Green week: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Slavic folk Christianity holiday}}

|caption = Semik, Russian [[lubok]], 19th century

|nickname = {{Collapsible list|title=various names in [[Slavic languages]]|bullets=true|{{lang-be|зялёныя святкі, зелянец, сёмуха}}|{{lang-bg|русалска седмица}}|{{lang-cz|rusalné svátky, rusalje}}|{{lang-ru|зелёные cвятки, русальная неделя, русалии}}|{{lang-pl|zielone świątki}}|{{lang-uk|зелені свята, русалії}}}}

'''Green week''', or the '''green holidays''', is a traditional [[Slavs|Slavic]] [[seasonal festival]] celebrated in early June. It is closely linked with the [[cult of the dead]] and the spring agricultural rites. In Eastern European villages, the seven weeks following [[Easter]] have historically been a time of festivity. Green week takes place during the seventh week leading up to the [[Pentecost]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Russian Folklore|last=Sokolov|first=Yuriy M.|publisher=Folklore Associates|year=1971 |orig-year=1950|isbn=0-8103-5020-3|location=Detroit|pages=188–195}}</ref> and includes the seventh Thursday after Easter, called '''Semik'''.

The green week is followed by Trinity week, also known as the [[Trinity Sunday#Eastern Christianity|holiday of the Trinity]]in[[Eastern Christianity]]. It is also widely known as [[Whitsun|Whitsuntide]] week in the English-speaking world, especially [[Great Britain]], and is inauguratedby the celebrations of [[Trinity Sunday]], the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity.

[[File: POL Zielone Świątki na Urzeczu 2017 01.jpg|thumb|Celebrants carrying green branches on river boats during green week celebrations, [[Urzecze]], [[Poland]], 2017]]

On Semik (the Thursday of the green week), funeral rites are held for the unclean dead (those who had died before their time).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Ivanits|first=Linda J.|title=Russian Folk Belief|publisher=M. E. Sharpe|year=1992|isbn=0-87332-889-2|location=Armonk, New York and London, England|pages=75–82|orig-year=1989}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Gasparini|first=Evel|title=Slavic Religion|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Slavic-religion#ref533514|access-date=December 21, 2018|website=Encyclopaedia Britannica}}</ref> [[Birch]] trees are particularly significant, because they are considered hosts for the souls of the deceased.<ref name=":1" /> Sometimes people honor a particular tree by decorating it or carrying it around. At other times, people cut birch branches and hang them in their homes.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> The birch is also seen as a symbol of vegetative power, and may be honored with people's hope that it will bring its vitality to the coming season's crops.<ref name=":0" />

Springtime and fertility rituals are also important to the holiday. Girls bring offerings of fried eggs (a symbol of rebirth) and beer to birches, and [[Zagovory|speak charms]] about improved harvest when weaving garlands for the trees.<ref name=":1" /> Another tradition is for girls to pledge vows of friendship before the chosen birch tree.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> Some believe this to be the remnant of ritual sexual activity associated with the cult of spring.<ref name=":1" /> Like [[Kostroma (tradition)|Kostroma]] during [[Maslenitsa]], a chosen birch tree is destroyed at the end of the festivities. It is usually drowned,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> "in order to provide the needed rainfall for the sprouting crops".<ref>Joanna Hubbs. ''Mother Russia: The Feminine Myth in Russian Culture''. Indiana University Press, 1998. {{ISBN|0-253-20842-4}}. Page 73.</ref>

== Association with rusalki ==

The [[Rusalka|rusalki]] are nature spirits ([[Nav (Slavic folklore)|navki]], [[Mavka|mavki]]) associated with green week traditions. They derived their name from ''Rusalii'', another name for the holidays. Some believe they were associated with deceased family members,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> or perhaps only unclean dead.<ref name=":0" /> Sometimes an honored birch tree would be named for a rusalka as part of green week.<ref name=":1" /> Some of the rites of green week (like making offerings of eggs and garlands) were thought to placate the rusalki so they would stay away from the village's agricultural fields for the season and not bring them harm.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> The rusalki are also associated with water and fertility, and so may be invoked during green week in an attempt to bring their moisture and vigor to the fields.<ref name=":0" /> During green week, rusalki are believed to be more active, making them a greater threat to villagers.<ref name=":0" /> One precaution villagers take during this week is to avoid swimming, because rusalki are thought to live in the water and could drown passersby.<ref name=":0" />

There is a similar holiday celebrating [[Pentecost]] in [[Romania]], called ''Rusalii''.<ref name="rom-insider">{{cite web | url = http://www.romania-insider.com/rusalii-pentecost-holiday-customs-calusarii-dance/1984/ | title = Rusalii (Pentecost) holiday customs: Calusarii dance | accessdate = 2011-06-10 | date = 2010-05-20 | work = Romania Business Insider | publisher = Business Insider SRL | quote = ''An important Romanian celebration is coming up this Sunday, May 23rd. It’s called Rusalii or the Descent of the {{sic|Holly}} Spirit (the holiday is also called Pentecost sometimes) and it is always celebrated by the Orthodox Church 50 days after Easter.'' | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110606103149/http://www.romania-insider.com/rusalii-pentecost-holiday-customs-calusarii-dance/1984/ | archive-date = 2011-06-06 | url-status = dead }}</ref> There are also similar Germanic traditions, for example, ''Pfingstbaumpflanzen'' in [[Germany]]. In modern-day [[Poland]] it is celebrated along with Pentecost Sunday as ''Zielone Świątki''.

== See also ==

* [[Călușari]]

* [http://itsukraine.com/events/holy-trinity-day-or-svyata-triytsya-and-green-holidays-in-ukraine/ Holy Trinity Day or Svyata Triytsya and Green Holidays in Ukraine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128081740/http://itsukraine.com/events/holy-trinity-day-or-svyata-triytsya-and-green-holidays-in-ukraine/ |date=2021-01-28 }}

{{Pentecost}}

{{Trinity Sunday}}

{{Slavic mythology}}

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[[Category:June observances]]