St. Barbara's Day

St. Barbara's DayDecember 4 is St. Barbara’s Day, one of the 14 saints who help people in their earthly affairs. St. Barbara is the patroness of artisans, she is asked for help and blessing in her labors. St. Barbara, as a protector from lightning, is also addressed during a thunderstorm.

According to legend, St. Barbara was executed by her pagan father when he learned that she had become a Christian. Prior to that, he kept her locked up in the tower for a certain time to hide from numerous courtiers, since Barbara was very handsome. The moment he cut off her head, he was struck by lightning and burned it to the ground. In memory of her imprisonment, Barbara is usually depicted with a small turret at her feet.

We do not know where the tradition of bringing gifts to children on St. Barbara’s Day came from, but in many regions of the Czech Republic children put stockings out of the window in the evening, and in the morning they find candy, nuts or a small gift in it.

It is on this day in the Czech Republic that cherry trees are cut off from chilled twigs, and put in water so that they bloom by Christmas.

The name St. Barbara is pronounced in Czech as Barbora. And cherry twigs cut on this day are called “barborks”.

The tradition of barborokes has long been closely associated with predictions of the future, mainly for young girls. If the twigs placed in the water on December 4 will bloom before the Generous Day, that is, before December 24, then the girl will marry next year. Or another sign - have managed to "barborks" green, so everything planned will surely come true.

In the Czech Republic, another tradition was associated with St. Barbara’s Day. In addition to twigs, you could find "live Barboroks". It was three girls dressed in white, on the eve of St. Barbara’s Day, walking around families with children. Barborkas gave children apples, pears, nuts and other treats. And the naughty kids were scared by the rod. However, this tradition has hardly survived. Perhaps because a similar role is played by the Czech Mikulas, giving children small gifts on the eve of St. Nicholas Day, in Czech Mikulas, which is celebrated on December 6.

To date, only the tradition of cutting "barborks" has survived. In fact, it should not be just cherry twigs. "Barborks" are considered and branches of other fruit trees, as well as, for example, lilacs. And although in various predictions associated with “barborks”, today, probably, few people believe, blossoming twigs still bring happiness, joy and tranquility to families at Christmas.

Based on Radio Prague.