggest a ritualistic origin from an-cient and forgotten hostilities related to the delicate issue of yayla demarcation amongst the various communities of the mountains. The most important aspect of these festivals is their unifying aspect as too many people from different parts of the country come together with peace.

Elanur AKSOY/ 10th Grade

APRIL 23rd INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S DAY

This national day (23rd April National Sovereignty and Children's Day) in Turkey is a unique event. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, dedicated April 23 to the children of the country to emphasize that they are the future of the new nation. It was on April 23, 1920, during the War of Independence, that the Grand National Assembly met in Ankara and laid down the foundations of a new, independent, secular, and modern republic from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. Following the defeat of the Allied invasion forces on September 9, 1922 and the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923, Atatürk started his task of establishing the institutions of the new state. Over the next eight years, Atatürk and his followers adopted sweeping reforms to create a modern Turkey, divorced from her Ottoman past. In unprecedented moves, he dedicated the sovereignty day to the children and entrusted in the hands of the youth the protection of this sovereignty and independence.

Every year, the children in Turkey celebrate this "Sovereignty and Children's Day" as a national holiday. Schools participate in week-long ceremonies marked by performances in all fields in large stadiums watched by the entire nation. Among the activities on this day, the children send their representatives to replace state officials and high ranking bureaucrats in their offices. The President, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Ministers, provincial governors all turn over their positions to children's

representatives. These children, in turn, sign executive orders relating to educational and environmental policies. On this day, the children also replace the parliamentarians in the Grand National Assembly and hold a special session to discuss matters concerning children's issues.

During their stay in Turkey, the foreign children are housed in Turkish homes and find an important opportunity to interact with the Turkish kids and learn about each other's countries and cultures. The foreign children groups also participate in the special session of the Grand National Assembly. This results in a truly international Assembly where children pledge their commitment to international peace and brotherhood.

The importance of April 23 as a special day of children has been recognized by the international community. UNICEF decided to recognize this important day as the International Children's Day.

Beyzanur ATALAY/ 10th Grade

THE COMMEMORATION OF ATATÜRK, YOUTH AND SPORTS DAY (19th May)

The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, arrived in Samsun on May 19, 1919, to start a popular uprising against the decision of the World War I allies to divide many territories of the defeated Ottoman Empire. Turkey presently accepts the date of Atatürk’s arrival in Samsun as the starting date of the Turkish War of Independence. Following Atatürk’s wish, the Turkish government declared May 19 to be Youth and Sports Day and made it an official holiday in 1938. The day received its present name, the “Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day”, in 1981, which became the 100th anniversary of Atatürk’s birth.

Over the last two decades, the Turkish officials have been w o r k i n g h a r d t o internat ional ize this important day. Their efforts resulted in large number of world states' sending groups of children to Turkey to participate in the above stated festivities.

Many Turks also observe May 19 as Atatürk’s birthday. Although the exact date of his birth is not known, Atatürk used to say he was born on May 19 (referring to his political career). Many people l a y wrea ths t o Ata tü rk ’ s monuments and hang Turkish flags outside their windows.

The Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day is an official holiday in Turkey. All administration buildings, post offices, schools, and most businesses are closed on this day. Public transport routes may vary in the event of marathons and similar events.

The Turkish flag, images of Atatürk and the boat on which he arrived in Samsun, as well as images related to sports are the symbols of the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day in Turkey.

Elif KEBELEK/ 11th Grade

In the run-up to the May 19 celebrations, young Turkish athletes carry the national flag from Samsun a Black Sea port from where Mus ta fa Kemal Ata tü rk started Turkey’s War of Independence in 1919, to Ankara, the country’s capital. T h e m a r a t h o n usually takes about 10 days. The Turkish president accepts the flag at a ceremony on May 19.

Various sports events take place on May 19 throughout Turkey. Many people celebrate this day by watching athletes perform at their local stadiums or by participating in sports events that are open to the public, such as half-marathons. University students usually prepare special programs for their teachers and parents on this day.

TURKISH COFFEE

Turkish coffee is a method of preparing coffee. Roasted and then finely ground coffee beans are boiled in a pot (cezve), usually with sugar, and served in a cup where the grounds are allowed to settle. It is a symbol of hospitality.

