Between

religions

and

ethics -A

common

ground

Comenius

project

magazine

PARTNERS

C. N. Octav Onicescu, Bucharest, Romania

Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria IES Santa Clara,

Santander, Spain

Yahya Turan Anadolu Öğretmen Lisesi, Reyhanlı /

Hatay, Turkey

ZESPÓŁ SZKÓŁ NR 31 IM. JANA KILIOSKIEGO,

Warszawa, Poland

Pencho Slaveikov Comprehensive School No.1, Sofia ,

Bulgaria

C. N. Octav Onicescu

National College ''Octav Onicescu'' from Bucharest is a

theoretical public school, where 780 students are

learning. The school was founded in 1957 and is named

after the great mathematician Octav Onicescu and it

has 57 teachers and two principals. The professors who

teach in our education unit are qualified and have

always shown a special concern for improvement.

Educational offer for the school year in progress is of

120 places in mathematics-informatics (computer

intensive and intensive English), human profiles 60

places, 30 places for the sports profile.

Our High school is in Berceni district, located in sector

4. The population of this district is low and has an

average income. For this reason many students in our

school come from families with limited financial

possibilities. A small percentage of students are part of

ethnic minorities, most of them are included in the

Rrome minority. Besides this minority you can also find

students from migrant families such as Chinese,

Iranians, Turks and many others.

In the past few years the National College ''Octav

Onicescu'' participated as partner in many national and

international projects, programs leaded by the

National Agency for Programs in Education and training

programs coordinated by the Ministry of Education

Research and Youth, School Inspectorate of Bucharest

as well in partnerships initiated by our educational

establishment. Following these projects, our school

students coordinated by teachers created

www.onicescu.ro the school's website, an on-line

magazine onix.onicescu.ro and a high school

newspaper ''Jurnal de Liceu''.

In this project ''Octav Onicescu'' National College

serves as coordinator of the project. This will ensure

optimal communication between project partners

using modern means of communication. All partners

will equally participate in the project, the coordinator

will ensure project monitoring activities. The final

report will be done by the coordinator with the help of

the partners.

SANTA CLARA SCHOOL

Santa Clara School is situated in the City Center of

Santander, Capital City of Cantabria. Many students

come not only from Santander, but from other cities or

villages of Cantabria , because our school offers not

only Secondary studies but also professional modules

in different areas. Our school has a great number of

students whose families are of many different country

origin as migration activity has being increased last

years in Spain. Santa Clara has more than 22 different

origin countries´ students: from Eastern Europe and

ancient USSR , such as Ukraine. Other students come

from Caribbean countries, Central America or South

America, and North of Africa or other African countries

of origin. So, we have teachers in charge of

intercultural pedagogical work and also for special

attention to those students who need it in order to

help them to adaptation to a new culture and study

model in Spain when it is a need for them

Project will in fact have the cooperation with the

Psycho and Pedagogic Department in this sense.

The main lines of our project will be a great educative

value in connection with the inner situation of school

with those targets centred in the intercultural,

integration and open minded view upon to all different

cultures we have in this global and information sharing

times.

YAHYA TURAN ANATOLIAN

TEACHER TRAINING HIGH SCHOOL

Yahya Turan Anatolian Teacher Training High School is

a state and boarding school. The aim of our school is to

train students to be a teacher trainee before

university. The students and the teachers of Institution

for initial teacher training are selected through certain

examinations which make our teacher training school

privileged among all the other schools in Turkey. The

students learn English and French as a second language

. We have 154 boarding students. Most of the students

come from different cities in Turkey. It creates the

cultural richness to the school. Our school is located

the border to Syria.

Zespol Szkol nr. 31

Zespol Szkol nr. 31 im. Jana Kilinskiego, a partner

school in the project "Between Religions and Ethics- A

Common Ground", is based in Warsaw, Poland. It

comprises a comprises a comprehensive secondary

school where students can choose a class with extend

history, geography and mathematics or a class with

extended art, history of art, culture or IT( computer

graphic). There is a unique in Warsaw secondary school

of artistic handcraft and metal work, where students

learn to make jewellery and other decorative and

utilitarian objects of metal glass and plastic. They are

also take part in glass painting and decoupage classes.

After completing this school, the students have the

possibility of going on to a one-year post-secondary

school to obtain the qualifications needed for the jobs

of a goldsmith-jeweller or blacksmith (artistic objects).

The students are between 15-18 years old. they all

learn English and German as foreign languages.

Because of the school's specificity, its students come

not only from Warsaw but often commute from

different peripheral small towns and villages.

Zespol Szkol nr.31 participates in e-Twinning projects (

"Contemporary Migration and the Children", "Penpals-

Polish -Turkish Friendship") and its students

correspond in English with their peers from many

school abroad.

As for the students' specific needs, 15% of the students

are financially disadvantaged and there are 30% of

dysfunctional students (dyslexia and health problems).

Pencho Slaveikov School

Pencho Slaveikov School is a successor of the oldest

secondary school of Bulgaria’s capital, known as The

First Classical Secondary School for Boys. It was

founded in 1879.

This school is a general school catering for pupils of all

abilities and backgrounds with a stable staff. The

teachers work hard and put in many extra hours to

provide activities above and beyond curricular

requirements. Their goal is to provide Bulgarian youths

with the best possible education and to install in them

high standards of morality and integrity. They are

constantly striving to give the pupils opportunities

which will enrich their lives and open their minds to

the range of possibilities available to them and to the

world at large.

Pencho Slaveikov School primary stage department

majors in foreign languages, music and art. The

secondary stage department majors in foreign

languages, art combined with foreign language

learning, the humanities and natural sciences. Their

course of study begins with a year of intensive training

in English or Spanish and includes all academic

subjects. The school enables students to develop

critical thinking skills, participate in respectful

exchanges of diverse opinions and become enthusiastic

lifelong learners. In so doing, students will learn to

demonstrate sensitivity to the global human condition

and the environment, cherish democratic values, and

become responsible citizens. The school offers a core

curriculum, enriched by an array of elective courses

and activities. The school is a partner in this project.

The project is an opportunity to develop new methods

for combating educational exclusion and school failure

and promote integration of pupils with special

educational needs and equality. We would like to

promote intercultural awareness and fight against

racism and xenophobia. Ignorance about the various

religious systems, whether resulting from lack of

available information or from sheer refusal to learn the

available information, cannot foster genuine pluralism.

Instead, ignorance fosters vague and stereotypical

impressions of foreign beliefs and symbols, leading

only to increased feelings of superiority. To counteract

these tendencies, it is necessary to develop empathy,

to enter into the mental and spiritual universes of

others, thereby discovering their internal logic,

coherence, and reasonability.

The first

meeting:

Bucharest

Our

Ancestors

– culture,

religion,

conduct

rules

Prehistoric pre-Christian religions in Dacia

Since the oldest times mankind tried to find out

what are his or environment origins. The answers

depending of ethic background and degree of spiritual

evolution made possible the appearance of myths

which tried to explain the phenomena and enigmatic

events with a spatial or temporal nature which

happened in man’s existence, in nature or universe,

about human or cosmic destiny, things that before that

were explained using the supernatural.

It’s interesting to observe the fact that although

the world civilizations were dispersed and they made

contact later, the myths have commune themes like

creation of the world or food.

Gradually, the myths gave birth to religions,

especially through a religious ceremony followed by

creation of specific institutions (church).

Geto - Dacians had a monotheistic religion. They

worship Apollo (also known as Char-Ystos, the son of

the sky) and after they moved to Orpheus, considered

the founder of the first true religion (the first with a

book) with a cosmogony and a theory of saving and

anthropogenesis well formulated. According to this

cult, man carries with him the original sin (idea which

appear later in Christianity), that must be served by

sufferings, man soul being imprisoned in body just like

in a prison. To stop the reborn, release the soul and

find the salvation (similar to the Buddhist idea of

metempsychosis), he must live a moral life, without

animal food and practice the prayers and the

purification rituals.

Orpheus cult influence was manifested to the ritual

and Christian iconography, in many paintings of the

catacombs, Christ being depicted as Orpheus in the

depiction of ‘the Good Shepherd.’

Christianity was precisely a great enemy for the

mysteries because it has much affinity with these cults.

Bibliography: Mircea Eliade, History of religious beliefs

and ideas – Publishing: Univers Enciclopedic, 2004

Rizea Mariana

The XII-th form

National College “Octav Onicescu”

Bucharest, Romania

Zalmoxis: cult, rite and interpretation

Zalmoxis (Greek Ζάλμοξις, also known as Salmoxis,

Σάλμοξις, Zamolxis, Ζάμολξις, or Samolxis Σάμολξις)

was a legendary social and religious reformer, regarded

as the only true god by the Thracian Dacians (also

known in the Greek records as Getae Γέται). According

to Herodotus, the Getae, who believed in the

immortality of the soul, looked upon death merely as

going to Zalmoxis (who is also called Gebeleizis by

some among them) as they knew the way to become

immortals.

