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SLAVA
All members of the family or community observe together a day set aside to honor their family protector saint. The Saint remains unchanged from the father to the son as a tradition of inheritance. This celebration originated in pre-Christian times, when each family had its particular family God. Later, when the Macedonians became Christians, they transferred this observance to the Christian Saints, selecting some Saint with special meaning to the family or the Saint whose cele- bration day was nearest the day when the family accepted Christianity. Unlike previous pagan family gatherings, the christian Slava is characterized by bloodless practices.The Christian symbols of the Slava are the candle (svekja), wheat (pchenica) and bread (poskura), with a religious motif on its top obtained by pressing the poskurnik (shown on the picture here) on the dow prior to its baking. Since every part or Slava ritual describes the life, passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, bread and wheat were naturally the first elements of the bloodless sacrifices. Wheat (panagija) was established as the most holy and symbolic secret of nativity life. Everything is born from seed.
Also, wheat was the main source of existence. Even today, the Slava ritual still involves a series of beautiful symbols in the blessing of the wheat and the breaking of the bread.
In Europe and America, there are many different ways of celebrating the Slava, depending on the particular region, but the basic idea is the same everywhere: worship of the Patron Saint with a bloodless practice. The most common way of celebrating is in this manner: the host goes to the church to attend the holy liturgy. He takes to the church a Patron's Saint Cake (Poskura), a bowl or cooked wheat sweetened with honey or sugar (pchenica) and the "Book in Memoriam" (citulja) from which, during the Holy Liturgy, the priest reads the names of the host's deceased relatives. The Priest also cuts and blesses the Patron's Saint Cake, according to a prescribed rite. Pchenica is prepared only in commemoration of patron saints who died. The Holy angels and Saint Elijah did not pass through death. Therefore, pchenica is not prepared for them.
Meanwhile, at home, the table is prepared for the celebration. Returning from church, the host places the cake and wheat on the table and lights a candle which burns all day. Later, relatives and friends gather at the home of the celebrant to share in the festivities and partake of the celebration dinner. The host (always the male head or the household) prays to God and his Patron Saint and then serves his guests. (The host is never seated during the dinner.) Every guest receives a small portion of the Patron's Saint Cake as well as of the wheat. In many regions, it is the custom to invite the priest to perform the Cutting of the Patron Saint Cake as well as the wheat.
SAINT NIKOLA
One of the most popular and most beloved saints in the Orthodox Calendar is St. Nicholas, who was born toward the end of the third century. He is patron of the mariners, merchants, travellers, as well as of many countries. Among the Macedonian people he is widely honored as a family patron.
Macedonians who celebrate St. Nicholas as their Slava,being mindful that the holiday occurs in the midst of the Christmas-Advent Fast, observe the holiday in the traditional religious manner and, prepare only fast meals on this day. This is as it should be, because the Slava is primarily religious observance, honoring the patron saint of the home, saint is a best honored if the celebrants properly observe teachings and ordinances of the Holy Church as the saint himself did.
His fame has come down through the centuries and legends have grown around his life. He was known for his kindness and many acts or charity, which he preferred to do anonymously. He loved children and the children revered him-thus the connection with children to this day.
Throughout his life he retained the bright and guileless manners of his early years, and showed himself the special protector of the innocent and the wronged. He died in 342.
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Denes celiot pravoslaven svet mu prinesuva topli i iskreni molitvi na Gospoda Isusa Hrista preku golemiot zashtitnik na vistinata evangelska, pravdata pomegju lugjeto, koj beshe diven, megju svetitelite i ugodnicite-Sv. Nikola.
Denes vo sekoj pravoslaven dom gori kandilo pred negoviot svetol lik, kako simbol na vechnosta, velichajki go negovoto sveto i bogougodno delo, i molejki mu se da bide pokrovitel i zashtitnik na nashite domovi i cheda.