It forces you to stop and rest. This is simply because you have to sit down first before you can even take a sip. Otherwise it will spill on you due to the tiny cups. In other words it is not the kind of a beverage you just grab and run or drive with! Teaches patience. You have to cook it slowly for the best results. The process requires about 5-10 minutes of preparation time (depending on the quantity). It cannot be rushed, but it is well worth the wait! (We support the "slow food" movement). Makes you relax. When you are ready to sit down to have your brew, you will generally be pretty calm due to anticipating a period of rest and relaxation in a perfect mind-set to enjoy a delicious cup of foamy coffee, sip by sip! Encourages conversation. In the Turkish tradition, freshly brewed coffee is typically shared with someone you care about like family, friends, business acquaintances etc. The idea is to sit down together, savoring the flavors and the friendship while you converse!

What Makes drinking Turkish coffee so special?

Fatma DOĞAN/ 11th Grade

Turkish coffee is really all about socializing and relaxing. It also makes a fantastic after meal drink (because it is known to help in the digestion process) and is an anti carcinogen! Finally, it is economical, because you don't need to use as much coffee!

Italy Repubblica Italiana

Capital Rome, population 60 642 308, official language Italian, currency Euro (EUR), area 301 338km² , religion Roman Catholic.

Coat of arms President

Giorgio Napolitano Flag

Colapesce Legend

History and Myth In Sicily

Colapesce is the most loved and known Sicilian legends in the world. Many American and European poets had written story based on its. Colapesce is from Messina. He is son of a fishing man and he spent his days swimming in the sea. One day his mother tired for his behaviour throw him a spell. So Cola became half man and half fish and never came back to the land. One day Sicily King, listened his story, wanted to meet him. He went near Messina, where Colapesce lived, and threw a golden cup in the waves. Cola took it from the submarine abyss and told the king what marvellous things he had seen. The king threw in the sea his crown and Cola took it and told that he has seen Sicily held by three columns.

Sicily is a fantastic land, in which dream and reality became one and everything seems possi-ble. Mito: from the Greek Myth, means a story with hidden philosophical truth. It's used to teach, like a parable. Legend: it's a story derived from an historical event really happened. In the oral tradition the history absorbed imaginary particulars that transformed it.

One was deleted, the other was in bad condition, only one was good. He also told that in the abyss there was a magical fire. The king didn't believe him and threw, for the third time, his golden ring in sea. Cola, dived again, but he told the king if he had seen legumes went back afloat, meant he had remained in the bottom to the sea. After some hours the ring went back, but it was burnt. Later also the legumes went back, and they had burned too. Cola had remained in the bottom to the sea, maybe to support the last col-umn. Its sacrifice saved Sicily, and that's why Sicilian people love him so much.

The Legend of Spring: THE RAPE OF PROSERPINE

Torch in hand, her sorrowing mother sought her through the wide world, and finding her not she forbade the earth to put forth its increase. So all that year not a blade of corn grew on the earth, and men would have died of hunger if Zeus had not persuaded Pluto to let Proserpine go. But before he let her go Pluto made her eat the seed of a pomegranate, and thus she could not stay away from him for ever. So it was arranged that she should spend one-half of every year with her mother and the heavenly gods, and should pass the rest of the year with Pluto beneath the earth. There can be little doubt that this is a mythological expression for the growth of vegetation in spring and its disappearance in autumn.. Her char-acter of goddess of the spring was honoured with flower-festivals in Sicily.

PROSERPINE (Proserpina), the Latin form of Persephone,' a Greek goddess, daughter of Zeus and the earth-goddess Demeter. In Greek my-thology. Demeter and Proserpine were closely associated, being known to-gether as the two goddesses, the vener-able or august goddesses, sometimes as the great goddesses. Proserpine herself was commonly known as the daughter (Core), sometimes as the first-born. As she was gathering flowers with her playmates in a meadow, the earth opened and Pluto, god of the dead, ap-peared and carried her off to be his queen in the world below.

St. Paul’s celebration is the most important festivity in Palazzolo. This Saint is celebrated on 29th June. At 13.00 the saint’s simulacrum comes out of the church on a particular structure which is carried by shoulder by fifty devotees. During the coming-out the Saint is acclaimed with hundreds fireworks and a lot of little pieces of paper called “’nzareddi” (look at the picture). A particular use is to relieve chil-dren to the simulacrum for a benediction .

