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The New Year begins, on January 1, with the feast of Saint Basil the Great, one of the most important fathers of the Orthodox Church and one of the greatest Christian theologians, considered “guardian of evil spirits”.
Popular tradition says that everything is renewed on New Year’s Eve, that is why it is good that people, on the first day of the year, think about it well, so that it goes well all year.
Popular legend has it that Saint Basil prayed to God to give him a day, and the Lord gave him the first day, the New Year. Blessed, Saint Basil took a bell, tied a sprig of basil to the mango and approached God to wish him good things. Why, of Saint Basil there is a custom of hating.
Who was saint basil
Saint Basil the Great lived between 330 and 379, during the reign of Emperor Constantine. Saint Basil was born in Caesarea of Cappadocia to wealthy and faithful parents, Emilia and Basil, his father being a teacher in the city.
A lover of science and gifted with books, Saint Basil enriched his knowledge by studying in the schools of Caesarea, Byzantium and Athens, and finally met Saint Gregory of the Nazis, with whom he formed a close friendship.
He was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Caesarea in 370, in difficult times for the church.
Among his writings of great theological importance, the place of honor is the “Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great.”
Saint Basil is the first hierarch to establish, in addition to the churches, nursing homes and hospitals for the poor, a leper colony and a prostitution recovery center.
He died on January 1, 379, when he was not yet 50 years old, entering Christian history as Saint Basil the Great.
Who has onomastics today?
The name Vasile it is widespread throughout the Christian world. It comes from the Greek “basileios”, which in turn means “king”, “emperor”, “basileu”. The Latins translated it through Basilius.
More than 530,000 Romanians celebrate their name day on Friday, the feast of Saint Basil the Great.
According to data from the Directorate of Personal Records, there are around 452,144 men and 80,619 women. The most common first name among men is Vasile, used by 431,390 people. The following derived names are also found: Sica / Sică – 382 people, Sile – 439, Silica / Silica – 227, Vasi – 120, Vasilica / Vasilică – 20,407. Among women, the most common is the name Vasilica: 77,469. There are also derivatives of the name: Sica – 862 people, Silica – 519, Vasi – 24, Vasila – 370, Vasilca – 1,375.
Sorcova, the most famous tradition of Saint Basil
As the years go by and on January 1, children often go from house to house with sorcova, to wish people wealth and health.
Sorcova was made, in the beginning, from one or more branches of fruit trees (apple, pear, cherry, plum) or rose, cut and put in water so that it would sprout and bloom on Saint Andrew’s Day (November 30) o Santa Nicolae (December 6). So, the sorcova, symbol of spring vegetation, began to be made of a twig with branches adorned with colored woolen threads, tinsel and a thread of basil on top. In Bucovina, sorcova also has a small bell attached.
Children seduce their parents and close relatives, then begin, two or three at a time, to Christmas carols to the neighbors. During the ugly, they rhythmically knock on the door or window, if they sing outside, or the hosts’ body, if they sing inside. After the Christmas carols, the sorcova is preserved during the year, as a sacred thing, hung on the east wall of the house, on the icon or in another clean place in the house.
Other customs of Saint Basil
At the same time, on the first day of the new year, the custom of singing Christmas carols with the head of a pig, adorned with ribbons and beads, is maintained in some areas, a tradition called “Christmas carol with vasilica “ (If you). Once the Christmas carols are over, the fog gathers in a pub to party. Then the carols are separated, untying the head and taking what they put, and from it they make a lunch, so that the custom is closed for that year.
Another custom is Unleashed of the year. Small groups or groups of boys unleash the year and fruit carols in the streets, and the noise they make with whips, horns or pots aims to remove the forces of evil: drought, wheat embers, insects and harmful animals for the harvest. The virgins also unleash weddings with an incantation: “Let’s free the coffins / Let’s marry the girls / Let’s walk, boys, / Be suitors.”
What is good to do on the first day of the year?
In order for the family to do well all year round and have a boost, it is customary for people to boil a pig’s head in the pot on New Year’s Day, because just as the pig is left alone before, the man also. to abundance.
Also on New Year’s Eve, on an empty stomach, each person must take in hand the tool with which they work during the year and manipulate it three times, in order to increase their work in the next year.
It is said that Saint Basil drinks a lot of wine, believing that as much as a man drinks on this day, he will have blood on his cheek during the year.
Weather forecast for San Basilio
And as for the weather, the popular tradition has many interpretations. Thus, according to traditions, as New Year’s Day will be like this the whole year: good or bad.
Popular belief also says that if there is a lot of frost on New Year’s Day and there are a lot of stars in the snow, it is a sign that next year will be good and there will be many weddings.
If it snows on Saint Basil’s Day, the following year will be abundant, and if it is clear and cold, people will be healthy all year round.
If New Year’s Eve is “smooth and serene,” it is a sign that the New Year will be good.
Magical meanings attributed to January 1
There are many customs and superstitions related to the first day of the new year, in which Saint Basil the Great is celebrated.
Saint Basil, perceived by some as the first attendant to the feast, his name being considered by others as the baptismal name of Jesus Christ, is the defender of Christians, “guardian of evil spirits”, so that the first day of the year came to be considered an opportune moment for the development of magical practices.
On the day of Saint Basil the Great, it is good to pour wine on the table, break a white glass, overturn the matchbox or give alms to a poor person, so that you have good luck all year long. If on Saint Basil’s Day, after washing your face, you wipe yourself with a towel in which you put a gold or silver penny, you will be clean and healthy all year round.
However, if you sleep in San Basilio, you run the risk of being lazy all year long.
Also in the countryside, single women often build bridges from two twigs of sweet apple, to which they tie basil, a silver pear with red string, a ring, a handkerchief and a necklace of beads, to see how it will be chosen. Therefore, if the bridge is full of frost, the girl will marry a rich man, and if the bridge has no frost, she will marry a poor man.
Editor: Luana Pavaluca
