These days we actually celebrate two holidays that carry a bit of melancholy and sadness for loved ones or acquaintances we have lost and are left with only memories. On one day we remember all saints, and on the other, we dedicate it to all the deceased.
Few realize that only the first is a Christian custom originally celebrated in May, when believers were to remember all saints who did not have special days during the year. However, remembrance of all the deceased has roots in pagan customs. The Slavs believed that every deceased first goes to paradise but then returns to the earthly world. During these days, they performed various rituals to ease these transitions for the deceased and also for the protective magic of those who participated in a funeral or came into contact with the deceased that year.
Several traditions were associated with All Saints' Day in the past, such as baking pastries - rolls in the shape of bones laid crosswise, called the bones of saints. In memory of the deceased, a cake made from milk in the shape of a square filled with jam or poppy seeds, called souls, was made. These pastries were given to beggars and poor people standing by the church or cemetery. Cakes were baked from white and dark flour. The first went to the nobility and the second to the serfs.
According to folk tradition, on the eve of All Souls' Day, the souls of the dead come for one night from purgatory, where they suffer for their sins in flames. On that evening, lamps were filled with butter instead of oil so that the souls could soothe and cool their painful wounds caused by purgatory. It was also customary to throw various pieces of food into the fire for the souls to help redeem them from sins or as a kind of treat for the souls.
Today, these holidays are celebrated in our country and neighboring countries in a very similar way. During these days, we visit cemeteries, visit the graves of our loved ones, and light candles. We bring lanterns, wreaths, or flowers to the graves. If we cannot visit a loved one's grave, we at least light candles at the central cross or at home in the evening hours. By the light of the flame, we then remember shared experiences and sometimes reflect on our own lives.
