The holiday of Dzheorgub among Ossetians is dedicated to Saint Uastirdzhi. For help, mostly men turn to him. He also protects the disadvantaged and can guide those who have gone astray. This celebration is one of the main in Ossetia. They prepare and conduct it responsibly. Moreover, Ossetians honor traditions so much that the holiday remained the same as it was decades ago.
general information
In the last week of November there comes a crucial day, for which all Ossetians are carefully preparing. Dzheorguba is celebrated at the end of agricultural work and takes place equally in the northern and southern regions. Moreover, other nations and nationalities living in Ossetia also have a positive attitude towards triumph - for them it has become native.
On the eve of the holiday, which always comes on Monday and continues until the end of the week, each family slays an animal for sacrifice. Sunday is what they call it - “the day of the slaughter of the bull.”
On Monday, the celebration is focused only on the family circle. The head of the slaughtered animal, as well as three pies called prayer, are brought to the table. The eldest in the family says thanks, after which they begin the celebration. Women sit at a separate table, since Uastirdzhi is the patron saint of men.
For the rest of the week, Ossetians visit their neighbors, friends and relatives. On the last day, they say goodbye to the holiday, and this happens again in the family circle.
Principles of celebration
Dzheorguba is an Ossetian national holiday, the history of which originates far in the past. You cannot serve fish, pork or poultry to the table at this time. The main diet is beef or lamb. The main dish is the head of a bull or a sheep, cooked according to a national recipe.
First, the elders of the family begin their meal. They leave large and juicy pieces of meat for young boys so that the new generation grows healthy and strong. Women had not previously participated in the celebration, but today they also celebrate it with the rest.
Even when the week of festivities ends, no one forgets about St. Uastirdzhi. Toasts and prayers in his honor are constantly pronounced, no matter what the event is. It can be a birthday, anniversary, wedding or even a corporate party.
History of occurrence
The holiday of Dzheorgub among Ossetians is based on the Nart epic. He came to the country from the distant past, and today no one can say for sure exactly when the tradition was born to celebrate the day of St. Uastirdzhi. It is only known that the celebration itself has not changed at all. The same dishes are served on the table, principles and traditions also remained similar.
Since Dzheorguba is a holiday in honor of the Ossetian saint, on this day it is customary to turn their prayers only to him. But those who celebrate do not forget about God. Despite the fact that the saint patronizes men, toasts are raised in honor of women.
Who is Uastirdzhi?
As you know, the holiday of Georgub at the Ossetians is dedicated to one of the saints of this nation. This is the great Uastirdzhi, who came from their Nart epics. He is often compared with St. George, who appears in Christian writings. He is the patron saint of men, travelers and warriors.
Most likely, this attitude towards Uastirdzhi is based directly on the fact that the saint lived in the same way as other people. He led a familiar lifestyle, was a mountaineer. Before death he did a lot of good. Being the messenger of the Almighty, he always guided the true path of everyone who addressed him. We can definitely say that even today any Ossetian, before starting to do anything, will always enlist his support.
In 1995, Uastirdzhi erected a monument - the image of a man riding a horse. This once again proves that the holiday of Dzheorgub in Ossetia is really revered. The weight of the monument is 28 tons. Usually, when cars drive past him, drivers stop to bow before the chief of their saints.
Traditions and rites
The Djeorgub Festival is held approximately the same every year. The only difference is that not all families can afford a large scale. After he is celebrated with his family, Ossetians go to visit their neighbors. Usually those people who are friendly with each other agree on who, when, and to whom comes to the house. There are frequent cases when all celebrants are thrown off to the celebration. But in modern times there are no old problems with money, therefore this tradition has remained only in villages and small towns.
During the celebration, right at the table, the senior family member says a toast to the Almighty. A second glass is drunk for the divine messenger of Uastirdzhi. Each of them during the pronouncement of the toast is addressed with the words so that they save the whole family as a whole and each member in particular.
In modern times, women also take part in the celebration, only they sit at another part of the table. Toasts and prayers are not pronounced, but they can drink and enjoy on an equal footing with the others.
