THE MULTILATERAL
COMENIUS PROJECT:
& Sc ence THE BEST AMBASSADORS OF THE NATIONAL
VALUES WITHIN EUROPE
( September 2012 – August 2014)
UNITY IN DIVERSITY ?
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As the EU motto suggests, the European culture might better be described as a series of
multiple cultures, often competing: geographical regions opposing one another, different
branches of Christianity, which are similar, but still different, many traditions rooted in
ancient customs, etc. There are many cultural innovations and movements, often at odds
with each other, which makes the question of "common culture" or "common values" much
more complex than it seems to be.
Historically speaking, upon the pagan cultures of aboriginal Europe, the foundations of
modern European cultures[1] were laid by the Greeks, strengthened by the Romans, stabilized
by Christianity, added to by the rest of Europe, reformed and modernized by the fifteenthcentury Renaissance and Reformation, and globalized by successive European empires
between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries. Thus the European Culture developed into a
very complex phenomenon which developed through a long age of change and formation
with the experiments of enlightenment, naturalism, romanticism, science, democracy,
fascism, communism, and socialism.
In what follows, we, the project partners, are going to present the most important customs
and tradition specific to our countries, trying to find what individualizes each of our countries
and what is common to all of us. During the transnational mobilities ,we all had the
opportunity to experience and feel that there are many things, traditions, customs, values
which unite us, are common to all of us and some, but much fewer which are unique.
References:
1. Sailen Debnath, Secularism: Western and Indian, ISBN 9788126913664, Atlantic Publishers, New Delhi
AUTUMN CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
COUNTRY
SPECIFIC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
BULGARIA
The Unification of Bulgaria, The Bulgarian Revival Day, Dimitrovden, Archangel ‘s Day
FRANCE
Popular celebrations: Grape harvest feast
Christian celebrations:The Holy Friday
ITALY
Pagan celebrations: Giochi delle Porte, Palios, Village Fairs with seasonal produce, Grape Harvest, The Greasy Pole
Christian celebrations: St Francis’s Day, St Martin’s Day, All Saints’ Day, Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
LITHUANIA
Pagan celebrations: Harvest festival, All Souls’ Day
Non religious celebrations:1st of September, Teachers’ Day, New Students’ Inauguration day, The Day of Tolerance
POLAND
Religious celebrations: Rosary. Day of Pope John Paul II, All Saint’s Day, Advent
National celebrations: The Day of National Education, Independence Day, Miners Day
Mixed celebrations: St. Andrew’s Day, St. Nicholas Day
PORTUGAL
Christian celebrations: St Martin’s Day, All Saints’ Day
Mixed celebrations:Grape harvest
ROMANIA
Pagan celebrations: Shepherds autumn descent from the mountain “Răvăşitul oilor”, Cosma, Samedru’s Fires
Christian celebrations:The Holy Friday, Shrove Tuesday, Saint Andrew’s Day,
Mixed celebrations: The Cross Day, Ovidenia festival
SPAIN
Mixed celebrations: Los Finaos: Song singing and dancing (pagan) celebrated the 1st of Nov. When relatives go to mass and
cemeteries to remember those passed away (relig.)
TURKEY
Non-Religious Customs: Republic day,the 10th of November is the death anniversary of our founder Ataturk , he 24th of
November –Teacher’s day
Religious Customs: Sacrifice Day
WINTER CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
COUNTRY
SPECIFIC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
BULGARIA
Saint Nichola’s Day , Ignazhden, Christmas Eve , Christmas, Stefanovden, New Year’s Eve , Surva , Vasilyovden, Iordanovden ,
Ivanovden, Atanasovden
FRANCE
Religiuos celebrations: Advent, Saint Nicholas, Christmas, Epiphany
Popular traditions: Valentines Lovers’ Day
ITALY
Religious celebrations: St Nicolò’s Nativity , Christmas: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, typical food, Midnight Mass, New Year’s
Eve, Epiphany, St Anthony’s:Bonfires and the Blessing of the Animals
Pagan celebrations: Bonfires, Killing the pig, LaBefana, Carnival, San Valentine’s Day, Women’s Day , Father’s Day
LITHUANIA
Pagan celebrations: Christmas Eve-Kucios, Shrovetide
Christian celebrations: Advent, Three Kings
Mixed celebrations: Christmas, Asch day.
No. religious celebrations:The New Year’s day.
