At the end of December last year already, I talked a little about the traditions of celebrating Christmas in Montenegro - and I can’t help but finish this topic with a photo report of public services and solemn burnt offerings on Badni Dan - January 6th. Our team managed to visit the famous Cetinje Monastery, which, among other things, houses the residence of the Metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro - Metropolitan Amfilohiy. In general, it is necessary to make a small digression about the fact that in Montenegro there are actually two Orthodox churches - Serbian (it owns all the main shrines of Montenegro: the Cetinje Monastery, and Ostrog, and the Moraca Monastery, and so on) and Montenegrin - it owns literally several churches and her residence is also located in Cetinje. For a long time, these two branches were even at enmity with each other, which was due to political upheavals in the hot Balkans. And now this is only expressed in the presence of two services and ceremonial events in Badni Dan - near the walls of the Cetinje Monastery and on Dvorsky Trg Square - where the Palace-Museum of King Nikola and numerous street cafes are located.
So, at 15:00 on January 6, adherents of both churches gathered in their place, a kindled fire was already waiting for them, and clergymen solemnly brought “badnyak”, huge branches of oak and laurel to the fire. In the past, the pagan tradition grew into a real Christian one - and now this joyful fire symbolizes the unity of the Montenegrin people and their spiritual purity, soaring upwards, the smoke brings believers closer to their Creator. On this day, the Church commands everyone to reconcile and forgive the offenses of their neighbors. In general, a very joyful holiday where families gather. all citizens. After the laying of the "fuel", the consecration of the fire and the church service followed - for dessert, the church ministers served everyone with "priganits" - or buns, a traditional Christmas delicacy.
All these events had to be completed before dark - therefore, with the onset of darkness, everyone should burn a similar fire in their homes - pouring it with red wine and bread - as a defender of the hearth. Well, January 7th is a family holiday, on which a fairly plentiful table is laid in families and all households gather. Merry Christmas!
