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SAINT GEORGE AND SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA IN THE LIVES OF THE INHABITANTS OF KRIVI PUT
MARIJANA BELAJ
Sažetak
Devotion to saints and their presence in the daily lives of believers of Krivi Put was the subject of research completed in May 2004 as a part of the scientific project Identity and ethno genesis of the coastal Bunjevci. In this paper, devotion to saints (dulia; in Greek, V) is observed as a part of popular religion and a cultural characteristic. Special occasions when the belief in saints occurred and how it was expressed was reported by a few interviewers.
The presence of these saints in the daily lives of believers in this researched region is numerous. For example, some remembrance days of the popular agrarian calendar are related to key days at the beginning or end of some agricultural periods or they are related to key days of popular meteorology. Proverbs where these saints are mentioned and which are related to these days represent some beliefs about these saints. These are also apparent in the banning of some work activities on some days. There are some special occasions related to some saints/protectors. Amongst the saints/protectors the most popular are St. George and St. Anthony.
St. George is believed as the protector of the fields, horses or the general protector of cattle. Therefore interviewers mentioned his saint’s day as the one related to cattle or they related his proverbs with crop success. The most common act which symbolises his day is the blessing of cattle with water blessed in the church using a little branch. In the researched region, it was believed that if St. George arrived on a green horse on St. George’s saint’s day, the year would be good but if he arrived on a black horse, the year would be infertile and unsuccessful. On St. George’s day it is banned to plough one’s own land with your own cattle.
The protection of cattle is most often dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. He was especially worshipped to help ill cattle or when cows were about to deliver calves. St. Anthony was also believed as the one who helps women and babies in child birth. St. Anthony’s saint’s day was marked with some special acts or prohibitions related to cattle and which sometimes were very similar to those of St. George’s day.
The interviewers did not find any explanations why St. George and St. Anthony are especially related to cattle. Some acts related to cattle, as well as some beliefs and prohibitions which are related to St. Anthony and St. George have no any theological explanation and their origins are not in Christianity although the interviewees had taken them as Christian. From their point of view, these acts show a respect towards these saints. The saint’s role is to facilitate the communication with God, as it can be learnt from the prayers of people from Krivi Put dedicated to these saints, although it sometimes seems that beliefs are only related to the saints. Saints are seen as those who help and protect in daily life with their main role to assure good life in this world. Solving problems of this world is the main purpose in the relationship towards sanctity and an important characteristic of the people’s religion in this researched region. Also taking into consideration some other saints mentioned in the research, they are generally presented in the daily lives of people because of their specific believer’s relationships.
Ključne riječi
saints; St. Anthony of Padua; St. George; saints occurred; Krivi Put
Hrčak ID:
17823
URI
Datum izdavanja:
30.12.2004.
Posjeta: 2.278 *