After, at the 15.00 circa, the simulacrum returns in its church and the celebration restarts in the evening when it goes around the town and a lot of devotees decide to make an offer to the simulacrum. At midnight, it returns again in to the church with a lot of fireworks often accompanied by music.

ST. PAUL’S CELEBRATION

Carnival In Palazzolo Acreide, carnival is celebrated about 40 days before Easter. During the celebration people use to wear costumes and dance to the carnival music through the streets, while drinking some wine and eating some typical food, such as sausage’s sub. The main characteristic of this celebration are the “allegorical floats”, giant-sized puppets representing caricatures of politics’ characters.

The Saint is celebrated on the 20th January as well as the 10th of August. The celebrations last 10 days and are a really big event. Many people come from all parts of Sicily and the world to ta-ke part and enjoy the great attrac-tions such as the beautiful church and the fireworks shows. On the 10th of August the “sciuta” takes place on the churchyard. While the saint’s simulacrum comes out of the church’s main door, carried on the shoulders of devoted volun-teers, thousands of “nsareddi” (2 meters long coloured paper stripes) are shot in the air with mortars and fireworks in the background. Then, the saint’s simulacrum goes on a procession through the main streets of the town, followed by thousands of devouts and barefoot women, while naked children get rised in front of the saint for good herald. At night time, a great fireworks show , synchronized to music, ta-kes place once again on the chur-chyard, ending the celebrations, while the simulacrum enters its chamber, where it will stay until the next day of celebration the next year.

The celebration of Saint Sebastian in Palazzolo Acreide

In the province of Syracuse, the cult of Saint Sebastian, elected by the church as “depulsor pestis” and defender of faith, is prior to 1414, year of the arrival of the mi-racolous statue of the Saint in Me-lilli. Ever since that year, the cult of Saint Sebastian diffused extraordinarily in the Iblei area and it then strengthened in entire Sicily. In Palazzolo Acreide, the big devo-tion to this Saint is very ancient, as there are many proofs of its existence since 15th century.

Poland Rzeczpospolita Polska Capital Varsaw, population 38 536 869, official languag Polish, currency Zloty (PLN), area 312,679 km², religion Roman Catholic.

Coat of arms President

Bronislaw Komorowski Flag

ŚmigusŚmigusŚmigusŚmigus----dyngus dyngus dyngus dyngus –––– Wet Monday Wet Monday Wet Monday Wet Monday

The second day of the Easter is called Easter Monday and in Po-land this is special day called 'śmigus-dyngus'- Wet Monday. The cus-tom at first was connected with ceremonies to celebrate the passing win-ter. The people enjoyed the coming spring.

Śmigus and Dyngus for a long time were separate cus-toms. Śmigus mainly consisted of symbolic leg beating with Easter palms and pouring cold water on people. It symbolized a spring cleaning from dirt, illnesses and sins. Dyngus came from the custom of paying a visit to acquaintances and fami-lies. A customary snack was served.

Traditionally, boys throw wa-ter over girls and spank them with willow branches. Wet girls could be sure that they will get married this year. Particularly attractive girls could expect to be soaked repeatedly during the day.

At first the custom of pouring water over peo-ple was only known in the country. In cities distinguished men confided them-selves only to spraying young girls with perfume or rose water.

Today it can be an unforgettable experience when water is about 0 °C but it’s only a joke and every reason for a smile is good ☺

Diana Górska II a

Christmas in Poland

Everyone loves Christmas. It is the most favourite and most eagerly awaited holiday each year. This is a unique time when people try be kind, friendly and gener-ous to one another. They forget about their problems and enjoy being together. Christmas is preceded by many days of preparation. Streets are lit by coloured lamps, shops are full of people buying presents, choosing Christmas cards. Christmas trees are set up in every home and decorated with special lamps, candles and toys.

The atmosphere of excitement and expectation can be felt almost every-where. The day preceding Christmas Eve is a unique one. It is believed that every-thing that might happen on the day might influence the whole year to come. Some people say that if you ask for food on that day, you will be hungry throughout the year. The moment everyone waits for is Christmas Eve. When the firs star appears in the sky, people take seats at the Christmas table. They don't forget about leaving an empty place for an unex-pected guest. The table is covered with a white table-cloth and hay is spread under it.

