A wedding in the past.

The wedding was the richest complex of various ceremonies and customs of all family traditions that have survived the most to this day. In the past, it occurred during a break from field work, during Carnival or before Advent, when there was enough food for a wedding party. Until World War I, the wedding at richer and wealthier households lasted a whole week. Later, its duration was reduced to three days. A traditional wedding in Upper Zemplín can be divided into three parts: the pre-wedding period, the wedding itself and the period after the wedding.

The choice of a partner was of great importance in the pre-wedding period. Most often it was connected with the property relations and coercion of both partners. Parents have always had the decisive voice on the subject of getting married or married. The second important stage was pytačky - matchmakers. They were held at the house of the future bride with the participation of her parents, godfather or the person of the groom's immediate family (uncle, uncle). After the matchmaking, nothing disturbed the engagement. From the beginning of the 20th century, young people exchanged wedding rings. Then came the church announcements. Since the announcement of the announcement, the couple went to the rectory, where they learned religious doctrine. In the 1940's, this science disappeared.

After the second announcements at the local inn, the bride and groom, parents from both families, close relatives, the chosen wedding master, the groomsman and the bridesmaid gathered at the local inn. Much attention was paid to invitations to the wedding, which took place between the second and third announcements, usually on Sundays. The peak moment of preparations for the wedding was the last week before the wedding. It consisted in the preparation of a statue of the bride, quilts, pillows, a chest, embroidered towels and the preparation of the party itself.

On Saturday, before the wedding, young bridesmaids used to gather at the bride's house, from where they went outside the village, to the forest, to collect periwinkle for garlands. It was customary for bridesmaids to prepare feathers for groomsmen and other functions at weddings. The bride was dressed in a white veil with green periwinkle, rosemary, and later myrtle. The bride's green wreath expressed the symbolism of virginity, chastity and innocence in the wedding ceremony, youth and maiden status in general. On that day, the mother and godmother of the bride prepared and baked a ceremonial round cake. This was shared between the wedding guests at the end of the wedding, after the Red Dance. It was also important to prepare a panicle - pine. It was made up of a pine or spruce top, decorated with multi-colored ribbons and tissue paper roses.

On Sunday evening, the groom said goodbye to freedom in the presence of the groomsmen. On the second day (Monday), the wedding began. In both houses, the chefs prepared various meals for the wedding tables from the early hours of the morning. Groomsmen and musicians used to come to the house of the bride. Then they played a tune "for good morning", which they called Fantazija. Groomsmen went around the houses and called for the wedding of those who were not officially invited. It was said that it was an invitation to a frištik. At the wedding house, wedding guests gathered and brought in kind gifts such as grain trough, flour, eggs, and other groceries.

There was a lot of traffic in the bride's house. Already in the early morning, the godmother and the elderly bridesmaid came to dress the bride, comb her hair and prepare for the wedding. Initially, her face was symbolically washed with cold water to keep it healthy and pretty, red. The godmother sat her down on a low stool. She combed her hair and twisted a white ribbon into the braid. She put a green wreath on her head, decorated with white wax flowers. Once the bride was dressed, the future bridesmaids. A big karičku (circle) was created around the bride, people danced and sang: "Our friend, what have you done with us, our friend, this is what you have done with us, our friend, you said everything". Each one of them danced in a circle with the bride.

When all the guests had gathered in the groom's house, the bellwether proceeded to farewell and the groom's parental blessing. During this act, the wedding guests sang "Klękaj, Janek, kneel." Then they moved to the bride's house. The leader, the elder groomsman, and the groom approached the door, which the bride's bridesmaids had closed to them. The groom had to buy out the bride with money. At the door they first showed the "fake bride" which they offered to the groom. She had a straw wreath on her head or a stuffed belly. They also introduced an old woman. The groom constantly refused them. The real bride has finally arrived. Only after the payment had been made did the door open wide.

After taking a seat and refreshments, it is time for the bride to apologize, thank and say goodbye to her parents. The farewell was accompanied by the song "My family, sit down to the table". After singing the bellwether, he spoke to his parents. Then the musicians played a march, during which all the wedding guests left the house and into the yard. “In Uličska dolina, part of the wedding ceremony was the ceremonial washing of the bride and groom and the wedding party in the stream. This practice, which was supposed to guarantee health, disappeared after the Second World War. "

On the way to the wedding, various songs were sung: "Why would you give me up, my mother, my young bride, When she was getting married, she was digging a garden, Taiłam, I kept secret, I will not be anymore, Wedding, wedding, everything is a wedding ... " and other. After arriving at the church, the singing and playing of the musicians ceased. Before entering the church, the groom approached the bride, and the elderly bridesmaid approached the senior best man. A churchman was waiting for them at the door. He didn't open it until they paid him "for the key." Then the young people stood in front of the altar and the marriage act itself began. During it, the bride tried to step on the groom's leg in order to "have the top" over him. After the wedding, people moved to the wedding house. If the young people came from the same village, everyone went to their home first.

