МАКЕДОНСКОТО ЃУРЃОВДЕНСКО ПЕЕЊЕ
MACEDONIAN SAINT GEORGE'S SONGS

Summary/Abstract: Saint George's Day (May 6) is a holiday that has traditionally been considered a day when winter ends and the summer half of the year begins. It is a holiday dedicated to the green nature and fertility of cattle. Customs of celebrating this holiday is associated with the provision of fertility of the land, people and livestock. Since ancient times, Saint George's Day is celebrated as a holiday dedicated to the cult of fertility and the spirit of trees, which over time acquired cattle and agricultural and magical-love basis. These pagan symbols, closely related to Christianized elements that today live in the songs. The activities undertaken in connection with this holiday, a day before and after it also have their important place in the context of its celebration and customs. Special place in the Saint George's customs has the picking up of herbs, which is also accompanied by ritual actions and songs. Here too is present the process of Christianization, but without major impact, because the essence of these customs is deeply pagan. Going into the field or a mountain, picking herbs and knitting rims are obligatory and accompanied by songs. The basic and most important relation of this holiday with the rituals and songs is dedicated to the cult of the plants, which represents a mystical and existential category in the life of people and livestock. Also, picking herbs and breaking hazel or willow twigs, has a magical character and serves to treat and make various spells. Those days are also banned the entrance in the fields and meadows in order to protect the crops from hail and reinforced feeding of the animals. The songs that are sung on this occasion are an inseparable part of the ritual. Major carriers of the Saint George's rituality and singing are women and girls. They go on picking and harvesting herbs before Saint George's Day singing the so called herb songs through which verses is brought the most exciting and happiest part of the peasant life, and it is the advent of summer, i.e. summer half of the year. The symbolism is expressed in songs through the renewal of the forests, often with the use of various epithets characteristic of the traditional women's folk costume (green saya – a kind of robe, vest made of gilded silver thread, silk shirt etc.).

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