On the table traditionally there should be twelve dishes and everybody must try all of them. The most popular dishes are red borsch, pies or sauerkraut with mushrooms, fish- carp and poppy-seed cake.

Before the family starts eating all its mem-bers share the holy wafer a kind of white paper thin wafer.

At midnight many people go to church to attend a special mass during which Christmas carols are sung. This night is miraculous because it is believed that animals can speak with human voice. The first day of Christmas is usually spend at home. On that day carol- singers dressed as an angel, a devil, King Herod or Death visit people's houses. They sing carols and people give them money for it.

The second day of Christmas is spent in a different way. The most often people go to their families for a Christmas dinner.

Children can’t wait to get presents which they find under a Christmas tree or are handed up by someone dressed up as Santa Clause.

Christmas traditions

Julita Karetko, kl. 2a

Poles are a nation fond of celebrating, tied to tradition, supporting the old customs. Bounding to the tradition is most likely seen at the time of the greatest church holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Corpus Christi. I’m going to give you a closer look at some Christmas traditions. Roman Catholic Christmas is celebrated on December 25 but is preceded by an advent (the three-week fast). In churches Christmas celebration begins the day before the anni-versary of the birth of Jesus-Christmas Eve (December 24, evening), hereinafter referred to as "The Star". At this day Poles are obliged to a strict fast. The highlight of this day is supper. Following the tradition, the family is required to sit after the appearance of the first stars in the sky, the symbol of a first star leading the Magi to the stable. Christmas Eve supper begins with common prayers and reading the Gospel of the birth of Jesus, and later followed by sharing mutual wishes submission accompanied by a wafer. Supper consists of 12 Lenten dishes (including carp, beetroot soup with dumplings, dumplings with mushrooms, juice made of dried fruits) to commemorate the 12 Apostles. Tradition dictates to try each of the dishes, as a sign of respect for the food given from God. A Christmas Eve tablecloth cannot miss some hay underneath, as a sign of the birth of Jesus in the sta-ble. After dinner comes Santa Claus, who distributes gifts for the polite children and adults. He’s traditionally dressed in a red coat, lugging a huge sack of presents on his back. At night, usually at midnight, in the churches raise awareness and be-gins a solemn mass called Pasterka. According to tradition, it commemorates the arrival of the shepherds to Bethlehem and their tribute for the newly born Messiah.

In all houses there is a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, without which it is hard to imagine Christmas. On December 25 the whole family sits together for Christmas Eve. The inseparable part of Christmas is singing carols that tell about the birth of Jesus. In Polish tradition we have a lot of them (among others. Today in Bethlehem, Silent Night. The celebrations of Christmas Eve and related customs and rituals, and especially the cult practices have survived to the present day because one needs them to nurture and sustain their soul.

Kupala Night

Kupala Night, Ivan Kupala Day (Feast of St. John the Baptist; Polish: NocKupały) is celebrated in Poland (Mazowsze and Podlasie) currently on the night of 23/24 June in the Gregorian or New Style calendar, which is 6/7 July in the Julian or Old Style calendar still used by many Or-thodox Churches. Calendar-wise, it is opposite to the winter holiday Koliada. The celebration relates to the summer sol-stice when nights are the shortest and includes a number of fascinating Pagan rituals. Some early mythology scholars, such as Sir James Frazer, claimed that the holiday was originally Kupala; a pagan fertil-ity rite later accepted into the Orthodox Christian calendar. There are analogues for celebrating the legacy of St. John around the time of the summer solstice elsewhere, including St. John's Day in Western Europe. The Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian name of this holiday combines "Ivan" (John — the Baptist) and Kupala which is related to a word derived from the Slavic word for bathing, which is cognate. The latter is reinterpreted as John's baptizing people through full immersion in water (therefore his biblical title of the Baptist). However, the tradition of Ku-pala predates Christianity. Due to the popularity of the pagan celebration that with time it was simply accepted and reestab-lished as one of the native Christian traditions intertwined with local folklore.

