The Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates the day of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius, who is better known as Mitrovdan among the people. This date is marked in the folk tradition as the hajduk’s farewell and the time of year when winter begins. Mitrovdan is one of the biggest slavas (family patron saint days) in the Serbian people, the patron saint day of some guilds, and the day of holding a zavetina (vow or local commemoration) in many places.
Mitrovdan is dedicated to the ancient Roman commander of Thessaloniki from the third century, who was martyred and executed for spreading Christianity. He was born in Thessaloniki during the time of Emperor Maximian. He ignored the emperor’s order to persecute Christians and publicly preached Christianity.
When the emperor heard that the commander of Thessaloniki was a Christian, he ordered him to be thrown into prison where he was tortured and executed. The Christians of Thessaloniki secretly buried Demetrius. A church was later built on the site of his grave, and he was proclaimed the patron saint of the city of Thessaloniki.
According to tradition, Demetrius’s grave exuded basil and myrrh, which is why he was called the Myrrh-streamer.
Even today, the healing power of his relics is believed in. Church writings state that later Saint Demetrius “watched over his city and saved it from earthquakes and other misfortunes.”
Saint Demetrius, besides the Greeks, is especially celebrated by the Russians and the Serbs. Among the Russians, his cult began to spread in the 12th century. They chose him as the patron saint of Siberia in 1581. His holiday is one of the biggest holidays in the Russian Church. In Serbia, numerous temples are also dedicated to Saint Demetrius, including the church in the Peć Patriarchate and the chapel in the Visoki Dečani Monastery. It is the patron saint day of numerous families and the name of some guilds. Vow commemorations (zavetine) are held in many places.
Customs
Folk beliefs say that on the eve of Mitrovdan and Đurđevdan (St. George’s Day), everyone should be at their home, because whoever is not in their home at that time will spend the whole year lodging in other people’s houses. This is also considered the most important Mitrovdan custom.
It is also customary among our people that on Mitrovdan, servants whose contracts have expired are dismissed and new ones are hired.
It is also believed in some places that all major fieldwork and other things done outside must be finished by Mitrovdan. It is believed that after Mitrovdan, winter can surprise at any moment, so the opinion has become established that it is bad luck if some work is left for after the great holiday.
This day is also known because the hajduks (outlaws) would part ways then to spend the winter with their helpers and meet again on Đurđevdan the following year. This is how the saying came about: Mitrovdanak – hajduk’s farewell and Đurđevdanak – hajduk’s meeting.
If, by any chance, snow falls on November 8th, it is said that Saint Demetrius came on a white horse, and it is believed that the snow cover will last until April. If it is cloudy, a warm winter awaits us, and if it is clear, according to folk belief, the winter ahead of us is harsh.
In Serbia, there is also a belief that on Mitrovdan, small children should not be scolded, no matter how much they have erred or been naughty, because they will allegedly be naughty all year long.
Since ancient times, peasants in Šumadija put a white pebble in every corner of the room on Mitrovdan to protect them from mice. Women on this day do not touch the spindle, combs, or scissors.
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Source: RTS, Photo: Wikimedia Creative Commons