‘The Greeks from Hellespont or Herodot himself

has integrate all had heard about Zalmoxis, about the

doctrin and his cult into a spiritual horizon structure

Pythagorean. Or, that mean that Getae-Dacian god cult

believes in the immortality of the soul acts and certain

type initiation rites. Beyond rationalism and Herodotus

euhemerism (Doctrine mythological characters that

would be deified people fear, or admiration peoples;

Evhemer - ancient Greek philosopher) or his

informants, guess the mystery of the cult character.

That is maybe the reason way Herodotus reluctant to

give details (if –but that in not sure- those that had

been sad this things really told him): his discretion

about Mystery is well known. But Herodotus

acknowledges that he does not believe in the story of

Pythagoras' slave Zalmoxis, and that, contrary, he is

convinced about the anteriority of get daemon, and

this detail is important.’

Mircea Eliade – History of religious beliefs

and ideas, vol II

The belief of Getae in immortality mentioned by

Herodotus, Eliade, following the study of Linforth,

made an essential clarification in understanding the

cult of Zalmoxis, namely that ‘immortalize’, after the

term used by Eliade, ‘be acquired through an initiation,

What approaches Zalmoxis cult created by the Greek

and Hellenistic Mysteries.’ Although the actual

ceremonies hasn’t been transcribed by historians, the

information transmitted by Herodotus indicates,

according to Eliade's interpretation, a mythical-ritual

scenario of death and return to earth. And as to the

meaning of the only ritual magic transcribed by

Herodotus, sacrifice, Eliade interprets law designed to,

‘update relations between the Dacians and their god,

as they were originally, when Zalmoxis among them’,

constitutes such a ‘symbolic repetition of the founding

of the cult’, similar, only functionally with the updating

of the Cross in Christianity.

Htonic character of the god was revealed by some

ancient authors and by many modern scholars they

have put it in the relationship, on the one hand with

Dionis and Orpheu, and, on the other hand, with

mythical characters, whose main feature was either a

shamanic technique, be Mantica, or descent into Hell.

Mircea Eliade nevertheless, see in Herodotus stories

about Zalmoxis cult, elements that approaches the dac

god to Mystery.

Along with the form Zalmoxis that seems to be the

real one (present in Herodotus, Plato, Diodorus of

Sicily, Apuleius, Jordanes, Porphirios etc.), Antiquity

also knew Zamolxis form (Lucian, Diogenes, Laertios,

etc.). Eliade observe that one of the other forms may

be derived by metathesis. Porphiros explain the

Zalmoxis variant through the trac word zalmos, ‘skin,

fur’ what give sense to a anecdote that say that at his

birth, a bearskin was thrown over Zalmoxis. From this

etymology, some authors have concluded that

Zalmoxis was originally a Bärengott (bear-god). The

hypothesis is resumed Rhys Carpenter that place the

getae-god among other "sleeping bears".

Not all the ancient sources consider that Zalmoxis

was a god. Herodotus is the only source to suggest

that the Getae were monotheistic: "...and they do not

believe that there is any god but their own"

(Herodotus). According to some, ancient sources don’t

present any other God of Getae-Dacians than Zalmoxis.

Among others, Vasile Pârvan, Jean Coman, R.Pettazzon,

E.Rohde and S. Paliaga consider that Getae -Dacians

religion is monotheistic. Others consider it

henotheistic. But Diodorus Siculus states that the

Getae worship Hestia, following the teachings of

Zalmoxis.

Bibliography:

Mircea Eliade, From Zamolxix to Gingis Han,

comparative studies about the religions and the

folklore of Dacia and East Europe , translated by Maria

and Cezar Ivănescu, Humanitas: Bucharest, 1995

Mircea Eliade, History of religious beliefs and ideas, vol

II

Rizea Ionela Denisa

Romania

The Myth of the Hero slaying the Dragon

The hero slaying the dragon is one of the few myths that have survived for thousands of years in almost all the cultures of the world. Numerous songs, ballads and fairy tales retell the story of a dragon that created a serious disturbance in the community, and had to be vanquished by the hero. This study attempts to analyze and compare the Romanian ballad Iovan Iorgovan, the hero who set to slay the dragon, with different versions of the ancient myth as part of the Indo-European cultural complex.

Dragons are mythical characters having the body of a very large serpent with one or several heads, spitting fire through their mouths, with many tongues and sharp fangs, and sometimes having a set of bat-like wings. In the various European traditions they are monstrous and fierce symbols of the chaos in Nature, belonging to the pre-cosmic era. Gods or heroes had to reassert their sovereign power over the dragon’s force of destruction and chaos, and thus create or restore the cosmic order. As an obstructer of waters, the dragon has been vanquished by the god of storms, who thus frees the rain and returns fertility and prosperity to the community.

The Romanian tradition describes the dragon, ‘balaur’, as a huge and strong serpent, with wings and golden scales, having three or nine and sometimes twelve

heads, blowing fire through his mouths. Killing him was the greatest achievement of the legendary Iovan, or the fairy tale hero “Făt Frumos”/ Prince Charming. In a cosmogonic legend Fârtate, the world creator, punished the dragon for his continuous mischief by telling him to coil nine times around the Earth to protect it from floods, which reminds us of Midgard, the Teutonic dragon that also coiled around the Earth, and also reinforced the monster’s connection with water and floods. As I mentioned above, Romanians believed that after having lived under the threshold for seven years, the dragon came out and went to the sky as stormy clouds, an image reminding us of the Indian dragon Vrtra. The serpents/dragons ruled the wells and the springs, and the rainbow was their road. Their most widespread image is that of a strong storm, which is in accord with their description in other Indo-European traditions. The Romanian word for dragon is ‘balaur’, with roots in the I-E *bolä, Skt. bala ‘physical power’, found in Dacian language in names like Balius, Decebalus; in modern languages we find: Romanian bală, ‘monster, fierce beast’, Albanian bollë, ‘snake’, Serbian. blavor, ‘snake’, but also ala in Serbian or hala in Bulgarian, a female dragon, a creature closer to lamia.

The slaying of the dragon myth is generally interpreted as the symbolic victory of order over chaos, of growth over stagnation during the annual cycle, of rebirth over death. It is a myth that has to be recited and enacted

cyclically in order to maintain its magic force. According to Calvert Watkins the dragon represents the chaotic world and it must be subdued in order to restore order; this is interpreted as a sovereignty fight. As the obstructer of waters the dragon generates draughts, and the hero must fight with it in order to free the waters, and ensure an abundance of crops. This is considered a fertility myth, which must be re-enacted every spring.

In conclusion, by comparing the motifs that are common to the Indo-European versions of the myth and the Romanian ballad we find several common motifs such as: the hero fights the dragon, using a wooden club, which makes him heroic and recognizable, whether it is Thor’s ‘Crusher maul,” or Indra’s “whizzing club,” or Iovan’s “buzdugan,” the leitmotif of the ballad: “Iovan Iorgovan / Brat de buzdugan”; “Iovan Iorgovan / Wielder of the wooden club”; the dragon tries to discourage the hero from fighting by threatening the community with the consequences of his death, the fly that would kill horses and cattle, as in the most of the ancient Indo-European versions according to which something comes out from the dragon’s head, from his teeth, the Spartoi and the earthmen as in the Greek documents; or, from each of the Vrtra’s heads comes out in some versions a herd of cows, in other versions birds, or wives, as in the Iranian source. The difference is that in the ancient European versions the dragon’s head

produces an army of fighters, and in the Romanian ballad an army of aggressive and dangerous horseflies; the Romanian hero rebuffs the dragon by acquainting it that he will teach people how to fight the flies, thereby taking up the leadership role of a sovereign, imparting the divine instruction to people. In the Romanian ballad the hero’s fight with the dragon does not free the waters explicitly, but the hero has to cross the Cerna river, as Herakles had to cross the western Ocean, or Indra had to cross ninety-nine streams. The fragment relating the magic offerings to the Cerna River conveys information about certain consecrating rituals at the river crossings, particularly since in most of the ancient myths such crossings of waters symbolize entering into a magic world. The Romanian ballad retains the main motif of the ancient myth, that of the hero, Iovan Iorgovan, the godlike presence, strong, powerful and young.

BIBLIOGRAFIE

Mircea Eliade, The Encyclopedia of Religion, Ed., New York, 1987.

Vrabie, Gheorghe. Romanian Popular Ballad, Bucharest, 1966.

Romanian Popular Ballads; Stelian Carstean anthology. Bucharest, 1997

Watkins, Calvert: How to Kill a Dragon; Aspects of I-E Poetics, Oxford U. P., New York, 1995.

West, M. L. Indo-European Poetry and Myth, Oxford U. P. 2007

Kerenyi, C. The Heroes of the Greeks, Thames & Hudson, 1952; reprinted, 1997

Noolen, Lars. Animal Symbolism in Celtic Mythology, paper presented at the Univ. of Michigan, 1992.

Bailey, James and Ivanova, Tatyana. An Anthology of Russian Folk Epics. M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Armonk, New York, 1998.

