One of the most beautiful Easter traditions is the “Florii” – the Palm Sunday (Duminica Floriilor) – which is the Sunday before Easter (Sunday the 20th April this year). The holiday has roots before Christianity, in the pagan rituals of Floralia (dedicated to goddess Flora, the goddess of flowers).
The Roman festival of Floralia is dated in 238 B.C and it used to take place around May 1st. During the five days of the festival, the participants wore flowers in their hair, conducted various rituals of fertility, played games and set the animals free. It was a celebration of the Spring and many of its traditions were adopted and kept by the Christianity. The very name “Florii” reminds of Floralia and the Christian celebration reminds a lot of its pagan counterpart.
All women and men who wear flower names like Florica, Viorica, Liliana, Dalia and so on are celebrated in the Palm Sunday. People go to church with willow branches to have them blessed, and they return with these branches home where they place them around their waist in the belief that illness will stay away. Young girls sleep tonight with basil flowers under their pillows, to dream the one they’ll marry that year.
Although I was born in Bucharest, I grew up in the South, in a region called Muntenia, where my parents and grandparents come from.
I spent there the first 6 years of my life and many school holidays after, till I turned 16 and actually starting to work. I remember Easter as the best time of the year and the Florii as the most beautiful, extraordinary experience. My grandma’s flower garden was one of the most beautiful in the village. She had a wonderful heart and it was reflected in everything she did: the flowers grew more beautiful under her touch, the animals never feared her and followed her everywhere. She was very maternal, gentle and yet strong and determined – the woman I always wanted to be, my role model as a child.
She used to pick up flowers on Florii and prepare beautiful bunches to go to church, where they’d mix with flowers brought by all other women in the village.
The priest, an old, gentle man, would bless them and after the ceremony we’d all return home with willow branches, blessed water, basil flowers and spring flowers from other gardens. I always believed that those flowers were sacred and kept them close.
All week after Palm Sunday we drank blessed water which always smelled like basil early in the morning, on an empty stomach, to purify our bodies. If the weather on Florii was good we were happy because that meant good weather on Easter too – and the Easter Mass takes all believers out of the church at midnight to receive the holly light. I’ll tell you more about this soon. I still have to cover the Great Thursday and the Great Friday, before attempting to describe the most extraordinary religious service I’ve ever experienced.
In the meanwhile… I read today an inspiring blog post about an American woman’s feelings about the Romanian Easter and about my people in general. I felt tears running down while reading: “Romanian folks are generous, caring, strong, faithful people.” I felt blessed by Linda’s words and at the same time I felt the need to jump in the first plane and go back, especially now around Easter when the Romanian spirit shines stronger.
Romania is often called in our folk songs the “poor rich country.” It’s amazing how many people live so poorly, when its land hides black gold (in 1938 Romania was the second largest producer of oil in Europe and the seventh in the world), rich natural resources like methane gas (fifth world producer in 1975), gold, silver, coal, salt and much more. Where did this richness go? Why are Romania’s inhabitants living in poor conditions when the land offers so many possibilities? The answers lay somewhere in my people’s dramatic history. Centuries of foreign occupation and our most recent history (after the second World War) left deep, painful marks and changed our destiny as a nation. Romania’s former glory faded away and it lays now forgotten in history books.
There are however things that no foreign forces could take away from us. Among them our traditions and beliefs. It’s said that the Romanian spirit shines stronger around Easter and I testify that this is true. Easter is the most important holiday in the Orthodox calendar, even stronger than Christmas. The belief in Christ’s resurrection fills the hearts with more hope than his birth on the 25th of December. Somehow defeating death was always something our predecessors tried to achieve. Remember that back in the old times our ancestors, the Dacians, used to laugh at death
Wow, beautiful, so beautiful. Romania has to be the richest country in the world. I know it is.
Always,
Phil
The culture is rich, yes Phil. The country is not really poor either – there are other issues we need to deal with before we can really reveal Romanian’s true economical potential. In the meanwhile the geo-strategic position “saves the day.”
If I want to know something about Palm Sunday in Romania Wikipedia tells me that it
… is known as the ‘Floriile’. People with flower-related names, (for example women named Florina, Florentina, Margareta, Narcisa, etc… and men named Florin, Florentin, Narcis, Viorel etc… ) celebrate this day as their name day.
and in BUCURESTI What, Where, When – Bucharest, ROMANIA I read
18-20 of April, Museum of the Romanian Peasant
A fair under the blue sky, in the museum yard, a fair for trades people, because it is a tradition that fairs are held on Palm Sunday all over the country, right before Easter, to allow everyone to buy new things, and buy whatever is needed for the Holy Days when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Eggs brushed, painted, painstakingly varnished or decorated with beads. ….
