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Browsing Tags Serbia

Christmas time is here… again

06-January-2016 · by Verbalist

Christmas is not over!

Christmas in Serbia, Photo: Nemanja Jovanovic, Tanjug

Christmas in Serbia, Photo: Nemanja Jovanovic, Tanjug

Orthodox Christmas is 13 days after December 25 because many Eastern Orthodox churches still hold to the old Julian calendar, named after Julius Caesar. Most Roman Catholics, Protestants and Greek Orthodox use the Gregorian calendar, named for Pope Gregory XIII, who abolished the old calendar in 1582, shortening it by 13 days.

Christmas celebration begins early on January 6 when men and children go to cut a Christmas tree

Christmas is celebrated in Serbia on January 7 according to Orthodox Christian (Julian) calendar. Christmas Day is also a public holiday in countries such as Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, and the Ukraine.

Christmas in Serbia

Traditional Christmas celebration begins early on January 6 when men and children go to cut a Christmas tree (which in Serbia is not fir tree but oak tree). While looking for a tree, men sing old Serbian ritual songs. When the tree is found, it needs to be cut from the East side and while the man is cutting it, the other one throws grain on it so that the next year will be fertile for crops. The very important thing is that everyone is quiet when the oak tree is cut. Only small branches are taken from the tree for this ritual. The Christmas tree is called Badnjak. It symbolizes the tree of Life that God has planted with his sacred hands in Heaven and it’s also the symbol of the tree with deep roots which was planted in the womb of the Holy Virgin Mary when she gave birth to Jesus. The cult of bringing the Christmas tree to home exists in all European traditions. In most of them, fir tree is used as a Christmas tree, in Serbia, we use oak tree.

Christmas Eve, VerbalistsBadnjak is then brought home where it’s supposed to be burned in the stove at exactly midnight. The Christmas Eve dinner is very important and all of the members of the family are together. Serbians were fasting for 40 days and will eat meat for the first time after that period on Christmas day, January 7th. On Christmas Eve dinner the following things are served: fish, baked beans, red wine, dried fruit and candies. When the dinner is finished, the plates stay on the table all night. In that way the souls of our ancestors can eat with us as well on that festive day. Serbians have a cult of ancestor and respect them dearly. Christmas Eve is the connection between us, our ancestors and our future generation. The table can be cleaned the next morning.

Christmas day- January 7th

Early in the morning, a woman of the house makes the Christmas Bread (Pogača). The bread is decorated with Christian motives: old Cyrillic letters, the cross, the dove (that brings peace from God) and grapes. What makes this bread special are the things that are put inside:

  • A very small piece of the Christmas tree, a cm or two
  • Beans (to always have food to eat)
  • Corn(to have a fertile crops)
  • A coin (brings money and prosperity)
  • 3 gains of wheat (Father, Son and the Holly Spirit)
  • A piece of pork meat that was specially prepared for that day

Christmas Eve in front of the Sveti Sava churchBefore having a festive lunch with the family, in the morning, the first guest arrives. We call that person Položajnik which means the one who announces Christ’s birth. The one who usually arrives first at one’s home is a young man or woman or a child, in order to bring a good luck. Položajnik gets a gift: shirt, scarf, toys, candy etc. He is also the one who burns a part of the Christmas tree and he is singing a traditional song wishing the family health, money, success, love and prosperity.

On Christmas, people greet each other with: Hristos se rodi. (Christ is born)

And the other person is replying: Voistinu se rodi. (It is true, Christ is born)

Christmas table is full of delicious food and Serbian specialties. People laugh and joke and everybody is in the good spirit. This is the first time people are eating meat after 40 days.

Family is spinning Christmas bread 3 times saying: Mir Bože, Hristos se rodi! (Peace to God, Christ is born) and then each person is taking the piece. The Bread is not cut but each person tears his own part. The oldest man of the family takes the first part, which is for God’s glory, second is for the home and he takes the third piece for himself and then others chose their own piece. What you get in your piece of bread is what you should expect next year.

Milica Stamenkovic
Verbalists

More than 75 percent of health care professionals in Serbia are thinking about leaving the country

03-October-2015 · by Verbalist

BELGRADE – More than 75 percent of health care professionals in Serbia are thinking about leaving the country, according to the results of a research on health workforce migration, which could destabilize the country’s health care system.

Serbian medical workers are looking for work in GermanyPresenting the findings of the research “Migration of Health Care Workers from the Western Balkans: Analyzing Causes, Consequences and Policies”, the researchers said that the economic motives had a significant influence on migration.

“The results of the research have shown that more than 75 percent of doctors have considered leaving the country either at some point in their lives or recently. The percentage is even higher (81 percent) among respondents under 35 years of age,” said Dr Maja Krstic, a research associate from Serbia.

She pointed to difficult economic situation and low income, poor working conditions, low employment options and lack of prospects as the main reasons why health care professionals would choose to emigrate.

The Serbian Medical Chamber has issued around 2,000 “certificates of good standing” to medical doctors since 2012, and the number keeps rising, Krstic said, adding that no data were available on the possible country of destination or the length of stay.

At the end of 2014, 2,644 doctors in Serbia were unemployed.

The Orthodox Christmas Eve in Serbia

07-January-2015 · by Verbalist

The Orthodox Christmas Eve in Serbia, Verbalists

Serbians attend a ceremonial burning of oak branches, the Yule log symbol for the Orthodox Christmas Eve, in front of a church in Smederevo, 60 kilometres east of Belgrade. The branches are also carried into the homes and burned. The Orthodox Christmas Day is celebrated today, 7 January (according to the Julian calendar).

Photo: ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

Happy from Pancevo

03-April-2014 · by Verbalist

Happy from Pancevo, Serbia

A group of people got inspired and decided to show their way of feeling happy on the streets of Pancevo… Great job! 🙂

Pharrell Williams – Happy – We are from Pancevo (Serbia)

44.82065620.459579

Magic Touch of Stanley Jordan for Language Lovers (VIDEO)

03-October-2013 · by Verbalist

Stanley Jordan with Verbalists

PRODIREKT, with its Verbalists Education & Language Network, partnered with the organizers of the leading jazz festival in Europe — Nisville.

Our cooperation started in 2011, when the organizers set up several performing stages within the walls of the enchanted Nis fortress in Serbia. The global language network Verbalists was entrusted with a unique privilege to provide a regional media coverage of that prestigious event which instantly became a great playground for the vibrant summer Festival spectacles ever since. Verbalists have had the opportunity to interview the famous jazzists and celebrities, such as, the saxophone player Hans and Candy Dulfer, swing band “Jive Aces”, jazz vocalist Maya Nova, trumpet player Tom Harell, and Stanley Jordan. READ MORE

44.82065620.459579

Greetings to Verbalists from The Brand New Heavies

31-May-2013 · by Verbalist

Verbalisti with Simon Bartholomew, The Brand New Heavies
Guitar player Simon Bartholomew, The Brand New Heavies

The Brand New Heavies are a British music institution whose unique mix of jazz, funk and soul has lit up the dance scene for well over three decades — and shows no sign of stopping. They came to prominence in the early 90’s with hits like “Never Stop” and “Sometimes.” Verbalists had a great pleasure to meet and interview Simon Bartholomew, guitarist and frontman of this famous British band. READ MORE

44.82065620.459579
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