Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-01-07
1900 PIGS ROASTED
BY FOREIGNERS ON
HILLS OF STEE[TON.
Orthodox Church Folk Celebrate
Nativity in Picturesque
Manner Today
FOLK DANCES TO BE FEATURE
Holiday Observance Will Last
Three Days With Much
Merrymaking
FOLK DANCES TO BE FEATURE

Greeks, Servians, Bulgarians and
Macedonians of Harrisburg and in the
foreign sections of Steelton observed
to-day as the anniversary of the birth
of Christ.
Most of these foreign people are
members of the Greek Orthodox
Church and their Christmas comes
just thirteen days later than the
Christmas of the believers in the
Protestant and Roman Catholic faiths
This is explained by the fact that the
Greek Orthodox Church still clings
to the Old Julian calendar, introduced
by Julius Caesar, while the Protest
ants and Roman Catholics have adopt
ed the calendar as corrected by Pope
Gregory in 1882.
At o'clock this morning the for
eigners attended early mass. A Sec
ond mass was held at 10 o'clock. These
services were held in the Bulgarian
Church, Front and Franklin streets.
Steelton, and in st. Nicholas Servian
Orthodox Church, South Second street,
Steelton. Practically every member of
these churches attended either one or
the other of these masses, as the holi-
day has an intensely religious mean
ing to the foreigners.
And Then For the Fun
As soon as the masses were said the
foreigners began to celebrate the day.
Many quaint customs brought from
the fatherland are observed by the
foreigners. Principal among these Is
the pigroast.
1t is estimated that at least 1900
pigs' were sacrificed to the feast in
the foreign section Of Steelton alone.
AS early as Monday morning the for
eigners began to prepare the pigs Tor
the feast.
The way in which the foreigners
prepare the little porkers for the feast
is unique. The pigs are first siaugh-
tered and cleaned and then trussed
up on a long green sapling that mas
been first stripped of It's bark.
Then a protected spot along hill
side somewhere is selected and pile
of logs SIS prepared, Instefd OF sus-
pending the porker across the flames
ii is hung about three feet from the
FIRE and slightly above 1t. Beneath
the roasting pig are placed large drip
pans TO catch the fat that oozes
through the skin and drops down.
After these preparations are made the
fire is lighted, and, surrounded by an
anxiously expectant crowd, foreigner
souats down to watch the fire and turn
the pig so that 1t may roast on all sides
evenly. To properly roast pig In this
manner takes about half a day, and
during this time the foreigners take
turns at watching the fire and turning
the pole that suspends the roast.
Hills Dotted With "Roasts"
Yesterday the hills around Steelton
were dotted with hundreds of these
roa sting parties, and Highland hill, In
the lower end of the town, gave the
impression of a small army encamped.
AS soon as the pigs were roasted to a
crisp, juicy brown. they were taken
from the fire and placed carefully
away for the feast to-day.
The celebration began in earnest
about noon to-day. In every house in
the foreign section there was pig
roast. AS soon as the big feast was
out of the way and the mugs were
passed. the residents of the entire sec
tion fiocked to South Third street,
where q number of old folk dances
were held.
Men, women and children, pretty
foreign girls and awkward foreign
Youths Joined hands and, forming two
long lines, one on each side of the
street, danced for hours. Back and
forth, from one side of the street to
the other, the long lines tripped,
skipped, twisted and gyrated. Until
late in the afternoon the dance lasted.
To-m morrow the same program will be
followed, as the holiday will last for
three days.