On Kupala day the youth jump over the flames of bonfires in a ritual testing of one's bravery and faith. A couple in love's failure to complete the jump while holding their hands is a sign of their destined separation. Girls would float wreaths of flowers often lit with candles on rivers and would attempt to gain foresight into their relationship fortunes from the flow patterns of the flowers on the river. Men may at-tempt to capture the wreaths, in the hope of capturing the interest of the woman who floated the wreath. There is an ancient Kupala belief, that the eve of Ivan Kupala is the only time of the year when ferns bloom. Prosperity, luck, discernment and power would befall on whoever finds a fern flower. Therefore, on that night village folks would roam through the forests in search of magical herbs and especially the elusive fern flower. Traditionally, unmarried women, signified by their garlands on their hair, would be the first to enter the forests. They are followed by young men. Therefore, consequent to the quest in finding herbs and the fern flower may be the blooming of relationships between pairs of men and women within the forest. It is to be noted that biologists have held the persistent scientific fact that ferns have never and will never bloom. In Gogol's story The Eve of Ivan Kupala a young man finds the fabulous fern-flower but is cursed by it. Gogol's tale may have been the stimulus for Modest Mussorgsky to compose his tone poem Night on Bald Mountain.

The holiday is still enthusiastically celebrated by younger people of the Eastern Europe. The night preceding the holiday (Tvorila night) is considered the night for "good humour" mischiefs (which some-times would raise concerns of law enforcement agencies). On Ivan Kupala day itself, children are engaged in water fights and perform pranks mostly involving pouring water over someone. Many of the rites related to this holiday within Slavic religious beliefs, due to the ancient Kupala rites, are connected with the role of water in fertility and ritual purification.

Lithuania Lietuva Capital Vilnius, population 2 988 381, official language Lithuanian, currency Litas (LTL), area 65,300 km², religion Roman Catholic.

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The Lithuanian Song and Dance Celebration

The Lithuanian Song and Dance Celebration is an undoubtedly significant Lithuanian cultural tradition when the human self-expression, love and solida-rity for the homeland create the unforgettable event where thousands are able to participate in, and which at-tracts visitors from all over the world, especially Lithua-nian emigrants to come back home at least for one magni-ficent week.

Užgavėnės is a Lithuanian festi-val that takes place during the seventh week before Easter (Ash Wednesday). Its name in English means "the time before Lent". The celebration corres-ponds to Roman Catholic holiday tradi-tions in other parts of the world, such as Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, and Carnaval.

Užgavėnės begins on the night before Ash Wednesday, when an effigy of winter (usually named Morė) is burnt. A major element of the holiday, meant to symbolize the defeat of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, is a staged battle between Lašininis ("porky") pe-rsonifying winter and Kanapinis ("hempen man") personifying spring. Devils, witches, goats, the grim reaper, gypsies, and other joyful and frighte-ning characters appear in costumes du-ring the celebrations.

T h e p a r t i c i p a n t s a n d masqueraders dance and eat the tradi-tional dish of the holiday - pancakes with a variety of toppings, since round pancakes are a symbol of the returning sun. In Lithuania's capital Vilnius, the celebration takes place on Gediminas Avenue, as well as at many youth orga-nizations. The festival is a major event at Rumšiškės park.

Užgavėnės

The Lithuanian Song and Dance Celebration is a national level occasion which is even included in-to the UNESCO World Heritage list as to be an accredited world-line cultural worth.The main concerts of Lithuanian Song and Dance Celebration are held on the huge stage in Vingis park.

Advent

The Season of Advent, which begins on a Sunday about four weeks before Christmas Day, is celeb-rated by Catholic .It is a time for people to prepare themselves for two different things: for the coming of the baby Jesus and Christmas, and for the Second Coming of Jesus, when he shall rule over all the Earth in peace. Some people use it as a time of fasting, study, meditation and prayer. Special Advent Calendars are made for children, with pictures or treats for each day of Advent.

Generally, Advent is a time when many people are very busy in preparation for Christmas Day, cleaning and decorating, buying food and gifts, writing cards and letters, and cooking the Christmas feast. Some churches use special candles during advent. Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, which is the Sunday between November 27 and December 3.

Advent (Latin Adventus means coming) - concentration, preparation of Christ's coming into the world, lasting nearly a month. This is a faithful reflection of concentration and time when Catholics abstain from noisy fun and festive. The beginning of Advent - St. Andrew's Day is about November 30th and always ends on Decem-ber 25, Christmas Day. In the past, during the Advent people fasted (did not eat meat, milk) three times a week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday), it is now - only on Friday.

