|
The days of Swedish Easter past.
Palm Sunday-
In the middle and northern areas of Sweden, it was
the custom, since of course we have no palm leaves to bring on branches
of birch or pussy willow and put them in water to force the leaves.
During Catholic times before Gustav Vasa, it was common that the
branches received a blessing in the church.
The days of the week before Easter took their names
from the lent days.
Blue Monday- was commonly a fasting day
Fat Tuesday- was exactly that. You caught up from
Monday and ate and drank freely before the “quiet week”.
Ash Wednesday – this day started of the “dymmel
week”. The word “dymmel” is believed to come from an old Norse
word “dumber”, meaning mute.
The dymmel week or still week was from Ash
Wednesday until Easter Sunday. There would be no ordinary church bell
ringing during dymmel week. Instead, the usual peel would be taken out
of the bell and it would be rung with a wooden mallet to quiet it.
No music or singing was allowed even in church.
During these days you weren’t supposed to do
anything that involved circular motion.
No spinning, no wagon pulling, no milling or even
baking with a rolling pin. You couldn’t split wood or use a hammer.
The dymmel would be regarded as an entity that could harm people and
animals on the farm. Nothing was to be done to set it off.
Thursday – was the day the witches took flight
and went to an island named “Blåkulla” to have dinner with the
devil. All brooms had to be hidden and all tools put away under lock and
key.
Nothing would be lent to anyone, for fear that they
might be a which and use the item to gain power over it’s owner. No
fires could be burning after sundown, or the witches would use the smoke
to cause misery and harm.
It was thought that witches also used animals to
ride on, so all animals were put in the barn and a big cross would be
painted in pitch on the door to scare them away.
Long Friday – On this day, whoever woke up first
got to flog the others with birch branches to remind them of Christ’s
suffering. This was done with solemnity in the beginning, but became
more lighthearted later, especially since children if they woke up early
enough, got to flog their parents. Afterwards everyone would have coffee
and coffee bread. It was
otherwise a still and quiet day. No visits, no laughing or joking.
This was so firmly implanted in the culture that I
can remember still in the sixties, being hushed by my parents and
grandparents if we played too loudly.
Easter Eve – In many parts of the country
bonfires would be lit on Saturday to scare off evil, and also to
celebrate the coming of spring. In old days the men would shoot their
rifles in the air to scare the witches, but nowadays we use
firecrackers. The children dress
up as witches and go around to all the homes and wish everyone a happy
Easter.
You eat eggs and porridge, an decorate eggs and
play games with them. You could also tell your future with eggs,
especially popular with young girls who would try to figure out who they
would marry.
Easter Sunday – This morning signified that good
had triumphed over evil, and people would watch the sunrise to confirm
it. Everyone would dress in their best clothes to go to church and after
returning home, eat and drink in abundance to celebrate.
For
More: --- Valborgsmässoafton
---
|
