slavlje / Celebration
Quercus cerris Hrastovi pripadaju familiji bukve i u našim krajevima prisut- no je desetak vrsta, među kojima su najpoznatiji cer (Quer- cus cerris L.), lužnjak (Quercus robur L.), medunac (Quercus pubescens Willd.)... Vrsta hrasta koja je u narodu poznata kao cer najčešće se koristi za badnjak. Cer je listopadno dr- vo koje može da poraste do 35 metara u visinu, dok u preč- niku dostiže i do jednog metra. Pojedini primerci mogu da dožive starost i do 200 godina. Za hrastove je karakteristič- no da se, kada im se iseče stablo, na panjevima iz pupoljaka razvijaju mladi izdanci i na taj način se brzo i lako obnavlja šu-
Po hrišćanskim shva- tanjima, badnjak je sim- bol drveta koje su pastiri do- neli u Vitlejemsku pećinu. U njoj je rođen Isus, a grane je Josif za- ložio da ugreje njega i Bogorodicu Mariju. S druge strane, etnolozi i antropolozi podsećaju na to da je poštovanje svetog drveta mnogo starije i da se samo nadovezuje na staroslovenske običaje povezane sa poštovanjem kulta sunca, kada se božanstvo, otelotvoreno u li- ku hrasta, spaljuje u krugu ognji- šta da bi iz vatre ponovo oživelo. Tako i spaljivanje svetog hrasta badnjaka usred zime, doba kad priroda prividno umire, nije čin uništenja, već nagoveštaj ponov- nog rođenja sveta koji najavlju- ju duše svetih predaka. Badnji dan počinje kada do- maćin s najstarijim sinom od- lazi da na ritualni način odseče mlado hrastovo drvo, ali se bad- njak ne unosi u kuću pre večeri. Nakon što izabere odgovaraju- će drvo, domaćin se okrene ka istoku, prekrsti se i pomoli bo- gu, uzme sekiru i iz trećeg puta odseče badnjak. Običaj je da ga u dom une- se uvelog uz reči: „Srećno vam Badnje veče“, pritom kvačući kao kvočka, dok ga domaćica, praće- na decom, koja pijuču kao pilići, zasipa žitom, novčićima i voćem iz sita. Nakon večere se celiva i pali na ognjištu kao jedinstveni simbol ognja koji će roditi novo, večno svetlo. Deca džaraju zapa- ljeni badnjak kako bi se formiralo što više iskrica koje simbolizuju dobro zdravlje, veliko potomstvo, dobar rod i svako drugo blago- stanje.
According to Ortho- dox Christian concepts, the Badnjak yule oak symbolises the tree that shepherds brought to the Bethlehem cave stable where Je- sus was born and Joseph burned the branches to warm the newborn Christ and the Virgin Mary. Alter- natively, ethnologists and anthro- pologists note that respect for this sacred tree is a much older tradition and that the Christian custom is only an extension of ancient Slavic customs linked to the respecting of the cult of the sun, when the divine, embodied in the form of an oak, was burned in the circular hearth in or- der to be reborn out of the fire. Sim- ilarly, the burning of the holy Bad- njak Yule Oak in midwinter, during the period when nature seemingly dies, is not an act of destruction, but rather an indicator of the rebirth of the world that’s announced by the souls of holy ancestors. The day of Christmas Eve be-
gins when the head of the house- hold and his eldest son head out- side to ritually cut down a young oak tree, but the Badnjak isn’t brought into the house until the evening. After selecting a suitable tree, the head of the household turns east- wards, crosses himself and prays to God, takes an axe and fells the oak with three strokes. It is customary to carry it into the home with the words “Happy Christmas Eve to you all”, while clucking like a hen, and in the meantime the lady of the house scatters grains, coins and fruit from a sieve, accompanied by the chil- dren, who tweet like chicks. After dinner, it is kissed and burned in the fireplace as a unique symbol of fire that will give birth to a new, eternal light. The children briskly shake the burning Badnjak in order to form as many sparks as possible, which symbolise good health, many de- scendants, good crop yields and all other blessings.
BADNJAK Njegovo veličanstvo hrast / His majesty the mighty oak BADNJAK Nekada su mnogi drevni primerci ovog drveta smatrani za božanstva, a danas grane hrasta, koje uz roj varnica sagorevaju na ognjištu, predstavljaju simbol Božića / There were many ancient oak trees that used to be considered divine, while today oak branches that are burned on pyres, with a swarm of sparks, represent a symbol of Christmas
ma koja je posečena. Quercus cerris
Oaks belong to the beech family and our region is home to around a dozen types, the best known of which are the Tur- key oak or Austrian oak (Quercus cerris L.), the Pedunculate or English oak (Quercus robur L.) and the Downy or Italian oak (Quercus pubescens L.). The Quercus cerris, known among the Serbian people as the cer, is most often used as the Bad- njak Yule oak. It is a deciduous tree that can grow to a height of 35 metres, with a trunk diameter of up to one metre. Indi- vidual examples can live for up to 200 years. Oaks are char- acteristic for the young shoots that develop from buds on the stumps of felled trees, which ensures the quick and easy renewal of felled oak forests.
Badnjak se obično pali uz reči: „Koliko varnica, toliko srećica. Koliko varnica, toliko parica, a najviše zdravlja i veselja...“ / The Badnjak Yule oak is usually set alight with the words: “How many sparks, that much happiness. How many sparks, that much money, and most of all health and joy...”
68 | Božić » Christmas
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