Saineanu, Lazar. Romanian Fairy-Tales, Bucharest, 1978

Dundzila, A. V. Maiden, Mother, Crone: Goddesses from Prehistory to European Mythology and their Re-emergence in German, Lithuanian, and Latvian, Wisconsin, 1991

Dumezil, Georges. The Destiny of the Warrior, Chicago, 1970

Propp, Vladimir. Rădăcinile istorice ale basmului fantastic, Univers, Bucharest, 1973

Emile Benveniste & L. Renou: Vrtra et Vr(th)ragna; etude de mythologie indo-iranienne; Cahiers de la Societe asiatique, III, Paris, 1934.

Andreea Rotaru

Romania

Dacians – Myths

Being very old, the mythology of the Dacians is born from the desire of the humans to find their place in the world. It contains very few moralizing motifs and doesn't have a manipulator function. Even the moralizing function is meant to protect the nature that men tried to be in balance with, and doesn't contain social elements like the more recent mythologies do. As an example, the symbols and representations that the Dacian mythology contains do not try to create a doctrine of submission to some political leaders and there's no desire to impose any kind of subconscious order or respect for a certain social class. The myths of the Dacians are closely related to their way of life. The harsh living conditions of the mountain areas, the loneliness and wilderness of the geography lead to a set of myths related to the primary elements of the nature. Weather, long distances and the threat of the wilderness are an important part of this mythology and of the dacian magic practices. The dacian rituals and magic were performed by both men and women, but there was a distinction in roles between the two sexes. The men could become wizards that controlled the primary forces of the nature, a kind of guardians of the world and the nation, while the witches took care of enchantments, fertility

and relations between people. In “Getica”, the player will find spells based on real incantations and magic formulas, as they were taken from the folklore. The ancestral myths have been altered by the adoption of Christianise as the official religion. Like in any other assimilation process, the Christians have integrated the local beliefs into their own system, but gave the old myths a negative, malefic value, in order to turn the people away from them. The Christian priests do not deny the ancient rituals, but rather they describe them as satanic manifestations, which is more effective than saying they are inventions or superstitions. The myths that form the basis of the Getica world have been found in this altered form, but we carefully removed the parts that can be easily recognized as Christian additions, in order to present the original form of the dacian beliefs.

Nicoleta Ilie

Romania

The Eagle myth

The myth of the Eagle (or the "Zgrimintes") is one of

the original and special creations of the dacian

mythology, which was later transposed in the

romanian mythology as well. The origins of the eagle's

image can be traced back to the ascetic practices of the

ancient dacians, to the priest castes, the early initiates.

Only those children born with the placenta on their

head or the seventh son of the seventh son may

become a hultan. Some of this special children are

stolen by the old hultans when they are still young, and

taken to the school in "Crugul Pamantului", where they

are trained until the age of 20. "Crugul Pamantului" can

be translated as "the middle of the Earth", but not

necessarily "the centre of the Earth", but rather "the

origin of the Earth", as in the expression "raised in the

middle of the wolves". The folk in some zones in

Romania still believe that children born with the

placenta on their head are meant to know the secrets

of the weather, while in other zones people think that

these children will become “strigoi”, i.e. will be able to

travel outside their body.

After completing their magic training, the eagles

become the protectors of the mountain roads, masters

of the air and the weather. They live a lonely life,

isolated somewhere in the "guts of the mountains". In

order to practice their magic, the eagles have to take -

among others - a very strict chastity oath; merely

falling in love with a woman is enough to cause them

to lose their powers. At times known only to them,

these wizards come down from the top of the

mountains and wander through the villages, disguised

as beggars, putting men's hearts to a test. Whatever

they receive as charity they throw on running water, as

offerings for "the other World". When people are

mean or when they hurt that which the eagles protect,

the wizards unleash rain and hail upon their lands.

Since Christianise was adopted as the official

religion, the myth of the eagles was altered. The

Christians called them "solomonars", a name coming

from the king Solomon (renowned for his wisdom),

but, as it happens in any assimilation process, they

turned the eagle into an evil figure, in order to drive

people away from the old beliefs. At the same time,

Christianity produced a new character, called the anti-

solomonar, meant to defend the people against the

eagle; the eagle suddenly became a tyrant, threatening

to destroy the villagers' crops if he doesn't receive

proper payment. In “Getica”, we tried to filter the

Christian elements and show the true image of the

hultan, before the alteration.

The eagle is directly associated with the image of the

dragon; the Getaes called the dragon “balaur”. In order

to fly through the clouds, a hultan must summon a

dragon and ride it. While riding the dragon or walking

on clouds, the wizard is invisible to men's eyes, being

visible only to other mages. Calling the dragon is an

essential ritual for the eagle; the legend says that the

dragons live in bottomless mountain lakes, and in

order to ride one, the initiate must break the lake's ice

with an enchanted axe and put a rein made of birch

wood onto the dragon's neck. This is why the eagle

never parts with his enchanted axe, his birch rein and

his spell book.

Giuliano Isa Zamolo

Romania

The wolf and hind myth

Our nations history is rich and blessed , there are always a bunch of legends, myths and stories, a source of knowledge but because, along with documents and archaeological discoveries of great significance, scraps of Herodotus, Strabo, Homer and Ovidius ... strengthen through this treasure of divine blend of truth and legend, the reality of myth, beliefs and conclusions of the undeniable continuity and roots of our people in these places, considered to be holy, to be protected by Zamolxis Sacred Earth, the God of the Dacians God of Light, also known as God Mosh, Nevada god, god of the rocks. Myth 'Wolf and Hind "said the beast ancestor, was a lone gray wolf, which came down from heaven and was united with a deer, a doe appears. According to this myth, Dacia was born under the sign of the wolf, so it was destined for defensive wars, invasions and immigrations, cultivation of mystery and reverence. Since ancient times, the Dacians were known as "wolves of the Danube", "wolf warriors of light", "the wolf country", "beasts", "wolf children." Strabo says that in the past is ancient Dacian "you" (the woman if she was daie) or "DAV", meaning "wolf" or "those who are like wolves." In fact, the entire nation was represented by symbols Thracian characteristic, they are "surging" in Religion and Religion Deer Wolf, also appeared in cult Hind holy faith.

It is known as the Dacians have faith that they are immortal, they having no fear of death, smiling face death, they were known as "immortal wolves and wolf myth and the myth of the deer, the deer sacred, the myth of eternal life, rebirth, immortality myth Dacians expanded spectrum since ancient times worldwide. The whole "world" of the Dacians is tied to symbols, they strengthen your faith in connection with divinity, thus shaping the idea that they are protected by divinity, by the very fact that there is something in the divine covenant with His chosen people. Many manuscripts, documents, notes, evidence brought to light by archeologists, reinforce the confession. A banner is the undisputed symbol of the Dacians, dragons, around which the warriors gathered in case of danger, before they turn to fight, and that was worn by knights twins. Along dragons, there were caul, flags Dacians. Dragons or dragon, dragon Dacians was a wolf's head with open mouth, the body of a snake with wings and neck who had stuck a thorn, and the slightest breath of wind that dragons 'driving out' sounds scary sharp, though coming from another world. This was frightening for dragons enemies, was the voice of caves and cliffs, and the synthesis of wolf and snake has the attributes of strength and pride, fear imposed by dragons Dacian warriors and respect ... that is why the battle cry against the Dacians and the occurrence of these dragons , install a sense of fear and respect required, indescribable, if we accept as "beasts" on Dacian warriors. Geto-Dacians were

renowned warriors everywhere admired for their courage and fearless, for lack of fear in the face of death, the determination to learn and be instructed to fight, their daring and skill with wielding weapons (bow, arrow), discipline who gave evidence, but were especially admired for studying ancestral battle cry, shout that instilled fear. There are not enough documents and evidence, but more distant from the notes, it seems that Dacia emblem, and most likely this dragons but cauls, three were in their chromatic colors, the rainbow is a symbol of the covenant and the connection with divinity, and these three colors in the master plan was because they had faith symbols defined in the Dacians, as follows: red represent morning, afternoon, yellow and blue signifies significance was dusk. It is said that when he offered Burebista Dacian banner ready to fight should be uttered these words: "To hit the enemy with the power of wolf fangs, get the snake and strain among juveniles, to go over them like a bird in flight. The flag that will be with him in the-flag fight will lift him above the cliff cities, to see him far away from those who believe that race is not afraid of wolves. "The proof of the wisdom of the ancient Dacian fortresses testify and traces of Dacian, built on hills, or other raised the exhortations grow to be the second front, setting, because, they say that everything would be commanded Burebista great masters of raising Only the cities telling them: "Let them pick the most high

places, who knows where that comes danger and his mother to provide the victory." Here we have ruled the Dacians and the gift of watch, to be Cautious. Why do we believe about the divinity of the Dacians, the wolf has remained Dacians strength and courage, strength, and doe, gave Dacians gentleness and mercy and kindness. They were invited to feast on human and foreigners, but were attacked if they became beasts, beasts while defending their cities and nation. I recently browsed the oldest collection of historical and magazine store with great excitement I read the notes and speeches of Dio Chrisostamus a "world traveler in Dacia, and was impressed by" the land of the Dacians or missiles as Homer calls them .. "Geto-Dacians and seeing that they have met with fortitude, which places left, here:" ... I came eager to see some people fighting for domination and power, and others for freedom and homeland and I have gone from no danger made me reluctant ... and I returned to us, always thinking that the Zeist are above and more useful than human, no matter how meaningful it would be. "he also says with admiration "... you could see everywhere swords, breastplates, spears, all places are full of horses, weapons and armed men in the midst of these special people, I may present myself indifferent, spectator .. Peacefully." One thing is for sure, Dacians wolves hunted in a while and no deer and no doe, because they had faith in Religion wolf, the wolf as their strength and power was given to the deity, and faith in the Holy Religion Hind,

doe is about heaven, symbol of love and kindness. And beautiful legend says that the union and love between the Beast and Wolf would have been born Holly Hind Dacia and why she is immortal, for, and shall protect and guard Zamolxis, cyclic, it's time for rebirth.