Celiot negov zivot beshe posveten na Gospoda Isusa Hrista i Negovata bozestvena qubov sprema maliot, bedniot i onepravdeniot chovek. Roden pri krajot na 3 vek vo Patara vo Likija, od mnogu bogati i ugledni roditeli Teofan i Nona, sin edinec podaren od Boga, no roditelite go posvetuvaat na Boga, na kogo toj mu sluzi kako veren pastir, propovednik i revnosen ispolnitel.
Bogougodnite dela na sledbenicite Hristovi se plod na nesebichnata qubov sprema blizniot. Tie se ukras na negovata dusha i dar od neboto. Zatoa zivotot vo Boga e izvor na vistinska radost i slava za koja pee psalmopevecot David: "Diven Bog vo svjatih svoih". Nasledenoto bogatstvo od svoite roditeli toj go razdeli na siromasi i so toa izbrisha solzi na mnogu siraci i vdovici i gi zaraduva najbednite vo rodniot mu grad Patara, znaejki deka so toa steknuva vechno bogatstvo koe "ni molec ni rgja go upropastuva" (Mat. 6,20). "Bogatejki se vo Boga", negoviot zivot beshe posveten vo sluzba na bednite, onepravdenite i ugnetenite shto se gleda od negovoto energichno zastapuvanje i osloboduvanjeto na trojca zatvorenici koi bea nepravedno osudeni na smrt od gradonachalnikot.
So negovite milosrdni dela toj beshe prochuen nasekade, iako seto toa go vrsheshe nechujno i tajno, kako bi ja ispolnil zapovedta na Gospod Isus Hristos: "Da ne znae tvojata levica shto pravi desnicata tvoja" (Mat.6,3).
Poradi bogougodniot zivot beshe udostoen da bide izbran od Boga za arhiepiskop na Mir vo Likija so glas od neboto: " Nikola, odi na podvig vo narodot, ako sakash da bidesh od mene vechen". Izbran po providenieto Bozjo, toj go vodi pastvoto po spasitelniot pat, go pouchuva, chuva i duhovno hrani i spremen e "dushata da ja polozi" za nego kako vistinski pastir. So svojot zivot beshe svetla yvezda vo mrachnata nok na chovechkata dusha i sigurno pristanishte vo burnoto vreme na zalutanite vo nemirnoto more na zivotot. Poradi toa negovoto prisustvo im noseshe na site radost i uteha, mir i dobra volja. Negovoto lice sveteshe kako sonce i pastvoto go smetashe, ushte vo zivotot, za svetec i go prizivashe vo molitvite za pomosh koga toj beshe daleku od niv, i im pomagashe.
Kako arhiepiskop beshe mudar, milostiv, revnosen i neustrashiv. Pa zatoa beshe zatvoren za vreme na neznabozechkite carevi i zestoki goniteli na hristijanite Dioklecijan i Maksimijan. Ispoveduvajki go neustrashivo slovoto Bozjo, za nego bea uteha i hrabrost zborovite na Gospod Isus Hristos da ne se plashat Negovite sledbenici koga ke bidat vo zatvor zaradi Negovoto ime, shto ke odgovorat pred sudot, zashto Duhot Bozji ke govori za niv. Zatoa toj i vo zatvor ne prestana da go pouchuva stadoto da odi po patot na vistinata i pravdata Bozja. Sluzejki neumorno na Boga i poverenoto mu pastvo se upokoi vo Gospoda Hrista na 6. dekemvri 343 godina.
Sveti Nikola e vistinski primer na vistinski pastir, chija qubov kon blizniot e neshto primarno i sveto i osnova za edno novo vo koe lugjeto ke se tretiraat kako sinovi Bozji, a toa znachi polzuvanje ednakvi prava na zemnite blaga.
Negovata samopregorna sluzba na Gospoda Hrista i maliot chovek go izdigna visoko i go ovencha so vechna slava. Delata na ovoj golem svetitel nikogash nema da zgasnat. Tie vechno ke ziveat oti se izgradeni na vechnata evangelska vistina. Tie ke sluzat na site sledbenici Hristovi kako ziv primer za pravda i humanost-sekogash i za sekogo.