Fortunately there is now also Mihaela’s splendid expose.
What a beautiful description of your heritage and a loving tribute to your grandmother as well!
I had no idea that your Easter was different (by about a month) than the one that we celebrate here in the U.S.
Happy Easter!
I’m with Phill on this one and a huge WOW came out of my mouth too as I traveled to Muntenia with you 🙂 How fortunate you are to have been blessed with such a wonderfully loving grandma Mig.. I hope I get to visit Romania some day and when I do, I’ll make sure to do that around Easter 🙂 thanks for sharing your childhood memories – those were some magical days…
love
pearl
What a charming tradition, it’s very touching. I can see very well why you would miss it.
How does a country so rich in resources come to be so economically poor?
Thank you, Rob, for your wonderful compliment. 🙂 I tried to stay away from the Wikipedia, to give more of what and how I remember this holiday – and things haven’t changed since I left Romania. Such traditions endure time.
I think it’s just the difference between the Catholic and the Orthodox Easter, Laura – concerning the date.
About my grandma… she’ll come back in future entries too – for me, she was home. I’ll never forget her and I’ll always try to honor her legacy. I am so happy you enjoyed these lines. Comments here are rare now, but seeing that so many of you my dear friends took the time today to read and learn a bit about Romania gives me hope and courage to go on with this blog.
Pearl, when and if you ever go there, let me know. I’ll be your guide. I’ll show you places and wonders beyond compare, things you cannot even imagine existing and people you’ll love!
Deborah, it is hard to say why… I think corruption and politics have a lot to do with this state of affairs. I could write about what I think has caused this, but I prefer to focus on the positive for a while. 🙂
What a wonderful article – a bit history lesson, a bit cultural exploration, a bit journey for the imagination. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I like this closing very much: “The belief in Christ’s resurrection fills the hearts with more hope than his birth on the 25th of December. Somehow defeating death was always something our predecessors tried to achieve. Remember that back in the old times our ancestors, the Dacians, used to laugh at death, running fearless into battle.”
Thank you, Jeff. 🙂 I enjoyed your site a lot too! You made me laugh. You are simply brilliant!
I’ve always wanted to visit Romania! That is really cool about Palm Sunday being so big there.
Its sad and strange about the poverty though. It probably has something to do with their unfortunate proximity to the former USSR.
Still, it seems like Romania is on track to getting better.
So happy you enjoyed that part, Jason. It tells a lot about how Romanians live their lives.
That is so awesome, I can even smell the ink and see the casual handwriting. =) And it’s been a long time since I have seen such a one on the Internet ever since I became a surfer.
Way to go, Mihaela!
Ryan, you are right about the proximity. They took all they could grab with their claws… Sadly the richness went to the rich. They kept their people still hungry, despite all the damage they did. Russia has a sad situation too and many villages are even poorer than the Romanian villages.
Romania will get better. There are many enthusiasts working for this cause. Somehow I am sorry I am not there to be a part of it, but I think I can help a little from here too.
Thank you, Yang! 🙂 I hope you’ll come back here and read more about Romania and our traditions. There’s still a lot to reveal about my beautiful country.
The richness of Orthodox tradition always impresses me. Particularly the Holy Week services. Every word and gesture — full of meaning.
I didn’t know there was two different dates for Easter either. Very interesting post. 🙂
You are right, Chris. You know what? Everything is “green” too. 🙂 We still have “bio” production almost everywhere, and the food tastes great. Bucharest is quite polluted though. If you ever get the chance, spend Easter somewhere else, in the country.
Don’t worry, Lisa. Sometimes the Catholic and Orthodox Easter take place in the same day.
Orthodox Easter is determined in the Julian Calendar and it doesn’t fall on the date of Passover (15 Nisan in the Hebrew Calendar). Catholic Easter is determined in the Gregorian Calendar. more information on this topic at The Orthodox Ecclesiastical Calendar – I was planning to mention this aspect in the Saturday Easter entry.
Wow. This is such a nice post. It took me away to another place, one which I would love to experience.
Thank you for this beautiful reverie post.
I so love flowers that this touched in more than one way. I long for my grandmother and her beautiful garden too.
I hear your heart and your love in what you wrote. Keep it always. Your grandmother will always live on in you.