Ovidiu Roșca Romania

Mythology in Ancient Cantabria Comenius Project : Between Religions and Ethics: a common ground This paper is based upon some presentation made by two students of 4ºC under History and Cultures of Religions in the Santa Clara High School , Santander City – Cantabria, SPAIN, 2010, November Rocío Rodríguez made a general introduction to the meaning of Myths in different cultures. She tried to find if there are inside Myths a key to religions or not nd if so, how they interconnect. Claudia Benito made the schematic relations and connections between myths, legends, religious beliefs and we tried to make some comparative regarding other similar myths, such as we can find in Scandinavian mythologies, and Ancient Greek or Roman Myths between others

It seems that the native Cantabrian mythology connected, from the beginning and with the passing of the years, with Celtic and becoming partly related with legends and traditions from the rest of the Cantabrian Mountains. In most cases its deeper meaning, passed from parents to children through oral tradition, has been diluted, either because this meaning has been lost or because the classic writers didn't gather all the popular wealth and mentality of the time, paying attention only to cults and divinities that were similar to theirs. On the other hand, the Romanization and later incursion of Christianism transformed the sense and representation of these pagan rites, reaching in many cases religious syncretism. The fire cult has always been present in mythology Even so, Cantabrian people still conserve more apologues and legends with a great ritual or behavioural component than significant tales Divinities. Among the remains of myths that still persist as substrate in the Cantabrian tradition is the cult to great protective divinities, like the adoration to the Sun, as is evident in Cantabrian Steles, and in relation to the cult of the fire. Also, the Cantabrians worshiped a supreme divinity-father which in Roman time was associated with Jupiter and the cult to the Sun, and later with the Christian God Cantabrian stele of Barros.

Combined with the marked warlike disposition of the Cantabrians, appears a god of war, subsequently identified as the Roman Mars, to whom they offered sacrifices of male goats, horses, or large numbers of prisoners, as Strabo, Horace and Silius Italicus point out. These hecatombs were accompanied by the drinking of the still warm blood of the horses, as Horace mentions in regard to the concanos, and it will be, then, a true communion et laetum equino sanguine Concanum —Horace. Carm. III 4. v29-36 For the ancient Cantabrians these practices had a mystic origin thanks to the belief that these animals were sacred.In this sense, we can read the Spanish philosopher´s Gustavo Bueno book The Divine Animal, where a theory of religions proposes that we can find three stages in the streams of religions: the fisrt one should consider animals as the centre of all religious activities: these animals are numen, such as we could

see when watching the Paleolitic caves such as Altamira: those animals should be the first stage of religions “gods”: they are besides humans and they are not only able to kill them but also to become the human groups food allowing first humans to survive

Zurita Stela , Piélagos, Cantabria. This big stela which represents a horseman rider by his mount, and with the company of a child or maybe a page. Seeminlgy he wear a canid masque, supposedly a wolf.

At his feet a fallen warrior is eatened up by a vulture Apud Lorrio, A(1997):Los Celtíberos. Extra Complutuum 7. Ediciones de la Universidad Complutense, Madrid. Some link this ritual very closely with the variant of the Celtic solar god Mars and that these animals they represented his reincarnation.

The Human sacrifices among the northern peoples are also mentioned by Saint Martin of Braga and they will have the same value of redemption and prediction that for the rest of the Celts of Gaul, where they were very frequent. Then Strabo will tell that those who examined the prisoners' viscous, covering them with thin tunics, cut the right hand and consecrated it to the gods. The way to predict the future depended on the fall of the victim. Together with this war deity, appear the germinator mother-goddesses related to the Moon, remaining almost until the present time, when they have a clear influence in rural environments, evident in the phases of sowing and gathering of the crops. In the same way, the cult to a god of the sea was assimilated in Roman times through Neptune (a statuette of this deity, but with features of the original Cantabrian divinity, was found in Castro Urdiales)

The ancient Cantabrians believed in the immortality of the spirit. Thus they demonstrated in their funeral rites where cremation predominated, with the exception of those who died in combat, who had to rest in the battlefield until vultures opened their entrails to take their soul to Heaven and reunite in glory with their

ancestors. This practice is testified in the engravings of the Cantabrian Stele of Zurita. Sacrifice played a major role in the complex Cantabrian society in both its aspects: as a means to fulfill the divine will as well as the prevalence of abnegation to collectivity against the individual. Then, in a warring society, as the Cantabrian, immolation was not considered as primitive or barbarian but the strong determination required from the person to commit sacrifice gave it a great importance. That was the case of the devotion, a singular and extreme sacrifice practices by the Cantabrians in which the warring communities joined their destiny to that of their leader. The German historian Schulte told about how Cantabrians did not ever lose their freedom against Romans, and they preferred to die than becoming slaves. Telluric and arboreal mythology We can make a comparison between Cantabria and Scandinavian lands, because we have high mountains and a high rocked coast line and many rivers and valleys where many different tribes practiced hunting of wild bears and by the Sea fishing was so ancient activity as the Palaeolithic periods as shown by excavations. That could explain the reason why we have many similarities to the Norwegian and Swedish Myths in telluric and wild life inhabitants in those deep woods.

Torre Bermeja (2.400 m) and Peña Santa (Sacred Mount) (2.596 m),in Picos de Europa. At the same time, a terrene mythology of adoration to Gaia, the Mother Earth, exists through the divinization of animals, trees, mountains and waters like elementary spirits. Beliefs, on the other hand, common to all the people who received Celtic influences. Places like Pico Dobra, in the valley of Besaya ( by Besaya River), have given evidence of their sacred condition since pre-Roman times through the altar dedicated to the Cantabrian God Erudinus, dated on the year 399, which demonstrates that these rites extended beyond the instauration of Christianity in the Roman Empire as official religion. In the same way toponyms like Peña Sagra ("Sacred Mount"), Peña Santa ("Saint Mount"), Mozagro(Montem sacrum = Sacred Mount) or Montehano (montem fanum = Mount of the Sanctuary) indicate that they have been considered sacred places from the most remote antiquity. Also divinized were the rivers and water bodies. At the Mount Cildá appeared an area dedicated to the mother goddess Mater Deva, known though the Celtic world and personified in the Deva river. At Otañes it was found a patera dedicated to the nymph of a fountain with medicinal properties Pliny the Elder mentions the existence in Cantabria of one of the intermittent fountains - the Fuentes Tamáricas - adored by the Cantabrians and that had a

prophetic value and that corresponded to the current Velilla del Río Carrión. Suetonius, in a story about the life of Galba, points uut as a symbol of good devination having found, during his stay at Cantabria, 12 axes in a lake. There were, without any doubt ex-votos left there following their tradition (which is also found in other European peoples), which suggests a cult to the lakes The offerings to the waters of stips, or bronze coins of low value, as well as other pieces of higher value, as denari, aurei and solidi, its manifested in the presence of some of those pieces at La Hermida, Peña Cutral, Alceda and at the Híjar river.

Yew berries. This mythical tree may be the most representative of Cantabria and has often been planted with remarkable buildings. There is a little village named as this sacred tree of Cantabria. It is El Tejo (the yew berry), near of Comillas village and the Oyambre beach and La Rabia estuary. At the same time, the forest were also divinized, a cult with clear Celtic influences through an arboreal mythology. Some species of trees were specially respected; the yew and the oak. The former is the most emblematic and symbolic species of Cantabria and it was venerated by Cantabrians in antiquity, being part of some of their rituals. We know by the accounts of Silius, Florus, Pliny and Isidore of Seville, that Cantabrians committed suicide with poison they got from the leaves of this tree, but they preferred death rather than slavery. It's usual to find them at the town squares, at cemeteries, churches, chapels, palaces and big houses because of being considered a witness tree, which has allowed them to perpetuate that halo of mystery and sanctity that surrounds everything related with this species. Oak trees were for some of our recently died grandfathers a symbol of protection as much in life as in the ethernity of life of human souls, so many little cemeteries had a big oak at the main entrance surroundings The oak is the Celtic tree by excellence maybe because it is the most sacred species for the druids, from which they recollected the muérdago. It is a species that

carries lots of folkloristic, symbolic and magic meanings in Cantabria, it was frequent to use it as "Maypole", the pole that presides the festivities in some towns, around which the people dance to celebrate the rebirth of the vegetal life. The Oak symbolized the union between the sky and the earth, image that gave them the position as axis of the world. They tend to attract lightning, so it played a preponderant role in the ceremonies to attract the rain and the fire in all Europe.