Da se pomolime na sv. Nikola duhot na qubovta Hristova da zavladee vo nas i da bideme udostoeni da go sledime negoviot pat, koj preku dobri dela vodi do vechnost.
* * * Imeto na Sveti Nikola se pochituva i na istochnite i na zapadnite strani. Zemjite vo koi Sveti Nikola nikogash ne bil, go smetaat za svoj zastapnik i pokrovitel, mu pribegnuvaat onie shto uchat, majkite mu se molat za svoite deca, bolnite ja baraat negovata pomosh. Svetitelot na site im se pokazuva kako blizok, dostapen i brz pomoshnik, prijatel i zastapnik vo nesrekite.
Slednive redovi zboruvaat za nekolku vistinski chuda shto se imaat slucheno vo svetogorskiot manastir Grigorijat, vo vreminja nam bliski, chij soboren hram e posveten na Sv. Nikola i kade Svetiot Ierarh Mirlikijski se pokazuva kako vistinski zashtitnik:
... Dvajca monasi, otec Mihail i otec Hrisant imaa poslushanie da mesat leb vo manastirot. I ovoj pat, kako i mnogu drugi pred toa, go pripremaa zitoto koe sakaa da go somelat vo vodenicata. Go pominuvaa niz edna posebna mashina, koja go chisteshe od site tugji tela. No, ne bea mnogu zadovolni zoshto zitoto zavrshuvashe i beshe teshko da se snabdat so drugo.
Pomina togash pokraj rabotilnicata edno starche, nisko, kelavo, so siromashni oblekla i so edno malo Evangelie vo rakata.
- Shto pravite, Oci? Kako pominuvate?
- Dobro. Slava na Boga.
- Imate dosta zito za vashite potrebi?
- Ova shto gledash, starche (dedo). Edvaj stignuva za edno mesenje. A nie sekoja nedela treba da pravime po dve mesenja.
- Ne se zalostite, Otci. Bog e golem.
Potoa go blagoslovi zitoto i si otide.
Dvajcata monasi po malku vreme si rekoa:
- Ne napravivme dobro shto go ostavivme starcheto da si odi. Da go vikneme da mu dademe neshto da jade.
Potrchaa da go stignat, no nikade ne go vidoa. Chudna rabota! Kako da beshe nekoj mladich so krila na nozete za da moze tolku brzo da se oddalechi? Gi prashaa i drugite monasi, no nikoj go nemashe videno nitu znaeshe neshto.
Poleka-poleka se vooblichuvashe vo niv ideata deka ona starche beshe Sveti Nikola. Postoea, se razbira, i somnezi koi so vremeto potpolno se izgubija. Zashto se zabeleza neshto chudesno: Zitoto koe go blagoslovi starcheto, celi shest meseci ne zavrshuvashe. Chudoto veke beshe ochigledno.
Verata deka Sveti Nikola gi nadgleduva so budna neznost potrebite na manastirot se zakrepna ushte poveke. Etichkoto ukrepuvanje na Otcite beshe golemo. A i blagochestieto kon nivniot svetitel zashtitnik se zgolemi za prevashoden stepen.
Togash postarite monasi iznesoa i drugi chuda koi im se sluchile vo minatoto. Pomladite ne se nasituvaa da gi slushaat ovie sveti raskazuvanja. Nema da bide bescelno da gi prosledime i nie:
Otec (Papa) Simeon, Starecot na Otec Atanasij, imashe potpolno poverenie vo zashtitata na Sveti Nikola. Veruvashe deka svetitelot se grizi za potrebite na manastirot poveke otkolku bilo koj drug.
Se priblizuvashe 6 Dekemvri i site Otci se naogjaa vo dvizenje. So bozja pomosh site pripremi za slavata odea dobro. Samo gotvachite bea voznemireni shto ushte ne im imaa doneseno ribi. Den pred slavata, popladneto, otidoa kaj Igumenot:
- Geronda, mu velat, mozebi treba da razmislime za sushenata riba. Ako treba, da ja stavime ushte sega vo voda.
