Old Rite Holidays

In this country, over 1 million followers of the Orthodox Christian Church celebrate Christmas in the old rite

Ana-Maria Cononovici, 21.01.2025, 13:25

In this country, over 1 million followers of the Orthodox Christian Church celebrate Christmas in the old rite, mainly Lipovean Russians, Ukrainians, Moldovans, and Serbs. In several areas of the country, Christmas and New Year are thus organized in the old style, on the dates of 7 and the night of 13 to 14 January, respectively.

The traditions and customs observed in celebrating Christmas in the old rite have many similarities with those in December. Believers dress in traditional costumes and go caroling. The family gathers for the holy supper, an important moment of the holiday.

Paul Condrat, a Lipovaan from Jurilovca, told us about the holidays, as they are organized by the Lipovan community, with some Russian words scattered throughout:

“Lipovans are ethnically Russian, but confessionally Orthodox of the old rite. It is archaic, original Orthodoxy. The difference from the rest of Orthodoxy is not only in the calendar, namely Julian, Gregorian, new – old. There are also some differences in worship. Traditions are still respected to a fairly large extent.The holidays are a little different, namely these holidays, the Nativity of the Lord, the New Year, are celebrated rather in the family, in small, limited parties. The evening of Christmas Eve is a quiet evening, without a party. On the evening of Christmas Eve, the older children, the young ones, sing carols. On New Year’s Day, the first day of the year, the caroling is done by the smallest children. There are many elements in common with the Plugusorul carol. It is a single carol, it begins with the words: “The Lord walked the Fields”, it is not a very appropriate translation, it is a word-for-word translation, but this is how the transition to the New Year is marked. A new year is wished new luck, a new chance!”

We asked Paul Condrat if there are specific dishes meant to bring this new luck, contained in the wish:

“Not particularly, but somehow words from the carol are also found on the table. I would recall a cake, a dessert, actually a kind of biscuit, with a shape close to “walnuts” (n.r. dessert made of a dough shell that imitates the shape of walnuts), but without any cream. A simple and good dough.”

Beyond tradition, these old-style celebrations have become a good excuse for partygoers of other faiths to continue the fun. What are the temptations prepared for tourists, we asked Paul Condrat:

“Traditional local fishing gastronomy and of course, on the occasion of the winter holidays, in the offer of local guesthouses, we also have traditional pork dishes: stuffed cabbage, pork in aspic, or, from among the traditional fish dishes, the fisherman’s borscht is the star, it cannot be missing from any meal, and then other dishes: fish snacks, smoked fish, caviar, various variations of marinated fish, fish meatballs.”

In the Ukrainian community in northern Romania, for example, housewives prepare the 12 dishes of fasting for the Christmas Eve meal, using mushrooms, beans, flour, cornmeal, potatoes and sauerkraut. In order to have the 12 dishes, some are made with the same ingredient. A specific dish is white flour dumplings, filled with jam, nuts, or sauerkraut, to taste. Sauerkraut soup and stuffed leaves with pea are dishes that are also not missing from any household.

For the Ukrainians from Maramureş, tradition requires that nine dishes be placed on the Christmas table, symbolizing the wealth of the year. The most important dish is “hrebleanca”, a dish made of mushrooms cooked with cabbage juice. Also, boiled wheat, a symbol of rich harvests, or fish, cannot be missing from the table. Another custom specific to the area is that the legs of the table are tied with a chain that remains like this until the Epiphany in the old style, there being a belief that this way the good omens will remain in the house. Among the traditional Ukrainian Christmas desserts, boiled wheat with walnuts or poppy seeds is distinguished, everything being sweetened with honey, but also donuts filled with jam.

As for the Serbian community in Banat, they welcome Christmas with fish dishes, piglet on a spit and a pie called cesniţa, with lots of walnuts and honey, so that the coming year will be sweet and gentle. Before baking this pie, two coins are placed inside it, there is a belief that those who find them will have luck all year.

Paul Condrat, from Jurilovca, concluded with a wish, said in Russian:

“Our New Year’s Wish: () (translated: a new year and with new luck, a new chance)!”

A new year and with new luck, a new chance!

May it be so for all of us, whether we started the year now or earlier!