Marijampolė county newspaper spreading the miracle of spring

That was the day: Sunday, April 23rd. The only one, because the other one is already different, although the sun was shining and warming no less, and the clouds (already quite summery, white) were chasing each other and racing with the wind, or maybe the birds – these, as if they lost their heads, are not happy to return, having found their home … Because the next day we were each to ourselves – to our work, with other people, among everyday things. But the surrounding greenery has not disappeared anywhere, which is getting more and more every day, and this means only one thing: life is pulsating more and more widely every day. Isn’t that the most important thing under this sun and on this earth?

… So on Sunday in Ludvinavas Park, people, beautifully invited and invited to the Jore festival, took part in an unusual event – rites and rituals – primarily to thank the Earth. Because, as Vita Gvazdaitienė, who is doing this for the first time, said, “the meaning of these holidays is to talk to the Earth.” I invite people to them so that we can be in nature and think about what a wonderful place we live in.

To thank the Earth for everything we have, to remember that it needs to be preserved and protected. We don’t have a home anywhere else, only here, because we are like that little beetle in the big Universe. We gathered to be together, to talk with nature and each other. There are no pre-scripts – we will do everything together, following the traditions that have come to us from the most distant times…”

Jore is a celebration of greenness and rebirth, since pagan times it is also associated with Thunder, which awakens the forces of life: resurrects the earth and vegetation, sends rain that washes away the plaques and impurities of the dark season (in the human soul as well). It is said that at that time the beginning of the new year was recorded in the spring, around this time… When Christianity came, these holidays were identified with St. The day of George, the guardian of animals, is in Jurginėmis.

There are still a number of written customs associated with Jurginės (after digging deeper, it can be seen that these are nothing but rituals taken over from old beliefs, the rites have changed, more responsive to the needs of the farmer). During Jurgines, it was absolutely necessary to drive the animals to the fields, but until then – it is not a must. Efforts were made to observe both the prohibitions and the obligatory things, because future prosperity depended on it…

…Jorė is a celebration of spiritual rebirth, enlightenment, its symbol is a sprig of an exploded plant. The gate was surrounded by this soft greenery, through which a person who symbolically washed his hands or wiped a wrinkle from his forehead seemed to have entered a different space. Here, the Earth and fire were thanked by pouring amber dust and grains into it (it came from Vita’s hands and the participants – like bread, which is the basis of our life like water or light).

Everyone could send their wish to the Earth – either out loud, or just in their thoughts, with the ceremonial songs of the “Dijuta” ensemble, with the support of the participants of the “Žalias sodas” theater in Ludvinav and the “Gaja” children’s theater studio. The researcher of ancient writings, Juozas Šeimys, added one of his previously published books to these wishes (the new one will be published soon) – here one wanders into very old times…

…The biggest and most important Jore festival takes place every year in Kulionysi (Moletai district, near the observatory). Romuvians from all over Lithuania gather here, and new members are ordained. This year it will be April 29-30. Recently, these spring holidays (in some places Jore, in others – Jurgines) are becoming more and more popular. The “Jorgi, unlock the earth” celebration was held in Sasnava. And on Saturday the 29th, at 4 p.m. In Poetry Park – folklore concert “Jurgis zemu atrakina”, guest groups will participate.