Oaks, beeches, holly oaks and yews were used as a place of tribal meetings for many generations where religious and secular laws were taught. Until recent times it was usual to celebrate open meetings under centennial trees (the meetings of Trasmiera got together at Hoz de Anero, Ribamontán al Monte, under a great holly oak that still stands). In some villages after Christian development, an ancient ritual related to the beech grove was celebrated under the name of La Virgen del Hayedo,

and people get disguised as of trees, animals, phantoms...

Here are some images of villages in Cantabria containing animals or trees inside, as much as the symbol of the sun. Significative dates As in other peoples, in Cantabria there were dates that have been appropriated since antiquity for rituals and legends, days that are charged with dark or ancient meanings. For this reason during the summer solstice, the "night is magic". Tradition says, in all different variants, that the Caballucos del Diablo (Damselflies, literally "Devil's little horses") and the witches loose their powers after dusk and the curanderos gain control over them; plants as the four-leaf clover, the fruit of the elder berry, the leaves of the willow, the common Jupiter or the tree heath among others cure and bring happiness if they are collected at dawn.

Around Christmas (winter solstice) there were ritual ceremonies, remains of ancient cults to the tree, the fire and the water. Around those dates the sources of the rivers and the balconies were dressed with flowers and people danced and jumped over the fire. These ceremonies are connected to some kind of common annual dinner named magosta, which still is celebrated in Cantabria : La Magosta, in a big fire people jumping through fire and singing like in any other cultures ritual dinners, everybody eats chestnuts taken from the many chestnuts groves around Cantabrian fields and mountains

Also important were specific moments of the day, mostly the twilight. Ancient Cantabrians talked about the "Sun of the Dead", referring to the last part of the day when the Sun was still visible and that they believed was sent by the dead. They believed that it marquees the moment in which the dead came back to life and several author have related it with the solar cult

Mythological creatures

Cantabrian people have not only telluric and natural divinities, but also fabulous beings with different aspects that people feared or adored and have legends and histories on their own. There are many of them in Cantabrian mythology, yet the most important are: The Ojáncanu. The sorrow of Cantabria, this creature embodies the evil among the Cantabrians and represents the cruelty and the brutality. This giant cyclops is the Cantabrian version of the Greek Polyphemus that appears in other Indoeuropean Mythologies

The Ojáncana or Juáncana. Wife of the former, is even more ruthless as children are counted among her victims. The Anjana. Is the antithesis of the Ojáncano and the Ojáncana.

Good and generous fairy, she protects honest people, the lovers and those who get lost in the woods or roads. The Esteru. This is a Christmas character, he is a lumberjack that lives alone in the forest and makes toys to give them away in Christmas throughout Cantabria. The goblins. This is a large group of little mythological creatures, most of them mischievous. There are two groups among them: a) the domestic goblins, those who live in or around houses as Trasgu and Trastolillo b) and the forest goblins, as Trenti and Tentirujo. There are other fabulous beings that populate the mythological pantheon of Cantabria, as the Ventolín.

the Caballucos del Diablo

the Nuberu the Musgosu the Culebre

the Ramidreju Or beautiful legends such as that of the Sirenuca

("Little Mermaid"), a beautiful but disobedient and spoiled lady with a fancy for climbing the most dangerous cliffs of Castro Urdiales to sing with the waves and was, therefore, transformed into an ephydriad. Or that of the Fish-man, a man from Liérganes who loved to swim and that got lost at the

Miera river, being finally found at the Bay of Cádiz, transformed into a strange aquatic

Being Cantabrian mythology nowadays

Foggy forest of oaks in Cantabria. In the lushness of these forests Cantabrian mythology locates to spirits and mythologycal beings, trying to give answers to the fear of the unknown.. All these beings and legends prove the mystical mentality of a time, that was required in order to satisfy the Cantabrians needs to express their fears and to be able to enter into the hard and sometimes hostile and dangerous surrounding environment. Even today there are Cantabrians that worship the Anjanas, not being replaced by saints or virgins, as they still consider that some gifts are granted by these good fairies of the mountains, and even today the Ojáncano is used to scare the children when they are mischievous. But this world of meanings and values has become diluted little by little with the advance of the

modernity and time, giving place to new urban legends and forgetting the old deities. It is until now that Cantabrian mythology has attracted the interest of scholars, especially after the publishing of the recompilation made by the writer Manuel Llano Merino (1898– 1938) throughout his work, enriched with oral tradition, and several other writers like Adriano García-Lomas. References 1. Julio Caro Baroja suggests the possibility of the existence of an equestrian deity among Hispanian Celts similar to that of the otherEuropean Celts 2. At Numantia ( Actually Soria ), these representations of the horse-god are decorated with solar signs. It is interesting to remember that Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra(1547-1616), author of the famous book Don Quijote de la Mancha wrote a dramatic tragedy theatre piece under the name The destruction of Numancia and here we can find many references to the ancient belivings of peoples in pre Roman times, and their moral and religious values 3. A. Schulten. Los cántabros y astures y su guerra con Roma. Madrid. 1943 4. The leaves of the yews and its seed, present in its red berries, contain a very toxic alkaloid, the taxine, that provokes hypotension and cardiac arrests if consumed. 5. It's worth to mention the presence of millenary yews as the one that exists next to the pre-Roman church of Saint Mary of Lebeña and under which the town

councils took place. This tree, present in the Inventory of Singular Trees of Cantabria, has been severely damaged by a recent gale. 6. Beings similar to the Ojáncanu or the Ojáncana are found in other pantheons such as the Extremenian mithology (the Jáncanu or Pelujáncanu and the Jáncanas, where is also evident the similar denominations in Asturias or the Basque mithology (Tartalo or Torto, among others.) BIBLIOGRAPHY Mitos y Leyendas de Cantabria. Santander 2001. Llano Merino, M.. Ed. Librería Estvdio. ISBN 84-95742-01-2 Los Cántabros. Santander 1983. González Echegaray, J.. Ed. Librería Estvdio. ISBN 84-87934-23-4 Gran Enciclopedia de Cantabria. Santander 1985 (8 tomos) y 2002 (tomos IX, X y XI). Various. Editorial Cantabria S.A.ISBN 84-86420-00-8 Mitología y Supersticiones de Cantabria. Santander 1993. Adriano García-Lomas. Ed. Librería Estvdio. ISBN 84-87934-87-0

Dochia

Dochia symbolizes one of the oldest Romanian myths.

There are two legends related to this myth.

One of them is related to Traian and Dochia. It is said

that Dochia was the daughter of the dacian king,

Decebal, with whom Traian, the Roman Emperor fell in

love. Being followed by Traian's army, she hides on the

holy mountain, Ceahlau, with the sheeps. Mary, mom

of god, helps Dochia and turns her and the sheeps into

a rock complex.

Another legend says that Dochia had a son, Dragobete,

who got married against her will. In order to tease her

daughter in law, in a cold winter day, Dochia gave her a

ball of black wool and told her to go to the river and

wash it, and not come back until the wool becomes

white. The girl tried to wash it, but even though her

fingers began to bleed, the wool remained black. In

desperation because she couldn't return back to her

beloved husband, she started to cry. Impressed, Jesus

Christ came to her and gave her a red flower, telling

her to wash the wool with it. After thanking him, the

girl put the flower in the river and noticed that the

black ball has turned white. Happy that she had

succeed in doing this hard job, she headed home, but

she wasn't welcomed by her mother in law, because

she thought that Martisor (this is what the girl called

him, because she didn't recognize Jesus) was her lover.

After this, Dochia started to head with her sheeps to

the mountain, being sure that the spring has came,

otherwise how could Martisor have the flower? During

the trip, she removed her coats one by one, all twelve

of them, until none remained. But the weather had

changed. As hot as it was at the beginning of the day,

as cold it was then. It was snowing and everything

started to freeze. Dochia freezed with her sheeps,

turning, according to the legend, into a rock. The rocks

can be seen nowadays on the Ceahlau Mountain and

they are a testimony to this myth.