Before the Advent people weave Advent wreath with four candle. Every Sunday for four weeks in a row, lit one candle. On Christmas Eve, on the wreath must burn all four candles.

During Advent we must not sit a long time, especially after midnight, because evil spirits haunted the people - they knocked on the windows and who looks at them, he can avoid death. Although parties, dancing and singing were not allowed, people came up with a less noisy entertainment.

Saint Jonas' Festival

Midsummer Day or St. John's Day is a midsummer folk festival celebrated on June 24 all around Lithuania. While mid-summer day is celebrated throughout Europe, many Lithuanians have a particularly lively agenda on this day. The traditions inc-lude singing songs and dancing until the sun sets, telling tales, searching to find the magic fern blossom at midnight, jumping over bonfires, greeting the rising midsummer sun and washing the face with a morning dew, young girls float flower wreaths on the water of river or lake.

These are customs brought from pagan culture and beliefs. The latter Christian tradition is based on the reverence of Saint John the Baptist. Lithuanians with the names Jonas, Jonė, Janina receive many gree-tings from their family, relatives and friends.

Klaipėda Sea Festival The Klaipėda sea festival is con-ducted every year in Klaipėda city in Lithuania between twenty sixth July and twenty nineth June. It has been ta-king place for over seventy years now and is a very important sea festival in Lithuania. The third largest city in Lithuania and situated in the west, Klai-pėda has around two lakh inhabitants and is a perfect place to pick if you

want to enjoy those months in summer. The location of it on the coast of the Baltic Sea and the Curonian lagoon is where the entire place got its fame. The Klaipėda sea festival draws nearly half a million people every year and there is a great deal of variety that can be found in it every year. Each year brings with it a different flavor and style to the Klaipėda sea festival. Many local dishes are made and served right on the street. The most popular fea-ture of the Klaipėda sea festival are the arts and crafts stores put up by over three hundred craftsmen and artists who come to the festival every year.

Apart from this, the talented musicians who at-tend the Klaipėda sea festi-val every year play various genres of music. Apart form shop-ping, the Klaipėda sea festi-val is also very famous for the Baltic Sprint Cup regatta and other international sai-ling events like the Baltic Sailing.

Greece Ελληνική ∆ηµοκρατία

Capital Athens.

Population 10 815 197.

Official language Greek.

Currency Euro (EUR).

Area 131,957 km².

Religion Orthodox Christians.

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"Kalanda" or Carols

• Sweets & Treats

Traditional culinary delights symbolize good luck in the New Year and adorn the white-clothed tables.

"Melomakarona" (honey cookies) and "kourabiedes” (sugar cookies with almonds) are the most characteristic and they characterize the beginning of Christmas festivity.

Another traditional custom that dates back to the Byzantine times is the slic-ing of Vassilopita (St.Basil’s pie or New Year’s Cake).

The person who finds the hidden coin in his slice of the cake is con-sidered to be lucky for the rest of the year.

(Xristougenna), the Feast of the Nativity of Jesus is one of the most joyful days of the Greek Or-thodox Church. Traditionally, the Christmas holiday period in Greece lasts 12 days, until January 6, which marks the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Theophany (Epiphany). There are many customs associated with the Christmas holidays, some of which are relatively recent, “imported” from other parts of the world (like eating turkey on Christmas day and decorating the Christmas tree). In the past, Greeks decorated small Christmas boats in honour of St. Nicholas and today, they are increasingly choosing to decorate boats, instead of trees, reviving this age-old Christmas tradition.

Greek Customs and Traditions

The singing of Christmas carols (or kalanda) is a custom preserved in its entirety to this day. On Christmas and New Year Eve, chil-dren go from house to house in groups singing the carols, accompanied usually by the sounds of the musical instrument "triangle," but also by guitars, accordions, lyres and harmonicas. Until some time ago, children were rewarded with pastries but nowadays they are usually given money.

Christmas in Greece

On Saturday morning, preparations start for the festive dinner and a special soup is cooked called “maghiritsa”.

