Many Lithuanian holidays have merged with Christian holidays, sometimes changing the date of the holiday. The dates of some the Lithuanian holidays have become very confusing due to the Julian and Gregorian calendars that were simultaneously used in different parts of Lithuania during Czarist Russian occupation (1772/1792/1795- 1918). This problem especially affects the movable Spring holidays, calculated based on the Spring Equinox day.
Lithuanian Ethnic Religion Calendar Holidays
Holiday
Date in Lithuania-LT
Date in Australia-AU
Brief Description
_______________________________
Prieskaledis
(Pre-Solstice)
9-20/12-24 December LT
9-20/12-24 June AU
Preparation for the Winter solstice Eve
Preparation for Kucios
Kucios
(Winter Solstice Eve)
20/24 December LT
20-24 June AU
Union between the living and the dead. The last day of the Lithuanian year.Family holiday. After reconciliation and forgiveness, everyone sits together at the holiday table. Some of the 13 dishes,(representing the 13 Lunar months), must be eaten by all if a prosperous year is to be had.Many divinations and prognostications are performed.
Kaledos
(Winter Solstice and New Year's Day)
21/25 December LT
21-25 June AU
Homage to the Sun and blessings for the new solar year.
Tarpukaledis
(Intra-Solstice)
21 December-2 January/25 December-6 January LT
21 June-6 July AU
Days of rest. Traditional women's and men's work is forbidden.
Pusiauziemis
(Mid-winter)
25 January (in older practice: the first new moon, called the foal, after the Winter Solstice) LT
12 July AU
Synonymous with lunar new year.Krikstas and new year celebration.Badgers, porcupines, and bears leave their caves or turn on their sides. This determines what winter will be like.
Perkuno Diena
(Perkunas Day)
2 Feb LT
2 August AU
Blessing of candles(death candles), linen and ever green trees.Songs and prayers to Perkunas,the mighty Thunderer.
Gabijos diena
(Gabija day)
5 Feb LT
5 August AU
Blessing of bread and people.Songs and prayers to Gabija, Goddess of the home hearth,Guardian of Fire.
Uzgavenes
(Escort of Winter/Mardi Gras)
Varies in February LT
Varies in August AU
Rite to usher out winter. Costumed people sing and dance as they go visiting.
Vieversio diena
(Skylark day)
24 February LT
25 August AU
The beginning of Spring.
Verba
(Flower and herb lance)
Varies in March LT
Varies in September AU
Preparation for Spring
Pavasario lyge
(Spring Equinox)
20-21 March LT
23 September AU
Welcomes Spring. Blessing renewal of life.
Velykos (Easter) aka velykiu velines
(Easter for the Souls/Spirits)
(The Great Day)
Varies in April LT
21-23 Sept 2010 AU
Springtime to honor Ancestors.People exchange coloured and decorated eggs.Egg games played.Blessing of certain foods to ensure you have food all year.People whipped with Verbos and sprinkling with blessed water. Magic of green branch.
Jore; now known as Jurgines
(St George day)
23 April LT
30 Sept AU
Celebrates new growth of Spring. Animals are herded for the first time. The earth cannot be moved on this day. Rituals of bread making Bread was buried in the fields and gardens. After placing a bread roll on the ground a farmer would put one ear to the ground, farmers would listen to the Rye to find out if it will be a good harvest. The God of the Spring Thunder was called Jore or Joris.He evoked the forcres of Life. Jore owned the key to the Land,which when Earth is unlocked Jore sent rain and resurrected all vegetation.Flowers and Herbs were offered to Zemyna Goddess Earth Goddess,Pergubis God of all plants along with 15 other vegetation Gods were honored.
Sambares
27 May LT
30 November AU
Celebrates new growth of crops
Sekmines
Varies in June LT
Varies in December AU
End of sowing and commence of Summer work.Worship of nature.Houses and cattle adorned with flowers wreaths and Birch.Cattle incensed (smudged) Certain Divinations and Charms made.Similar blessings of grasses in churches as at Zolines and also Blessing Fire and Water. Wedding games played by youth express Pagan beliefs that peoples sexual love and fertility stimulate Earths productivity.
Pre Solstice Days. Preparation for the Solstice.