Denisa Ungureanu

Romania

Călușul

The Căluşari were the members of a romanian fraternal secret society who practiced a ritual acrobatic dance known as the căluş. According to the Romanian historian Mircea Eliade, the Calusari were known for "their ability to create the impression of flying in the air”which he believed represented both the galloping of a horse and the dancing of the fairies (zine). Indeed, the group’s patron was the "Queen of the Fairies" (Doamna Zianelor), who was also known as Irodiada and Arada, and who Eliade connected with the folkloric figure Diana

Due to their connection with the fairies, the Calusari were believed to be able to cure the victims of fairies and for around two weeks - from three weeks after Easter till Whitsunday - would travel to all the local communities where they would dance, accompanied by a few fiddlers, in order to do so.In their dance, the Căluşari carried clubs and a sword, as well as a flag and a wooden horsehead. They swore on the group’s flag to treat each other as brothers, to respect the customs of the Calusari and to remain chaste for the next nine days. Upon their return home, their flag was fixed into the ground, with one member climbing up in and crying out "war, dear ones, war!".

The origins of the Calusari are unknown, although the first written attestations are from the 17th century musical notations of Ioan Căianu. Eliade noted that "Although the oath taken is made in the name of God, the mythico-ritual scenario enacted by the calusari has nothing in common with Christianity" and that, in the 19th century at least, there was clerical opposition to the group, with its members being excluded from taking communion for three years in some regions.The Romanian historian of religion Mircea Eliade believed that the term Căluşari originated with the Romanian word for horse, cal, from the Latin caballus.

The generally accepted derivation of Căluş is from the old Latin double form "collusium, collusii", meaning both "a dance group" and "a secret society", however other derivations have been proposed. The Romanian word căluş also means "a small piece of wood placed in the mouth to prevent talking", and derivation from this word has some support from the presence of the mute figure in some groups, and the ritual silence that used to be observed by the entire group. Others see căluş as a diminutive of cal "horse", in turn derived from the Latin caballus, and point to the horse's mythical associations with fertility and war, as well as the imitation of horses found in certain Căluş dances, although these dances do not currently play a principal role in the ritual. Another theory is that it derives from "Coli-Salii", the Roman priests dedicated to the worship of Mars.

The căluş is a male group dance, although there are records of traditions from Oltenia region that included 1-2 young girls, now obsolete.

Dancers wear white trousers and white tunics, with brightly coloured ribbons streaming from their hats. Bells are attached to their ankles, and dances include the use of sticks held upright whilst dancing, or pointing at the ground as a prop.

Like many morris dances, in many traditions căluşari dancers include a fool, known as the "nebun", or "mute".

The dance includes the following elements.

The starting figure of walking (plimbări), or a basic step, in a circle moving counter clockwise.

More complex figures (mişcare) performed in place between walking steps.

Figures are formed from combinations of elements, often have a beginning-middle-end structure.

Radu Badea

Romania

Dragobete

Dragobete's story dates from dacians time, and he is

the mythological divinity related to the well-known

Cupidon, the Valentine's day hero. Dragobete is known

to officiate all the animal's weddings. As the time pass,

romanians transformed Dragobete in the master of

love. Dragobete was a outstanding, beautiful son,

known for his ability to steal virgin’s and young married

women's minds. Because of this, of his passionate

character, Virgin Mary punished him and transformed

him into the plant which gate his name.

It is believed that on the Dragobete's day, the birds talk

into their language, looking for their perfect match for

mating, and then the birds are starting to build their

own home ( nest ) .Unmated birds, will remain like this

till next year, when Dragobete is approaching. It is said

that this is the reason that teenagers are meeting in

this day, to make their love like the birds one: united

and safe.

Giuliano Isa Zamolo

Romania

A brave young boy released

the Sun

A myth tells how the sun descended on Earth in the

form of marvelous girl. But a dragon stole her and

locked her in his palace. When the birds stopped

singing, children stop playing , and the world has fallen

into distress Seeing what happens without the Sun, a

brave young boy went to the palace to deliver

marvelous girl. He search for the palace for an year,

and when he found it, he called the dragon to a fight.

The young boy killed the monster and liberated the

girl. The Sun was built back in the sky and lit up the

entire earth again. It's spring, people have regained

joy, but the young fighter kite lying in the palace after

it was seeing heavy fighting. Warm blood was drained

in the snow, until the couple left breathless. In places

where snow has melted, sprang snowdrops - heralds of

spring. They say that when people honor the memory

of brave young man with a thread linking the two

flowers: one white, another red. The beautiful red

color symbolizes love and courage reminds young and

the white is the snowdrop, the first flower of spring.

Muhammad Ali Karimmi

Romania

Baba Marta or March

Grandma

The month of March, according to Bulgarian folklore, marks the beginning of springtime. Therefore, the first day of March is a traditional holiday associated with sending off winter and welcoming spring. In Bulgaria, "mart" is the word for March and "baba" means grandma. The mythical character of Baba Marta personifies the spring, the sun that can easily burn the fair skin of people's faces. According to the national belief Baba Marta is a grumpy old lady whose mood is unpredictable. The common belief is that by wearing the red and white colours of the martenitsa people ask

Baba Marta for mercy. They hope that it will make winter pass faster and bring spring. Baba Marta is a pagan tradition. Pagans worldwide celebrated the coming of the spring each year, thousands of years before Christ's birth. Spring was renowned as a time of renewal and fertility representing new life and a fresh start after the cold winter. Martenitsa is usually worn pinned on the clothes, near the collar, or tied around the wrist. The tradition calls for wearing the martenitsa until the person sees a stork or a blooming tree.

Hristo Itzov

Bulgaria

Mucenicii On March 9th, in Romania is celebrated the day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (Locally known as Mucenici). Now let's take a short look into the pages of history. The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste or the Holy Forty were a group of Roman soldiers in the Legio XII Fulminata (Armed with Lightning), who have become martyrs for their Christian faith in 320. They were killed near Sebaste, in Lesser Armenia, victims of the persecutions of Licinius, who, after the year 316, persecuted the Christians of the East. According to bishop Basil of Caesarea, forty soldiers who had openly confessed themselves Christians were condemned by the prefect to be exposed naked upon a frozen pond near Sebaste on a bitterly cold night, that they might freeze to death. Among the confessors, one yielded and, leaving his companions, sought the warm baths near the lake which had been prepared for any who might prove inconstant. One of the guards set to keep watch over the martyrs be held at this moment a supernatural brilliancy overshadowing them and at once proclaimed himself a Christian, and placed himself beside the thirty-nine soldiers of Christ. Thus the number of forty remained complete. At daybreak, the stiffened bodies of the confessors, which still showed signs of life, were burned and the ashes cast into a river. This celebration overlaid the start of the

agricultural year and it generated a traditional holiday. During this day house cleaning is a must, the unnecessary objects and the garbage are burned, but only with fire brought from the house, so that the warmth of the family invade the nature too. Also, during this day, the Gates of Heaven are opened and numerous rituals are performed so that warm weather may come. Some believe that the Martyrs were drowned and flowers rose to the surface. As a result, some desserts are made in the figure 8 to look like garlands. Others believe that the figure 8 denotes a stylized human form of the martyrs themselves. In the Muntenia and Dobrogea regions of Romania, the dough is smaller and cooked in water with sugar, cinnamon and crushed nuts, symbolizing the lake where the Martyrs were cast. Horia Popescu Romania

First is about fire-dancers.This is a custom that can

be seen only in some villages between Strandzha and

the Black Sea, around Bourgas. It is observed on the

holiday of St.Konstantin and Elena , and sometimes on

some of the local village fairs and the church/patron

saint's days. A basic element of the custom is the dance

in fire ( glowing embers). The whole village takes part

in the celebration but it is only the fire-dancers that

participate in the ritual dance. They are chosen by the

saint who is patron of the holiday. The dancers are able

to "see" his face, to "hear" his voice and his spirit is

transferred in them and on his behalf they can

interpret omens , give advices and scorn people.

Fire-dancing is inherited. Only the head fire-dancer is

the one to pass the strength and inspiration to the

other fire-dancers. Head fire-dancer could become

only the son or the daughter of the present one and

only if he is either too old or after he has passed away.

The head fire-dancer house is s sacred one because

there is the so called "stolnina" or "konak"/"rasting

place",which is a very small chapel where the icons of

st.Konstantin and Elena are kept as well as those of the

the Virgin Mary , st.George , st.Pantaleimon , and some

wood-cuts from the Holy Sepulcher and red pieces of

cloth decorated with a sun. There is also the sacred

drum which sets the beat of the dance. It is also

believed that the drum has magical powers and it can

sure the one who carries it if he happens to be ill. This

drum is not to be used in any other case.

On the very day of the holiday after the service in the

church, the people make their way to the "konak" led

by the head fire-dancer and the priest. There the head

fire-dancer censes the icons and the other fire-dancers

and passes to them the spiritual strength and

inspiration of St.Konstantin. They start beating the

drum and play a special fire-dancing song on a pipe.

Some of the fire-dancers get "caught" (a state of

religious trance) and start dancing with the saint's icon

in their hands. After that everyone sets off for the

spring which bears the name of the saint and there

they set up a big feast with prepared at home boiled

mutton. After sunset they all return to the central

square where they build up a big fire around which

they play a horo to the accompaniment of the pipe and

the drum. When the fire goes out and turns into

glowing embers , the fire-dancers start dancing on

them. The fire-dancer dances bare-footed on the

embers and while he is dancing he may see and foretell

the future.