Shortly before midnight, people gather in church holding white candles which they light with the “Holy Light” distributed by the priest. When the latter chants “Christ is risen” (Christos Anesti), people exchange wishes and the so-called “Kiss of Love”.

Easter is a moveable holiday. Its celebration falls on the first Sunday after the full moon of the spring equinox. All over Greece, a plethora of customs and traditions are observed during the week prior to Easter, the Holy Week. The preparations for the cele-bration of the Resurrection start on Holy Thursday. On that day, housewives traditionally prepare special cakes named tsourekia, biscuits and red colour eggs. The use of egg is a symbol of rebirth while the red color stands for the blood of Christ. In the past, in many households, people used to place the first red egg on the icon stand of the house in order to cast out evil spirits.

Friday is the most sacred day of the Holy Week, the day of the culmination of the passion of Christ with the deposition from the cross and Christ’s burial. Be-cause it is a day of mourning, housewives avoid doing housework. Women and children go to church to deco-rate the Epitaph (Bier of Christ) with flowers, while in the evening the Epitaph procession takes place.

Considered the most important holiday on Greek calendar and one of the richest in folklore, the celebration of Orthodox Easter (Pascha) is unique throughout Greece. From Crete to Macedonia, Easter customs become a herald of the spirit’s and nature’s rebirth, while Easter celebrations constitute a vivid aspect of the folk culture, rich in meaning and symbolism.

Easter in Greece The Feast of all Feasts

With the “Holy Light” of the candles they make three times the sign of the cross on the door post over the front door of their houses for good luck. Then they all gather around the table, they crack red eggs and wish one another Christos Anesti. On Sunday morning, mainly in Greek countryside, lamb is prepared on the spit and people eat and dance usually until late at night.

Easter is by far the holiest of Greek holi-days, but it is also the most joyous, a celebration of spring, of rebirth in its literal as well as figu-rative sense. As Greeks leave the cities in droves to spend Easter in the countryside, food is cen-tral to all festivities.

The Easter table is a reflection of tradition combined with the seasonality of Greek cuisine. The ingredients, the seasonings, and the dishes might differ from place to place, there is always one rule surely f o l l owed : n o t h i ng mu s t b e wa s t e d . The most typical dishes are whole lambs on a spit, slowly roasting; red-dyed eggs; braided sweet breads (tsoureki); Easter soup (magiritsa) and grilled tripe roll (kokoretsi).

Easter Banquet

Travelling

Travelling in Greece during Greek Orthodox Easter offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy the Greek countryside and to experience some traditional and festive atmosphere. Visiting the Ionian island of Corfu during Easter is ideal, since the town hosts the most splendid and melodic celebrations in the country, with the city’s philharmonics in full action. On Holy Saturday morn-ing, one of the highlights is the dropping of ceramic pots "botides" full of water from the windows onto the cobblestone streets. In the Aegean island of Chios, another custom takes place where residents of the village of Vronta-dos revive the tradition of "the rocket war." After Resurrection, Vrontados breaks into a pandemonium of fireworks lighting up the midnight sky. In the Cycladic island of Tinos, on Holy Friday, parishioners of both Orthodox and Catholic churches carry the Holy Sepulchers of their churches to the port, where they join forces in chanting hymns, before each Sepulcher follows its own itinerary through neighborhoods.

Greece’s Carnival season known as "Apokries" is mainly a period of masquerading, but also eating, drinking and dancing. Traditionally, it begins ten weeks before Greek Orthodox Easter and culminates on the weekend before "Clean Monday," (Ash Monday) the first day of Lent. "Apokria", literally means “goodbye” to the period of meat-eating, or abstinence from meat (Apo-kreo, meaning away from meat). The following week is a fast-free week un-til Meatfare Sunday which is the last day before Easter for eating meat. (Apo-kreo, meaning away from meat).

On Thursday of this week which is known as Tsiknopempti - Charred, Smoky or Barbeque Thurs-day- because of the smell of the grilled meat in the air, family and friends gather in taverns or homes to eat large quantities of charred meat and celebrate, just ten days before the beginning of Lent.

