Ethnologica Dalmatica, Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023.
Original scientific paper
Brgulja – Celebration Of Heavenly Patron Saints In Croatian Tradition
Marko Dragić
orcid.org/0000-0001-5362-6814
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Abstract
Brgulja is a common feast of a parish, village, or family that celebrates a particular saint, its heavenly patron. Once every village had its own brgulja, the feast of the patron saint, to which the parish church was dedicated, and some hamlets also celebrate the feast of the saint to which a smaller church or chapel is dedicated in their hamlet. Some places took St. Stephen Protomartyr as their brgulja even though their church is dedicated to another heavenly protector. Thus, in Runovići there is a church dedicated to Our Lady, and the brgulja is celebrated on St. Stephen Protomartyr’s feast day. Among Catholic Croats the names for this celebration are: brguja, krsna (baptismal) slava, krsno ime (baptismal name), krsnica, slava (glory, celebration). Names fjera, fešta and patron are also used. The custom has been preserved in the Neretva valley, the Stolac area, Konavle and Boka Kotor to our days. In relation to former customs, contemporary customs have been modified. It is customary to invite guests from other villages to the feast, and especially those who have previously invited the hosts to their brgulja. It is also a custom to send some of each dish as a gift to the friend’s older family members who were unable to come to the brgulja feast. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, krsno ime (the baptismal name) is mentioned in 1466.
Keywords
saints – heavenly patrons; religious customs; gathering of relatives; folk celebration
Hrčak ID:
303144
URI
Publication date:
31.5.2023.
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