Mysterious Romania (X) Easter Traditions

Easter is one of the most important celebrations of Christianity, commemorating the moment when Jesus came back from the dead. We, as Orthodox, celebrate it, this year, on 12th April.

In my country, the symbol of this celebration is the  red Easter egg. Eggs, in general, are a traditional symbol of fertility, and rebirth.

 Starting with Holy Thursday, people start painting eggs in a multitude of colors. The predominant color is red, but other colors are also applied - yellow, green and blue. Decorated eggs or 'oua incondeiate' are an integral part of Easter celebration in Romania. The eggs are decorated using a type of thin and round sticks  made of beech wood. 

Here are other customs and traditions linked to Easter in Romanian lore.

The first knocked egg on Easter day should be shared by all the members of the family. It will keep them united forever.

 If the first egg you eat on Easter has two yolks, then prepare for wedding. You’ll get married soon.

On Easter Morning everyone in the family  washes their face with the water in which a red-painted egg and a silver coin were sunk. The red egg symbolizes health and the silver purity.

Red eggs are knocked head to head on the first day and  bottom to bottom starting with the next Easter day.

The person whose egg doesn’t crack at knocking on Easter will die before the other one.

Traditional Easter food is based on lamb, Christ’s symbol. It includes  a sour  lamb soup called “ciorba”, roasted lamb stake, a meat pie made of lamb liver - haggis (drob), and lots of painted eggs. 

The candle, an important symbol of the Resurrection, represents the victory of life  against death, of good against evil. It must be brought home, while burning, after the religious service. It is not thrown away but put away in a safe place. It can be lit again, in front of an icon, on difficult moments- illness, great trouble and danger.


The most entertaining Easter tradition is the “egg battle”, an egg championship in which all friends and family participate. Each round of the game consists of knocking two hard-boiled eggs – the egg with the toughest shell wins and the loser has to eat all the boiled eggs the winner breaks.

Allow me to end the post with the traditional greeting Romanians use for forty days starting with Easter Day,      “Hristos a inviat (Christ has risen).”

 

Writing Tips (IX) Literary Agents

 
                         3 Agents Seeking Clients NOW  

1. Kurestin Armada of P.S. Literary

About Kurestin: Kurestin began her publishing career as an intern with Workman Publishing, and spent time as an assistant at The Lotts Agency before joining P.S. Literary. She holds a B.A. in English from Kenyon College, as well as a publishing certificate from Columbia University. Kurestin is based in New York City, and spends most of her time in the city’s thriving indie bookstores. She reads widely across genres, and has a particular affection for science fiction and fantasy, especially books that recognize and subvert typical tropes of genre fiction. She can be found on Twitter at @kurestinarmada.
She is seeking: “Kurestin Armada is actively acquiring Upmarket and Commercial Fiction, Magic Realism, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Alternative History, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ (any genre), select Young Adult and Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Mystery (including mystery with elements of SF/F), and Romance. In nonfiction, she is looking for Design, Cooking, Pop Psychology, Humour, Narrative, Photography, and Pop Science.”
Submission Instructions: P.S. Literary only accepts queries via e-mail (query [at] psliterary.com). Please limit your query to one page and include the following: an introduction (the title and category of your work and an estimated word count), a brief overview (similar to back-cover copy), and a writer’s bio (a little bit about yourself and your background). Do not send attachments or submit a full-length manuscript/proposal unless requested. In your email subject line, have it read “Query for Kurestin: [Book Title].”


2. Jesse Finkelstein of Transatlantic Literary

About Jesse: Last fall, Jesse joined fellow  principal Trena White in forming an alliance with The Transatlantic Agency.  The two publishing experts consult authors and businesses on both traditional and non-traditional publishing strategy. As associate agents of Transatlantic, Finkelstein and White also secure book deals for authors of adult nonfiction whose books have strong trade potential and can benefit from the backing of an established, respected literary agency. Follow Jesse on Twitter: @j_finkelstein
She is seeking: Upmarket, accessible nonfiction that challenges current conceptions, whether through a “big ideas” book or narrative. “I am drawn to entrepreneurs and people who are innovators in their fields and writing about current affairs, business, culture, politics, technology, religion, and the environment,” she says. “I am most interested in authors who have an existing platform.”
How to submit: Query jesse [at] transatlanticagency.com with a cover letter in the body of your email and an attachment of your work (maximum 20-page writing sample/excerpt in Microsoft Word document form) along with a publishing history and synopsis. Please note if other agents are also considering the project.


3. Maria Vicente of P.S. Literary Agency
 
She is seeking: nonfiction projects in the pop culture, geek culture, pop psychology, design, and lifestyle categories; young adult (any genre), middle grade (any genre), and illustrated picture books; literary and commercial fiction (including fiction with a touch of genre).Send a query letter, addressed  to query@psliterary.com