SERBIAN SLAVA FEAST ON THE UNESCO LIST SYMBOL OF TOGETHERNESS AND DURATION The family saint patron's or Slava has become part of UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Slava is a particular characteristic of the Serbian people and the most important family holiday. It celebrates the day in the church calendar devoted to the saint who is celebrated as the patron of the family. Each Serbian Orthodox home has an icon of their patron saint – the protector, and Slava is passed down from one generation to the next. The most important part of the Slava ritual is the prayer for the sanctification of the cake, wheat and wine. he folk custom of celebrating the patron ebrate the day, and then the family would continue for the repose of souls of deceased family members saint was conceived in the Serbian medieval to celebrate the same saint as their patron. Once and for the health and prosperity of the living. Tstate, but in science there are opinions that received, Slava is not changed, but is passed down it is rooted in the pre-Slavic tribe cult of ancestors, from father to son. Preparations for Slava and the SLAVA CAKE AT THE HEART OF THE FEAST which got its new shape with the reception of feast days are filled with the complex symbolism Slava cake is actually an expression of thanksgiving Christianity. When one family was converted to of sacrificial offering of gifts. The cake, wheat, wine to God, and therefore most of the attention is devoted Christianity, the host would take the name of the and candles, as well as the festive table itself, are to its kneading and decoration. It is customary to call saint on whose day he was baptised, he would cel- offered to the glory of God, in honour of the saint, a priest before Slava into the house to consecrate the

4 Summer | Leto 2015 BelGuest water that the kneaded ceremonial yeast bread will be made with. The ritual of preparing the bread cake takes place on the day before Slava, the cake is orna- tely decorated, because it is “an image of faith, hope and love”. The symbols used to decorate are at the core of the Christian faith: the cake is always adorned with a cross and Christ's stamp IS - HS - NI - KA, which is an acronym taken from the Greek language which means “Jesus Christ conquers”. In addition to these symbols, the top part of the cake often bears the figurines of doves representing the Holy Spirit, books symbolising the Word of God and the Holy Script, ears of grain and vine grapes symbolising prosperity and abundance. The festive Slava breads are inscribed with the lan- guage of symbols, and their decoration is a mirror of a housewife and the family celebrating the holiday.

THE SUBLIME MEANING OF BREAD BREAKING Ceremonial bread breaking, National museum Zaječar Early in the morning, on the day of the Saint Patron’s Name Day, the cake, wheat and wine are hostto perform the ritual there. A hymn to the FIRST INSCRIPTION taken to church to be consecrated, and sometimes saint is sung before the offered gifts and prayers are ON THE LIST FROM the priest comes to the house of the celebrating recited for the well-being and health. The cake is cut The initiative that to enter the Saint Patron’s in the shape of a cross, on the bottom crust and is Day on the UNESCO Representative List of the poured with the wine. The cruciform cake cutting Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was signifies Christ's suffering, and wine pouring symbo- lises blood that he shed for our salvation. The highli- launched by the National Committee for the ght of the ritual is the ceremonial bread breaking, Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Centre when the priest, together with the host – the oldest for Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia of man in the house – and family members, raises it the Ethnographic Museum in , with up. Then, everyone gets together in a circle spinning the support of the Ministry of Culture and the the cake, kissing it three times, and then the priest Media of the Republic of Serbia and the National says: “Christ is among us,” and the host and family Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO of members respond: “He is, and will be.” This act ends the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The proposal the first part of the Slava rituals. was prepared with the support of local self- THE HOLIDAY OF GETTING TOGETHER governments, regional museums, tourist and The second part of the celebration takes place in non-governmental organisations and individuals the house: first, the host, in the presence of family with the aim to contribute to the protection ICON, CANDLE AND WHEAT members and friends, lights the Slava candle and and preservation of this intangible heritage and As a rule, every house has at the place of the hanging light before the icon of the saint, and to to have Slava recognised internationally, in honour on the wall facing east an icon of then takes a piece of the cake and a mouthful of addition to its regional and national importance. grain, taking a sip of the consecrated wine. All The Centre for Intangible Heritage of the the patron saint, the icon of Jesus Christ family members, relatives and guests start the and the icon of the Holy Mother of God. The Ethnographic Museum submitted to the UNESCO celebration with the same ritual. Slava is then, Commission voluminous documentation ritual objects also include the icon lamp, the along with toasts, continued with a feast. If the which indicates the importance of the Slava censer and the candlestick. The Slava candle day dedicated to the saint falls during the Christian is usually made of pure beeswax: as bees fasting, there is only meatless food on the table, in the Serbian people, primarily as a symbol are virgins, the candle symbolises purity and while in other periods roast meat is always prepa- of togetherness and unity. The decision on innocence, and the flame of the lit candle is red. By tradition, the food is prepared by women, registration of Slava was made in November the symbol of joy of the holiday and the light and the children are involved, helping out with 2014 at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris. of faith. The Slava wheat denotes a sacrifice minor duties. Slava can be celebrated in one day, but often it is celebrated for two or three days. are the days when one half of Serbia prepares the of gratitude to God for the fruits of the earth, There are 78 patron saints celebrated in Serbia, celebration, while the other half are guests. as well as the memory of the saint and the but the most common family protectors are St. Prepared by: Milena Mihaljčić memory of ancestors. “One who celebrates Nicholas, St. John, St. George and St. Archangel Photos by: Centre for Intangible Cultural the family name’s day is blessed” is a common . There are so many families celebrating Heritage of the Ethnographic Museum saying among the Serbian people. these four saints that it is often said that these in Belgrade

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