1st of March and its beautiful romanian traditions

Every year the festive day of March 1 brings back to us renewed hopes. 

It is life, spring and the shining sun which win the battle against chilly weather and overcast skies. 

This triumph of rebirth and regeneration could not be better embodied then by the Martisor ( a trinket, March amulet) offered to loved ones in early spring.

                             
                                    photo: www.calatori-interbelici.blogspot.com                                            

Literally Martisor means little March: a small trinket pinned close to your heart that says you part ways with the cold winter and welcome spring in your heart.

                                               
                                                photo: www.enational.ro

The red thread - the symbol of the sun, of blood, of fire - represents life, the woman.
The white thread- the symbol of water - gives the clarity of water and represents the man.
The red and white threads together, the knot, signify the nature, the embrace of the sun with water, of woman and man. It is believed that their strength is transfered to you when you wear the martisor close to your heart, and it protects the person wearing it, from evil.  

The Martisor is offered early morning on the first day of March; it used to be worn for 9-12 days, sometimes until the first trees would bloom when it was hung on a flowering branch to bring good luck to its bearer.

                                                
                                                   Photo: www.crestinortodox.ro

In the villages of Transilvania, the red-and-white wool yarn Martisor was pinned on gates, windows, sheepfolds, tied around the horns of cattle, around the handle of buckets to protect from the evil eye and malefic spirits; it was believed that the red "color of life" could be an inducer of vitality and regeneration.

                                          

As every custom, there are a number of legends around it. 

One of them talks about a time when the Sun used to take the shape of a young man and descend on Earth to dance among people.

Now a dragon found out about this and followed the Sun on Earth, captured him and confined him in a dungeon in his castle. Suddenly the birds stopped singing and the children could not laugh anymore but no one dared to confront the dragon.

One day a brave young man set out to find the dungeon and free the Sun. Many people joined in and gave him strength and courage to challenge the mighty dragon.
The journey lasted three seasons: summer, autumn and winter. At the end of the third season the brave young man could finally reach the castle of the dragon where the Sun was imprisoned. The fight lasted several days until the dragon was defeated. Weakened by his wounds the brave young man however managed to set the Sun free to the joy of those who believed in him.
Nature was alive again, people got back their smile but the brave young man could not make it through spring. His warm blood was draining from his wounds in the snow. With the snow melting, white flowers, called snowdrops, harbingers of spring, sprouted from the thawing soil. When the last drop of the brave young man's blood fell on the pure white snow he died with pride that his life served a noble purpose.
Since then people braid two tassels: one white and one red. Every March 1 men offer this amulet called Martisor to the women they love. The red color symbolizes love for all that is beautiful and also the blood of the brave young man, while white represents purity, good health and the snowdrop, the first flower of spring. 
 Source: www.e-scoala.ro/martie/martisoren.html- After "The Romanian tradition ofthe Martisor" by Dr. Maria Bocse.

                                   
Photo by: Sorin Onisor