MINDENSZENTEK : DEEP INTO THE HUNGARIAN TRADITIONS : ALL SAINTS and ALL SOULS

All Souls Day in Hungary is a time of religious and/or spiritual attention to the humans who have lived their lives and gone before us.

According to It's Hungarian, a publication online:
In the 8th century Pope Gregory III has started the holiday of the All Saints’ Day, which is celebrated on the first day of November. The pope has stood out for that – beside the martyrs – the saints, who are canonized after the recognition of the Christianity, must be celebrated too. So, this way the All Saints’ Day is become the feast of the hollowed souls, who are because of the large number of their kind, not mentioned in the calendars uniquely.

All Saints Day in November 1st.

But this day became a way to celebrate our ancestors - saintly or not. This is done by visiting graves, cleaning them, leaving flowers, lighting candles; it became All Souls Day,.

ITS HUNGARIAN : CELEBRATIONS OF THE DEAD IN HUNGARY - ALL SAINTS and ALL SOULS

Excerpt: According to the folkways, the night between the All Saints’ Day, and the All soul’s day the deceased have mass in the church, and when the bell tolls, they are going to the house of their beloved ones. In the peasant’s house, an extra plate has been placed to the tables, bread, salt and water has been served into them. In Székely Land a loaf has been cooked, which is called God’s pie or the bread of the dead.

In Hungary, food and charity has given to and cared about the homeless and poor ones, to advance the reach of the bliss of the dead souls. Mainly bread and honey coated scone is given at the gates of the cemeteries.

SAINT NICK'S DAY - HITCHHIKING SANTA CLAUS!

Just love the idea that his horses or raindeers went on strike!

 

TRADITIONAL MAGYAR /HUNGARIAN FOLK MOTIFS - INTERESTING and FUN

I hope this is free of commercials... it gets interesting about midway, after the humor.  It is part of a series and worth listening to... It may inspire you to embroider...  I'm impressed!

ALL SAINTS DAY and ALL SOULS DAY COMING UP : HUNGARIAN TRADITIONS

HUNGARY TODAY - ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS DAY HUNGARIAN TRADITIONS 

According to this article, Halloween is considered a foreign holiday in Hungary.  This may be because of the Christian traditions of All Saints (November 1st) and then All Souls (November 2nd).  Rather than Memorial Day in the United States for grave visiting and cleaning, Hungarians go to the cemetery on one or both of these days, not only cleaning the graves but leaving flowers, lighting candles, and sometimes cakes. Alternatively, a stay at home family might light one candle for each person who has died in the family.

This interesting article has some regional traditions given.

Excerpt:  On the night between All Saints' Day and the Day of the Dead, it is said that the mass is held by the dead in the churches.  On the Day of the Dead, the poor and beggars were entertained and got a feast from the wealthy,  In the Gyimes Valley, they said, "We cook for the day of the dead, we bake loaves, we give them to the dead."  There are places were food is also put on the graves, such as in Topolya, but they also give food to beggars...

A WEDDING IN HUNGARY (1931)

BALINT NAP! HUNGISH ORG TELLS YOU IN ENGLISH HOW VALENTINES IS IN HUNGARY!

HUNGISH ORG : VALENTINES DAY IN BUDAPEST  full article here!

OK, so florists decided to make this an official holiday in recent history 1989! Still, there's no reason why you have to give in to commercial interest to celebrate.  After all, a home made card, an original love poem, some flowers you plucked yourself, all these things are traditionally romantic!

"In Hungary it is generally only young married couples and young lovers who exchange gifts on this day while in America there is a card for just about every love connection from couples to grandparents to their grandchildren. Hungarian cards say a few things differently than what Americans will find in Hallmark shops. Typical Hungarian cards for Valentine’s Day say things like: “To the world’s most adorable blue-eyed real man” to “Your little sex mouse.” Other expressions are “Send word to the country hag that I love her” or “I wish my pocket piggy a joyous future from his ever-loving pocket kitty.”

ALL SOULS DAY - HUNGARIAN SHORT FILM

Hungarian short movie, which won 1st Prize in the Hungarian16th National Student Film Festival of 2009.

1931 HUNGARIAN WEDDING - VINTAGE FILM!