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"Posvícení" in Rijeka
On Saturday, October 20, Czech people of Rijeka celebrated a traditional Czech fall festival – Posvícení. The word "posvícení" means church fair or religious anniversary. Traditionally, it was a festival dedicated to the local patron saint, observed on the Sunday before or after the day that saint is celebrated. But the literal translation of the word does not depict the real meaning of this festival in the tradition of Czech people. Posvícení is the traditional yearly festivity with feast and public celebration. It takes place after all work in the field ends, the stocks of food are put away and the cattle comes back home from pastures. At that time, friends and family come together for a bountiful feast. Nowadays, it is always celebrated in the fall – the timing has nothing to do with the patron saint any more. In the fall, the work in the field is done, supplies are stored for the winter, and homemakers have plenty of new flour and poppy seeds for traditional Czech pastry buhtle and plum jam for other cakes and pastries; geese are well-fed and fattened, ready to be baked in a baker's oven – it is the perfect time for friends and families to gather and rejoice.
The Czech people of Rijeka did not celebrate the end of the field work, storing winter supplies nor the return of the cattle from pastures. But still they had a reason to celebrate – the fruit of their yearly labor is completion of two floors in the new Czech home in Rijeka. This year, Czech Beseda Rijeka members wished to celebrate Posvícení with their friends from the Czech society from Bjelovar and the architects and contractors who worked on the Czech home building.
The Czech people from Czech Obec Bjelovar did not hesitate to accept the invitation of the friendly society from Rijeka. They came to help their friends celebrate the ending of a successful year. Also, they did not show up empty handed, pleasantly surprising their friends with their "small contribution" to the feast – a roasted pig. Soon after their arrival, the new big stage was filled with sounds of the Bjelovar female choir "Kateřiny." They sang with such flair that the audience could not stop itself from singing along, accompanied by the band "Old Friends" from Bjelovar. Rijeka poets Ivan Rudanović and Herta Tadić read several poems in Croatian Cakavian dialect and in Czech language. After them, the stage came alive with the wealth of Czech costumes and dances performed by folk dance squads. It seemed that the dancers of dance group Srdečko from Bjelovar hardly touched the floor as they danced. The hosts also showed the results of the work of their three dance groups – the children were endearing, married couples dignified, and the Ribice were gracious and playful as always.
It is not hard to guess what followed after the program – the rich dinner of Posvícení, many traditional cakes and pastries, and great fun, songs and dances to the music of the Old Friends. Late in the night, the guest had to go on their long voyage back home to Bjelovar, but this unforgettable evening will remain in the memory of the Rijeka Czech people as well as their guests.