Second is about Laduvane.The Laduvane takes

place on the New Year's, St. George's day, Midsummer

and St. Lazar's day.

With this ritual the young girls foretell who the lad they

are going to marry will be and ask Lada, the goddess of

love and marriage to show them what he will be like.

On this day the girls bring water from the spring or the

well in a white cauldron. This water has different

names depending in the day in which the ritual is

performed - quiet, untouched or colorful. After they

bring the water the girls gather in a house and each of

them leaves her ring or a bunch of flowers with a ring

around them, or a bracelet in the cauldron. They leave

the cauldron under the roses or some other kinds of

flowers during the night under the stars. In the

morning one of the lasses or a young child dressed as a

bride takes the rings and the flowers out of the water

and the rest of the girls are singing short songs. They

sing about a fore-coming marriage, happiness in the

marriage, social status and qualities of the future

husband: "a ripe and over-ripe quince" (the girl will be

old when she gets married); "alone you are on a stone"

(she will marry an orphan); "a yellow veil gathers

splinters" (the girl will get married). Each girl takes

some oats from the cauldron and puts it under her

pillow. They believe that whoever the boy they dream

about that night is that will be the one they are going

to marry. Their health during the next year is foretold

by whether or not the water is freezing in the cauldron.

The celebration ends with a big horo.

And the third is about Kukeri.On New Year's

Eve and Zagovezni in Bulgaria special rituals called

Mummer's games take place. The Mummer's games

are performed by men only. They put on special masks

hand-made by each of the participants.

Most of the masks are constructed by wood. Different

colored threads are glued on it as well as pieces of

multicolored fabrics, mirrors and other shiny elements.

The masks representing a ram, a goat or a bull are

considered the strangest. Their necessary part of the

Mummer's games proves the thesis that the origin of

the mummer's games is connected to the ancient

Dionysius' games. The impact that the masked

mummers make gets even bigger by the sound of the

copper and bronze bells that hang on them.

Some of the masks have two faces. On one of the sides

the nose is snub and the face is good-humored and on

the other the nose is hooked and the face is ominous.

Those masks symbolize the good and the bad which

coexist in the world and are inevitable. A very

important thing for the symbolic of the masks is the

color of the decoration. The red is the most used one -

a symbol of the fertility of the reviving nature, of the

sun and the fire; the black color embodies the earth

and her goddess mother and the white is a symbol of

water and light

SANDY ANGELOVA

Bulgaria

Sânzienele / the Fairies

The custom of Fairies and its origins are lost deep

within the midst of time. This is a local habit who’s

original name was lost. We only managed to save the

roman name of Sanziana, which is actually related to

the name of Sancta Diana, and the slavonian one,

“Dragaica”. The English word for Sanziene is Fairies.

The celebration of the Sanziene (held on the 24th

of June, the day John the Baptizer was born) is related

to the cult of crop gathering, the cult of vegetation and

fertility and it holds a fascinating mixture of

Christianity, paganism and witchcraft. The Sanziene/

Fairies are also plants with yellow flowers with a

pleasant smell. They grow in fields and at the edge of

forests. Accompanied by music and the shouting of the

younger men, girls gather these flowers in bouquets

and knit them in circular shapes. These bouquets are

then brought to the village and are put behind doors

windows and balconies. The flowers are also being

spread amongst the vegetables in the garden because

it is believed that they will protect the owners and the

house it’s self from evil spirits and that they will also

bring luck prosperity and good health.

During the Fairies night, old women also go to

place known only by them to gather healing plants.

Most of these herbs are than sent to the church where

they are blessed and therefore are purified by the

negative influence of the “iele” (evil fairies who live in

the forests). Only then they will be safe to use for

healing. The Fairies were also considered by girls to be

a mean through whom they could find out who their

husband is going to be, and when will they get married.

Also, there is a custom that says that the bouquets that

were previously gathered by the girls should be thrown

over the house and if they remain there then soon

there shall be a wedding.

Another tradition says that before going to sleep,

in the night of the Fairies, girls should put under their

pillow one of the flowers she has gathered and she will

dream the man she will marry. During the same night,

right before sunrise, girls must go to the stables and

throw a bouquet at the cattle and if the flowers shall

get stuck in a young cow’s horns than the man she will

marry is going to be young. If not, the future husband

will be an old man.

During the same night, at sunset, young men meet

outside the village and set big fires around which they

sing songs about love and magic. The next day, girls

who soon shall be married dress up in white clothes

wearing yellow flowers behind their ears, and set a

traditional ring dance, to celebrate the upcoming

event.

Ovidiu Roșca

Romania

In Turkey

Bayram means Festival.

Eid al-Adha (“Kurban Bayramı”, i.e. “Sacrifice Bayram”), Dhu al-Hijjah 10-13

What is Eid al-Adha?

At the end of the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca), Muslims throughout the world celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). In 2010, Eid al-Adha will begin on November 16th, and will last for three days.

What does Eid al-Adha commemorate?

During the Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Abraham. The Qur’an describes Abraham as follows:

“Surely Abraham was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto a right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous.” (Qur’an 16:120-121)One of Abraham’s main trials was to face the command of Allah to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah’s will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his “sacrifice” had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord

superseded all others, that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God.

Why do Muslims sacrifice an animal on this day?

During the celebration of Eid al-Adha, Muslims commemorate and remember Abraham’s trials, by themselves slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat. This action is very often misunderstood by those outside the faith.

Allah has given us power over animals and allowed us to eat meat, but only if we pronounce His name at the solemn act of taking life. Muslims slaughter animals in the same way throughout the year. By saying the name of Allah at the time of slaughter, we are reminded that life is sacred.

The meat from the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha is mostly given away to others. One-third is eaten by immediate family and relatives, one-third is given away to friends, and one-third is donated to the poor. The act symbolizes our willingness to give up things that are of benefit to us or close to our hearts, in order to follow Allah’s commands. It also symbolizes our willingness to give up some of our own bounties, in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help those who are in need. We recognize that all blessings come from Allah, and we should open our hearts and share with others.

It is very important to understand that the sacrifice itself, as practiced by Muslims, has nothing to do with atoning for our sins or using the blood to wash ourselves from sin. This is a misunderstanding by those of previous generations: “It is not their meat or their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him.” (Qur’an 22:37)

The symbolism is in the attitude – a willingness to make sacrifices in our lives in order to stay on the Straight Path. Each of us makes small sacrifices, giving up things that are fun or important to us. A true Muslim, one who submits his or herself completely to the Lord, is willing to follow Allah’s commands completely and obediently. It is this strength of heart, purity in faith, and willing obedience that our Lord desires from us.

What else do Muslims do to celebrate the holiday?

On the first morning of Eid al-Adha, Muslims around the world attend morning prayers at their local mosques. Prayers are followed by visits with family and friends, and the exchange of greetings and gifts. At some point, members of the family will visit a local farm or otherwise will make arrangements for the slaughter of an animal. The meat is distributed during the days of the holiday or shortly thereafter.

Eid ul-Fitr (“Şeker Bayramı”, i.e. “Bayram of Sweets” or “Ramazan Bayramı”, i.e. “Ramadan Bayram”), Shawwal 1-3

Seker Bayram, or the “sugar festival,” is celebrated by Muslims at the end of Ramazan, the fasting month for Muslims. It lasts three and a half days. It is a national religious holiday in Turkey. Schools and government offices are closed during those days. It is traditional to wear new outfits during Bayram (meaning festival), so parents get new clothes for their children. Many children are excited about wearing their new clothes on the first day of the festival. The house is completely cleaned a few days before the festival.

The First Day: The first day of Seker Bayram is the most important. Everybody wakes up early and the men go to the mosque for the special Bayram prayer. After returning from the mosque, all of the family members dress up nicely, mostly with new clothes, and another important tradition is practiced: the Bayram visits.

Ramazan Visits: Young people visit their elders first. The other relatives, neighbors and friends are also visited. Due to those visits, the traffic is quite busy on the first day of the festival. Bayram visits are kept very short—ten to fifteen minutes. Mostly candies, chocolates, Turkish coffee and cold beverages are offered to visitors. People who cannot visit their friends and family members in other towns make telephone calls or send cards celebrating the festival. Children normally love Bayram visits and would like to visit as many elders as they can because it’s traditional for elders to give pocket money to the children. Children can easily collect pocket money for one

month. The best part for the children is that there is no restriction on how much they can spend and how they spend it. Therefore, amusement parks are set up in almost every town during the festival.

Ramazan Tipping: Kapicis (doormen or superintendents of apartment buildings), trash collectors, and Ramazan drummers often knock on doors during the Seker Bayram festival expecting gifts or tips.

Cemetery Visits: Another tradition practiced during the festival is visiting the graves of deceased family members. The visits to graveyards start one day prior to the festival and continue during the festival.