The wedding continued on Tuesday morning. Leaving the parents' house, the matchmakers gave the bride a large wedding cake to welcome her mother-in-law. Musicians played, groomsmen
they often even shot, sang and walked with great noise through the village to the groom's house. Marta Sigmundová in her book Horná Cirocha states that: “Noise and singing were natural manifestations of the wedding procession. It can be assumed that they originally had a protective function. Protection against evil forces that can harm the bride. The bride was most vulnerable to their influence on the way. She was no longer in the care of her parents 'home, but had not yet been accepted into the groom's house.' Before entering the groom's house, the bride was already waiting for her mother-in-law who welcomed her. Then they exchanged cakes as a sign of love and prosperity and unfastened them. It was only after this act that the bride could enter the house to perform other activities related to the iconic places of the house. Until after them they sat down with the groom at the table, under the holy pictures, in the corner of the room, which was the most important and significant cult place in the house.

The generosity and scope of wedding receptions until the mid-twentieth century depended on the economic viability of wedding families. The most commonly served groats with sugar or thick kaše na husto (thick groats), which was a symbol of abundance and prosperity. On the tables there were chicken or beef broth, boiled meat served with beetroot, poultry, coated cabbage from the barrel, cabbage and scrambled eggs, and boiled eggs, which were assigned a magical meaning, influence on fertility.

There was a certain interval of time between the individual dishes at the wedding. The wedding guests enjoyed music, danced and sang a lot. In the best moods, usually before midnight, the matchmakers and married women took the bride to the next room to the pictures. The groom with the senior best man was also present while removing the garland and the cap. The act of the bride's cap was started so that the elderly matchmaker brought a bucket of water. She put a headrest on it as a sign that the future young daughter-in-law would have an easy delivery. Then the older best man approached the bride and hit the ground with the Drużbowski pickaxe. He spoke to the future daughter-in-law, whom he asked for her wreath three times. After the third question, she agreed to take it off. The best man with the wreath went to the room with the guests and danced the groomsman dance. From the 1950s, this dance in Upper Zemplín gradually disappeared, and instead it was the fľaškovi (bottle) dance, which is still danced at weddings and is also included in the repertoire of folk groups.

Parallel to the Drużbowski dance, the matchmakers with the bride in the next room, accompanied by the song "How will your capitals be", were clinging to the bride. Then the bride ordered the musicians to play her red dance. First, the older groomsman danced with her, then the matchmakers, other guests who performed certain functions at the wedding, the closest family, brothers, sisters and other wedding guests from both sides. Everyone who danced with the bride, kissed her and gave her money. This custom has survived to this day. After the Red Dance, the groom grabbed the bride and escorted her away. During the departure, the wedding guests sang: "The bride and groom went to sleep ..." Then the party continued and only in the morning the bellwether spoke to all the wedding guests and the wedding ended. The wedding guests were given a vislušek (cookies, the closest family also a bottle of palinka or wine). This custom has survived to this day.

For the post-wedding period in the village of Zámutov there was a typical feast - corrections, which had a funny character. Various jokes were made, such as shoeing the bride, scenes with cooks making a lot of noise with pots, lids and dishes. This meeting after the wedding actually ended the wedding. A week after the wedding, the bride with matchmakers went to the church for vivotka (ritual cleansing), after which there was a tižňova hojscina (feast one week after the wedding).

The wedding now.

The single signs of the wedding ceremony are gone and the magic functions are gone. They mainly played a decorative role. Wedding ceremonies such as matchmaking, engagement, transporting a dowry, greeting the bride, as well as various customs in the bride's house - parents' blessing, pine burning - panicles and other ceremonies - fell into oblivion. The process of transformation also took place with the ceremony proper, in which the entertainment function began to dominate. Weddings were moved to the restaurant and shortened to one day - Saturdays, with fewer wedding guests and no certain wedding customs. Engagements take place individually. The tradition of making wreaths has already disappeared. Some customs, however, have survived to this day. Even today, church marriage is preceded by premarital teachings. Announcements are made in the church. There is also a custom that newlyweds eat soup from one plate with one spoon. After midnight, the bride's cap is practiced, which is performed by groups or folklore groups directly in the hall in front of everyone present. After them, young men dance a groomsman or bottle dance. Redovi dance has also been preserved.

It can be said that the present wedding in Upper Zemplín is not a faithful repetition of the traditional wedding from the past, despite the fact that it contains basic features and customs.

Funeral - funeral traditions and customs.

Ideas related to death, with life after death in the other world are diverse. In addition to their religious content and form, which is based on Christianity, it consists of many extant older superstitions that arose before Christianity and are essentially common. Funeral activities can be divided into several parts: preparation of the funeral, evening meeting with the deceased, the day of the funeral, the funeral procession and the posthumous feast - funeral banquet.

