Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 2, 1891.djvu/73



HE Servian national custom called "Slava" (literally, "Glory and Celebration"), and sometimes "Krono ime" (or Baptism), is one which distinguishes the Servian people not only from races of Latin and Germanic origin, but also from all other Slavonians.

During their pagan period each Servian household had a particular deity as its patron and protector. Annually, on an appointed day, the family offered to its especial deity special sacrifices. Of all religious rites in those early days this annual celebration was the most important, and was always accompanied by much feasting and varied entertainments.

This act of household worship was a deeply-rooted custom with the Servians. When baptised Christionas, in the seventh century, they would not surrender this cherished usage, so the Byzantine missionaries, in the spirit of compromise then prevalent, instead of abolishing all heathen ceremonies, substituted the worship of saints for that of pagan deities. So the Slava custom remained, only, on receiving Christina baptism, each Servian family chose a saint of the Eastern Church as its special guardian. And to the ancient appellation of the household festival "Slava" was added, as a synonyme, the new name "Krono ime", or baptism.

The favourite family patron-saints of Servia are St. Nicholas, St. John, and St. George. The archangel Michael is also very popular. Households having the same patron-saint consider themselves in a holy relationship to each other, so much that in some districts they do not intermarry. The Slava aids in deciding to which