Gifts and Congratulations: If you visit your Turkish friends, a box of candy or chocolate would be the most appropriate gift to take. The phrase for wishing your Turkish friends’ a happy holiday is “Iyi Bayramlar” (ee-yee-by-rahm-lahr), which means literally “good festivals” or “I wish you a happy festival.”

Ramazan Names: Another tradition in Turkey is to give boys born during Bayram the name “Bayram,” just like giving the name “Ramazan” to boys born during Ramazan.

Another name for the festival is “Ramazan Bayrami.” In Arabic, the holiday is called “Id-ul Fitr.” The name “Seker Bayram” or “sugar festival” probably comes

from the tradition of exchanging sweets during the holiday.

Typically shops are closed on the first day of the festival, but they open up again on the second day. When you visit Turkish friends or encounter children during Seker Bayram, you’ll often see them kiss your hand and place it on their forehead as they bow to you. It’s a Turkish tradition for children to show respect for elders in that way. They put the back of your hand against their forehead to show you that you have a position “at the top of their head.” The correct response is to kiss the child on both cheeks as a sign of love and sympathy for them. You’ll then often see the children put out their hands afterward, expecting a bit of pocket change! It’s traditional to give the child a coin or some coins when they do that. The sincerity of the act they just performed is another question entirely!

Yunus Emre Yalçın ,

Enver Avcıoğlu ,

Ali Emre Öztürk

Yahya Turan Anadolu öğretmen lisesi

Similarities:

Romania - Bulgaria

Both countries celebrate the coming of Spring, on 1st

of March. In Bulgaria is called Martenitsa, while in

Romania is called Martisor.

In Bulgaria, Martenitsa is represented by a small piece

of adornment, made of white and red yarn and worn

from March 1 until around the end of March.

Martenitsi are always given as gifts. People never buy

martenitsi for themselves. They are given to loved

ones, friends, and those people whom one feels close

to. They are worn on clothing, or around the wrist or

neck, until the wearer sees a stork or swallow returning

from migration, or a blossoming tree, and then

removes the Martenitsa and hangs it on a blossoming

tree.

In Romania, Mărțișor, marţ and mărțiguș are all names

for the red and white string from which a small

decoration is tied, and which is offered by people on

the 1st day of March. The string can also be black and

white, or blue and white) Giving this talisman to people

is an old custom, and it is believed that the one who

wears the red and white string will be strong and

healthy for the year to come. It is also a symbol of the

coming spring. Usually, women wear it pinned to their

clothes for the first 12 days of the month, until other

spring celebrations, or until the bloom of certain fruit-

trees. In some regions, a gold or silver coin is hanged

from the string, which is worn around the neck. After

wearing it for a certain period of time, they buy red

wine and sweet cheese with the coin, according to a

belief that their faces would remain beautiful and

white as cheese, and rubicund as the red wine, for the

entire year.

LEGENDS :

Bulgaria : This is only one of the many legends, and

perhaps not even the best known one, attempting to

offer an explanation of how the tradition of creating

and wearing martenitsa started.

Khan Kubrat's (632–665) five sons went hunting

accompanied by their sister Huba. When they reached

the Danube river they saw a silver stag. Mesmerized,

the men did not dare shoot at it. The stag crossed over

to the opposite bank of the river showing them a ford.

A bird flew bringing them bad tidings. Their father, the

founder of Old Great Bulgaria was on his deathbed. In

his last hours Kubrat's last will was to tell his

offspring—Bayan, Kotrag, Asparukh, Kuber and

Altsek—not to sever the still tenuous link between the

different Bulgarian tribes. His sons vowed to defend

Bulgaria.

Soon after their father’s death, the Khazars invaded

the land. The Khazar's Khan Ashina conquered the

capital Phanagoria. Huba, Kubrat's daughter, was

captured by Ashina. Hoping to give her brothers a

chance to freedom, Huba attempted suicide but was

stopped by the guards.

Her brothers kept their vows in different ways. Bayan

stayed with his sister and recognized the supremacy of

the Khazars. Kotrag went northwards, to the River

Volga, while Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek went south to

search for a new land without oppressors.

The brothers who left secretly arranged with Huba and

Bayan to send word by a golden thread tied to the leg

of a dove if they were able to find a free land. One day

a falcon sent by Asparukh flew into Huba's room and

she and Bayan quickly made plans to escape. Just as

they were looking for a place to cross the Danube

River, Khazar pursuers spotted them and rushed

toward them. Trying to find a ford, Huba let the falcon

free. She tied a white thread to its leg and handed it to

her brother. Just as the bird was about to take off, an

enemy arrow pierced Bayan and his blood stained the

white thread.

While Huba and Bayan managed to reach the newly

discovered land by Asparukh (present-day Bulgaria),

they were both mortally wounded. Asparukh rushed to

the side of his dying brother and sister but he could not

save them. After their death he tore the pieces of

white-and-red blood stained yarn and adorned his

soldiers with them.

Romania :

The tradition of Mărţişor is very old, going back more

than 8 000 years ago, according to archaeological

research in Romania.

In ancient Rome, New Year's Eve was celebrated on

March 1st - 'Martius', as the month was called in the

honour of the god Mars. Mars was not only the god of

war but also an agricultural guardian, who ensured

nature's rebirth. Therefore, the red and white colours

of Mărţişor may be explained as colours of war and

peace

Romania - Spania

Both countries are celebrating, on 24th of June, the

Birth of John the Baptist.

Saint John the Baptist Day is celebrated in many

villages and towns in Spain. Many events take place on

the evening of June 23. People in Catalonia celebrate

Saint John the Baptist Day by:

Lighting bonfires, jumping over small fires

(correfocs) and setting off fireworks.

Writing wishes or sins on a piece of paper and

burning the paper.

Diving or bathing in dew, a stream, a river or the

sea.

Staying awake all night near a small fire.

Watching the sun rise on the morning of June 24.

Collecting and cooking with the herbs thyme,

rosemary and verbena.

In Western Christianity

The Nativity of St John the Baptist, though not a

widespread public holiday outside of Quebec, is a

high-ranking liturgical feast, kept in the Roman

Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran Churches. Since in

the Roman Rite it is celebrated since 1970 as a

Solemnity, in the 1962 form of that liturgical rite as a

feast of the first class and in still earlier forms as a

Double of the First Class with common Octave. It

takes precedence over a Sunday on which it happens

to fall. The Reformed and free churches give this

celebration less prominence.

The day of a Saint's death is usually celebrated as his

or her feast day, but Jesus himself and the Virgin

Mary and Saint John the Baptist, while not being

exceptions to this rule, have in addition a feast day

that celebrates their earthly birth. The reason is that

St. John was (Lk 1:15), like Jeremiah (Jer 1:5) and the

Blessed Virgin, purified from original sin before his

very birth, though not in the instant of conception as

in the latter case.

The feast of the Baptism of the Lord commemorates

John's baptism of Jesus.

In Eastern Christianity

In the Eastern Orthodox Church and other Eastern

Christian Churches, St John the Baptist is usually

called St John the Forerunner, a title used also in the

West ("Πρόδρομος" in Greek, "Precursor" in Latin).

This title indicates that the purpose of his ministry

was to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus

Christ. In the East also, the Feast of his Nativity is

celebrated on June 24. It is a major feast day and is

celebrated with an All-Night Vigil. It has an Afterfeast

of one day. The feast always falls during the

Apostles' Fast.

In Romania, on 24th of June, we also celebrate

Dragaica, while the Spanish people celebrates the

longest day of the year.

‘Sanzienele’ or 'Dragaica' is a Romanian tradition

with pre-christian roots which is celebrated on June

24 – which coincides with the Orthodox holiday Ioan

Botezatorul (St. John the Baptist). It is a midsummer

tradition which celebrates nature and fecundity.

Sanzienele are also called Dragaica in some regions

of the country (Muntenia, Oltenia). The word

“sanziene” is also used for a plant with golden

flowers, which are gathered into wreaths and placed

in the house (actually also thrown on the roof) to

protect the house and its inhabitants from evil

spirits. The legend goes that Fairies are young girls

who give their magical powers to flowers and herbs

during this period. During this time, young women

can find their destined one – if they put the Sanziene

flowers under their pillow during the night before

the holiday, they will dream their future husband,

the tradition goes.

The Fairies night (June 23rd to June 24th) is

considered a mystical moment, when the nature is at

it peak and displays its most vital force. The

traditional belief is that miracles can happen during

the Sanziene night, when the skies can open.

Dragaica is known as the Goddess of Agriculture,

tradition keeped since neo-lithic age, when

agriculture was discovered, and where the woman

had a very important role, being capable of an

unbelieveble patience, and watch a grass wire grow

up.

Remembering the deads

All the countries that participated at the project

meeting, have a holiday that celebrates the deads.

It's an ocasion to remember them, show our love

for them.

We celebrate it on Saturdays, and on Sundays we

go to the Church.