9-20/12-24 June LT
9-20 December AU
Rasa a.k.a. Kupoline
(Dew, Herb Pole Day)
21-24 June LT
21-21 December AU
Homage to the sun and medicinal herbs. Summer solstice. Mostly celebrated by young people. Bon fires are kept during the night and until the dear Sun reappears. Wreaths are woven and set adrift,fortunes told,divinations performed, the fern blossom is sought at midnight. The hay harvest begins after this holiday.
Naujieji metai
(New Year's Day)
1 January LT
1 January AU
"Tarpukaledis"
(intra-solstice day).
Young people celebrate. The old year is burned. A sub-set of the Kaledos traditions are celebrated. The skies and the heavens predict the future weather and harvest.
Melu diena
(Lie day)
1 April LT
1 April AU
A successful lie will bring success for the coming year. The beginning of the new work year. Under the Julian calendar, New Year's Day.
*Rugiu Svente
(Rye holiday)
25 July LT
25 January, Australia Day AU
Blessing of rye and other grain crops at the harvest.
*These festivals are often combined.*
*Prinokimo Svente
(Ripe holiday)
26 July LT
26 January AU
End of the rye harvest. The first new bread is baked. Berries are ripe.
Zoline
(Meadow Grass celebration)
15 August LT
15 February AU
Coming of autumn. People gathered grass from their fields and gardens and brought it to churches to be blessed. Rye, wheat and oat ears were tucked into these grass bundles. In the spring, these ears were crushed and sprinkled on the seeds to be planted. Other bundles of blessed grasses were used as medicine, as protection from lightning strikes and to be sewn into coffin pillows. Families always tried to gather together on this day to ensure the coming year would be a productive one. The spring crop harvest begins
Dagotuves, Rudens Lyge
(Autumnal Equinox)
20-21 September LT
21 March AU
Harvest celebration
Rudens Sambores
28 October LT
28 April AU
Ilges a.k.a. Velines
(Lengthening, Day of Shades)
2 November EU
21 March-2 May AU
Remembrance of the Dead. Reconciliation between the Living and Dead.Donations are given to elgetos. Old and ill people, who cannot make enough to eat, become elgetos.
Sources: JonasTrinkunas,ed.Of Gods and Holidays.[ Vilnius ]:Tverme,1999.110-111.Jonas Trinkunas.Baltu tikejimas: Lietuviu pasaulejauta,paprociai, apeigos, Zenklai. Vilnius : Diemedzio leidykla, 2000. 45.Prane Dunduliene.Lietuvui Sventes: Tradicijos, paprociai, apeigos. Vilnius: Mintis,1981.
Australian references by Steven Kryzius
Brief description of Other Lithuanian Agricultural Holidays that are not relevant to Australian seasonal cycle
Trys Karaliai
(Three Kings)
6 January LT
The end of"Tarpukaledis" (intra-solstice days). Costumed people walk about in celebration.
Blaziejus
(Blase)
3 February
Fir branches and linen are blessed.
Vieversio diena
(Skylark day)
(Skylark day)
24 February
Skylarks return.
Kazimierines
(Casimir)
(Casimir)
4 March
Skylarks begin their songs
40 pauksciu diena
(40 bird day)
10 March
40 species of birds return.
Pempes diena, Juozapines
(Pewit day, Joseph)
19 March
Weddings are allowed
Bloviesciai, Gandro Svente
(Stork holiday)
25 March
The stork brings back a kiele (wagtail), which kicks away the ices. Storks are immitated at home, walking around like a stork. Spring is greeted. The storks returns in the evenings.
7 miegantys broliai
(7 sleeping brothers)
10 July
Predicts the weather for the next 7 weeks or days.
Skaplierna
(Scaplar)
16 July
Beginning of the rye harvest
Laurynas
(St Lawrence)
10 August
The beginning of turning to autumn.
Baltramiejus
(St Bartholemew)
24 August
Linen (flax) is pulled. The stork leaves and takes evening with him. Warm summer days end.
Uzgimimo Svente, Semene
(Flax planting Festival)
8 September
Rye is planted
Mykolines
(St Michael)
29 September
Potato digging. The weather forecasts the weather for fall and winter.
Martynas
(St Martin)
11 November
The last holiday of Fall. Some hired hands end their work year.
Andriejus
(St Andrew)
30 November
Winter begins. Herders are sent home. Wedding predictions and foretelling begin (cherry branches are soaked).
Source: Stasys Gutauskas.Lietuviu liaudies kalendorius.Vilnius:Vyturys, 1991. 16-19.
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