When someone in the house died, the clock in the room was stopped and the mirror was covered with a black cloth. The dead man was prepared for the coffin - washed, the man shaved. The water was poured under a pole in the fence or in a place that was not to be walked on. Then he was dressed, his hands and feet were tied, his chin was tied with a scarf, he was incensed with herbs so that his spirit would not disturb him, and he was covered with a cloth. The householders provided church bells, let the grave be dug, organized the funeral and began to prepare the funeral feast. In the past, the favorite things of the deceased (pipe, tobacco, walking stick) and handkerchiefs were put in the coffin so that he would have something to pay for during a long journey and "redeem himself in heaven".

In the evening, men and women would come to the house of the deceased. Roman Catholics and Greek Catholics prayed together with the deceased, Protestants sang funeral songs, prayed and read from the Bible. After the prayers, the household members offered cakes, wine, palinka and water. They played cards in silence, talked about the life of the deceased, drank palinka and wine. When drinking, the glasses were not rattled so as not to wake the deceased from eternal sleep.

On the day of the funeral, flags (church banners) and a cross were brought from the church. When a bachelor or girlfriend died, groomsmen and bridesmaids were present at the funeral. After the parish priest and the cantor had arrived at the house of the deceased, the funeral began. At the coffin, people prayed and sang a mourning song. When hammering the nails into the coffin, care had to be taken not to drop the hammer or the nail. Otherwise, the deceased might knock on the coffin in the evening. A dead man was led from the house upside down so as not to be disturbed by his spirit. In the past, hot coals were placed under the threshold so that his spirit would depart from the house with the deceased. All the windows were opened "so that the soul of the deceased would fly out to heaven." The funeral procession had its own order - according to age, function in funeral activities and family relations to the deceased. On the way to the cemetery, people would first bring the deceased to a church or orthodox church, where the priest celebrated a funeral mass. In the cemetery, immediately after lowering the coffin to the ground, the participants took a lump of earth in their hands and threw it into the grave, so that the earth would be light for the deceased and not to frighten them. There was no ceremonial mourning of the deceased in Upper Zemplín, the so-called pies.

After the funeral, a funeral feast was held in the house of the deceased - a funeral. In some Ruthenian villages it was customary that upon entering the house one looked at the stove first to avoid a headache and leaned against the stove to be strong. Religious songs were prayed and sung at the wake. The inmates served the guests bread, palinka and wine. On the evening of the funeral, a candle was lit on the table and a glass of water was put on the plate, it was covered with a towel, because it was believed that the soul of the deceased at night would return, thus allowing her to wash and wipe herself. In addition to these things, bread and a knife were also placed on the table for the soul to eat.

Today, many funeral activities and customs in Upper Zemplín have remained largely unchanged, they are still going on and are declining very slowly.

The text comes from the study "Projekt Etnocarpathia Inventory of the sources of 3 ethnographic areas on the Slovak side / Šariš, Zemplin, Zamagur /" realized collective work for Mestský dom Kultúry, prísp. org.

Author: Mr. Štefan Kocák .

Many family customs were cultivated in Upper Zemplín:

Birth of a child at home and baptism (after World War II, they began to gradually disappear),

Traditional 3-day wedding in Upper Zemplín, consisting of 3 parts: the pre-wedding period, the wedding itself and the period after the wedding (choice of a partner by parents, matchmakers - pytačky, engagement - rukoviny, 3 announcements, church lessons, making a wreath of periwinkle, rosemary and myrtle, baking the ceremonial round cake between the wedding guests at the end of the wedding, after the Red dance, the preparation of the panicle - pine trees, the wedding - on Monday and Tuesday, the good morning feast - corrections on Wednesday, ritual cleansing in the church - vivotka and a feast after a week from weddings - tižňova hojscina.
Many elements of a traditional wedding have survived to this day. They were moved to a restaurant and shortened to one day - Saturdays. The rest of the church's teachings, announcements, the custom of the newlyweds eating soup with one spoon, chuck, participation of folklore groups, groomsmen or bottle dancing (redovi dance).

The funeral consisted of: preparation, evening vigil, the funeral itself, the funeral procession and the posthumous feast - a funeral. In Upper Zemplín it was not customary to mourn the deceased (pancakes). Many funeral activities and customs in Upper Zemplín have remained largely unchanged.

Occasional holidays: St. Andrew's Day, St. Barbara: planting a cherry branch (planted a cherry tree), St. Nicholas (putting sweets, dried fruit or rods in the shoes displayed in the windows for children), St. Łucja (patroness of spider veins), New Year (choosing rural servants), Epiphany (blessing water, Christmas supper, blessing houses with Roman and Greek Catholics), Carnival (walking mascaras), St. George (first grazing and agricultural work), Pentecost (Rusadľe), St. John (St. John's fires, blessing herbs), All Saints and All Souls' Day.