I am so happy you enjoyed it. All these nice comments are really an inspiration to go on! I still have so much to tell about Romania and it will never be enough! 🙂
I know she will, Liz and I will always cherish and respect her memory. I know how you feel about your father and I know why and how these words touched you. I know it was not only about the flowers. 🙂
In the US, people get palms on Palm Sunday, but that’s way boring compared to Romania. Also, what a beautiful memoir about your grandmother: my grandmother is pretty ill right now and it reminded me to cherish the great memories of her and the role she played in my development. Happy Easter!
Thank you, Mark. Somehow I don’t think palms are boring – we don’t have them in Romania so I suppose we replaced palms with willow branches out of necessity. But one thing is certain: they don’t make good waist belts!
I am sad to hear about your grandma, I pray she gets better soon. I don’t have mine living anymore, and sadly I was not there when she was ill, to ease her pain. You be there!
What a great tribute to your Grandmother. Thanks a lot for sharing it with us
Very interesting read, Mihaela. I’m actually about 20% Romanian, but admit I don’t know much about that bit of my heritage. This was a fascinating read, so thanks for it! 🙂
wow. i’ve learned a lot here tonight. i need to sleep on it. thanks for the enlightenment! ~nancy
Thank you so much, Mig, for bringing me back to a time where life was so beautiful and had such strong flavors! I so miss the holidays I used to spend at my grandmothers! I will see her again this weekend, and now that I’ve read this, I simply can’t wait. 🙂
It’s great that you describe Romania, your heritage and the rich culture like this. I believe Romania has an unfair reputation today, largely due to how your former leaders mismanaged the country. It will just take some time to undo this. And it starts with people like you.
Wow, I had been planning to visit Romania some day but now I’m even more enthused.
I really can’t wait to visit this beautiful place.
An insight into the hidden beauty and wonderful customs of Romania. Thank you for capturing your homeland with such affection.
Beautiful story about your heritage and your family. I would have loved to meet your Grandmother!
Mig, your words magically transported me to your grandmother’s garden in Romania! I look forward to “the rest of the story”. Thanks so much for sharing this experience! My travel plans in the future now include this wonderful country!!
Hi Mig,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful traditions.
Your writing brings back poignant memories of the Easter Sunday when I was six years old. It was on that sunny morning that my Grandmother died. Her last words to me were to go to Church with my friends and that everything would be alright. She was right in the larger sense and yet I was to young to know then that being alright also means experiencing sadness along the way.
Be Well,
Khris
Thank you, Creepyron! I am glad to see you here with so many other friends! I still have a lot to share. Do come back. 🙂
Wow, Josh, I had no idea that you have Romanian blood running through your veins. No wonder I like your writing so much. Those 20% are in your heart, I am sure. I hope you’ll come back here sometimes to read and see more.
I am glad you enjoyed this, Nancy. I hope this will send you some magic dreams of fairies and charm, as I used to have as a child.
Alina, you are so lucky to spend the Easter night with your family. Do bring me some bread when you come. 🙂
I know what you mean, Lars. The time spent under communism left deep scars in our hearts. Some people lost hope, others are full of rage… But the many are trying to rebuild their lives and to build a better future. We are phoenixes.
Wayne, I am sure you’ll enjoy it even more once you are there. If you go around the orthodox Easter you’ll have even more surprises.
Thank you, Ananya. I am glad my message touched your heart. It’s moments like this when we truly realize the value of the Internet. Without this great communication channel, how many people can discover such stories?
Tradition, tradition. TRADITION! Thanks for a wonderful post!
She would have love to meet you too, SoxyLady. She was a perfect hostess: warm and generous, ready to give you everything to feel welcome in her house. I’ve learned from her and I try to follow her lead.
Mike, you bet you’ll visit Romania. We’ll come kidnap you if you don’t come yourself. 😉 Thank you for the wonderful words, dear friend. They mean a lot to me, especially this week when so many memories fill my eyes with tears.
Khris, it’s said in Romania that those who die on Easter are blessed: their sins are forgiven, their souls purified with holy light and taken straight to Heaven to be near Christ and the Holy Father. The are carried by the Holy Spirit who comes as a dove… I believe this, and your grandmother’s last words, encouraging you to go to church, are more than a proof! Thank you for sharing your memories, Khris. From all my heart, thank you!
Welcome to Rounite, Steve. There’s more tradition here.. more to come. I hope you’ll come back sometimes.