With a long history and a deep meaning, the “Thursday after Easter” celebration represents a moment of gathering and gratitude for the community of Bâlta, Runcu, Gorj county.
This ancestral tradition, passed down from generation to generation, finds its roots in a very special event that took place in these lands a long time ago.
According to the legend told by the elders of the village, on a Thursday of Bright Week, the weather turned violent around Bâlta. Torrential rain and hail struck hard, threatening to destroy the vine crop.
On this special day, no one works, and every house becomes a place of meeting and hospitality for the gentiles and the poor.
“Why do the Baltans celebrate the “Thursday after Easter”
“This holiday is so old that we no longer know the exact year in which it appeared. It is said by the elders that on a Thursday of Bright Week, in the radius of the Bâlta locality, it rained and beat the stone so badly that hardly a vine was left untouched by the hail. Since that day, our ancestors from Bâlteni decided that every “Thursday after Easter” should be a holiday and a celebration in this village, that no one should work on this day and that his house should be welcoming both to the gentiles and to the poor. Early in the morning the priest should come out to the ringing of the church bells and go up the entire hill to resanctify the Troițele, the vineyards, the wells and the animals of the villagers. And after that, all the Christians gather in the middle of the “Scăunel” hill (Bâltii Hill) where the priest reads the “Curses of Tryphon” which are strong prayers for the vines after which the feast of the hill takes place. And the evening ended with the hora in the center of the village.” All this so that the Good God will have mercy and stop giving such festive times to the vine.
(Taken from the village elders)”, it says on the page of the commune, Runcu, Gorj.
Tags: VIDEO oldest celebrations preserved today Runcu Gorj longer exact year appeared
