Forefathers' Eve
Forefathers' Eve, also known as Dziady, is an ancient Slavic rite dedicated to the spirits of the ancestors. Today, it isn't celebrated as much as in the past. Christianity fought against pagan rituals, but was also creating their own at the same times of year as the old ones.
Execution
The purpose of the rite is to secure the favour of the ancestors' souls and help them to achieve peace in the hereafter. The ceremony usually takes place in homes or at a cemetery (directly on graves). The rite has two phases. In the first phase, the wiseman invites souls to the feast and asks them about the their troubles.
Tormented souls! In whatever part of world: whether burn in tar, whether freeze in a river! We celebrate Forefathers' Eve! Come down here, there is prayer, food and drink!
The wiseman does a series of gestures and actions while reciting incatations. The incantations are also the instructions for the community what to do.
Dark everywhere, silent everywhere. What it will be? What it will be?
The second phase is a feast during which the members of the community pour drink and throw food on the ground or on the graves as an offering to the souls.
Observance
Forefathers' Eve was celebrated twice a year. The first time was in spring between the last day of April and first day of May. The other one was in autumn between the last day of October and first day of November. The autumn one was transformed by the Christianity into the All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day on the 1st and 2nd of November. Remnants of the old tradition can be still seen in Halloween, a secular tradition celebrated on the eve of the All Saints's Day.
The Community - people of a village or town. Forefathers' Eve is usually a local ceremony.
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