POLAND
Religious celebrations: Christmas Day , Symbols and habits of Christmas: Additional cover, Hay under the tablecloth, Wafer,
Singing Christmas Carols, Nativity, Midnight Mass, Feast of the Epiphany, Ash Wednesday
Non- Religious celebrations: Christmas tree, First star, Santa Claus, Gwiżdże, New Year’s Eve, The last Thursday of Carnival –
Shrove Tuesday, Grandma and Grandpa Day, Valentine’s Day, Women’s Day
Typical Christmas Meals
WINTER CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
COUNTRY
SPECIFIC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
PORTUGAL
Religious celebrations:Christmas: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, typical, food, Midnight Mass, New Year’s Eve
Pagan celebrations: Rooster feast, Killing the pig, Janeiras (carols to welcome the new year), Carnival
ROMANIA
Religiuos celebrations: Saint Nicholas, Christmas, Epiphany; Christian Caroling: The Star, Saint John
Pagan Caroling: The Goat, The Bear, The Little Plough, Sorcova
Pagan celabrations: Ignatul (pig slaughtering), Dragobetele- Lovers’ Day
Non-religious celebrations: The National Day(December, 1st)
Typical Christmas food, Typical superstitions
SPAIN
Pagan celebrations: Carnival, New year, parties, typical food, superstition, New year’s resolution, eating the 12 grapes for good
luck….
Religious celebrations: Christmas eve and Christmas day. Family gathering, typical food, Carol singing, going to mass, 5th of
January 3 kings night, parade, presents, exchanging presents among family members, typical food
Non- religious celebrations: Gran Canaria Marathon, Sport under good weather
TURKEY
Non-Religious Customs: Chirstmas Day, Lovers day
Typical winter food and traditional drinks, Winter activities.
SPRING CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
COUNTRY
SPECIFIC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
BULGARIA
Baba Marta Day , Sirni Zagovezni, Kukeri, Todorovden, Blagoveshtenie (the Annuncitaion), Lazarovden, Palm Sunday, Easter, Saint
George, Saint Constantine and Helen, Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature,
FRANCE
Religiuos celebrations: Palm Day, Great Thursday, Great Friday Easter, The Pentecost, Typical Easter Food
Popular traditions: Mother’s Day, Spring parties, April fools, Labour day, Europe’s day
ITALY
Historical events: April 25th, Labour Day(1st May) , Italian Republic Anniversary ( 2nd June)
Religious celebrations: Procession of the Dead Christ, Good Friday Easter with traditions, Corpus Domini with floral decoration
and processions
Typical Easter Food
Religious traditions:Different festivities honoring saints : e.g, St Ubaldo’s Day(16th May)
Mixed Celebrations: The Ceri race (15TH May), May Day Festival
Popular traditions: Poplar Festival (30th April), The Ceri race, St Ubaldo’s fair (17th May), The Crossbow Contest, Mother’s day.
LITHUANIA
Mixture of religious beliefs and pagan traditions: St.Kazimiera’s (Starlings’ day), Easter, ST George’s day (Jore).
Non Religious celebrations: Mother’s day.
POLAND
Religious celebrations: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Easter , Easter Monday
Symbols and habits of Easter: Painting Easter eggs, Pentecost, Corpus Christi
Non-Religious celebrations: Melting madder, First day of Spring
Symbols and habits of Easter: Easter Bunny, Rajby, April Fool’s Day, Mother’s Day, Children’s Day, Midsummer’s Day
Typical Easter Foods
National celebrations: Labour Day , Constitution of May 3, Fireman and Metallurgist Day
SPRING CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
COUNTRY
SPECIFIC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
PORTUGAL
Historical events: April 25th , National holiday (June 10th)
Religious celebrations: Different festivities signaled with flowers (carpets, trays, songs, parades) Easter traditions
Popular traditions: Burning the stripes (university tradition), Mother’s Day, April Fool’s Day
ROMANIA
Non-Religious Customs: Martisorul – the 1st of March, Babele- The Old Ladies
Religiuos celebrations: The 40 Martyrs, Flowers Day, Palm Day Great Thursday, Great Friday Easter, The Small Fountain and
Good Peoples’ Easter, The Pentecost
Typical Easter Food; Typical superstitions
SPAIN
Religious celebrations: Easter celebrations, Thursday and good Friday, Palm Sunday, processions, mass, eating fish and no meat,
Corpus Christi, carpet made out of flowers. Family gatherings.
Other Traditions: On Easter those who are not religious will spend their holidays in a holiday resort sunbathing and enjoying the
good weather .
Non- Religious Celebrations: Canary day 30th May, typical costumes , food, dance and music, Trans Gran Canaria: Sport
competition going on since 2003, crosses the island max. 119km. Min. 24km
TURKEY
Non-Religious Customs: National sovereignty and children’s day, May first-ınternational workers day, Youth and sports day
Mothers day, April Fool’s days.