The last Sunday of the Carnival period is known as Cheesefare Sunday or Tyrofagos as only dairy products can be consumed on this day. Cheesefare Sunday is the final day of pre-Lent, as the Monday following -known as Clean or Ash Monday- marks the beginning of Great Lent. During the weekend preceding Clean Monday, carnival celebrations around Greece culminate with vigorous parades, mas-querade parties, reviving many traditional cus-toms in different parts of the country, and proving that carnival in Greece is closely re-lated to the cultural heritage of each region.

Clean (or Ash) Monday is a public holiday in Greece which marks the end of the carnival fes-tive season and the start of Lent or the period of fasting until Easter. If the weather permits it, peo-ple spend Clean Monday outdoors, organizing pic-nics while children fly kites. Since it marks the beginning of the fasting period special food is eaten on this day. Eating red meat, poultry, fish or dairy products is not permitted. However, a host of other dishes and delicacies is available: lagana (a special unleavened bread eaten only on this day), taramasalata (a fish roe spread), dolmadakia (vine leaves stuffed with rice), grilled octopus, gigantes plaki (oven-baked broad beans), seafood salads and shellfish as well as a special semolina pudding known as halvas are just some of them.

Apokries: The Greek Carnival

• Patras: The King of Greek Carnivals

The port city of Patras hosts the biggest carnival in Greece, and one of the biggest in Europe. The "king" of Greek carnivals begins in January with an announcement by the town crier, and reaches its peak in the last weekend of carni-val. Patras carnival features a variety of events: balls, parades, street theatre, and much more.

The carnival reaches its apogee on the last weekend of Triodion: Saturday evening brings the walking parade (with participants taking the streets holding torches), while the phantasmagori-cal floral, artistic, and satirical floats parade on Sunday, with the Carnival King and Queen in all their splendor.

But Patras carnival is mostly the thou-sands carnival-goers of all ages, participating spontaneously to the events taking place every-where in the city -homes, bars, streets - turning the whole city into a gigantic party.

• Xanthi: The Folk Carnival

The Thracian city of Xanthi hosts one of the most popular carnivals in the country. Xanthi carnival started in 1966 as an urban event but has incorporated many traditional elements, based on the city’s multicultural character that renders it the most folklore of urban carnivals. The high-light is the Folk Parade on Saturday before Ash Monday: bringing together cultural associations from all over Greece, the troupes go singing and dancing through the neighborhoods of the pictur-esque Old Town and merge in an all-night Balkan folk music fiesta in the main square. Cheesefare Sunday leads to the custom of Burning the tzaros, a human effigy placed on top of a pile of brush-wood.

• The "Old Men" of Skyros

The carnival in the Aegean island of Skyros comes alive with the sounds of clanging goat bells. These are worn around the waists of the island men who take part in the carnival playing the role of geros (old man), a figure dressed in a hooded black cape and hanging goat skin. The "old men" run through the streets individually or in groups, singing, dancing and making as much noise as possible, while locals and guests must always toast, drink and dance with the "old men".

• “Flour War” in Galaxidi

In Fokida Prefecture, the town of Galaxidi is one of Greece’s top desti-nations especially during carnival season. The picturesque small town impresses visitors with its tranquil charm and its rich maritime heritage, notably the old captains’ mansions, the so-called kapetanospita. During Carnival, the town revives the unique custom of "alevromoutzouromata" dating back to the heyday of the town’s merchant fleet, as a fun event for departing sailors at the end of the Carnival. On Clean Monday, Galaxidi is transformed into a battlefield as hundreds of people pelt mercilessly one another with large quantities of flour and dance around the fires – the most dar-ing even jump over them!

Did you know?

In Greece, people celebrate the “name day” of the saint that bears their name rather than their own birthday.

There are over 4000 traditional dances that come from all regions of Greece. There are also Pan-Hellenic dances, which have been adopted through-out the Greek world.

Greeks do not wave with an open hand. It is considered an insult to show the palm of the hand with the fingers extended.

Put together by students of the Music School of Agrinio:

Maro Tsompou

Yiannis Vatsikas

Konstantina Balomenou

Evalene Karapiperi

(source http://www.mfa.gr/uk/en/about-greece/history-and-culture/culture.html?page=8)

Lithuanian COMENIUS working group members: Violeta Šimelionienė Banga Sabaliauskienė Rasa Gailiuvienė Gitana Pociutė Zita Pranevičienė Jūratė Šukienė Sigita Žemaitytė

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