- Ne, Ne! Ne razmisluvajte za toa. ]e imame svezi ribi. Sveti Nikola ke se pogrizi.
Vo megjuvreme pochna i bdenieto. Povecherie, Golema vecherina, Petolebie, Utrena, Shestopsalmie, Katizmi, ednoto posleduvashe posle drugoto. Voznemirenite gotvachi go naogjaat pak Igumenot:
- Sega veke, Geronda, nitu sushena riba ne mozeme da imame. Da stavime grav?
- Ne, Ne! ke dojdat ribi.
Toa beshe neshto shto ne mozea da go razberat. Ma, kako ke dojdat ribite? I koga ke dojdat? Eve, Utrenata e veke do sredina! Od kade ima takva sigurnost Igumenot?
Ova go mislea i se voznemiruvaa, a pevnicata pochna da gi pee hvalitnite stehiri. Togash nekoi radosni glasovi se slushaa od avlijata (dvorot). Beshe monahot od pristanishteto. Zadishan i vozbuden vikashe:
- Otci, slezete! Zemete koshnici i slezete. Svetitelot napravi golemo chudo!
Shto se beshe sluchilo? Eden ustremuvachki bran donesol i rasprostrel na bregot mnogubrojni ribi, odbrani i golemi. Dar bogoispraten. Se zivo, chudo na svetitelot. Site ostanaa zanemeni. A najmnogu gotvachite, koi ne znaeja na shto poprvo da se voshitat. Na chudodejstvo na Svetitelot ili na nepokolebivata vera na Starecot.
Na niedna druga slava se nemaa prineseno na trpeza tolku svezi i vkusni ribi. Duhovniot i materijalniot blagoslov na svetitelot se rezlea ovoj pat izobilno.
* * * Na edna druga slava na Sveti Nikola, za vreme na igumenstvoto na papa Simeon pak, se sluchi edna druga chudesna sluchka.
Toj pat, ekonomot mu napomena na Geronda deka ne moze da gi nagosti so maslo asketite. (Imashe obichaj togash da se dava kako blagoslov edna kolichina na maslo na siromashnite asketi koi ke zemaat uchestvo vo slavata).
- Zoshto e teshko? Prasha Igumenot.
- Nemashe mnogu maslo. Polovina sad ni ima ostanato.
- Ne prechi. Ti ke dadesh, pa ako treba neka zavrshi.
Napravi poslushanie. Delejki go masloto na asketite, nasproti tie da blagodarat, no samiot ne se chubstvuvashe mnogu radosen. Beshe shto beshe malku masloto. Sega ke ischezneshe sosem. Ovie mislimu gi nametnuvashe logikata ili podobro recheno negovoto maloverie. No ona shto prosledi i vo koe toj prv si se uveri, mu ja ozivea verata vo promislata i vo silata Bozja. Zashtitnikot Svetitel, poln so simpatii i sostradanie, intervenirashe pak. Se sluchi neshto chudesno. Nivoto na masloto ne se spushti voopshto, nitu eden santimetar od negovata visina. Ostana na negovoto pochetno ramnishte.
Taka i pustinskite oci bea daruvani, i Manastirot ne pretrpe zaguba i maloverniot monah dobi edna dobra lekcija.
Ako nekoj ima trpenie da gji istrazuva mnogubrojnite knigi na Manastirot ke sretne mnogubrojni chuda na Sveti Nikola. Kolku pati ni go sochuva Manastirot od siguren pozar! Kolku li pati ne spasi monasi koi padnaa vo provalii! Kolku li pati ne spasi kajchinja i brodovi od sigurno potopuvanje! Kako da ne se oddade nekoj na slavoslovie koga ja chuvstvuva vidno podrshka na eden Svetitel!
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