SUMMER CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
COUNTRY
SPECIFIC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
BULGARIA
Rousalska Nedelya , Valeria’s Day, Vartolomeevden, Liseevden, Vidovden, Enyovden, Petrovden, Pavliovden (Staint Paul’s day),
St. Vrach, Prokopi Pchelar (Prokopius the Beekeeper, Vladimirovden, Yulianovden, Ilinden, Panteleevden, Bogorodichni
Zagovezni, Makaveyan days, Preobrazhenie, Golyama Bogoroditsa
FRANCE
Christian celebrations: The Pentecost
Popular traditions: Saint Jean bone fires,
National day: July 14th, with military parade on the Champs Elysées, fireworks
Events: Festival de Cannes
ITALY
Christian celebrations: The Pentecost, The Assumption
Religious traditions: Different festivities honoring saints with fairs: e.g St John’s Day(24th June)
Popular traditions: Gaite,Palio of Siena,Joust of Quintana, Fairs in the villages for the Threshing and the Harvest .
LITHUANIA
Christian celebration: St. Jacob’s Day, St. Ann’s Day, St Peter’s and St. Paul’s Day.
Mixture of religious beliefs and pagan traditions:
-St. John’s Day (Mid summer’s day), The Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Non religious celebrations: Father’s day, Lithuanian King’s Mindaugas Coronation day, Song Festival, Sea’s Day
POLAND
Religous celebrations: St. Christopher’s Day, Feast of the Assumpion of Holy Mary, Pilgrimages
Mixed celebrations: The night of St. John Babtist
Non- religious celebrations: Killing a kite bird, Strawberry collecting, Hay making, Harvest, Harvest festival, Taking snuff of
tabacco, Pottery, Basketry
SUMMER CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
COUNTRY
SPECIFIC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
PORTUGAL
Pagan traditions: Cows of fire, Serragem da Velha (celebration of the end of the harvest)
Religious traditions: Different festivities honoring saints: examples :St John, St Sebastian
Popular traditions: Emigrant feast
ROMANIA
Mixture of religious beliefs and pagan traditions: Midsummer Day (Sânzienele/Dragaica Feast)- St John The Baptist’s Birth
Christian celebrations: The Pentecost, Saint Elijah, The Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Non-religious/pagan traditions: Calusarii, Ielele,The Maidens Fair on Mount Găina, Caloianul/Paparudele- The Rain makers,
The Summer Old People; Typical superstitions
SPAIN
Mixed celebrations :
-LaRama de Agaete 4th-5th August in honor of the Virgin ( religious), Branches used to hit the sea to ask the gods for rain (
pagan) now they are shaked in the air in honor of the Virgin ( religious.
-- Bajada del gofio: In honour of the virgin, last Sat. September, commemorates the importance of water and gofio ( a flour made
with different grains and maized) basic elements in the canarian diet
Religious traditions: Virgin Pino: Patron saint of Gran Canaria celebrated 8th sep, religious pilgrimage up to the village of Teror
to ask for good health, there are offerings, dancing and singing, typical costume and food, processions, parades
-- Corpus Christi: Also celebrated in summer, processions, flower and colourful sand carpets, mass
-Pagan Traditions: The night of Saint John: Conmemorates the summer solstice giving power to the sun, there is a lot of
superstitions and rituals held, fire, sea, fruit.
-El Charco de San Nicolás: Commemorates the pagan tradition in which the sea plays an important role as fish pantry. The rising
of the sea created a small seawater lake which trapped the fish for the aborigines to capture. Celebrated 11th sep.
- Suelta del Perro Maldito ( 28th sep. Night of St. Michael people dressed as dogs who represent the devil escaping from the
chains of the Archagel Michael)
-Vará del Pescao: ( last friday of August, held in honor of the fishermen and their traditional way of fishing.
TURKEY
Non-Religious Customs: 30th of August-Victory day, School report day, Appricot Festival, Band and liver festival
Religious Customs: Ramadan Feast
CONCLUSION:
MORE SIMILAR THAN DIFFERENT!
SIMILARITIES
DIFFERENCES
- There are few autumn traditions, all the other
seasons are richer in traditions in all the 9
countries;
-In all the countries involved in the project
(except for Turkey, of course), the Christian
traditions mix with the pagan ones;
-The major Christian celebrations are similarly
observed, even though the partners belong to
different branches of Christianity;
-There are special symbols used in each of the
seasons, which are common to all, for example
flowers, eggs, water , masks;
-The pagan traditions are meant to bring luck,
health and to protect people from evil,
misfortunes, etc.
- The food cooked on different celebrations is,
in most cases, similar;
-There are many common
international/European days and celebrations
- There are dates and celebrations, especially
non-religious, which are specific to each
country and are related to political, social and
historical moments;
- The religious calendars are different in the
case of Easter, which is celebrated on different
occasions or dates.
- Different countries use specific symbols, for
example fire and amulets;
-The Western countries have more carnivals
and processions than the Eastern countries;
-Turkey has some celebrations which are, of
course, unique (The Ramadan, for example)